Reasons to Believe

Will the Real God Please Stand Up-Part 5-Jehovah or Allah

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Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

1 Peter 3:15

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Jehovah and Allah.  Are they the same?

The two largest religions in the world (Christianity and Islam) claim to serve the only true God.  However, some followers of the Christian faith often conclude that both religions serve the same God.  Is this right?

It is has been reported by the Barna Group (California-based research and polling firm) at least 40% of Christians believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

Further, a great number of Christians believe either Allah or Jehovah can be followed into eternal life: ” According to the Barna analysis, 43 percent of Americans in general agreed with the following statement:

“It doesn’t matter what religious faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons,”

Statistics like these reveal that a large percentage of “Christians” have a  lack of understanding and knowledge about the character and teaching of both Jehovah and Allah.

No doubt there are similarities between Jehovah and Allah.  The Bible and Quran  each claim to hold universal truth and are similar in some ways, but vastly different on the points that reveal the genuine. Here are a few similarities:

CHRISTIANITY ISLAM
God: Only one in all existence Affirm Affirm
God: Eternal, no beginning or end Affirm Affirm
God:  *Transcendent Affirm Affirm
God:  **Omniscient, ***Omnipresent, ****Omnipotent Affirm Affirm 
*refers to the aspect of a god's nature and power which is wholly independent of the material universe, beyond all physical laws.
**knowing everything. ***present everywhere at the same time.  ****having unlimited power; able to do anything.

To further confuse the matter, leaders and preachers in the Christian faith proclaim from the pulpit and example this great error.  For example, the pope in his great desire to be the leader of the world’s religion has gone about to appease the followers of Islam, by bowing in the direction of Mecca and showing homage to Allah and his leaders.

Pope and Turkish

Pope and Turkey

 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

Exodus 20: 3

In a 2007 interview with Al Arabiya TV, President George W. Bush said this in response to the charge that the Arab world sees the president as anti-Islam:

“Well, first of all, I believe in an almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That’s what I believe.”

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Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

Isaiah 46:9

God (Jehovah) has made it clear in many such verses that there is no other (All others are false) and those who claim to be God are not “like (Him).”

In this study, we will look at several things about Allah that are “not like” Jehovah.

One who  has studied the Bible and had a personal relationship with the true God will understand the vast differences between Jehovah and Allah.

The intimacy factor is  a good place to start to demonstrate the differences.

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Difference #1-Jehovah is personal. Allah is not

Allah is not truly personal, knowable, or approachable. The Quran depicts him more judgmental than gracious. He exists as a singular entity who has no “partners.” In fact, to call Jesus the Son of God is to commit the unpardonable sin, or shirk according to Islam.

Of the 99 names for God in the Quran, Father is not one of them. In Islam, it is considered blasphemous to “presume” that one can know God or claim any sort of close, personal fellowship with Allah. He reveals his will, not himself.

“The end result of the knowledge of the `arifin [- a term denoting “the knowers”] is their inability to know Him, and their knowledge is, in truth, that they do not know Him and that it is absolutely impossible for them to know Him.” 

F. Shehadi, Ghazali’s Unique Unknowable God, p. 37

Yahweh (Jehovah), the God of the Bible, also is depicted as is the transcendent Creator. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. He knows us; but more than that, He is knowable and approachable. He invites us to know Him. He created us in His image – with personality, thought, and will – for the purpose of enjoying an everlasting, unbreakable, intimate relationship with Him. He exists as a Trinity in eternal relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In fact, God, desires us to know him so much that He came in the flesh as Jesus or Emanuel  (God With Us)

I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord. They will be My people, and I will be their God because they will return to Me with all their heart.

Jeremiah 24:7

No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying: Know the Lord, for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”-the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

Jeremiah 31:34

And each person will not teach his fellow citizen,and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them.

Hebrews 8:11

Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” “You know neither Me nor My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.”

John 8:19

This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent-Jesus Christ.

John 17:3

As seen in John 17:3 above, eternal life is for those who “know the only true God and the one He sent-Jesus.”  If a “Christian” doesn’t know Him, it is possible they will be lost even though they look like a Christian by their works:

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.”

Matthew 7:22, 23

As we have seen in previous studies in this series, Jesus is God and part of the eternal Trinity.  Long before we existed, God knew that freedom of choice would give way to the slavery of sin and avarice.  Sin would blur the picture of the true God.  So, when the time was right or “full” (the time that was prophesied by Daniel), Jesus came on the scene.  It was through His life, that the picture of God was focused so all mankind could see through the sin and error because of the life, death, resurrection, and current mediator position of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary.

Jesus proclaimed:

He who has seen Me has seen the Father;

John 14:9

This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:39

God the Father sent Jesus to demonstrate both the character of the true God and how we should relate to Him.  Notice too, that the hope of the Christian is the resurrection, both Jesus’ rising and our own  in the “last day.”  As we have seen in previous studies, it is the resurrected Christ that provides hope for us. Muhammad was not resurrected.  He died June 8th 632 AD from a high-fever. He died in the arms of his wife, Aisha.

For more information on the importance of the resurrection, click here:

How Important is the Resurrection?

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Difference #2-The Origin of the Bible and the Quran

The Muslim believe Muhammad wrote the Quran through dictation from the angel Gabriel (Jibril) over a 23 year period.  The Holy Bible was written over a 1,500 year period by 39 men who wrote 66 books….all inspired by spirit of God and verifiable by history and historians.  All were eyewitnesses of what they wrote and heard along with others who were not writers of the canon of Scripture, but confirmed the events of the Bible.

“for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:21

 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty

2 Peter 1:16

How many witnesses are reliable?  1 or 66+?

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Difference #3-Fulfilled Prophecy

God (Jehovah) provided  hundreds of prophecies in the Bible.  It is a study of these prophecies that convinced me that God’s word is true.  Many prophecies have been fulfilled and there are many yet to be fulfilled. This is a verifiable testimony to the omnipotence of God (Jehovah)

Allah has made no direct verifiable clear  fulfilled prophecy in the Quran, therefore there is no testimony to his omnipotence….only Muhammad’s word alone.  The followers of the Quran will often cite something  vague and interpret it to mean something today.  Here is an example of where followers force an interpretation on unclear language:

Muslims claim *Allah foresaw Generic engineering and plastic surgery in this passage from the Quran:

“They will alter Allah’s creation.” (4:120)

Another strange interpretation comes from the following statement: *…”centuries before the invention of dynamite, the holy Quran prophesied the blowing up and moving of the mountains.” Their source is from this passage:

“And when the mountains are made to move.” (81:4)

According to the Muslims “Air Traffic Systems were “prophesied.”  It is said, “*While prophesying about modern transport systems, Quran also foretold the air-traffic system which is an essential part of aviation.  A person living in desert 1400 years ago cannot talk about such advance technologies unless revealed to him by God Almighty.” Where is the prophecy for this?  Here it is:

“And by the heaven full of tracks (51:8)

There were other so-called “prophecies” by Allah about technology such as fingerprints, pollution, etc. (See reference and link below).  Just like the followers of Nostradamus, the passages are vague and the interpretations are forced out of very short passages

*Fulfilled Prophecies of the Quran-Ansar Raza, Canada

But, the true God Jehovah stated,

I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Isaiah 46: 9,10

“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Ezekiel 33:33

The Lord challenged the false gods to:

“Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,…“Let them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the former things, what they were,
That we may consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
 Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;

Isaiah 41: 21-23

Allah and the Quran fail miserably on their claim of omnipotence as demonstrated through clear verifiable fulfilled prophecies, while Jehovah had hundreds of accurate prophecies interpreted within the Holy Scripture itself.

…knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,

2 Peter 1:20

One of the most simple proofs of God’s ability to predict the rise and fall of kingdoms is the Daniel 2 prophecy.  This is a very basic prophecy we studied before.  Click below to see how God has predicted both the rise and fall of nations (confirmed by history and archaeology) and the 2nd coming of Jesus.

God Reveals the Future

The accurate and clear predictions of Jehovah are so numerous, one does not know where to start.  For continued reading on this topic, read:

Prophecies for our Time

 The Lord through holy men inspired by the Holy Spirit showed us the future long before it happened on topics that matter and not such things as air traffic controllers.  He laid out the details and time lines for the birth and life of Christ.  In fact, most of the Old Testament writers wrote about Jesus.
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:27 
Our God has promised that he would do nothing until he has revealed it through His Prophets
Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7
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Difference #4-Jehovah’s love for sinners.  Allah’s hatred for sinners
The Bible is clear, that the Lord loves the sinner, but hates the sin.  Allah hates (does not love) the sinner:
“Allah loves not those that do wrong,” says the Quran (Surah 3:140)

 

Other types of people Allah hates or does not love:

Transgressors (2:190).

Ungrateful and wicked creatures (2:276).

Those who reject faith (3:32; 30:45).

Those who do wrong (3:57, 140; 42:40).

The arrogant, the vainglorious (4:36; 16:23; 31:18; 57:23).

Those given to excess (5:87).

Wasters (6:141; 7:31).

Treacherous (8:58).

The most powerful evidence of Jehovah’s love for all mankind is:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Allah never demonstrated His love for mankind like this!
God not only saves a person from eternal death, but saves them from their sins; unlike Allah who bribes believers by a promise of indulgence in carnal activities in paradise (aka Garden)
Notice in the following verse.  God describes those who were once controlled by all types of sin.  Because of these sins, they would not inherit the kingdom of God, but they were given a new heart that gave them victory over their sins.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11
This verse tells us what some of the people “were,” but they had been washed, sanctified, justified by Jesus and the Spirit.  Here are the things they were as found in verse 9 and 10
fornicators
idolaters
adulterers
homosexuals
 sodomites
thieves
covetous
drunkards
revilers
extortioners
Allah does not transform people like Jehovah does through His Spirit and Jesus.  The born again experience is foreign to the teaching of Allah.  In fact, in Paradise (according to the Quran) some of the carnal pleasures of this life are transferred into  the “Garden”

“In them will be (Maidens), chaste, restrah aining their glances, whom no man or Jinn before them has touched.” (55/Al-Rahman,56)

And large breasted [companions] of equal age. (78:33)

All types of flesh will be consumed in paradise according to the Quran, “And the flesh of fowl such as they desire.”  while the Lord says, there will no more death nor dying including animals:
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea…The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord.
Isaiah 11:9, 65:25
Difference #5-The Names

In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The two primary names of God in the Tanakh (The Old Testament) are ‘elohiym and Yĕhovah These names or some descriptive variation of these names were used most by the people of God in the Old Testament long before Muhammad and the appearance of Allah.

 The name used for God in the very first verse in the Bible is ‘elohiym.  For those of us who are English speaking, it is pronounced:  el·ō·hēm’

‘elohiym is used 2,606 times.  This name for God is in every book of the Old Testament except for Song of Solomon. .

 But, Yĕhovah, pronounced yeh·hō·vä‘  is used 6,519 times.  It means, “The Existing One.”  Yĕhovah or Jehovah is the Jewish national name for God. The name is so sacred that they felt they should not say his name using the vowels. So it became YHWH. Later vowels were added and it became the name many are familiar with today: Yah·weh

‘elahh (Aramaic). Pronounced el·ä’   Syrian dialect eventually  became the language of the Jews and then it (Aramic) was replaced by Arabic in the 7th century AD   Aramic shows up first in Ezra 4:24 Aramic is the language Jesus spoke while on earth as a man.

Jesus referred to Jehovah as His Father and taught his followers to refer him as such, thereby demonstrating the close relationship of redeemed man with His Creator.

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Matthew 6:9

But there was another name that God preferred.  It was an important name demonstrating his omnipotence.

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

Exodus 3: 14-15

I am the Lord (Jehovah), that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another,

Isaiah 42:8

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Allah was the god of the local Quraish, Muhammad’s tribe, before Islam was invented to lead his people out of their polytheism..  Muhammad smashed the idols but kept the black stone which is still kissed today by Muslims.  He kept, too, the name Allah for the god of Islam (its sign was the crescent moon) in order to appeal to his own tribe..

According to the Encyclopedia of Religion,  Allah corresponded to the Babylonian god Baal that the followers of the true God were instructed to avoid, and Arabs knew of him long before Mohammed worshiped him as the supreme God. Before Islam the Arabs recognized many gods and goddesses, each tribe had their own deity. There were also nature deities.

Allah was then known as the Moon God, who had 3 daughters who were viewed as intercessors for the people into Allah. Their names were Al-at, Al-uzza, and Al-Manat, which were three goddesses; the first two daughters of Allah had names which were feminine forms of Allah. Hubal was the chief God of the Kaaba among the other 360 deities. Hubal was a statue likeness of a man whose body was made of red precious stones whose arms were made of gold. (Reference Islam George Braswell Jr.)

“Historians like Vaqqidi have said Allah was actually the chief of the 360 gods being worshiped in Arabia at the time Mohammed rose to prominence. Ibn Al-Kalbi gave 27 names of pre-Islamic deities…Interestingly, not many Muslims want to accept that Allah was already being worshiped at the Ka’ba in Mecca by Arab pagans before Mohammed came. Some Muslims become angry when they are confronted with this fact. But history is not on their side. Pre-Islamic literature has proved this.” (G. J. O. Moshay, Who Is This Allah? (Dorchester House, Bucks, UK, 1994), pg. 138).

