Holy Forever

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, 

"Salvation [belongs] to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 

All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, to our God forever and ever. Amen." (Rev 7:9-12 NKJV)

Last Sunday the worship at my church was simply glorious. We sang songs focused on the holiness of God. When our worship leader introduced the songs, he read from the book of Revelation.

One of my very favorite worship songs is Holy Forever, written and sung by Jenn Johnson here...

As we sung these songs Sunday, I was overwhelmed by some thoughts about heaven.

The first words of the Lord's prayer are "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name." That is our first call and privilege - to exalt His name together! "Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Those words indicate that the saints and angels in heaven are actively and presently doing the will of almighty God. The will of God is that all beings in heaven and earth worship and adore Him with their whole heart and soul and strength. 

I know my parents were both believers and are now in the presence of God. When I worship God, I am able to join the chorus of heaven singing His praises, as in the book of Revelation. It gives me inexpressible joy to know that my loved ones are worshiping with me as we lift up the name of Jesus. He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise!

The Power of Praise and Worship

I haven't posted much this year, mostly because I can only write when I feel inspired to write. But for months I've been meaning to write something about an experience with God that transformed my faith, my life and my understanding of heaven. But first let me start with this vision of John from the Bible.

And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

 

"Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!
"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy; for
ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED." 

[Rev 15:2-4 NASB95]

 A few months ago a couple of our grandchildren were with us in the worship service, and after the songs were finished my grandson looked up at me and said, "have you been crying?" Well, I guess to a child it would look that way, but I had to explain that many times when I am pouring my heart out singing songs of worship, the tears begin to flow. That's a bit embarrassing and maybe hard to understand, but it hasn't always been that way for me.

In the spring of 2020 the world began to shut down as the Covid-19 virus became a pandemic. The first attempt to stop it (the "15 days to slow the spread" shutdown) finally ended in Texas after a couple of months when the warmer weather came. I was eager to get out of the house, and my wife was hosting her sisters for an extended weekend, so I went to visit my brother-in-law in the Texas Hill Country. Dave is a part-time worship leader and great host, and we had a few days of good fellowship while the sisters enjoyed spending time together.

It's about a four hour drive back to our house, and that was the time when I had my first real taste of heaven. I have a pretty good collection of worship music on my phone, so I began listening as I drove through the hills enjoying the beauty of the countryside. I can't remember the song that was playing, but as I looked into the sky that morning, I felt like heaven was just beyond the clouds, and I began to praise the Lord with thanksgiving in my heart for his great faithfulness and mercy. An hour passed and I stopped for coffee at a drive-through.

When I got back on the freeway, the worship intensified. I could truly envision the saints and angels around the throne of God, singing and bowing prostrate before Almighty God and the Lamb. Song after song played while I sang along and prayed. As I drove up each hill, I felt like I was about to pass through the clouds into glory! The tears began to flow and I could barely keep both hands on the wheel or keep my eyes dry enough to drive. I was singing and shouting praise to God while thinking about the unspeakable joy and gratefulness in my heart, that God would allow a sinner such as myself to come into his presence through the righteous blood of Jesus!

This continued for a couple more hours while I was getting more and more enraptured in the presence of God, until I finally pulled into the garage at my house. The car was still running and I knew my wife was waiting for me inside, but I did not want to turn the music off or leave the throne room of praise. I actually prayed, "Lord if you want to take me now, I'm ready!" I confess I had a brief thought that the carbon-monoxide might have helped, but soon realized that God wanted me to take that experience and remember it for the rest of my life.

This is what I learned from that day. Heaven will be a wonderful place, not because of its spectacular beauty or because of the glory of the new creation, but because of  The One I am with, and the unspeakable joy of being in the presence of saints and angels singing praise and proclaiming the righteous acts of God. In the four hours I drove, I never got tired or sore in the car; I never got bored or wanted to go anywhere or do anything but to continue in ever-increasing praise and worship. This was a truly unique experience that I cannot re-create, though I certainly pour my heart into worship whenever I can.

I also learned (and continue to learn) that our praise has an audience, whether alone or with thousands of other believers. When we come into the sanctuary to lift up the name of Jesus, we are singing and testifying to God himself, and to angels and the host of heaven, proclaiming his righteousness and agreeing with God that all his ways are true and just. God created us to proclaim his testimonies before thrones and dominions in heaven and on earth. And that is why, if you ever catch a glimpse of me with my hands lifted high and my face covered with tears, you can know that I've been in the presence of my savior and the Lord of my life, Jesus Christ.

Power Perfected in Weakness

Like anyone who would contemplate the power of God and the suffering of mankind, I have often thought about the question of why God allows suffering in this world.

Many people turn away from God when they are confronted with suffering because they cannot (or don't want to) find an answer to this question.

There are many reasons why people suffer, mostly because we live in a world broken and cursed by sin. The apostle Paul understood suffering more than most, first by causing many saints to suffer in his brutal pre-Christian zeal, then by suffering the same fate from his fellow Jewish zealots and their merciless Roman rulers.

Paul also understood the grace of God and the power that comes through suffering for Christ's sake.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Why is power perfected in weakness? Because our testimony is polished by turmoil, and shines brighter against the dark backdrop of tribulation and distress. As a follower of Christ, suffering can be a Force Multiplier for our testimony. God is glorified and his righteousness is demonstrated even more fully when we develop and maintain our testimony through trials and the death of our flesh.

The suffering and death of Christ is the ultimate foundational testimony of God’s mercy and righteousness, through which we are reconciled to God and introduced to grace.

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. Ephesians 3:8-10

Who sees this testimony? Not only those on earth but “the rulers and authorities in heavenly places!” 

My conclusion is this:

Whether we stand before kings or walk before kids, whether we preach to multitudes or suffer alone, our lives testify to the host of heaven against the forces of darkness!

“So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”” ‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6‬:‭3

Isaiah 30 - Apocalypse in a Nutshell

I want to focus on Isaiah 30 in this post, because it pertains to the church (Zion, the kingdom of God) and the threat posed by the resurgent Islamist head of the beast (Assyria).

BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS,

and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;

 and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

So it is to be. Amen.

Revelation 1:7

For behold, the Lord will come in fire,

and his chariots like the whirlwind,

to render his anger in fury,

and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Isaiah 66:15

Both Jews and Christians recognize Messianic prophecy embedded in the writings of Old Testament prophets, even in prophecies that were fulfilled long ago. Such is the case with most of the book of Isaiah.

The Ungodly Alliance

Through a land of trouble and anguish,

from where come the lioness and the lion,

the adder and the flying fiery serpent,

they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,

and their treasures on the humps of camels,

to a people that cannot profit them.

Egypt’s help is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her

“Rahab who sits still.”

Isaiah 30:6-7

The LORD admonishes Israel not to go to Egypt for help against the Assyrian armies. Against God's advice, the stubborn and rebellious children of God will carry out an ungodly plan, and make an ungodly alliance. They make an alliance with those who cannot possibly help. Does this sound familiar today? The alliances made by the western powers cause them to make ungodly compromises on the battlefield and lead them into treaties with untrustworthy nations that undermine their true friends in the region.

Rebellious People

And now, go, write it before them on a tablet

and inscribe it in a book,

that it may be for the time to come

as a witness forever.

For they are a rebellious people,

lying children,

children unwilling to hear

the instruction of the LORD;

Isaiah 30:8-9

There is no doubt that this prophecy is to be carved in stone for a distant time in the future. Thus the prophecy applies now. The children are those who have been set aside by covenant with the LORD, who have become rebellious and rejected God. Today this would be the apostate church.

A Thousand Shall Flee at the Threat of One

Because you despise this word

and trust in oppression and perverseness

and rely on them,

therefore this iniquity shall be to you

like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse...

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

But you were unwilling, and you said,

“No! We will flee upon horses”;

therefore you shall flee away...

A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;

at the threat of five you shall flee,

till you are left

like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

like a signal on a hill.

Isaiah 30:13-17

Because of their rejection of God, the rebellious children are subject to terror. The idea that multitudes will flee from the threats of a few people is the very definition of terrorism. It can only be defeated as spoken of GOD, by "the strength that comes from repentance and faith." I fear that my generation lacks the faith of our fathers, and many who don't "bug out" and run to the hills will simply compromise with the beast and take his mark on their heads and hands.

Judgment Begins in God's Household

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God;

and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome

for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

I Peter 4:17

At the end of this season of testing, God's wrath will be turned away from his children and focus on those who will be eternally judged.

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:18

This final time of tribulation will bring the world to its "last and greatest harvest." For those who remain faithful, those with wisdom will shine like stars in the darkness. They will lead many to righteousness, but the wicked will become more wicked. The church will put away their idols and again be led by the Holy Spirit. I believe even many of the children of Abraham will be revived in this great harvest of souls. When those who dwell in Jerusalem cry out, the Lord will hear their cry and no longer hide from them, but their eyes will see his face and their ears will hear his voice.

When the Towers Fall

And on every lofty mountain and every high hill

there will be brooks running with water,

in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,

and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days,

in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people,

and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar,

burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke;

his lips are full of fury,

and his tongue is like a devouring fire...

Isaiah 30:25-27

In the final day, the Day of the Lord, this chapter says the sun will shine seven times brighter as the LORD approaches, burning with anger and shrouded by clouds of thick smoke. John also mentions that the sun will burn with intense heat before the Lord returns. The world may not know it, but when the Lord comes with the fiery seraphim of heaven, all that light and heat is just a preview of what is to come. The return of the Lord will be a day of comfort and rejoicing for those who suffered at the hands of the beast, but a day of terror for the terrorist. The king mentioned at the end of this chapter is the beast, the spawn of Satan, the one who will be cast alive into the lake of fire. 

The Assyrians will be terror-stricken

at the voice of the LORD, when he strikes with his rod.

For a burning place has long been prepared;

indeed, for the king it is made ready,

its pyre made deep and wide,

with fire and wood in abundance;

the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.

Isaiah 30:31,33

Understanding the Trinity

One of the things I struggled with over the years is reconciling the monotheistic concept of Judaism with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Since the term "Trinity" is not in the Bible I have felt a need to understand why it has been considered a core doctrine by Christian churches for virtually all of church history.

So before I raise questions in your mind about my own orthodoxy, let me explain. I tremble to even consider that I might misrepresent God's nature, and don't believe that anyone can truly comprehend the nature of God since he exists beyond our frame of reference in time and space. However, I really want to understand what the Bible says about the nature of God and his relationship to Jesus our Lord, so I will proceed with my limited analogy if you will bear with me in this endeavor.

The SHMA

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4 NASB)

This is a phrase that every Jew knows and memorizes as a child. It is the foundation of Judaism and the first commandment in the Torah. Jesus, being a Jewish Rabbi, understood and agreed with the writings of Moses, calling the SHMA the Greatest Commandment. However, the New Testament clearly indicates that Jesus made Himself equal with God by calling God His Father. So now God appears as two personalities in a family relationship.

This Father-Son relationship is most fundamental to Christianity and most abhorrent to the religion of Islam, who consider Christianity to be a polytheistic religion. So how do you explain to a Muslim (or a Jew for that matter) that you believe in one God who has multiple forms or personalities? Is He one God or two or three? One morning recently I awakened with thoughts that helped resolve that question in my mind.

The FORM of God

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6 NASB)

All through the Old Testament there are references to the "right hand" or "strong arm" or "outstretched arm" of God. These references uniformly occur in places where God is interacting with creation as Lord and Savior, in other words, in the role of Messiah. In fact in practically every reference you can substitute the name of the Messiah for this term and it makes perfect sense. For example,

My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And the Messiah will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait for Me, And for the Messiah they will wait expectantly. (Isaiah 51:5)

Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and the Messiah. (Jeremiah 32:17)

Try this yourself; I think you will find a blessing in that.

In the New Testament we see the glorified Jesus our High Priest, seated at the right hand of God. The thought occurred to me that perhaps Jesus actually is analogous to God's right hand. The concept of a spiritual body consisting of multiple interacting personalities is not foreign to the Bible; reference the Body of Christ for example.

So when Jesus communicates with the Father, is this a conversation, or an interaction analogous to the interaction of the brain with the body, where the brain communicates via a type of nervous system to produce visible action? In this case, even though the Son of God is communicating to the Father as a person, in the spirit the two are considered one. You would not refer to me as "they" in reference to my body parts, but as to "him" who has a single will and many interconnected members. Is it possible that in the incomprehensible nature of God we can make such an analogy? Let me continue.

The Spirit Connection

I now understand that the Holy Spirit is analogous to the central nervous system of God. The Holy Spirit makes it possible to connect directly to God. It was the Holy Spirit that rested upon Jesus, fusing His will to God and allowing Jesus to carry out the perfect plan of God on earth. The Holy Spirit so fully embodied the Father's presence in Jesus that He could say "whoever has seen Me has seen the Father."

