Do you have questions? Then maybe we can help you find the
answers. View the questions below and answers inspired by
scriptures from the Word of God.
Questions (Click on a question to read the answer)
1.Could you give me Scripture that speaks on the fact that
Michael and Jesus are one in the same?
3. The Bible says that God is a “jealous God.” Wouldn’t this mean God is somehow imperfect?
6. Is the limitation of women ordination biblical or simply cultural?
7. Why does God let the Devil and others continue to do bad things?
8. Does the Bible condone moderate use of these substances?
9. ANIMALS; Do they go to Heaven?
10. Who or what is the Antichrist?
11. ASTROLOGY; Is it mentioned in the Bible?
12. BAPTISM; Is it necessary for Salvation?
13. THE BIBLE; Does it claim to be inerrant?
15. BLASPHEMY; The unpardonable sin?
16. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT; Is it Biblical?
17. CHRISTMAS Is it in the Bible?
18. CHRISTMAS TREE; Isn’t there a reference to it in the Bible?
19.How can one recognize a false Christ?
20. What does the Bible say about crystals?
21. DEATH; What does the Bible say about it?
22. DENOMINATIONS; Why are there so many?
23. DINOSAURS; Are they mentioned in the Bible?
24. Does the Bible mention anything about gambling?
25. HALLOWEEN; Is it wrong to celebrate?
26. INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE; What does the Bible say about interracial marriages?
27. What does the Bible say about Muslims/Islam?
28. Did Jesus have any brothers and/or sisters?
29. Are the Jews God's chosen people?
30. What does the Bible teach about the secret rapture?
31.What are the seven deadly sins?
32. How should Christians relate to the political process of voting?
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Answers
1.
Could you give me Scripture that speaks on the fact that
Michael and Jesus are one in the same?
Answer: This is a very controversial subject that is
misunderstood. And it is not a point of salvation, though I
think it helps us to understand Jesus and His role a little
bit more. Many Christians believe that the Michael who
appears in the Bible is Christ. They don’t believe that
Jesus is an angel, because Michael is never actually called
an angel in the Bible; He’s only called the archangel. I
believe that this archangel Michael is one of the ways that
Jesus appeared to people, especially in the Old Testament.
Here are some Scriptures that lend to this belief. The Bible
tells us that it is Michael who intercedes for God’s people
in Daniel 12:1. Jesus is also known as our Intercessor. When
this archangel—the general of the Lord’s army—appeared to
Joshua, Joshua took off his shoes and worshipped him. We also
read in the book of Jude that it’s Michael who resurrects
Moses. And of course, Jesus is the Resurrection. We also
read that the Lord is going to descend with the voice of the
archangel, and we know clearly that Jesus is the one who’s
going to descend. And so through the Bible, you see these
little clues. Commentators like Matthew Henry and others
believe that Michael was one of the pre-incarnate ways that
Jesus appeared. I have a book entitled Who Is Michael the
Archangel that goes even deeper into this study.
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2. Is there any possibility that somebody can be truly saved
if they don’t keep the Ten Commandments?
Answer: Can a person be saved without keeping the Ten
Commandments? The answer is yes. Of course, there are going
to be many people saved, and no one is saved by keeping any
law. We’re saved by grace. However, nobody will be saved who
willingly disobeys. The Bible says, “If we continue to sin
willfully after we know the truth, then there is no
sacrifice for sins” (Hebrew 10:26). So at that point it is
open rebellion against God. And how can God accept that into
heaven?
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3. The Bible says that God is a “jealous God.” Wouldn’t this
mean God is somehow imperfect?
Answer: If a man knows that his wife is having an affair,
and he’s not hurt by that, that’s not normal. And this is
how God means He is a jealous God. A normal, even godly,
response is to be grieved by a wandering spouse. Now the
defect of jealousy is when a person is being faithful, and
their spouse is constantly mistrusting them. That’s actually
a kind of phobia.People are often jealous and distrustful
without cause. And I’ve seen this destroy marriages and
otherwise positive relationships. That is a fault—a defect
in human nature. So there are two sides of the jealousy
coin. On one side there’s an appropriate, normal jealousy
from love. The other side is an abnormal jealousy from fear.
In a sense, the Lord has married the church; He has a right
to be jealous if we decide to worship other gods when we
have already accepted Him as head of our house. We even take
His name. And we take His name in vain when we call
ourselves Christians and worship other Gods. He wants our
loyalty because we have promised it to Him through
repentance and baptism. But the other form of jealousy ¼
where a man follows his wife around and secretly checks her
mail. That’s a sickness.
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4. How did God, the spirit part, get there in the first
place if there was nothing there to create Him?
Answer: That’s a good question, and if I could answer that,
I’d probably be God. I can’t honestly answer that, but the
Bible does have a few words about Him. In Psalms 93:2, we
are told, “Thy Throne is established of old; thou art from
everlasting to everlasting.” That means God has always been,
and that’s difficult for us to understand. Yet God has
always existed. Before time ever began, God was there.
That’s why Jesus refers to Himself as the “I Am,” meaning
He’s the self-existing one. He’s always been, He always was,
and He always will be. It’s difficult for humans to imagine
because we live in a realm where everything has a beginning
and an end. But not so for God—He lives outside this realm
and He created time for humans. He doesn’t have a beginning,
nor does he have an end
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5. How far should a Christian go to forgive and make amends with someone who continues to create problems despite efforts of sincere reconciliation?
Answer: Whatever happens, you should forgive no matter how
they respond to your efforts to make things better. Always
keep in mind that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus
provided forgiveness for us. Jesus didn’t wait until we were
receptive or responsive. Jesus says, “Love your enemies.”
And when He died on the cross, He said, “Father forgive
them.” He meant this for the people who were still driving
the nails, and He means it for us when we continue to go
astray. So your choice to forgive them is based on the
knowledge that whoever is being cruel, or unkind, or
unchristian, they’ve got a disease called sin and they’re
acting the way they’re expected to act—selfishly. They don’t
see that you’re trying to forgive and be kind, because they
can’t. You want the relationship to get better, but they’re
not appreciating your efforts to forgive them. Keep hoping
and praying that you will overcome evil with good. Paul says
you are casting coals of fire on their head when you’re
doing kindness for those being unkind to you. Now, if they
want to be confrontational and argue with you, be as nice as
you can, but I would avoid them if every time you get
together it just causes an argument. Sometimes the best you
can do.
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6. Is the limitation of women ordination biblical or simply cultural? Answer: My belief is that it is a biblical principle, not just tied to the time this part of the Bible was written. I wrote an article a few years ago (“Unisex in Jesus”), and I want to turn it into a book. But I have small reservation because some will be eager to attack me because it will sound so politically incorrect. Yet I’ll get around to it, because this is an important lesson about understanding God’s plan for each of us while here on earth.But briefly, Jesus only picked male apostles, and it only speaks of men elders and pastors in the Bible. Now, if Jesus only picked male apostles because it was cultural, then everything else Jesus did was hypocritical. Christ died because He would not capitulate to the traditions and customs of the Jews. So for Him to say, “I don’t want to ruffle the Pharisees’ feathers, so I’m only going to pick men,” would be a big stretch. Jesus was so blatantly clear about what the truth was. He would not compromise simply for tradition in any area because it would be dishonest.
Also,
if you go from Genesis to Revelation, God has so many
opportunities to explain what the relationship is between
men and women. God clearly does minister through women, and
I’m not just patronizing. I believe there are a number of
women prophets in the Bible who are spirit filled, and in
that respect they teach. But the word “elder” and “pastor”
in the Bible specifically refers to ordination, and there’s
no example in the Bible anywhere of God ordaining a woman in
the capacity of pastor or elder. Here’s a story I like to
use to help explain: Two Jewish slaves, Amram and Jochebed,
had three unique children. Their names were Miriam, the
oldest; Aaron; then Moses. All three of the children were
prophets, which is very unusual. Of course, Phillip had four
daughters that were prophetesses. But only the boys, who
were Moses and Aaron, could serve in the capacity of priest.
Likewise, a man is supposed to be the priest of his family.
This is something that God established in Eden, and it’s
still in effect today. It may or may not be the ideal, but
we are living in a sinful world. In dealing with the sin
issue, God established men to be the servant leaders in
their families. The church is an extension of that. And I
believe the men should be the servant leaders in ministry in
the church. That doesn’t mean that women should not teach
and minister—they can even preach and do evangelism. But
when a woman serves in the capacity of a pastor, it’s
priestly in nature. For instance, a pastor is the one who
carries out the functions of the Lord’s Supper. There’s no
example in the Bible of a woman doing that, so I feel
strongly it is a biblical issue. I respect people who may
disagree. But I cannot find solid support in any example in
the Bible. For instance, they like to use the verse that
says, “In Christ there is neither male or female.” Yet in
context, all this really means is that we all have,
regardless of gender, equal access to God and equal access
to heaven. But it never means that there’s no distinction
between men and women in ministry.
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7. Why does God let the Devil and others continue to do bad
things? Answer: The question of why God allows the Devil to
continue affecting evil in the world is a hindrance of
belief for many people. With such a difficult question, I
like to illustrate my understanding this way: Let’s say you
were going to have a child. Now before you had that child,
do you get any kind of written agreement from the government
or your spouse that the child would always be obedient and
complacent and a good child? Of course not. You are also
aware that this child may give you some difficult times and
misbehave. So why would you have that child? Well, most
people want children so they can share their love. As it is
natural for us to have children, it is natural for God’s
character to create. And of course, love involves risk,
because you cannot force someone to love you. You can force
obedience and even fear, but you can’t make someone love
you. So there’s risk that love will not be reciprocal.
Sometimes when we love people, they don’t love us back. God,
because when Adam and Eve rebelled against Him, had to take
a risk. He created these creatures with a will, and He
allows them to live out their existence as they choose.
There is a time when He will cut it off because the problem
of sin will only get worse, but He is a God of love, and He
gives His intelligent creatures free will.
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8. Does the Bible condone moderate use of these substances?
1. Let's look at some Bible examples of people who used
alcohol, as well as the effects it has on the body.
BIBLE EXAMPLES:
Aaron and his sons, the priests, were strictly forbidden to
drink either wine or strong drink when they went into the
tabernacle to minister before the Lord (Leviticus 10:9).
Nazarites were likewise forbidden to use wine while under
the vow (Numbers 6:3,20; cf. Judges 13:4-7). The Rechabites
lived a noteworthy example of permanent abstinence from
wine, adhering strictly to the command of their ancestor,
Jonadab, to refrain from it (Jeremiah 35:2,5,6,8,14).
Proverbs is replete with warnings against indulgence in wine
and strong drink (Proverbs 20:1; 21:17; 23:30,31; 31:4).
Wine mocks those who use it (chapter 20:1), and rewards them
with woe, sorrow, strife, and wounds without cause (chapter
23:29,30). "In the end it bites like a snake and poisons
like a viper." (verse 32) The prophet Isaiah declared, "Woe
to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at
mixing drinks." (Isaiah. 5:22 NIV) Daniel and his
compatriots set a worthy example by refusing to drink of the
king's wine (Daniel 1:5,8,10-16). When fasting later in
life, Daniel abstained from "flesh" and "wine" (chapter
10:3).
The usual New Testament word for wine, whether fermented or
unfermented, is OISNOS. Jesus likened His revolutionary
teaching to new wine, which would burst the old bottles of
tradition (Matthew 9:17). Paul warned believers against
drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18), and declares that deacons
should not be "addicted to much wine" (1 Timothy 3:8). He
counseled Titus that the older women should not be "slaves
to drink" (Titus 2:3).