The name Allah is not found in the language of the people of God in the Bible.  Allah is the name of the god of the Quran.  Many people, including Christians, assume Jehovah and Allah are the same God. But, this is both incorrect and misleading.

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Difference #6 -The Trinity

The Bible teaches that God is one, and yet there are three persons in the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, who came down to earth as Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. The three are described in both the old and new testaments. This is  topic in itself.  Here are a few verses that point to the trinity:

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”

Genesis 1:26

Notice the application of the plural. Let’s re-read the verse above with Genesis 1 and use the Hebrew words for God.

“In the Beginning, Elohim (plural) created (singular) the heavens and the earth…And Elohim (plural) said, Let us (plural) make (plural) man in our image (singular),

Genesis 1;1 and Genesis 1:26

The Trinity occurs in the very first chapter of the Bible, which was written by Moses shortly after creation and long before the advent of Islam!

Later in the New Testament, we find that Jesus is identified as the Creator.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1-4, 14

Notice the names given to Jesus:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

The writers of the Bible had no problem accepting the trinity of God.

T he Quran teaches against the Biblical teaching of the trinity.  It states that Allah is “above having a son.”

“O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.”

Surah 4:171

A fair conclusion is Jehovah logically can be love as the Bible claims in 1 John 4:8, but Allah cannot. Love is a transitive verb. Allah had no one to love in eternity past (and he was not troubled by his lack of company), and therefore, love cannot be his fundamental attribute.

So we can see there is a distinct difference in the teaching of the Bible and the teaching of the the Qran on the trinity.

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 Difference #7 Heaven or Paradise

Next time, we will talk about the vast difference between what the Christians call Heaven and the Muslims call Paradise or the Garden.  As we will see, the Garden appeals to the carnal nature and seems to be a bribe for men e.g. virgins, wine, servants, and all the meat they can eat.

This has been a difficult post to write.  As stated in the opening verse, I am instructed by the Lord to give the hope that is within me, but to do it with gentleness and respect.  As I read the Quran, I thought of the many gentle Muslims who are faithful to their religion.  But, faithfulness to something that was conjured up is not as important as seeking truth regardless of where our heritage might have landed us.

I also thought of the beauty of the opening chapter of the Bible with the creation of the world and the introduction of a God that loves His creation.  The opening chapters of the Quran is all about threats and judgments to the unbeliever.

The great stories of Moses, Jacob, David, Samuel and the journey of the people of God is missing in the Quran.  It is mostly a book about religion while the Bible is about the character of God and His great desire to save his people from the tragedy of sin.

Blessings my friends until next time.

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

2 Peter 1:16

Reasons to Believe

Will The Real God Please Stand UP-Part 4 (Who do you think He is?)

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Jesus is God…….

“ Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”“

Mark 8:27

The disciples had just witnessed the healing of a blind man and had seen many other miracles of Jesus.  They would see more. They heard him teach.  They would hear more. The disciples had seen how loving and gentle he was with people.   His words were wise and penetrating.  They came with power and in a way that no other man had ever spoken.

“So they answered, ‘John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

Mark 8:28

Of course these perceptions did not come from anything other than speculation and faulty human reasoning by those who were not with Him everyday as were His disciples.

“But who do you say that I am?”

Mark 8:29

Peter spoke fast and first,

“You are the Christ.”

Mark 8: 29

The Christ is the One whom the nation of Israel had long-awaited.   Many Jews today still look for the Messiah.  Most have given up and now subscribe to the nationalistic view of their existence.  Their religion has been reduced to holidays and traditions.

Being the “anointed one” (Christ) was only the beginning of Jesus’s identity.  He was much more!

They would find out that He had the power over life and death:

“I am the Resurrection”

John 11:25

He had all knowledge

I am the Truth;

John 14;26

He could forgive sin and grant pardons:

When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Luke 5:20

Ultimately, after his death and resurrection, they would discover that He was God, as Thomas proclaimed:

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28

Which of these can Muhammad or any other person claim?

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There is another reason Jesus is far superior than Muhammad and confirms that Jesus is God:  Jesus preexisted before coming to this earth.  Muhammad did not make this claim.

What does this pre-existence mean?  Why is that so important in knowing that Jesus is everything He claimed and everything the writers of the Bible described He would be?

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Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 

Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 8: 56-59

In this passage, the religious leaders took up stones to stone Jesus because not only was He claiming to have existed before Abraham, but Jesus was claiming to be God by taking the name “I AM.”

 Erroneously, they thought Jesus was blaspheming the name of God.   Because they did not believe Jesus, they could easily  justify stoning Him to death.  According to scripture anyone who blasphemed God’s name was to be put to death immediately:

“Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: … And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24: 15-16

But, Jesus was telling the truth.  Surprisingly, many Christians do not know that it was Jesus who instructed Moses to deliver the children of Israel.  Not only did Jesus pre-exist, but He took the claim of being God.

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3:14

I AM means to exist, to be present.  God did not come into being, He simply exists and has always be present.  The concept of no beginning and no ending is practically impossible for the finite brain of man to comprehend.

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The disciples later proclaimed Jesus as God, but at first their view was that Jesus was the Messiah only.  Although partly correct, they would discover the ultimate identification of Jesus:

John, the beloved disciple, who wrote both the gospel and Revelations, as well as 1st, 2nd, 3rd John confirmed Jesus’ claim of divinity and Creator by writing the following under the guidance of the Spirit of God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1: 1-5

In this passage, John identifies a being he refers to as “the Word.”  He goes on to describe “the Word” as being with God in the beginning and he says that “the Word” was God!

Further, “the Word”  made everything and there is not anything you can describe that was not made by Him.  In Him was the light of men (the truth).

Notice that “the Word” is described with a personal pronoun (Him).  This is not some comic concept or fancy philosophy.  This is the true and personal God who made everything and is truth.

In a few verses later, John makes it clear that “the Word” is none other than Jesus Himself..

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”

John 1:14-15

Knowing this, we can replace “the Word” (object) and Him (personal pronoun) with Jesus so there is no mistaken identity for Jesus:

In the beginning was JESUS, and JESUS was with God, and JESUS was God.  JESUS was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through JESUS, and without JESUS nothing was made that was made.  In JESUS was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1: 1-5

Who else but Jesus can fit this description?  Jesus came, as predicted by the prophets hundreds of years before His birth.  He was proclaimed as Immanuel (God with us).  The prophet John identified him and proclaimed Him to the people who gathered to watch John baptize Jesus.  This was the beginning of Jesus’ 3 1/2 years of proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God or Heaven.

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Thomas

For eight days after the Resurrection of Jesus, the doubts of Thomas persisted.  He did not understand the need for Jesus to die and was not only surprised, but perhaps quite disappointed at how Jesus died.

It is comforting and interesting that Jesus gave the disciples lengthy Bible Studies on one topic:  Himself!  He showed from scripture that He was the fulfillment of all the prophets hopes for the coming Messiah.  But, he showed why he had to die and be raised again.

These Bible studies and their effects on the disciples are explained in two previous blogs:

Now I Understand-He’s Alive

and

A Substitute for The Resurrection?

When Thomas was able to see Jesus, touch His side and feel His hands, Thomas proclaimed this:

“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

John 20:28

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This is difficult for many to accept and confusing even in Christian churches.  It is much easier to believe that Jesus was either a great prophet or the Messiah.

But Jesus is God and there is something more!  He is our God who will one day judge us.

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

John 5:22

Claim #1-Jesus is God.  He made everything.  All Judgment is given unto him.

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Before someone can believe Jesus is God, they must first understand He is the Messiah as predicted from the Old Testament.

Below are just 44 of the hundreds of prophecies concerning Jesus as the Messiah.  Some have demonstrated that there are at least 352 prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  The possibility of one person fulfilling only 8 of these prophecies is 10 to the 17th power.  That is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.  Now add 348 more prophecies and the number becomes astronomical!

The point is this:  Jesus is all that he and the prophets claimed.  No other can make this claim.

“…there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved!”

Acts 4:12

Check out this chart and meet me on the other side of it.  One last point before we end this study.

44 Prophecies Jesus Christ Fulfilled
Prophecies About Jesus Old Testament
Scripture		 New Testament
Fulfillment
1 Messiah would be born of a woman. Genesis 3:15 Matthew 1:20
Galatians 4:4
2 Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1
Luke 2:4-6
3 Messiah would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:22-23
Luke 1:26-31
4 Messiah would come from the line of Abraham. Genesis 12:3
Genesis 22:18		 Matthew 1:1
Romans 9:5
5 Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac. Genesis 17:19
Genesis 21:12		 Luke 3:34
6 Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob. Numbers 24:17 Matthew 1:2
7 Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10 Luke 3:33
Hebrews 7:14
8 Messiah would be heir to King David‘s throne. 2 Samuel 7:12-13
Isaiah 9:7		 Luke 1:32-33
Romans 1:3
9 Messiah’s throne will be anointed and eternal. Psalm 45:6-7
Daniel 2:44		 Luke 1:33
Hebrews 1:8-12
10 Messiah would be called Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23
11 Messiah would spend a season in Egypt. Hosea 11:1 Matthew 2:14-15
12 A massacre of children would happen at Messiah’s birthplace. Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:16-18
13 A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah Isaiah 40:3-5 Luke 3:3-6
14 Messiah would be rejected by his own people. Psalm 69:8
Isaiah 53:3		 John 1:11
John 7:5
15 Messiah would be a prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15 Acts 3:20-22
16 Messiah would be preceded by Elijah. Malachi 4:5-6 Matthew 11:13-14
17 Messiah would be declared the Son of God. Psalm 2:7 Matthew 3:16-17
18 Messiah would be called a Nazarene. Isaiah 11:1 Matthew 2:23
19 Messiah would bring light to Galilee. Isaiah 9:1-2 Matthew 4:13-16
20 Messiah would speak in parables. Psalm 78:2-4
Isaiah 6:9-10		 Matthew 13:10-15,34-35
21 Messiah would be sent to heal the brokenhearted. Isaiah 61:1-2 Luke 4:18-19
22 Messiah would be a priest after the order ofMelchizedek. Psalm 110:4 Hebrews 5:5-6
23 Messiah would be called King. Psalm 2:6
Zechariah 9:9		 Matthew 27:37
Mark 11:7-11
24 Messiah would be praised by little children. Psalm 8:2 Matthew 21:16
25 Messiah would be betrayed. Psalm 41:9
Zechariah 11:12-13		 Luke 22:47-48
Matthew 26:14-16
26 Messiah’s price money would be used to buy a potter’s field. Zechariah 11:12-13 Matthew 27:9-10
27 Messiah would be falsely accused. Psalm 35:11 Mark 14:57-58
28 Messiah would be silent before his accusers. Isaiah 53:7 Mark 15:4-5
29 Messiah would be spat upon and struck. Isaiah 50:6 Matthew 26:67
30 Messiah would be hated without cause. Psalm 35:19
Psalm 69:4		 John 15:24-25
31 Messiah would be crucified with criminals. Isaiah 53:12 Matthew 27:38
Mark 15:27-28
32 Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21 Matthew 27:34
John 19:28-30
33 Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced. Psalm 22:16
Zechariah 12:10		 John 20:25-27
34 Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed. Psalm 22:7-8 Luke 23:35
35 Soldiers would gamble for Messiah’s garments. Psalm 22:18 Luke 23:34
Matthew 27:35-36
36 Messiah’s bones would not be broken. Exodus 12:46
Psalm 34:20		 John 19:33-36
37 Messiah would be forsaken by God. Psalm 22:1 Matthew 27:46
38 Messiah would pray for his enemies. Psalm 109:4 Luke 23:34
39 Soldiers would pierce Messiah’s side. Zechariah 12:10 John 19:34
40 Messiah would be buried with the rich. Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57-60
41 Messiah would resurrect from the dead. Psalm 16:10
Psalm 49:15		 Matthew 28:2-7
Acts 2:22-32
42 Messiah would ascend to heaven. Psalm 24:7-10 Mark 16:19
Luke 24:51
43 Messiah would be seated at God’s right hand. Psalm 68:18
Psalm 110:1		 Mark 16:19
Matthew 22:44
44 Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin. Isaiah 53:5-12 Romans 5:6-8

 

Jesus in the Bible

To further solidify the fact that Jesus was all He claimed to be is this fact:

The prophets knew when the Messiah would appear!  We get hints of this in passages like this:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Galatians 4:4

Notice the expression “fullness of time”  Jesus ministry, it’s length, and the crucifixion came on a schedule set by God.  The Message Bible seems to understand this and expresses the phrase “fullness of the time” as this:

when the time arrived that was set by God the Father

Galatians 4:4 (MSG)

In the Book of Daniel, we find the exact time Jesus was to appear on the scene.  It was 483 years after the commandment for restoration of Jerusalem as found in the Book of Ezra.

This prophecy along with an easy to read chart is found in the blog called:

Part 3-Second Coming Predictions (7 years of tribulations?)

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My friends, there is so much to learn about Jesus.  I hope you will continue with me on this “Jesus Journey.”  As we continue to get our answers from scripture your faith in Him will increase and you will find peace for your soul.