Now, the body analogy may be confusing since the Holy Spirit is invisible, like the wind. In my lifetime this has become much easier to visualize since we transmit control signals invisibly all around the world and through the darkness of space by various forms of electromagnetic radiation. Certainly the Creator of the universe could operate in ways that go far beyond our mortal technologies, even transcending the boundaries of time.

Jesus said that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. That is our connection protocol. We authenticate by being authentic, by emptying ourselves of our old lives to put on the righteousness of Christ. We connect to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, the Helper whom the Father sends to be with us and in us, who teaches us and intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. The Holy Spirit translates our earthly requests to heavenly and perfect petitions before the throne of God.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In our human form we cannot behold the face of God and live, but through His Spirit we can grasp the nail pierced hand of God and draw near with confidence to the throne of grace.

Conclusion

Though we may not comprehend God's true nature while we exist in earthly form, we can understand that God took the form of a man (Jesus), and was indwelt by the Holy Spirit who empowered Him to perfectly reflect the nature and will of God on earth. The creator is still worshiped as the one true God. There is one throne in Heaven, not three, and Jesus is seated or standing there at the right hand of God to execute God's plan for creation.

The Divided Kingdoms of Satan

The final empire in Nebuchadnezzar's dream from Daniel chapter 2 is a kingdom characterized by the strength of iron, yet in its final form it is divided into "feet and toes" of iron and clay. I will relate this to a statement Jesus made regarding a kingdom divided against itself, and the meaning of the final conflict in the book of Revelation.

The statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream is symbolic of coming empires that will rule the earth. Most bible scholars equate the final empire in Daniel 2 to Rome, with various explanations of the union of vassal states comprising the toes of the statue. Many western scholars claim that the toes of this statue still rule the earth today, being mostly European states and former colonies that maintain a weak hold on power in "old earth" west of Eden.

If you have studied European history you know that the Roman Empire was divided into two empires after Constantine established Byzantium as the new "Rome". The weak successors of Constantine were unable to maintain the vast military dominion of the old Roman Empire, and gradually allowed the empire to be divided into an Eastern and Western alliance. The Byzantine or Eastern Empire was able to maintain its iron grip on the Middle East for a few hundred more years until the rise of the Islamic Caliphates overthrew their seat of power and established the Ottoman Empire in what is now called Istanbul.

During the time that the Byzantines ruled the Eastern Empire, the Western Empire deteriorated into the clay of feudalism and internal conflict. Though there were several attempts to reconstruct a revived Holy Roman Empire, none would ever prove to be as strong and durable as the iron kingdom that came before. The last attempt to reconstitute the Roman Empire (the so-called Third Reich) ended in the destruction of both the western and eastern empires (Germany and the Ottoman Empire) during the world wars of the twentieth century.

What we have left today are still two kingdoms divided against each other. These are border-less kingdoms which I will call the Kingdom of Greed and the Kingdom of Fear. In the book of Revelation they are known as Mystery Babylon and the Beast respectively.

The Kingdom of Greed - Babylon the Great

Mystery Babylon is a harlot, a city that sits on many waters. She is the mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth.

Babylon is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. The merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. Babylon has become rich by shipments of every kind of luxurious and splendid cargo - horses and chariots (i.e. cars, trucks, military equipment) and human lives (slavery or human trafficking). Babylon is also the merchant of arts and entertainment, of fine foods and wines and all manner of music. It uses all these things to make a sorcerer's brew by which it intoxicates and deceives its denizens.

Babylon is the love of money, the root of all kinds of evil. It is the kingdom of Mamona (wealth) which draws people away from the kingdom of God. It is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness used by sinful men to reject the Giver of life, liberty and happiness.

Babylon is the city in which most Jews were comfortable to stay and never return to the holy land of their fathers. It is the city that first intended to build a tower to heaven, from which Abram and his family left to find the land of promise.

In short, Babylon is the world, and all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. The citizens of Babylon are motivated and dominated by these worldly passions.

Babylon trusts in its wealth and military might to guard its life of splendor and luxury. Babylon knows no earthly or temporal boundaries, but today is referred to as "the west" by those who live in the kingdom of fear.

What makes Babylon a harlot is that the citizens of Babylon once knew God, but did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but became futile in their speculations and darkened in their hearts. This is the apostate people that once invoked the blessing of God on their bountiful harvests, but now seek to reject the very mention of His name.

The Kingdom of Fear - The Beast

The beast of Revelation is a seven-headed monster which rises from the sea before the coming final conflict.

The heads of the beast are seven kingdoms that have ruled the holy land since the time of Abraham. They are Egypt, Assyria, ancient Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the Islamic caliphates. The beast is also the eighth kingdom which is one of the seven, which had a fatal wound that will be healed.

This beast rules a kingdom of fear. The kingdom of fear is the fear of man, the fear of death, the fear of fear itself. It is based on laws and brutal punishments that cannot bring life, but can only bring men into bondage to other men.

The kingdom of fear is the enemy of joy and peace; it loves only warfare and violence. The kingdom of fear has utter disdain for mercy and forgiveness; it lives for bloodshed and vengeance; it seeks power only to subjugate and terrorize its subjects.

The kingdom of fear appears to be at peace when all its subjects live under the dominion of fear.

The kingdom of fear knows no earthly or temporal boundaries, but today is most dominant in totalitarian countries outside the "western realm of influence". These regimes tend to support each other, as the Axis powers did in the world wars and as China and Russia today support despotic regimes in the Middle East and Africa.

Modern technology has allowed the kingdom of fear to spread rapidly around the world. The "Net" so to speak is being used like a great fishing net to dredge the remnants of Islamic radicalism from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. While the citizens of Babylon attempt to use technology to spread the kingdom of greed, the kingdom of fear is stronger, like iron is stronger than clay. Only the mountain of the kingdom of God can crush these kingdoms of iron and clay.

It is apparent to me that the final head of the beast is likely to be an Islamic caliphate that will rule the world for the final hour. It could also be that its caliph will overcome the apostate church and take its seat in place of the pope in Rome. However this turns out, make no mistake, that final hour is near.

The Final Hour

Jesus said "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" Indeed, in the final hour, the divided kingdoms of Satan will be arrayed against each other - the beast and his kingdom of fear against the kingdom of Babylon, and Babylon will fall. This is the meaning of this verse:

And he said to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."

But this hour will be quickly followed by the One called Faithful and True and His armies from heaven, who will cast the beast and his false prophet alive into the lake of fire and feed his followers to the birds who fly in mid-heaven. That's a scene that would make even Alfred Hitchcock cry for mercy.

The Kingdom of God

God's people are called to come out of Babylon to escape her sins and the judgments that are coming upon her. There is another kingdom that knows no earthly boundaries for the people of God, called the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, Mount Zion or the heavenly Jerusalem. The citizens of this kingdom are motivated by love and loyalty to their King, and follow Him day and night.

For those living in the kingdom of fear, God has provided a way out. He made a part of Himself to appear in human flesh, and through His own death has rendered the devil powerless over you. If you choose to become His disciple (just as you may now be following another so-called prophet), you can come out of the kingdom of darkness and into the glorious light. God calls this man His Son, and His son (whom we know as Jesus) calls us His brethren if we choose to follow Him and be called by His name. Yes, our God is One God, but he chose to reveal Himself to mankind in the body of Jesus, and promises to save those who call on His name. This man, whom some in the kingdom of fear know as Isa, is more than a prophet, and more than just a man. He is our Savior and our High Priest and our King, if you choose to be part of His kingdom. Just ask Him to deliver you from your sins, accept you into His kingdom and fill you with His Holy Spirit of life-giving power!

Aaron's God

Shortly after Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt, Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 elders went up on Mt. Sinai and to see God. He was standing on pavement that had an appearance like clear blue sapphire (Ex. 24:9). These men had a close encounter with the eternal God, yet God withheld His consuming fire and allowed these men to eat and drink and return to their camp in the wilderness.

A few days later while Moses was still on the mountain, the people of Israel came and told Aaron to make a new god to go before them. Aaron did not hesitate or council them to turn back to the one true God, but immediately used his God-given gift to fashion a molten idol from their gold jewelry.

It's hard to believe somebody with great authority like Aaron could have a direct, personal encounter with God and then turn away to false gods so quickly. What happened to the "Angel of God" who was sent to lead them through the wilderness into the promised land? He did not leave them; they simply weren't following. You see, the people of Israel weren't really following Christ, they were following Moses. When Moses was gone, it became apparent that they didn't really have true faith.

I've had extended times in my life where I was only living to please Christians, instead of living to please Christ. It's pretty hard to tell the difference from the outside, but during this time I knew on the inside that I had become weak in faith. Like the children of Israel I spent years wandering around the wilderness following whoever I was with on that day of the week. I even encountered God directly at times, but my mind quickly wandered back to my wilderness, and my heart and spirit gradually grew cold.

Aaron didn't have a strong personal faith in God, and he allowed Israel to stray into idolatry, even making the very idol that brought God's wrath. Yet by God's mercy, Aaron remained the high priest and patriarch of the Levitical priesthood. Aaron and the rest of Israel were under the covenant of the law. Moses and his protege Joshua were under the covenant of grace. In a manner of speaking Aaron's god was Moses, who kept him under the bondage of the Torah law until the age of grace came to all men through Jesus Christ. With the exception of a few great men and women of faith, the entire nation of Israel was under this law of sin and death.

I think God sometimes allows godly men like Moses to be drawn away from their followers to separate those who are following God from those who are following men. It is times like these that test our faith and reveal whether it is built on an everlasting foundation. When I finally realized that I was following men and not God, I became desperate to find a deeper personal faith that could not be shaken. Praise God, I think I found it!

Brush Strokes From Heaven

A friend of mine from college occasionally writes a prophetic message under the title "Brush Strokes from Heaven". I hope he doesn't mind if I borrow his title, but when I saw this sunset last night those were the words that came to mind.

Occasionally I like to watch the science channel when they talk about the universe. In the last decade or so since the Hubble telescope became operational, scientists have been able to identify thousands of planets in nearby solar systems. What they have learned should come as no surprise to Christians - our planet is unique, and as we discover more planets in space we come to a deeper appreciation of this unique gift that God has given us. God gave us both dominion and stewardship over this beautiful blue planet. I will look to heaven with gratefulness in my heart as long as my eternal father gives me breath!

The Math of God

I got a link to this website the other day and browsed through some of their "De-motivation" posters (which I must confess are mostly hilarious).

 

This one caught my eye because it relates to a mathematical concept I've been meaning to write about.

Really, this picture saved me about a thousand words because it pretty much says it all.  Here's my mathematical version.

In English, it's "any number divided by infinity equals zero".  For example, take the numbers in that picture - seventy-four divided by maybe 200 million years.  That would be 0.00000037. That's a pretty small ratio. It simply illustrates how small our time on earth is relative to geologic time. If you want even smaller numbers compare your one little life to the number of people on earth. That makes you or me about 0.00000000166 percent of the world's population. It's pretty daunting to try to stand out in that crowd! The people at Despair.com would probably say "don't bother."

If you want to consider even more astronomical numbers, consider that God was around for eternity before the universe was created (maybe 13.7 billion years ago or so). Consider that the universe itself, which would take at least 13.7 billion years to cross at light speed, is a small thing to God in terms of both time and space.

You see, that equation I gave you means more than just how small our life is. It means that no matter how long and magnificent nor how short and small our physical life here on earth is, it's all the same in the end: ZERO.

Now before you give up in despair, let me point out something very important.

 



The God of the infinite has made an incredible offer to mortal man. He offers to come alongside us and to enter our hearts; to make us part of his infinite, timeless kingdom. His infinite presence in our heart makes us much greater than zero. (How much of him we allow in our heart really determines how great that number can be.)

There's just one thing preventing us from taking this fruit of eternal life - we have a massive debt to pay off. That debt is called "iniquity" in the Bible. It results from our selfish nature that causes each of us to pursue our own pleasure in defiance of God and at the expense of others. By allowing ourselves to be equal to God in determining the course of our lives (the original sin) we are accountable to an infinitely high standard (to be sinless), which no mortal man can satisfy.

When the original man and woman became sinful by nature, God removed our access to eternity, by withdrawing himself from our view and blocking the way to the tree of life. He did this for a simple but profound reason - a eternal sinner is infinitely evil and destructive. Satan and his dark angels are in this realm and must be bound and detained for eternity.

At the right time, God took a part of himself in the form of his son Jesus, and offered his life as the sufficient payment for our iniquity. His perfect sacrifice, being of infinite value, is greater than the sum total of all our debts before the high standard of the law.

Now if we receive this incredible gift from God, and allow Jesus to take his rightful place as our director in every aspect of our lives, we can enter into his eternal kingdom and eat the fruit of the tree of life. It is this infinite gift that gives us meaning in the vast eternity beyond space and time. Everything else that we see and treasure is - well - nothing really. As British missionary C. T. Studd once wrote:

Only one life, 'twill soon be past.

Only what's done for Christ will last.

God is in Control

A few days ago I was reading something a friend liked on Facebook, which said that some who focus on prophecy are too negative and lead believers into fear and anxiety.

I lost a lot of sleep that night thinking seriously about this. I had never considered that what I post online about Biblical prophecy might cause some to stumble or fear, and I was deeply convicted. If you feel this way, please accept my humble apology and let me explain my motives.

First, I know there have been marketeers who prey on people's fears and superstitions to sell books and supplies for end-time preparation. Some may do this simply to feed their egos and enhance their power and influence over other believers. Some of these would fall into a category I've already blogged about, the wandering stars who have rushed headlong into "Balaam's Error".

I must confess that researching prophecy has been fulfilling to me because it's sort of like solving a puzzle, or finding that piece you were missing for so long. Little revelations keep me interested in studying more, and I think this is a good thing as long as it doesn't distract me from seeking the heart of God. But it's not the main thing.

After a lot of introspection I think I know why I am personally interested in this subject. I feel like the world we know in America is spinning out of control and lurching into some very troubled waters. This is currently disguised by a very unsustainable program of government borrowing and economic stimulus. In fact, I can't help believing that the end of the American era is at hand and without America the entire world is in for a very rude awakening. If I didn't believe in God I would be very troubled by these feelings of hopelessness for my homeland.

However, as a Christian I have a better home and a better hope in the eternal presence of God. When I read and write about end time prophecy I am reinforcing my confidence that indeed God has forewarned us about what is coming, and is giving us the hope and strength to thrive in the midst of a cataclysmic disaster.

What I know is this - that as hard as things may get in my lifetime, I am accepted and beloved by God and He will provide a way for me even in death to have eternal joy and hope. I am learning goals and strategies to reach the lost and leave a legacy of testimony to my Jewish brethren who have yet to accept Yeshua as their Messiah. I am learning how to put on the full armor of Christ so that I am prepared for spiritual warfare.

At the same time, I want to encourage those who see this to do the same.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
I Thessalonians 5:4-8 NASB

Remember that even though we may one day see hardship and persecution in our own land, God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

My goal is to encourage the fainthearted and help the weak, so please be patient with me. I will not allow the Holy Spirit in me to be quenched even if some may despise my prophesying. So hold fast to whatever I write that seems to be good and encouraging and cast away whatever appears to discourage you. After all, sometimes I miss the Lord or need to correct what I say in the spirit, even as I'm sure you do as well.

(I didn't intend to borrow so heavily from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, but found myself on exactly the same wavelength!)

Buying the Land of Promise

'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You...O great and mighty God...great in counsel and mighty in deed...'
Jeremiah 32:17 NASB

I guess if you've been around Christian music more than a few years you recognize that song. This was a prayer by Jeremiah as a profession of faith in God's coming restoration of His kingdom in Judea. It was said on the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of Babylon. You see, Jeremiah had just purchased some of the Benjamin tribal territory from his cousin Hanamel. He did this while the armies of Babylon camped outside the gates of Jerusalem ready to strike. And this testimony of faith was done in front of the king and the high priest in the royal palace.

The deed to the land would be sealed in an earthenware pot, in order to last a very long time. So long was the exile in Babylon that Jeremiah would not enjoy this new purchase in his lifetime. Of course the contract would be nullified when the government of Judea was overthrown, but the promise of God to return His people to the land of their forefathers was Jeremiah's assurance of things hoped for, and conviction of things not seen. He was one of those who were stoned, sawn in two, tempted, put to death with the sword; who went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy). Hebrews 11:1, 37-38 NASB

Jeremiah traded this little bit of silver for a piece of the land of promise. What a lesson for us. To trust God enough to trade our worldly pleasure here for an eternal treasure there! God, whose outstretched powerful right arm (Jesus) made heaven and earth, is worthy of our faith and our praise! Nothing is too difficult for Him, even to give us "what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him. I Corinthians 2:9 NASB

If you remember this song, remember Jeremiah and his purchase of heaven's promised land.

The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of the Living God

The Mark of the Beast introduced in Revelation 13 has always fascinated people who study apocalyptic prophecy.  Most discussions of this topic tend to focus on that number, that 666 thing you know.  Everybody seems to know that the number 666 is associated with evil, whether they study prophecy or have never even heard of the Bible.

The number 666 impressed on your hand or forehead could look a lot like the imprint of chains.  This is an awesome and disturbing thought, that the mark of the beast could be the imprisonment that he imposes on your thoughts (forehead) and actions (hand) when you are enslaved to sin.  Jesus said he who commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8:34).  This has application to all times, not just the end times.  If that applies to you, Jesus Christ can break those chains and set you free.  I know because He did it for me!

What I would like to focus on in this post is the meaning and implications of a mark on the forehead and right hand.  Let me take you through a few verses that illustrate what these signs represent, starting with the seal of God.

The seal of the living God

And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads." (Revelation 7:2-3)

The seal of the living God is used by the angels in Revelation to stamp God's name on the foreheads of believers.  As we shall see, this is not the first time this symbolism has been used to identify believers.  This is a reference to Old Testament laws and ancient customs.

Exodus 13:9
This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a sign of God's deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt, which is to be remembered each year and taught to the children.  The right hand represents power; Jesus is at the right hand of God to exercise His power over all creation.  As such Jesus was the mighty hand of God that delivered Israel out of bondage, and He is the mighty hand that can deliver us from the evil one today.

The sign on the hand is a reminder of God's power and deliverance; the sign on the forehead is the spoken expression of God's law that is in our minds and written on our hearts.

Exodus 28:36
You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, 'Holy to the LORD.' ...and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

The seal that the high priest wore on his forehead symbolized his sanctification to the Lord and his priestly role as intercessor for the people.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might... You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

Deuteronomy 11:18
You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

The greatest commandment to love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and all your soul is illustrated by His words on the forehead (love) and on the hand (service). The hypocritical Pharisees wore ornate phylacteries to outwardly demonstrate their righteousness, but they neglected to love God and impress His word on their hearts.

Revelation 22:3-4
There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

An ancient custom of slavery or servitude (including military service under some despotic rulers) was to brand slaves with the name of their master on the forehead and hand.  When we are redeemed from slavery to sin and become bond-servants of God, we are sealed with His righteousness and are labeled "Holy to the Lord".

 The Mark of the Beast

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

Given the background of laws and customs, it should be easy to understand that the mark of the beast is a symbol of servitude which is demanded by the Anti-Christ in order to purchase or trade.  This mark signifies that its bearer has been completely dedicated to worship and serve the evil ruler of this world, who is the bodily vessel of Satan.

How terrible and sad it is that mankind will face this kind of choice one day.

Revelation 14:9-10
Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

The act of receiving this mark will signify abandonment of God and commitment to Anti-Christ.  I don't believe that simply having an ID or number in a global system of identification will be the damning mark of the beast.  Whoever has the misfortune to be alive on earth when Anti-Christ comes into power will be fully aware that they are accepting him as their supreme master and deity before they receive the mark.

Notice that the mark is not unique to the individual, it is the name or number of the beast.  As such this mark would not be useful as an identifier, but rather to simply brand this person as the property of the beast.  There may come a day of world government and a global identification scheme may be part of that system, but when the Anti-Christ stands in the place of God, then you must refuse to worship him or take his mark on your body.

In a way, the mark is parallel to Christian baptism - it is the outward expression of an inner spiritual allegiance.  The worship and proclamation of the beast as God is what brings condemnation.

Encouragement

Notice one difference between the seal of God and the mark of the beast.  The seal of God is on the forehead only.  In the Old Testament law, we were commanded to bind the law as a sign on our hands.  The New Covenant with God is only on our foreheads (hearts).  Our hands are no longer bound by the Law of Sin and Death.  Slavery to sin and slavery to the law both bind your hands; only the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus sets you free.

We don't really have a choice to "opt-out" of a decision about whom we shall serve.  Before the bowls of God's wrath are poured on the kingdom of darkness, there will be only two choices - serving the Living God or bowing to that hideous seven-headed beast and suffering God's wrath.  The time is now to make that decision and prepare to be an overcomer in Christ.  Overcomers will be delivered from God's wrath and enjoy eternity with the One who truly loves us.

The Two Witnesses at the End of Days

(I have had a powerful writer's block for many months, so please forgive my silence.  I cannot write except under inspiration and have tried many times fruitlessly since my last post.  I have much more to say when that inspiration permits it.)

I've been studying Revelation with a group of men led by pastor and teacher Gene Smith.  Last week he taught from chapter 11 wherein the two witnesses prophesy from Jerusalem for 1260 days during the first half of the final seven years of judgement.

Gene indicated that most scholars regard these two witnesses to be the re-embodied Moses and Elijah from the Old Testament, or at least people who have the same power and ministry.

I did some of my own research (which I always do regardless of who is teaching) and reached the same conclusion!  Here's how I challenged the assertion and the possibilities I studied.

Enoch and Elijah

First, I noted that the two witnesses died.  The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die, and then comes judgement.  There are only two people mentioned in the Bible who never died - Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (II Kings 2:11).  Many scholars believe these are the two witnesses at the end of days.  There is some logic here, because these two could return to life in the last days and actually be killed for the first time. Furthermore, although little is known about Enoch, Jude mentions Enoch as an end-time prophet:

It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude 1:14-15

There is little doubt that one of the two is Elijah, as Malachi prophesied and the Jews affirm (even to this day).  Even Jesus referenced John as Elijah's prototype to prepare the way for His first coming.

Moses and Elijah

As Pastor Gene pointed out to us:

Who had the power to shut off the sky so that rain will not fall?  Elijah. (James 5:17, Luke 4:25, I Kings 17:1)  How long did the two witnesses prophesy? (1260 days or three and a half years.)  That is exactly the same amount of time the rain did not fall during Elijah's prophesying.  Amazing!

Who had the power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague?  Moses. (Exodus chapters 7-10)

Who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2)?  Moses and Elijah.

The two witnesses stand before the Lord continually.

What better two authorities could reach the Jewish people and turn their hearts to the living Messiah than Moses and Elijah?  These two represent the embodiment of the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophet.

Malachi mentions both Moses and Elijah in his end-time prophecy:

“Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:4-6

There is just one minor problem with Moses as the second witness.  Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab (Deuteronomy 34:5).  So Moses doesn't exactly parallel Elijah as a person alive and standing before the Lord in heaven.  Today I resolved that conflict (in my own understanding at least.)  The little book of Jude sheds unique light on what happened to Moses after God buried his body.

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Jude 1:9

Deuteronomy 34 says the Lord buried him in the land of Moab, but his eye was not dim nor his vigor abated.  I think God might have just resurrected old Moses and took him to heaven alive.  Why?  If God didn't hide Moses' body the Jews might have worshiped his shrine.  If God took him to heaven in a chariot before their eyes they might surely have worshipped him as some sort of deity.  It makes sense that if God wanted to take him, He might have to do it rather discreetly.  So He sent Michael to go get his body and bring him up to heaven (I suspect).

Getting to the point

On balance I am convinced the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah, in the flesh. Can you imagine the power of these two mighty men of God after spending thousands of years in heaven before the throne of God, returning to earth by God's authorization to convert their Jewish brethren?  If that didn't impress you, how about a little fire from their mouths to slay those who try to kill them?  By the way, who called fire out of heaven to destroy his enemies, not once but twice (II Kings 1:10,12)?  Elijah.

At the end of days, these two mighty witnesses and the 144,000 chosen from every tribe of Israel will lead the nation of Israel back to the Lord.  That will be a day I would like to see, but as Pastor Gene pointed out, that will probably be from heaven.  At that time the age of the gentile church has been fulfilled and God will once again extend His infinite mercy to his chosen people.  Oh Halellujah, praise God, that'll be the day!

Revelation - Seven Seals Restrain God's Wrath

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. II Peter 3:9

I am very thankful that God was patient with me, and that His wrath did not descend suddenly upon me like a rain of fire when I was least prepared.  As a matter of fact, I think God is infinitely patient and willing to wait for all who would come to repentance, as Peter says above.

However, I also believe that there will come a time when the wrath of God will come suddenly upon the Earth, and He has left us a road map in the Bible to understand those times.  Thus He has impressed on the heart of man a desire to understand apocalyptic prophecy, as you can see this year with the almost ridiculous media focus on the Mayan calendar and the writings of Nostradamus.

My interest in understanding the Bible and particularly the book of Revelation was piqued a few years ago when my father passed away and the western financial system was poised at the brink of destruction (it still is by the way).

I must have read the book of Revelation five times that winter, pouring over verses and cross-referencing to Old Testament passages and related prophetic quotes in the Gospels.  I did all this without reading commentaries because I desperately needed to understand what I said I believed, the unvarnished truth of the Bible.  One thing that stood out to me was the opening of the seals in Revelation chapter 6, which restrain the final judgement of God upon the Earth.  But first a little background.

The Purpose of Prophecy

The purpose of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation is not different from other Bible prophecies.  As a matter of fact, many of the Old Testament prophecies contain references to God's final judgement and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.  Biblical prophecy is intended to:

• Warn us of coming judgement
• Encourage us to persevere and seek God
• Help us to understand the events as they unfold

Biblical prophecy is never intended to give us a time table for coming events.  Many people have gone foolishly astray predicting dates of Biblical events.  The fact that I am writing this now is simply because I have been very reluctant to say what I am about to say, because it is not good news for the world as we know it.  God put this on my heart a few years ago and I just didn't know whether or how to express it.

The Seven Seals

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:1-5

The book of God's final judgement and the coming Kingdom of Heaven on Earth is sealed with seven seals.  John wept that no one was found worthy to open the book and break its seals.  I'm sure he wept because he was not found worthy, and because he wanted the book to be opened.  He had seen his fellow Christians mercilessly martyred at the hands of Jewish zealots and Roman emperors.  He had seen and heard of the debauchery of the Babylonian world system.  Even King David prayed often for God to bring judgement on his adversaries.

But God is incredibly patient.  The seven seals will not be broken until the Righteous One is ready, and each seal has a recognizable "signature".  Let me help you recognize these signatures.

The first four seals represent the "four spirits of heaven" (see Zechariah 6) which are sent from God to patrol the earth.  They represent the dominant power on earth, each in succession.  After these four eras of human history, the great tribulation and the rain of hailstones from heaven precede the breaking of the seventh seal, which allows the final judgements to be proclaimed.

The First Seal - The Emperors

Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Revelation 6:1

Looking forward in the vision, the apostle John sees four successive horsemen.  The first is riding a white horse and goes to conquer.  This seal has already been broken; the rider was the emperor of Rome.

The Second Seal - The Barbarians

When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

This second seal is also broken; its signature was the end of "Pax Romana", the peace of the Roman Empire.  In Palestine and across the middle east, the sword of Islam replaced the bow of the Roman Emperor.  In Europe, the swift swordsmen of the north brought chaos and the dark ages to that continent.

The Third Seal - The Merchants

When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

The third seal is also broken; its signature was the dawn of the Age of Reason and the subsequent birth of America.  Note that many interpreters of this chapter see the four horsemen as future harbingers of apocalyptic doom, with the black horse representing famine. But it is very apparent to me that this era is marked by mercantilism and materialism, not by famine.

There is this amazing reference in Zechariah 6:8 saying "those that have gone to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north."  The chariots drawn by black horses are the ones that went to the land of the north.  Putting that together with the order of the seals in Revelation, it appears to me that this refers to the rebirth of the Church and the role that the Protestant reformers would play in establishing America, which has been used mightily by God for the last two centuries.

This is where we are now, and I'm praying that the next seal remain unbroken for as long as possible.

The Fourth Seal - The Reign of Death

When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

As would naturally follow the collapse of the global economy, all manner of death will occur.  We got a preview of that with the "Great War" and its aftermath in Europe.  However, this death is not only the death of men, which has been prevalent in the past.  This death is a systemic, final death of civilization, after which basically nothing is left but plant life in one fourth of the earth.  The color of the horse is actually the Greek word "chloros" which is consistently translated as "green" in reference to grass or plants in other passages of the New Testament, including the Book of Revelation.

The signature of this seal is the complete lack of order.  This is not an imperial war of conquest, or tribal warfare.  It is as if creation itself is rising up against mankind.  It is the complete collapse of the world system and the subsequent death of a significant part of the world population.  This collapse will carry with it a worldwide madness that leads to the Great Tribulation behind the fifth seal.

The Fifth Seal - The Great Tribulation

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

This sad chapter of human history will mean the death of most (if not all) Christians alive on the earth at the time.  This genocide will remove the restraining force (II Thessalonians 2:7) of the Holy Spirit from the earth and open the door for God's final judgement.  The outcry of those slain in Heaven will last only a "little while" until the Lamb of God opens the sixth seal with an earthquake and the sound of a mighty wind.

The Sixth Seal - The Wrath of God

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

This sixth seal will reveal the wrath of God to mankind, and this day of wrath will only be cut short so that those elected by God can be sealed with a sign on their foreheads.  But God is patient and waiting for any who would still repent.

The Seventh Seal - Silence

Before the seventh seal is broken the heavens are stilled and the elect children of every tribe are sealed with the mark of God on their foreheads.  In another beautifully symmetrical relationship with creation and the Sabbath rest, the seventh seal brings a time of rest and worship.  But this worship service is bigger and better than every other worship service ever held on earth combined.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 7:9-12

And now, all rise for a long moment of silence as the Judge enters the room.  The Lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the earth, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Lamb of God who is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and glory and honor and praise - opens the seventh and final seal.  There is a collective "gasp" in the heavens as the seven angels are given their trumpets and the prayers of the saints arise as incense before the throne of God.

The Rest of the Story

Quite truthfully I don't have a strong conviction about what happens next because the scroll hasn't been opened and we only have very symbolic language describing it.  There are seven trumpet blasts announcing disasters and woes to come upon the earth.  Even after these disasters and woes those who are alive refuse to repent (Rev. 9:20).  The seventh and final trumpet blast (Rev. 11:15) is followed by another awesome worship service in heaven.

Then the beast and the false prophet (the antichrist) who comes after are released (Rev. 13).  The beast rules for 42 months, after which the false prophet is given dominion for a time.  Then comes the harvest (i.e. the "rapture") in which Christ gathers His elect from the four winds of heaven and the four corners of earth (Rev. 14:14, II Thessalonians 4:16, Mark 13:26).  Note that the harvest gathering of the elect comes after the antichrist is revealed, which is probably different than you have heard.

Now that the harvest gathering is finished, God freely pours out His seven bowls of wrath upon the earth.  Those who are left now can only blaspheme God (Rev. 16:21).  Babylon (the world system) is overthrown and there is another tremendous worship service (Rev. 19:1), which is really the beginning of the GLORIOUS WEDDING CEREMONY of the Bride (those who followed Christ) and the Lamb.