For relief from a digestive ailment, Paul recommend "a little wine" to Timothy. Let's take a look at 1 Timothy 5:23 in particular. Physical ailments such as dysentery, often due to contaminated water, were common occurrences. Consequently, other ways to quench thirst were often recommended. Some commentators believe that Paul here was advocating the temperate use of fermented wine for medicinal purposes. They call attention to the fact that wine has, through the centuries, been used for this. Others say that Paul refers to unfermented grape juice, their reasoning being that he would not give advice inconsistent with the rest of Scripture, which warns against the use of intoxicating beverages (see Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-32). The purpose of Paul's counsel is that Timothy should be physically fit for the heavy duties that rest upon him as administrator of the churches in Asia Minor. Mental and moral alertness are closely related to physical fitness. Apparently Timothy was frequently ill. A body frequently sick is not an attractive advertisement for any kind of health reform.
EFFECT OF ALCOHOL/WINE ON OUR BODIES
Our bodies are temples of the living God via the agent of
the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19) God is concerned
with how we treat these, His works of unsurpassed art. (1
Corinthians 3:17) The wise Solomon said, "Wine is a mocker
and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not
wise." (Proverbs 20:1 NIV) And again in verse 31, "Do not
gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!" (Proverbs 23:31 NIV) Why?
Short-term effects of alcohol use include:
Distorted vision, hearing, and coordination
altered perceptions and emotions
impaired judgment
bad breath; hangovers
Some problems like those above can occur after drinking over
a relatively short period of time. But other problems-such
as liver disease, heart disease, certain forms of cancer,
and pancreatitis-often develop more gradually and may become
evident only after years of drinking. Women may develop
alcohol-related health problems sooner than men, and from
drinking less alcohol than men. Because alcohol affects
nearly every organ in the body, long-term drinking increases
the risk for many serious health problems, a few of which
are described below. (For more information visit http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/harm-al.htm)
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9. ANIMALS; Do they go to Heaven?
1. God made animals. Genesis 1:20-25 describes creatures of
the water, air, and land.
God saved animals. Genesis 6:20 says they were "to be kept
alive" in the ark during the flood.
God cares about animals. Jonah 4:11 shows this care. "But
Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people
who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many
cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great
city?" (NIV)
Man should care. Proverbs 27:23 "Be sure you know the
condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your
herds . . ." (NIV)
God wants animals unharmed. Isaiah 65:25 declares "The wolf
and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw
like the ox . . . They will neither harm nor destroy in all
my holy mountain, says the Lord." (NIV)
Yet, only man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26)
with the power of free choice (Joshua 24:15). Thus
Biblically, man is the only part of creation to which
salvation can be offered to be accepted or rejected.
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10. Who or what is the Antichrist?
1. Who or what is the Antichrist? It’s in the Bible, 1 John
2:18 NIV. “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you
have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last
hour.” God is here speaking to the early church. Obviously,
the word 'hour' is used in a figurative sense. The same word
in the original Greek is often translated as 'time', for
example as in the King James translation of this same verse.
God is stating that mankind is living in the 'last time',
the last era, the last dispensation, the last period of
Earth’s history. Theologians call this time period the
'dispensation of the Church', or the 'Church age'. God is
reminding the early-church brethren of a prophecy they had
already heard; namely, that the Antichrist was going to
come.
The original Greek word for 'antichrist' can have two
meanings. It can mean 'against Christ', in the sense of
someone or some power who opposes the work of Christ. Or
alternatively, the word can mean 'instead of Christ',
signifying a person or power who 'takes the place of
Christ', or is a 'counterfeit of Christ'. In the verse we
read, God informs the brethren that in addition to the
coming of a special Antichrist, there were many other
antichrists already in existence during the era of the early
church. The Bible explains in 1 John 2:19 & 26 NIV, “They
(the antichrists) went out from us, but they did not really
belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would
have remained with us¼ I am writing these things to you
about those who are trying to lead you astray.” Thus,
according to God’s Word, the antichrists were counterfeit
Christians who had split away from the body of true
believers. They were deceivers who had not really
experienced a genuine gospel conversion. They were liars who
denied the Messiahship of Jesus; for the Bible declares in 1
John 2:22 NKJV, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus
is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and
the Son.” In 2 John 1:7, NKJV, God states “For many
deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess
Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and
an antichrist.” And in 1 John 4:1 NKJV, Scripture admonishes
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have
gone out into the world.”
The deceiving antichrists are even preaching a gospel, but it is not the true gospel. It is a 'different gospel'. The Bible warns in 2nd Corinthians 11:4 &13-15 NIV, “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough¼For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Is it not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.”
Thus, in
contrast to the popular view which regards antichrists to be
anti-Christian atheists and pagans, the Bible teaches that
antichrists are actually false prophets and false apostles
who masquerade as real Christians. Antichrists sincerely
regard themselves to be genuine followers of Christ, but in
reality they are empowered by the spirit of Satan, and they
are opposing the work of God.
Jesus cautioned the Church about the deceptive work of these
counterfeit prophets, declaring in Matthew 7:15 NAS, “Beware
of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” In verses 21 thru 23,
Christ describes the tragic fate to be faced by these false
believers on the day of His Second Coming. Jesus warns, “Not
everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the
kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who
is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,
did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out
demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I
will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you
who practice lawlessness.' ” Even though the false apostles
claim to be Christians, even though they can perform signs
and miracles, including casting out demons in the 'name of
Jesus', Christ declares that he does not know them. Because
of their lawlessness, their disregard for God’s Holy Law,
they are turned away from entering into the kingdom of
heaven.
Jesus further warned that during the period leading up to
his Second Coming at the end of the Church age, antichrists
would verily try to impersonate him, claiming to be the
returned Messiah. It’s in the Bible, Matthew 24:4 & 5 NIV.
“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in
my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive
many.” In the same chapter, verses 24-26 assert: “At that
time, if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or,
'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and
false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
See, I have told you ahead of time. So, if anyone tells you,
'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or 'Here he
is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.”
Just before the day of the Second Coming of Jesus, is there
going to manifest a great and final Antichrist, the
antichrist who 'is to come'? Yes, it’s in the Bible, 2nd
Thessalonians 2:3 & 4 NIV. “Don't let any one deceive you in
any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion
occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man
doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself
over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that
he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to
be God.” In this profound prophecy of Last Day events, the
Bible says that there is going to be a rebellion, an
apostasy, a great falling away from the faith. In
conjunction with this apostasy, there will be a revealing of
the 'Man of Lawlessness', the Antichrist, also known as the
'Man of Sin'.
This grand Antichrist will set himself up in
God’s temple and counterfeit the ministry of Jesus.
What will happen to this Antichrist, and how will we
recognize him? It’s in the Bible, 2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10
NIV. “And then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the
Lord Jesus Christ will overthrow with the breath of his
mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming
of the Lawless One will be in accordance with the work of
Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs
and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those
who are perishing. They perish because they refuse to love
the truth and so be saved.”
The way to avoid being deceived by the coming great
Antichrist and his counterfeit miracles, is to have a love
of the truth. That same truth will protect us from the wiles
of the other lesser antichrists. And where is the truth to
be found? It’s in the Bible, Psalm 119:160 Amplified
Version, “The sum of your Word is truth, and every one of
your righteous decrees endures forever
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11. ASTROLOGY; Is it mentioned in the Bible?
1. Astrology is becoming popular, with many people regarding
it to be a source of wise counsel. What does God say about
those who consult with astrologers and use astrology as
guidance for their lives? It's in the Bible, Isaiah 47:13-15
NIV. "All the counsel you have received has only worn you
out. Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who
make predictions month by month, let them save you from what
is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire
will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the
flame... Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one
that can save you."
In this first mention of astrology in the Bible, God is
speaking to the people of ancient pagan Babylon. Middle East
archaeology has confirmed that astrology did indeed
originate in the nation of Babylon, now called the country
of Iraq. Cuneiform tablets have been excavated depicting
horoscope charts dating from the 5th Century BC and earlier.
Astrology is a divination art which teaches that the
relative positioning in the sky of the Sun, Moon and planets
has an influence upon individuals and upon the course of
human affairs. In our modern times, just like in ancient
Babylon, a growing number of people are utilizing the
services of astrology consultants.
In the Book of Daniel, there is narrated a profound event in
the life of Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. The king
had a very disturbing dream, and he wanted to understand its
meaning. Daniel 2:2 NIV, informs us, "So the king summoned
the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell
him what he had dreamed."
The astrologers, also known as 'Chaldeans', were part of the
king's circle of so-called 'wise men' who practiced
divination. The actual word for astrology in the Hebrew
language literally means, 'divining the heavens'. Divination
is the act of foretelling future events, or of revealing
secret knowledge, by means of signs and omens or other
supernatural agency. The practice of pagan divination is
prohibited by God. It's in the Bible, Leviticus 19:26 NIV,
"Do not practice divination or sorcery."
Divination was common among the pagan peoples of the Bible
lands. When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised
Land of Canaan, God warned them not to practice it. Says
Deuteronomy 18:9, 12&14 NIV, "Do not learn to imitate the
detestable ways of the nations there... The nations you will
dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or
divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not
permitted you to do so... Anyone who does these things is
detestable to the Lord." Divination is actually regarded to
be a grave sin. Declares 1 Samuel 15:23 NIV, "Rebellion is
like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of
idolatry."
For curiosity and amusement, millions of ordinary citizens
read the daily horoscopes published in mass-circulation
newspapers. Is it okay to have this kind of casual 'fun'
interest in astrology? What counsel does the Bible give on
this type of issue? In 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV, God
emphatically states that we should "abstain from all
appearance of evil."
King Nebuchadnezzar had asked his astrologers and other
wizards to tell him his dream and interpret its meaning. How
did they respond? Daniel 2:10 NIV, informs us, "The
astrologers answered the king, 'There is not a man on earth
who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and
mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or
enchanter or astrologer.' "
The astrologers of Babylon were unable to help the King with
his troublesome dream. However, God had blessed his
prayerful prophet Daniel with the true gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and he was brought before the king to interpret the
dream. The Bible says in Daniel 2:27-28 NKJ, "Daniel
answered in the presence of the king, and said, 'The secret
which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers,
the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the
king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and
He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the
latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon
your bed, were these...' " With God's anointing, Daniel was
able to then describe and explain the king's great prophetic
dream.
If there is a need to understand perplexing situations in
our lives, we are wise to shun the error and evil of
astrology divination; but rather let us know that "there is
a God in heaven who reveals secrets." Like Daniel, in prayer
we can turn to God for help. And in the Bible, we have the
assured counsel of His truth.
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12. BAPTISM; Is it necessary for Salvation?
1. Christ emphasized, baptism is necessary! It's in the
Bible (See John 3:5).
There are a number of similarities between a marriage
ceremony and baptism. Baptism is the entrance into the
Christian family. One takes the name of Christ (Christian).
God designs that this is to be a life-time experience in
which one's personal relationship with Him is ever improving
and very personal. Salvation through the shed blood of Jesus
on Calvary is the theme of the gospel (Romans 3:25; 5:9;
Ephesians. 1:7; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:22; Revelation
1:5; etc.). You can depend upon it by faith through His
grace.
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13. THE BIBLE; Does it claim to be inerrant?
1. Inerrancy has been a claim by many who seek to defend the
credibility of the Bible, but the Bible itself does not make
such a claim. The Bible does, however, claim to be TRUE.
"The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your
righteous ordinances endures forever." (Psalm 119:160 NRSV)
It is critical to note that TRUE does not mean INERRANT.
(See BIBLE - Does it contradict itself?, and BIBLE - Is it
Inspired by God?).