Next time, we will talk about the difference between Allah and Jehovah.  Many Christians think they are the same.  We will see there a big difference between the true and the false.  Finally, we will end with the real God standing up as we have asked in this series.  Until then, let us be comforted by the words of the Lord Himself:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

Reasons to Believe

Will The Real God Please Stand UP-Part 3 (Jesus or Muhammad)

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“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. “

1 Kings 18: 21

The two largest religions in the world today are Christianity and Islam.  There is some similarity, but without a doubt there is a vast difference between the theology, teaching, and example of its two leaders:  Jesus and Muhammad.

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In the time of Elijah, there came a point when the real God “stood up” in a demonstration of power, Jehovah made it clear that He was the One and only true God and that the false gods were the creation of man’s mind and hands.

In the days of Elijah, the false gods  of Baals and Asherah were very popular and growing.  The true God, Jehovah, was sadly declining.  To acknowledge the true God of  Elijah was often met with ridicule and even death.

During this dangerous time for the true believers, the true God (Jehovah) sends Elijah to the wicked king Ahab.  This story is interesting because the differences between the popular gods of Ahab and the God of Elijah were not only very stark, but there is a subtle story behind the drama that helps us understand the true and the false.

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The meeting of Elijah and the false prophets (850 of them) on a mountain top demonstrate the power of the true and only God and it has a message for us today.  As we see the works of the false gods in our world.  It is true, that

“You will know them by their fruits.”

Matthew 7:16

Just as a tree can be recognized by its leaves and the fruit it produces,  the character of a teaching of a god or philosophy can tell us whether it is true or false.   There are other ways to tell the truth from the lies.  This will be our topic in the coming blogs.

We will see in the story of the false prophets of Baal and Asherah more than one way to tell who is the true God and which is the true philosophy.  It is not just about the powerful way the prayer of Elijah is answered or the dramatic way the soggy sacrifice is licked up by the fire sent by God himself, but there is something more.  It is  often missed in this story..

Let’s take a moment and review the event found in 1 Kings 18.  But, before we get there, let’s set up the story from previous chapters 16 and 17.

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Ahab the Israelite king, the son of Omri  was an evil king.

” (He) did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.

1 Kings 16:30

Omri his father was also evil and  the same is said about him as his son Ahab:

Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse  than all who were before him”

1 Kings 16:25

Both of these kings were kings of Israel (God’s chosen people), but they sinned greatly by…

“(setting) up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image.”

1 Kings 16: 32, 33

Like Father like son.   They both provoked the true God of heaven to anger. Then there came a day God sent Elijah, the true prophet of God,  to Ahab and proclaimed,

“…there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

1 Kings 17:1

Then Elijah disappeared from the wicked king’s presence.

A drought, as predicted overtook the land.  During this terrible period, God feeds Elijah and provides water for him.  Later, Elijah is cared for by a widow and her son.  Her son falls ill and dies, but Elijah prays earnestly for him to be brought back to life. Despite no answer after two prayers, Elijah continues to plead with God to bring back the young boy.

On the third prayer, the life comes back to the young boy and the mothers admits this,

 “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”

1 Kings 17:24

She was convinced by the power of the true God to bring back to life her dead son.  Another example of the importance of resurrection.  In the long run, it is resurrection that separates the true from the false.

Anyone can claim to be a prophet or a god, but their actions and their fruit must demonstrate that they are true.

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Now we come to chapter 18 of 1 Kings.  Elijah is being hidden from Ahab, but God tells him to go present himself before Ahab. Elijah obeys and begins the journey to Ahab’s palace.

At the same time, Obadiah (a righteous believer in the true God) and Ahab leave the city and split up looking for grass to feed their mules and horses.  During this search, Obadiah comes upon Elijah and is surprised to see him and falls down to pay him homage.

Elijah instructs Obadiah to go and tell Ahab that

“Elijah is here.”

1 Kings 18: 8

Elijah like Jesus has returned after disappearing.  During this absence, things got worse and worse; dryer and dryer until the vegetation and water was gone.

Obadiah is reluctant to tell Ahab  Elijah was back, fearing Elijah will disappear again and the king will be angry.  But, Elijah gives him his word and Obadiah demonstrates faith and sets up a meeting with them both.

The first words from Ahab’s mouth to Elijah is accusatory:

“Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

1 Kings 18: 17

Elijah responds quickly and boldly,

“I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.”

1 Kings 18:18

This time of trouble was over the leadership forsaking the law of God.  God’s law is not be ignored, changed, or explained away.

Elijah makes it clear that the trouble brought upon Israel was because Ahab was disobedient to the law of God and followed after false gods.  Elijah then instructs the King to:

“….send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.””

1 Kings 18:29

The king not only calls for the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, but also the children of Israel.  He is so convinced that his 850 prophets will be shown to be true and powerful.  It will be a big defeat for Elijah and his God.

Ahab is depending on the majority numbers of his prophets, the vast number of believers, and his own intense belief in something that is false.

After everyone is gathered, a simple test is proposed by Elijah.  There are to be two alters built and a sacrifice placed upon both.  One sacrifice is for the false gods and on for the true God.

Whichever prayer is heard and that god sends fire to consume the sacrifice  will be proclaimed the true God.

The people, the prophets, and Ahab were agreeable and up for this test.  They went into it confident their god would do as they prayed.  But they had been deceived.  So much so that they didn’t know it.  This gave them a false sense of faith in their god.

The 450 prophets of Baal went first.

From morning to noon, they prayed,

“O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.” 

I Kings 18:26

But there was no response.  All was quiet

Elijah gave them all the time they needed.  He also could not resist having a little fun with them.  So he said,

“Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

1 Kings 18:27

They became desperate and began to cut themselves so that blood gushed out.  They leapt into the air around the altar so Baal would pay attention to them.  Their sincerity of blood and leaping produced no response.

Being sincere is not evidence of truth.

Even though they were getting no attention from Baal, they prophesied or preached until the evening.  Their false words were all they could produce.  It is highly likely that their preaching were filled with excuses for their false god.  They may have used Elijah’s own sarcasm as an excuse.  Baal is busy with something more important perhaps.

Excuses and rationalization will never justify lies.

“But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.”

1 Kings 18:29

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Then it was Elijah’s turn.  He called the people to come close so they could see there was no trickery, but also to see and feel the silent story  he was telling by slowly and deliberately rebuilding the altar.

 Elijah’s actions of carefully rebuilding the altar was meant to soften the hard hearts of those who had been tricked by false prophets.  The people of God were to be reminded of their heritage and God’s love for them.  They would find in the true God mercy, forgiveness, and power to be obedient.

Elijah chose 12 stones, that represented the 12 tribes of the sons of Jacob, to restore the altar.  This act was to remind them that Jehovah is the same today, tomorrow, and forever.  He was also the God of the Fathers.  They had a Godly tradition rooted in the word of God.

Godly tradition rooted in truth is the only acceptable type of tradition.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Jesus went as far to say that traditions and teachings of men was vain worship.

And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men

Mark 7:7

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Once the altar was built, Elijah made a trench to hold water.  The sacrifice was laid upon it, and Elijah called for water to be poured upon both the sacrifice and the altar.  The wood would become soaked.  This was repeated three times so that there was so much water that it began to pour out over the trench.  Try lighting a match to that!

Then Elijah prayed a short and simple prayer for God’s people Israel:

““Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.””

1 Kings 18: 36, 37

This prayer reminded them that he was praying to the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.  They same God who had delivered them many times and was gracious towards them.

It was a prayer to demonstrate that this same God is real.  It also demonstrated a great contrast between the false god who required cutting of the flesh and desperate dancing. This did nothing, but make the prophets look foolish and liars.  When their god did not answer them, they thought their lying prophecies would continue to deceive the children of Israel.

Then God came down in great power.

“Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench”

1 Kings 18: 38

Everything was consumed by the breath of God!  Nothing was left! The people’s response was a one might expect:

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

1 Kings 18: 39

One might be tempted to say, why doesn’t a prophet like Elijah show up and have the same test between Jesus and Muhammad.  Between Jehovah and Allah

To be honest, I don’t know.   Such a demonstration might be very effective to convince people of the true God. But, this I do know.  There are plenty of “tests” in this story that go unrecognized.  It is not just the dramatic fire falling from heaven.  It it is the contrast between the real God and the false gods and their prophets.  It is the fruits of each religion and the prophets’ demonstration of who is the true God.

It is a gracious God compared to a figment of the false teachers mind.  It is the written history of how God has dealt with His people over time.  This information written in God’s word produces the touch stone for determining truth from error…truth from false.   His  word is

“…the same yesterday and today and forever.”  

Hebrews  13:8

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40:8

Today, we have the same touchstone preserved for thousands of years.  If false prophets speak today, we can know the truth by comparing it to His word.

The people were lured away from the true God and led by the false teachers to break God’s law, especially the two about building and worshiping idols.

They should have known and embraced Isiah’s council:

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Isaiah 8:20

Today, many people do not know God’s word.  Because of this, confusion grips the land.  Because of this ignorance of God’s word, they are fed and accept the word of their teachers and ignore plain teachings from God’s word.  There is no basis for them to know the truth except through a show of force.

One day, the true God will stand up and everyone else will go down on their knees:

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2: 9-11

Until that day, there are many ways to know that Jesus is all He claimed to be.  Next blog we will begin to explore the many ways we can know that Jesus is true and all else is a lie.

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Below is a chart  produced by Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry and its founder Matt Slick.  It shows the difference between Muhammad and Jesus.

As you look at this, consider the character of each.  By their fruits you shall know them….

Jesus Muhammad
Death Jesus died and rose from the dead. Muhammad died and stayed dead.
Fighting Jesus never fought. Muhammad fought many many times.
Hearing from God When Jesus heard from God, he went to the desert to be tempted and began his ministry with boldness. (Mark 1:14-15). When Muhammad heard from God (supposedly through an angel), he cowered, was uncertain, and wanted to commit suicide. (Quran 74:1-5)
Identity Jesus claimed to be God (John 8:24;8:58) as well as a man.
Jesus claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6).		 Muhammad claimed to be a man.
Instructions Received From God the Father (John 5:19) Allegedly from an angel
Killing Jesus never killed anyone. Muhammad killed many.
Life Jesus had the power to take life but never did. He restored it. Muhammad had the power to take it, but he never restored it.
No one ever died in Jesus’ presence. Many people died in Muhammad’s presence–he killed them.
Marriage Jesus never married. Muhammad had over 20 wives and even married a nine-year-old girl.
Ministry Jesus received his calling from God directly. (Matt. 3:17).Jesus received his commission in the daylight. Muhammad allegedly received it from an angel (Gabriel).Muhammad received his words in the darkness of a cave.
Ministry Length Jesus taught for 3 1/2 years. Muhammad taught for more than 20 years.
Miracles Jesus performed many miracles including healing people, calming a storm with a command, and raising people from the dead. Muhammad’s only alleged miracle was the Quran.
Prophecy Jesus fulfilled biblical prophecy about being the Messiah. Muhammad did not fulfill any biblical prophecy except the ones about false teachers (Matt. 24:24).
Sacrifice Jesus voluntarily laid his life down for others. Muhammad saved his own life many times and had others killed.
Sin Jesus never sinned. (1 Pet. 2:22) Muhammad was a sinner. (Quran 40:55; 48:1-2)
Slaves Jesus owned no slaves. Muhammad owned slaves.
Virgin Birth Jesus was virgin born. Muhammad was not virgin born.
Voice of God Jesus received and heard the direct voice of God. (Mark 1:10-11) Muhammad did not receive or hear the direct voice of God. It was an angel instead.
Women Jesus spoke well of women. Muhammad said women were 1/2 as smart as men (Hadith 3:826; 2:541), that the majority in hell will be women (Had. 1:28,301; 2:161; 7:124), and that women could be mortgaged.

Reasons to Believe

Will The Real God Please Stand UP-Part 2 (Creation and Resurrection)

Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;  for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:  “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

Acts 17: 22-25

When Paul visited Athens, he was moved by the many idols and the gods they represented.  The council of elders (Areopagus) having itching ears and desiring to hear some new philosophy invited Paul to speak at Mars Hill.  It is here that Paul attempts to reveal to the these men the true creator God from among the many false ones.  His “sermon” was effective until he begins to talk to  about the resurrection.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Acts 17:32-34

Isn’t it interesting that the topic of the resurrection divided the people into three groups:  Unbeliever (mockers),  Apathetic (Will hear later), and Believers (they joined him and believed)

Click here to read the blog from Answer From Scripture called “Resurrection-How Important is it?”

The reality of the resurrection of Jesus is what separates Jesus from all the other religions,  gods, and philosophies.   Yet it is easy to understand why these Greek  elders would not believe in the concept of resurrection.   It is something that is difficult to understand.  But, without the resurrection, Christianity is like any other faith.

As we look at the multitude of other gods, religions, and philosophies let’s watch for the other unique and powerful characteristics of Jesus.

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Below is a summary of the 21 different religions and their gods.  Also included is a quick snapshot of their philosophy or teaching.

As I reviewed I noticed some common things  among them and many things unique about Jesus.

