Monday, May 6, 2024

Discernment

 


Something that the church lacks today is discernment. Some do not know the difference between Scriptural truth and false teaching. They cannot discern God’s plan for the church from a pastor’s agenda. Their pastor will claim that God is going to, do this or that, and many will accept it as gospel; even if what the pastor is prophesying does not align with endtimes prophecy—his words are false. To the imperceptive, what is preached sounds good to them. They believe what is preached is true without checking that it aligns with God’s holy word. The Holy Spirit revealed to the apostle Paul that a lack of discernment would be prevalent in the endtimes church—the final generation of the church before it is raptured out of this world into eternity. These exact words are not recorded in Scripture but they are implied.

Having a bead on the condition of the contemporary church in the Western World it is not hard to see that the Holy Spirit was referring to the church in this age when it is written the church would be deceived. Paul prophesied that in the decades leading up to the Tribulation Period, people in the church would not want to hear cold hard truth, but rather prefer messages that make them feel good about themselves which breeds a spirit of lust for the world they are in (2 Tim. 4:3). To gain a following pastors are more than willing to comply to the desires of the people. Gaining a following and having bigger numbers in their church are more important to most pastors than teaching cold hard facts. Some pastors are so mesmerized by their agendas that the plan of God for the church has made them blind to the hard facts of Scripture. So, every Sunday they fill the minds of those they preach to with their version of the word of God, and will throw in some make-me-feel-good anecdotes to charm their congregations to stay hooked to their false teachings.

Because most Christians do not study and meditate on the word of God like they should discernment has not taken root within them. The word of God is supposed to be planted within the believer so that the Holy Spirit can assist the believer in knowing what is true and what is not. The Holy Spirit will not reveal the truth of Scripture unless the believer has it planted within their spirit—he will not force truth on anyone who does not want it. Anyone who desires truth will read and study the word of God. This growth will help the believers so they are not seduced, by false teachings. Seducing spirits have a harder time deceiving the believer who has the word of God growing in them. The apostle Paul taught that there is a gift of διακρίσεις πνευμάτων (diakríseis pnevmáton) “discernment of spirits.” But not everyone in the church is given this gift (1 Cor. 12:10c). Therefore, every believer must study and meditate on the word of God regularly so that truth will grow within their spirit, thereby having the spiritual ability to know what is truth or deception.

Since the Scriptures prophesy that the rapture of the body of Christ, the seven-year Tribulation Period, and the second coming of Israel’s Messiah is right at the door (Matt. 24:32-34; Mk. 13:28-30; Lk. 21:29-32), there are far too many church-goers who do not want to hear anything about these subjects. It could be because of fear, or just the thought of leaving the world they love, endtimes prophecy is not the message many want to study. This is why some pastors have a congregation to manipulate with their false teachings and skim milk messages. Many in today’s church turn away from the reality that endtimes prophesy will be fulfilled in their lifetime because fiction is more pleasant to their ears. They accept spiritual fantasy so they do not have to think about the rapture and the soon succeeding Tribulation Period. A lifetime of daydreaming birthed by fictional literature, television, and movies has twisted the minds of even those who are Christian. Daydreaming opens the door to the deception of “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1, ESV).

If pastors would teach their congregations that the rapture will happen before the seven-year Tribulation – the time of God’s wrath – then maybe the church would put their hope in it (Rms. 5:9; 1Thess.1:10; 5:9; Rev.3:10). The hope that the body of Christ will finally see Christ at the rapture will purify the believer, just as the Savior is pure (1 Jn. 3:2-3). The Holy Scriptures teach that the believer’s citizenship is in heaven; it is not this world (Phil. 3:20a). And it further teaches that the believer is to eagerly wait for Jesus to come and take them out of this world (Phil. 3:20b). A crown of righteousness will be rewarded to every believer that longs for his appearing—longs for the day when Jesus comes to rapture the church (2 Tim. 4:8). The believer should eagerly wait for Christ to come, and get them; not be uninterested in it (1 Cor. 1:7; Titus 2:13). It is prophesied that because Jesus was sacrificed to take away the believer’s sins he will also bring – eternal – salvation to “those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28d, ESV). This is when the body of Christ will be clothed in heavenly bodies—their salvation is completed (1 Cor. 15:50-53).

Because the Scriptures continually remark that the believer should eagerly wait for the rapture to occur, does this mean that those who refuse to be enthusiastic about it will be passed over when this glorious event happens? There has to be a reason why the apostle Paul has written repeatedly that the believer must be thirsty for the coming of the Lord—the rapture of the body of Christ is for the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18), the second coming is to redeem the remnant Jewish nation (Rev. 9:11-21). Considering the evil condition of this world, should the believer not be impatiently waiting for the day of the rapture? Should that desire not be burning within them? This world is ruled by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4; Lk. 4:5-7; Jn. 14:30; Eph. 2:2), and he will continue to do so until the angel of God binds him to the Abyss (Rev. 20:1-3). This will not happen until the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period at the second appearance of Israel’s Messiah—the church will not transform this world into a Christian theocracy as some false apostles and false prophets are teaching. The believer that hears the Spirit of Truth, and functions in spiritual discernment, can distinguish what is true or false that comes out of the pulpit. The same in video, and written works. More true Bible study and meditation on the word of God will transform the believer from accepting anything preached. They will know what is true or false as the Spirit teaches them. Today’s church should practice the Berean Jew method and examine what is being preached with the Holy Scriptures to verify whether it is true, or false.      

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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

We Must Be Educated

  


Can you remember when you went to school and there were some subjects you liked and some you did not? There may have been some classes you loved, and some you even hated. Let’s go back to the days before grade school and secondary schooling became nothing more than indoctrination institutions. I am not sure, but we may have to go back several decades ago. Government-run schooling used to be the place where parents would send their children to get educated. It was the place where children received education that would serve them when they became adults. It was apparent that without knowledge a person could not be productive or useful to society. Instead, a person without knowledge could be easily manipulated by people with nefarious intentions. Lack of knowledge produces a person who can be used by the darker elements of this world rather than having the power to make sound decisions.

Did you know that church is also a school? It is more than just a fellowship where Christian believers meet to worship God in song and have friendship, it is also a place where Christians are supposed to be educated in the word of God. The Scriptures are supposed to be taught in church. They are to be expounded upon to educate the Christian in the ways of God. To give them knowledge of who God is and what his desire is for the body of Christ. Although the Scripture is to be taught in its entirety over time in church settings, it should be taught repeatedly to refresh the believer's mind about what God has said so they can be thoroughly educated in the ways of God. The church must be educated in its history, beginning with how he created the universe and the earth. The church must know the sin of Adam and the consequences of sin for every man born after him. The Great Flood must be taught and especially who was responsible for it—it was the fallen angels. The life of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob should be taught because it is through them that the twelve tribes of Israel were created. Israel’s history must be taught, and how their prophets worked tirelessly rebuking them because of their disobedience in following fallen angels instead of Yahweh. The prophets preached God’s words to them to get them to repent. They warned Israel about what their future would be like if they did not obey the commands of the Lord. The church must know Israel’s past and future to be able to fully understand what God’s will is for the new creation, the body of Christ.

