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People of The Living God |
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October 2019
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
“I would like to read your comments as a Watchman relative to the ultimate dangers of believing in a secret rapture (escape from tribulation) and a subsequent 1000 years of ruling over others in a delayed Kingdom of God on earth with Jesus physically present. It seems to me that not only would this belief cause many to miss being in the Real Kingdom of God, but also make them prone to receiving the mark of the beast and having their names erased from the Lamb’s book of Life!”
“… the reason for this letter is that Satan represents: People without the real truth of these events could hear or see about Jesus being in Jerusalem or maybe someone more powerful than Jesus – and therefore take the mark of the beast or want to worship the image (idol) of the beast and go in person to witness miracles.”
D.D.
OUR RESPONSE
Dear D.D.
We appreciate your concern and desire to know the truth concerning the kingdom of God, events of the latter days and Jesus’ return, not only for yourself but also for others. People of the Living God has held the belief of the present Kingdom of God since our beginning and have studied and taught extensively those events which will transpire just prior to Jesus’ return. We very much appreciate your concern with the dangers of error. Many Christians do not see these dangers and merely accept what is being taught by most Protestant ministers today, little realizing that these very teachings could leave them unprepared for the days which are ahead.
Let me, first, address my concerns regarding a pretribulation rapture of the church. Most Christians who hold to this idea are not preparing themselves as they need to. Man, by nature, tends to put forth no more effort than he feels he must in order to be ready to meet the Lord. Realizing this tendency, all false doctrines affect how intensely we labor or strive in our walk with God. The modern teaching of grace is a good example of this fact, for it causes people to merely coast along rather than striving to enter in (Matt. 7:14), giving the more earnest heed (Heb. 2:1), earnestly contending for the faith (Jude 3), and many other such scriptures. Likewise, the pretribulation rapture teaching strongly suggests that as long as you go to church and live a halfway moral life, then you will be raptured and escape the days of tribulation, which Jesus said would come upon the earth just prior to His return. If we don’t have to go through the tribulation, then we tend to feel we are okay just as we are. But, if we realize we will be going through the Great Tribulation, which will be the time when Christians will be hated, mocked, persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and killed, then we realize that we must prepare ourselves for those days. It will be a day when every man’s foundation will be tested. To prepare for that time, Christians must, today, be building up their most holy faith (Jude 20) so that their faith will carry them through those days of suffering.
In Luke 21, Jesus was answering the disciples’ question regarding His return and the end of the world. Notice what He says after He had spoken of many of the events of those days. “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:34-36) Jesus doesn’t just warn of what most of us term “evil” or “sinful” but even innocent things like the “cares of this life”.
If I believe that I won’t be here to face trials, then I will probably be lax concerning this warning. Therefore, because of the false teaching of the pretribulation rapture and the weakness of the flesh, one may not be prepared for those days when they arrive.
If you carefully read Matthew 24, you will find that Jesus’ primary concern was that His people not be deceived. In fact, to me, this seems to be the most important part of this discourse. Several times in this chapter, Jesus speaks of the deception that will be present during these days. Why does He speak so much about deception? Because it will be great in the last days. Even as we near those days, deception is found on every front. Churches are embracing ungodly activities, sinful practices, and worldliness. Many Christians are succumbing to the pressure of the LGBTQ movement, accepting them into their churches as members, elders, and ministers, either because they are so ignorant of scripture and are deceived, or they are too weak to face the persecution they may have to face if they speak the truth. They are setting themselves up to fall and all the while believe they will be raptured out. If they cannot face the slight persecution they may face today, they certainly will not be able to stand in the days of “The Great Tribulation”.
The Millennium (1000 Year Reign of Christ)
Your letter also mentioned the supposed 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth. There are dangers in this belief, and I believe the level of danger varies, depending on what specific view of this teaching one accepts. There are different ideas relative to this teaching.
Some believe that Satan is loose today and works in the earth to create all the evil we see around us. They believe that Satan will be bound when Jesus returns, and Jesus will set up His throne on the earth in Jerusalem (some believe the throne will be in England), and reign here on the earth for 1000 years. After the 1000 year reign, then Satan will be destroyed and there will be a world without sin or its temptations.
Others believe that Satan is free today to work in the earth as the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4) and has blinded all men from spiritual truths. However, once a person comes to Christ in salvation, he has his spiritual eyes opened and, at that time, Satan no longer has power over them because they are Christians. While Satan still controls sinners and brings evil upon the earth, he has no power over God’s people. They still hold to the idea that when Jesus returns, He will set up His kingdom on the earth and rule here for 1000 years. Those who hold to this view of the Millennium are at least correct about the power that believers have over Satan and evil. However, there is still a great danger for them because when the antichrist comes and begins to exercise great power, and signs and wonders are done by him, they can very easily be deceived because they are looking for Jesus to return and show great signs and miracles in the earth. If the antichrist comes and gains a great following, appears to be promoting world peace, holds to certain moral standards, and then sets up his headquarters in Jerusalem, most confessing Christians today will be deceived and fall right into his hands. This is a most sobering thought for those who hold to a 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth and those who look for national Israel to once again be established as God’s chosen people.
While there are a few other variations of the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth, most will fall somewhat under the two views referred to above. We cannot over-emphasis the importance of seeking truth in our study of scripture and our search for God. It is my conviction that every doctrine (teaching) that is not truth has some element of danger contained in it. That element of danger might be slight with some doctrines but great in others. There are some doctrines that are being taught in many Christian churches today that are extremely dangerous and will lead to eternal destruction. The Millennium doctrine can be either, depending on which view they have of it. However, the truth regarding this topic is what we all need to be seeking. In order to seek for truth, we must lay aside our preconceived ideas and start fresh, without any bias and with a blank sheet of paper. In searching for truth I have found it very helpful to try to understand other people’s views. Why do they see things differently than I see them? What scriptures do they use to support their positions? Are those scriptures being taken out of context or do they flow easily with the thoughts before and after the specific verse(s)? Are the scriptures they use (or I use) in agreement with the whole of scripture? These are important guidelines in our search for truth. However, we must always rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us to truth; therefore, we must be constantly in a state of prayer and humbleness before the Lord. The proud and arrogant will never consider a different point of view, but will tenaciously and aggressively hold on to their pet doctrines.