Take a moment to look over this information and I will meet you on the other side of the table.  🙂

Religion God Philosophy/Teaching (Snap Shot)
Christianity Jesus Jesus became a human and died to pay for the sins of the world started by the rebellion of Satan.  Jesus died on a cross and arose on the third day. He is mediating for the ongoing sin of man until he returns.  Jesus will come again and put an end to all sin and give those who trust Him eternal life. Salvation is offered as a free gift to those who will, by faith, accept it and follow Jesus.  He will create a new heaven and a new earth for the redeemed.  The new earth will become the home of the redeemed and the place where God will reside with His creation through eternity.
Islam Allah.  His prophet is Mohammed There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They are belief in: A) the One God. B) all of the true prophets of God. C) the original scriptures revealed to Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad. D) the angels. E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. F) destiny.These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim:A) Declaration of faith in One God and that Muhammad is a prophet of God.B) Formal prayer five times a day. C) Poor-due “tax” – 2.5% of one’s excess wealth given to the needy once a year.D) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.E) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.
Hinduism Brahman (Various forms)  The concept of the transcendent and immanent ultimate reality of the One Godhead or Supreme Cosmic Spirit in Hinduism; the concept is central to Hindu philosophy
Chinese traditional religion Various religious philosophical traditions:4 Main traditions:1.) Chinese folk religion,2.) Confucianism,3.) Taoism, and4.) Buddhism Traditionally Taoism and Confucianism provided ethical guides to the proper behavior of individuals and officials. Taoism sought to promote the inner peace of individuals and harmony with their surroundings. Confucianism, based on the teachings and writings of the philosopher Confucius, is an ethical system that sought to teach the proper way for all people to behave in society. Each relationship–husband-wife, parents-children, ruler-subjects–involved a set of obligations which, if upheld, would lead to a just and harmonious society. Following his teachings would also promote a stable, lasting government.
Buddhism Buddha.  Takes refuge in Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha Elaboration and explanation of the delivered teachings of the Buddha as found in the Tripitaka and Agama.  Its main concern is with explicating the dhamas constituting reality. A recurrent theme is the reification of concepts, and the subsequent return to the Buddhist middle way.  Do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a God.
African Traditional & Diasporic Believe in a supreme being, as well as in spirits and other divinities, veneration of ancestors. The indigenous religious beliefs and practices of African peoples include various traditional religions. While generalizations of these religions are difficult, due to the diversity of African cultures, they do have some characteristics in common. Generally, they are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme being, belief in spirits and other divinities, veneration of ancestors, use of magic, and traditional medicine. The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural.
Sikhism The concept of God in Sikhism is uncompromisingly monotheistic, as symbolized by “Ik Onkar”(one Creator), a central tenet of Sikh philosophy. The philosophy of Sikhism is covered in great detail in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy text. Detailed guidance is given to followers on how to conduct their lives so that peace and salvation can be obtained in this life, rather than the afterlife. The holy text outlines the positive actions that one must take to make progress in the evolution of the person. One must remember the Creator at all times – it reminds the follower that the “soul is on loan from God, who is ever merciful”, and that the follower must dedicate their life to all good causes – to help make this life more worthwhile.
Juche Kim Il-sung, North Korea’s first dictator who died in 1994  Juche Idea into a set of principles that the government uses to justify its policy decisions. Among these are a strong military posture and reliance on Korean national resources. Juche has been accused of being a form of political religion despite North Korea’s formal commitment to state atheism.
Spiritism Recognizes all prophets Spiritualism is a religion that is not based on a relationship with a particular savior. Any attempt to personalize the idea of God only limits the totality of that Intelligence, which is the reason that Spiritualists sometimes refer to that idea of God as “Infinite Intelligence” or “Infinite Spirit.”
Judaism YHVA. The common pronunciation is “Jehovah.” More accurate pronunciation is “Yahweh” Jewish tradition teaches that the true aspect of God is incomprehensible and unknowable, and that it is only God’s revealed aspect that brought the universe into existence, and interacts with mankind and the world. In Judaism, the one God of Israel is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the guide of the world, delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, and gave them the 613 Mitzvot at Mount Sinai as described in the Torah.
Baha’i God (Supreme Being) The Bahá’í belief in one God means that the universe and all creatures and forces within it have been created by a single supernatural Being. This Being, Whom we call God, has absolute control over His creation (omnipotence) as well as perfect and complete knowledge of it (omniscience). Although we may have different concepts of God’s nature, although we may pray to Him in different languages and call Him by different names–Allah or Yahweh, God or Brahma–nevertheless, we are speaking about the same unique Being.
Jainism None  Jainism rejects the idea of a creator deity that could be responsible for the manifestation, creation, or maintenance of this universe. According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents (soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion) have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws and an immaterial entity like God cannot create a material entity like the universe. Jainism offers an elaborate cosmology, including heavenly beings (devas), but these beings are not viewed as creators; they are subject to suffering and change like all other living beings, and must eventually die.
Shinto Indefinitely large number of deities Shinto today is a term that applies to the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods (kami) suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian periods.In modern scholarship, the term is often used with reference to kami worship and related theologies, rituals and practices. In these contexts, “Shinto” takes on the meaning of “Japan’s traditional religion”, as opposed to foreign religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and so forth.
Cao Dai Cao Caodaists accept the idea of âm (yin) and dương (yang) duality constituting the harmonious balance of the universe. Before the creation of the universe there was the Tao, the infinite, nameless, formless, unchanging, eternal source. The negative and positive principles of the universe are the components of the eternal nature.
Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda Basic three principals:  good reflection, good word, and good deed
Tenrikyo God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto Followers of Tenrikyo believe that God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, expressed the divine will through Nakayama’s role as the Shrine of God, and to a lesser extent the roles of the Honseki Izo Iburi and other leaders. Tenrikyo’s worldly aim is to teach and promote the Joyous Life, which is cultivated through acts of charity and mindfulness called hinokishin.
Atheists None Do not believe in God. Atheism can be narrow or wide in scope.  The narrow atheist does not believe in the existence of God (an omni- being).  A wide atheist does not believe that any gods exist, including but not limited to the traditional omni-God.  The wide positive atheist denies that God exists, and also denies that Zeus, Gefjun, Thor, Sobek, Bakunawa and others exist.  The narrow atheist does not believe that God exists, but need not take a stronger view about the existence or non-existence of other supernatural beings.  One could be a narrow atheist about God, but still believe in the existence of some other supernatural entities.  (This is one of the reasons that it is a mistake to identify atheism with materialism or naturalism.)
Neo-Paganism Some believe in a supreme being. Many believe there are countless spirit beings, gods and goddesses Contemporary pagan religious movements are diverse, sharing no single set of beliefs, deities, creed, ritual practices, or texts; nor do any claim to be absolutely authoritative. However, there is a great deal of overlap amongst pagan movements and there are a number of beliefs commonly shared by many pagans, including pluralism, pantheism, polytheism, and a general belief that divinity is found in mind and nature.
Unitarian-Universalism Some are Atheist and others use the term “God” to convey different ideas. The theology of individual Unitarian Universalists ranges widely, including Humanism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Pantheism, Deism, Christianity, Judaism, Neopaganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many more.
Rastafarianism Haile Selassie  At the core of their belief is the re-interpretation of the Hebrew Bible with a focus on Blacks as God’s chosen race, and the belief that the true Messiah comes to us as Emperor Haile Selassie I  (Ras Tafari) of Ethiopia.   Through extensive spoken discourse, the Rastafarians aim to clarify the Western misinterpretation of the Bible, so as to spread the true word and fight against the unjust hierarchy of Western culture (collectively called Babylon).  In the meantime, Rastafarians await a time of repatriation of Blacks and a return to Ethiopia, qua Africa, of its rightful ruling status.
Scientology A concept of God with no set dogma. Believer reaches a relationship to the Supreme Being at the Eighth Dynamic (infinity) Scientology teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature.Its method of spiritual rehabilitation is a type of counselling known as auditing, in which practitioners aim to consciously re-experience painful or traumatic events in their past in order to free themselves of their limiting effects

 

Here are are a few of my observations:

1.) Some have many different gods and/or philosophies.

2.) Almost all are nationalistic.  The religions have their origin and purpose for primarily their culture only.

3.) Most appear to be created by individuals in a relatively recent time. The newest religions are the last three on the list.

4.) Most religions focus on the “worshiper” and not on others.

5.) Many have no absolute truths.  The believer is able to believe as their mind choose.

Here is a quick list of things I saw unique to Jesus:

1.)  He claims to be God and the creator (We will look at this in depth when we talk about the 10 things every Christian should know about Jesus and the Trinity)

2.) Grace and sacrifice of God

3.) The Resurrection

4.) A literal return to create a new heaven and a new earth

5.)  While Christianity has its roots in Judaism, its mission is for everyone.

6.) The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the 1st and 2nd coming of Jesus.  This study is the one that convinced me that Jesus was all that He claimed to be.

In our next study, we will continue our comparison and look closely at the similarities  and differences of the two biggest religions: Christianity and Islam.  We will also attempt to  answer the question of why their is so much confusion.

“for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

Click here for a worship song my Robin Mark.  Have a great weekend!

Prophecies for Our Time, The Soon Return of Jesus

Second Coming Predictions-Details to the Secrets

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 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.  I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:

Daniel 7: 15:16

We skip through some important stories to come to the follow-up to the Daniel 2 prophecy which we studied last time:

Daniel 3: Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold and the experience of the fiery furnace for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream about his pride in building the kingdom and his humiliation of grazing like an ox.

It seems Nebuchadnezzar was very reluctant to believe it was God who “sets up kings and removes kings.”

Daniel 5:  Belshazzar’s Feast his fall to Cyrus as predicted by God.

Daniel 6:  The plot against Daniel and his experience in the lion’s den.

The point is there are many years between Nebuchadnezzar’s image and the dream of Daniel in Chapter 7.

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In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

Daniel 7:1

Notice, Daniel wrote down the dream to tell the main facts of the dream.

The content of what he wrote down is found in verses 2-15.

I invite you to read these verses and consider the dream.  I predict you will be confused just as Daniel. Here are the “main facts” of the dream. Care to give it a try on interpretation?

1.) 4 winds that stirred up the great sea

2.) 4 different beasts came out of the sea.  They were different from each other.

3.) The first beast look like a lion and had eagle wings.

4.) The second beast was like a bear.  But it stood up favoring one side and in it’s mouth were three ribs.

5.) The third beast looked like a four-headed leopard with four wings of a bird on its back.

6.) Next a very unique but terrible, fearful, and exceedingly strong 10-horned beast that was eating, stomping, and destroying.

7.) As Daniel continued to look at the 10-horned beast, he noticed that 3 of the horns were plucked up and a mysterious little horn came up where the 3 horns were originally. This little horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and it hand a mouth on it.  That mouth said some “pompous” things.

8.) Daniel continued to watch.  Then someone called the Ancient of Days appears.  A million (thousand thousands) minister before “Him,” but 100 Million (ten thousand times ten thousand) stood before him.  It is very likely these numbers are symbolic of countless numbers due to the roundness of the numbers the idea of expressing vast numbers related to an easier number to comprehend i.e.,  a thousand.

9.) After this multitude settles down, the books are open.  What books?

10.) Daniel was concerned about he “pompous words of the 4th beast. He continued to watch until the the  beast was slain and its body was burned up in the flames.

11.) The “fifth” power is one that will never be destroyed.  God described its ruler as “one like the son of Man coming in the clouds.”

12.) All people, nations, and languages shall serve Him.

That is the framework of the dream Daniel wrote down.  Do you understand it?  Don’t worry.  Daniel didn’t either.

Daniel admitted he didn’t understand the dream and after writing it down, he asked one of the attending angels for an explanation.  This we will review, but first let’s review last week’s clear understanding of Daniel 2

Daniel 2 Review:

In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he did not understand and it troubled him greatly.  None of the wise men, I call the “Fakers,” were able to help the King.  But God used Daniel and his three companions to both remind the king of his dream  and give him the interpretation.

This interpretation comes straight from Daniel and needs “no private interpretation.”

Quite simply, Daniel told the king that four (4) great powers would arise.  He identified the first two in scripture as Babylon, then the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians.  After Daniel’s time, the other two powers appear on the scene as history tells us: Greece (Belly and thighs of brass) and finally Rome (Legs of iron).

Rome was the ruling power when Jesus was on the earth teaching and dying for our sins.  It was a Roman decree and a Roman cross upon which our Lord died.  Rome continued to rule as the disciples went out in the power of the Holy Spirit and built up the church.

Also during this time, the church began to be persecuted as we will see later.

The king’s dream does not stop here.  The legs of iron are followed by the feet and toes of iron and part clay.  This identifies the fall of Rome into 10 divisions, partly strong and partly weak.  Three division were wiped out and there are current countries that have roots in these tribes.  The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths were the 3 kingdoms eliminated by Rome. 

The prophecy ends with these startling words:

And in the days of these kings  (The old division of Rome or what we now call Europe) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.  Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Daniel 2: 44-45

Over and over, the Bible talks of the 2nd coming as a time of destruction from the Lord.  More specifically, it is described as follows:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10

It also includes the unsaved:

…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.

