The Bible: Tough Talk! (Part 3)

FOCUS: From the beginning, when the Creator laid out the universe and placed humankind on planet Earth — a creation made “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27) — He demonstrated that He values fairness … He gave the gift of freewill. But misuse of that gift WILL result in consequences!

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord — with the first of them and with the last — I AM HE.” (Isaiah 41:4).

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #3: Tough Talk about the Future!

The Lord God’s prophets foretold the coming of a Savior. They also predicted many events that would happen long after they were “dismissed” from life as we know it in one way or another …

A. By faith we understand …

* Read Hebrews 11 and you will discover: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

“By faith Abel … still speaks, even though he is dead. [Genesis 4]

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God [Genesis 5:22-24]. And 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.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family [Genesis 6 through 10]. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise [Genesis 17 - 35]. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God….

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth … they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.…

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.… [Exodus 2 - 13]

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies [Joshua 2; 6:22-25], was not killed with those who were disobedient.

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

B. Jesus promised that everyone who FOLLOWS Him will be “gathered” and taken to heaven at the same time: [Jesus speaking] “Immediately AFTER THE DISTRESS OF THOSE DAYS  ’the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken’ [Isaiah 13:10, 34:4; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; Zephaniah 1:15; Revelation 6:12-13].

“AT THAT TIME, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. [Read Revelation 6:15-17!] 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 [Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17!], and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.“

C. But not everyone will get to go:  ”Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’

“He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.”

“’But he will answer, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”

“‘Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.”

“’But he will reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!”

“’There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.’”

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

Everyone who is given an opportunity to become a follower of Jesus — proven by prophecy connections to be the Savior God promised, beginning in the Garden of Eden [see Genesis 3:4] — and to build a relationship with the Lord God through His Son, must CHOOSE to say “YES” and continue to remain faithful (repenting and asking for forgiveness and help when we are not humanly successful) or face the inevitable consequences.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It matters because the decisions and choices we make TODAY will have a profound impact on our quality of life in the hereafter.

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we are told in no uncertain terms WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE for those humans who CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO THE DEVIL — the “dragon” or “Satan” or Lucifer — RATHER THAN THE LORD GOD:

[The prophet John writing] “ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves [repeated sinful behavior seen throughout history]. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them [consequences from the Lord God].  And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown [Revelation 13 and 19:19-20]. They will be tormented day and night FOR EVER AND EVER.

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20)

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THINK ABOUT IT …

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [conceived in the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit], SO THAT whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. … This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, BUT MEN LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL…. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:16-21).

Is your name written in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain [Jesus Christ], so that your sins could be forgiven?

The Bible: Tough Talk! (Part 2)

FOCUS: From the beginning, when the Creator laid out the universe and placed on planet Earth a creation made “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27), He demonstrated that He values fairness — He gave the gift of freewill. But misuse of that gift is resulting in consequences!

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord — with the first of them and with the last — I AM HE.” (Isaiah 41:4).

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #2: Freewill in the Middle

Adam greedily misused his freewill; Jesus courageously made good use of His freewill; and Satan tried his best to deceive them both …

A. TRUTH & CONSEQUENCES:

* God said to Adam: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, [because] when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:15-17).

* Satan said to Adam (through Eve): ”You will NOT surely die…. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:4-5).

* Adam blamed Eve and God, after he misused his free will:  ”The woman you put here with me — she gave me some fruit of the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12).

* God said to Jesus: ”You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).

* Satan said (directly) to Jesus: “If you are the Son of God [then prove it] …    [But] if you worship me [then I'll reward you] …” (from Luke 4:1-12).

* Jesus resisted Satan and immediately answered with Truth: “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Luke 4:8).

B. Satan’s network of deceit:

*Wickedness released: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:5-6).

GOD’S RESPONSE: “‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth’ … But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:7-8).

*Humanism takes root: ”Then they said, ‘Come let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth’” (Genesis 11:4).

GOD’S RESPONSE: “The Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building … the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:5-9).

*An outcry of evil: “Then the Lord said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me’” (Genesis 18:20-21).

GOD’S RESPONSE: “The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah … thus he overthrew those cities” (Genesis 19:24-25)…. ”Then the Lord said, ‘ … I have chosen [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’” (Genesis 18:17-19).

*But even God’s chosen people persistently repeat sinful behaviors: ”… their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves…. They will be paid back for what their hands have done” (Isaiah 3:8-10).