ALL CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT?
The all or nothing position is not a Biblical one, even if
it has been proclaimed by great men and spiritual giants.
John Wesley, for example, wrote in his journal of 8/24/1776:
"Nay, if there be any mistakes in the Bible, there may as
well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book,
it did not come from the God of truth." Paul tells us, "But
avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments
and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable
and useless." (Titus 3:9 NIV) and not "to devote themselves
to myths and endless genealogies. These promote
controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith." (1
Timothy 1:4 NIV)
Once we get over our need to harmonize all the details, fear
disappears and we can turn to the all-important task of
listening to the essential message of Scripture, seeking to
understand His will so that His truth can live in us. What
contradictions may seem to exist in the Bible God has
apparently let creep in. However, Jesus said when here on
earth, He came to fulfill the law and that heaven and earth
would pass away before any of it would fail (Matthew
5:17,18).
Over the centuries God has had faithful witnesses to whom He
has committed the truth and who have preserved the Word of
God. The manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures have
been preserved through the ages by miracles of God.
IMPERFECT YET TRUSTWORTHY?
The common conclusion of many Bible readers when they think
they find an inconsistency is to take the position that if
we cannot trust the Bible record here, can we trust it
elsewhere? The basic question is whether or not
trustworthiness requires absolute perfection. If scripture
is viewed as a philosophical treatise, a scientific
document, or a transcript of matters purely divine, then
perhaps one could speak of the one fatal flaw. But if
Scripture is more like a family letter or a letter from a
dear friend and if we determine the trustworthiness of
Scripture in much the same way as we do a trustworthy
person, then absolute perfection is not required. The Bible
is not given to us in grand superhuman language, but in the
language of humans. In order to reach man where he was,
Jesus took on the form of humanity. Everything that is human
is imperfect.
We need to come to the point where we can take the Bible just as it is...as the Inspired Word. We need to let God take care of His own Book, His living oracles, as He has done for ages. I would appeal to those who pick at what may be errors, and urge that they cling to the Bible and stop their criticisms in regard to its validity; that they obey the Word. If they would do this, not one of them would be lost.
HUMAN AND DIVINE UNITE IN THE WORD
For nearly a century liberal, critical scholars have
stressed the diversity in the documents of the Scriptures,
but in present-day theological thinking there is a renewed
emphasis on the essential unity of the Bible. Its great
unifying principle, its central theme, is the redemptive
plan and the working out of that plan in human history.
However, the unity of the Bible must not be interpreted as
uniformity. In the various books of the Scriptures the
redemptive plan is viewed from various angles, and stress is
laid on various aspects, with varying emphasis.
The Bible, like the person of its Author, Jesus Christ, is
the result of a mysterious combination of the divine and the
human. As the human mind is incapable of fully explaining
the incarnation, so it cannot fully explain the Bible. In
writing the various books of the Bible, the author’s own
personalities had full play, and their own style and
vocabulary are reflected in the finished product. Yet the
Bible, is nevertheless, "inspired by God" (2 Timothy
3:16,17). While men did the speaking, they did so as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The Bible is,
therefore, in a special sense the Word of God.
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14. THE BIBLE; Is it True?
Many prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled, and this
fact develops faith in the Bible. As we study world history
in the light of these prophecies it adds authenticity.
Consider a very basic and wonderful prophecy in which God
gave a Babylonian king an outline of history from his time
to the end of the world. Read this remarkable dream in
Daniel, chapter 2. God outlined for King Nebuchadnezzar the
four great world kingdoms from his time right on down to our
time: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. Then the Roman
Empire would be divided into ten divisions, which are the
European nations that exist today. The Great King, who is
represented by the stone cut out of the mountain without
hands, refers to the coming of Jesus and His eternal
kingdom.
1. Other chapters in Daniel give the same information with
added details and in a different way.
Many prophecies recorded in the Bible were given many years,
even hundreds of years, before the event took place. Yet
events happened exactly as the prophecy said they would.
Why should we believe the Bible is true? First, only God can
foretell events hundreds of years before they happen.
Second, as we study we find the answers to many of today’s
questions, even though they were written centuries ago.
(See also "Bible - Does it contradict itself" Variations
indicate Truth)
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15. BLASPHEMY; The unpardonable sin?
Referring to Matthew 12:31 Jesus says, "And so I tell you,
every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the
blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." Consider
the background of this verse. In chapter 11 certain Jewish
cities rejected Jesus. Also, John the Baptist raised serious
doubts about Jesus because his expectations were not
fulfilled. Matthew 12:31,32 refers to the most serious
rejection of Jesus-the rejection of the Pharisees.
1. One of the rejection episodes is in the Beelzebub story
(Matthew 12:22-37). It begins when Jesus heals a blind mute.
The frightening thing for the Jewish leaders is that the
people are so enthused by the miracle that they begin to
wonder out loud if Jesus might not be "the Son of
David"-that is, the Messiah (vs. 23).
The frustrated Pharisees cannot deny the reality of the
miracle, but they can deny that it came from God. Their
solution is that Jesus is in league with the "prince of
demons" (vs. 24).
Jesus immediately takes the offensive by telling them that
if He were curing people through the power of demons, then
Satan’s kingdom would be divided against itself and would be
in ruins (vss. 25-28). Jesus argues that actually, he is the
devil’s greatest enemy. He likens Himself to a thief who
ties a strong man up so he can raid his house (vs. 29). In
other words, Jesus the Christ (God with us) has invaded the
territory of "the prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30;
16:11) to rescue God’s children.
The climax of the confrontation in the Beelzebub story comes
in Matthew 12:30-32. In this passage Jesus not only warns
His hearers that there is no neutrality in the great
struggle between good and evil, but He goes on to say that
anyone who credits the work of God to the devil has
committed the unpardonable sin (vs. 31). While it is
technically true that people can speak against the Son and
still be forgiven, they cannot do so and be forgiven if they
are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is
the Messiah. To do so would be to reject the prompting of
the Holy Spirit in their heart and mind. The result is a
hardened conscience (1 Timothy 4:2); Titus 1:15) that can no
longer respond to the Spirit’s work of leading people to
repent of and confess their sin (John 16:8). Such rejecters
are beyond the reach of God’s Spirit, for they have tuned
out the only channel through which God can reach them. When
that is done, they are beyond hope. They have committed the
unforgivable sin.
Many sensitive Christians worry that they have committed the unpardonable sin. The very fact that they are concerned is an indication that they are still listening for the Spirit and desire to respond to Him. Frederick Bruner is right on target when he writes, "the spirit of the sin against the Spirit is an unworried adamancy. It is impenitence, the unwillingness to repent... It is not careless acts, it is a hardened state" (Bruner, 1:462).
Jesus goes on to claim that the true state of people can be
told by the words that come out of their mouths (Matthew
12:33-37). Such a truth does not bode well for the
Pharisees, whose mouths have recently set forth the view
that Jesus’ actions were inspired by the devil rather than
God. If they continue in that line, Matthew 12:22-37
implies, they will eventually commit the unpardonable sin.
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16. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT; Is it Biblical?
Both Leviticus 20:14 and Leviticus 21:9 are part of the
civil law under which the nation of Israel lived and
operated. The penalties discussed here are capital
punishment by fire-probably burning at the stake. In our
culture, this would certainly be considered a primitive
method. However, some have commented that it was actually
much more humane than stoning or crucifixion. (People burned
at the stake die very quickly from asphyxiation because of
lack of oxygen in the flames).
1. The sins covered in these chapters were considered very
grievous. Sins involving the priests or their families
because of their sacred calling and responsibility for being
right examples were especially offensive. Sins of sexual
immorality were also very serious. God chose to use the
metaphor of a pure and holy marriage as a metaphor for His
relationship with his people. He (Christ) is the bridegroom
and the Church (His people), the bride. Sexual immorality
and perversion is especially offensive when thought about in
this context. These kinds of sins were firmly dealt with in
the nation of Israel during Old Testament times. (Capital
punishment was quite common for a wide variety of violations
including Sabbath breaking. See Numbers 15:32-36.)
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17. CHRISTMAS Is it in the Bible?
It is quite true that the actual birth date for Christ is
unknown. All encyclopedias, whether secular and biblical
agree on this. However, the question is, wouldn’t it be
better that the world think especially about God’s
unspeakable Gift on a specific day than on no day at all? It
would definitely be a source of perplexity to children if
some parents skipped over Christmas with the day by
altogether without notice.
1. One of the main religious ideas of the 2nd and 3rd
centuries was the belief in the divinity of the sun. or
sun-god. This divinity is of especial interest concerning
Christmas. The annual festival to the sun-god fell on the
25th of December and its relation to Christmas has been a
matter of much discussion. Obviously the season of the
winter solstice, when the strength of the sun begins to
increase, is appropriate for the celebration of the festival
of a sun-god. The day in a sense marks the birth of a new
sun. But the reason for its being chosen as the day for the
commemoration of Christ’s nativity is not so evident. The
identity of this date is more than a coincidence. To be sure
the Church did not merely appropriate the festival of the
popular sun-god. It was through a parallelism between Christ
and the sun that the 25th of December came to be the date of
the nativity. Even Epiphanius, the 4th century archbishop of
Cyprus, though giving the 6th of January as the date of
birth, connects the event with the solstice. Moreover, the
diversion of the significance of a popular pagan holiday was
wholly in accord with the policy of the Church. Of the
actual celebration of a festival of the nativity, it should
be added, there is no satisfactory evidence earlier than the
4th century. Its first observance in Rome on December 25
took place between 336 to 354. In Constantinople it seems to
have been introduced in 377 or 378.
This was the era when the Roman church, which later became
what we know today as the Catholic Church, was endeavoring
to cement the worship of pagans with that of Christians.
Many compromises were made to achieve this fact.
Evidently God didn’t want the world to know the exact time of the birth of Christ. He probably knew people would celebrate it with extreme pomp and ceremony - far greater than done even today. God is more interested in our personal relationship with His son than ritual and ceremony. See Matthew 15:9 where Jesus says this is done in vain.
Yes, the Bible certainly teaches Christ’s birth, but it
surely is not to be celebrated in the commercialized way
most of the world does these days.
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18. CHRISTMAS TREE; Isn’t there a reference to it in the
Bible?
Many people may misunderstand the meaning of Jeremiah
10:1-5. Let’s explore what the Bible teaches concerning
these verses. Please notice verses 3 and 4: "For the customs
of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the
forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They
adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer
and nails so it will not totter." (NIV)
1. This Scripture refers to the making of a graven or carved
image out of a tree trunk, as shown in verse 5: "Like a
scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they
must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them;
they can do no harm nor can they do any good."
Later in the chapter false gods that have not made the earth
are contrasted with the true God, the Creator (see verses
9-11). Images are vanity, and they shall perish (notice
verses 14,15).
The practice or "custom" of making an image from the trunk
of a tree is also referred to in Isaiah 40;19,20 and
44:14-17. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah declare the futility and
absurdity of making and worshipping idols. Part of the wood
is used for fuel and the rest is worship.
These Scriptures have no reference to Christmas trees
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19.How can one recognize a false Christ?
1. Jesus warned that in the last days there will arise
counterfeit Christs who would masquerade as the Messiah and
claim to be the savior of the world. It's in the Bible,
Matthew 24:4&5. “Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one
deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am
the Christ,' and will deceive many.”
In the New Testament, the original Greek word for Christ is
'Christos'. The same word in Old Testament Hebrew is 'Mashiach',
which in English is rendered as 'Messiah'. The literal
translation of both Greek and Hebrew is "the anointed one".