Malachi 4:1

So when all the kingdoms of the earth is destroyed, God will create a new heaven (old destroyed) and new earth (old destroyed) and the “Rock” and God’s kingdom will fill the who earth.  God will be our God and we will be his people.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”

Isaiah 65:17

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21: 3

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Daniel 7-Introduction

In Daniel 7, another dream or vision is given.  But this time, it is given to Daniel.  Like king Nebuchadnezzar, the dream troubles Daniel and he does not know what it means.  But, it is interpreted for him by the attending angels.

Like Daniel 2, we will let the Bible interpret itself and then we will check it out through history.

In this vision of Daniel, we will see that God has a way of revealing truth and the future in a way as to prepare the heart to receive it.  Daniel 7 is a principal of repeating and expanding.  We will see the same four powers, but with more detail concerning the nature of the powers and we will see the introduction of a terrible power that comes from one of the powers described by Daniel 2.

A verse comes to mind as I write this introduction.  Jesus said to His disciples the principal I just described of preparing the heart for truth:

 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”

John 16:12

The apostle Paul said something very similar:

I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able

1 Corinthians 3:2

In the Christian walk, especially as we interact with new Christians, we should be careful to give truth only as they are ready to receive it.  We are to be:

Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves.

Matthew 10:16

This vision of Daniel 7 is like meat.  It will be new to many who read this and you might not be ready to receive it or digest it,, but the words are certain and can be supported through the Bible and history.  As we begin, pray for the Spirit of Truth and let the story reveal itself to you.  Keep in mind, you have a loving and forgiving Savior who desires you to find peace and comfort in Him and his revelation.

OK?  Let’s begin.

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Daniel 7-Part 1

The book of Daniel is about 4 animals that give fear and wonder to Daniel.  But, he is particularly interested in  the fourth beast and the little horn power. The interpretation is given to Daniel and it goes way beyond the time he is living even until the coming judgment of planet earth.

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

Daniel 7:1

This first verse is important because it gives the time and Daniel’s dream.  The first year of Belshazzar would be 540 BC.

Here is what Daniel saw that year:

“I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”

Verse 2 and 3

As the beasts are described, they look something like below.  Very strange!  Wouldn’t you agree?  They are animals with something unusual about each.

When we read and study the Bible, we should read it as literal unless there is some overall reason to apply symbolism.  Here we have good reason to apply the rule of symbolism because of the description of the beasts, but even more important the interpretation given by the Bible itself for these symbols of great beasts.  To do otherwise is to lose the message God is giving us. Is that a fair statement?  I will explain as we go along.

To help us with the beginning of this prophecy, let’s look at some passages that unlock the symbolic meaning of this prophecy and others.  In Daniel’s vision, he is seeing “the four winds stir up the Great Sea.” 

What does the four winds and the Great Sea represent?

Revelation describes the four winds in this passage:

After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree…”Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

Revelation 7:1, 3

From this passage in Revelation, we can see that the 4 winds represent turmoil, strife, destruction.  Another passage supports this interpretation:

 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Behold, disaster shall go forth
From nation to nation,
And a great whirlwind shall be raised up
From the farthest parts of the earth.”

Jeremiah 25:32

Even more important is the self interpretation from this Chapter about the beasts.  In its interpretation we can see that logically the winds and sea would indeed represent nations arising out of turmoil and wars:

What are the four beasts?  Let’s let the angel of Daniel 7 tell us:

“Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.”

Daniel 7:17

If four kings or kingdoms arise, where do they come from?  The sea of people and the winds of war.

So early in this prophecy, we can conclude that Daniel is seeing four kingdoms arise from the many people and the results of conquering wars.  It is interesting that King Nebuchadnezzar also saw four kingdoms:  Babylon, Medes/Persia, Greece, and Rome.  Then Rome is divided into 10 kingdoms.  It is in the days of these kingdoms that our Lord sets up his kingdom that shall never be destroyed by wars or strife.

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Daniel goes on to describe the four beasts in more detail:

 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

Daniel 7: 4

2347-1st-Beastx220

The wings represent the rapidity  by which Babylon conquered its foes under king Nebuchadnezzar.  But, the wings are plucked and a man’s heart is given to it.  The boldness of the Lion wanes as it comes to a close of its earthly domination.  The man’s heart compared to the Lion illustrates the weakness that came about as it lay dormant and exposed caused by wealth and luxury.

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It is now a perfect target for the next power to arise and take its place.  This power is the dual kingdom of the Medes and the Persians and is represented by the bear that raised itself up on one side and had three ribs between its teeth.

And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Daniel 7:5

1198-2ndBeastx94

Eventually the Persians dominated the kingdom and became stronger than the  Medes.  They came up “last” as we will see in the prophecy in the 8th Chapter.  The Persians also become the dominant power.  The command to devour much flesh was obeyed and it left nothing but three bones.  These likely represent the three conquests of the Medes and Persians:  Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt

This power represented by the bear ruled from the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 538 BC to the battle of Arbela in 331 BC.  A time span of  207 years.  It fell to the next kingdom represented by the four-headed leopard with four wings of a fowl,

After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Daniel 7:6

1200-3rdBeastx94

If two wings represent speed, then 4 wings on the quick-footed leopard must represent a extremely rapid course of conquests for the next kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great.  This corresponds with the Daniel 2 prophecy and history.

Alexander have no parallel in historic annals for suddenness and rapidity.

Rollin, Ancient History, b.15, sec.2, gives the following brief synopsis of Alexander’s marches:-

“From Macedonia to the Ganges, which river Alexander nearly approached, is computed at least eleven hundred leagues. Add to this the various turnings in Alexander’s marches; first, from the extremity of Cilicia, where the battle of Issus was fought, to the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Libya; and his returning from thence to Tyre, a journey of three hundred leagues at least, and as much space at least for the windings of his route in different places; we shall find that Alexander, in less then eight years, marched his army upward of seventeen hundred leagues [or more than fifty-one hundred miles], without including his return to Babylon”

Alexander the Great died succeeded his father Philip II at age 20 and lived to reign only about 11 1/2 years more.  He died at age 32.  His life spent in the fast lane of wars and debauchery.

Alexander’s empire was divided among his four leading generals:

Cassander (Macedon and Greece in the west)

Lysimachus (Thrace and parts of Asia on the Hellespont and Bosphorus in the North

Ptolemy (Egypt, Lydia, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele Syria in the south)

Seleucus (Syria and all the rest of Alexander’s dominions in the east.)

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Next to arise on the world scene is Rome illustrated as the “dreadful” and terrible beast.”  It was different from the other powers and it  had ten horns corresponding to the 10 toes of Daniel 2:

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7: 7

There is not a beast in nature that Daniel can use to describe this fourth beast and how “dreadful and terrible” it is.  It’s great teeth devour and brake to pieces the other countries.  The only that that has a recognizable feature is its 10 horns. Again, the same number of the 10 toes of part iron and part clay of Daniel 2.

fourth beast

The nature of Rome was cruel.  They perfected the tortuous death of crucifixion believed to have been invented by the Persians.  Death by crucifixion could last up to 6 days!  It was on a cruel Roman cross that Jesus took the shamefulness of our sins upon himself.  This act by the Creator was the ultimate demonstration of the sacrificial love for His creation.  It was part of the good news.  But, the fact that Jesus arose a victor over the death of the cross that the good news message is most nearly complete.  The other part of the good news is that Jesus will one day return to change us and to rescue us forever from the pull and presence of sin.  The good news cannot be captured by a list of events in the life of Jesus.   it is an experience initiated and propelled by the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit.

We will end Part 1 with a description by Daniel of the 10 horns and the little horn that arose:

And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

Daniel 7:20

Who was this final power that captured the attention of Daniel?  This horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things and was more stout than the others.

This horn displaces three horns and speaks great things.  This power exists today! It will bring the final deception of many people on this earth.  In the next post we will discover the identity of the little horn and how it is described in Revelation 13 as the Beast that the “whole world wonders after.”

Despite the little horn’s power, we can trust in the One who is greater.  Terrible times will come, but we can find peace in our Lord both day and night.

“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.”

Psalm 42:8

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Prophecies for Our Time, The Soon Return of Jesus

Second Coming Predictions-God Reveals Secrets About The Future

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“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Ezekiel 33:33

It has often been said that “hindsight is 20/20.”  In our study, we will look back at prophecy found in Chapter 2 of Daniel and we will see the future beginning with Daniel’s time (6th Century BC) and moving forward through the first coming of Jesus and on through the years of ancient Rome to the time of  modern Europe up to our time in 2014.

This prophecy is important because it makes some predictions about Europe that still holds true to this day, some 2,500 + years later. But it does not stop with modern times.  It continues to the future to let us know what the future holds for this planet in rebellion.

Later, it will  tie in with other prophecies by Daniel and Revelation.  Actually, the Daniel 2 prophecy is the  foundation and touchstone for other more detailed prophecies.

It lays out before the reader the great monarchies that affected God’s people.  It demonstrates how these powers were to be temporary and victims of their own strategy of living by the sword and their own might without regard for the great and only true God who created them.

Finally, it ends with hope in a coming kingdom that will “fill up the whole earth” through out eternity-This is the soon coming of the kingdom of God-The return of Christ!

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“Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

Amos 3:7

There IS a secret, God’s secret.  But it is something He desires to reveal to those who would search or want to know.  The way He chooses to reveal this “secret” is through His servants the prophets.  It is not revealed through those who work for the enemy such as fortune tellers, psychics, soothsayers,  and those with familiar spirits.

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 19:31

People, especially followers of Jesus, should seek God rather than the enemies who seek to deceive:

And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

Isaiah 8:19

We often forget that there is an enemy of God and His creation.  It has been the work of the fallen angel ,formerly called Lucifer, to confuse the mind of man through lies and deception.

Regarding the enemy called Satan or the devil, Jesus said,

“He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Matthew 8:44

Jesus claimed the opposite:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6

Satan is a liar, Jesus tells the truth. The world has managed to twist this around.  The work of the Holy Spirit also directs the seeker into truth:

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.“

John 16:13

It is the work of the third member of the Godhead to guide mankind into truth and to reveal the “things to come.”

This Spirit is given every person who comes in the world.  It is through the Spirit we are given the desire to know the truth and to wonder about the future.

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

John 1:9

The work of God the Father, Jesus, and The Spirit is to reveal or pull back the curtain of the future to show, to warn, and to save. This work is for every person who comes into the world.  God gives each a measure of His Spirit, so truth can be revealed.  Because  of this work, the liar will be overcome and people will find peace in knowing the future God has planned….if they choose to seek and yield to the pulling or drawing of the Holy Spirit.

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Starting with this understanding, we will lay the ground work for studying Bible Prophecy.  We will let the work of God impress upon our hearts the truth about the future and the character of God through the visions of Daniel and Revelation.

Today, we look at a basic prophecy found in Daniel 2 which will help us understand the framework for more complicated prophecies later in Daniel and repeated in Revelation.  As we shall see, the two books go together and interpret each other.  This is the goal, to let the Bible interpret itself.  My personal desire is that you will be able to know this material and be able to explain it to others who “have an ear.”  This prophecy turned my heart from unbelief and to searching the truth about Jesus.

Let’s get started.  Much to cover, but I will try to make it as simple and quick as possible.

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Have you ever had a dream you could not  remember? Did you feel that the dream was very important, but you just could not remember it?

This is exactly what happen to an ancient king.  His name was King Nebuchadnezzar.  It was in his second year as king that he “had dreams” that troubled him so much that he could not sleep.  His story is found in Daniel 2.

daniel 2 dreaming

He needed help in remembering his dream so he sent for the people who claimed to know about dreams and spiritual matters:

Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

Daniel 2: 2-3

daniel 2 astrologers

This wise men tried to impress the king so they spoke in his language “Aramaic” and made a simple request,

“Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 2:4

Here is the first sign, these guys were fakes.  If they were so knowledgeable of matters of the spirit, etc., then why did they not know ahead of time that the king did not remember the dream?  They were not even good listeners because the king was anxious to “know the dream.”  This meant he couldn’t remember the dream!

They were anxious to give an interpretation and get back to whatever they were doing, but they did not realize that the true God of heaven was about to reveal the true prophets from the false prophets.

These men had something new thrown at them.  It is apparent that the king had never asked them to tell him the dream.  Usually he would tell them a dream and they would interpret.  Interpretation is easy.  You can make it up so it sounds plausible,.  Just ask my son. 🙂 But reading the mind of someone else is something altogether different.  Only God has that ability.

“My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.  However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:5-6

They couldn’t believe what they were hearing so they requested again that the king would tell them the dream,

 “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:7

But the king was wise to their tricks and he said,

“I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:8-9

daniel 2 angry

The fakers then informed the king that his request was not fair.  But, unwittingly they said a couple of things that were true:

“There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.”

Verse 10

Truth #1-There IS no man “on earth” who can help the king.  Only the Omnipotent God of heaven has the answers about the future.

“…there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Verse 11

Truth #2 -The “gods” do not dwell with flesh.  Why?  Because they are not real.  They are not alive.  They are dumb idols, but the Creator Himself would one day  become flesh and dwell among flesh.  In fact, He would come in the flesh:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

None of this mattered to the king. He was extremely angry.  He was furious and made a decree to have all the wise men killed. In the king’s mind, he knew they were all fake, they would attempt to deceive him and therefore they were useless to him.

 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; 

Verse 12-13

In today’s world, there are many who claim to know more than they really do and surprisingly there are many who know the true God who  are given wisdom by Him.  They are confident and humble in their knowledge and wisdom.  Daniel was such a man.

Daniel asked the king for more time, which was obviously granted even though the fakers wanted time too, but I think the king had heard of the God of Daniel and gave them extra time expecting they would deliver.

Daniel went back to his three friends and they had a prayer session and sought God.

“Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

Verse 17-19

These four men, asked for mercies regarding the secret.  The secret was revealed to Daniel.  His first action?  “Bless the God of heaven.”  May we never be in such a haste that we fail to stop to thank our Creator for His “mercies.”  There is a blessing for us when take time to thank God.

Daniel’s prayer of blessing to the God of heaven is below.

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

“I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

Verses 20-23

Notice the things Daniel confirms about God:

1.) Wisdom belongs to God

2.) He changes “times” and “seasons”

3.) He sets up kings and removes kings

4.) He gives wisdom to the wise  (Notice who gets the wisdom.  It is the wise! Who gets the knowledge?  Those who have understanding!)

5.) He reveals secret things (This fits with our opening verse from Amos 3:17-He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.)

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Next, Daniel intercedes for the wise men, even the fakers.  He could have just saved himself and his three friends, but the character trait of the person who knows the true God of heaven is to save life, not destroy it, even if the “wise men” are fakers.

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wisemen of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Verse  24

Daniel is taken in before king Nebuchadnezzar.  The king asks,

“Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

Verse 26

Before Daniel answers the king, he demonstrates, with power, the comparison between the fakers and the true God in heaven.

“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.”

Verse 27

Daniel has a mini-sermon before he starts to reveal to the king what he wants to know.  The mini-sermon is this:  There is a God in heaven (He is real).  He reveals secrets or things that man on earth would not know.  These secrets are given to man through God’s servants the prophets.  It is not only for the prophets benefit, but also it is for the benefit of the ones who are hearing the message from God through His prophets.

I can image the king on the edge of his seat.  He can sense through Daniel’s confidence that what he is about to hear is truth and there is no guile (falsehood or fakery) from the mouth of this prophet of God.  It is one man (Daniel) and his God (Jehovah) in comparison to the many astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers.

Truth does not come through the majority.  It comes from the God of heaven and His prophets. It has always been a testimony to the power of God, that one with God is stronger than the majority.

Daniel begins to explain the dream:

Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.  But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Verse 28-30

The dream is for the benefit of  both the prophet (who makes known the interpretation) and the one who is receiving the interpretation so that the thoughts of the heart may be revealed.  Notice the phrase:

“for OUR sakes…”  

What a wise and powerful Creator!  Daniel is telling the king that God’s revealing of the dream and God’s secrets is for both the speaker and the hearer!

As a speaker and writer for God, I am blessed as much or more than the hearer!  Our great God blesses us both if we have ears to hear!

When I read Bible prophecy, it has a strange effect of letting me know where my heart stands with God.  The effect can be fearful or it can be comforting.  All people have the invitation to move from fearful (lost) to comforting (saved from the penalty of sin i.e., eternal death)

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Daniel tells they king the topic of the dream.  It is about

“….what will be in the latter days.”

“The term “latter days” is simple to understand in context of the dream.  Since this dream will be about the “latter days” of the kingdom of Babylon and its kings we can use it in that context.  But, it is also about the end of all kingdoms as well.  So the “latter days” can also refer to the end of time and this earth as we know it.

To the amazement of the King, Daniel begins to recount the dream for him.  As he talks, the king begins to remember and cold chills run throughout his body:

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.  This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

 “This is the dream.”

Verses 31-36

Graphically, this is the image the king saw:

Daniel 2

The king must have been amazed as he recalled each detail.   Before the king could say anything, Daniel began the interpretation.  We will let Daniel interpret for us.  Then we will look back at history to see if it was true.  Finally, we will look into the future using the foundation of the interpretation.

Here is how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream as God showed it to him:

“Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.“

Verses 36-38

So what does the head of Gold represent?  Daniel said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “you are this head of gold.”

Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon is represented in both time and space as the “head of gold.”  Could there be any other interpretation with something so plainly spoken?

The King must have been proud as he thought, even if just for a moment, that he was the top and the most valuable metal in the image.  But, he was soon to be disappointed.  Daniel continues with the interpretation of the great image,

But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

Verse 39

As great and wonderful as was King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, it would fall to another.  Not just another, but one that was inferior.  Just as silver is of less value and strength as gold, the next kingdom was to be inferior.

Does the Bible tell us who this next kingdom was to be?  Yes!  The story can be found in Daniel 5.  It is an interesting story about Belshazzar (The son of Nebuchadnezzar and current king of Babylon) The king and his subjects were having a feast with debauchery, and disrespect for things God had made holy.  During the drunken sacrilegious feast, a man’s finger appears and writes a message on the wall.

This supernatural act made the  king’s “countenance” change.  Like his father Nebuchadnezzar, he was troubled as to what it meant so he called for the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers.   Remember them?  They are the fakers.   Just as they could not see Nebuchadnezzar’ s dream. They were unable to read the writing and make an interpretation.  Sound familiar?

handwriting on the wall

Fortunately for the king, the queen remembered Daniel.  She told the king,

There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans,and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 5:11-12

Daniel’s interpretation confirms what he had told King Nebuchadnezzar with the image of God falling to an inferior kingdom,

And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 5:26-28

That night the king was slain and Babylon fell to  the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians led by Cyrus and Darius.

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel 5: 30-31

The Medes and the Persians was represented by the arms and shoulders of silver.  (Two arms-two kingdoms)

It is interesting and shows the fore knowledge of God as to how Babylon fell and the way the enemy was able to get into the walled city.

Also, before Cyrus was born, God called him by name as the conqueror of Babylon

Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut…

Isaiah 45:1

So how was Cyrus and Darius able to get into the walled city of Babylon?

*They dried up the river Euphrates (Sound familiar)! This diverted the river that ran under the walls and through the city.  Along the river within the city was another set of walls with gates. The citizens were protected should someone swim in under the outer walls.  The enemy swimmers would then need to get through a second set of gates.   But on the night of Babylon’s fall, the gates had been left open due to drunken feast!  So the Medes and Persians were able to walk under the walls and up the banks through the leaved gates and into the city!

God is so amazing!  He knows the end from the beginning!

* See pages 265, 266 of Volume 1 of the book The Great Events by Famous Historians in the chapter on “Conquests by Cyrus The Great B.C. 538,” by George Grote. — University Edition, copyrighted 1905, by The National Alumni.
See also The Golden Age, as of June 7, 1922. page 572.

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But, there was to arise yet a third kingdom represented by the belly and thigh of brass.

“And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.”

Verse 39

The deciding point in the fall of the Persians
was
reached on the field of Arbela, B.C. 331, in which the Grecians,  were entirely victorious; and Alexander
became absolute lord of the Persian empire.

More could be said on this third kingdom, but let’s move on.  We will talk more about each kingdom as we study the prophecies that provide more detail.

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The events really pick up when the powerful fourth kingdom comes on the scene,

And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 

Verse 40

History tells us that this fourth power of legs of iron is none other than the “iron monarchy” of Rome.  Rome became the world power after it crushed the third kingdom of Greece.

Rome was in power during the life of Christ on earth and continued on for hundreds of years afterwards.

But the prophecy does not stop there,  there was to be a time when this iron would mix with clay (partly strong and partly weak substances)

It is interesting that Rome eventually was divided into 10 divisions by the invading nomadic tribes.  These divisions became the modern day countries of Europe.  Three of these 10 divisions were eventually annihilated so that there was only 7, but even those events are part of the prophecy were will study later in Daniel and Revelation.  Those divisions of Rome are as follows:

10 Toes or Divisions of Rome
Heruli
Ostrogoths
Vandals
Franks
Visigoths
Burgundians
Lombards
Anglo Saxons
Alamanni

Seuvi

map_europe476 (1)

Daniel continues on and informs the king of something that stands to this day.  These divisions of Rome would attempt to unite, but as iron does not mix with clay, they would never unite:

 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 

Verses 41-43

This 4th kingdom would be divided and would never reunite.  Though out recent history there have been attempts to reunite the old divisions of  Europe, but it has always failed and it always will because the God of Heaven has spoken. Those who have tried were:

 Charlamagne, 8th Century;

Charles V l6th Century;

Louis XIV l5th Century;

Napoleon, l9th Century;

Kaiser Wilhelm and Hitler, 20th Century.

All of these men invested enormous
resources and countless lives in their efforts to unite Europe, but each one failed. Even today the leaders
of Europe are trying to unite as one, but God says this will never happen!

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Daniel ends the interpretation of the dream with a dramatic ending!

You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Verse 34, 35

Jesus is the Rock that was cut out without hands.

For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

I Corinthians 10:4

Daniel takes the king and the reader of this chapter to a time when God would set up his kingdom that would never end:

 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Verse 44

Daniel 2(1)

When Jesus returns the earth is melted and no trace of anything left on this earth will be found.  Then He will make a new heaven and a new earth.

About 500 years before Jesus came to this earth the first time as a lamb to pay for the sins of a planet in rebellion, we see a prophecy concerning his second coming when he comes to “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” It will stand forever!

 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30

When Jesus returns the earth passes away.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Matthew 24:35

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

II Peter 3:10

And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 4: 62

When God destroys the earth, he creates a new heaven and a new earth that will last forever:

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

Isaiah 65:17

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Daniel tells the king,

“The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Verse 45

After hearing Daniels recalling of the king’s forgotten dream and the  interpretation, there wells up in the heart of this heathen king both fear and joy!

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel

Verse 46

This is what each of us should do as we see that God is in control of the history of planet earth and of our own lives.  He knows the exact number of hairs on your head.  He is all powerful, but most important, He loves each one of us so much as to send His son to pay for the sin we have committed.

His law, that can never be changed, shows we are sinners and deserve to die for eternity, but God makes a substitutionary   sacrifice (atonement) for us so that we might live and enjoy the greatest gift he could have given us:  Life to the uttermost!

The king understood that there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets

The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

Verse 47

I hope you have been blessed by this study.  Next we will look at a vision given to Daniel that repeats this dream, but expands it.  He will receive other visions that will demonstrate that God knows the end from the beginning.

God's Will For Us

The Least of the Commandments

It is hoped that the previous posts called “Is Obedience Only for the Legalistic? (Parts 1-3),” demonstrated from scripture that the law of God (10 Commandment law) is immutable. Immutable is defined simply as: “ not capable of or susceptible to change,”  Merriam-Webster Dictionary

We looked at many passages and examples that demonstrated transgression of God’s moral law (10 Commandments) is the fundamental definition of sin.  It is sin which brought death upon all men and is the reason for the death of Jesus i.e., payment for the penalty of sin.

If God’s 10 commandment law could simply be changed, there would be no reason for Jesus to die on a cross for our sins against God described in the 1st 4 commandments and sins against our neighbors (Last 6 commandments).  These laws are grouped under two great principles:

 “love God with all your soul and mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself” 

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22: 39,40

The most compelling argument for the immutability of God’s 10 Commandment law comes from Jesus Himself when He said,

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus fulfilled them by obeying them and set the example for us to do the same.  It is obvious we still have heaven and earth, so we still have God’s law and it is outside God’s will to teach or break even the least of the commandments.

James, the brother of Jesus confirms this years after Jesus had ascended to heaven when he said,

“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

James 2:10

James goes on to encourage us to be obedient to God’s 10 commandments because we will be judged on “the perfect law of liberty” James 2:12

Strangely, obedience is not a popular topic with many modern ministers because the topic insinuates salvation by works if not properly understood.  But, the writers of the Bible, including Jesus, conclude that grace and faith do not exclude obedience.  Paul, the major proponent of God’s grace asks a powerful conclusive rhetorical question just to make sure no one thinks the law is minimized or voided by grace and faith:

“Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

Romans 3:31

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Many fail to connect the dots between grace, faith, and obedience to the established law .  But, the connection is made simple by this statement:

We do not obey to be saved, we obey because we are saved and because God creates a new heart in us.  This is the born again experience. All things have become new in Christ and it includes a change of heart regarding the will of God.

Under the new covenant, the law is not diminished but written by God on the mind and heart (Hebrews 8;10).  If it is written on the mind and heart, do you think obedience will be for the right reasons?

 With your new heart, you will automatically want to avoid sin and obey God’s 10 commandment law that demonstrates God’s will in your life.  Both to God and your neighbor. You will find the power to obey through Christ.  To attempt to obey without his power is both legalistic and futile.  Obedience comes through the power of God:

“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Philippians 2:13

We have all seen the work of God’s spirit on a person when Jesus writes the law their heart.  The thief stops stealing, the liar stops his lying.  The unfaithful spouse becomes faithful. The things the sinner once loved they now hate and vice-versa.  A born again person wants to obey his Lord.

To say you love God and do not obey means you are not a follower, but are going through some hypocritical religious motion for reasons other than serving God and neighbor:

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 2:4

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Also, in the previous posts, we saw there were some laws that God gave Moses for the Children of Israel that had a purpose and those laws ended when Jesus died on the cross.  These were the ceremonial and sacrificial laws.  We no longer need to sacrifice a spotless lamb on the altar when we go to church.

Their purpose was to provide graphic teachings to those looking forward to the Messiah on the power of sin and upon the innocent.  Those laws, contained in ordinances, demonstrated the grace of God and His willingness to make a way out of the death penalty by sending his only begotten son.  Once Jesus died, the School Master was no longer needed.  We had the life, death, resurrection, mediator work of Jesus to clearly and simply demonstrate the plan of salvation:

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”

Galatians 3: 24, 25

Thankfully we are no longer under the penalty of the 10 Commandment law (i.e., death) or the burdensome requirements of the sacrificial and ceremonial laws.  It is by the grace of our Lord and the faith He gives us to become free of eternal death and may have right to the tree of life.  Those who obey demonstrate they have been redeemed and are free from the penalty of the law.

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

Revelations 22:14

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Let’s shift gears here and talk about “the least of the commandments.”  Take a look at the 10 commandments (Exodus 20) and try to determine which one is the least.

We would all agree our relationship with God would be in jeopardy if we had other gods, made idols patterned after things on the earth or in heaven and then bowed ourselves before them.  We would also be kidding ourselves to say we have love for God and have salvation, but use his name in a disrespectful manner often and regularly.

Also, how can someone claim salvation when they practice adultery, lie, murder, disrespect their parents and their neighbors?

So which one can we take out and change?  Has any of them been demonstrated by Jesus that they were anything other than immutable?

Can we think to change the 10 Commandment Law of God to only 9 or 8 Commandments because a couple doesn’t fit with our life style or the rest of the world’s philosophy?  Is there one jot, one tittle that we can change or modify so we are more comfortable with it?

Interesting enough the enemy of God does this very thing.  The little horn power of Daniel 7 that can be shown to be the Anti-Christ attempts to change God’s law and make war with God’s saints:

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: …”

Daniel 7:25

As shown before, the enemy a.k.a. Satan and the devil is particularly angry at a group of people in the last days that are obedient and have a testimony regarding Jesus:

“And the dragon (Satan) was wroth (angry) with the woman (church), and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (those left over from the original), which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 12:17

It is obvious that there is an attack and war on the law of God by the enemy to confuse and lead people away from the perfect will of God as expressed in these 10 great principles of love towards God and neighbor.

To demonstrate this, I have listed the 10 commandments (in summary) as described in the Catechism.  This is the official book of the Catholics to teach new converts:

  1. I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.
  2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
  3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
  4. Honor your father and your mother.
  5. You shall not kill.
  6. You shall not commit adultery.
  7. You shall not steal.
  8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Now, compare the 10 commandments as found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:

  1.  You shall have no other gods before Me.

  2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. 

  3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

  4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

  5. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

  6. You shall not murder.

  7. You shall not commit adultery.

  8. You shall not steal.

  9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.

A careful comparative review will show that the Roman Catholic church leaders eliminated the 2nd commandment completely.  Why?

That leaves 9 commandments.  So to make it 10 commandments, the last commandment is split into two parts.

In addition, the Roman Catholic Church leaders changed the fourth commandment regarding the Sabbath.  They changed the holiness God proclaimed for the Sabbath (7th day) to Sunday (1st Day). There is no scriptural authority for this change and no examples of the early church to warrant a change in God’s immutable law.

From the Convert’s Catechism, page 50:

Q. Which is the Sabbath day?
A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea, (AD 336) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday….
Q. Why did the Catholic Church substitute Sunday for Saturday?
A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday, because Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles on a Sunday.
Q. By what authority did the Church substitute Sunday for Saturday?
A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday by the plenitude of that divine power which Jesus Christ bestowed upon her!

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This mutilation of God’s immutable law by the Roman Catholic leadership flies in the face of Jesus’ clear statement:

“I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5: 17-19

Is there any doubt that the Roman Catholic leadership teaches its converts to ignore the 2nd and 4th commandments?  Does it not demonstrate that tradition (according to them) is more powerful than God’s own written word?

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

Mark 7:9

“Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God . . .” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 97.

It is clear from God’s word that religious tradition is not equal to God’s word.  God’s word always trumps church tradition.

 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

Matthew 15:3

As prophesied by God through His servant Daniel, the attempt to change the law of God would occur by the opponent and enemy of God.  The one who places himself in the place of Christ as the vicar of Christ.  Vicar is a Latin word meaning “instead of”  Vicar of God is the title of the Pope.

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Daniel 7:25

Who thought that the deception in the last day would be easily identified?  Those who study and live by the word of God can see the “angel of light” working to lead people away from the simple and plain words of God and towards false security in numbers, display, and tradition.

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So, which commandment is the least?  Even if it is the least, it cannot be changed according to Christ.

If all the Protestant denominations were sitting around the table discussing the 10 commandments, we could all agree that it is God’s will to live by the 10 commandments (not to be saved, but because we are saved). We would all agree it would be outside God’s will to change even the smallest letter of God’s law.  However, all agreement would stop when the 4th commandment would come up.  While it is plain and simple, confusion and argument would ensue. The arguments against a Sabbath rest (7th Day) would be:

The law was eliminated.

The Sabbath was changed to Sunday when Christ arose

The disciples met on the first day of the week

Nobody knows which day is the 7th Day

It is legalistic to obey the law

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No doubt, there is a temptation and a propensity by many who want to follow God to become legalistic in their approach to the 4th commandment, but there is a blessing God has promised those who “Remember” it.  It is unlike any other commandment.  Here God invites us once a week on a day he blessed (7th Day-a.k.a. Saturday) to rest and enjoy the hours of the Sabbath with other worshipers and family.

It is not so much about which day one goes to church, but rather which day is honored because God instructed us.  Can we make any other day holy?  Only God Himself can make something holy.  The blessings promised Abraham are ours according to the word of God:

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Galatians 3:29

Here is a promise we can claim as an heir:

 “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him,…Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth”

Isaiah 58: 13 and 14

This promise is not about legalism; it is about a blessing promised for following God.

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Next time, we will explore more about the 4th commandment and dispel error being taught regarding its unlawful change.  Did the disciples change it?  We will look at the objections to the 4th commandment and how to obey it without becoming legalistic.  Until then, blessings to you and your family.

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“The Sabbath … is God’s time, not ours; when we trespass upon it we are stealing from God… God has given us the whole of six days in which to do our work and has reserved only one to Himself. This should be a day of blessing to us—a day when we should lay aside all our secular matters and center our thoughts upon God and heaven.” In Heavenly Places, P. 152

Salvation to the uttermost

Perseverance-Needed or not needed?

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“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Matthew 24:13

“ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control PERSEVERANCE, to PERSEVERANCE godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love…for if you do these things you will never stumble.”

1 Peter 5:6, 10

A less popular topic on salvation is our 5th P of salvation PERSEVERANCE.  Enduring, persevering does not fit into the thinking of those who focus only on the first P of salvation…the penalty of sin.

Almost all who ask, “Are you saved?” refer to salvation from the PENALTY of sin….eternal death or hell.  Few would go on to mention that salvation  means saving from the POWER of sin.  Even fewer would talk about preparing for the second coming of Christ when He will take us from the PRESENCE of sin.  An even more abstract thought is to understand the plan of salvation and how one day, the PROPENSITY (the desire or inclination) to sin will be taken completely away.  Why? It will be because the redeemed of all ages will understand about the sting of sin through their own personal experience and through the science of the cross.

Truly Jesus is able and will save us to the uttermost….He will take us from the guttermost to the uttermost.  No one can take this away from you as long as you are in Christ.  But, what happens if you slip back and are overcome by sin?

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

John 10: 28-29

It is true that there is not a single person or an army of people on this earth can overcome Christ so that they snatch you away from Him.  So how does perseverance and endurance fit into the vocabulary or experience of the person who is in Christ?  Are these admonitions  really necessary?

Jesus told a parable that helps us to understand about perseverance to the end.

The disciples listened as Jesus told this parable.  They were like the crowd, they did not understand it.

The Parable of the Sower

Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed,that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Mark 4: 2-9

No doubt, those who heard this parable had ears.  But, the Savior asks us to understand the deep meaning of this parable.  Just hearing the words is not enough to reap the benefits. from God’s word.

Although the disciples did not understand the parable, they did something that all of us should do when we don’t understand….they were alone with Jesus and simply asked to know the meaning of the parable.  It is true that we receive not because we ask not.

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

Mark 4: 10

The Parable of the Sower Explained

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Mark 4: 13-20

Sower = The Holy Spirit that “guides us into all truth.”

Wayside hearers = Satan immediately takes the word away

Stony ground hearers = receive it with gladness, but there is no root. They endure for a short time.

Thorn bush hearers = cares of the world and the pursuit of richness choke the word.

Notice that all heard and all responded favorably and they started on their experience, but either Satan, passiveness, or the allure of the world stop the experience.

So, what type of hearer are you?

There are many things in this world that can end an experience with Christ.  That is why we are encouraged to endure to prepare…to put on the whole armor of God.  If our experience with Christ is not in danger, we would not be told to do such things.  Even Christ’s closest disciples were warned.  Jesus told Peter that Satan would try to take away his trust…his faith.

And the Lord said,“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

Luke 22: 31-32

Was it possible that Peter’s faith could fail?  Of course, this is why Jesus prayed that it wouldn’t.  Good news! Jesus has prayed that your faith would not fail.

Peter would be put to the test many times.  The first was when Jesus was taken and sent before the rulers.  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times!  Then Jesus was crucified.  He watched as the source of his faith was nailed to the cross.  How low Peter must have felt during this time.

Have you ever been low in your experience with Christ?  Has your faith about given out?  Jesus has prayed for you!

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There is something more powerful than the prayers of Jesus.  It  is the one thing at the center of the Great Controversy….It is the power of choice.  Wars, death,  divorce, hatred, sickness, and misery have all come about because of bad choices.  So can choice end of an experience with Christ?  Is it possible to have known the way of life and Jesus himself and then chose to go back into the world?

Jesus told another parable about the dangers of not enduring or continuing the faith journey in Christ.  It was a parable about a house swept clean.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Matthew 12: 43-45

Jesus saves to the uttermost.  He will drive out the unclean spirits in our house or lives.  He puts it in order, but the danger is having a house or life that is empty.  Like the parable of the sower, the life is to produce fruit. The solution is to have the house occupied by a different spirit that produce fruit of the spirit.

“…Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18

We are told that the very words that Jesus speaks to us throughout the entire Bible is life.  If we are to grow and produce fruit we must eat and digest the words of our Lord.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 6:63

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Someone has said that if you are not growing, you are dying.  It is certainly true in the spiritual sense.  If we are just maintaining, we are like the man who was given money and buried it rather than invest it so he could realize a profit. That parable by Jesus speaks to this concept.

“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”

Matthew 5:29

This parable was not about money, it was about an experience that is stagnant.  The servant is both wicked and lazy.

Jesus called him a “wicked and lazy servant.” Verse 26  To be stagnant in the spiritual sense is to be like the church that was neither hot nor cold.

 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Revelation 3:16

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The word vomit appears another time in the new testament scripture.  It comes at the end of a warning about being overcome by the world and sin.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

2 Peter 2: 20-22

This sounds a lot like the parable of Jesus about the house we read earlier.  One’s house or life was put in order after the evil was cast out, the other had escaped the garbage of the world.  The orderly house became disorder again as was the person who had escaped had been entangled again and compared to a sow being washed and going right back to the mud.

These parables are not about houses, dogs, and pigs.  They are illustrations demonstrating the possibility of being clean in the Lord, but returning back and becoming dirty again.

How does this happen?  Jesus has shown us in these parables and others the enemy of perseverance:

With the parable about the seed, the things to watch out for are: 1.) Superficiality in our experience.  We should be real and not REALigous. 2.)  Responding the wrong way when hard times come upon you. 3.)  Letting the cares of the world weigh you down.

With the parable of the house, we are to keep our house or our life filled with the Holy Spirit which comes through God’s word.  How can we expect to live spiritually if we starve ourselves by only eating one time a week?

With the truth found in 2 Peter, we are to stay clear of any temptations or habits that would draw us away from the strong arm of Jesus.

An old man once said, “I wake up in the morning and the devil votes for me and the Lord votes for me.  Whoever I vote for gets me.”  The power of choice is powerful.

It is true there are some things God can not do:

1.)  He cannot lie. He is truth.

2.)  He cannot die. He alone has immortality

3.) He cannot sin.  He is holy

4.)  He cannot force you to follow him.  He is love.  Love does not force.  Love draws. Love encourages.  Love demonstrates itself by sacrificial actions.

“The religion of Christ means more than the for­giveness of sin; it means that sin is taken away, and that the vacuum is filled with the Spirit. It means that the mind is divinely illumined, that the heart is emptied of self, and filled with the presence of Christ. When this work is done for church members, the church will be a living, working church.”

Our High Calling P. 154

Next time, I will tell you my story of how I was washed and returned to the mud, but Christ would not give up on me and drew me back to him after 10 long years of eating in the pig pen.  My testimony about leaving God and returning is, perhaps, more dramatic than my first conversion.  It will give you hope if you are feeling the pull of God’s Spirit to return to him.

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How to keep your house (life) filled with the Holy Spirit:

First, be filled with the Word. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16). This is a command—not an option. The following steps will help us make this verse a living reality.

1.     Read and/or listen to the Word. The incarnate Word that dwelt among us must also dwell in us in the form of the inspired Word. Says the psalmist: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). Without the Word of God and His commandments dwelling in our hearts and guid­ing the course of our lives, we are constantly exposed to the danger of coming under the influence of the evil one (see also Rom. 10:17; Rev. 1:3).

2.     Study the Word in-depth. A deep and continual study of the Word is necessary so as to be filled with it; a superficial reading or listen­ing will not get us very far (2 Tim. 2:15; Acts 17:11; Ps. 119:11). As Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and firmly declared that he would not leave Him until he received His blessing, we should also struggle with the Word of God until we clearly see Jesus Christ and His purpose in our lives.

3.     Obey the Word. We should not focus on Bible study to satisfy our curiosity, but rather to main­tain a fulfilling relationship with Jesus. “ ‘If anyone loves me,’ ” said Jesus, “ ‘he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’ ” (John 14:23).

 

God's Will For Us, What to Do With Doubt

Good At Religion

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Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 7: 22-23

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What would you think of a man’s relationship with God who said things like this?

“I wish I was never born.  I want to die.”(3:1)

“Oh that my grief were fully weighed and my calamity laid with it on the scales.” (6:1)

Suppose he said,

“I will complain in the bitterness of my soul“(7:11),

What if he asked God in a group prayer,

“Does it please you (God) to oppress me while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?“ (10:3).

What if he claimed God was responsible for his problems and said,

“All was well with me, but [God] shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target“ (16:12). “

What if he believed God had wronged him…

“Though I cry, ’I’ve been wronged!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice“ (19:6—7).

If you told them to be patient and they responded:

“Why should I not be impatient?“ (21:4).

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What would you think of a man talking to God like that?

They would have to be somebody with a lousy relationship to God, right?

But, this can be deceiving.

The man who said those things was closer to God than anyone else of his time? Would you believe that the man who grumbled, “Why should I not be impatient?“ has a reputation to this day as one of the most patient men who ever lived? His very name is a buzzword for patience.

Thousands of years after this man lived, it is  common to speak of “the patience of Job.“  But we know from reading the story that God was close to Job and He sided with Job when Job’s friends tried to “straightened him out” about his religion and understanding of the great Creator.

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On the other hand, what would you think of the relationship with God who said things like this:

Eliphaz:

Those who sow trouble reap the same (4:9)

Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?(4:17)

As for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause. (5:9)

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects (5:17)

Bildad:

“Your sons have sinned against Him…that is why they died. He has cast them away for their transgression. (8:4).

Isn’t this verse supported by scripture?

“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin.

Deut. 24:16.

What if a friend tried to scare him into repentance and said,

“The memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name among the renowned.
He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased out of the world. (18:8)

Zophar

Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? (11:7)

Does not the friends of Job have it right about God and Job is just a depressed doubtful religious person?

These friends did not “speak what was right.” (42:7) Their theology sounded right…it is scriptural, but something was not right with their religion.  They are good at it, but something was not right.

 God said to them,

“My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends for you have not spoken of Me what is rights as My servant Job has.”

Job 42:7

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What can we learn from the book of Job and the impatience of Job?

As mentioned, Job spoke what was right and his friends did not. But it sounds like Job is struggling in his relationship while his friends are prospering and have all their needs filled.

The one thing Job needed the most during his ordeal was his family and friends to give him comfort and empathy.

“I have heard many such things’ Miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have no end?” (16: 2,3)

“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved”

16;6

His “friends” did not comfort him, but rather sermonized and blame Job for getting what he deserved.  They even blamed the sin of his sons for their own death

Your sons have sinned against Him…that is why they died. He has cast them away for their transgression. (8:4). 

Let us not be too quick to condemn the friends of Job, because if we are honest with our selves, we often look upon some calamity or death as the result of the “judgment of God.”

We cannot put such events in a nice box by grouping bad things with God’s judgment and good things with God’s favor.  To do so is to be disappointed and discouraged when bad things happen to us.

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There are many cases cited in the Bible of people who were “good at religion.”

The Scribes and the Pharisees had religion down pat.

Jesus identified these great religious leaders of the church as hypocrites in Matthew 23. They say one thing, but do another. They could preach it and teach it, but they could not live it.  Their interest was in saving their religion and pompous life style

Jesus said these things about them and their religion:

“that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.” V.3

they “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men” V.13

they “devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.”

V. 14

they “travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, (they)  make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

V. 15

They made up their own rules, but Jesus said,

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’

V. 16

They followed the letter of the law, but not the spirit:

For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

V.23

Notice at the end of this verse, Jesus does not release them from the act of tithing:

These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

V. 23

There is nothing wrong with obeying the law, but to obey the law of God without the spirit that displays itself in justice and mercy is being religious and not real.

The Scribes and Pharisees were very exacting in parts of their experience, but very loose in others:

Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

V. 24

Their appearance was great!  They dressed nice and had the appearance of being righteous.

For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of deadmen’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

V. 27, 28

They try to make others think they are very committed to the cause:

 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

V. 29, 30

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Yes, these leaders were good at religion.  There is very little difference today.  It has been said, “Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.”

Today’s society has made religion about a 1 day event for a few hours in a building.  But a real relationship with Jesus changes the heart of an individual. They are born again.  They are different.  Obedience to God’s word comes from a heart experience and not a religious experience.  Jesus said,

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

While the 10 commandments and any other commandments of Jesus have not been eliminated, the old idea of obedience in order to be identified with Jesus and be saved has passed away.

What does an experience that is real look like?

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 (Our opening verse)

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Matthew 25: 34-36

If our experience is about 1 or 2 hours on the weekend and not about others during the week, then we might be in danger of being “good at religion.”

Like Jesus, we are called to serve and not be served.

There are many people out there hurting and need the basics of life rather than sermonizing.  No doubt, they need to hear truth from God’s word, but before that, they need to see it in action.  They need to hear the words, “We are going to help you.” Then they need to see it happen.

Empathy is what the three friends of Job lacked.  The same for the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Empathy is different from sympathy.  Empathy is to feel and understand someone’s pain.  Sympathy is to merely feel sorry for the person’s pain.

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In 1967, Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album by the Beatles was released. There is a haunting song on this popular vinyl entitled “A Day In The Life.” The main verses of the song are Lennon’s work, a rather gloomy first-person narrative of going through the motions and observing, in a detached manner, the cruelties and absurdities of the everyday world.
The song came to mind today as I watched CBS news after a hard day at work. John’s read the news was about:

“a man who blew his mind out in a car. He didn’t notice that the light had changed.” He “had to laugh although the news was rather sad.”

“A crowd of people turned away, but I just had to look.”

As I watch the day’s events on the TV, I am overwhelmed. Today, I realized the news was about me.

Today, I died from a poisonous gas attack in Syria. I was only 3 years old.

Today, as a father from Australia, my grieve was so strong that it sucked every ounce of energy from my soul as I fell to the ground… and wept over the body of my 22 year old son who was shot to death while jogging in Oklahoma. Three evil people were bored and wanted to kill someone. They chose my son who loved baseball.

Today, I couldn’t find work for the 12th month. My small retirement account has all been spent and the bills are not getting paid next month because my job was exported overseas.

Today, I am a single mom and my little girl had nothing to take for lunch because I have no money and live in my car. What can I find her for supper tonight? There is a restaurant nearby that throws out perfectly good food every night.

Today, I am a small business owner who will have to lay off some of my employees because the government is forcing me to provide health care.

Today, I lay in my living room unable to get up because I so depressed, all I want to do is sleep.  I have no energy.

Today, my family was murdered by ISIS.   I am only 35 years old and Muslim.

A bomb blast took away my ability to walk and run the Boston Marathon.  I am a female in my 20’s.

Today, I am Egyptian, Black, White, Syrian, Australian, English, and American….I am everyone.

“Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for me.”

Religion is strong, but empathy, compassion, and involvement is dead in many of our churches and in our experience with Jesus.

We are living in the last days, when our consciences are numb.

“…speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”

1 Timothy 4:2

Truly it has come to pass:

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

II Timothy 3:1-5

 What will CBS report about me tomorrow?

 Are you willing to turn from being good at religion and become real for the kingdom of God?

If you are, join me in this prayer,

Father, forgive me for being good at religion and not real for your kingdom.  Please change my mind, my heart, my thoughts and shape it into your will.  Give me a ministry to help those in need of food, clothing, comfort, and fellowship.  This I ask in Your Son’s name.  Amen.

Reasons to Believe

Science Helps Confirm The Creator

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Thanks to my forever-friend, Charles Hays who posted this on Face Book this week.

Over 30 years ago, Charlie encouraged me to participate with him in a radio program he wanted to produce called, Answers From Scripture.  It was a wonderful journey of bringing Jesus and the Bible to the Middle Tennessee area.  We would talk on different Biblical topics, take phone calls, and interview great workers for God.  That experience blessed me in so many ways.

 This website is dedicated to keeping alive Charlie’s vision of finding answers to life’s toughest questions through Scripture and life God has created. Then sharing it with a world who are seeking.

Thank you Charlie.   I love you brother.

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The Wall Street Journal
HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God
By ERIC METAXA

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The odds of life existing on another planet grow ever longer. Intelligent design, anyone?

In 1966 Time magazine ran a cover story asking: Is God Dead? Many have accepted the cultural narrative that he’s obsolete—that as science progresses, there is less need for a “God” to explain the universe. Yet it turns out that the rumors of God’s death were premature. More amazing is that the relatively recent case for his existence comes from a surprising place—science itself.

Here’s the story: The same year Time featured the now-famous headline, the astronomer Carl Sagan announced that there were two important criteria for a planet to support life: The right kind of star, and a planet the right distance from that star. Given the roughly octillion—1 followed by 27 zeros—planets in the universe, there should have been about septillion—1 followed by 24 zeros—planets capable of supporting life.

With such spectacular odds, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a large, expensive collection of private and publicly funded projects launched in the 1960s, was sure to turn up something soon. Scientists listened with a vast radio telescopic network for signals that resembled coded intelligence and were not merely random. But as years passed, the silence from the rest of the universe was deafening. Congress defunded SETI in 1993, but the search continues with private funds. As of 2014, researchers have discovered precisely bubkis—0 followed by nothing.

What happened? As our knowledge of the universe increased, it became clear that there were far more factors necessary for life than Sagan supposed. His two parameters grew to 10 and then 20 and then 50, and so the number of potentially life-supporting planets decreased accordingly. The number dropped to a few thousand planets and kept on plummeting.

Even SETI proponents acknowledged the problem. Peter Schenkel wrote in a 2006 piece for Skeptical Inquirer magazine: “In light of new findings and insights, it seems appropriate to put excessive euphoria to rest . . . . We should quietly admit that the early estimates . . . may no longer be tenable.”

As factors continued to be discovered, the number of possible planets hit zero, and kept going. In other words, the odds turned against any planet in the universe supporting life, including this one. Probability said that even we shouldn’t be here.

Today there are more than 200 known parameters necessary for a planet to support life—every single one of which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. Without a massive planet like Jupiter nearby, whose gravity will draw away asteroids, a thousand times as many would hit Earth’s surface. The odds against life in the universe are simply astonishing.

Yet here we are, not only existing, but talking about existing. What can account for it? Can every one of those many parameters have been perfect by accident? At what point is it fair to admit that science suggests that we cannot be the result of random forces? Doesn’t assuming that an intelligence created these perfect conditions require far less faith than believing that a life-sustaining Earth just happened to beat the inconceivable odds to come into being?

There’s more. The fine-tuning necessary for life to exist on a planet is nothing compared with the fine-tuning required for the universe to exist at all. For example, astrophysicists now know that the values of the four fundamental forces—gravity, the electromagnetic force, and the “strong” and “weak” nuclear forces—were determined less than one millionth of a second after the big bang. Alter any one value and the universe could not exist. For instance, if the ratio between the nuclear strong force and the electromagnetic force had been off by the tiniest fraction of the tiniest fraction—by even one part in 100,000,000,000,000,000—then no stars could have ever formed at all. Feel free to gulp.

Multiply that single parameter by all the other necessary conditions, and the odds against the universe existing are so heart-stoppingly astronomical that the notion that it all “just happened” defies common sense. It would be like tossing a coin and having it come up heads 10 quintillion times in a row. Really?

Fred Hoyle, the astronomer who coined the term “big bang,” said that his atheism was “greatly shaken” at these developments. He later wrote that “a common-sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with the physics, as well as with chemistry and biology . . . . The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question.”

Theoretical physicist Paul Davies has said that “the appearance of design is overwhelming” and Oxford professor Dr. John Lennox has said “the more we get to know about our universe, the more the hypothesis that there is a Creator . . . gains in credibility as the best explanation of why we are here.”

The greatest miracle of all time, without any close seconds, is the universe. It is the miracle of all miracles, one that ineluctably points with the combined brightness of every star to something—or Someone—beyond itself.

Mr. Metaxas is the author, most recently, of “Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life” (Dutton Adult, 2014).

Correction

An earlier version understated the number of zeroes in an octillion and a septillion.

"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28