GOD’S RESPONSE: ”When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, IF my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).

C. The Lord God knew that sinful humankind needed a Savior, because — as history has proven — people are not capable of becoming right with Him by their own efforts!

* A Savior was foretold by the prophet Isaiah: 

“He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

“Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
   he was crushed for our iniquities; 
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
   and by his wounds we are healed. 

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
 each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him 
   the iniquity of us all.”

(Isaiah 53:3-6)

* The Savior is revealed:

“[Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.  The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

‘”The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” [Isaiah 61:1-2].’

“Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.‘” (Luke 4:16-21)

* Jesus fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy that alluded to the coming of a Savior:  Jesus said to Peter, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? BUT how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:53-54)

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

Satan’s plan, from the moment he entered the Garden of Eden, was to cause Adam and Eve to misuse their gift of free will. He knew that if he could get them to disobey their Creator and Friend, then he would successfully gain their faithfulness and, ultimately, their souls…. God sent His Son — His “avatar” — to absorb sin on behalf of people who would choose to resist the devil’s seductions, recognize their sinful nature, and return to their Creator.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Relationship with Jesus, the Christ, is the ONLY WAY we can be made right with the Lord God, our Creator Father. It’s the only way we can take a stand against what happened in the Garden of Eden and make right the event that went terribly wrong.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26)

The Bible: Tough Talk! (Part 1)

FOCUS: From the beginning, when the Creator laid out the universe and placed humankind on planet Earth — a creation made “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27) — He demonstrated that He values fairness … He gave the gift of freewill. But misuse of that gift has resulted in consequences!

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord — with the first of them and with the last — I AM HE.” (Isaiah 41:4).

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #1: Tough Talk from the Beginning!

 At some point “in the beginning,” the angels were given the gift of freewill. And some chose to misuse it!

A. Revelation 12:7-9: The last book of the Bible gives us insight into what happened in the very beginning …

“And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”  (Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” — Luke 10:18)

B. Isaiah 14:12-15: Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord God allows a glimpse of the devil’s fall from grace …

“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star [Lucifer], son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth,  you who once laid low the nations!  You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”

C.  Jude 1:5-7: Jude, who was thought to be the brother of Jesus, gave this very serious warning:

 ”I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt [Exodus 6 - 13], but later destroyed those who did not believe [Numbers 16, 21:4-9]. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day [Revelation 20:10-15]. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion [Exodus 19:1-29]. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.”

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

It’s hard to grasp what happens in the invisible world of the supernatural. And God doesn’t spell it out for us in ways that we can easily understand and visualize. But in the Bible, there is just enough description to help us see clearly that the Lord God demands respect from those who desire to live in His presence for eternity.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

I believe it’s safe to say that a majority of the people who co-exist on planet Earth today are unaware that they are on a mandatory track to eternity. It is not a choice. Who and what we place our faith in matters to the God of the universe, and He alone has the final say concerning what will happen to our souls after death.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

The apostle Paul gave these words of encouragement: “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” (Romans 8:37-39).

Note: Minor change to “Past, Present, Future”

If you have been following this series of studies and plan on sharing it with others, please note a very minor editing correction:

The Bible: Past, Present and Future (Part 1) is correct.

Please change the Prophecy Connection title in the outline to #2 in Part 2, and #3 in Part 3, rather than Prophecy Connection #1 in all three studies.

Sorry about that!

PC

The Bible: The Past, The Present, and The Future (Part 3)

FOCUS: The Bible provides a fascinating look at world history based on the lives of the descendants of Adam, primarily through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God did not sugar-coat His message to mankind. Instead He recorded ‘sin in action’ and ‘the gains of good,’ showcasing the countless flaws of human nature. He challenges us to learn from the past, put what we’ve learned into practice in the present, and understand that He has a plan for the future.

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: ”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 3:8).

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #3: Fulfillments in the Future

From the beginning, God has woven prophecy into the tapestry of His Word. Throughout the “middle” of the Bible, representatives of the Lord God have made predictions that have been fulfilled and are historically verifiable. And there are still quite a few that “watchers” are anticipating!

A. In the Garden of Eden, God foretold that “the seed” of Eve would prevail over “the offspring” of Satan (Genesis 3:15) — JESUS, a direct descendant of Eve and Adam, defeated the devil when He conquered death and rose from the grave THREE DAYS after His crucifixion, JUST AS HE FORETOLD (Matthew 12:40).

B. God foretold that ABRAM’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens (Genesis 15:5) — Abram’s son ISHMAEL, by his wife’s servant Hagar, became the father of twelve sons, ancestors of the modern-day Arab nations (Genesis 17:20; 25:12-18). The Lord God changed Abram’s name to ABRAHAM and promised that his descendants, through his son ISAAC, would inherit “the whole land of Canaan as an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8, 21). The promise was confirmed to Abraham’s grandson JACOB (Genesis 28:13-14), the father of twelve sons who became known as the 12 tribes of ISRAEL — a.k.a. Jacob (Genesis 29:31 – 30:20; 35:18; 32:28).

C. MOSES rescued the descendants of Israel from 430 years of slavery in Egypt — just as God had foretold (Genesis 15:13; Exodus 12:40-42) — and the Lord led them on a journey that lasted 40 years. JOSHUA led them into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:1-5), and God worked through the Israelites to rid the land of people who had chosen to worship other gods, rather than the Lord God of Abraham (a.k.a. Abram).

D. The Lord God gave the Israelites two lists — the first promised BLESSINGS FOR OBEDIENCE (Deuteronomy 28:1-14); the second warned of CURSES FOR DISOBEDIENCE (Deut. 28:15-68). Unfortunately, the descendants of Jacob (a.k.a. ISRAEL) chose to abandon the laws God had given them, so He backed up His warning with disciplinary action: “… THE LORD WILL SCATTER YOU AMONG THE NATIONS, FROM ONE END OF THE EARTH TO THE OTHER.

1. The first diaspora (scattering) came in the latter 700′s B.C., when the Assyrians attacked the northern kingdom of Israel and the Lord God used the Assyrian armies to “remove them from His presence” (2 Kings 17:16-18a). These are commonly called the ” 10 Lost Tribes of Israel.” Only two of the twelve tribes, plus a remnant of each, remained in the Promised Land. They were collectively called “JUDAH” or “Jews.”

2. The second diaspora  happened in 586 B.C. when the Lord God used Nebachadnezzar of Babylon to fulfill a prophecy made through Jeremiah, that the Jews would be exiled from the Promised Land for 70 years. The Babylonians destroyed the first temple, built in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. When the Jews were released from bondage in Babylon (exactly 70 years later), most of them returned to the Promised Land and rebuilt their temple, where they made animal sacrifices to the Lord God to atone for their sin.

3. The third diaspora began in 70 A.D. — after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and witnesses documented His ascension into heaven. The second temple was destroyed just as Jesus had foretold (Matthew 24:1-2) and to this day has not been rebuilt.

There have been other “scatterings” of the Jews throughout world history. But the Lord God promised through His prophet Ezekiel that the descendants of Israel would one day be gathered back into the land that He gave to Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Ezekiel 37:14, 21-22; 38:8; 39:27-28) — IN 1948, after World War 2, ISRAEL WAS ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED AS A NATION by a majority of the world. And in the 1967 Six-Day War, they recaptured Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

E. The Lord God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel concerning a future battle — the nations vs. Israel!

““Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 38:14-16)

F. The Lord Jesus revealed that one man (and his assistant) will have global authority issued by the devil!

“… The dragon [the devil or Satan (Revelation 20:2)] gave the beast [the global ruler or 'antichrist'] his power and his throne and great authority…. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And HE WAS GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER EVERY TRIBE, PEOPLE, LANGUAGE AND NATION.  All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world….  Then I saw another beast [a.k.a the false prophet (Rev. 19:19-20)] , coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.  He exercised all the authority of the first beast … he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.  He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. HE ALSO FORCED EVERYONE, SMALL AND GREAT, RICH AND POOR, FREE AND SLAVE, TO RECEIVE A MARK ON HIS RIGHT HAND OR ON HIS FOREHEAD SO THAT NO ONE COULD BUY OR SELL UNLESS HE HAD THE MARK …” (Rev. 13:2b-17).

G. The prophet John foretold another battle when demons will gather the kings of the earth to Armageddon:

“… they ['spirits of demons'] go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty….  Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Rev. 16:14-16).

John saw heaven opened and a rider on a white horse — KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. The rider [JESUS] and the armies of heaven will strike down the nations. Then the beast, the false prophet, and everyone who accepted the mark (Rev. 13:16-17) will be defeated and destroyed (Rev. 19:11-21).

H. John wrote that Satan will be locked up in “the Abyss” for 1000 years — known as “the Millenium”  – and those who were beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and the Word of God, and because they refused to worship the global ruler ['the beast'] or take the mark required to buy or sell, will come to life and reign with Christ (Rev. 20:1-3).

I. After the Millenium, Satan will be released and once again will gather people for battle against Jerusalem, “the city God loves” … Then fire will come down from heaven and devour them, and the devil, “who deceived them” will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, known as “the second death” (Rev. 20:7-10).

J.  JUDGMENT DAY!

[John speaking] “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. THE LAKE OF FIRE IS THE SECOND DEATH. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:11-15)

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

The Lord God has USED PROPHECY TO PROVE over and over again that “HE IS, HE WAS, AND HE IS TO COME ” (Revelation 4:). He can be trusted to do what He has promised.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It matters because the destiny of eternal souls is at stake.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

Will your name be found written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain?

Jesus said, “I AM the way and the truth and THE LIFE” … “REPENT for the kingdom of heaven is near” … “I AM THE GATE for the sheep; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out [continued free will] and find green pasture” … “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [JESUS] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John 14:6; Matt. 4:17; John 10:9; 3:16-21)

The Bible: The Past, The Present, and The Future (Part 2)

FOCUS: The Bible provides a fascinating look at world history based on the lives of the descendants of Adam, primarily through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God did not sugar-coat His message to mankind. Instead He recorded ‘sin in action’ and ‘the gains of good,’ showcasing the countless flaws of human nature. He challenges us to learn from the past, put what we’ve learned into practice in the present, and understand that He has a plan for the future.

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: ”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 3:8).

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #2: Promises for the Present

A. When the Lord God commissioned Moses to save the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt, He spoke to him in the PRESENT TENSE …

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses! … I AM the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’  At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

“The LORD said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’

“And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’

“Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?’

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”‘

“God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, “The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.” THIS IS MY NAME FOREVER ["Yehovah" in Hebrew], the name by which I AM TO BE REMEMBERED  from generation to generation.‘” (Exodus 3:1-17)

B. Jesus referred to Himself in PRESENT TENSE …

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me … Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”  (John 14:6,11).

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

C. When Jesus spoke through an angel to His beloved friend John, He identified Himself in the PRESENT TENSE  …

[John speaking] “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me….  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’” (Revelation 1:12-18)

“‘Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End….  I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:12-16)

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

The Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel IS living and moving in our world in the PRESENT TENSE. Jesus Christ was, in a sense, His “avatar” sent into the world in human form to CONNECT with those who were created “in His image.” Before Jesus left Earth and returned to the Father, He issued a challenge and made a promise: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me…. I am going 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…. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you…. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:1-3, 16-18).

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It’s important for us to learn from the past and plan — as best we can — for the future. But we must LIVE IN THE PRESENT. And we can do that more effectively when we trust in the presence and guidance of the Spirit of truth … the Counselor, sent by the Father to fill the physical void that was left behind after His Son was called back to the heavenly realms.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

It’s easy to become self-centered when we live in the NOW. But that’s not what Jesus did. As circumstances were drawing Him closer and closer to His destiny — brutal humiliation and death by crucifixion — HE PRAYED: “Father, the time has come [THE PRESENT IS HERE]. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” (John 17:1)

The Bible: The Past, The Present, and The Future (Part 1)

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

FOCUS: The Bible provides a fascinating look at world history based on the lives of the descendants of Adam, primarily through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God did not sugar-coat His message to mankind. Instead He recorded ‘sin in action’ and ‘the gains of good,’ showcasing the countless flaws of human nature. He challenges us to learn from the past, put what we’ve learned into practice in the present, and understand that He has a plan for the future.

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: ”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 3:8).

PROPHECY CONNECTION #1: Lessons from the Past

A. The writer of Hebrews gave a profound summary of WHY the past is of such great importance …

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.  And 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.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.  For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

“By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.  And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance…. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. [Joshua 6]

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. [Joshua 2]

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon [Judges 6-8], Barak [Judges 4], Samson [Judges 13-16], Jephthah [Judges 11], David [1 Samuel 16 through 1 Kings 2], Samuel [1 Samuel 1-16; 28:3-16] and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”  (Hebrews 11)

 

B. The prophets of the past foretold how the Savior would atone for the sin of mankind …

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all….  he was led like a lamb to the slaughter … By oppression and judgment he was taken away … for the transgression of my people he was stricken…. though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering … After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:4-11)

 

C. Jesus referred to the past when teaching about His death and resurrection …

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.’