The Scripture reveals many doctrines. It contains some core teachings like: The doctrines of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit; the doctrines of man, salvation, and the Church, and much more. Another core doctrine of the Holy Scriptures is Eschatology (the study of last or end things), but being more specific is the doctrine of endtimes prophecy. Some congregations are diligent in teaching these doctrines regularly, some are not. Sadly, some pastors today teach things that they hear from demons, therefore their congregations are being taught doctrines of demons to lead them astray; to get them off track (1 Tim. 4:1). Some pastors are not teaching sound doctrine anymore, because they are afraid that they will lose their audience—therefore they teach mostly fables, messages that are false or unreal, they teach fiction and fantasy instead of solid truth (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The core teachings above are important to teach regularly, but certain doctrines must be focused on at specific times; in their right season. How do I know this? I will explain as I proceed.

When Jesus was teaching his disciples on the Mount of Olives, the same week he was crucified, he prophesied yet another time about the rapture of the church even before the church was born—he did this many times during his first appearance. I like to use Matthew’s record on this subject because he tightly compacts the following endtimes events together. But I will also give you the Scripture references from the other gospels that correspond with the endtimes teaching in the gospel of Matthew to enhance your study. Preceding Jesus’ teaching on the subject of the rapture, he taught briefly about what the final decades of the church age would be like that would lead up to the beginning of Israel’s seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation Period. He taught that there would be an increase in wars and a lot of talk about war, he said that deception would increase, also that the races would clash like never before, and that world powers would be jostling with one another for world power (Matt. 24:4-8; Mk. 13:5-8; Lk. 21:8-11). I have written in other articles that the final decades of the church age began when Israel’s prophesied statehood was renewed (Isa. 66:8-9; Ez. 37:1-14; 11:16-17). Israel had not governed the Holy Land autonomously since they were exiled by King Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC (the first deportation). But on May 14, 1948, their statehood was renewed.

After revealing concisely what the world would be like during the final decades of the church age, Jesus then taught his disciples briefly about what would happen during Israel’s seventieth week as prophesied in Daniel 9:27 (Matt. 24:9-31; Mk. 13:9-27; Lk. 17:22-24, 31-33; 21:12-28). You should be able to see that his prophecy pertains to the nation of Israel during these horrible seven years. I will move past Jesus’ prophecy about the importance of Israel’s renewed statehood for a moment because I will use it to complete Jesus’ teaching about the endtimes. But I will mention, that Jesus had added some more information about what the world would be like after Israel’s statehood was renewed which has an important connection to the rapture of the church—remember, the church had not even come into existence until after he was resurrected from the dead; he was not only God in the flesh but he was also a prophet. With this teaching, and throughout his ministry, he was laying down the groundwork for the foundation of the church, who were the first apostles (Paul, Peter, James, John, etc.) and the early prophets (Simeon Niger, Barnabas, Lucius, Barnabas, Manahen, Agabus, Silas, and Judas Barsabbas – I may have missed some). He of course is the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:19-22). The added information I mentioned above, concerning the final decades of the church age, is that the world would also be like in the days of Noah (Gen. 6:1-5; Matt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-27), and Lot (Gen. 13:12-13; 18:20-33; Ez. 16:49-50; Lk. 17:28-30). So, Jesus gives a warning to the church to be ready for the rapture of the body of Christ by using the events in the lives of these two men, because at the end of the church age, it will be similar (Matt. 24:36, 40-44; Mk. 13:32-37; Lk. 17:26-30, 34-35; 21:34-36). Because the day and hour of the rapture are kept hidden from the church they must be constantly watching for that day and be ready for the hour when it happens, because he said he would come at an hour that the church does not expect. When Jesus comes for the church, many will be caught off guard, they will be unprepared, because they are spiritually asleep. You can likely compare it to a surprise exam in secondary school—if they still do that. Most times students are not prepared for it and therefore the teacher fails them. But if students would constantly study a surprise exam would not catch them off guard. They would be prepared for an unexpected exam.

And then the Scriptures reveal, that Jesus both encourages and also warns the pastors and teachers of the church—the faithful and prudent servants (Matt. 24:45-51; Lk. 12:42-46). Above I said that I know that certain doctrines are to be focused on and taught at specific times. Both the encouragement and the warning to the pastors and teachers of the church in the passages above are where you will find that truth. The doctrine of Eschatology, the study of endtimes prophecy, is what Jesus was referring to when he gave both encouragement and warning to the pastors and teachers. As said: Jesus warns the church to be watching and ready for the day and hour that the rapture will occur. Within the context of this warning Jesus encourages and also warns the pastors and teachers of the church to focus on and teach endtimes prophecy—the allusion is to teach it regularly as the day of the rapture and the Tribulation Period approaches. Jesus said: “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time” (Matt. 24:45, ESV)? Luke wrote: “And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time” (Lk. 12:42, ESV)? This word means that the pastors and teachers are to be teaching the church in the right season, or the right period, the endtimes information that he has just taught. Jesus is emphatic that they must make this their focus with the consequences of not doing it, which is they will be put into the same place as the ὑποκριτής (ypokritís) hypocrite; according to Matthew (Matt. 24:48-51). And according to Luke, they will be put into the same place as the ἄπιστος (apistos) unfaithful (Lk. 12:45-46). The season, or the right time that the pastors and teachers are to focus on the study of endtimes prophecy coincides with the time when Israel’s statehood was renewed—1948. Jesus prophesied (Matt. 24:32-35; Mk. 13:28-31; Lk. 21:29-33), using parabolic or symbolic language (prophetic language), that the generation that witnessed Israel’s renewed statehood would also witness the final decades of the church age, the body of Christ raptured out of this world, the beginning and end of the seven-year Tribulation Period/Israel’s seventieth week, and the second coming of Jesus Christ to redeem the remnant Jews (Matt. 24:27-31; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-28). The church must be educated in Jesus’ teaching about the endtimes, specifically after Israel’s statehood was renewed up until the time the church is raptured which will occur before Israel’s seventieth week begins. A consolation for the Christian who is fearful of the Tribulation Period: The apostle Paul has assured the church of a pre-Tribulation rapture, as you can read in some of my other articles.[1] But that hope of a pre-Tribulation rapture does not nullify the command of Jesus for the church to be watching and ready for when it happens. It also does not dissolve the command of the Lord for the pastors and teachers to preach and teach endtimes prophecy. They must consistently educate the church in the study of endtimes prophecy in the days we now live.

Some think that the passages above (Matt. 24:36-44; Mk. 13:32-37; Lk. 17:26-30, 34-35; 21:34-36) refer to the second coming of Christ and not the rapture of the church. It may be because of just one incident where Luke inserted an event that will happen during the Tribulation Period within prophecies that reference the rapture of the church. This incident is a warning to Israel to run for safety once the Antichrist begins to attack them during their seventieth week (Lk. 17:31-33). I do not know why Luke inserted that warning where he did, because the other gospel writers inserted it within the context of the Tribulation and not within allusions to the rapture (Matt. 24:15-18; Mk. 13:14-16), but because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to insert it there then there must be a reason. Maybe to make the endtimes church work at learning the Scriptures, or maybe to keep those that are willfully blind to continue in their blindness—the Scripture records that the Holy Spirit leads the believer into all truth.  He will inform the believer of events that will eventually come to pass (Jn. 16:13), but if the believer has an agenda, then the truth is something they do not readily want to receive. During Israel’s seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation Period, the Antichrist will enter the 3rd temple and defile it (Dan. 9:24, 26b-27; Matt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14a), just like Antiochus IV Epiphanes did in his day—168 BC (Dan. 8:9-14; 11:29-31). The Antichrist will turn against the nation of Israel after having been the man that caused a peace treaty between them and the Palestinians—this event will begin the seventieth week of Israel which will last for 2520 days; seven Biblical/Prophetic years. He even lets them construct the 3rd temple (Rev. 11:1-2). The man of sin will try to destroy them during this time, but God warns them to run for safety to a place where he will hide them from this evil one until the Tribulation is completed (Matt. 24:16-18; Mk. 13:14b-16; Rev. 12:6, 13-16).