Dangers Of The Earthly Kingdom On Earth Teaching
Are there dangers in the teaching of a 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth? Yes, there are. One of the greatest dangers is that which has already been mentioned: Christians believe in an earthly kingdom on earth and, therefore, can be easily deceived. This is the very thing Jesus cautioned His disciples about. The doctrine of an earthly kingdom with Christ sitting upon an earthly throne sets one up for deception. Jesus warned His disciples in Matthew 24:23, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.” Yet even with this warning, many will be deceived if the antichrist sets up his throne in Jerusalem.
Another area of great concern is that if Jesus’ kingdom is a present kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, set up in the hearts of God’s people, then those who look for the kingdom in the future miss the kingdom which exists right now. Why? Because they are looking for it in the future. This danger is similar to that which the Jews faced when Jesus came in Judea. They expected a physical kingdom where the Messiah would come and set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, and He (along with the Jews) would reign over the whole earth as it was in the days of David and Solomon. They expected the glory that once rested upon Israel in the days of Solomon, would return and be even more glorious than it was in Solomon’s day. This was not the mind of God nor the reason Jesus came. Jesus very clearly did not come as the Jews expected and therefore, they missed Him. As we draw closer to the end, once again history will repeat itself, and most religious people will follow the crowd down the broad way that leads to destruction and actually fight against God. Why? Because they believed a false doctrine (teaching), and that teaching pointed them in the wrong direction.
This is not to mean that no person who believes in the earthly reign of Christ on the earth will be deceived. Those who truly love God and are seeking to know Him better and obtain a very personal relationship with Him will be ready for whatever comes in the future. None of us have all truth, but those who are truly seeking God will certainly find Him and He will deliver them out of the hand of the enemy, even if some of their understanding is incorrect. It seems the disciples did not fully understand the kingdom in Jesus’ day, for in Acts One, they asked Jesus, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” However, after the day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they began to understand that Jesus was (and is) the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He sits today, not on an earthly throne, but a throne is set in heaven where He sits at the right hand of The Father. He is not only King but also the High Priest, always making intercession for us, always pleading our cause, holding up His blood as the atoning cause for our redemption. Jesus rules in the kingdoms of men today. Nebuchadnezzar realized this even under the Old Covenant. Read his words after he had been humbled before God and man: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Dan 4:34-35)
The great difference in the New Covenant, which is for believers today, is that when Jesus came, He gave to His followers power over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). He came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). He bound the strong man and spoiled his house (Matt. 12:29). Jesus, through His death, destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb. 2:14). There are many other verses that support this truth. The truth presented in scripture is that Jesus did not annihilate the devil, but He took from him the power he had before Jesus came. The 1000 years mentioned in Revelation is not a literal 1000 year time period but rather a symbolic number, just as other things mentioned in Revelation chapter 20. The bottomless pit refers to a spiritual pit where Satan is presently encaged. The chain represents that which restrains Satan. The dragon and serpent are revealed in this chapter as the devil and Satan. The 1000 years represents the time when Jesus came the first time and bound Satan until some time in the future when the pit will be opened (Rev. 9:1-2) and Satan will come forth to bring GREAT DECEPTION and gather those who have rejected Jesus’ salvation, and will lead them against God’s people.
Look at the world around us. Christians are beginning to be hated by the majority of society and nations. Christians who hold to Godly principles are considered intolerant, bigots, hatemongers, or worse. God and His Son are being mocked, blasphemed, and disgraced, and yet He continues to offer mercy and grace to any who will believe and repent. How great is our God! How great His mercy and His grace. Nevertheless, the day will come when the cup of iniquity will be full and God’s judgment will fall upon mankind. The day of salvation will come to an end, the 1000 years will be complete, and Satan will be loose to do his evil work in the earth and to fight against God’s people. Let us prepare ourselves today while we still have opportunity to become strong in Jesus Christ and the power of His might, in the power of His present Kingdom, which exists within our hearts (Luke 17:21). If we are diligent today, we will not accept Satan’s mark in the future and will stand firm during the Great Tribulation.
The Editor
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Pastor Rich Powell
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,
for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom. 8:5-8
In terms of genuine change, transformation is infinitely more powerful and productive than conformity. A caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly and can then fly. But until it is transformed into a butterfly it cannot fly no matter how hard it may try. The thrust of the New Testament is the transformation of the individual according to God’s grace as opposed to following religious regulations through human effort. So, if we are to be molded into the image of Jesus Christ in holy character and conduct it will not come through regulation but through the Holy Spirit who indwells each believer.
Now – as children of God, reconciled to God – we love Him and desire to please Him. Pleasing Him is antithetical to anything that the flesh (self-centered passions and desires) demands. To not fulfill the desires of the flesh we must walk in the Spirit, because overcoming these strong urges (you know what yours are) is not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit, says the Lord (Zech. 4:6). That God has put His Spirit in us and made us partakers of the divine nature is a key benefit of the new covenant as opposed to the old (Mosaic law). So if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We will explore this profound and dynamic truth by considering three ways that the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Christ – is described in the New Testament record; He is 1) the Spirit of truth, 2) the Spirit of adoption, and 3) the Spirit of power.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
The biblical action “walk” is reference to a daily, continual, habitual, diligent movement. It is not so much event-related as it is a description of a person’s overall manner of life. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the trinity – God, and, as a member of the triune, perfectly other-focused, eternal community, it is His delight to glorify the Father and the Son. So, as we walk in the Spirit – keep in step with the Spirit – we also delight to glorify God. Pursuit of the glory of God becomes not only our modus operandi (method of procedure) but our modus vivendi (manner of living). This is consistent with the apostle Paul’s imperative to be filled with the Spirit. The verb “filled” is a present and active verb – to keep on being filled – a modus vivendi.
If a person in today’s theological context were to ask: “Is your church Spirit-filled?” He or she would most likely be referring to what a congregation practices in the event of corporate worship. The apostle’s command, however, is not in that limited context. Being Spirit-filled is a manner of life – walking in the Spirit. The answer to the question: “Are you Spirit-filled?” can only come from an individual who is indwelt with the Spirit of God. Let me rephrase the question: Is your manner of life a habitual diligence in the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of adoption and the Spirit of power? Walking in the Spirit is not an event – it’s doing life.
In outlining the practical meaning to walking in the Spirit we need to consider the essence of the Spirit, the objective of walking in the Spirit and the practical benefits as well as the fruit of walking in the Spirit.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you(John 14:16-17).