It is the title and identity which Jesus acknowledged during
his ministry in Palestine. It's in the Bible, John 4:25&26
NAS. “The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming
(He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will
declare all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak
to you am He.' ”
Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus preached his great
prophetic discourse regarding profound events that would
occur at the end of the age just prior to his Second Coming.
As recorded in Matthew 24:23-26 NIV, Jesus warned, “At that
time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or,
'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and
false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
See, I have told you ahead of time. So, if anyone tells you,
'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or 'Here he
is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.”
Jesus emphasized that the false Christs will perform great
signs and miracles, and will manifest terrible deception.
Many Christians think that as long as they believe in 'Jesus
Christ', they will be shielded from the deception of the
last days. However, the deceit proliferates due to the fact
that there are actually two Jesus Christs, not just one.
Some people are deceived into following the wrong Jesus.
It's in the Bible, 2 Corinthians 11:3&4 NIV. “Just as Eve
was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may
somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to
Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus
other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a
different spirit from the one you received, or a different
gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily
enough.” The apostle Paul is here speaking to the Christians
of the early church. He warns them concerning false apostles
who were preaching about a Jesus who is not the real Jesus
of the Bible. This other Jesus is a fictitious Jesus, a
fabrication of the corrupt imaginations and erroneous
thinking of the spurious apostles. The gospel associated
with this other Jesus is a different gospel; it is not the
gospel recorded in the Bible and preached by the true
apostles. Further, this false gospel is accompanied by an
empowerment of the spirit, but it is a counterfeit spirit,
it is not the Holy Spirit of the divine Trinity.
Who are the followers of the other Jesus really serving? The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Is it not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” The 'other Jesus' is a counterfeit Jesus devised by Satan, a false Jesus who can even masquerade as an angel of light.
Just prior to the day of Jesus’ Second Coming, there is going to appear visibly on Earth a great counterfeit Christ. It's in the Bible, 2nd Thessalonians 2:3&4 NIV. “Don't let any one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” In this profound prophecy of Last Day events, the Bible says there is going to be a rebellion, an apostasy, a great falling away from the faith. In conjunction with this apostasy, there will be an appearing of the 'Man of Lawlessness', also known as the 'Man of Sin', the Antichrist. This magnificent false Christ will set himself up in God's temple and counterfeit the ministry of Jesus.
What will happen to this false Christ, and how will we
recognize him? 2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10 NIV informs us, “And
then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus
Christ will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and
destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the
Lawless One will be in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who
are perishing. They perish because they refuse to love the
truth and so be saved." The followers of the counter-feit
Messiah are deceived because they refuse to love God’s truth
as revealed in his Holy Bible.
Jesus emphasized that it is not enough to simply profess the
"name" of the Lord in order to enter into heaven. There
needs to be a "doing" of the Father's will. It's in the
Bible, Matthew 7:21 NIV. “Not everyone who says to me,
'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he
who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Jesus also
declares in John 6:40 NIV, “For my Father's will is that
everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Thus
there needs to be a "looking to the Son", a contemplation
upon the real Jesus, upon his life, and a belief in the
words he spoke. Affirmed Jesus, John 5:24 NIV, "I tell you
the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent
me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has
crossed over from death to life.”
Tragically, the counterfeit Christians will in all sincerity
regard themselves to be genuine believers actively doing the
work of Christ. They will even prophesy in the name of
Jesus, cast out demons in the name of Jesus, and work
miracles in his name. It's in the Bible, Matthew 7:22&23
NAS. “Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we
not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons,
and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will
declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness.' ” The followers of the false Christ
practice lawlessness. They break God's law, they disregard
the commandments of Jesus. In contrast, Jesus declares in
John 14:21 NKJV, “He who has My commandments and keeps them,
it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by
My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
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20. What does the Bible say about crystals?
1. A lot of people are fascinated with crystals, many
regarding them to possess mystical power that can be
utilized for healing purposes. Some believe that crystals
can also stimulate spiritual growth and bring about a
positive transformation in life experience. Is it O.K. to be
actively involved with crystal healing and crystal power?
What counsel does the Bible give in this matter?
Crystals certainly are beautiful objects, for they were created by God. Portions of God's glorious heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, will be constructed from crystal. It's in the Bible, Revelation 21:11,&18-20 NIV. "It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. "
When evaluating the appropriateness of using crystals for
healing purposes, it is important to be aware of the fact
that the majority of experts who promote crystal healing are
involved in the occult. The word occult means 'hidden'.
Occultism concerns itself with the study and utilization of
supernatural influences, powers and phenomena that are
normally hidden from the regular physical senses, and are
generally considered to be outside the realm of traditional
scientific observation. Occultists believe that human
beings, and the world in which we live, are permeated by
invisible mystical energies. They believe that these
energies can be focused and directed by 'sacred stones',
such as crystals and other talismans, so as to induce
physical healing and spiritual enlightenment. In addition to
involvement with crystal power, occultism is associated with
other mystical practices such as astrology, numerology,
divination, tarot cards, psychic healing, mediumship, spirit
channeling, Eastern religions, ritual magic and sorcery.
What does God say about involvement with the occult? He
warned the Israelites against it when they were about to
enter the Promised Land of Canaan. It's in the Bible,
Deuteronomy 18:9-12 NIV. "When you enter the land the Lord
your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the
detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found
among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets
omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a
medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who
does these things is detestable to the Lord."
The use of 'sacred stones' for mystical purposes was common among the pagan peoples of the Bible Lands. Called amulets, these magical charms were made in the form of small pendants attached to a necklace or bracelet. They were worn to protect a person from negative energies, evil and injury, and also to bring good luck. God uttered a stern warning to the false prophetesses of Israel, who in their apostasy had adopted the pagan practice of wearing amulets. It's in the Bible, Ezekiel 13:18, 20&21 NIV. "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds, and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power.' "
The Bible categorizes the use of amulets as a form of pagan magic. Modern proponents of crystal power regard crystal healing to be 'benevolent magic', also known as 'white magic'. Occult magic can sometimes produce spectacular manifestations of power. Instances of this are described in the Bible. For example, Exodus 7:10-12 NIV, "So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers; and the Egyptian magicians also did the same thing by their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake." From a description of the two other miracles performed by Pharaoh’s sorcerers, we know they were using occult powers, not sleight-of-hand stage-type magic.
Miracles, signs and wonders can often be the work of Satan.
It’s in the Bible, 2 Thessalonians 2:9&10 NIV. “The coming
of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of
Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs
and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those
who are perishing.” Under the command of Satan and his
principalities, demonic spirits manifest these miraculous
signs. Revelation 16:13&14, “Then I saw three evil spirits
that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the
dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth
of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing
miraculous signs.” Spirits are angelic beings. Hebrews
1:14.NIV, "Are not all angels ministering spirits¼?”
Occult magic was practiced during the era of the Early
Church. It’s in the Bible, Acts 8:9-13 NAS. "Now there was a
certain man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic
in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming
to be someone great. And they all, from smallest to
greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, 'This man is
what is called the Great Power of God.' And they were giving
him attention because he had for a long time astonished them
with his magic arts. But when they believed Philip preaching
the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. And
even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he
continued on with Philip; and as he observed signs and great
miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed."
Simon discovered that the power of God was far greater than the power of the Occult, and that true healing comes from the Lord. It’s in the Bible, Psalm 103:2-4 NIV. “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
In the Early Church at Ephesus, practitioners of occult
magic become acquatinted with the Gospel through the
ministry of the apostle Paul. They were converted, and then
destroyed their occult textbooks. It's in the Bible, Acts
19:17-19 NKJV, "...the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
And many who had believed came confessing and telling their
deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought
their books together and burned them in the sight of all.
And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty
thousand pieces of silver."
At the Second Coming of Jesus, practitioners of the occult
will be prohibited from entry into the glorious New
Jerusalem. It's in the Bible, Revelation 22:14&15 NIV.
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have
the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates
into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice
magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the
idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."
Failing to inherit eternal life, those who practice magic
arts will, tragically, find themselves condemned to
experience the second death. Revelation 21:2, 7&8 NIV, "I
saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for
her husband. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I
will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the
unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all
liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death."
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21. DEATH; What does the Bible say about it?
The Bible talks about death as a sleep, refers to
resurrections, the soul and spirit in death, and
immortality.
1. A SLEEP - In John 11:11-14 (NIV) Jesus compares death to
sleep. "’...Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am
going there to wake him up.’ His disciples replied, ‘Lord,
if he sleeps, he will get better.’ Jesus had been speaking
of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural
sleep. So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead,.’"
The Bible compares death to sleep over 50 times.
We are told in I Thessalonians 4:15-16 (NIV) that those
asleep in Jesus rise at His Second Coming. "According to the
Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive,
who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not
precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself
will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and
the dead in Christ will rise first."
RESURRECTIONS - There are two resurrections-one to life and
one to eternal condemnation. John 5:28-29 (NIV). "Do not be
amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in
their graves will hear his voice and come out-those who have
done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil
will rise to be condemned."
Genesis 2:7 (KJV) records the creation of man in the
beginning. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul." God did not put a soul into
man. It is like an equation: Dust + Breath = a living soul.
If you were going to make a wooden box you could say: boards
+ nails = a box. You take a few wooden boards and nail them
together to make a box. If you take them apart again and
pull all the nails out of the wood and put the nails in a
pile and the boards in a stack. What happened to the box? It
just ceased to exist until you put it back together again.
That is the way it is with death. You take away the breath,
that spark of life which comes from God and the body will
return to dust (or sometimes to ashes in the case of
cremation). What happened to the soul? It just ceases to be
until God comes at the resurrection and puts it back
together again. At that time the dust and the breath of life
are reunited and then you have a life, a live person or live
soul again.
The interval between death and the resurrection is described
in the Bible as "sleep." No consciousness of what is
happening, or time passing, etc. Dying is like going to
sleep and your next conscious thought-it will seem like the
next moment-is when God resurrects you giving you back your
life.
SOUL AND SPIRIT IN DEATH - Ecclesiastes 12:7 says the body
returns to the dust and the spirit [or breath of life]
returns to God. Job 27:3 tells us that the spirit is the
same as God’s breath of life or His power.
Psalm 146:4 (KJV) says, "When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing." The dead do not praise God, Psalm 115:17. The dead do not know anything, Ecclesiastes 9:5, "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing."
IMMORTALITY - Human beings do not have immortality, only God
does. (see I Timothy 6:16). We receive immortality when
Jesus comes again. (see I Corinthians 15:51-54). When Jesus
comes His reward of eternal life will be with Him. (see
Revelation 22:12).
The Bible says heaven is a real place in John 14:1-3 (NIV),
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust
also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were
not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me
that you also may be where I am."
God will give us glorious immortal bodies. Philippians 3:21
and I Corinthians 15:51-54. All physical deformities will be
cured. (The eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of
the deaf unstopped and the crippled healed.) Isaiah 35:3-6.
They will build houses and inhabit them. They will plant
vineyards and eat the fruit of them. Isaiah 65:21-23. The
wolf and lamb will feed together. God’s New Kingdom will be
one of tranquil peace. Isaiah 65:25. We will fellowship with
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the greatest minds of the ages
forever. Matthew 8:11.
God Himself shall be with us and be our God. Revelation
21:3. We shall lovingly serve our God forever and enjoy the
closest fellowship with Him. Revelation 22:3-4.
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22. DENOMINATIONS; Why are there so many?
The Bible uses the historical symbol of Babylon to signify
the confusing array of religion. God would like unity, but
only lasting unity can be found in Him. To be in Him is to
know Him, and to know Him is to follow (obey) Him.