The other day a woman asked me what is the most important prophecy today. My mind began racing as many endtimes prophesies filled my mind. But the prophecy that came out of my mouth was the apostle John’s prediction about the one-world government mentioned in the writings of Daniel and the apostle John, which has to do with the Antichrist who will rule this government once the church is raptured (Dan. 2:33b, 41-43; 7:7-8, 19-25: Rev. 13:1-18; 17:1-18; 18:1-24; 19:11-21). If you want to read other articles that I have written about the global government and its ruler there is a link to some of them in the endnotes.[2] There are of course many other important endtimes prophesies that are pertinent for today, like the Scripture references that I have given you in this article. Most of the Old Testament prophets prophesied about the endtimes that are relevant to the nation of Israel.

Before Jesus made his first appearance Israel’s prophets recorded many prophesies about his arrival (Num. 24:8, 17; Mic. 5:2; Isa. 7:14-17; 9:6; 11:1; 12:2-3; 40:9; 53:3; 60:3, 7; Jer. 31:15; Hos. 11:1; Zech. 3:8-10; 6:12; 13:7). They recorded many prophesies about his earthly ministry (Ps. 2:7; 78:1-2; 89:26; Isa. 6:9-10; 9:1-2; 29:18; 35:5-6; 40:3; 42:1-4; 53:2; 61:1-2; Zech. 9:9; 13:7; Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6, and many more). They recorded many prophesies about his death and resurrection (Num. 9:12; Deut. 21:23; Ps. 22:1, 7-8, 14, 16-15, 18; 31:5; 38:11; 43:20; 69:21; 88:8; 109:4, 25; Isa. 50:6; 53:5-6; Mic. 5:1; Zech. 12:10, and many more). There are about 300 prophesies that pertained to Jesus’ first appearance that he fulfilled. So, there was no reason why Israel’s religious leaders should not have known each one of these recorded prophesies. If anyone should have known without a doubt that he was Israel’s Messiah they should have. Instead, the Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus. They asked him to show them a sign to prove he was who he said he was. He rebuked them saying they know how to predict the weather but are unable to discern the day and age they live in (Matt. 16:14). I get tired of saying it, but many of today’s religious leaders are like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. There are a multitude of signs proving that the world is in the endtimes as the Holy Scriptures have predicted. From the global government to the ἀποστασία (apostasia) apostasy in the church (2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:3-4). The church must be educated in endtimes prophecy regularly. It is up to the believer to make sure they are studying endtimes prophecy, but it is more important for the church leadership to set an example.  


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Saturday, February 24, 2024

The Lamb of God

 



The world is full of people. Old people, young people, big people, and small people. It consists of people from many different backgrounds: with differing customs, traditions, lifestyles, religions, and beliefs. But one thing every person ever born has in common, each is created as a spirit being once conceived in their mother’s womb. This phenomenon occurs because God said: נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ “let us make man in our image after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26a, MT[1]). God did this so that man could have supreme authority over what he created on the Earth (Gen. 1:26bcd, 28-30). Therefore, God created man (male and female) in his (ṣelem) image (Gen. 1:27)—he created man in his likeness to represent him in the Earth that he created. His likeness primarily refers to our spirit-being, since God is a spirit (Jn. 4:24a; 2 Cor. 3:17; Isa. 61:1a; Rms. 8:16). God created man as a spirit-being, he has given him a soul to communicate with, and provided him with a body of human flesh to live in this world (1 Thess. 5:23). The first man came to life once God breathed life into his spirit-being (Gen. 2:7), as did Eve once he created her from Adam’s rib (Gen. 2:18, 21-24). Although God breathing life into Eve is not recorded in the Scriptures he would have had to because she was created a spirit-being just like Adam. Every person since the creation of Adam and Eve has been born a spirit-being when at the fertilization (conception) of a man’s sperm and the egg of a woman connect, God then breathes life into that fusion.

The God who created the universe and all that is in it (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; Isa. 40:26; Jn. 1:3; Heb. 11:3; Rev. 4:11) is one God, but contrary to the beliefs of all religions except true Christianity he exists as three distinct persons. The God of true Christianity is not an erroneous idea, because the Holy Scriptures record that God Almighty is a Trinity. The Father (Rms. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), the Son—Jesus  (Titus 2:13; Jn. 1:1, 14, 18 [3:16; 1 Jn. 4:9]; 5:18; 10:27-30, 33; 17:21; Phil. 2:5-6; Col. 2:9-10; 1 Jn. 5:20; Rev. 1:17-18 [2:8; Isa. 44:6], and the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:25-26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:14), are three distinct individuals who are the divine and sole existence of the one God who created the heavens and earth. True Christianity is a monotheistic faith because of the belief in one God, even though they believe that the only true God exists as three distinct individuals. Other religions that believe in only one God do not believe true Christianity is monotheistic because of the faith that God is a Trinity. Even some in the Christian faith have difficulty understanding the concept of the Trinity, therefore they choose to believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one person—like the breakaway sects of Christianity. This belief invalidates the idea of the Trinity. But the fact that God is three distinct persons who equally are the one true God is revealed in Scripture. God the Father sent God the Son into the world (Jn. 3:16) to redeem man from the power of the evil ones (Eph. 2:1-6)—these Scriptures reveal that God the Father and God the Son are two separate individuals. When Jesus’ work on the earth was finished, he then went back to the Father who resides in the eternal realm (Acts 1:9-11; Jn. 16:10b)—these Scriptures also reveal that the Father and the Son are two separate persons. Jesus revealed to his disciples that no one can come to the Father except through him (Jn. 14:6) and that no one can know the Father unless Jesus reveals him to them (Matt. 11:27)—this also reveals that the Father and the Son are two separate but equal individuals. Jesus did say that he was in the Father, and that the Father is in him; that the Father lives in him (Jn. 14:10-11), but these statements reveal that Jesus the Son is equally God with his Father—these two distinct persons are two of the individuals who are the divine and sole existence of the one true God. The Scriptures reveal that the Holy Spirit is God who is a distinct person from the Father and the Son, as you can see from the Scripture references to him above. Jesus said to his disciples that if they love him, by keeping his commands, then he would send another helper to help them and he will be with them forever—once he leaves them, after he is raptured back into heaven (Jn. 14:15-16). He is the Spirit of truth (God) who will guide Christ’s followers into all truth (Jn. 14:17a; 16:13). Jesus is not the Father nor is he the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son nor is he the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father nor is he the Son of God. But all three persons of the Trinity are distinct individuals who are the divine and sole existence of the one and only true God who created the heavens and earth. Some people would say that the Scripture references that I have presented with my description of the Trinity are just words written on pages by certain men, but I contend that they are divinely inspired words recorded by certain men for those who are appointed to eternal life so that they can believe.