The Holy Spirit who indwells each believer is the Spirit of truth (cf. John 15:26; 16:13; I John 4:6). He is God – the divine nature – who takes up residence in the believer; therefore, He is the same essence as the Father and the Son. The triune God has revealed Himself – Truth – to His creation. The primary objective of walking in the Spirit of truth, then, is to know Him – the Creator/Redeemer who created us for Himself. The Spirit of truth teaches us the word of God (I John 2:27), brings to our remembrance the words of Christ and illuminates our understanding of God’s revelation. Jesus said of Him (the Spirit of truth) He will glorify Me. Why? Because He will guide you into all truth.
There are two key practical benefits to walking in the Spirit of truth: 1) Discernment. As the Spirit glorifies Christ in our hearts and minds the preeminent Christ becomes the infinite reference point and standard for all that claims to be true as well as all attitudes and behavior. Whatever does not measure up to the character and words of Christ is not of God. 2) Liberty. Jesus said: the truth (My words) will set you free. Grasping the truth as found in the character and purpose of God engenders transformation that liberates the believer from the bondage of God-ignoring desires and ambitions and creates an awareness of one’s freedom to function according to the Creator’s good and gracious design.
The fruit, then, of walking in the Spirit of truth is faithfulness: being faithful – consistent and committed – to that which is indeed true as well as to the developing character of Christ in the believer. The fruit of the Spirit is … faithfulness … Walk in the Spirit of truth by letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying,
"Abba! Father!" (Gal. 4:6)
In the daily practice of faith, do you delight in God? The beauty of the benefits you have as a New Testament believer is that God equips and empowers you to do the very thing for which you were created – to love Him. He has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart crying “Abba! Father!” This is an endearing term which points to an engaging relationship – a position and qualification for deep, personal communion with the Creator! This is the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:15).
To walk in the Spirit is to walk in the Spirit of adoption. To walk in the Spirit of adoption is to walk in God’s presence. Remember, “walk” is a daily, continual movement – a manner of life. In line with walk in the Spirit, James instructs you to draw near to God and Jesus directs you to abide in Him. Why do you walk in His presence? To love Him. How do you walk in His presence? First: by an unending consciousness of God’s loving, gracious presence in all events and circumstances of the day. Where can I go from your Spirit (Psalm 139:7) is a deeply comforting and empowering truth for the child of God. Be diligent to maintain that consciousness. Second: because of His presence, fellowship with Him in all events and circumstances of the day. Pray without ceasing, is not a glib spiritual platitude, but the profound privilege of unending communication with your Creator/Redeemer. How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them (Psalm 139:17).
You must be very clear on this next point: being busy for God is not equal to walking with God. God did not create you for the things you can do for Him – He is absolutely self-sufficient. You were created specifically for fellowship with Him. Pursue that now that you are indwelt with the Spirit of adoption. When you do, the fruit of the Spirit you will know is love, joy and peace – in all events and circumstances of the day.
You will make known to me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Eph. 3:20).
The apostle Paul was straight forward: those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The good news for the believer is that, because you are indwelt with the Spirit and a partaker of the divine nature, you can walk in the Spirit (by His power and under His control) and please God – which is why the apostle affirmed: we make it our ambition to be pleasing to Him. To love and glorify God is the highest function for created humanity. Once again, it is God who equips you to fulfill that function, and the earnest prayer of the church ought to be that each of its members would be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. The Spirit in whom and with whom you walk is the Spirit of power so that you can please God as you obey Him with abandon (see Acts 1:8; 10:38; Rom. 5:13, 18-19; I Cor. 2:4; Eph. 3:16; I Thess. 1.5).
Paul also pointed out to Titus that Christ redeemed us to be His own special people zealous for good works. It follows that when you walk in the Spirit of power this statement is descriptive of your life. He is the Spirit of God at work in you equipping you with gifts to be fanned into flame with boldness, love and self-control (II Tim. 1:6-7). To walk in the Spirit of power is to boldly engage your spiritual equipping (gifts) in order to be a light to the lost and a help to the church. “Boldly”, of course, does not mean arrogantly, abrasively or by imposition, but with confidence – absent the fear of man.
Finally, walking in the Spirit of power, the believer will realize the fruit of the Spirit and engage life (with all of its pleasures and adversities) with patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. These are virtues as a package and a manner of life (walk) that only the Spirit of God can produce, so walk in the Spirit of power. Pleasing – loving and glorifying – God first comes only through faith, for without faith it is impossible to please Him. But once you, the believer, are in the eternal grip of God’s grace then you are endued with a clear purpose and His inexhaustible power to accomplish that for which you were designed. Surely, this is part of the surpassing worth of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, the Lord!
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit – of truth, of adoption and of power.
IS THE SABBATH PERPETUAL?
Harry Miller
To question the perpetuity of the seventh day Sabbath in the face of the staggering amount of evidence that has established it for six thousand years, borders on the absurd. Every God-fearing person should find it very difficult to question the faithfulness of the Almighty in not preserving the identity of a day that He has immortalized. However, it is possible to question anything and everything. And, since questions are often used to blind the eyes of those weak in the faith, we present the following evidence in behalf of the truth.
Our foremost reason for believing that our heavenly father has perpetuated the Sabbath memorial is that His honor is involved. Bear in mind that God Himself has gone on record to the effect that He fashioned the Sabbath day in a different manner than He did the other days of the week: “The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:11); this was not done at Sinai, but on the day of creation! Now, a hallowed thing demands the respect of all creatures in heaven and in earth. The very fact that it is hallowed testifies that it has certain degrees of the nature of God. Only the mundane and the openly defiant would carelessly disregard that which is holy.
God’s work with His hallowed day (“My holy day” Isa. 58:13, “The Lord’s day” Rev. 1:10) did not end with this act of making it holy; He also sanctified it: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Gen. 2:3). Sanctification is both an “act” and a “condition.” A person, or a thing, is first set aside from common or worldly use; if such a person or thing is acceptable to God, He then imparts to it the divine nature which sanctifies it.
In order to impress His creatures with the heavenly nature of His chosen day, God BLESSED it. When He blesses a thing, or a person, He bestows virtue that makes His blessing effective. It is evident that God endowed this particular day of the week with productive powers that would impart specific virtuous benefit to those who would avail themselves of its benefits.
The Creator’s work in regard to the creation of the Sabbath day did not end with its hallowing, sanctifying and blessing. After applying all these Master touches, He then gave it to the whole human race: “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). Two thousand years before there was a Jew, men observed the Sabbath. Many people have thought that the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath began with the law on Sinai, but months before the commandments were given the Israelites observed the Sabbath day: “The people rested on the seventh day” (Ex. 16:30); this was the one day of the week that the manna did not fall. This was the one day of the week that their daily supply of manna would not breed worms if kept overnight.
We now present Bible evidence that the Lord did perpetuate the Sabbath and its record: Jesus warned His disciples to pray that their flight from Jerusalem (which occurred in A.D. 70) would not be on the Sabbath day: “Pray that your flight be not…on the Sabbath day” (Matt. 24:20). Apparently He had no question in His mind concerning the exact day, and He further knew that they were aware of the correct day.
Many Christians were saved from death because of this warning given by the Master. They had been told to pray that this would not happen in the winter (Matt. 24:20) for at that time traveling would be difficult, and the peril of capture and death almost certain. They were also told to pray that this flight would not have to be made on the Sabbath day: for had it occurred on this day, they would not have carried any needed supplies with them, and would have suffered terrible privation in the mountains. Neither would they have traveled over “a Sabbath day’s journey” (Acts 1:12), which would not have been sufficient to carry them out of the range of danger.
Now, if the commandment concerning the observance of the Sabbath had been abolished, and the first day of the week was “The Lord’s Day,” then why did Jesus tell His disciples to pray about a certain day 40 years later?
If there were no other proof for the observance of the seventh day Sabbath, this should be enough to convince any disciple of Christ that he should respect this day. “There remaineth therefore a keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9) (“Rest” according to the margin and other versions is – Sabbath).
Bearing in mind that Jesus wanted the disciples to respect the Sabbath for at least 40 years after His ascension, and that the writer of the book of Hebrews said, “There remaineth a keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God,” we go on piling up evidence.
From A.D. 70 we now pass down through the centuries of time to the very end of the world when God shall judge men for these sins: “They have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isa. 24:5). It is because of these three sins that the earth is finally destroyed. There is only one ordinance in the Decalogue: the fourth commandment – “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” But, let us move on further in the point of time and go on over into eternity where we can view conditions in the new heavens and the new earth: “And it shall come to pass…from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord” (Isa. 66:23). Think of it – The Sabbath shall be observed in eternity! It certainly appears to be perpetual!
The honor of the Almighty was set before the merciless public eye when He unveiled to the human race the sanctity of the day He had blessed and hallowed. From that time to the end, this day became a thing of reverence or a thing of scorn. The Father’s gift to man has been honored by those who love Him, but others have despised His goodness. In the day of judgment, when the secrets of all men’s hearts shall be made manifest, the faithfulness of God shall be made known, and His name shall be vindicated.
There are four things that bear evidence in this world that God has perpetuated the record of His Holy Day:
(1) The Bible, the oldest history on earth, makes no mention of a change of the holy day.
(2) The Jew, the custodian of the oldest traditions among men. We quote from Rabbi Wise who wrote: “The Jewish Sabbath (We do not agree with him that the Sabbath is Jewish) is, in point of the particular time, a matter of tradition, to which the whole people of Israel from Moses to us testify, without any demonstration to the contrary. There is no century in authentic history not covered by Jewish tradition. Hence one might just as well argue Sunday is not the first day of the week…or the Hebrew Bible is not the literature of the ancient Jews, or any other fact or facts, as to maintain that the Jews forgot the order of the days, when the Sabbath was so holy to them. Anybody arguing against a fact of perception, or tradition, is false. In this case he who maintains it must prove when and where the Jews forgot the order of the days or the computation of time.
“The Jews, having no names of days, called them first, second, etc., to the Sabbath. If they had forgotten to count in any one locality where they were dispersed since 800 B.C. some would have done it in any other locality, and a dispute among themselves about the right Sabbath must have occurred. But history chronicles no such dissension. From Ezra to 70 A.D. the body, called first The Great Synagogue and afterward the Sanhedrin, existed in Jerusalem; and then to 300 A.D. at Jamnia, Ushah, or Tiberias. This body announced annually, in regular succession, the calendar to all Jews in the world. Then followed in authority the Babylonian academy, from 200 to 1,000 A.D., again in regular succession. When could they have forgotten the Sabbath? Those persons (those who claim the Sabbath has been lost) maintain an absurdity.”
(3) The Calendar. Astronomers of all nations have always used the seven day week as their “yard stick” for computing time. A ten day week and an eight day week have been experiments with various monarchs, but these local affairs have never been universally accepted, neither did they change the seven day yard stick of the sages. Though printing is comparatively a modern invention, yet we find that God has so ordered that the seventh day be made manifest on our calendars – it is shown at the end of the week where it belongs. The prophet Isaiah expressed it like this: “the way of holiness…(shall be so plain)…the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (Isa. 35:8). In other words: Even the simplest of men can find the right way and the right day, if he so desires.
(4) The Testimony. The carnal and the impious will not understand this as evidence, for they have no knowledge of the “testimony” of the Holy Ghost: “Ye (saints) have an unction (an anointing) from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (I John 2:20). This is knowledge through the Spirit. It is a gift to those who “abide in the secret place of the Most High.” And again He states: “The anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you (Ye need not take any man's word for evidence): but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie” (I John 2:27). The saint has been given a private teacher, “I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts…And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest” (Heb. 8:10,11). To this agree the words of Jesus: “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14:26).
Take note that in the above verses of Scripture taken from the book of Hebrews, the Lord has made His laws (commandments) the basis for the “new covenant.” They who “know the Lord” are commandment keepers, and since the fourth commandment is one of those which are to be kept “till heaven and earth pass” (Matt. 5:18), man is under divine order to observe the Lord’s day: “He that hath My commandments, and keepth them, he it is that loveth Me” (John 14:21). “If ye keep My commandments ye shall abide in My love” (John 15:10). “So ordain I in all churches…the keeping of the commandments of God” (I Cor. 7:17, 19). “The remnant…which keep the commandments of God” (Rev. 12:17). “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God” (Rev. 14:12). “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:14). “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (I John 2:3,4).