1. Denominations describe people groups who consent to
follow a certain set of His instructions. Different
denominations vary the content of the accepted truths in
their set. Revelation 14:6-12 describes a group that will
continue to accept the truths of Jesus Christ that have been
dropped through the historical periods of Revelations 6:1-8.
Study to know Christ and He will show you the way to
complete truth.
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23. DINOSAURS; Are they mentioned in the Bible?
While we understand from Gen. 1 that animals and mankind
were created on the 6th day, there remains a question among
theologians and scientists about the origin of dinosaurs.
Some believe they were part of the 6th day of creation
activities. Others take the position that they resulted from
hybridization of some reptiles God originally created.
1. Some people think the references to “leviathan” (Job 41:1), “behemoth” (Job 40:15, and dragons (many texts) are references to dinosaurs. Most Bible scholars suggest that the descriptions in Job are of crocodiles or hippos. Both lived in the Near East in those days. It is tempting to think that dragons are a faded memory of dinosaurs but we cannot be sure. We can only speculate.
Those who have collected dinosaur remains in the Midwest plains of Canada and the United States or in the Colorado Plateau region have no lingering doubt concerning their reality. Thousands of specimens have been found and excavated.
The fossil remains of these reptiles indicate that they were
indeed a highly diversified group, ranging in size from that
of a rabbit to tremendous beasts 20 feet high, 85 feet long,
and weighing up to 50 tons. It appears that some were
relatively light-footed and had bipedal locomotion, while
others were quadrupedal and moved about in a slow and
cumbersome manner. Some were carnivores and others
herbivores. Certain types were well suited for aquatic
habitat while others remained on land.
The sudden extinction of the dinosaurs, as shown by the
geological records, is a mystery that evolutionary
paleontologists have considerable difficulty explaining.
What happened? Change of temperature? Change in the plants?
Blasts of heat from a meteor; mammals eating dinosaurs eggs;
hyperpituitarism; change in oxygen concentration;
over-specialization and senility of the dinosaur stalk; etc.
These are some of the rationalizations of scientists. The
current dominant theory is that a large object from space
hit the earth and blasted up so much dust that the sun was
obscured for months and the plants and animals died. However
there are problems with this theory also because the
extinction was selective. Some plants and animals (including
fragile ones compared to dinosaurs) did not become extinct.
When God directed the animals into the ark, He no doubt
directed only those that were like His original created
types. There is little evidence that dinosaurs were taken
into the ark. That God did not preserve them in the ark and
that they died as a result of a world-wide flood is as good
an explanation as any.
Why did God not take dinosaurs into the ark? In Genesis 6:12
we find the statement “And God looked upon the earth, and,
behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way
upon the earth.” Satan, the being who rebelled against God,
cannot create, but he can change (even as modern scientists
can produce change through mutations, hybridization and
genetic engineering). The entrance of sin into the world
allowed Satan to corrupt humans and other living organisms.
Now we have leaves changed to thorns, teeth changed to
poison fangs, genes changed into viruses and useful bacteria
into disease producers. Satan corrupted some of the reptiles
God originally created into the bizarre creatures we call
dinosaurs. God chose not to save them at the time of the
Flood. Perhaps God also saw that feeble post-flood humans
would not be able to control such large animals. Thus we
suggest that God preserved the air-breathing, land animals
except the very large animals and the corrupted ones.
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24. Does the Bible mention anything about gambling?
1. Sorry, but there are no Bible texts that directly speak
about gambling. However, there are a number of scripture
texts that address the principles involved. Here are some:
The 10th commandment found in Exodus 20:17 talks about
coveting which is the root of most of our problems. What is
one of the reasons that people gamble and play the lottery?
They covet money, quick and easy. 1 Timothy 6:10 declares
that "the love of money is the root of all evil." Therefore,
the enticement of gambling and playing the lottery obviously
comes under these texts. But there is more. God has given to
each person certain talents, which among other things
includes time, money, influence and a host of other related
items. He is going to have each person give a strict account
of how these were used. If they are wasted and dissipated,
often the indulgent ones are not the only ones who pay the
price. Families often must go without basic necessities
because of one member's addiction.
Matthew 6:21 quotes Christ as saying "where your treasure is
there will your heart be also." For those who engage in this
traffic, money is the mutilator. In the parable Jesus told
of the rich farmer. He condemned him for saying how rich he
was and that he would tear down his barns and build larger
ones. You recall that the story ends with the man dying that
very night. Then whom will this wealth belong to?
As you know, some churches countenance bingo and lotteries
as a means of raising money for charitable purposes. Yet,
most conservative Christians frown upon gambling of any
kind, be it lotteries, slot machines, horse or dog racing,
the Irish sweepstakes, roulette wheels, poker, bridge, or
flipping a coin to see who pays for the soda. Why? Matthew
7:16 says, "by their fruits you shall know them."
What are the fruits of gambling? Revenue and jobs are two
arguments frequently advanced in favor. Yet, when Tom Dewey
was governor, he addressed the NY legislature as follows:
"the entire history of legalized gambling in this country
and abroad shows that it has brought nothing but poverty,
crime, and corruption, demoralization of moral and ethical
standards, and ultimately a lower living standard and misery
for all the people." A gambler can become just as addicted
to his bewitching pastime as the alcoholic does to his
liquor or the drug addict to drugs.
A guiding principle, and a truth that once perceived, grips
the heart is that both one's time and money belong to God.
"You are bought with a price." (1 Corinthians 6:20) Consider
the parable of the talents where the owner gave one servant
5, another 3 and the last got 1. The last man hid his talent
in the earth. The owner rebuked him. How much sterner would
have been the reproof if he had gambled it away? If your
time and money were your own, we could say, "gamble all you
please, it's your own business." But to gamble with money
that is not your own, to waste time that is not your own,
makes one nothing less than a thief in God's sight. And the
Bible does say that a thief will not get to heaven. 1
Corinthians 6:9,10.
This is an interesting statement: "One has 1 chance in 10
million of winning the state lottery in California. Whereas,
if you leave home and drive just a few blocks, your chance
of a fatal car accident are 1 in 1 million." One cannot
vouch for the accuracy of these facts, but it is worth
considering.
Another interesting bit of information: Governor Washburn of
Wisconsin in his annual message of January 9, 1873,
declared, "Some law seems to be required to break up the
schools where gamblers are made. These are everywhere. Even
the church (unwittingly, no doubt) is sometimes found doing
the work of the devil. Gift concerts, gift enterprises and
raffles, sometimes in aid of religious or charitable
objects, but often for less worthy purposes, lotteries,
prize packages, etc., are all devices to obtain money
without value received. Nothing is so demoralizing or
intoxicating, particularly to the young, as the acquisition
of money or property without labor. Respectable people
engaging in these chance enterprises, and easing their
consciences with the reflection that the money is to go a
good object, it is not strange that the youth of the state
should so often fall into the habits which the excitement of
games of hazard is almost certain to engender." Remember:
this was in 1873, not 1973!!!
Pray this is the help you are seeking.
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25. HALLOWEEN; Is it wrong to celebrate?
1. First of all, understand that this is an American custom
and there is no direct reference in the Bible about it.
However, there are Biblical principles that bear directly
upon it. Perhaps the best way that one can be informed about
how Halloween relates to Bible teachings is to relate the
history of it and then point to the end-time prophecies and
what this celebration is leading up to.
Unlike the familiar observance of All Souls, Halloween
traditions have never been connected with Christian
religious celebrations of any kind. Although the name is
taken from a great Christian feast (All Hallows' Eve), it
has nothing in common with the Feast of All Saints, and is
instead, a tradition of pre-Christian times that has
retained its original character in form and meaning.
Halloween customs are traced back to the ancient Druids.
Halloween fires are kindled in many places even now,
especially in Wales and Scotland.
Another, and more important, tradition is the Druidic belief that during the night of November 1, demons, witches, and evil spirits roamed the earth in wild and furious romping of joy to greet the arrival of "their season" - the long nights and early dark of the winter months. They had their fun with poor mortals that night, frightening, harming them, and playing all kinds of mean tricks. The only way, it seemed, for scared humans to escape the persecution of the demons was to offer them things they liked, especially dainty food and sweets. Or, in order to escape the fury of these horrible creatures, a human could disguise himself as one of them and join in their roaming. In this way they would take him for one of their own and he would not be bothered. That is what people did in ancient times, and it is in this very form the custom has come down to us, practically unaltered, as our familiar Halloween celebration.
During the Roman empire there was the custom of eating or
giving away fruit, especially apples, on Halloween. It
spread to neighboring countries; to Ireland and Scotland
from Britain, and to the Slavic countries from Austria. It
is probably based upon a celebration of the Roman goddess
Pomona, to whom gardens and orchards were dedicated. Since
the annual Feast of Pomona was held on November 1, the
relics of that observance became part of our Halloween
celebration, for instance the familiar tradition of
"dunking" for apples.
In the book of Revelation you will find some prophecies
relating to end-time events. They depict that Satan and his
angels are going to lead out in a massive master delusion of
people shortly before probation closes. It is based on the
original lie that Satan told Adam and Eve when they sinned -
"you will not die." With many church denominations believing
and teaching the non-Biblical idea that as soon as a person
dies they go to heaven, this too fits right into the ghosts
and goblins idea so prevalent at Halloween. For those who
have lived a few decades, it is not difficult to think back
some years and observe how rapidly Halloween is escalating
in the public attention. This all fits into Satan's end-time
masterful deception and to the teachings of spiritism. It is
basically for these reasons that thinking Christians who are
intent on functioning as Christ would, shy away from any
involvement regarding Halloween. They go a step farther
even, they also try to shield their children from
involvement.
In case you are a parent, here is something to think about
also. It is best if parents do not pass by the holidays
without notice so far as their children are concerned. On
these days when there is danger that children may be exposed
to various evil influences and get excited about wrong
things, parents should plan alternative fun activities for
the children and youth. Let them know that you are seeking
to bring happiness through other activities. And this is for
good reason.
Children become dissatisfied if everyone about them is
celebrating a special event and they are not permitted to
have any part in it. This gang spirit manifests itself in
various ways. They want to do what others are doing. Just
let a few of the neighboring children talk about, plan for,
and engage in Halloween stunts, then the rest will feel that
they too must have a part in the "fun". Now days, with the
commercialism of everything connected with Halloween, all
children know about it weeks in advance.
Halloween is a western hemisphere celebration. In foreign
countries, the things that are tolerated here would be
unwelcome.
In communities where the young folk are celebrating the
scary ideas and costuming up with masks and weird attire,
some parents keep their children at home. Some will plan a
party for a group of children. Others plan a special trip
taking the family away from the home surroundings. And then
there are those who attempt to conceal the fact that they
are home and sit in darkness watching those who pass by.
A diversion from the usual is to organize the children to
collect food for Thanksgiving baskets to be distributed a
few weeks in the future. When this is done, they often play
some games and have light refreshments before returning to
their homes. Such evenings are remembered as joyous
occasions and not shameful.
But what about those who come to your door? To give them
apples at today’s prices is probably not wise. Some find no
problem in dispersing candy, while others would not think of
it.
Probably the best course of action is to plan for the
evening long in advance. Make plans for the family to meet
Bible standards and principles that will prove to be a
blessing and that will help each member, while insuring that
tricks and pranks will not produce regrets for either the
present or the future.
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26. INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE; What does the Bible say about
interracial marriages?
1. Let me bring out a very important text: 2 Corinthians
6:14; "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." That
last word is the most important. Obviously following this
advice, a Christian would not marry an atheist or a Jew or a
Muslim, etc. But what about interracial marriage?
Deuteronomy 7:1-6 tells the Israelites to destroy all the
inhabitants of the Canaan land and not to intermarry with
them. The reason given is that they would "turn your sons
away from following Me, that they may serve other gods." 2
Corinthians 6:14 applies here.
Moses' wife was of another race and Aaron and Miriam were
punished for criticizing Moses' interracial marriage. That
story is recorded in Numbers 12:1-15. Everyone who reads the
Bible will find the book of Ruth a delight. She is another
foreigner who became part of the lineage of Christ, as did
the harlot, Rahab, also of another nation. The lineage of
Christ is given in Matthew 1 with mention of those names.
Colossians 3:11 makes it clear that in Christ we are all
one.
Okay, so what about interracial marriages here and now? From
the Bible it seems clear that, when both are believers, it
is not wrong. Certainly any couple contemplating marriage
will want to prayerfully consider the impact their marriage
will have on family and future children and be prepared for
what potential problems may arise.
Marriages across racial and religious barriers are becoming
more and more prevalent. Assuming two are of the same
religion, there are still practical reasons for concern and
much thought. Two adults can accommodate to the situation
much better than their children who belong to both races,
but from a very practical standpoint belong to neither race.
All marriages have some stress.
Right after World War II, we had American servicemen
bringing their foreign spouses of many races back to the
United States, full of love and devotion, only to see the
pressures of society drive them apart and send the
unfortunate wife back to her native home.
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27. What does the Bible say about Muslims/Islam?
Although not mentioned directly in the Bible, there is
recorded in the Bible an outline of the Arabic people as the
Children of Abraham who inhabited the “eastern country”. The
history of the Muslim peoples, therefore, begins with the
prophet Abraham and his descendants through Ishmael, his
firstborn son.
1. Abraham's first born son by Hagar the Egyptian was
Ishmael. It's in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis 16:15, RSV.
“And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of
his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six
years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.”
Abraham was given a special promise that the descendants of
Ishmael would become a great nation. It's in the Bible, the
Torah, Genesis 17:20, RSV. “As for Ishmael, I have heard
you; behold, I will bless him and make him fruitful and
multiply him exceedingly; he shall be the father of twelve
princes, and I will make him a great nation.”
His name (Ishmael) was given by God through the angel, and
stands as a perpetual reminder of God’s mercy. Ishmael means
“God hears” - and understands, and will respond in your
times of need. It's in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis
16:7-11, RSV. “The angel of the Lord found her by a spring
of water in the wilderness the spring on the way to Shur.
And he said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from
and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my
mistress Sarai." The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return
to your mistress, and submit to her." The angel of the Lord
also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your
descendants that they cannot be numbered for multitude." And
the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you are with
child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name
Ishmael; because the Lord has given heed to your
affliction.”
Again when Hagar and Ishmael were moving to Arabia the angel
appeared to her. It"s in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis
21:17-21, RSV. “And God heard the voice of the lad; and the
angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her,
"What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the
voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and
hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great
nation." Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of
water; and she went, and filled the skin with water, and
gave the lad a drink. And God was with the lad, and he grew
up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with
the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; [northern
Arabia] and his mother took a wife for him from the land of
Egypt.”
The descendants of Ishmael and the other sons of Abraham
through Keturah were given the eastern country and are
referred to as the children or people of the east. They are
the progenitors of the Arabs. Muhammad, the prophet of
Islam, traces his lineage back to Ishmael through his first
born son, Nabaioth. It's in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis
25:6,12-18, RSV. “But to the sons of his concubines Abraham
gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away
from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country." "These
are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar
the Egyptian, Sarah's maid, bore to Abraham. These are the
names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their
birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael; and Kedar,
Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur,
Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael and
these are their names, by their villages and by their
encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.
(These are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and
thirty-seven years; he breathed his last and died, and was
gathered to his kindred.) They dwelt from Havilah to Shur,
which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he
settled over against all his people.” The areas noted here
in verse 18 are located in Central and Northern Arabia.
There is evidence of a spiritual partnership between the
sons of Abraham through Isaac (the Jews) and the sons of
Abraham through Ishmael (the Arabs and the prophet of Islam,
Muhammad). Ishmael and Isaac together buried their father
Abraham. It's in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis 25:7-10, RSV.
“These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, a
hundred and seventy-five years. Abraham breathed his last
and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years,
and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael, his sons,
buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron
the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field which
Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was
buried, with Sarah his wife.”
Ishmaelites (the descendants of Ishmael had become traders
in spices) rescue Joseph (a son of Jacob, son of Isaac).
It's in the Bible, the Torah, Genesis 37:25 & 28, RSV. “Then
they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of
Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing
gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to
Egypt. . . and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the
pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of
silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.”
This rescuing of Joseph by the Ishmaelites and taking him to
Egypt was part of God's plan. It's in the Bible, the Torah,
Genesis 45:5-7, RSV. “So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come
near to me, I pray you." And they came near. And he said, "I
am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now
do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you
sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
For the famine has been in the land these two years; and
there are yet five years in which there will be neither
plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve
for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many
survivors.” Jethro (a Midianite, Arab, one of the “eastern”
children of Abraham, provides refuge for Moses who is
escaping for his life from Egypt. Jethro has kept alive the
worship of the One true God and therefore teaches Moses,
since the knowledge of God among the Hebrew people in Egypt
was nearly lost, and Moses had received most of his training
in the pagan religions of Egypt in the court of Pharaoh.
It's in the Bible, the Torah, Exodus 2:15,16, 21; 3:1, RSV.
“But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of
Midian; and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian
had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and
filled the troughs to water their father's flock” “And Moses
was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his
daughter Zipporah.” “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his
father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led his
flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.”
Job, an eastern man - an Arab - endures suffering, provides
an example of patient submission to God and gives a picture
of the great controversy between God and Satan. It's in the
Bible, the Torah, Job 1:1-2;10, NEB. “There lived in the
land of Uz a man of blameless and upright life named Job,
who feared God and set his face against wrongdoing. He had
seven sons and three daughters; and he owned seven thousand
sheep and three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen
and five hundred asses, with a large number of slaves. Thus
Job was the greatest man in all the East. Now his sons used
to foregather and give, each in turn, a feast in his own
house; and they used to send and invite their three sisters
to eat and drink with them. Then, when a round of feasts was
finished, Job sent for his children and sanctified them,
rising early in the morning and sacrificing a whole-offering
for each of them; for he thought that they might somehow
have sinned against God and committed blasphemy in their
hearts. This he always did. The day came when the members of
the court of heaven took their places in the presence of the
Lord, and Satan was there among them. The Lord asked him
where he had been. "Ranging over the earth," he said, "from
end to end." Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you considered
my servant Job?" You will find no one like him on earth, a
man of blameless and upright life, who fears God and sets
his face against wrongdoing." Satan answered the Lord, "Has
not Job good reason to be God-fearing? Have you not hedged
him round on every side with your protection, him and his
family and all his possessions? Whatever he does you have
blessed, and his herds have increased beyond measure. But
stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and then he
will curse you to your face." Then the Lord said to Satan,
"So be it. All that he has is in your hands; only Job
himself you must not touch." And Satan left the Lord's
presence. When the day came that Job's sons and daughters
were eating and drinking in the eldest brother's house, a
messenger came running to Job and said, "The oxen were
ploughing and the asses were grazing near them, when the
Sabaeans swooped down and carried them off, after putting
the herdsmen to the sword; and I am the only one to escape
and tell the tale." While he was still speaking, another
messenger arrived and said, "God's fire flashed from heaven.
It struck the sheep and the shepherds and burnt them up; and
I am the only one to escape and tell the tale." While he was
still speaking, another arrived and said, “The Chaldaeans,
three bands of them, have made a raid on the camels and
carried them off, after putting the drivers to the sword;
and I am the only one to escape and tell the tale." While
this man was speaking, yet another arrived and said, “Your
sons and daughters were eating and drinking in the eldest
brother's house, when suddenly a whirlwind swept across from
the desert and struck the four corners of the house, and it
fell on the young people and killed them; and I am the only
one to escape and tell the tale." At this Job stood up and
rent his cloak; then he shaved his head and fell prostrate
on the ground, saying: "Naked I came from the womb, naked I
shall return whence I came.
The Lord gives and the Lord
takes away; blessed by the name of the Lord. Throughout all
this Job did not sin; he did not charge God with unreason.
Once again the day came when the members of the court of
heaven took their places in the presence of the Lord, and
Satan was there among them. The Lord asked him where he had
been. "Ranging over the earth," he said, "from end to end."
Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant
Job?” You will find no one like him on earth, a man of
blameless and upright life, who fears God and sets his face
against wrongdoing. You incited me to ruin him without a
cause, but his integrity is still unshaken." Satan answered
the Lord, “Skin for skin! There is nothing the man will
grudge to save himself. But stretch out your hand and touch
his bone and his flesh, and see if he will not curse you to
your face." The Lord said to Satan, “So be it. He is in your
hands; but spare his life." And Satan left the Lord’s
presence and he smote Job with running sores from head to
foot, so that he took a piece of a broken pot to scratch
himself as he sat among the ashes. Then his wife said to
him, ‘Are you still unshaken in your integrity? Curse God
and die!’ But he answered, ‘You talk as any wicked fool of a
woman might talk. If we accept good from God, shall we not
accept evil?’ Throughout all this, Job did not utter one
sinful word.”
Caleb, an Arab, gives an example of courage and partners
with Joshua in leading the Hebrews into the Promised Land.
It’s in the Bible, the Torah, Numbers 13:30,31; 14:6-10,
RSV. “But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said,
‘"Let us go up at once, and occupy it; for we are well able
to overcome it.’ Then the men who had gone up with him said,
‘We are not able to go up against the people; for they are
stronger then we.’ . . . And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb
the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out
the land, rent their clothes, and said to all the
congregation of the people of Israel, ‘The land, which we
passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.
If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land
and give it to us, a land, which flows with milk and honey.
Only, do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the
people of the land, for they are bread for us; their
protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do
not fear them.’ But all the congregation said to stone them
with stones.”
Rechabites, eastern people, of the same lineage as Caleb, are commended as an example of steadfast faith by the prophet Jeremiah at a time when there was little evidence of faith among the Hebrew people. It’s in the Bible, the Torah, Jeremiah 35:14,18,19, RSV. “The command which Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons to drink no wine has been kept; and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. . . . But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.’” Wise men, from the east (from Persia) brought gifts to the infant Jesus.
It’s in the Bible, the Injil, Matthew 2:1,2,9-12, RSV. “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.’ ... When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”
Descendants of Abraham through Ishmael are predicted to
bring their praise into the temple of God. This is
interpreted by most scholars to refer to the gathering of
the peoples in the New Earth, heaven, paradise. It’s in the
Bible, the Torah, Isaiah 60:6&7, RSV. “A multitude of camels
shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all
those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and
frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. All
the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of
Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with
acceptance on my altar, and I will glorify my glorious
house.” These are all sons of Abraham, children of the East,
Arabs, forefathers of the Muslim people.
The last book in scripture in the Injil, is called
Revelation. It is the revelation specifically given to
Jesus. It’s in the Bible, the Injil, Revelation 1:1-3, RSV.
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show
to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it
known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore
witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus
Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads
aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who
hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is
near.” Many scholars identify the power depicted in
Revelation 9:1-12 as referring to Islam and its prophet,
Muhammad. It’s in the Bible, the Injil, Revelation 9:1-3,
RSV. “And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star
fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key of the
shaft of the bottomless pit; he opened the shaft of the
bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke
of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened
with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came
locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the
power of scorpions of the earth; . .”
It is a power which is instructed to hurt only those who
have NOT received the “seal of God”. It’s in the Bible, the
Injil, Revelation 9:4, RSV. “They were told not to harm the
grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only
those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their
foreheads; . .” Islam did, in fact, respect those Christians
maintaining a pure monotheistic faith, but did “hurt” those
whose faith had become corrupted with idolatry and
polytheism.
Its leader is called “the angel of the bottomless pit”. The
Greek work “angelos” for angel, means “messenger”.
Bottomless pit here can be understood as a desolate place,
the desert. If, in fact, we take this to refer to Islam, it
would be logical for this to be identified as Arabia. Their
leader then is known as “the Messenger of Arabia”. It’s in
the Bible, the Injil, Revelation 9:11, RSV. “They have as
king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in
Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.” To
the Hebrews and Greeks, whose religion had not remained
pure, he is known as “destroyer”.
The purpose of this power was to lead people to the worship
of the one true God and away from their idolatry and evil.
But most of mankind did not repent of their evil. It’s in
the Bible, the Injil, Revelation 9:20, 21, RSV. “The rest of
mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not
repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshipping
demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and
wood, which cannot either see or hear or walk; nor did they
repent of their murders or their sorceries or their
immorality or their thefts.”
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28. Did Jesus have any brothers and/or sisters?
1. Four men--James, Joses, Simon, and Judas--are mentioned as the brothers of Jesus. (See Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3.) There has been much discussion through the centuries as to the exact relationship of these men to Jesus. Three principal views have been advanced:
(1) that they were Jesus' actual brothers, that is, half brothers, sons of Joseph and Mary (and therefore younger than Jesus);
(2) that they were His stepbrothers, that is, children of
Joseph by a previous marriage (and thus all older than He
and not His blood relatives at all);
(3) that they were the cousins of Jesus on the mother's
side, according to some, or on Joseph's side, according to
others.
Those who hold the first view argue that this is the most
natural way to understand the various references to these
brothers; also that this is the most obvious intent of
Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7.
Those who hold the second view argue that Oriental family
ethics would not permit younger brothers to taunt or
otherwise meddle with an older brother as Jesus' brothers
taunted Him (see Mark 3:31; John 7:3-4). They point out
further that the fact that Jesus left His mother in the care
of the apostle John (John 19:26-27) rather than with one of
His brothers strongly implies that Mary had no other
children.
The view that these brothers were the cousins of Jesus on
Joseph's side is based on pure conjecture. That they were
cousins on Mary's side is based on the unproved identity of
"Mary, the wife of Cleophus" with the sister of Mary (John
19:25; Mark 15:40), and on the unproved identity of "Clopas"
with Alphaeus (Mark 3:18).
Jesus' brothers are mentioned as accompanying Jesus and his
mother to Capernaum after the marriage at Cana (John 2:12).
Later Mary and these brothers are recorded as seeking an
audience with Jesus (Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke
8:19-21). Toward the end of Jesus' ministry, His brethren
are mentioned as urging Jesus to prove His Messiahship,
which they themselves doubted (John 7:3-5). That they were
later converted is clear, for they are described in Acts as
uniting with the disciples and others in "prayer and
supplication" prior to Pentecost (Acts 1:13-14). Paul
implies that they were all married (1 Corinthians 9:5).
Many commentators hold that the author of the epistle of
Jude, who identifies himself as the "brother of James," was
one of these brothers (Jude 1). It is also generally
believed that the leader of the church at Jerusalem was
James, the Lord's brother (see Acts 12:17; 15:13). This
seems to be confirmed by Paul's reference to his visit to
Jerusalem, in which he states that he saw only Peter, and
"James, the Lord's brother" (Galatians 1:18-19).
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29. Are the Jews God's chosen people?
Many people are asking about the Jews as God's people. Are
the Jews God's people today? Are there any prophecies or
commands of God as to how Christians are to deal with them?
Are the things happening in Palestine any indication of the
coming of Jesus? What about the inheritance of the Jews and
when will they receive it?
1. The Bible is clear on the subject and it is important to
us. We must remember that the term "Jew" as used in the
gospels is predominantly used to denote the religious
leaders of Jesus time. Other terms were used when speaking
of the people, such as "the common people heard him gladly."
Mark 12:37 we should also keep in mind that the early church
was almost entirely Jews. For over three years the gospel
went throughout Jerusalem and Judea before it went to the
Gentiles. The three thousand added to the church on the day
of Pentecost were of Jewish descent.
REJECTION OF JESUS
At the trial of Jesus the Jews called for the blood of Jesus
to be on them and their children. Matt. 27:25. Still Jesus
sent His disciples (Jews themselves) to preach to the Jews,
and they did until the Romans destroyed their nation in 70
AD. We should love them just as much as Jesus does, and many
of them are accepting Jesus as their Messiah. They need
Jesus just as we do: "there is none other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. Paul
loved his people and prayed for them. "Brethren, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be
saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom. 10:1-4.
Paul loved them and earnestly wanted them to be saved. We
should have the same loving attitude. Jesus told us to go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every kindred
nation tongue and people. They, as a people, certainly fall
into that broad category. Christians should seek to give the
gospel to them as well as anyone else. Indeed, some of them
are helping to take the gospel to their own people.
SALVATION OF JEWS
We need to read Romans 11. In the 2nd verse Paul says that
Israel is not cast away and points to himself as evidence.
He became a follower of Christ and he worked for the
salvation of the Jews all through his ministry, even though
he was the apostle to the Gentiles. In verse 7 he says
"Israel has not obtained what it seeks." Then in verses
19-22 where he is talking about us (Gentiles) being grafted
into their olive tree, he says: "Branches were broken off
that I might be grafted in. Because of unbelief they were
broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but
fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may
not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and
severity of God: on those who fell severity; but toward you,
goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you
also will be cut off." The words "did not spare" let us know
that as a nation he considered the Jews no longer God's
people. As individuals they can still have salvation; as
individuals they are no different from anyone else. As a
nation, too, they are no different: all need Jesus. Now
consider Galatians 3:29. "And if you are Christ's then you
are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." All
the promises of scripture are for God's people. Today
Christians are that people if they "continue in His (God's)
goodness." Rom. 11:22 .
As individuals, Jews have as much chance for salvation as
any Gentile. When Paul started his ministry, the Christian
church was made up largely of Jews. There were many who
believed and came to Christ. Peter said to the Jewish
leaders: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is
no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved." Acts 4:12 NKJV. Jew or Gentile, it makes no
difference, we are all saved through Jesus Christ. There are
many Jewish Christians today.
JEWS BACK TO ISRAEL:
Some seem to think that the Jews must go back to Israel and
resume the ancient sacrifices. This simply makes no sense
because it was Jews (Peter and John in Acts 4:8-13) speaking
to Jews, who proclaimed Jesus the only name by which any man
can be saved. It is evident that Jews were included in the
"we" of "we must be saved." The Bible is clear that
sacrifices stopped, as far as God is concerned, with the
death of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Matthew 27:51. "And,
behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the
top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent." When God tore that heavy veil from top to bottom, it
signaled the end of the animal sacrifices. It is true that
sacrifices continued for a while after the death of Jesus
but they lost their significance. The true Sacrifice had
been offered. They installed a new veil. But in 70 AD,
Titus, the Roman commander, came against Jerusalem and
destroyed it. Jesus had predicted that not one stone of the
temple would be left on another. Titus gave the command to
save that beautiful temple, which was built by Herod. Jewish
zealots found refuge in the temple and continued shooting
arrows at the Romans. The soldiers became so angry with the
harassment they set the temple on fire. The heat of the
raging fire melted all the gold and it ran down in the
cracks of the rocks and the soldiers plundered it to get the
gold.
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE:
With no temple, the Jews have had no sacrifices since. Now,
as if God is saying there will be no sacrifices ever, the
temple mount has a Moslem mosque on it. Can one imagine the
uproar if the Jews were to destroy the mosque to rebuild
their temple? Sometime between 1996 and 1997 The Biblical
Archeological Review ran a story on the temple mount and had
pictures of the mosque. They also had a picture of a place
marked in the rock that scholars believe was the place where
the ark of the covenant sat in Solomon's temple.
JEWS IN BIBLE PROPHECY:
We should pray for the Jewish people today that they might
individually come to Jesus. s. This is all consistent with
God's instructions to Israel. "But if ye shall at all turn
from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my
commandments and my statutes which I have set before you,
but go and serve other gods, and worship them: then will I
cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and
this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast
out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword
among all people: And at this house, which is high, every
one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss;
and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this
land, and to this house?" I Kings 9:6-8. In Romans 11, Paul
says the same thing can happen to Christians. We must
continue our heart-felt relationship with Jesus or lose our
way. Also notice the condition given in the promise to
Solomon. "If you search for Him, He will let you find Him,
but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever." 1
Chronicles 28:9 TEB. See also Deut. 8:20. This is a warning
to Christians just as much as it was to Israel of old.
JEWISH INHERITANCE:
God promised Abraham that He would give him and his
descendants the land of Canaan. Gen. 12:7. It took many
years for that to be fulfilled, as God had to give Abraham's
descendants time to multiply into a nation. The book of
Joshua is the story of Israel receiving the inheritance.
First with the help of the Lord they overthrew the
inhabitants of the land and then Joshua apportioned it out
to the various tribes under God's direction. Joshua, in
chapters 13 thru 22, tells of the division of the land to
the 12 tribes of Israel. Galatians 3:29 tells us: "And if ye
be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise." All real Christians will be heirs of the
heavenly Canaan, heirs of the promise given to Abraham. Even
Abraham himself "waited for a city which has foundations,
whose builder and maker is God." Heb. 11:10. This makes it
clear the real promise was of the heavenly kingdom.
That is the real fulfillment, the one that will be eternal. Through Jesus we can obtain title to a kingdom that will never pass away. "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Dan. 7:27. What a glorious promise we have in Jesus our Lord.
The nation's corporate rejection of Jesus caused them, as a
nation, to lose out on the final inheritance. That
inheritance has passed on to all who accept their Messiah
(Jesus) as their personal Savior from sin. But as Christians
we have been grafted into their olive tree, and we can be
cut off as surely as their nation was. Rom. 11:21, 22.
Had the Jews, as a nation, accepted their Messiah, they
would have been the church through whom God would work to
bring the gospel to all the world. It was their gospel, but
they refused to carry it. Thus was born the Christian church
and we haven't done too well either. Consider this sad but
insightful passage: "He was in the world, and the world was
made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his
own, and his own received him not. But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God. John 1:10-12. John, (a Jew himself) must have
mourned as he wrote this sad passage. Yet write it he must,
for he did it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. See 2
Pet. 1:19, 20.
THE THRONE OF DAVID
In Matthew 1:1-17 the author goes to great lengths to show
that Jesus was of the line of David, moving from Abraham to
Joseph the earthly Father of Jesus. Luke 3:23-38 does the
same thing backwards. He starts with Jesus and works back in
time all the way back to Adam. Both genealogies agree and
pass through David and Solomon. The throne was promised to
David forever by God. "And king Solomon shall be blessed,
and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD
for ever." I Kings 2:45. Then in 1 Chronicles 28:9, quoted
above, Solomon was warned the promise was conditional.
Zedekiah was the last king of Israel. After the Babylonian
captivity, the Jews never had a king, only governors, as
they were under the dominion of other kings. The Herod kings
of Jesus' time were not of the line of David and were
appointed by the Roman Caesar. Israel had lost their kingdom
and have never regained it. Yet rest assured the promise of
God about the kingdom and the throne are still valid though
circumstances have change as to how they are still valid.
Daniel makes it clear that the kingdom will be given to the
"people of the saints of the Most High.." Dan. 7:27.
Galatians 3:29, quoted above makes it clear that ALL who
make Jesus king of their lives will inherit the promises to
Abraham as they will be counted the seed of Abraham. Just as
important as this promise is the promise of the royal throne
of David. Two of the gospel writers have taken the time to
give us the royal lineage of Jesus. Why? Just for
interesting information? Not at all. Jesus is of the royal
line as a fulfillment of the promise to David.
Isaiah made it clear that the Messiah was to come in the lineage of David. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the THRONE OF DAVID, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:6, 7. The kingdom that God sets up is forever. Daniel makes that clear in Daniel 2:44. Then in 7:13, 14 we find "one like the Son of Man" being brought "in the clouds of heaven" before the judgment throne of God (verses 9, 10) and dominion and a kingdom being given to Him. His dominion and kingdom are both everlasting even using the words "shall not pass away." Jesus is to be crowned king of our lives today. Someday when He comes again, He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 19:16. This makes the throne of David eternal. Some claim that Jesus is not in the Old Testament. Paul is not in agreement with that stand and neither is Jesus. Paul, speaking of the Israelites of Moses day said: "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4. Jesus said: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39. When one stops to realize that the Old Testament Scriptures were the only Scriptures available when Jesus said that, one realizes that Jesus is all through the Old Testament.
Paul, raised a Pharisee, said: "Where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."
Colossians 3:11. In Christ Old and New Testaments are bound
together and all the promises are now to be fulfilled in
Spiritual Israel.
Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture is taken from the
King James Version.
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30. What does the Bible teach about the secret rapture?
1. The word rapture does not appear in the Bible but is a
term frequently used to mean the Second Coming of Jesus.
Let's first begin by looking at some Bible texts:
a. John 14:1-3. Jesus promised He would return.
b. Acts 1:9-11. Angels confirmed His promise and testified to its truthfulness.
c. Revelation 1:7. When Jesus returns every eye shall see Him.
d. Matthew 24:27. His return shall be like lightning flashing across the sky.
e. I Thessalonians 4:16-17. It will be an audible event. The righteous dead will be resurrected and along with the righteous living caught up in the sky.
f. I Corinthians 15:51-54. God will clothe His people with immortality.
g. Matthew 16:27. His return shall be a glorious event. He comes with His reward.
h. Revelation 6:14-17. The unrighteous wicked fear His coming and cry for the rocks to fall upon them.
i. Matthew 13:37-43. The evil are purged out of His kingdom by fire and the righteous saved through all eternity.
j. Isaiah 25:9. The righteous are delighted to see Him come. They joyfully exclaim “Lo, this is our God...”
k. Revelation 19:11-16. As King of Kings leading the armies of heaven, He returns as triumphant Lord.
l. Titus 2:13. His coming is called the “Blessed Hope” of a lost mankind.
m. Revelation 22:11-12; 17-20. Jesus’ final invitation to
prepare for His soon return.
Isn’t Jesus coming secretly? Doesn’t the Bible say, “There
will be two in the field, one taken and one left” (Matthew
24:40)?
The Bible makes it abundantly plain that Jesus’ coming is
not a secret event (Revelation 1:7; Psalm 50:3; I
Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 24:27). When the Bible speaks
of those being left, it does not say they will be left alive
on earth. The extended passage in Luke 17:26-37 describes
the event in detail. In Noah’s day there were two classes,
“one taken (saved), one left (destroyed by the flood)(verse
27). In Lot’s day there were two classes, (one taken out of
the city and saved, one left in the city and consumed by the
fire). It will be similar when Jesus comes (Luke 17:30-37).
One class will be taken to heaven with Jesus and the other
class will be destroyed. In Luke 17:37, the question is
raised, “Where, Lord? Where are these people left.” The
Bible answer is plain, “Whithersoever the body is, there the
eagles will be gathered together.” Revelation 19:11-18
clarifies the point that the wicked are destroyed when Jesus
comes, (see also II Thessalonians 1:7-9,2:8).
Doesn’t the Bible teach Jesus is coming as a thief (I
Thessalonians 5:2)?
Each Bible reference to Jesus coming as a thief, is in
reference to the unexpected time of Jesus’ coming, not the
manner of His coming. He comes quickly as a thief,
unexpectedly as a thief, but in glorious splendor as
lightning in triumphant glory (see Matthew 24:42-44, I
Thessalonians 5:1-5, Matthew 24:27).
Do God’s people live through the coming tribulation or are
they raptured before the tribulation?
The experiences of ancient Israel were examples given by God
for His people living at the close of time. Just as Israel
was delivered from Egyptian bondage after the plagues, so
God’s church will be protected through the plagues and be
delivered from the hand of the oppressor (I Corinthians
10:11; Psalm 91; 46). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
entered the flames when they refused to yield to the
universal death decree of Babylon’s King. In those flames
God miraculously delivered them. Their death-defying faith
faced the flames (Daniel 3:16-28). He comes as a thief after
the plagues (Revelation 16:15). What sense would it make to
declare “Behold I come as a thief after six plagues are
already poured out” if He had already come as a thief before
they were poured out? Revelation 15:8 emphatically declares
“No man can enter the (heavenly) Temple until the plagues
are completed. II Thessalonians 2:1-3 makes it plain that
the anti-christ is revealed before Jesus comes and is
destroyed by the brightness of His coming (II Thessalonians
2:8).
Does the Bible teach that the righteous receive their reward
when they are raptured at the beginning of a seven-year
tribulation but the unrighteous are destroyed at the end of
the seven-year tribulation?
The parables of Jesus make it plain that the Second Coming
of Jesus is a divine climatic event--men and women are
either saved or lost. There is no seven-year period to
reconsider our lives. Now is the day of salvation (II
Corinthians 6:2). In Matthew 13:30. both wheat and tares
(the righteous and wicked) grow together until the harvest.
The righteous are saved and the unrighteous lost. In the
parable of the unfaithful servant, there is no second
chance. The unfaithful are lost when the Lord of the
household comes unexpectedly (Matthew 24:44-51). In the
parable of the sheep and goats, men and women are either
saved or lost when Jesus comes (Matthew 25:31-46).
To read more about the secret rapture or being left behind,
click here
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31.What are the seven deadly sins?
1. The seven deadly sins in the Christian tradition were
first compiled by Pope Gregory I around the year 600. They
are pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and
sloth. Gregory also compiled a list of the seven virtures:
faith, hope, charity, justice, prudence, temperance, and
fortitude.
The Scripture would validate all of these concepts, but
nowhere are they recorded in a list like this and nowhere in
the Bible are they specifically referred to as the seven
deadly sins or seven virtues.
They do not pre-date the Ten Commandments which were given
at Mt. Sinai around 1450 B.C. It is probably true that they
were used extensively to teach principles from God's Word,
particularly in the centuries before the invention of the
printing press when the Bible was not available for the
common man to read and study.
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32. How should Christians relate to the political process of
voting?
1. The answer seems clear. Christians are good citizens.
They recognize human government as an ordinance of divine
appointment, and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty,
within its legitimate sphere. They should do their part to
assure good government. One way to do this is to vote.
However, there is nothing in the Bible that addresses this
topic directly.
But Christian people are not all agreed on what position to
take. Some feel that they should stand apart from all
aspects of politics. They may argue that since Christ is
soon to return, Christians have no time to debate various
issues, seek office, or cast their ballot. Whatever time the
Christian might have should be spent in witnessing and
preparing to meet Christ.
Others object to participation on the grounds that their
effort would be nonproductive. Prophecy indicates that world
conditions will steadily deteriorate, growing worse and
worse, so why put forth the effort to improve matters?
Still others maintain a hands-off policy because of the
prophetic picture of the U.S. in Revelation. They feel that
an affirmative vote for a bad candidate would hasten
formation of the image to the beast power, a vote for a good
candidate would retard the fulfillment of prophecy. So they
take the position that the only safe course is to refrain
entirely from voting.
The position of BibleInfo.com, after studying Bible history
and prophecy, is that in our judgment, the act of voting
when exercised in behalf of justice, humanity and right, is
in itself blameless, and may be at some times highly proper.
But we would deprecate any participation in the spirit of
party strife and debate. Some wise Christians have taken the
position to engage in no political agitation or discussion,
privately or publicly. They do not pose as the abettors or
supporters of any particular political party. They seek
always to recognize principles apart from and above the
candidates. If they vote, they do not link their interests
with such parties. They cast their votes for the candidates
who in their judgment are best qualified for particular
offices, without reference to party affiliation. We cannot
believe that in so doing they violate the spirit and counsel
of the Scriptures.
Every individual exerts an influence in society. In our
favored land, every voter has some voice in determining what
laws shall control the nation. Should not that influence and
that vote be cast on the side of such things as freedom of
religion, moral issues, temperance, virtue, freedom from
drug abuse, and forthright honesty? In other words, those
factors or issues that will tend to improve societal living.
There may be local issues or measures like the floating of a
bond for bettering education and/or its facilities, or other
worthwhile projects. Why not vote your convictions? There
surely is nothing wrong in this. In fact it is your right!
But though Christians may vote, they should be extremely
selective in their voting. They share in the responsibility
for the decisions that their elected candidate may make
whether good or bad. To recognize this almost makes it
imperative not to vote unthinkingly, blindly, and out of a
sense of party loyalty "the straight ticket." They will vote
on issues and for "the best candidates," not for political
parties. To often politicians have used questionable methods
to accomplish desired ends. Political preferment and selfish
aims are sought above the good of the nation. Selfish
policies rule in place of principles of right. With all this
the Christian can have no sympathy. He cannot give his
;support to any organization for the attainment of these
aims. To do so would be to compromise truth, connive with
wrong, and be a party to all the evils which would follow in
the wake of such a procedure.
The biggest problem that faces Christians in voting is that
they lack omniscience. Even if they vote intelligently and
conscientiously, they may make a mistake. But this is true
in all areas of life. Should Christians never act unless
they are absolutely certain they are right? If so, both the
government and the church would be paralyzed, for no one is
infallible. Timid leaders would hold back, doing nothing
lest they do the wrong thing. In the meantime the devil and
his forces would occupy the field.
In voting as in every other activity, the Christian should
seek divine wisdom, then do their best. The right to a free
ballot has been purchased by the blood of patriots. The
Christian will not regard it lightly, nor permit it to be
lost through apathy or disuse.
Christians may not only vote in good conscience, they also
may seek and hold public office. Sacred history reveals that
some of God's most noble men participated in secular
government. Joseph was one. Serving a top post in Egypt's
government, he considered his appointment the direct result
of God's leading. Speaking to his brothers, he said, "God
hath made me lord of all Egypt" (Gen. 45:9). "God did send
me before you to preserve life" (v.5).
Then there was Daniel. So well did he fill his post under
the Babylonians that when the succeeding empire took over he
was continued in office. Darius the Median recognized the
leadership qualifies in Daniel, and made him first of three
presidents of the hole kingdom (Dan. 6:2).
Perhaps in the coming elections some Christian brothers and
sisters may be found on opposite sides, voting for opposing
candidates. This should not lessen their confidence in one
another, or their love for those who differ with them. We
must permit no personal antagonism or prejudice to embitter
us against any of the believers in Christ. Whether one
chooses to vote or not to vote, they should receive no
criticism because of their choice.
Thus it seems clear that God-fearing people may, without
sacrificing principle or compromising conscience, fulfill
their obligation to government. They may, without becoming
involved in political strife, cast their ballot. At the same
time they will long for a better world, and pray, "Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven"
(Matt. 6:10).
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