When God said: “let us make man in our image after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26a), who do you think he was talking to? Was he talking to the cherubim that surrounded his throne? No! The cherubim around his throne does not have the power to create a man. Was he talking to the angels Gabriel, Michael, or another heavenly being? No! Gabriel and Michael and all other heavenly beings do not have the power to create a man. Rather, one of the three persons of the Trinity was discussing with the other two persons in the Trinity the creation of a new spirit-being to guard and take care of his creation upon the newly restored planet Earth. They would have discussed that this spirit-being would need the ability to communicate with God and also their humankind, so they created a soul and a physical body to go along with the spirit of man. This record is an allusion to the likelihood that all three persons in the Trinity were responsible for the creation of man. Another Scripture that reveals the Trinity is after Adam had sinned, one of the three persons of the Trinity had said to the other two: καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός ἰδοὺ Αδαμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν (kaí eípen o theós idoú Adam gégonen os eís ex imón toú ginóskein kalón kaí ponirón) “And God said, Behold, Adam became as one of us, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:22a, LXX[2]). This certain person of the Godhead was not referring to the angels because they are not like God. Yes, the angels know the difference between good and evil but if God was referencing these heavenly beings he would have alluded to the fact. There was yet another time God revealed himself as a Trinity. This was after the Great Flood, when Nimrod and the people of the earth were building the tower to reach the heavens, possibly to reach one of the many portals to the spiritual realm, God had to stop their construction (Gen. 11:1-9). Yahweh had come down to see their construction and knew that this construction had to stop (Gen. 11:5-6). So, one of the three persons in the Trinity said to the other two that they must go down to the earthly realm and confuse the language of the people so they will not be able to communicate with one another to complete their tower to the heavens, or portal to the spiritual realm: “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Gen. 11:7, ESV)—the Ancient Book of Jasher says in 9:32, that God was referring to the seventy angels who stood before him; that they were who he was talking to. The Book of Jasher was written over 3,500 years ago possibly the same time Moses wrote the Book of Genesis. Jasher is not part of the Canon of Scripture but it is a history book that has been referenced in the Scriptures (Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18; 2 Timothy 3:8), so its extra information concerning the events in the Book of Genesis and Exodus may be somewhat accurate but it is not writing that the Holy Spirit inspired, because some of its information contradicts what is written in the Holy Scriptures. There are fake books of Jasher, but the book I have referenced is a credible work (Ken Johnson Th.D. – copyright 2008). My point is, that whoever wrote the genuine Book of Jasher may have not believed that God is a Trinity, so to not sound like he was a heretic he may have substituted the Trinity for the seventy angels who stood before Yahweh. Does this mean that I am right in saying that in Genesis 11:7 the text is about the Trinity and not the seventy angels as the book of Jasher records? What I am inferring is that my theory is that Genesis 11:7 is referring to the Trinity because of the abundance of Scriptural references that allude to God being a Trinity. When you compare these three recorded incidences – Genesis 1:26a; 3:22a; 11:7 – with the Scripture verses in my previous paragraph about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you should be able to understand that the only true God is a Trinity. The Scriptures sometimes will refer to each of the three persons of the Trinity by the same proper nouns (names), but that only reinforces the concept that God the Father, God the Son, and the Spirit of God, are all equal in power and might and sovereignty.

After God created man, he was able to have fellowship with him because it is written that he put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work in and take care of it—he trusted Adam with that (Gen. 2:15). During Adam’s initial fellowship with God, he was assigned to name all of the creatures in the Earth (Gen. 2:19-20a). God gave him authority over the Garden and he was allowed to eat what he could produce in it (Gen. 2:16). But God warned Adam not to eat from עץ הדעת טוב ורע “The tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17a, MT). If he did, he would experience מוּת (mûṯ) death. The man was created to live forever in communion and fellowship with his Creator. Some disagree with this statement because Genesis does not say that. But Romans 5:12 reveals that the reason Adam eventually died, and all men after, is because of sin. Because Adam ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil he sinned against God (Gen. 3:6). God commanded Adam to not eat from this tree but he did what his wife said instead of obeying God. Ever since that point in time sin entered into the world and everything living would then not only die physically but man would also be spiritually dead to God. Adam’s spiritual relationship with God died once he ate of the tree and a curse was put on him and every man after (Gen. 3:17-19; Rms. 5:12-14). A curse was put on Eve and every woman after because she let the serpent deceive her, thereby leading Adam to sin against God (Gen. 3:1-6, 13, 16). For Adam and Eve to be forgiven for their transgression, and not die immediately or be cut off completely from God, he had to shed the blood of one of the animals that he had created (Gen. 3:21). Once Jesus came into the world and sacrificed his life for men (shed his blood), then mankind could have their spiritual relationship with God restored if they put their faith in Christ (Rms. 3:22-23).   

As time went on אַבְרָם ('aḇrām – pronounced av-rawm') Abram was born – about 1948 years after Adam was created – to his father Terah (Terah had two other sons: Nahor and Haron – Gen. 11:26). Yahweh instructed Abram about seventy-five years later to leave Harran and settle in the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1-5). Yahweh promised to give the land of Canaan[3] to Abram’s offspring—meaning his son born by the promise of God, Isaac (Ishmael was born by Abram’s union with Hagar, therefore he was not the child of Yahweh’s promise – Gal. 4:21-31), and his grandson Jacob, who was later called Israel (Gen. 32:27-28), and the descendants of Jacob (Gen. 12:6-9; 13:15; 17:8[4]). The land of Canaan covered the areas that are present-day Israel. It also included the land that is known as Gaza and the West Bank. The land that Yahweh gave to Abram’s offspring, the descendants of Jacob (Israel), also included Lebanon and portions of Syria and Jordan.[5]

After traveling to Egypt because of a famine in the Negev (southern Israel), Abram and his wife Sarai were welcomed there because the Egyptians and Pharaoh saw that Abram’s wife was beautiful (Gen.12:10-16). But they were ordered to leave Egypt after Yahweh had inflicted disease upon Pharaoh’s household because Abram had deceived Pharaoh concerning his wife Sarai (Gen. 12:17-20). Abram, his wife, and his nephew Lot, then went back to the Negev (Gen. 13:1). After Abram had lived in Canaan for about ten years, his wife gave him her Egyptian slave so that her husband could sleep with her and bear a child for Sarai since she had no children, Abram slept with the slave and she conceived (Gen. 16:1-4). Before this Yahweh had promised Abram a son (Gen. 15:1-6). The son born to Sarai’s slave, Ishmael, was not the child promised to Abram by God, Isaac was (Gen. 21:1-4). Yahweh had changed both Abram’s and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sara before the birth of Isaac (Gen. 17:1-7, 15-16). Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah was 90 years old (Gen. 17:17; 21:1-7)—Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed before Isaac was born (Gen. 18:16-19:1-29).  