“He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:38-42)

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

By studying what happened to the descendants of Abraham — a.k.a. “Abram,” the father of Ishmael and his Arab descendants — we learn that the Bible is consistent, recording WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and often the WHY of historical events that still have an affect on situations in our world today. And we learn that the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (ISRAEL) has the final say on what happens globally.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

For my faith to remain secure, I have to remember that “He is God, and I am not.” Studying the past, as recorded in the Bible and by comparing other historical records shows me that this Book is unique, and it is a foundation upon which I can base my life.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

Trust in God requires sacrifice. For some, that means experiencing brutality and actual death. But Jesus promised: “… Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.… He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:10-11). You can read about the “second death” in Revelation 20:11-15.

The Bible: An Amazing Family Tree! (Part 2)

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

FOCUS: From beginning, through the middle, and to the very end, the Bible — above everything else — is a record of a remarkable family tree! In Part 1, we looked at the documented genealogy of the bloodline connecting Adam and Jesus. Sin and death resulted from the choice Adam made. The choice Jesus made — a brutal death on a cross as payment for sin — re-established relationship with God and brought eternal life for those who will choose to believe that Jesus is the Son of God … the Messiah! Because of His sacrifice, Gentiles can now be “grafted” into the family tree and become “children of God.”

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: [Paul speaking] “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.  He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,  ’Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 3:26-4:7)

PROPHECY CONNECTION #1: Peter’s Testimony

After Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven, Peter — one of Jesus’ closest friends — shared what he knew to be true with the people who had witnessed the miracle of Pentecost (see Acts 2) and the undeniable power of the Holy Spirit. Peter pointed out prophecy connections in Scripture, and he was given a vision concerning divine acceptance of non-Jews — proof that God had given permission to graft Gentiles into Abraham’s family tree!

A. Acts 2:22-3:

“‘Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 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. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. David said about Him:

“‘”I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
   because you will not abandon me to the grave, 
   nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
   You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.”

“’Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.  Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.… 

“‘… let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ…. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.‘”

B. Acts 11:1-18:

“The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.  So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, ‘You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.’

“Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was.  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.  Then I heard a voice telling me, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“’I replied, “Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.”

“‘The voice spoke from heaven a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

“‘Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.  The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, “Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.”

“’As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?

” ‘When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

PROPHECY CONNECTION #2:  John’s Testimony

John was Jesus’ best friend. He called himself “the one Jesus loved,” and John was with Jesus from the moment He was arrested until the moment He died on the cross (see John 18 – 19.) He actually entered the tomb and saw the linens that had wrapped Jesus’ dead body. (Google the “Shroud of Turin”!) And he was entrusted with a vision of the future, given to him personally by the risen Lamb of God, Jesus Christ …

A. Revelation 1:1-8:

[John writing] “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near…. Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

“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 for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, He is coming with the clouds, 
   and every eye will see him, 
even those who pierced him; 

 and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. 

            So shall it be! Amen.

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

B. Revelation 5:1 – 6:1 (abridged):

John watched as a scroll appeared in the right hand of God. Many scholars believe this scroll represents the deed to planet earth, which was forfeited to the devil when Adam disobeyed his Creator in the Garden of Eden and sin entered the world. Jesus is the only one worthy to “buy back” mankind because He is “the Lamb who was slain”! 

[John writing] “Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?‘ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.  Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David [Jesus, descendant of Judah and David], has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain [Jesus, sacrificed to atone for the sin of mankind], standing in the center of the throne … He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne….

“‘You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain, 
   and with your blood you purchased men for God 
   from every tribe and language and people and nation. 
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.’ …

“I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals …”

PROPHECY CONNECTION #3: Paul’s Testimony 

Paul was a powerful persecutor of Christ’s followers. He did not walk with Jesus or learn from Him as the other disciples did. Instead, Jesus’ Spirit spoke to Paul (then called “Saul”), and through a miraculous turn of events, gave him knowledge, insight and an unexpected commission …

A. Acts 9:15-31 (abridged):

“The Lord said to Ananias [a disciple of Jesus], ‘Go! This man [Saul/Paul] is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.‘

“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may … be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ … [Paul] got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

“Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, ‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’ Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

“After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him … he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him …

“But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.“

B. 2 Corinthians 11:24-31; 12:6-10:

It didn’t take Paul long to figure out that as a member of the family of God and a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, HE WOULD FACE PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS’ NAME …

[Paul writing] “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness….

“Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that 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.”

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

The Bible is documented evidence that the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth has had a plan from the very beginning. (Google the “Dead Seas Scrolls.”) When He said to the serpent in the Garden of Eden — the devil in disguise — “I will put enmity you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers,” God was announcing the struggle that would ensue between Himself and the evil one that would play out down through the history of the world. And when He said, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel,” the Father was foreshadowing the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son, Jesus the Messiah. (See Genesis 3:15.)

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

For me, it matters because this information assures me that I’ve been adopted into God’s family through the promise made to Abraham (father of the covenant), through Isaac (the miracle child),  through Judah (symbol of sovereignty), through David (king with a heart for God), and through the understanding — thanks to men like Peter, John and Paul — that Jesus IS the Son of Man AND the Son of God! So when I believed and was baptized, according to Jesus’ example, I became a child of promise and heir to everything my heavenly Father owns!

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THINK ABOUT IT …

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31).

The Bible: An Amazing Family Tree! (Part 1)

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

FOCUS: From beginning, through the middle, and to the very end, the Bible — above everything else — a record of a remarkable family tree!

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:  ’You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’  Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, … the son of David, the son of Jesse, … the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac [a.k.a. Israel], the son of Abraham, … the son of Shem, the son of Noah, … the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God” (Luke 3:21-37).

PROPHECY CONNECTION #1: From Adam to Noah to Abram to Ishmael

God created Adam in His image. But Adam sinned against his Creator and the world tumbled into an inevitable relationship with “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph. 2:2) — the devil or Satan. The Deceiver entered into the hearts of humankind, and eventually “the inclination of the thoughts of [their hearts] was only evil all the time” (Gen. 6:5). The Lord God destroyed all of mankind to get rid of that strain of evil, with the exception of Noah and his family. And the world was given a fresh start through Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Jephath. But once again, wickedness blanketed the world and the created turned against their Creator. So the Lord God chose one man for the purpose of preserving GOOD on the earth — Abram.

A. Genesis 9:8-16:

“Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: ‘I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you  and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.  I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.’

“And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:  I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.’

B. Genesis 12:1-5; 15:1-7:

“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.

 “’I will make you into a great nation 
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

 ’I will bless those who bless you, 
   and whoever curses you I will curse; 
and all peoples on earth 
   will be blessed through you.’

“So Abram left, as the LORD had told him … He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there…. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’

“… the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward … a son coming from your own body will be your heir … Look up at the heavens and count the stars … So shall your offspring be.’

“Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

PROPHECY CONNECTION #2: From Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah

Abram believed the Lord, but his wife Sarai wasn’t sure that Abram had understood the Lord correctly. So she talked her husband into laying with a slave woman to conceive a child. Her name was Hagar, and the child who resulted was named Ishmael. Ishmael became Abram’s first-born, and the father of 12 tribes — ancestors of the modern-day Arabs. This is why the land promised to Abram is being fought over in the Middle East today. But there is another side to the story …

A. Genesis 17:3-16 (abridged):

“Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.  No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.  I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God…. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. … As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’”

B. Genesis 21:1-13 (abridged):

“… the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him…. it is through Isaac that your  offspring will be reckoned….

“[Sarah] said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son, Isaac.’

“The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son [Ishmael]. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.  I will make [Ishmael] into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

NOTE: This is the basic historical event upon which Jews and Arabs disagree. Arabs insist that Ishmael was the son to whom God promised the land. Please read Genesis 22 for understanding of another issue of contention: Though this passage confirms that Isaac was the “son of promise” and the heir through which Abraham’s offspring would be “reckoned,”  descendants of Ishmael tell the same story, except they replace Isaac with Ishmael and therefore claim for themselves the promise given in Gen. 22:15-18.

C. Genesis 25:19-34:  Isaac’s wife Rebekah had twin boys — Esau and Jacob. Esau despised his birthright as the firstborn son, so Jacob became heir to the promise. Esau became the father of the Edomites. 

D. Genesis 28-32: Jacob’s story is quite involved, but the bottom line is that his two wives gave him 12 sons, and one of them was named JUDAH. The Lord God changed Jacob’s name to ISRAEL (Gen. 32:28). Before Jacob died, he blessed his sons. And he told Judah: “… the scepter will not depart from Judah … until he comes to whom it belongs” (Gen. 49:10). This is a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah — He would be a descendant of Judah!

PROPHECY CONNECTION #3: From Judah to David to Jesus

The family tree continued to branch out, but the Old Testament — the Torah — kept careful records of the Messianic bloodline from Adam to Seth to Jacob (a.k.a. ISRAEL) to Judah to David to Jesus …

A. 2 Samuel 5:4-10:

“David was thirty years old when he became king [Jesus was 30 when He was baptized by John and began His ministry], and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years [Jesus was 33 years old when He was crucified].

“The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who lived there…. David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David…. David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David…. And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.”

Centuries later, the archangel Gabriel visited a young woman named Mary, a virgin who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She and her betrothed were descendants of David, and Gabriel’s news would radically change both of their lives …

B. Luke 1:30-35:

“The angel said to [Mary], ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus [Yeshua]. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. THE LORD WILL GIVE HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, and He will reign over THE HOUSE OF JACOB [Israel] forever; His kingdom will never end…. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.“

When Jesus was born — in fulfillment of many prophecies — an angel appeared to a bunch of frightened shepherds to deliver His birth announcement …

C. Luke 2:10-11:

“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today IN THE TOWN OF DAVID [David's birth place, Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’”

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

Jesus’ genealogy — the carefully preserved record of His human ancestors — proves that He was who He claimed to be: the Son of Man AND the Son of God. Tangible proof of the authenticity of this documentation can be found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Jesus was the heir to “David’s throne.” When someone shows up to claim an inheritance, he or she must prove their identity and their biological connection to the deceased, in this case, King David of  the tribe of Judah, a direct descendant of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham — which could be proved by the census that was taken at the command of Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus.

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THINK ABOUT IT …

“Christ” in Greek and “Messiah” in Hebrew both mean “the Anointed One” — the Savior. Because, as an angel told Joseph, Mary’s betrothed: “… He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, His primary purpose was to reach the descendants of Abraham, the heirs to his promise made through Isaac, his son by Sarah (see Gen. 21:12 and 35:9-13). But after He ascended into heaven, Jesus chose a most unlikely candidate for Christian discipleship to take His message of salvation (the “gospel”) to the “Gentiles” — all non-Jews — and expand the family tree even further! (We’ll look at that in Part 2.)

The Bible: Good vs. Evil + Freewill

(NOTE: All Scripture verses are taken from the New International Version 1984, unless otherwise stated.)

FOCUS: As I was praying about writing Study #2 of this series, the Lord gave me an analogy to share…. When we think of good and evil in the Bible, it’s like two cars driving side by side in separate lanes with a dotted line between them. Let’s imagine that one of those lanes represents “right” behavior and the other represents “wrong” behavior. The dotted line down the middle symbolizes God’s gift of freewill. Both of the cars are speeding toward the same destination — eternity. They are allowed to change lanes as each driver desires. At some point, they come to a toll booth — death — and are required to pay a fee. Neither of the drivers have what is required to pass through. The toll collector says, “Don’t worry, your admission has been paid for by the Son of God.” One driver understands that this is the only way he can pay the toll. He accepts responsibility as a true disciple of Christ and moves through to the next segment of the journey — on to the place that Jesus has been preparing for him. The second driver says, “I will not accept that. It ‘s foolishness.” So, since there are no U-turns allowed on the road, the driver is instructed to pull-off into an unpleasant waiting area called “Hades” to hang out until further notice….

Keeping in mind that our goal is to look at the Bible through the lens of simplicity, let’s move on.

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. ” (Romans 3:21-24).

PROPHECY CONNECTION #1: Good and Evil + Freewill, from the Beginning

Everything was GOOD in Adam and Eve’s world. They were both naked (completely innocent) and unashamed. Then a created being from the supernatural realm dropped in for a visit. The man and his wife had to make a choice: Cling to GOD’S GOOD “status quo” OR venture into the unknown and experience WHAT THE DEVIL PROMISED. In a fraction of a moment they both made a decision that rocked them to their very souls. Then it was God’s turn to respond. And the blame game began….

Genesis 3:8-24 (abridged version):

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’

“He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’

“And [God] said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’

“The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’

“Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’

“The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’

“SO THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE SERPENT, ‘Because you have done this, Cursed are you … I will put enmity [mutual hatred] between you and the woman, and BETWEEN YOUR OFFSPRING AND HERS; HE WILL CRUSH YOUR HEAD, AND YOU WILL STRIKE HIS HEEL.‘ … 

“To Adam He said, ‘Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, “You must not eat of it,”  Cursed is the ground BECAUSE OF YOU … By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.‘”…

“So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden … He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim, and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

PROPHECY CONNECTION #2: Good vs. Evil + Freewill in the Middle

As soon as the first couple was expelled from their perfect home, all hell broke loose! They had to fend for themselves in a hostile environment. Their first-born son, Cain, had tendencies toward evil; their second son, Abel, was intrinsically good. Evil prevailed, and Cain killed his brother Abel! So the Lord God told Cain that he would be “under a curse” and would be “a restless wanderer for the rest of his life.” So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod. But God had another plan for the first couple, now grieving over the loss of both of their sons….

A. Genesis 4:1-26 (abridged version)

“… (verse 25) Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him SETH, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel [the GOOD son], since Cain [the EVIL son] killed him. Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.

“AT THAT TIME MEN BEGAN TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”

B. Genesis 6: 1-8

As men began to increase and daughters were born, created beings from the supernatural realm once again began to influence mankind upon the earth….

“… (verse 5) The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth and His heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth … for I am grieved that I have made them. But Noah — a direct descendant of Seth –  found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

C.  Genesis 5 through Malachi 4

Down through the centuries, scholars and lay people alike have debated whether the Bible’s Old Testament represents fact or fiction. But one thing is certain: its books contain invaluable lessons gleaned from the documented struggles between real men and women who have been allowed freewill by their Creator.  The Lord God tried to get the attention of mankind by sending messages from heaven through GOOD people like Noah, Abraham, and David. And through messengers called Prophets, like Samuel, Isaiah, and Daniel. But no one would listen. So He had to take drastic measures and meet people where they lived to SHOW them the difference between GOOD and EVIL, and remind them of how much He loves them….

The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of a Savior: ” He [will be] despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering…. Surely he [will] take up our infirmities, and carry our sorrows, yet we [will] consider him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But he [will be] pierced for our transgressions, he [will be] crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that [brings] us peace [will be] upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord [will lay] on him the iniquity [SIN] of us all.” (Isaiah 53:1-6)

JESUS of Nazareth — a documented, direct descendant of Seth —  fulfilled every one of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of a Messiah to save individuals from spending eternity with the devil. (“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” — 1 John 3:8b) And everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life with God. (“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” — John 3:35-36)

The prophet Malachi foretold a day of vengeance: ”‘Surely the day is coming, it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evil doer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty…. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.”  (Malachi 4:1-2)  The prophet John described what that day will look like:  ”The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne [the Lord God] and from the wrath of the Lamb [the Son of God]! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:14-17)
PROPHECY CONNECTION #3: Good, Evil and Freewill at the New Beginning!

Jesus showed His GOOD friend, John, what things will be like AFTER THE  FINAL SEPARATION OF GOOD AND EVIL / the disciples of Jesus from the followers of the devil — anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life  (Revelation 19:10-15). 

Revelation 21:1-22:6 (abridged)

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth … I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God … I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.’ [Just as He did in the beginning!]…”

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WHAT’S THE POINT?

Once again we can see that the Bible can be simplified so that anyone who genuinely wants to hear it and understand God’s Word can have that opportunity. Once the “static” is removed from the communication line, the bottom line message concerning the history of God’s creation can be heard. Obviously we can only speculate when it comes to filling in the mysterious blanks. But we can know about God’s perfect plan, because of the proof that we’ve been given through His true prophets and the living testimony of His Son, Jesus Christ.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:20). But the word “soon” is relative. Most humans will meet Jesus at the moment of their earthly death. Some will actually live to see “the day of the Lord’s wrath.” Each individual will have their fate decided by the One who holds “the keys to  death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). And some will be saved “as one escaping through the flames” of fire that “will test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).

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THINK ABOUT IT …

It might seem odd that on the Day of the Lord men will shrink with fear and hide from “the wrath of the Lamb.” We don’t think of a lamb as something to be feared. Perhaps that’s why so many people feel comfortable disrespecting the Son of God. But ask yourself, Am I one of those who will be cowering on that day that has been foretold by God’s true prophets? Or will I be among the “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb” on the day of His wrath? Read Revelation 6:12-17, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 3:10, and Revelation 7:1, 9-17 … and think about it.