The beast and the false prophet are cast in the lake of fire; the dragon is bound and his army is destroyed by the Word of God (the sword that comes from His mouth).  The Bride and the Lamb have a thousand year "honeymoon" on earth until the final judgement of the world before the great white throne of God (Rev. 20:11).  The creation itself (heaven and earth) flees from the presence of God.  Then the eternal home of the Bride and the Lamb is revealed, which is a sight we can "only imagine".  Now I recommend you click the link to this wonderful song by Mercy Me and see if you will not jump up and down and shout praise to God!!

"Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Rev 21:3

So Simple a Caveman Could Understand It

I'm very interested in the original meaning of words and how meanings were derived, especially when studying the Bible.  I also use Wikipedia a lot and thus happened upon the Phoenician alphabet which is the root of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek alphabets and ancestor to the modern English language.

What caught my eye and inspired me to write this post are two letters in the Phoenician alphabet which also carry a word meaning, Gaml (from which we get the word "camel"), and Qof (which meant "needle head" in the Phoenician hieroglyphic form, or "hole" in Hebrew).

Now if you give me a list of the 24 most basic words in the language, and tell me two of them are "camel" and "eye of a needle", my mind is going to jump to Matthew 19:24 where Jesus says "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

This sheds a whole new light on what Jesus was saying.  It is as if He was saying "let me spell this out for you" or "let me put this in terms a caveman could understand."

To put this in a modern western context, think of a camel as a big pickup truck.  The audience is a group of poor Galilean fishermen who could no more afford a camel than they could buy a new truck today.  Jesus was saying something like "It would be easier to drive a truck through the hole in this fishing hook, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

So how is the rich man going to enter the Kingdom of God?  The first step is to get out of the truck.  The next step is to become very small.  Well, actually it's impossible.  The only thing you can be holding when you pass through that very small opening is Jesus.  "With God all things are possible."

Eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven are here and now.  But you may have to let go of everything  you hold dear to go there.  You will enter the Kingdom of God just as you entered this world - with nothing.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit" is the first and most fundamental attitude required to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Let me emphasize that Jesus did not imply that giving away your property will get you into the Kingdom, but to "come follow Me."  If our properties, jobs, families, etc. keep us from following Jesus, then we must let go.  That's part of what I am thinking when I talk about shrinking.

The Incredible Expanding Universe

January 7 at midnight was a perfect night in the Houston area; the almost-full moon directly overhead was casting heavenly moon-shadows on the ground, and the clear sky was accompanied by a remarkably mild temperature for mid-January, even in Houston.

As I gazed in wonder at the stars, I couldn't help but think about how large the universe is, and how little we understand about the nature of God.  The night before I spent a few hours reading about how scientists measure the distance to the stars, and the theory of relativity.  I'm naturally a skeptic so I don't accept scientific theories without at least attempting to understand them.  How little I understand about physics pales in comparison to how little we all understand about God.

Being a skeptic, I also don't easily accept anybody's interpretation of scriptures without studying and at least attempting to understand in my own mind and spirit.  As a result, I have studied the most mysterious parts of the Bible at great length.  So, rather than being puzzled about these passages, my understanding now supports my belief.

So now I want to share with you what I am learning, if perhaps it can help you understand and overcome your own skepticism.  Specifically I want to talk about the creation account in Genesis  and the apocalyptic vision of Revelation.  These two topics are quite large and will probably require several posts to cover each, even from my limited understanding.

Let be begin by giving you some wonderful insight into parallels and contrasts between the two books.

Genesis begins with a vision of the beginning of time.  Revelation ends with a vision of the end of time.  (I don't believe either author fully understood what he witnessed, but recorded the vision as it was given.)

In the beginning, creation is spoken into existence through the power of God's word.  In the end, the enemy is destroyed by the power of God's word (the sword coming out of his mouth in Rev 19:21 is the Word of God).

In Genesis Adam is placed in a garden.  In Revelation the saints worship in a city.  In the Garden, man is innocent. In the Heavenly City the saints are redeemed. There is no return to innocence.  As Winkie Pratney once said, "God is a progressive God."

In the middle of both the Garden of Eden and the Heavenly City you will find the Tree of Life (Gen 2:9, Rev 22:2).  Adam and Eve never ate from the Tree of Life or they would be eternally sinful, as Satan is.

The purpose of the creation account in Genesis was to establish the principals upon which the Law would be based.  Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Torah, the five books of the Law of Moses.

The purpose of the Revelation was to warn the saints of the things yet to come; that we would heed the warnings and guard the prophecy as one would guard a valuable treasure.  Revelation is the last book of prophecy in the Christian Bible.

Paul said that there are mysteries in the Bible hidden even from the "principalities and authorities in heavenly places."  God granted the Church to make known His manifold wisdom which had been "hidden for ages" (Ephesians 3).  I believe there are still mysteries to be revealed, and we won't fully understand these mysteries until "we know as we are known."

One of these mysteries is the incredible expanding universe that God has "stretched forth in the heavens".  Mankind continues to learn more about the size and character of the universe through powerful telescopes and sophisticated mathematical analysis.  The universe we can detect is unimaginably large, yet most scientists believe it started as an unimaginably small, unimaginably dense object that exploded something like 14 billion years ago to form everything that exists.

OK, so here's a question I can't answer: if we can detect stars 13.5 billion light years away, that means that it took that radiation almost the entire age of the universe to get here.  That means those stars either started out near where they appear to be, or travelled at near-light-speed to get there.  The former would contradict the Big Bang Theory; the latter would challenge the Theory of Relativity.  And where are they now, 13.5 billion years later?  I might need to spend some time with an astronomer, but I suspect there are more questions than there are plausible answers.  So it remains a mystery to me, and I suspect that at the end of this line of futile speculation is a mass of human foolishness.

At any rate, this very large universe causes me to reflect on the awesome and unknowable majesty of God, and to realize how much we need Jesus to mediate our relationship to God.  This God who created the universe by the power of His Word, stepped into our world from infinite power to become mortal and suffer a brutal and unjust death in our place.  "Amazing love, how can it be, that thou my God shouldst die for me!"

Update January 16
On further reading I found that the Big Bang theory is really mis-nomenclature for an event in which the universe suddenly appeared out of nowhere in an instant, all over the place - not from a single point in space.  That, my friend, sure sounds like God unveiling his majestic creation!

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. (Heb 11:3)