When Isaac was about 37 years old,[6] God tested Abraham by commanding him to go to Mount Moriah (the future temple mount in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 3:1), which is now occupied by the Muslim, Dome of the Rock, which is surrounded by the al-Aqsa Mosque compound) and sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering[7] (Gen. 22:1-2). Abraham did not hesitate because he knew that Yahweh was testing him, and he believed that God would provide the lamb to be sacrificed as the burnt offering (Gen. 22:3-8). Abraham went as far as to build the altar and lay Isaac on top of the wood, he even drew his knife to sacrifice his son, but an angel of Yahweh stopped Abraham before the knife touched Isaac (Gen. 22:9-11). The angel of Yahweh told Abraham that God knew he had יָרֵא (yārē') fear for him, even at the cost of his only son (Gen. 22:12)—to fear God means to be afraid to not disobey what he says; having reverential fear is allusive to showing honor and respect. Yahweh then provided a ram for Abraham to substitute Isaac for (Gen. 22:13). Abraham called the place where God provided a substitute for Isaac: “The LORD Will Provide” (Ge. 22:14a, CSB). The temple mounts on Mount Moriah, where the first and second Jewish temples stood (957-586 BC – 516 BC-AD 70) and where the third temple will be built once the Tribulation Period begins (Rev. 11:1-2; 2 Thess. 2:4; Dan. 9:27bc), is where Jesus entered to present himself as Israel’s Messiah, but was rejected by the religious leaders (Matt. 21:7-17; Mk. 11:7-11; Lk. 19:32-44). That presentation Jesus made on the temple mount that day was not only to present himself to Israel as their Messiah, but his appearance at that place was also allusive to his role in being the lamb that Yahweh would provide to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10). He knew that he would be sacrificed for the sins of the world (Jn. 3:13-18; Rms. 5:8; 1 Jn. 4:9-10; Isa. 53:1-12).  Jesus’ appearance on Palm Sunday at the same place where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac was a prophetic sign that indicated he would be the sacrificial lamb God would provide for the salvation of not only the nation of Israel but for all who would put their faith in him; meaning the Church—Jesus was not sacrificed on the temple mount, but that was the place God chose to announce that he would provide the lamb to be slain; and that lamb was Jesus. Just like Yahweh provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice as a burnt offering instead of Isaac, God has provided the lamb of God that was sacrificed so that all who would believe may have eternal life.    

As time went on, Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, had twelve sons. These twelve sons were the descendants of Abraham who were promised to receive the land of Canaan (Gen. 28:10-15; 35:12). These twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel. There came a time when Israel settled in Egypt because of a famine (Gen. 41:53-54, 57; 42:1-5; 46:1-47:12), this was to fulfill a prophecy given to Abram (Gen. 15:13). Their brother Joseph was already in Egypt because of their brother’s deception (Gen. 37:12-36) and in time was put in charge of Pharaoh's palace, all Egypt submitted to Joseph’s orders (Gen. 41:40-41). The power over Egypt was given to Israel’s son, Joseph, because of a dream that he accurately interpreted for Pharaoh (Gen. 41:1-39). After many years Israel ended up becoming slaves to a new generation of Egyptians after Joseph and his brothers passed away (Ex. 1:1-14). But Yahweh delivered the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by the power of his might many years later (Ex. 12:31-51), which further fulfilled the prophecy given to Abram (Gen. 15: 14-16). Yahweh had to also divide the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape Pharaoh's soldiers (Ex. 13:17-14:31).

The people of Israel proved to be a stubborn and obstinate nation. They tested God and Moses in the desert after leaving the land of Egypt (Ex. 15:22-17:7). Yahweh made another promise to Israel, that if they would obey him completely and keep his covenant, then he would favor them over every other nation (Ex. 19:5). God said to the Israelites: אַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ “you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6a, MT). Yahweh gave them the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17). But they were frightened of his power and did not want God to speak to them directly (Ex. 20:18-21). This request was more than just from a sense of fear, it was an early indication that the people of Israel would never fully listen and obey Yahweh and his decrees. Yahweh had set laws for the people of Israel to obey (Ex. 21:1- 23:33), but in time they became disloyal.

When Israel was about to leave their slavery in Egypt, Yahweh commanded Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelites to take a lamb, one for each family (Ex. 12:1-3). The lamb must be a male without defects and be a certain age, and then on a certain day, they were to slaughter the animal (Ex. 12:5-6). They were then to take the blood from the slaughtered animal and wipe it on the doorframes, top and sides, of the house they would eat the lamb in (Ex. 12:7). That same night, Yahweh would pass through the land of Egypt and end the life of every firstborn human and animal, at the same time he would judge the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12). But every house that had the blood of the slaughtered lambs on their doorframes Yahweh would bypass, and the destroying plagues would not harm them (Ex. 12:13). The lamb’s blood was a sign of God’s mercy. Jesus Christ was also: “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pt. 1:19b, Webster’s Bible). Israel escaped Yahweh’s judgment upon Egypt only because of their obedience to the accommodation of the blood sacrifice. This is similar to the blood Jesus sacrificed for the sins of the world: “According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22, CSB). When Israel was in the desert in front of Mount Sinai, when the covenant was established, Moses took the blood of the young bulls that he had the young men slaughter as a fellowship offering to Yahweh and he put half of it in bowls and the rest he splashed against the altar he had built at the foot of Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:3-6).  After reading the book of the covenant (literally, Exodus 20:22-23:19) to the people (Ex. 24:7), he then took the blood in the bowls and sprinkled it on the Israelites and said: “Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah hath made with you concerning all these words” (Ex. 24: 8b, ASV). This blood of the covenant was what Jesus was referring to when he and his disciples ate the “Lord’s Supper” the night he was betrayed: καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ ἐκχυννόμενον ὑπὲρ πολλῶν (kaí eípen aftoís toútó estin tó aímá mou tís diathíkis tó ekchynnómenon ypér pollón “And he said unto them, this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many” (Mk. 14:24, mGNT). Once a year, Aaron was to make atonement for the people of Israel on the horns of the Altar of Incense with bulls’ blood (Ex. 30:10). This ordinance was a picture of the blood Jesus shed on the cross to offer up to his Father (Heb. 9:11-10:14).

Jesus is referred to as the Lamb that was slain, and if a person is not written in the Book of Life, they will worship the Antichrist during the seven-year Tribulation Period (Rev. 13:5-8). John the Baptist recognized Jesus in his day as the Lamb of God: “who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29b, Darby). It is the blood of Jesus Christ that gives the Church power over evil spirits (Rev. 12:11).          


Picture: Pixabay (Free to use under the Content License)



[2] Septuagint

[4] Genesis 26:3; 28:13; Exodus 6:4; 33:1; Deuteronomy 1:8; 6:10

[6] Ancient Book of Asher: Compiled by, Ken Johnson Th.D. – pg. #47

[7] What is a burnt offering?

https://www.gotquestions.org/burnt-offering.html

 

 

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

What To Believe

 


I want to be transparent; I do not like reading in the gospels when Jesus and his disciples went to Gethsemane and he was arrested after Judas betrayed him. It disturbs me every time I read how after Jesus was arrested and taken to Caiaphas he was slapped and punched around and then spit on. Neither do I like thinking about what Pilate’s soldiers did to him. To be frank, it crushes me.