From the above it is very evident that professing Christians are obligated to keep the commandments, and if they would be given any reason for not obeying any one of “these least commandments” heaven could not hold them responsible. Consider this: “The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). If God has so plainly revealed “the invisible things,” how much more has He made plain the day He blessed, hallowed, and sanctified and gave to man.
SATAN’S IGNORANCE
Alfred King
In the beginning, God created man in His own image. Man was flawless in the day he was created. He was free from sin. He lived in a magnificent world. He had special times each day in which he could commune with God. Adam was given unadulterated intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge and possessed total peace, tranquility, and rest, while at the same time enjoying God-given strength and health, and freedom from all sickness, diseases, and plagues. War was not a part of his vocabulary and sin was something from another world, a spiritual world, however not too far from his present condition. In fact, sin was about to find entrance into Adam’s sublime world and his life would never be the same.
God had warned and commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for death would be the result. However, that sly ole serpent, called the devil and Satan, through his craft and slimy deception, managed to hoodwink Eve, thereby causing her to disobey God’s one command. Sadly, when she had eaten, she gave to Adam and he also ate, knowing perfectly that he was in direct rebellion against God. Through this one act, sin entered the world and death followed because of sin. That death which Adam experienced that day passed upon all men because we, like Adam, have all sinned. “Sin is the transgression of the (God’s) law” (I John 3:4). The law which all men have sinned against is God’s eternal moral injunctions.
No doubt Satan thought he had won the battle and possibly the whole war. He thought he had destroyed the entire plan of God. He had polluted the perfect world God had created and defiled the man made in the image of God. From this point forward, a battle began for the control and destiny of men’s souls. Would man choose to turn from sin and serve God or would they venture further and further into sin?
As we read on through the book of Genesis, we find in the fourth chapter that atonement for sin required a sacrifice. We can only speculate as to how men knew sacrifices were essential, but it is clear that from the time Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, sacrifice was an essential part of gaining and maintaining a relationship with God. Scripture informs us that the first two sons of Adam, Cain and Abel, offered sacrifices to God. They both understood that they must offer a sacrifice for their sins. Both proceeded to offer a sacrifice according their way of thinking. However, when they offered their specific sacrifices, a very definite problem arose with Cain and his offering; Cain’s offering was refused by God. God used this very event to teach all men who followed after that there is only one sacrifice that would be acceptable to God, one which required the blood of an animal. It had to be something that had life, with blood flowing in its veins. It was that life which had to be taken and that blood which had to be shed in order for man to be forgiven of his sins.
When Cain saw that his offering was rejected, the Bible says, “his countenance fell.” Cain felt rejected. As he stewed in his rejection, anger began to build up in his heart. The more he thought about God’s rejection, the angrier he became. God very mercifully gave Cain the opportunity to offer a proper sacrifice but, stubbornly, Cain refused. Instead of humbling himself, he determined to resist God’s design. His anger and resentment finally reached the point where he slew Abel, his brother.
Sin, in this new creation, had gained roots as the first murder had taken place. No doubt Satan sat gloating and giving “high fives” to his demonic angels when Cain lifted his hand and slew his brother. Satan had not only gained access into God’s creation, but he was very quickly making great progress in working through man’s fallen nature.
For several hundred years after this irrational hatred and murder, sin multiplied and became so prevalent in the earth that God determined to destroy those whom He had created. What sadness must have filled God’s heart as He looked down from His majestic throne, surrounded by the impeccable purity and holiness of that heavenly realm, and saw the depravity which sin had brought into men’s hearts and minds. To behold the foolishness, the stupidity and idiocrasy of men’s choices and decisions.
When we arrive at chapter six of Genesis, we find that God determined to destroy man because of their sins which had reached unto heaven. Yet once again, we find God mercifully searching through the earth, searching for any that did seek after God. In that search among the millions in the earth at that time, God found one righteous man named Noah. Noah was a man who not only preached righteousness but he lived righteously. God spoke to him and revealed to him His plan to destroy all mankind. He told Noah to build an ark, giving him the instructions necessary for its construction. So Noah built an ark, according to God’s directions to the saving of his house, and saving mankind from total annihilation. And if you have read the Bible, you know the rest of the account.
Spiritual Insight Into Satan’s Ignorance
The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth, gives us some great insight into the spiritual world. He writes in I Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 8 that if the princes of this world had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory (I Cor. 2:8). (There are those who believe that the “princes of this world” are those men who were involved in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. However, I see no reason why those men would have refrained from their murderous actions. The “princes of the world” are those evil spirits who influenced and motivated these men to commit their blasphemous deed.) If they had known what? If they had realized that the shedding of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ would be the means of salvation for mankind, and also be the undoing of their evil plots and the destroying of their evil kingdom. Paul was telling the believers in Corinth (and us) that Satan and his army of evil spirits did not understand that the animal sacrifices which men offered to God were not what cleansed man of his sins, they only foreshadowed the true Lamb of God Who would take away the sins of the world.
As we read through the Old Testament, we see Satan’s many attacks upon the sacrifices offered for sins. The attack against animal sacrifice was first manifest when Cain slew Abel. Satan would steer men away from sacrifices to Jehovah to those of pagans. He would entice them to join with those whom God hated, who worshipped idols and false gods. They bowed down at the work of men’s hands. They fantasized even to the point of offering their own children to their false gods. We see, then, that Satan’s attack was on those sacrifices that would bring God’s forgiveness to man.
Satan also endeavored to destroy the true worship of God which we see through various events where attempts were made to change the order given by God relative to the tabernacle. Two of the sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord and God smote them both. Korah, Dathan, and Abirim sought to set themselves up as those who knew God’s order. In the days of Eli, the Philistines captured the ark, leaving Israel without God’s system for worship all through the reign of Saul and several years into David’s kingship.
After the reign of Solomon, Rehoboam rejected the council of Solomon’s wise men, which led to an uprising of ten tribes in Israel and resulted in the kingdom being divided. Jeroboam led the ten tribes into a totally different direction, a direction directly opposed to God’s instructions. Jeroboam changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel, and Satan worked through Jeroboam to change God’s order and to worship other gods. He did not reject Jehovah completely, but used God’s name to further his own agenda. Satan worked through Jeroboam to accomplish his devilish plan. Satan’s constant attacks were against the sacrifices made to God which would bring salvation to man.
Satan also attempted to defile and destroy the temple in Jerusalem where God’s presence originally dwelt. He could not destroy it himself, but he deceitfully caused Israel to sin to the point that God’s judgment fell upon His own people. Solomon’s temple, where once the glory of God fell, was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Jews were sent into Babylon where they were held captive for seventy years. Though the temple was rebuilt after the seventy years by Ezra and Zerubbabel, it never regained its former glory. God did bless those who labored to rebuild it but, as the years passed, sin made its way again into the temple worship. With the last few kings of Judah, God’s wrath once again fell upon His people. The sins of Manasseh and those who followed after him (with the exception of Josiah, who was a Godly king), Jehoahaz, Jehoakim, Jehoachin, and Zedikiah brought God’s judgment upon Jerusalem. Satan preyed upon the sinful nature of men, attempting again to destroy God’s order.
This time it was Antiochus Epiphanes who God used to defile and destroy the temple. Antiochus Epiphanes offered swine on the altar and in the Holies of Holies. Satan determined to defile and destroy all sacrifices to Jehovah. The final destruction of the temple was in 70 AD. Jesus foretold this destruction in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. In 70 AD the Roman general Titus came against Jerusalem and destroyed the walls and the temple. Jesus’ prophetic judgment was perfectly fulfilled, for the Roman soldiers left not one stone upon another. The temple was razed to the ground.
In all the different times where Satan attempted to destroy the temple where sacrifices were made before God, no doubt he was thinking that this would win the world completely to him. If the sacrifices could be stopped, then there would be no forgiveness or salvation. What he didn’t realize was that those sacrifices which they made year after year could not make those that did the service perfect (Heb. 10:1). Satan hated the sacrifices, for he saw God’s favor was upon those who offered sacrifices to Him. Somehow, those sacrifices seemed to be what brought about God’s grace and forgiveness. Therefore, he continually tried to profane the sacrifices, destroy the temple where God’s presence dwelt, and raze Jerusalem, which was considered God’s city. He must do away with anything that might remind mankind of God.
This is where Paul’s words show Satan’s ignorance. He never realized that the blood of animals did not erase sin. He saw only the physical and missed the spiritual to which those sacrifices pointed. If he had known, he would not have inspired evil men to crucify the Lord. Jesus said it this way when speaking to the chief priests and elders, “this is your hour and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). This clearly shows who the inspiration behind the chief priest and rulers of the synagogue was. It was the power of darkness of the unseen spiritual world. Jesus submitted Himself to them in order to give Himself as the supreme and sufficient sacrifice that could and would take away the sin of the world.
Satan still works today and, sometimes, it seems he is in control. But God’s hidden mystery is beyond Satan’s understanding and far above Satan’s scheming devices or plans. God will present to Himself a people who have overcome the world, sin, and the devil and who will stand one day before a holy God, dressed in garments of righteousness. Dressed in robes of righteousness pure and white, sanctified to that glorious One who purchased them and redeemed them with His own precious blood.
In the future, Satan will again play into the very hand of God, and God will demonstrate His wisdom and His power to be far superior to everything that Satan claims, and that glorious victory over Satan will expose Satan’s ignorance once again. And this time, it will be to the total destruction and annihilation of Satan and all his demonic spirits. To God be the glory throughout all ages and through eternity.
GOD’S TESTIMONY
Lorraine Scullin
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness…he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light (John 1:6-8).
No conventional figure was John the Baptist. A man from the Judean hill country was he, whose love for solitude had been engendered by life in the desert country of Palestine. Dressed in a garment of camel’s hair, bound about the waist by a leathern girdle, his diet wild locusts and honey, he was in strange contrast to the rest of his countrymen. Yet so compelling was this individual, and his message, that all Judaea went out of the cities and villages to hear his witness and to be baptized of him, for he had been filled with the Holy Ghost from the time of his birth (Matt. 3:4,5; Luke 1:15).
No fanfare had preceded John’s appearing, no announcement had gone before him by word of mouth. Suddenly, there he was…God’s instrument…and to him came the word of the Lord (Luke 3:2). As he moved about the region near the Jordan River, “the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not” (Luke 3:15).
Hidden behind this unusual and rather austere exterior, John had nothing to say about himself when the priests and Levites were sent to Jerusalem to pressure him for an answer as to his identity: “Who art thou? He confessed…I am not the Christ…Then, who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?” (John 1:22 and v.20).
“He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness”…“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (John 1:23; Luke 3:4-6). “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Only he who has died to human plans and earthly ambitions can be a voice, for the message of such a person is not his own; he speaks the words from the Lord, only as they are given to him (Isa. 2:1; Amos 1:1). Such a man is merely the bearer of a message sent by Another (His Lord and Master). It is in this way alone that the gift of prophecy operates; little of today’s prophetic utterance can measure up to this standard. Nor can it be said of most present-day prophets that they seek the anonymity of being a voice only, where their person is hidden behind the message.
John by-passed the synagogues of Judaea and the Temple at Jerusalem, those long established centers of religious teaching and worship, for he ministered outside the camp (Heb. 13:13). His was never the “come-in” message. He entered no cities; he sought no crowds. However, he touched all classes of men, for the multitudes searched for him and hung on his words. Because these were the words of God, they turned Palestine upside down. “What shall we do?” asked the people. “He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and to him that hath meat, let him do likewise,” he answered. And the soldiers demanded of him, “What shall we do?” And he told them, “Put no man in fear, neither accuse any falsely” (Luke 3:10-14; See margin).
John’s message was that of getting a people prepared – to make ready a people for the ministry of Jesus. The “way of the Lord” had become so obliterated by the commandments of men and human ideas that the wayfarers could not find the path. However, before John could set up the standards of the Lord that had fallen down and restore a backslidden people to the way of God, like the prophet Jeremiah, he had first to root out,and to throw down, and to expose that which was not up to the mark or pattern (Jer. 1:10). Therefore, when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to be baptized, he discerned the hypocrites and impostors among them and rebuked them: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:7,8).
These words of prophecy cut through their wall of smugness and exposed their self-deception which had insulated them from the conviction of the Spirit of God. “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matt. 3:10). It would be well if every present-day prophet understood that judgment is one of the manifestations of the true gift of prophecy. “If all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all” (I Cor. 14:24).
To reveal further the identity and ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus Himself asked the multitudes three times, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?…A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee” (Matt. 11:7-10). And “If ye will receive it, this is Elias (Elijah) which was for to come” (Matt. 11:14). It had been prophesied by the Angel Gabriel that John would go before the Lord Jesus Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17-19). The same spirit that had moved the prophet Elijah would operate again through His servant John, in order to prepare the people of God for the ministry of Jesus Christ.
How had this spirit of prophecy worked through Elijah? First, he rebuilt the altar of the Living God that had been forsaken. Then, before the backslidden hosts of Israel and the 850 false prophets of Baal, he challenged them: “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him…The God that answereth by fire let him be God” (I Kings 18:21-24). His integrity, his word, was at stake, for Elijah had taken each step as God had instructed him through the gift of prophecy. As Elijah prayed, the fire of the Lord fell, consuming everything: sacrifice, wood, stones, dust and water in the trench around the altar. In this contest that would vindicate the Great Jehovah God through the last moments of time, and through the eons of Eternity, there was no doubt in any man’s mind who was God, for all knew (verses 31-39).
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). The voice of the Lord through the gift of prophecy must be restored to the people of God before the coming of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of prophecy that operated through Elijah and John will move again to prepare a people for His return, and for the work that must be done before He returns.
God has a testimony that He is going to give in this last day, and it will come through His servants who have the one hundred percent supernatural gift of prophecy as it has always been demonstrated through His prophets, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, David and others, who saw the message as it appeared before them in writing (I Chron. 28:19). “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10).
Many have thought that this testimony, or witness, of the Most High was the speaking in tongues; but not so! The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not always cause people to be more like Jesus Christ: in many instances they go no farther than the one experience…but the gift of prophecy has been given “for the perfecting of the saints…till we all come…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-15). The Spirit that moved Elijah and John to make people ready for the Lord’s coming will finish the work of preparation in the hearts of God’s remnant in these last days.
JESUS’ CONCERN
Alfred King
If one were searching for the best place in scripture to find events leading up to the last days and the return of Jesus Christ, it would certainly be Matthew chapter 24. There are several reasons why this chapter is the best place to begin. First, it is Jesus’ direct answer to the disciples’ question, “what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3) While Jesus uses some parables and some dark speech in Matthew 24, most of His words clearly disclose some of the events which will come just prior to His return and the end of the world. His words are not all cloaked in allegories, types, dark speeches, etc., as are those which were revealed to Daniel or those to John found in the book of Revelation. And second, these are the plain words of Jesus Himself, whose words are paramount to any others in scripture. Therefore, it is a good place to begin, where a foundation can be laid to which all other scriptures must conform.
As we consider these words of our Lord, let us not only look for those signs which are to come but, also, at the most important issue of which Jesus is concerned. While Mark 13 and Luke 21 are parallel accounts, for this article we will be using Matthew 24 and 25 as our reference in order to keep our focus on the important issues rather than jumping from one book to another. It will help us in emphasizing the most important purpose of this discourse to the disciples.
The very first thing Jesus says after being asked when He would return was, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Jesus did not immediately launch into a discourse of the various signs and events of which they were to be aware; rather, He began with a firm warning of deception. Most of us, when we come to this portion of scripture, find our curiosity draws us to the particular signs which will precede His coming, and we either minimize the warnings or miss them altogether. However, if we consider carefully Jesus’ words throughout chapters 24 and 25, we see that Jesus is warning His people that they need to realize the fact that there are dangers in this world, which merely knowing when He will return or recognizing the signs, will not keep us from being deceived. In fact, Jesus mentions deception four different times in this chapter, verses 3-4, 11, 23-24; and, then, in verses 25 and 26, He repeats Himself, emphasizing the danger of deception. It appears that Jesus’ concern was more for the spiritual welfare of His followers than it was for them to know the time of His return or the end of the world.
I believe Jesus makes this point very clear after He was risen from the grave and just before He ascended into heaven. Having been asked, “Will thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answers, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). The important issue of which we should be more aware is that we do not allow sleep to overtake us, that we do not become complacent, indifferent, and careless in our walk with God. There will be many temptations along this narrow path to which we are called, and we must not become weary in well-doing but persevere unto the end.
After His first warning of deception, He then informs us of some other things for which we must prepare ourselves. He speaks of wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, along with racial conflicts, nations contending for supremacy, etc. In referring to these things, He says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” From this point He directs our attention to the fact that there will be great persecutions and some of His followers will be imprisoned, afflicted, and killed. Christians will be hated of all nations. Why does He tell of these things? It is to inform all of His disciples to prepare themselves by staying close to God at all times.
One of the great problems with the modern theory of the “Rapture of the church” is that it leaves most unprepared for what will come just prior to His return. Many are being taught today that they will not be here for the Great Tribulation. This is a false teaching and very dangerous for those who will be living in the last days. But I digress.
I am not attempting to diminish the importance of Jesus’ coming or the end of the world, for the study of eschatology is very important. Jesus clearly brings this out in Matt. 24:33, “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” This verse tells us to look for the things which are foretold to come upon the earth in the last days. Therefore, we want to keep our eyes and ears open, but we also must keep our hearts pure before God.
Consider the last few verses of chapter 24: Jesus speaks of the days of Noah and Lot. Only a very few people at that time (Noah and his family) were ready and, consequently, the rest of mankind were destroyed. This is the same message Jesus gives here. Continuing to the end of chapter 24 we have more warnings. He tells His followers to “be ready” (verse 44). We are told to be faithful and wise (verse 45). Verse 46 tells us to be “doing.” Jesus then closes this chapter with a warning about those who do not prepare themselves. He speaks of those who become careless and begin to “smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken” (verse 49). We can smite our brethren in ways beside physically hitting them; we can smite them with our words. We can gossip and damage another’s character; we can defame them and criticize them. We also can eat and drink with the drunken in ways other than getting physically intoxicated. The world is drunk with the cares and pleasures of this life, and they are feeding on the garbage at the world’s table. When one becomes comfortable in this world and begins to be complacent, it is very easy to slip away from his walk with God. Our adversary, the devil, has devised many paths which cause people to wander away from the narrow way that leads to life. Christians must always be on guard and stay close to God in prayer and in God’s word. Jesus closes this chapter on a very serious note for those who are careless, “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 24:50-51)
I believe if we look at Matthew chapter 25 and verse one, we will see that this is a continuation of Matthew 24. After speaking of all these events, Jesus states in chapter 25:1, “Then…” “Then (or at that time, in the last days) shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins.” Jesus follows His words in chapter 24 with two parables: first the “Parable of the Ten Virgins” and, then, “The Parable of the Talents.” Both of these parables contain a message of warning to be prepared and to be laboring in God’s work. He wraps up His discourse in chapter 25 with the judgment which will take place when He returns. He states that He will separate the “sheep from the goats.” He places the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. Jesus then informs us of the difference between these two groups. The sheep saw others in need and ministered to those needs while the goats did not. A very clear picture of this is found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10. It is the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” A man was journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was robbed and beaten by robbers. While he was unable to help himself, he was lying in the path nearly at the point of death. A priest passed and saw him but continued on his way. A Levite also came upon him but didn’t seem to find the time or energy to help him. It was a Samaritan who took the time and effort to help this dying man. Viewing this parable from the final words of Jesus in Matthew 25: Who would fall into the company of the sheep and who would fall into the camp of the goats?
The most important message in Jesus’ response to His disciples’ question is that they be prepared by ministering to those in need. This is applicable both physically and spiritually. Millions are blindly stumbling their way to destruction, and those of us who have received and experienced the good news of God’s salvation, made available to us through Christ Jesus our Lord, must not be ashamed of the Gospel but share it with others. Yet, it must not be in word only but in demonstration as the Good Samaritan did on his way to Jericho.
The message, then, is: let us always be aware of the days in which we live and watch and pray, but let us also be about our Father’s business.
NOW
Harry R. Miller
“Now is come salvation” (Rev. 12:10); this was declared in a “loud voice” immediately after the dragon and his angels were cast out of heaven. Before Christ, men had to look forward to the “day of salvation.”
John the Baptist quoted from the writings of Isaiah and declared, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). Jesus Christ came from the Father for the salvation of the people of God. Had there been no cross, the powers of darkness would have continued to keep the whole world in fear and bondage. “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Again we read, “In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee” (Isa. 49:8). “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:2).
The now of II Corinthians 6:2 and the now of Revelation 12:10 speak of the same time. The meaning of this Greek adverb (arti) translated now is: at the present time. It is used thus in Matthew three, fifteen: “Suffer it to be so now” (at this present time).
This means that when Christ ascended into heaven, He found the place renovated: every being or entity that was evil had been bound and cast out by Michael and his angels.
Victory over the powers of darkness was final and complete only in the heavenly sphere. The devil and his agents could never again present their claims before the throne of the Almighty. Even the forces of justice could not be employed by the powers of evil. The door to heaven was closed and remains shut to the end of time.
Victory for Christ over all spheres of conscious being was legal. Since the cross He is legally the Master of all realms. “All power (authority) is given unto Me in heaven, and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). “Ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:10).
The “stronger Man” NOW has a right to plunder the house of the “strong man.” “Now is come salvation.” Deliverance from all the torments of the powers of darkness. All captives are legally free. “Sin shall not have dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14). Every saint has been “translated into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:13), and all have had a most remarkable transformation of character: “Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you” (Rom. 8:9). This transformation of character is often referred to as “conversion,” or it might be called the “new birth.”
To be “born again” is actually a resurrection. Carnal man is born into the world with a depraved nature. He has a natural “bend” for sin, an affinity for evil: “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Rom. 3:23); “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isa. 53:6); “There is none righteous, no not one” (Rom. 3:10).
Salvation begins when the soul “finds God”; or rather, when man is found of God. This is an experience. The Scriptures call it the first resurrection: “If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1); “Alive from the dead” (Rom. 6:13); “Ye are risen” (Col. 2:12); “Arise from the dead” (Eph. 5:14); “quickened us…raised us up together” (Eph. 2:4-6); “hath everlasting life” (John 5:24); “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25).
“Good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10) was the good news the angels delivered to the shepherds near Bethlehem the night of the birth of the Christ. The “good tidings” of this night became THE divine message to all nations, kindred, tongues and people even down to the very end of the world: “This gospel (good tidings)…shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14).
The “loud voice” of Revelation twelve defined the four factors of the good tidings of the New Testament gospel: “NOW is come (1) salvation, and (2) strength, and the (3) kingdom of our God, and the (4) power of His Christ.” The last line of this verse reads: “For (because) the accuser of our brethren is cast down.” The “good tidings” were made possible by the casting down of the accuser. Had not “the strong man” been bound, there could not be a message of “good tidings”
The Greek word dunamis is here translated “strength”; in many other places it is translated “power”: and “ye shall receive power (dunamis) after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). The English translators used another word for dunamis in Acts 19:11: “And God wrought special miracles (dunamis) by the hands of Paul.”
In order to have an understanding of what Christ made possible for us as “joint heirs,” it is well that we consider the true meaning of these four factors of the “good tidings.” The Greek word dunamis by the King James translators has been translated in ten different ways in the following Scriptures: “In thy name done many wonderful works” (Matt. 7:22); “If the mighty works had been done” (Luke 10:13); “By miracles, wonders and signs” (Acts 2:22); “With great power gave the apostles witness” (Acts 4:33); “Virtue had gone out of Him” (Mark 5:30); “To every man according to his several ability” (Matt. 25:15): “To be strengthened with might” (Eph. 3:16); “If I know not the meaning of the voice” (I Cor. 14:11); “The strength of sin is the law” (I Cor. 15:56); “The abundance of delicacies” (Rev. 18:3).
From the ten Scripture verses using different translations of the Greek word dunamis, we easily come to the conclusion that the true significance of the word may be explained to English speaking people as dynamic spirit force.
The third factor of the “good tidings” message is “the kingdom of God” part of the message. This, actually, is the heart, core, or essence of the Gospel. Were there no present kingdom of God, there would be no present gospel. Those who postpone the kingdom of Christ to a later date deny the very words of Jesus and the apostles.
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). This was the message of John the Baptist. The words “at hand” mean “here, within the reach of men.” Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). Philip preached “the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 8:12). The apostle Paul made this statement: “I have gone preaching the kingdom of God” (Acts 20:25).
The fourth factor contained in the gospel message of Revelation twelve had been translated “power.” Here the Greek word is exousia, and in our King James version it is translated in other verses of Scripture as: “By what authority doest thou these things?” (Matt. 21:23); “Authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17); “Great authority” (Rev. 13:2). To have authority is quite different from having ability or power. When Christ took His place at the right hand of the Almighty, He was given both power and authority.