As I struggled my way through the Gethsemane account in Matthew’s record recently, my attention was drawn to an important but often overlooked question Jesus asked Simon Peter (John revealed who he was) after he had cut off Malchus’ ear—Malchus was a servant of Caiaphas. Jesus rebuked Simon Peter (he was always being reprimanded) and commanded he put his dagger back in its sheath. First, Jesus asked his disciple a rhetorical question on whether or not he could call on his Father and at once twelve legions[1] of angels would come and deliver him from those that came to arrest him (Matt. 26:53). And then he asks another rhetorical question concerning the suffering he was about to go through that Peter was attempting to spare him of. His question was one that he wanted Peter and the other disciples to think about rather than give an answer to.  If Jesus was to call on his Father to deliver him with the help of tens of thousands of angels, then how would the writings of Israel’s prophets happen as they said they would: “How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way” (Matt. 26:54, CSB)? David prophesied that Jesus would ask why his Father had forsaken him (Ps. 22:1|Mk. 15:32). He also prophesied that the people who saw Jesus on the cross would mock and insult him (Ps. 22:7-8|Matt. 27:39-40). It is written that people (Pharisees and Sadducees) would stand and stare at Jesus as he hung on the cross and brag that they defeated him (Ps. 22:17b|Mk. 15:31-32), and the Roman soldiers would throw dice for his clothes (Ps. 22:18|Matt. 27:35). His crucifixion and burial were prophesied precisely as well (Isa. 53:4-12).

Jesus’ point to Simon Peter was that if the angels came and delivered him from those who came to arrest him then what had been written in the Scriptures to happen would then not happen. The prophets would be in error. That would make God a liar. The prophets spoke what Yahweh told them to speak. They prophesied events years before they would come to pass. And when the events came to pass that the prophets prophesied, they transpired exactly as they said they would. This does not happen when false prophets’ prophesy. Their prophesies are never completely accurate. There are always mistakes in what they prophesy. Even pagans prophesy, but they are like the false prophets in the church, their prophesies are never completely accurate either. Jesus knew that what was prophesied about him, and then written for the record, would happen as they had been foretold. That is why Jesus told his Father that his will be done after he asked “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39b, ESV). If the Father were to cancel Christ’s atoning sacrifice after it had already been prophesied and written for the record, he would lose all credibility. Even the angels in the kingdom of heaven would not be able to trust God anymore. But because God is able to “declare the end from the beginning” (Isa. 46:10a, CSB), meaning, he can say from the beginning what will happen in the future, he knew that Jesus would complete his will and sacrifice himself for the world. The apostle Matthew kept good records because he made sure that in his record, he added that what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane – and afterward – was so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled (Matt. 26:56a).

In this generation, the world is witnessing the prophesied global government already in operation (Dan. 2:40-43; 7:7, 19-24a; Rev. 17:1-18; 18:1-24). This global government will be ruled by the Antichrist sometime after the church is raptured (2 Thess. 2:3-10; Rev. 13:1-8; 17:13). The global government has been constructed by certain individuals who rule the United Nations (UN), and the World Economic Forum (WEF)[2]. The World Health Organization (WHO)[3] is also an agency of the global government. Many people are trying to stop the global government agenda that is using their wealth and political power to enslave the Western world. Well-known podcasters and website personalities are trying to save America and the world from the globalists by using their podcasts and websites to preach anti-globalism messages and to encourage people to resist the global agenda thinking this will defeat its agenda. Society cannot depend on the legacy media to inform them of the global government’s ultimate intentions because they are also an agency of the globalist agenda.  Most informed people know what the globalist agenda is. The global elites, members of the UN, the WEF, and the WHO plan on having the Western world completely under their power by the year 2030 or sooner. The 2030 Agenda[4] is misleading as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Sustainable Development Program)[5] tells the world that its goal is to create prosperity for the world and planet Earth. They say this will make universal peace possible. But their end goal is to enslave humanity. They say out loud, that nobody will own anything because the global government will control all wealth and the movement of society. I take my hat off to the many podcasters and website personalities who are fighting both tooth and nail to stop the global government’s agenda. Also, to the farmers in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria, Hungary, France, and Romania who have used their farm machinery to protest the globalist's attacks on their livelihood. I give the people credit that were involved in the truckers’ protest for freedom in Canada in 2022 also. But I have to say: all the protests against the globalists will not bring about the destruction of the globalist agenda. It may seem that there are small victories here and there, it may seem that in time the global agenda will be defeated, but I say that all the hope and enthusiasm, and confidence the anti-globalist has, will be soon filled with overwhelming disappointment as the door to the Tribulation Period opens wide. I can say these things because if the globalist agenda of a new world order and all that is involved in its fulfillment does not come to pass soon, in this day and age, then how will the Scriptures come to pass that prophecy the one-world government be in power for at least seven years before Jesus comes and establishes his kingdom on earth for 1,000 years? Even former President Donald Trump’s determination to be the 47th President of the United States of America, so that he can bring a sense of sanity and responsible government back to both America and the world will fail. The powers that possess the globalists will not let that happen. The world is too close to the beginning of the seventieth week of Israel. Their seventieth week was promised to them by Yahweh in the writings of the prophets (Daniel) and Jesus prophesied that it would happen in the generation that followed the rebirth of the nation of Israel—he prophesied that there will be people who will witness both events. The Antichrist will be the global government ruler during Israel’s seventieth week. If Trump becomes the 47th President and can stop the globalist agenda, then how will the writings of the prophets come to pass? If they do not come to pass then God is a liar.   

No doubt you have watched and listened to many Christian preaching and music videos, and read many newsletters and books that are associated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)[6] movement. In this movement, the leadership hierarchy is the people they deem as apostles and prophets. The NAR hierarchy believes they are higher in rank than evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They believe that is the way God governs his church in this day and age so that its commission in this world will be successful. Have you noticed that over the last decade, many in ministry have the title of either apostle or prophet, sometimes even both? When you hear these NAR prophets and apostles preach, they all have the same ear-tickling messages, that the world is not going to get worse but better. Their message is that God is going to remove the evil politicians and corporate leaders and replace them with Christians. They believe as church participants in spiritual warfare that their prayers will break demonic strongholds over cities and nations and the devils will flee. The Scriptures declare that peace and righteousness will come to this world but it will not happen until the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and not before (Rev. 20:1-6). The world has to go into the Tribulation Period first, which will last seven years, where Jesus (not the church) will defeat the kings of the earth, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet (Rev. 19:11-21). That victory will complete the seven-year Tribulation with the redemption of the nation of Israel as his crowning victory.

In many churches, the pastors are teaching from the pulpit that things are going to get better in this world just as the NAR prophets and apostles are preaching. They talk like the church is going to be extended for many generations to come here on this earth. They talk and believe this way for two reasons: their ministry dreams are their main goal because spiritual notability is important to them, and they reject any truth that reveals this is the final generation of the church age—that the rapture may happen today. These wayward ministers reject that the Scriptures reveal this is the final generation of the church age which began with Israel’s renewed statehood in 1948 (Matt. 24:32-34; Mk. 13:28-30; Lk. 21:29-32), and instead, they say they mean something different. From the day Israel’s statehood was renewed, some who witnessed that prophesied event will also witness the rapture of the church, the seven-year Tribulation/Israel’s seventieth week, and the 2nd coming of Jesus. After these events come to pass then the millennial reign of Israel’s Messiah will begin. This revelation seems to be hidden from the ministers who strive to have their dreams come to pass rather than God’s will come to pass. They cannot seem to comprehend that these events along with their appointed times are God’s will for the nation of Israel and the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. These disobedient ministers think their ministry dreams are the will of God, but if their ministry dreams do not line up with endtimes prophecy then their ministry dreams are not from God but another source—they are deceived by both their flesh and seducing spirits. Some pastors, who are in the lower echelon of leadership in the five-fold ministry according to the NAR movement, are also telling their congregations that revival will happen if the church unifies with the messages they preach from the pulpit. It is like they think that if their congregation is on the same page as their preaching and they are both like-minded then their positive prayers will cause God to release his miraculous power to make what they confess happen. This is new-age thinking. God will release his power into the church if their requests do not contradict what is written in the Scriptures but if they do then he will not. These same pastors tell the church that the world is not in the endtimes and that the rapture, if any, will not happen for a long time to come. If they do speak about the rapture, it is always in the negative. Their theology contradicts endtimes Bible prophecy.   

Just as Jesus informed Simon Peter that his arrest and subsequent death must happen so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled, what we are witnessing with the global government agenda must also happen so that the writings of the prophets come to pass. We are living in the day and age that these endtimes prophecies are appointed to happen—the rebirth of Israel set them all in motion. Again, the following Scripture references that prophesy the global government, led by ten kings and the Antichrist, are prophecies that will come to pass in this period no matter how much they are prayed against or ignored (Dan. 2:40-43; 7:7, 19-24a; 2 Thess. 2:3-10; Rev. 13:1-18; 17:1-18; 18:1-24). The current members of the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the World Health Organization, along with the members of the Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Club of Rome, and the Trilateral Commission, are the people managing the operations of the global government in these prophecies. They will help the ten kings and the Antichrist rule the world during the seventieth week of Israel, just as they are ruling Western society right now in the shadows. The Lord allows these people to do what they do so that Scripture will be fulfilled. So, no matter how many false prophecies are prophesied and no matter how many false teachings are preached from behind Christian pulpits saying that things are going to get better, the church is not going to take dominion over the kingdoms of this world because the globalists will continue their agenda and not be stopped until the 2nd coming of Christ. What the world is witnessing, with the loss of freedom and property as the prophesied global government gains full control over the Western world, must happen so that what is recorded by the prophets and apostles be fulfilled. The right thing for the prophets, apostles, and pastors to do is to preach Bible prophecy and not whatever kind of good sensation they sense tingling up their spine. They need to warn the world that while things are going from bad to worse it is because the endtimes prophecy is being fulfilled, but Jesus has made a way of escape (1 Thes. 1:9b-10; 5:9). The leaders of the church must warn the church to stop loving the world and lusting the things in the world (1 Jn. 2:15). The Christian who is friendly with the world is an adulterer, he is in opposition to God, he is Gods enemy (Jms. 4:4).  Prophets, apostles, and pastors must stop telling the church that everything is going to get better in this world. Because it is not. They are lying. The world is headed for the worst time in the history of mankind (Dan. 21:1; Joel 2:1-2; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 24:21; Mk. 13:19; Lk. 21:20-24).  

Paul’s letters were written to guide the church in how to live for Christ Jesus. They are meant to get the church ready for the glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-15). Ever since Israel’s statehood was renewed the Scriptures reveal that it is the pastor and teacher’s responsibility to get the church ready for the rapture (Matt. 24:45-51; Lk. 12:42-46). This does not mean that the apostle, prophet, and evangelist can just sit on his hands and preach whatever he wants because he must also feed the church the right information so that they can learn to walk in purity, righteousness, and holiness. To prove my statement, below I have recorded for you Matthew 24:45 from the Greek language, along with its interpretation in the English language—Luke 12:42 interprets similarly.

The Scripture records that those whom the Lord has appointed to be: ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος (o pistós doúlos kaí frónimos) “the faithful and prudent servant” (meaning the spiritual leaders: pastors and teachers), ὃν κατέστησεν ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκετείας (ón katéstisen o kýrios epí tís oiketeías) “whom the lord made over the courtship” (the KJV says: “whom his lord hath made ruler over his household” – this is referring to the church body), δοῦναι αὐτοῖς τὴν τροφὴν ἐν καιρῷ (doúnai aftoís tín trofín en kairó) “he gives them their food in time” (this means he gives them the right  information – food for their spiritual growth – at the right time; meaning in the season it is appropriate. The KJV says: “to give them meat in due season”)—" the faithful and prudent servant, whom the lord made over the courtship, he gives them their food in time.”

This food, or the right information for their spiritual growth, is referring to the information Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 24:3-44; Mark 13:3-37; Luke 17:22-24, 26-35; 21:7-36. To break it down: the ensuing passages refer to the final decades of the church age leading up to the seventieth week of Israel/the seven-year Tribulation Period (Matt. 24:4-8; Mk. 13:5-8; Lk. 21:8-11)—the final decades of the church age began when Israel’s prophesied statehood was renewed on May 14, 1948. Next, he taught a smidgen of information about what would happen during Israel’s seventieth week as prophesied in Daniel 9:24,27 (Matt. 24:9-31; Mk. 13:9-27; Lk. 17:22-24, 31-33; 21:12-28). Then Jesus gave another hint about what the world would also be like after Israel’s renewed statehood, comparing it to the days of Noah and Lot, that will be in the final years leading up to the end of the church age, with the added warning to the church (which was not even born yet) to be ready for the rapture of the body of Christ (Matt. 24:36-44; Mk. 13:32-37; Lk. 17:26-30, 34-35; 21:34-36). Next, this is where the church, especially the faithful and prudent servants (pastors/teachers) whom the lord has made overseers of the household of God, need to pay attention: Between His teaching about the seventieth week of Israel which culminates with Israel’s Messiah’s second coming to redeem the nation of Israel (Matt. 24:27-31; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-28), and his warning to the church to make sure they are ready for the end of their salvation (the rapture of the church), Jesus prophesied using parabolic or symbolic language the generation that all these things will happen (Matt. 24:32-35; Mk. 13:28-31; Lk. 21:29-33).

I need to use the next few paragraphs to warn some in the church: Some pastors follow the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) ideology I mentioned above, even if they do not know it. I am not talking about whether miracles and healings are for today or not, because they are. But one of the many errors within this movement is that they believe the church has been empowered to retake dominion over the earth and all aspects of it, like government, education, and the business world. They believe that through revelation given to their apostles and prophets (the NAR believes that God has appointed them to lead the church into victory, like I mentioned above), and by their constant prayers and fasting the church can overpower this world by theocratic rule. This theology does not acknowledge the pretribulation rapture of the church or even the seven-year Tribulation Period. It seems this movement does not distinguish the rapture from the 2nd coming of Christ either. This thought does not take into consideration that the seventieth week of Israel has been appointed by Yahweh to bring salvation to the nation of Israel (Dan. 9:24) and the release of the wrath of God to judge the fallen angels and their human agents (Isa. 13:9-13; Zeph. 1:18; 3:8; Joel 3:2; Rms. 2:5, 8; Eph. 5:6; Rev. 16:14). Basically, they do not acknowledge the writings of the prophets and the book of Revelation. They seem to take many of the prophecies made about the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and attach them to the church—at least prophesies that refer to abundance, prosperity, and dominion. I am not sure if what I am about to write is a NAR ideology or just the thoughts and theology of certain men who speak from the pulpit, but some pastors teach that the Matthew 24:32-34, Mark 13:28-30, and Luke 21:29-30 passages all mean that there is going to be coming soon another outpouring of the Holy Spirit, similar to the one in the early 20th century at Azusa Street, Los Angeles. The Azusa Street revival and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit back then spread across the world with the manifestation of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in other languages known as tongues, like in Acts 2:1-47. The pastors that teach this theory cannot – or most likely refuse not – understand that these passages are a prophecy referring to Israel’s renewed statehood and what will happen after that event, and are not a prophecy about a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit like Azusa Street revival (I remember when I was about 2 ½ years born-again – early 1988 – and at that time I had learned that these passages were prophecies concerning Israel’s renewed statehood, and that some in that generation who witnessed that event would live to also witness the final day of the seven-year Tribulation Period; the 2nd coming of Christ—and of course they would witness the rapture of the church. A man that I knew who was going to Bible college at the time and eventually became a pastor, did not agree that these passages were a prophecy about Israel’s renewed statehood and that the rapture, the Tribulation, and the 2nd coming of Christ would soon follow. His blindness revealed to me that even those who go to school to study the Bible and then preach behind the pulpit can be deceived too).

The pastors that disagree that the Matthew, Mark, and Luke passages are references to Israel’s renewed statehood, but rather are references to a second outpouring of the Holy Spirit, believe that these passages relate to Joel 1:12, where he prophesied that the vine is dried up (which they say refers to the church), and the fig tree is withered (which they say is Israel). They also say that “all the trees” has something to do with the church growing or experiencing a revival, or something like that—as a matter of reference, tree or trees when used symbolically usually means a nation or nations, but in verse #12 it is used in the literal sense of the meaning. This false teaching attempts to spiritualize something that was meant to be literal, the vegetation harvest being destroyed (Joel 1:10-11) because of an invasion, with some kind of revival in the church in a latter-day rain—Joel did not prophesy about the church but only the nation of Israel. Much of Joel’s prophecies refer to Israel’s seventieth week period (Joel 2:1-11), the battle of Armageddon (Joel 3:1-16), and the redemption of Israel at the end of these seven horrible years (Joel 2:12-32; 3:17-21). Joel 2:28-32, mentions Israel living securely in their land with the blessings of the Lord after Israel’s seventieth week period is completed, at Christ’s 2nd coming, which Peter mentions in Acts 2:16-21 after the Holy Spirit baptized him and the church. But Peter’s speech was only a proclamation that what he and the church just experienced (the baptism of the Holy Spirit) was the beginning of what would eventually fully come to pass for the nation of Israel at the end of their seventieth-week period at their Messiah’s second coming. When Peter spoke these words, the church was Jewish. The Gentiles had not even started to receive Jesus as Lord yet—the first Gentiles who were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit (recorded in Scripture) were at Cornelius’ house when Peter went there as an act of obedience in Acts 10:24-48.  So, his thoughts about Joel 2:28-32 were most likely intended for the nation of Israel believing in Jesus as their Messiah. Do you notice that in Acts 2:22-36, Peter began to proclaim to the Israelites that Jesus is their Messiah? The Israelites that heard Peter’s speech that day believed and got saved (Acts 2:37-47), but Joel 2:28-32 is primarily a prophecy about the nation of Israel receiving Jesus as their Messiah at his 2nd coming (Joel 2:30-32). At that time God will pour out his Holy Spirit upon them and they will be given spiritual gifts. They will call upon the name of Yeshua when they see him come at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period (Joel 2:30-31; Zech. 13:9; Matt. 24:29; Rev. 1:7; 19:11-21).

Again, Matthew 24:32-34, Mark 13:28-30, and Luke 21:29-30 are not passages about a latter-day rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit but are a prophecy revealing Israel’s renewed statehood which will lead to the rapture of the church, the seven-year Tribulation Period, and the 2nd coming of Israel’s Messiah to redeem the remnant Jews. The pastors and teachers in this day and age, are supposed to be feeding or teaching this information to the οἰκέτης (oikétis) household servant (meaning the church body). It is written in the apostle John’s writings that the believer’s hope in the rapture helps to purify them: “Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure” (1 Jn. 3:2-3, CSB). The pastors, apostles, and prophets who are resisting the rapture of the church, by not teaching it, but are teaching false information to the church, are like Simon Peter who cut off Malchus’ ear. Out of a lack of understanding of the endtimes prophecies they are trying to change the endtimes narrative that has already been written to happen. Everything we are witnessing concerning the global government and its 2030 agenda, their global reset so they can impose their one-world government, is so that the writings of the prophets will be fulfilled. It is so the prophecies in the book of Revelation will come to pass. When church leadership preaches their dominion theology (Kingdom Now theology) and teaches that a latter-rain is about to fall, or that there is another Azusa Street outpouring ready to happen, they are only doing the work of the fallen angels and their seducing spirits.  

A word of warning to every pastor who is considered not a faithful and prudent servant: You are not faithful or wise if you do not get the church ready for the rapture by teaching them the right information at the appointed time. Therefore, you will be assigned a place with the ὑποκριτής (hypokritēs) hypocrites when the Lord comes and raptures the church, because you have not done as you have been commanded (Matt. 24:50-51)—Luke states that the servant in charge who has not done as the Lord has commanded will be assigned a place with the ἀπίστων (apíston) unbeliever (Lk. 12:46). You have been commanded to teach endtimes prophecy to the church to spur them on to holy and righteous living (Matt. 24:45; Lk. 12:42). If you do you will be given a great reward when the rapture occurs (Matt. 24:45-47; Lk. 12:43-44). But if you do not it is like you are afflicting the household of God with abuse, you are no different than the alcoholic and drug user who spends their time partying it up with other alcoholics and drug abusers (Matt. 24:49; Lk. 12:45b). You are wicked in the Lord’s eyes because you do not see that the rapture of the church is near in the day and age it will happen, because you choose it never comes even though you know it is supposed to happen at some point (Matt. 24:48; Lk. 12:45a). The place where the hypocrites and unbelievers will go is into the Tribulation Period. That is where the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth is.

The apostle Paul has written, that the believer who purposely lives to please his flesh will not go in the rapture—do not test that out. Those who are sexually immoral, living an impure life, those who have idols in their life no matter what that idol is, those who are controlling, those who hate a brother or sister, those who are selfish, unforgiving, and cause divisions, will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21). In other words, their salvation will not be completed at the appointed time but rather they will be cast into the Tribulation to have one last opportunity to repent. Who do you think many of the people in the Tribulation are that repent and wash their robes making them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:13-17; 6:9-11)? The believer is commanded not to cheat or do evil to another believer, or anyone else for that matter (1 Cor. 6:4-8). This type of selfish conduct is not the righteous behavior we have been given in the new birth. The believer who lives to please the sinful nature rather than to please the Spirit will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10). You may have lived to please your flesh before Christ saved you, but because he has given you salvation you must now walk in the Spirit and not the flesh (1 Cor. 6:11; Gal. 5:16, 24-24; 6:8).

The best thing for the anti-globalist podcasters and website personalities who are fighting the globalist agenda in human strength is just to stop. You are wasting your time. The globalist agenda will be fully implemented so that the Scriptures be fulfilled. Instead, use your internet platforms to promote Christ as Lord. If you are not saved then you need to put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, so that you will have the opportunity to escape this world and its coming full-blown tyranny. Live for Jesus so that he will rapture you before the Antichrist receives power from Satan to rule the Western world during the Tribulation Period.

So, what should a Christian believe? Should they believe someone who is not seeking that the Scriptures be fulfilled? Or should they seek the knowledge of endtimes prophecy and live that way? Because the writings of the prophets will to come to pass whether the Christian wants them to or not. 


Picture: Pixabay. Free To Use Under The Content License. 



[1] According to the NIV translators (2002) a Roman legion was 6,000 soldiers.

[3] The World Health Organization

https://www.who.int/about

[5] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Sustainable Development Program)

https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda