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Daniel and Revelation

Michael-Who is He?

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Why does it matter?

Introduction-The Bigger Story

As I studied the Bible for this article, I realized that it is not a salvation issue whether a person believes Michael the Archangel is another name for Jesus or not.  However, what is essential, and is a salvation issue, is faith in Jesus regardless of the many names given Him.  Because without trust or confidence in Him, we will not see the kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:6, John 3:3).  The several actions of Michael give us reasons to have even more faith in the God we serve.  That is the objective of this writing.

I propose that we don’t get hung up on the gnats and swallow a camel in this study. Having said that, I will go into some detail.  But keep in mind it is to disclose the bigger story of Jesus. 

What I discovered in the study of this powerful being called Michael, the archangel is a God that fought with Lucifer in heaven and was victorious against Satan’s accusations about God’s character.”  I see a God who contends with Satan on our behalf particularly when we pray for God to intervene.  I see a God who stands up and protects His people even during the “time of trouble…in the latter days.”  I see a God that argues victoriously with Satan over the body of Moses.  I see Jesus!  I see Jesus when His voice wakes those who have died in Him.  He raises them to life and gives them immortality free of the corruption of carnal bodies.  Let us not fail to see Jesus in this search for the identity of Michael.

Michael the Archangel

Michael is described as the Archangel in the Bible. The primary argument against Michael being Jesus goes like this:   

If Jesus were Michael, He would be an angel. That would mean He was created, undermining the many passages of scriptures that tell us of His divinity.  Therefore, Michael must be a mighty lead angel, but not Christ.

Although this logic has a proper conclusion, it assumes Michael is a created being. Without a deeper look, we could miss something important about Michael and Jesus, not to mention the purpose of Christ and the message of God. 

Michael the Archangel draws more attention than regular angels in the Bible (both Old and New Testament).  The word angel is described 15 times in the entire Bible.   “Michael” and “Archangel” appear only six times in Scripture.  But each “Michael” passage tells a powerful story. Here is an overview of the six times Michael arrives:

  1. Michael appears in Daniel 10 (verses 13 and 21).  He comes to help out Gabriel fight with the Prince of Persia. A fascinating story!
  2. In Daniel 12:1, Michael stands up to signify the start of the time of trouble.
  3. In Jude 1:9-Micahel argues over whether Moses should be resurrected or not. God wins the argument.  Moses would later appear on the mount of transfiguration along with Elijah, who never saw death.  These two represent those who never experience death when Jesus comes and those that are resurrected by the voice of Micahel, the archangel.
  4. Revelation 12:7 describes a war in heaven between the dragon (Satan) and Michael.
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:16: Michael is not used here, but instead, “the archangel’s voice,” which is understood as Michael’s. This voice raises those who sleep in Christ and rise to meet Him in the air with those who have not seen death (The Moses’s and Elijah’s of the end time)

Bear with me as I add another nuance to this study that adds some credibility to God having the name of an angel.  It would not be complete without mentioning the “Angel of the Lord.”

Angel of the Lord

Another interesting, relevant study is on the “angel of the Lord.”  This exact phrase appears 64 times in the Bible.  It is a study within itself.  I will use only a couple of references.

There are several passages like this one where God is referred to as the Angel of the Lord:

Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you.

Genesis 16:7

Only God led the people out of Egypt.  Only God made a covenant with His people.  Yet He is given the name Angel of the Lord. (See also Genesis 16: 6-13, Genesis 22: 15-19)

For a quick story that reveals the “angel of the Lord” as God, look at Exodus 3, verses 2-6.  We are all familiar with the story of Moses at the burning bush.  The angel of the Lord appears in the burning bush.  Moses is told to take off his shoes because he is on holy ground.  Why is the ground holy?  Because it is God who is in the burning bush. The presence of an angel does not make the ground holy.  There do not appear to be two entities in the burning bush.  The writer tells us: 

“Moreover, he (the angel of the Lord-verse 2) said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” 

Exodus 3:6

This tells us clearly that the Angel of the Lord is God. I will go a step further.  The Angel of the Lord is Jesus. Later in this story, Moses desires to know the name of the God who is sending him on a mission to free God’s people from Egypt.  Jesus would later refer to this story as the “I AM.”

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”

And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

Exodus 3:  13-14

Who is Jesus?

Before we can answer the question of the identity of Michael, we must be sure we know who Jesus is.  Most Christians will have no issue with the essence of Jesus.

When Jesus walked this earth as a man, He was called Immanuel (God with Us).  He is God!  I once was visiting a Sunday School class as a guest.  The topic was Jesus and divinity.  The teacher said, “Jesus never claimed to be God.”  I disagreed and used the following scriptures to support my response. 

“First, He took the name given to Moses at the burning bush.  This upset the religious leaders, and they took up stones to kill Jesus for the offense of blasphemy, i.e., a person who claims to be God Almighty, thereby blaspheming God’s name (Leviticus 24:16).”  Jesus told them:

“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

“At another time, Jesus claimed equality with God the Father.”

I and My Father are one.”

 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”. John 10: 30-33

Jesus was God who came in the flesh of a Man!

The religious leaders wanted to rid themselves of Jesus and often looked for reasons to do so through the favored method of execution, i.e., rocks hurdled at the soft flesh of the offending human.

Finally, I told the Sunday school teacher

“Jesus claimed to be the Son of God under oath!”

I quoted from Luke:

Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” Luke 22:70

As a visitor, I loathed taking up so much of the teacher’s time, but the Spirit of God compelled me to speak.  Later, I was thanked for the short Bible study.

Could it be that Michael is another name for Jesus?  Jesus was given several names.  No one denies His divinity by the use of those names.

The Many Names of Jesus

 Each name comes with meaning and a succinct description of Him, His character, and His purpose.   The word “Jesus” does not appear in the Old Testament, but several other names describe Him:

  • Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 6:9),
  • Lamb of God (John 1:29)
  • Immanuel (God with us-Matthew 1:23)
  • King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37)
  • Son of Man (Matthew 8:20).  This is the name Jesus gave to Himself.
  • Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13)
  • The Bread of Life – John 6:35
  • The Redeemer – Isaiah 59:20
  • The Living Stone – 1 Peter 2:4-8
  • The Word (John 1: 1-14)

From scripture, it is clear that Jesus is divinity and not a created angel. He is part of the eternal three (God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit).  All three were present at Creation:

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

Genesis 1:26 (a)

You and I are descendants of the first man and woman and the creation that came from the hand of Jesus.  Jesus is God.  John, the beloved disciple, proclaims this with boldness when he describes Jesus as “the Word.”

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…

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: 1-5

From this passage, the following is made clear:

  • The Word was present with God at the beginning
  • The Word was God at the beginning
  • All that was made was made by Him (The personal pronoun Him is the same as the Word)
  • In Him is life (Sustainer)
  • He is light.  The darkness (darkness must refer to the opposite of Jesus’ character, i.e., those who were in darkness.  When He came to earth, the religious leaders didn’t recognize Him.
  • He became flesh and lived among us.

A person could substitute “Word” for the name “Jesus” and be perfectly correct in identifying who Jesus is:  Example: “In the beginning was (Jesus), and (Jesus) was with God, and (Jesus) was God.”

Paul also boldly proclaims this about the divinity of Jesus:

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1: 16

Paul goes a step further in Hebrews Chapter 1 to compare Jesus with the angels. His point is this:, though Jesus came in the flesh, He is the Creator and, therefore God:

 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;…  And: “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands

Hebrews 1: 8,10

This is God the Father (verse 5) talking to God the Son. He calls Jesus “God.”

But it must be understood that Jesus was also fully human, tempted in all points as we were (Hebrews 4:15).  He is not ashamed to call us brothers (Hebrews 2:11).  This is part of the salvation story as much as His divinity.  It is also a mystery that we as humans find difficult to understand.

So, we can put this stake in the ground; Jesus is God and not a created angel.  But could Michael be another name for Christ?  Could the purpose of Michael reveal the Son of Man who watches over His people? Perhaps, Michael is another name we can add to the list as names of Jesus that demonstrate his power.  The next question to explore is how the Bible uses the word angel.

Who are Angels?

No doubt, the typical angels we think of and see in pictures were created.  They often show up as men or women without wings and white robes.   The word “angel” in the original language discloses something interesting.  We have already seen that the Angel of the Lord can be another name for God.  Why is that?  Why not just be direct?

The word “angel” appears 199 times in the Bible (NKJV).  The phrase “angel of the Lord” appears 64 times in the Old Testament and New Testament.   The Hebrew word for angel can mean one of the following:

 Abîr:  Strong Ones- chiefest
‘ĕlōhîm:   God or Judge

mal’āḵ:  Messenger, Ambassador

mal’aḵ:  Angel (Notice the slight variance in the previous word)

šin’ān:  Angel

The character of Jesus would fit the first three words easily.  Is he not the chiefest, the strong one, God, Judge, Messenger, and Ambassador for the kingdom of God?

Who are the Cherubs?

These beings (angels called Cherub or Cherubim) appear 70 times in the Old Testament and only once in the New Testament (Hebrews 9:5). They first appear in the Garden of Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve.  Their purpose was to protect the Tree of Life and the Garden…to keep everyone out, “lest they eat and live forever.”  Cherubs are often connected to the Sanctuary as overseeing the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (God’s law).  It is the Cherubim’s purpose to protect.  The Hebrew word for these Cherubs is kᵊrûḇ.  It means an angelic being who protects.

The point is this:  When we see the word “angel,” Cherub, or Cherubim, the interpretation of who is being described will be disclosed in its context!  This is probably the most powerful tool in a good understanding of Scripture: The context of the surrounding verses and words; the context within the chapter or book; the context within the entire Bible; and finally, and most importantly, the context within the character and purpose of God.

So, with this in mind, let’s see why it is highly likely Jesus is described as Michael the Archangel.  But more importantly, what Jesus means to His people.

 Michael-Spiritual Battle in Daniel

Daniel 10:13, 10:21, 12:1

Daniel has been in intense prayer for three weeks.  Why?  He understands that the end of the 70 years of captivity of his people, the Jews, in Babylon is coming to an end. Here is that passage that gives us context to the work of Michael (Daniel 10:2, Daniel 9:2-3)

in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem… In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.

Daniel 9: 2-3, 10:2

There was a long time (3 weeks of intense dedication) before Gabriel responded to Daniel’s prayer. Gabriel was an angel (messenger) that had been the primary communicator with Daniel (Daniel 8: 15-16, 9:21) regarding the prophecies recorded in the book of Daniel. There was a reason for the delay in Gabriel appearing before Danie!  There was a spiritual battle between the Prince of Persia and Gabriel.  Michael came to assist Gabriel in his mission.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:13

(A quick note:  It is not good to be left alone with the enemy.  When Jesus shows up, victory is won!)

Gabriel is alone to contend with the “prince of the kingdom of Persia.”  Notice it does not say “king” of Persia, but rather “prince.”  Daniel 10:1 refers to Cyrus as the “king” of Persia.  The prince of the kingdom of Persia and the King of Persia are two different entities. 

So, who is this “prince of the kingdom of Persia”?  It is likely Satan who wrestles with “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12

Why is the king of Persia being tempted to disobey the influence of Gabriel and follow Satan’s (Prince of Persia) desire to keep the Jews in captivity?  Cyrus was not “wrestling against flesh and blood.”  Here is where we go into “the unseen world in relation to human affairs.” 

Satan influences Cyrus to go against God’s will of allowing the Jews to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and sanctuary destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1).  In that famous decree to “restore and build Jerusalem” (Daniel 9;25), the work had already begun with constructing the temple.  But the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem had political and religious significance to the area. Hence the builders of the wall experienced severe opposition from rulers near Jerusalem. The prophecy of Daniel 9:25 said,

“The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.”

This is shown to come to pass in Nehemiah 4:1:

But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

Nehemiah 4:1

Those who built on the wall and carried burdens loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.

Nehemiah 4:17

But Daniel was praying for three weeks to counteract the influence of Satan (Prince of Cyrus) on King Cyrus.  Gabriel calls upon Michael to finish the work initiated by Daniel’s prayer.  Gabriel was contending against Satan for twenty-one (21) days when Michael showed up.  The passage calls Michael “one of the chief princes.”  But it is better translated literally as “the chief (number one) prince.  Young’s Literal Translations calls Michael the first of the chief heads. Michael means (“He who is like God).  No one can make this claim but Jesus.  Further, the word archangel in Greek means “chief of the angels.”  This does not mean Jesus is an angel, but it does mean He is in charge of the angels, as we will see in Revelation.

So here is the story in its context.  Daniel knows that the captivity of the Jews (according to Jeremiah’s prophecy) is soon to end, and the children of Israel (Daniel’s people) will start to return to the desolate city of Jerusalem.  Nevertheless, Daniel is troubled in his spirit over an undisclosed message he receives and understands (Daniel 10: 1-2). 

Daniel begins to mourn and prays earnestly for three weeks.   While he is praying, Gabriel is in a spiritual battle with Satan (Prince of Persia) over the influence of the King of Persia to follow through with God’s will to release the Jews.

“The king struggles between conflicting emotions.  He hesitates; he delays.  Day after day passes away, yet Daniel prays on.  The king refuses to yield to the angel (Gabriel).  Three weeks expire, and lo, a mightier than Gabriel joins him in the palace of the king and then they come to Daniel to acquaint him with the progress of events.  From the first, said Gabriel, your prayer was heard; but during these three weeks which you have devoted to prayer and fasting, the king of Persia has resisted my influence and prevented by coming. Such was the effect of prayer.” Daniel and Revelation-Smith p. 228, 229)

Then Michael (the chief of the angels) and with more power than the angel Gabriel, influences the King of Persia to obey the will of God and let Daniel’s people go.  The rest is history.  The Jews returned and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and the temple.

Who is Michael?

He has the power to resurrect.

This is demonstrated in Jude 1:9

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending (arguing) with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Satan did not think it was fair for Moses to be resurrected.  The Lord (Michael) simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.”  Only Jesus can argue with the devil about the body of the dead.  Jesus told Mary that He is the resurrection and that trust in Him would bring life back to a dead person:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

John 11:25

 From the Mount of Transfiguration experience, we know that Moses died but was resurrected.  Because He appears with Elijah, who never saw death.  Both are symbols of those alive and dead at the return of Christ (John 17: 1-8)

That brings us to the next appearance of Michael in the New Testament.”

For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Jesus Himself, the resurrection and life, saves us from eternal death by coming again to receive those who are alive and remain” and those who are “dead in Christ.” This power can only be that of Jesus, whose voice is the Archangel that He is. This scene so clearly described by the Apostle Paul should bring us more comfort than any scenario we can think of.

But before He comes, He protects us during the time of trouble:

“At that time, Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book.

Daniel 12:1

Like those during their time in Egypt, God’s people shine with light upon their faces as a testimony to the power and salvation of His people.  The lost cry for the rocks and mountains to fall on them.  Why?  Because they cannot stand to look upon the His face and His wrath (Revelation 6:16).  But the people of God say, 

“Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Isaiah 25:9

The second verse of Chapter 12 in Daniel expands on the events of Michael standing up.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine. Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:2

When Michael stands up, it signifies a point where God has had enough.  Whether alive or dead, every person will have decided to live or die (Revelation 22: 11-12).  Their fate is sealed.  Then Jesus returns.  Only Jesus (aka Michael) has this kind of power.  No angel can be assigned these responsibilities.  Michael (aka Jesus) has power demonstrated in His ability to protect those who belong to Him when all hell is let loose and when the graves (hell) let loose those who awake to eternal life.

Only the Power of Jesus

Because of this power of Michael, I believe it is a synonym for Jesus. For no other angel has this power.

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

Revelation 12: 7-8

Only Jesus has the power to defeat Satan both at the start and at the end.  Let us praise His many names!

That one name, Jesus, summarizes the many names given to Him.  But they are all the same. Whether you call Him Lord, Prince of Peace, Savior, or Michael (One like God), Jesus’ name given Him at birth shows His power, uniqueness, and purpose of His mission of salvation.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 

Matthew 1:21

Death and Resurrection, What to Do With Doubt

WHAT TO DO WITH DOUBT-(RESURRECTION)

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 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

John 20: 26, 27

The resurrection is not preached and taught enough. It is mostly mentioned at Easter services once a year. So sad! Jesus overcoming death and rising from death was the hope of the Apostles’ letters, preaching, and teaching, especially Paul’s. We should contemplate what that means to us as followers of Christ. There is more here than you might not have considered. Paul said,

“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3: 10, 11

Jesus’ resurrection is not only proof of His divinity, but it also gives us hope of the same when He returns as it did all the disciples. But, If Jesus was not resurrected, our faith is in vain. I didn’t say this; Paul did!

Have you ever thought about the claims of Jesus when he said,  

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

John 11:25

For every person, there is death, but we shall all live when our resurrections occur. How important is the resurrection of Jesus? Was it a real event or did Jesus’ disciples just dream it up?  What will our bodies be like when we are resurrected?  What happens before then?

Doubt is demolished when a person comes to truly believe that Jesus was resurrected and He has the same plan for us when He returns.

_________________________

This account is from Thomas, who separated himself from the other disciples after the crucifixion and did not see them again for about eight days after Jesus appeared to them (John 20:24-26).  

____________________________________________

Greetings.  I am Thomas, one of his original 12 disciples.  Jesus commissioned me to do mighty works for the kingdom of God, but I am confused and skeptical, just as you may be.  Let me tell you what I know and the timelines.  I have not seen the other disciples since the last supper, which was the day before the Preparation Day.  You will call it Thursday.  Most of us were scattered when He went to trial and was crucified.  I think I saw Peter on the other side of the hill weeping on that day.

First of all, I know that Jesus is dead!  I saw him beaten, scourged, and eventually nailed to that cruel Roman Cross. He died on the afternoon of the Preparation Day.  This is the day you Gentiles call Friday.  It is the day us Jews and the converts prepare for the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship.  I have always enjoyed the Sabbath, especially with Jesus, but this Sabbath was different.  We all retreated to a secret spot to literally rest from the events of the previous 24 hours, but our souls were not at rest.  The women had seen the body of Jesus and were resting according to the Sabbath commandment.  Their plan was to go to the tomb of Jesus at the rising of the sun on the First Day of the week to prepare his body. (John 20:19 and Luke 23:56)

The Scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus dead because they said He claimed to be God and that he could tear down the temple and build it again in three days.  Often Jesus would say things like this that made little sense to me. But, later, he would explain it to His followers, and we could see its true meaning.

Since the religious leaders didn’t want Jesus and the two thieves hanging on the cross during the Sabbath, they broke the legs of the thieves to hurry the death process.  You see, a man hanging on the cross with broken legs is unable to push up against the nails in his feet to get a breath with their legs broken.  The diaphragm will collapse in such a way that they smother to death.  Such a disgusting and uncomfortable slow death, but since the Sabbath was only a few hours from the beginning, they were fortunate and did not have to suffer for days as have many others.  The Romans are so cruel! But, I don’t put all the blame on them.  Our own religious leaders pushed and pushed until they finally got what they wanted…the scourging and death of Jesus.

But, when the soldiers came to Jesus, they supposed he was already dead and did not break his legs but rather took a sword and pierced his side just to make sure (John 19: 31-37).  Blood and water came forth.  I saw it even though I watched from a distance to protect myself from the same fate.   It was horrible!  It took the air out of me (so to speak) and made me wonder why I followed Jesus in the first place.  So, I know Jesus to be dead!  Even the women knew He was dead and went to His tomb that Friday afternoon to look at his body and to prepare spices to anoint him early on Sunday morning.

Mary Magdalene, who Jesus had cast out seven demons, said that she had seen Jesus at the tomb with two angels.  But I don’t know about her.  She did have demons, didn’t she?  Jesus cast out several demons out of her, but maybe one was leftover, making her mad.  The whole city must be mad because it is reported that many people who were dead were resurrected and appeared to many! (Matthew 27:53)  I have not seen any, but I must admit I have not been going out much lately. I feel lost and with no purpose or direction.  I just want to rest.

Then I heard that about eight days ago, on the day you Gentiles call Sunday, Cleopas and his friend were on their way to Emmaus and had an encounter with a spirit or something. It was reported to me by the other disciples that a stranger spent a good three hours giving a comparative study of the writings of the Tanakh or the Old Testament as you call it.

As they walked down the dusty road towards Emmaus, the stranger told them about how Jesus could be found all through scripture.  As they began to understand from the Tanakh about Jesus, they could see why He had to die on the cross. They said it made their “hearts burn within them.”  I remember Jesus saying something about dying and being resurrected, but it was so far from my thinking that I put it out of my mind.

Cleopas reported that they begged him to stay when they reached their destination and tell them more of what he knew.  But, the stranger turned out to be Jesus himself!  They apparently recognized him as He broke bread, and then He disappeared.  Can you imagine that?  He just disappeared!

They then raced back to Jerusalem with the news of what had just happened.   But the disciples were skeptical as I am. Now the other disciples are claiming Jesus showed up at their meeting and that he also gave them a comparative study from the Tanakh about himself.  He then asked for something to eat, and he ate some fish. Does a spirit eat food? Quite unusual.

So that is what I know so far.  It is all only rumor and wishful thinking as far as I am concerned.  Tragic events like this can lead you to think weird things.  So I think I will walk over and see how my friends are doing. The last time I saw them, they were fearful and unbelieving as I am, but something has come over them the last week.  They swear they have seen Jesus.

As I walk in, I notice the doors are not shut, and there is a certain confidence and happiness in the countenance of each one.  Peter rushes over to me and says,

“We have seen the Lord!”

My response is quick and to the point,

“Unless I see, in His hands, the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

John 20:25

I am serious too.  His death has been difficult to both understand and accept.  My mind begins to fall back to those final moments before he died.  He said,

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

What did He mean by this?  Is there more to this than forgiveness?

As I am thinking about this, I look up, and right there in front of me is Jesus!  But….Jesus…you….are… Do I see a spirit?  I don’t believe in ghosts!  Then I hear His voice and His words:

Thomas…. “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” John 20:27

I take my trembling finger and place it on the place where the nails were…both hands!  It is strange to feel a scar where I saw nails piercing his skin only a week or so ago.   I reach out and put my hand inside His robe and feel the warmth of His skin and the scar where the sword had been.  I then look up at His eyes. I see the kindness and royalty of a wise and gentle king and savior.  He IS alive!  I fall at his feet and say in remorse and acknowledgment.

“My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28

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“…we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.”

Philippians 3: 20, 21

How Important is the Resurrection in your life?

How important is it in your experience and understanding of the Second Coming? Why is this so important?  Can’t we just believe that he existed and that be enough?

Jesus told Thomas these important words:

“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20: 29

We will never have the experience that Thomas had when he touched the risen and glorified body of Jesus, but we can still find evidence that will result in faith to believe that Jesus is alive and is preparing a place for those who believe and love Him.  You see, faith is based on substance and evidence.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

If Christ was not raised, then the disciples are liars. We have no hope. We are not saved from anything.  Those who have “fallen asleep” in Christ have perished.  And when we sleep in Christ, there is no resurrection for us.  If we only have a Christ that died and did not come back to life, He is just like every other person who claims to be God.  Follow the logic of Paul’s argument in the following portion of scripture:

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if, in fact, the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”  

1 Corinthians 15:  12-19

Here is the logic:

1.) If Resurrection is not possible, nor important, then Jesus has not been raised.

2.) If Jesus has not been raised, then preaching and teaching is in vain.

3.) If Preaching and teaching are in vain then faith is empty (It has no substance-nor basis).

4.) If faith is empty, then the disciples are false witnesses because they said they saw him alive.

4.) If the Disciples are false witnesses, then Christ has not risen.

5.) If Christ has not risen, then our faith in Christ is futile. All those who have died have perished.

6.) Since there is no hope of a resurrection, we are of men, most pitiable.

Paul told us that he did not want us to be ignorant about the resurrection and those who have fallen asleep (died).  If we are ignorant about it, we will sorrow like everyone else that does not have hope.  But, the fact that Jesus died and was resurrected gives us the hope of one day coming back to life through the resurrection.

Our hope is that Jesus is all that He claimed to be.  He claims to have the keys to the grave and death (Revelation 1:8). He claims to be the resurrection and the life and

“even though we die, we will live again.”

John 11:25

“ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep (died), lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring (resurrect) with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14

Paul goes so far as to provide us with the clearest passage in the Bible about the day when all who have died in Christ will be resurrected.  It will happen this way: The Lord will descend from heaven.  It will be loud because there is a shout and a loud trumpet.  Also, the sky will be lit up with the angels and the glory of Jesus and the Father.

Those in the grave will hear his voice and will meet with those who are alive at the 2nd coming and meet them in the air.  This is the start of eternity with Jesus.  This picture described by Paul is the comfort for us who are to be resurrected. One day we will all be reunited with those alive at His coming.  Not at any other time, but at His second coming:

“For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

 I Thessalonians 4:15-18

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  (Note: our reward is when he comes)

Matthew 16:27 

Then the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. 

Matthew 25:31

So how important is the resurrection?  It is critical to our salvation:

 “… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

Romans 10:9

Why is the resurrection not discussed more?  It is the bedrock of the faith we follow regarding Jesus.

Many of the writers of the Bible believed in and put their hope in the resurrection.  Here is but a few:

Job:

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27

Isaiah:

Your dead shall live;

Together with my dead body, they shall arise.

Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;

For your dew is like the dew of herbs,

And the earth shall cast out the dead. Isaiah 26:19

Daniel:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

David:

 “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” Psalm 17:15

Abraham:

Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead Hebrews 11:18

There is no precedence for the resurrection except for Jesus. No other person has raised themselves from the dead. Jesus said this about the resurrection:

Jesus said,

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” 

John 11:25

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

John 6:40

Until the Lord returns, the dead sleep and wait for the last day when Jesus will raise them up.  What a day that will be!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there (heaven), the Lord Jesus Christ,  who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Philippians 3: 20-21

Look again at the resurrection of Jesus and His body.  Here you will see what our bodies shall look like.  As the verse above, and many others, tell us:  We “wait” for that glorious day when He returns and changes us.  It is not until that day that we can say,

 “Oh death, where is thy sting?  Oh grave, where is thy victory?”

1 Corinthians 15:55

We cannot say this at a funeral.  The context tells us, these words cannot be said until our risen Savior returns and changes our bodies like to his risen body:

 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1 Corinthians 15: 51-55

In conclusion, let us not be a doubting Thomas but believe.  We are promised a blessing if we believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He can do the same for us!  He has promised to do that very thing when he returns.  Oh, what a day that will be!  The great “getting up morning”!

“In that great gettin’ up mornin’ fare the well, fare the well.”

Faith, Time of Trouble

THE TIME OF TROUBLE-GOD GLORIFIED

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“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book.

Daniel 12:1

The Doctrine of Fear?

A well-meaning friend with concern about end-times said,

” I hope I am not alive when Jesus returns because I don’t think I could endure the time of trouble.”

A different statement from another friend:

“I don’t worry about the time of trouble because God will rapture the church before it all starts.”

Regardless of what one believes about tribulation, “pre-tribulation” or “post-tribulation,” there is a danger in both of the two responses above.

For the easy-way-out person, i.e., “I don’t have to worry about the time of trouble,” spiritual preparation to trust God to the uttermost becomes a low priority. The health and wealth “gospel” and mindset leave a person with the possibility of great disappointment and exposure should their thinking be incorrect.

The believer who worries that they want to escape trials and trouble through death is equally in danger. They don’t have faith in God to strengthen and protect them even when times are rough before the great time of trouble.

There is a third response. It is a response of faith that can conquer any situation.

“I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me,”
Pilippians 4:14

Paul

Can this mindset be true even during a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation? Trust in God to the uttermost has been demonstrated throughout the Church’s history. Persecution of believers who have this level of faith reflects God’s power, truth, and grace even while being burned at the stake.

Endurance and Salvation

The endurance of believers is the theme of encouragement for us in the last days. They are found all through the Bible and the history of Jesus’ church. It is a biblical certainty prophesied by Jesus and recorded for us in Matthew, John, and Mark.

“…If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…
John 15:20

Jesus

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 10:22

Jesus

When Jesus spoke about the last generation on planet earth, He said,

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  but he who endures to the end shall be saved.  Matthew 24:12

Jesus

At the end of time, the strong in Christ endure the pressure of the beast’s power (political and religious entity). They are faithful and obedient to the commands of God. As a result, they are recognized specifically as those…

…who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name,
Revelation 15:2 

John

There is no doubt that the believers, i.e., His Church, go through this terrible time of trouble to glorify God and reward those who endure to the end. They are singled out as victorious over anything the Beast Satan (dragon) can throw at them.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17

John

God’s Purpose

What is the purpose of all persecution and suffering? Paul said it this way:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Romans 8:1

Paul

Suffering has a purpose: God’s glory revealed in us!

Enduring times of trouble is an opportunity to demonstrate the level of faith and strength God gives you in mini-trials throughout your Jesus’ journey. The daily exercises in faith build the bone and muscle of the believer’s confidence!

The ancient prophet, Jeremiah, asks this relevant and revealing question:

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? 
Jeremiah 12:5

Jeremiah

In modern terms, If we can’t trust God in the small challenges of life, how will we have confidence in Him in the large things? Paul, that great man of God, encourages us to be conquerors and tells us nothing can separate us from God. Is this fact of Jesus true for you today? Do you believe He is with you through good times and bad times?

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 37-39

Paul

God’s continual presence, love, and victory is are demonstrated in the conquering power God gives us!

Protection During The Time of Trouble

When modern Bible fiction writers and their followers talk about the time of trouble, they emphasize the terrible conditions during the great tribulation predicted by Daniel and Jesus. They paint a dark, bleak picture of the beast’s actions in Revelation 13 and the Anti-Christ, followed by God’s judgments of the seven last plagues of Revelation 16. And, I might say, “rightly so.” These judgments are not warnings; they are actions of a Holy God, who has determined enough is enough!

These judgments fall on the people of the earth who have rejected God. At the same time, His people are protected from the effects of the judgments falling on planet earth. There is precise precedence for this type of situation.

A foreshadowing of God’s protection during the plagues is presented in the story of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt.

Just as God protected His people in the days before they were delivered from the might of Egypt, God will protect His people in the last days of rescue from a fallen world.

As you read the story of Israel’s preparation for deliverance, notice the plagues fell on the Pharaoh and Egypt while God’s people were still in Egypt! When the last plague of the death angel who slew the firstborn. God asked the Israelites to put their protection in the blood of the lamb by putting the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. The angel of death “passed over” the home that had followed God’s commands. That event is celebrated to this day through the ceremony of The Passover. So it will be in the last days, God will pass over those who are hidden in Christ and depend upon His blood for their salvation! David must have been reflecting on the power of God’s protection when he wrote:

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
Psalm 91: 9-10

David

There were ten plagues in Egypt; there will be seven in the time of trouble. Just as God protected His people in Egypt, God will protect His people in the final days of the planet in rebellion against God.

The view of faith to endure via God’s grace and strength is more Biblical than the easy way out. The person who fears such times may lack the faith that is available every day until the proclamation of God seals the fate of those who have faith in Christ and are alive just before He comes.

He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him [e]be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

Revelation 22: 11-12

“…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8

Jesus

Jesus asked this rhetorical question directed at the disciples, with the Pharisees nearby, demonstrating the importance of faith before He returns.

Trust (faith) in Jesus propels the believer through the toughest of times, even the great tribulation.

As mentioned at the start, some pastors ignore the topic of the coming great tribulation, saying things like, “I won’t be here anyway.” The proverbial head in the sand would apply here. To give an easy way out of the turmoil upon the earth in the final days eliminates the story of victory, the rejoicing of overcoming, and the glorification of God through us! The demonstration to the universe of believers staying faithful to God even amid extreme difficulty is lost if their faith is not seen! It is a smooth doctrine of peace and safety for an escape.

“At That Time”

In the final chapter of Daniel, the angel describes a point where Michael “stands up.” This motion is a powerful allusion to strength, decision, and finality. In modern terminology, Jesus has had enough. The wicked and their leaders have crossed a line. Their continuous battles and wars have gone too far (See Daniel 11 for context).

In Daniel 12: 1, the “time” is described in this order:

1.) Jesus, who watches over His people, stands up.

2.) A time of trouble begins after Jesus stands up

3.) At that time (time of trouble), the people are delivered whose name is written in the book of life. This is not a deliverance FROM the time of trouble but THROUGH the time of trouble. This is not wordplay but the context of precedence. Think of all the characters in the Bible and Church History. They did not escape persecution; they endured it. Examples: the disciples, the early Christians, those in the dark ages against the powerful Roman church, and even those in modern-day Islamic-controlled countries.

After Jesus stands up, He returns to take up His people to where He is now (John 14: 1-3). Those who remain alive after the terrible catastrophes on the earth AND those who sleep in the dust! Those who never see death are few and far between, but they have endured through the power of their faithful God and Jesus Christ. These faithful few will witness the most spectacular event of all times…” never since there was a nation.” Here is a description from three inspired writers of the Bible:

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…”
Daniel 12:2

Daniel

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Job 19:26

Job

The context of the above verses gives hope to believers that the dead will come to live again.

Christian brothers, we want you to know for sure about those who have died. You have no reason to have sorrow as those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and then came to life again. Because we believe this, we know that God will bring to life again all those who belong to Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-14

Paul

Book of Life-And Believers at the End

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:8
John

The context of Revelation 13:8 is the two beasts that enforce economic sanctions on earth’s people (verses 1 and 11-17). Those not in the book of life will worship him (the sea beast). Conversely, those written in the book of life don’t worship the beast and his image. This last group is the believers. They are on earth to glorify God and demonstrate His power.

Since the anti-Christ and the beast are part of the time of trouble, it confirms God’s people are still on earth and standing faithfully for the Lord by obeying His command to have no other gods before them, not to bow down and worship graven images. This same scenario is found in Daniel 3. The golden image and the command to bow down and worship it under the duress of the death decrees. But God’s people stand firm.

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 14:12

John

Notice that this small group has patience, and they are identified as loyal to God’s commandments and have faith like Jesus!

Is this deliverance before or during the time of trouble? Delivered from what? How is the deliverance accomplished? The next verse in Daniel 12 adds context to the deliverance.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life…
Daniel 12: 2

Daniel

At this time, those living in peace and safety in our society are a sensitive narcissistic generation who could care less about God. They are caught unaware when the Lord “stands up.”

They have become like the people of Noah,’ and Lot’s generations. They are described as going about their normal routines of life just before destruction. Jesus described it this way,

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Luke 17: 26-30

Jesus

These unbelievers wrapped up in everyday life apart from God are contrasted with those who stay faithful to God. Their eyes are looking upward. They are protected and saved. The others are looking to nature to save them:

Two Different Responses:

Those who have made God their refuge…their hiding place, stand in the open as Jesus returns and proclaims,

“Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
Isaiah 25:9

Isaiah

Those who have failed at faith or ignored it, will say,

and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 6:16-17

The answer to the question in Revelation is this:.

Those who are able to stand are the believers who have put their complete trust in Jesus and His word daily. This choice has resulted in faith that is able to endure the most difficult time of planet earth.

My friend, Jesus wants to save you to the uttermost. Take time just now to examine yourself and commit your whole life and situations to total trust in Jesus every step of the way. You will develope strength for whatever is thrown your way. Would you do it just now?

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”
2 Corinthians 13:5

Paul
Faith, Inspiration

The Hall of Faith

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“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

1 Corinthians 9:25

In 1963, Canton, Ohio, became the shrine’s location for pro-football players coaches, including franchise owners and front-office personnel.  In the life of a football player, it is a high honor to be included in the annual class of inductees, which are typically four to eight people.  In a way, these fine athletes are made “immortal” in the sports world of football.  At the mention of the city, Canton, the faithful know it signifies fame forever. This shrine is called the Hall of Fame.

The class of 2022 inductees is made up of eight people:  six players, a coach, and an official.  The players include men whose job was to either protect the quarterback (offensive linemen), tackle the quarterback (defensive linemen), or receive a pass from the quarterback (wide receiver).   . The position of every defensive player is to stop the quarterback, while the job of every offensive player is to support the quarterback’s leadership in moving forward.

This 2022 class brings the total to 362 Football professionals in the Hall of Fame.  All have contributed to the game and reached the pinnacle of the sport.  They will receive a yellow jacket and be remembered for many years to come.  They are the few.  Almost all of us have no chance of ever becoming a professional football player, much less reaching this level.  It requires youth, strength, dedication, training, and genes you and I were not born with.

Did you know God has a Hall of Faith made up of many different people over hundreds, even thousands of years?  They were ordinary people like you and me!  This Hall of Fame, found in Hebrews chapter 11, has at least fifteen “immortalized” people who demonstrated exceptional faith; all were Old Testament characters!  But some groups of people also showed great faith in difficult times.  The children of Israel crossed over the Red Sea by faith and brought down the walls of Jericho. “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.”  Hebrews 11: 35

This faith was not in a game but a person: the Lord Jesus. “The Author and Finisher of our faith.” Each person believed in the recorded promises of God, but each one in this Hall of Faith died without receiving the promise of God.  “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.”  Hebrews 11:39. 

What was it they were promised?  It was a homeland, a heavenly one. 

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say, such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And indeed, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had the opportunity to return.  But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 12: 13-16

Just as the Football Hall of Famer inspires the football enthusiast, the Faith Hall of Famer inspires each person who has chosen to go all-in for Jesus.  This person who says, they are a stranger and pilgrim on earth expresses faith in the promise of a better country.  More than likely, each will die before receiving the promise.  Nevertheless, a better country awaits those who live by faith.  But this is not a spectator life of faith.  It is active.  It requires dedication, training, and the “measure of faith” that God gives every person who comes into the world. (Romans 12:7).  If you are to be in God’s Hall of Faith, Paul gives us this final simple plea. 

Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (the Hall of Faith), let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12: 1-2

Will you choose to enter the race today?  How do you succeed?  Only one way.  You look to the Author and Finisher of our faith.  The Lord Jesus!

A Week Before The Resurrection

HE IS ALIVE! NOW I UNDERSTAND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

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The Day That Changed History

 It was like I had been reading the scripture the way I wanted it to read instead of letting it talk to me!

The following is based on Luke 24

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“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.   And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.  And they remembered his words,  And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.”  Luke 24: 1-9

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It was early in the morning and the sky was getting brighter as we walked the dusty road speaking in low tones. My new friend Cleopas talked in pain about the things that had transpired over the last few days.  So many things!  All very bad!

The disappointment started with the arrest of Jesus in the Garden east of the city.   During the night and into the early morning of the Preparation Day (Friday) the soldiers and mob began to move him between the governor and religious leadership. Then they beat him to a pulp. Eventually they crucified him on a Roman cross on the hill outside of Jerusalem later in the afternoon of the Preparation Day.  I watched as he hung his head and took his last breath. I think I saw Peter off in the distance.  He appeared to be on his knees with his face in his hands.  His disappointment must be very great! We all loved the gentle Jesus and will miss him. He certainly went about doing good.  I just don’t understand these series of events. Cleophas and I both repetitively ask, Why?

I will certainly be labeled as a fanatic believer by my brothers, the Sadducees.  The religious leaders have declared Jesus a blasphemer and made sure He was no longer a factor in our religion. They have won and put an innocent precious soul to death. Not just death, but the cruel and tortuous death on a Roman cross. Why were they so determine to do away with Him?

There had been an earthquake and the sun refused to let go of its light.  Darkness took over the land like a thick wet smothering blanket.  Everything seemed out of place. It was frightening.  The large curtain in the temple had been ripped from top to bottom by some unseen hands. There were even reports of people, considered saints,  coming out of their graves and appearing to many in the city! (Matthew 27: 51-53)

My personal disappointment because made me weak. I have a lot to lose. I believed everything He said and was amazed at His great miracles and works of kindness. We thought him to be the Messiah prophesied by many of the prophets hundreds of years ago.  He was going to set up his kingdom and deliver the Jews from the iron rule of Rome.   He was the coming king upon which I hung all my hopes.   But, it seemed like he did not want the office of king.  I had left everything to follow him and learn his teachings, but all this seemed to come to nothing on that Friday afternoon when He died.

Now only doubt, sadness, and breath-taking disappointment draped themselves on Cleopas and me. My head is spinning with confusion.  I  want an explanation, but the reality of possible deception by this Nazarene was creeping into my thoughts and it made me feel sick and foolish.  On top of everything else, the body of Jesus is missing!  The women said He was alive, confirmed by a couple of other disciples, but I know better.  It is just wishful thinking on their part. No one could have survived the beating, the nails, the loss of blood, and finally the sharp sword in the side.  I saw it and refuse to believe anything but what my eyes can confirm. There was no mistaking… the vision of so much blood and the pale appearance of death was real and convincing.

We are on our way to Emmaus to start over;  a walk of about 8 miles.  It will take me the usual 3 1/2 hours or so to walk…maybe longer today because of our conversation and a heavy heart. This dusty walk will give us plenty of time to try to put all the pieces together….to try to understand and make sense of everything and to decide what to do with the rest of our lives. My clothes are now those of the common person.  I have removed my garments worn by the other Sadducees. My self-identification is stuck between tradition and my disappointment.

All of a sudden, and unexpected, a stranger walks up from behind and joins us. He scared us a little then  he asks,

“Why are you so sad and what are you discussing?”

I find these two questions odd in the light of the excitement and well-known events of the weekend. Slightly agitated and amazed Cleopas speaks before I can open my mouth and he answers the question with a question.  He throws in some sarcasm for good measure.

“Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem that does not know the things which happened there this last few days?”

 I am even more amazed when the stranger asks,

“What things?”

In disbelief, we began to explain to the stranger the events of the last few days.  Reviewing everything does not help my mental and spiritual pain. We rush through what we saw as a courtesy to the stranger.

“These things concern Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people .  The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.  Indeed, besides all this today is the third day since these things happened.  Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.  Then they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” Luke 24: 19-24

Then the stranger calls Cleopas and me “foolish ones” and that we are “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken”  This is certainly not so! I have always believed the prophets.  I have come from a family who believes in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and I have read it often.  The prophets said, that the Messiah would come and deliver Israel from its enemies.

But the stranger began to recite the writings of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) and all the Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Micah, Malachi, etc)  of the Tanakh and explain things I had missed before.

The stranger clearly points out passages that were references to Jesus.  For the next 3 hours, I am amazed at the knowledge and clarity of the stranger’s words.  As I listened to him recite our ancient books, I begin to see that it was necessary for Jesus to die for the sins of the world, but that He would be raised up the third day!  How had I missed that?  Why had we not believed Jesus when he said it was necessary for him to die and that he would rise again?  

It was like I had been reading the scripture the way I wanted it to read instead of letting it talk to me!  Indeed, we felt foolish but encouraged by the words of the stranger.  My heart burned within me!  I wanted to hear more!  This was all exciting and new to me!  Hope was starting to spring up in my heart! What if Jesus really was alive again?

As we near the village, the day is in its final hours. it is getting darker. I don’t want the stranger to go and I look for excuses for him to stay the night so we can hear more. Thankfully, He agrees to have supper with us.

As He breaks the bread, I recognize those hands and the manner in which he breaks it!  I finally look across the table into his eyes about the same time as Cleopas.  

It is Jesus!  

As soon as we recognize him, he disappears!  We had been talking to Jesus the whole time and we didn’t recognize him!

With intense excitement and joy, Cleopas and I jump up and run the 8 miles back to Jerusalem in the dark!   We must tell the others who were behind closed doors…those who share our confusion and disappointment.  When we arrive,  we find them huddled in a group in fear and disappointment.  Out of breath, we begin to tell them what had happened over the last several hours.  As we are telling them, Jesus appears in the room!

Everyone jumps back.  They think they are seeing a spirit, but Jesus tells them it is Him and that He is not a spirit. To prove it, He invites them to touch Him and He asks for something to eat.  They give Him some fish and some honeycomb.  After everyone settles down and the scales of their eyes begin to fall away, Jesus repeats the same type of study Cleopas and I heard on the road to Emmaus.  This time, He uses the entire Tanakh including the Psalms to explain how He is found all through scripture. All the disciples begin to understand that He had to die, but that He would rise on the third day.  How could we have been so slow to understand?  It was right there!

Then He said to us,

“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you.  that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.  And He opened our understanding that we might comprehend the Scriptures.”

Now I understand! He is alive! It is right there in the scripture that He must teach us, die for us, and then rise up for us! He is all about us. We now must be all about Him!

The only disciple not with us is Thomas.  The disappointment of the cross was too much for him.  We have not seen him since Friday.  It will be 8 days before Thomas shows up…

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 Next, we will take a look at Jesus through the eyes of one who is a well-known doubter (Thomas) and attempt to understand why the resurrection of Jesus is an absolute cornerstone of the Christian faith. In fact, without it, Paul says we are most pitiful of all men (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19). But, after we see through the eyes of Thomas we will exclaim as he did:

“My Lord and My God.”  John 20:28 

A Week Before The Resurrection

DAY 1 AND 2-THE WEEK BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

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“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah 9: 9

The above was written about 550 years before the events of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Despite clear descriptions from the word of God, it seems we always get it wrong regarding the coming of Jesus. The Jews of old expected the Messiah to come riding on a white horse and conquering their enemies so they could rule the world. But He came quietly riding on a donkey in a small part of the word as predicted by the prophets. Today, many preachers think Jesus’ second coming will be quiet despite scripture’s teaching of a grand world-wide event seen by “every eye.” Revelation 1:7

(The following first-person account is based on the NIV version of John 12:1-19, John 11, Matthew 21:1-11,  26: 6-13, Mark 11:1-11, 14:3-9, Luke 7: 11-17,  Luke 8: 40-56, Luke 19:28-40, and Luke 24)

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Six day before the Passover,  Jesus asked me to take Cleopas and go to a small nearby village.  There we would find a donkey and a colt tied up.  Jesus told us to loosen the two animals and bring them back to Him.  If anyone asks why we were taking them, we were to say, “the Lord has need of them.”

Looking back on the events of the last seven days, I understand more about the prophecies of the Tanakh (Old Testament), especially after Jesus gave Cleopas and me a  Bible study on the Messianic prophecies as we walked towards Emmaus after the resurrection.

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The day before Jesus asked us to bring to him the donkey and its colt we were all staying in Bethany (just outside of Jerusalem) at the home of Martha and her brother Lazarus.  It was odd to sit there at the table with a  man who had been dead for four days! But there he was.  I asked him what it was like and he said it was like a sleep where time movement was as a split second.  I remember Jesus using the same word as we headed to Bethany to see Lazarus.  He had told us,

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”  

We thought this peculiar and told him it would “be good to let him sleep.” Then Jesus told us very bluntly,

” Lazarus is dead.“

So, I was not surprised that Lazarus had nothing to report about being dead other than being unconscious like a deep sleep where morning comes as soon as your head hits the pillow.

When Lazarus got sick, Martha sent for Jesus, but He took his time getting to Bethany because He said that his sickness was

“for the glory of God  and that the Son of God might be glorified through it.”

Martha was upset that Jesus didn’t come right away because she knew He could heal Lazarus and He wouldn’t die.  She had comfort knowing that Lazarus would “rise again in the resurrection at the last day,” because Jesus told her so.   But Jesus said,

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

In Jesus’ presence, the dead are always brought back to life.  He never attended a funeral where the dead were not raised! This is the way it will be when He returns the second time. He has promised.

Two times before, we had seen Him bring life back to a dead body.  There was the widow’s son at Nain and Jairus’ daughter.  The noisy crowd at Jairus’ house  had laughed at Jesus when he told, them

“She is not dead, but sleeping.”

I am sure if we asked them what death was like, they would say the same thing as Lazarus and Jesus.  It is like sleep.  This was Jesus, favorite description of death.

Now the chief priests not only wanted to kill Jesus, but they wanted to kill Lazarus too!  Lazarus was a testimony against their own beliefs and power.  The Sadducees were especially irritated by the resurrection of Lazarus because they did not believe in the resurrection, but as I said,  there he was…living proof of not only the certainty of resurrection but also of the power of the Son of God.  He symbolized what would happen to all who put their trust in Jesus and the chief priests did not like this because it was a threat to their own beliefs about death and their own power over the people.

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So after the wonderful supper served by Martha, Mary washed the feet of Jesus with some expensive oil called spikenard.  Judas was unhappy about this act and complained that Mary’s oil could be sold and given to the poor.  Later we would understand why Judas was so upset.  It turns out he was stealing from us!  Jesus told us, particularly Judas,

“Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Little did we know that about a week later, she would have this oil with her when she went to the empty tomb of Jesus.

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Cleopas and I left the crowded home of Lazarus and headed to the village where we found the donkey and the colt tied up just as Jesus had described.  The owner asked the question for which we already had the answer and we headed back to Bethany.

The next morning on the first day of the week, Sunday (aka as Palm Sunday) as you Gentiles call it, we threw our cloaks on the donkey and helped Jesus upon the beast.  Fear came over some of us because Jesus had avoided Jerusalem, the Jews, and particularly the religious leaders.  They were expecting Him to come to Jerusalem for the feasts.

 “…both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.“

We felt like Jesus was putting us all on dangerous ground.

As we headed into town, many of those who Jesus had healed began to go ahead of him and the crowds began to grow as they gave open and loud praises to him!  It was customary for royalty or important leaders to ride into Jerusalem on powerful horses to prove their strength, force, and intimidation.  But, seeing Jesus on the donkey spoke to me of humbleness, servitude, compassion, and empathy.

Instead of royal banners, the people joined the growing throng and cut down palm branches and placed them in the path of the anticipated new king of Israel.  As the crowd grew larger and louder, our hearts beat wildly within us.  All of the disciples had waited for this day when He would accept the people’s adoration and set himself up as King and deliver us from the tyranny of our enemies, particularly Rome!  All of us would certainly have high positions in His new kingdom!

More people got caught up in the scene of the approaching King and went out to join the followers and those healed by Jesus.  There were many there whose lives found not only new health but meaning and faith in Jesus as the Messiah.  All joined in with the praises and cutting palm branches.  They waved them in celebration of this wonderful day of deliverance.  Many placed clothing in the path of their new King!

The crowd spontaneously and repeatedly shouted the words of the Psalmist who predicted their words hundreds of years before:

 ‘“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The King of Israel!”‘

(Psalm 118: 25, 26)

This scene was also described by the prophet Zechariah (9:9)

‘”Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”‘

The Pharisees shouted over the crowd for Jesus to rebuke or make the people quiet.  But Jesus said if He did so the stones would immediately cry out! Now was the appointed time for praise to the long-awaited Messiah!

Cleopas and I would not understand all this until a week later when Jesus would give us the Bible study as we walked towards Emmaus.  We would hear it a second time when He also taught the remaining eleven disciples from the Tanakh.

In the coming week, before His resurrection, we would see and hear many things from Jesus.  After his clearing out the merchants at the temple,  we would hear parables and listen to the religious leaders try to trap him.  Most of all we looked forward to having the Passover with Him.  But, only the twelve would be there.  

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DAY 2

Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ 

Mark 11: 17

A first -person account of the last week before the resurrection

The following happened on the 2nd day of the week before the resurrection of Jesus

Based on Matt. 21:12-16, 23-46; Mark 11:15-19, 27-33; 12:1-12; Luke 19:45-48; 20:1-19

I would tell you my name, but I don’t want my constituents to know who I am, particularly those of the ruling class here in Jerusalem. You will understand after you hear my story.

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The Rabble call Him Jesus.  I watched the stinking rabble follow the false prophet into our city.  The palm branches, the donkey, the praises were disturbing to me. The timing could not have been worse.  The Passover is near and there are many people from all over the country in our fair city. Jews, converted Gentiles, and the merchants I hired.  This is one of the biggest festivals of the year and it is my responsibility as one of the Sadducees to make sure the event is profitable.

The temple yard is full of the merchants selling the sacrificial animals required by the Torah and the Law of Moses.  There are sheep, goats, bulls, and doves.  I must admit, the sound is loud in the temple yard with all the commotion of the bleating sheep, cows mooing, and all the other sounds of bargaining and people doing business, but the tinkling of the money tells me this year is going to be very good for the Temple and our religion. Most important to me is that I will get a good share of the profits.

The rabble is more than willing to sacrifice their money to buy one of the animals.  Because of the demand, we can charge what we wish.  They will pay for it!   The prices are the highest they have ever been!  Yes, business is good!  We need to take advantage of the short time available to those of us in the business.

There is a sudden hush over the crowd. It has gone dead quiet.  Even the animals have stopped their pitiful sounds.

“What is going on?”

As I say this to a man standing next to me, my eyes fall on a figure near the entrance to the temple and behind the money-changers’ tables.  His eyes meet mine and I see anger and pity combined.  I have never seen such a face so calm and assuring, but also powerful and regal despite his well-traveled clothes.  He is obviously not part of the leaders in the city.

Then it occurs to me, this is the man…the false prophet…He is the man called Jesus that everyone was honoring yesterday!  He has some cords in his hands and he raises them above his head and strikes the tables and all the coin goes flying.  He then takes hold of the tables and flips them quickly as if he is judging my friends selling the animals.  Who is He to judge my friends in such a harsh way?

Then in a loud voice,  He says,

“Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ 

The crowd, particularly the money changers go running out of the Temple yard trying to grab a few of the reachable coins as they hastily and fearfully retreat.  Even the animals flee! The sheep and goats run with a certain joy as would a man escaping from prison. Jesus opens the cages and lets the doves fly away.  There goes the money we planned on making today! Who is this Jesus to do such a thing?  We are just trying to make an honest living…Well, some of those money changers are sinners and probably are not honest with the buyers, but what is that to me?

In a matter of moments, the Temple area is quiet and all that remains is Jesus, the rabble, and me. But,  I decided to leave with the animals as His eyes again penetrate mine.  I feel uncomfortable and feel the strange metallic fear in the back of my throat.  But, as I quickly leave, I see some of the rabble coming in.  They have their children.  Soon the Temple area has a new sound of praising and children laughing.

In the streets, I see my other Sadducee brothers, the chief priests, and the elders coming towards me with a perplexed look on their faces.   The Pharisees are not too far behind. They ask me what I had just asked a man near me,

“What is going on in the Temple?”

I give them a brief description and we all walk to the Temple to encounter Jesus.  He can’t do this and get away with it!  I seem to recall that He did this three years ago! What authority does He have to do such a thing?  Anyway, we need to get our business back up and running quickly.

As we enter temple area, we can hear men and women singing and the children are saying the same thing as yesterday,

“”Hosanna to the Son of David!”

People are praising God and crying with happiness for their eyesight and ability to walk again.  The children are sitting on the knees of Jesus and everyone is in a joyous and attentive mood.  Not very proper for the religious atmosphere of the Temple!  It makes me uncomfortable hearing the sound of children saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” So I say to Jesus,

“Do you hear what these children are saying? “

“Yes,” He said “have you never read,“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise?”

I remember reading this in the book of Psalm.  He seems to be a teacher.  His voice is soft but strong.  He seems like a King.  I walk back to my friends and constituents for comfort from those eyes!

We walk in together and I ask Jesus:

“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

I expect my question to trap him because He is going against all the tradition and the strength of these important leaders! But, He immediately responds by asking me a question!

“I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

All of us huddle together to discuss how we will answer.  But, we soon find there is no easy response.  We must be careful not to trap ourselves!

“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”

We don’t know how to answer so I say,

 “We do not know.”

Maybe this answer is a good one because He will then have to tell us by what authority He takes over the temple area.  Instead, He says,

“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.“

As we turn to leave, He asks for our opinion about a story of two sons,

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”

This is easy, so I answer,

“The first.”

But, His point cuts to my heart and makes me angry,

“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

How dare Him to say that the Rabble is better than me!

Just when I am about to turn and leave with my constituents,  He engages us again,

“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.”

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

Again, an easy answer, but because of my anger, I answer before I think it through,

“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Then Jesus rouses the anger of my highly esteemed religious leaders by referring to the book of Psalms and saying to us,

“the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

These parables are referring to us! He thinks our great nation will be given to another?  What nerve!  He is a false prophet! My anger boils as I listen to this…this….man.  We can’t take it any longer.

We all walk outside the temple area confused about how to handle this situation.  Since no one can come up with a suitable answer that would not arouse the anger of the people, we agree to meet later to discuss what we should do about Jesus and His Rabble.  We will call it a day, but we will take up the matter again tomorrow.  Something must be done about this false Prophet.  He is stirring up the people and is a threat to our business and religion. The death of one man to save our nation seems to be the only answer!

A few of us hang around to listen to Jesus talk…hoping to use His own words against Him.

Later, we learn Jesus has retired to Bethany for the night.  Tomorrow we will deal with Him and get this matter settled once and for all.  After all, there are many of us who are well established in the community.  We have been to all the good schools, we can out think Him.  We will expose Him for who He is!

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Author’s note:

Some are good at religion but have a poor knowledge of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus came to reclaim that which was taken by the merchants, traders, and those who occupy the Temple.  Does Jesus need to overturn and clean our minds so He may bring praise and singing back to our hearts-the Temple of the Spirit? Indeed, one Man’s death would spare not just one nation, but many people around the world.  In Him we all find life.

Truth About the Deceased

The Loss of a Loved One…and Comforting Words…

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Sympathy Bible Verses for Funerals and Condolences | LoveToKnow

How do you deal with the death of a loved one?  Where does your comfort come from?  If you are an unbeliever of Jesus and the Bible, your comfort is likely to come from within yourself, earthly philosophies, prescribed medication, empathy from close friends and family, or self-medication (illegal drugs or alcohol). Your worldview is likely: you die, return to dust, and that is the end forever.  So the lifestyle motto is, “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” 1 Corinthians 15:32


However, if you are a follower of Christ and a student of the Bible, you will not “grieve as do others who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13.  Did you know the Bible is extremely clear on where we are to find our comfort? In fact, regarding death, Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4: 18 we are “to comfort one another with these words.” What words?  Words like: “They are in a better place.” “They are finally reunited with their spouse.”  “They are with Jesus and the angels now.” ”That they are in heaven hunting with their favorite dog.” 


No! Those words are not to be given as comfort and should never be used.  They are not Biblical!  These are words made up by the imagination only. They are false words of comfort.  As someone once said, “The Bible may make you uncomfortable with the truth, but it will never comfort you with lies.”
Here are the words from the Bible that tells the follower of Jesus how they are to obtain peace of mind and comfort for someone close who has died “in Christ”: 


“For the Lord, himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. WHEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH THESE WORDS!”

Did you catch that?  Our comfort comes from knowing and believing two things:
1.) When the Lord returns (“descend(s) from heaven”), it will be a loud event (“Trumpet of God” and the “voice from the archangel”)

2.) When the Lord returns, there will be a lot of activity on earth, particularly at graveyards or wherever the followers of Christ were buried/cremated.  Those that “died in Christ” will be resurrected.  And if we are alive to escape death, we will all meet up in the air to meet Jesus and eternity will begin (“so shall we ever be with the Lord.”)
These are the words that are to bring comfort: not our imaginations or made up stories of the dead “looking down on us.” 
Over and over, God’s word points us to the return of Christ and the resurrection, not the death bed as the point where we meet Jesus.


Here is a well-known verse.  Jesus’ own words:  


“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. John 14: 1-3


Please note:  Our comfort is in the fact that when He comes again, He will then receive us and we will go to “where He is now”. We will be there with Him! Where is Jesus now? He is with the Father! “…I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”  John 20:17  


What joy!  Christ can resurrect a body that has turned to dust.  He will then breathe into the newly formed nostrils and create a living, immortal soul. Then the “dead in Christ” along with those alive in Christ will return with Him to the Father in heaven! Even Job understood this.  Listen to the hope of Job about his own death:


“\For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Job 19: 25-26

Job had the confidence that his Redeemer lives and even though his skin will be destroyed, he will see God when He stands on the earth!  How clear is that? Does he see God at death? No!  When the Redeemer comes to the earth!


Daniel also understood the same thing!


“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2


Did you know that the Bible never says we have an immortal soul?  But, we receive immortality when we are changed at Christ’s return.  Hear the words of Paul who wants to clear up the mystery about death:


“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this Mortal must put on IMMORTALITY.So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this MORTAL shall have put on IMMORTALITY, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55


When the Lord returns, some will not sleep (die). They are alive in Christ. Both the alive in Christ and those who “died in Christ,” will be “changed” immediately (“twinkling of an eye”) at the sound of “the last loud trumpet”.  It is then, and only then, that “the mortal will put on immortality.”  It is at the return of Christ we become immortal, not at death!


Note the last question in 1 Corinthians 15: 55.

Please read in the context. This rhetorical question cannot be asked until the Lord returns.

Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

I have heard it asked at funerals about the deceased without mention of the second coming.  To do so is to take it out of its beautiful context of Jesus’ return.


All of these clear passages plus many more are overruled and explained away by a few unclear and out of context verses like:“Absent from the body and present from the Lord.”


How beautiful is God’s words about the death of those who die! “He gives His beloved, sleep.” Psalm 127:2  It is like a sweet, dreamless, unconscious sleep where a long time is reduced to a microsecond.  The Christian falls asleep like they would in surgery where the passage of time is not felt.  They awake to the sights and sounds of the return of Jesus with all the holy angels.  They come from the graves with new bodies and are made immortal.  The families of the earth are reunited in the air and then taken to heaven by Jesus and the multitude of angels. Jesus then takes us to where he is now…the home of the Father…New Jerusalem.


One day (after 1,000 years), the New Jerusalem comes back to earth with the redeemed.  God will make a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells and where there is no more pain or death!  All tears will be wiped away!   Earth will be the home of the redeemed where we will enjoy the works of our hands by building houses and planting vineyards.  “From one Sabbath to another and from one new moon to another we shall come to worship.”

See: Revelation 21:2, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:4, Revelation 7:17, Isaiah 65:21, Isaiah 66:23.

These are the words that give me comfort! They are Biblical and make sense to those who know Jesus. God’s own words are much better than our imagination!

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Death and Resurrection

Beyond the Cross-The Complete Gospel

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As I watched the body of my friend laid to rest, I thought of the cross, the second coming, and the resurrection of the dead. My hope in seeing my friend and all my family members who have died in Christ…is based entirely upon the truth of God’s word and the good news (gospel). Then it occurred to me; the good news goes beyond the cross. Why don’t teachers talk about this more? Why are they not talking about the resurrection and the second coming in the light of the cross? All three of these topics make a complete gospel (Cross, Second Coming, Resurrection).
 
The death of Jesus provided a way out; a way to escape the penalty of sin i.e. eternal death. The punishment for sin is nothing more or nothing less than death.
“The wages of sin is death.”
Romans 6:23.
Only those with a saving relationship with Christ have eternal life. The lost have death.
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
John 3: 36.
 
Jesus paid the penalty by dying the death of a sinner who has no hope of ever living again. As he hung upon the cross bearing the sins of the world, He could not see any hope or look through the portals of the tomb. As gruesome as this was, it is good news (gospel) for those who desire to live for eternity. Jesus paid the price for our sins. If we believe it and accept, by faith, His sacrifice atones for our sins regardless of how gruesome the cross appeared physically. The prophets foretold through the sacrificial system and direct prophecies of the day the Messiah would die, but they also went further…
 
If we stop at the cross, we only hear part of the gospel. It is not complete unless Christ was raised from the dead. Without the resurrection, we have no hope, and our faith is useless. I didn’t say this; Paul did:
 
” And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” 1 Corinthians 15: 14.
Also, all those who have died in Christ have perished.  Again Paul says,
“Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”
1 Corinthians 15:18
 
Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is the basis of a saving relationship:
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9
 
The oldest book of the Bible proclaims the hope of the resurrection. Listen to Job. Where was his hope? It was in the coming of the Lord on the last day!
 
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! Job 19: 25-27
 
 
“For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18
 
But well-intentioned ministers give a false gospel when other words are used to “comfort.” They skip over the plain words of death being like sleep when the next moment of conscience, they see the coming of the Lord (Every eye shall see Him come). Instead, they proclaim that the dead are conscience with eyes and ears to see and hear the things of this sinful world. They falsely say that the reward of immortality is given at death. But the scripture is plain that the reward of immortality (eternal life) is given at the time of Christ’s return:
 
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me.”
Revelation 22:12
 
“For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15: 52,53.
Notice that immortality is given when Christ returns…not before.
 
Isn’t it so clear that the good news (gospel) is that Jesus died but was raised again to become the “first fruits” of the resurrection promised to all who “die in Him?” It places a different perspective on the second coming because He brings His reward of immortality with Him.
 
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” 1
Corinthians 15:20
 
“to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26: 22-23
 
Teachers and ministers fail to give the complete gospel if they stop at the cross. The coming of Jesus to bring immortality to those who have died in Christ is good news indeed! Without it, we have no hope and our loved ones have perished.
 
To me it is comfort to know that my death will seem like a twinkling of an eye. The passage of time will be imperceptible. It will seem like I had just closed my eyes for a moment, and then I awake to the glorious appearance of the Lord! Even though my body may have turned to dust, I know the Lord can create it again out of the dust…like He did when he created Adam from the dust. This is the gospel too!
 
 
The Soon Return of Jesus

Why Jesus Compared Death to Sleep

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Lazarus-A Friend of Jesus

 “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

Then His disciples said, “Lord,  if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.”

John 11: 11-15

The message had come to Jesus from Mary and Martha (the sisters of Lazarus)  of their brother’s sickness.

“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

John 11:3

But, did you catch that?  Jesus loves Lazarus and he called him friend! Doesn’t he love everyone?  Isn’t Jesus a friend to everyone? No doubt Jesus loves everyone, but how many can say they are friends of Jesus? Being a friend to Jesus is something we start as we are drawn by the Holy Spirit.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

James 4:8

This verse in James contains an important element in being close to God.  It means we choose to start the relationship by taking a step towards Him.  But God starts the process because He wants to be near us. So, He draws us with the Holy Spirit. But if we resist the pull of the Spirit we will go in an opposite direction. It is the elements of His nature of love and kindness (towards us individually) that we are drawn.

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness, I have drawn you.”

Jeremiah 31:3

Here is why Lazarus was special to Jesus. He made special effort to converse with Jesus in his own home!. Martha and Mary had similar close relationships with the Son of man.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

John 11:5

This family of three siblings opened their home up to Jesus  who “ha(d) nowhere to lay his head.” Luke 9:58. 

“At the home of Lazarus, Jesus had often found rest. The Saviour had no home of His own; He was dependent on the hospitality of His friends and disciples, and often, when weary, thirsting for human fellowship, He had been glad to escape to this peaceful household, away from the suspicion and jealousy of the angry Pharisees. Here He found a sincere welcome and pure, holy friendship. Here He could speak with simplicity and perfect freedom, knowing that His words would be understood and treasured.”  Desire of Ages, Page 524

The disciples were aware of this special relationship and were surprised when Jesus remained where He was for two more days after hearing His friend was sick!  He had the power to heal Lazarus, but He allowed Lazarus to die.  There was a reason for this even though he told his disciples that his sickness was not “unto death.”

“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

John 11:4

It is important to note that when death is described in the Bible, there are two types of death.  One is the death that has passed upon all mankind because of sin.  Then there is the eternal death or perishing.  This we will see as we go along in our study.

Why would Jesus say the sickness was not unto death even though he died?  Think about this.  Jesus never attended a funeral where there were dead people.  Why?  Because he raised them! He raised Jarius’ daughter and was ridiculed for saying she was “sleeping.” Let’s read the story:

And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying…

When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead but sleeping.”  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Luke 8: 41, 42, 51-56

Then there was the time Jesus interrupted a funeral in progress!  The man was already in the casket!  Let’s read the story:

 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

Luke 7:11-17

The man was not called friend, it is possible Jesus did not know Him personally and vice versa, but Jesus resurrected Him because of the compassion he had on the widow.  The same could possibly be said about the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus.

From these three resurrections, we can glean similarities that tell us something about how Jesus brings comfort to the dead and the family.

First, Luke makes the point of saying her spirit returned to the little girl.  Even though not stated with Lazarus and the Son of the widow, their spirit also returned to them. It is the Spirit of God that gives life to the body.  We know this from the creation of Adam:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being (soul).

Genesis 2:7 

At death, the opposite of Gen. 2: 7 occurs

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit (breath) will return to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

In the cases of the three brought back to life, their breath (spirit) returned to them and they became a living being again. Even when the decay of the body had begun (Lazarus had been dead four days!

 “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

John 11: 39

Most important he tells something about the condition of the person who is dead.  They are sleeping an unconscious sleep!  This was confusing to the disciples, they thought Lazarus was resting and it would do him good.  To the mourners for the little girl, they didn’t understand and laughed at the Savior!  But, if they had believed Jesus, they would have found great comfort and understanding about the dead person.  They are not suffering nor were they enjoying the bliss of heaven.  Wouldn’t it have been very cruel to bring them all from the pure happiness of heaven? But there are no “out of body” experiences recorded for them.  Why? Because they were dead.

In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he made sure that the people understood the same thing Jesus was expressing about a person who is dead.  He did not want them to be ignorant about it.

 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14

Here Paul is referring, like Jesus, to the dead as those who have fallen asleep.  Because of this fact, we find comfort and don’t sorrow as those who have no hope.  Notice that the comfort does not come from the thought of them being in heaven enjoying the company of the other saints!  No!  The comfort Paul gives is that they are asleep in Christ and they will be resurrected to life one day.

Next, Paul gives the clearest picture in the Bible regarding the second coming and the resurrection. It demonstrates the hope we should all have in the resurrection:

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4: 15-18

The description of Jesus coming and resurrecting those “asleep” in Christ and then meeting Jesus in the Lord cannot be any clearer. This is a wonderful thought that no one will precede the other in meeting and seeing Jesus.  That great day will be a great reunion day of those resurrected and those who will be alive!  It is these words that Paul tells us to comfort one another.

If those who died were already in heaven, this would have been the perfect time for Paul to talk like modern preachers and say a falsehood about those dead (asleep) as being in heaven enjoying eternal life.  But the comfort comes from knowing they are resting in peace and not aware of the passing of time, but will one day be resurrected and we can all be in heaven together at the same time!

Non-Biblical things I have heard at funerals:

  1. He/she is looking down on us now.
  2. They are talking with Jesus and the saints face to face.
  3. They are enjoying their favorite food
  4. His is finally back with his wife
  5. He is enjoying his favorite whiskey and hunting with his old dog, Blue.

These are not biblical and are well-intended efforts to comfort the bereaved.  But, the comfort comes from the fact that they are sleeping and not feeling any pain or anxiety, waiting for that great reunion day when Jesus returns.

For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward,

Ecclesiastes 9:5

His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Psalm 146:4

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Let’s go back to the story of Lazarus to further understand about death and the importance of the resurrection.  Martha knew that she would see her brother again at the resurrection.  Her theology was correct, but she didn’t realize the power of Jesus who stood right there with her:

Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.  Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11: 20-26

Martha knew about the resurrection in the last day and found comfort in seeing her brother then.  But she didn’t realize that the source for that resurrection was right there in front of her!

Though we die, we “shall live.” But why did Jesus say, “whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

The ultimate death is the second death where there is no hope.  It is those who are not part of the first resurrection:

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power

Revelation 20:6

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

Revelation 2:11

This second death can be found in the most popular verse in the Bible

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

What is the fate of those who do not believe?  They perish (this is the second death).  Even though all die the first death, the second death is final (perish).

So why did Jesus and Paul compare death to sleep?  It is because there is comfort knowing that those in Christ are in a temporary sleep where they will rise again.  The passing of time, even though it be 100 or 1,000 years will be like a split-second.  The next conscience action will be to hear the trumpet sound and see the Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven.  They will rise up to meet those who are alive when Jesus returns and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Paul not only told the Thessalonians the truth about those who “have fallen asleep in Christ,” but he also told the Corinthians how important it is that we understand the power and hope in the resurrection.

 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty….And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. “

1 Corinthians 15 13-14, 17-18

Did you notice the word perished?  If Jesus were not resurrected, all those who have died are dead forever (perished)

Our entire hope for eternal life depends upon the fact that Jesus, as the first-fruits from the dead, was resurrected.  Because He died and was resurrected, we have the reality of being resurrected one day, even if our bodies have returned to dust!

Job (as described in the oldest book of the Bible) put his hope in seeing God in the last days as a result of the resurrection:

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19:25-27

This describes perfectly Paul’s end to his discourse on the importance of the resurrection.  It is at this point where we receive our new bodies no longer subject to death…Like Job, I say, “How my heart yearns” for that day!

This is where I find my comfort…In the coming of Jesus after a split second sleep in Him! Then I will be changed at the last trumpet.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed—  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

1 Corinthians 15: 51-54

The last part of this verse cannot be said, until Jesus returns and resurrects us.

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A personal experience.

I experienced what death must be like.  It happened when I had open-heart surgery.  They rolled me into the bright lights of the operating room and put a line into a vein for the anesthesia.  When they were ready to put me to sleep, the young nurse anesthetist said, “good night.”   The next moment I hear the nurse calling my name.  It was if the 2-hour surgery lasted less than a second before I heard my name called.

One day we will be called from our sleep to hear the voice of Jesus telling us to come forth.

Months after the surgery, I developed AFiB and was often awaken at night gasping for breath.  It bothered me greatly and I began to wonder if God would forget me when He came.  Like the thief on the cross, I said, “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

Several sleepless nights passed and finally one night I slept the entire night, but I had a dream that put my mind at ease about God remembering me.  In this dream, I could see my funeral and the very next moment, I heard the joyful and playful voices of two angels pulling me up out of the earth.  In the distance, I could see the light of Jesus and all the holy angels even though it was still dark in the dirt around me.  Then I heard one of the angels say,

“See!  He didn’t forget you!”

Enjoy this Biblically correct song by Sandi Patti….This is our comfort

We Shall Behold Him

Hell, The Truth About The Fate of The Lost, What is God Like?

Lord Teach Me About Hell-Part 3 Eternal Death Not Torture

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There is a hell, but is it like some teachers describe?

I once had a lively discussion with a relative about hell. When it seemed like we were going nowhere,  I asked her if she had asked the Lord to reveal to her, through His word, the truth  about hell.  She said, “No!”  It led me to think, do people really want to know what the Bible teaches about the ultimate fate of the lost or are they satisfied with the descriptions portrayed by well-meaning teachers and pastors.  What if we were to simply pray, “Lord Teach Me About Hell.”?

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Are the tortures of hell in line with the character of God and the many  teachings of the Bible about His great mercy and love?  Some preachers have said they need to preach hell to bring fear into the heart of a person so they will turn to Jesus. They conclude that anything other than an unending burning hell is letting the sinner off too easy.

Some hell-fire-and-brimstone preachers portray a God whose vengeance is so great that it is never satisfied, hence the non-ending torture. But, the Bible tell us that He takes “no pleasure” in the death of wicked.

 As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked

Ezekiel 33:11

If God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, He certainly would not take pleasure in their torture.

For the last few studies, we have discovered that Jesus taught more on the kingdom of God and heaven than he did about hell.  We also saw how many Bible verses used to support everlasting torture were simply misinterpreted in the light of the whole scripture and the character of God. The Bible is clear that the fate of the lost is eternal death.

Let’ now compare the terrible picture of people roasting in a fire that offers no hope and no relief for eternity with the character of God as revealed in the Bible and in the teachings of Jesus.

Is it true that non-ending torture is “justice” for the three score and ten (70) years of life?  Does a holy and just God give a sinner trillions and trillions of years of pain and torture in exchange for 70 years of life without Christ?

Is there something we have missed?

Lord Teach Me The Truth About Hell.

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Following are the two typical modern understandings about hell.  This is what a majority of protestant Christians believe.

View 1:  If you die and are unsaved (e.g. did not profess Christ), your immortal soul immediately (or after a quick judgment scene) goes to a place under the earth where the devil resides and your soul is tormented by blistering hot flames throughout eternity without end.  You will scream and desire to die, but you will stay alive in flames never finding relief.  This could be called the immediate and present Hell.

View 2:  If you die and are unsaved, at the end of time your immortal soul is judged at the Great White Throne judgment and your soul and body is cast into the lake of fire prepared for Satan and his angels where you are tortured by flames throughout eternity.  You will scream and desire to die, but you will stay alive in flames never finding relief.  We will call this future Hell.

The Catholic church throws in a couple of “holding” places such as purgatory and some talk about a place called “Abraham’s bosom.” There may be some other slight variations, but if you ask a Christian or a pastor about hell, this is very close to the answers given.  It is often softened up a bit to take out the idea of a Holy God torturing the unsaved by saying non-biblical things like, “The lost choose hell.”  Is that right?  Who in their right mind would choose to be tortured? The Bible teaches they are choosing death over eternal life not so much from a conscious choice, but rather unbelief in Jesus and the pull of the Holy Spirit to repent and turn away from the sins that lead to death.

The common idea with both basic views about hell involves non-stop burning and torture.  We often hear preachers say, “You will live eternally in one of two places.”  Is this true?  Do the lost also have eternal life?  Are their souls immortal?  What is tortured?  The soul? The body?  Both?

What does the Bible have to say about all this?

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Some will say, “It is the immortal soul that is being punished not the body.“  Of course, there is no biblical proof for this Also,it contradicts  those who support a literal interpretation of  the Rich Man and Lazarus where the rich man has a tongue and gets thirsty in the flames. He has a body!

Some will say, “God is just and this is their fate.”  We can’t understand it and aren’t suppose to.”

Is this true?

It is true that our thoughts and our ways are not like His, but there are things He has revealed that we can know with certainty.“

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, 

Deuteronomy 29:29

Is the fate of the lost one of those things revealed to us?

Yes! But we must understand it from ALL that has been revealed to us!

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The bible tells us that having life eternal is based on knowing God and having a relationship with Him.  We are drawn to Him as He is lifted up (Cross).  Is a torturing God, the One we want to get to know?  Or is God like a father who loves his child.  Does God use hell to scare us into coming to Him or does he draw us a different more divine way?

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

John 17:3

Knowing God and Jesus Christ and their character is important in our experience and in our salvation from death.  To have a false conception of God is dangerous as we shall see.

We are not scared into a relationship with the Lord, He draws us with “lovingkindness.”

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Jeremiah 31:3

It is the cross, not hell, that draws people to Jesus.

‘”…And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.‘  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.”

John 12:32-33

That day on a lonely hill dying on a rough wooden cross is the ultimate demonstration of the sacrifice and love God offers to all people. A clear view of the things leading up to the death of Jesus and the day He said, “It is finished” will bring the sin weary to repentance, forgiveness, and salvation from eternal death.

What confuses me is that people get angry over this topic of unending torture.  It’s as if they want this type of fate for the lost.  Each person who is lost had a mother, dad, and perhaps a loving family.  Will they be remembered when the saved portion of the family gets to heaven?  How could it be heaven knowing Uncle Harry is burning in hell non-stop?

There is something missing in all this.  For the next few moments, lets look at the rest of the story.

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  The soul is not immortal.  only God has immortality.  The saved are not given immortality until  Christ returns.

If a soul can die, it is not immortal.

“ Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die..”

Ezekiel 18:4

Only God has immortality!

I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:14-16

We all die and do not get immortality until Jesus returns and we are changed and “put on” immortality then and not before.  IT IS ONLY WHEN JESUS RETURNS, THAT WE CAN CLAIM IMMORTALITY AND SAY THAT DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. IMMORTALITY IS NOT GIVEN AT DEATH.

Want to know a mystery about death that has been solved. Something God has revealed to us and our children?  Listen closely:

 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, THEN shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15: 51-54

Is this not as clear as a bell?  Immortality is “put on” when Jesus returns!  Until then we sleep in death.

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Eternal death, not torture, awaits the lost

“Death has come upon all men by the offence of one man. But, through grace and the gift of righteousness life came by Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:12, 17

Wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 3:23.

Wages is something due to us for our work of sin.  Sin leads to death, not life. Both are mutually exclusive.  You can’t have both.  You must have one or the other. The gift of eternal life is reserved only for the saved.

He that has the son has life.  He that does not have the son does not have life. 

1 John 5:20

“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

Here is a simple straightforward comparison of what awaits the lost VS the saved:

Believes in Jesus = everlasting life

Not believing = perish (eternal death)

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life…”

John 3:36

Believes in the Son = everlasting life

Does not believe in the = shall not see life.

Man, nor his soul, is immortal.  As shown above, immortality is not given to the saved until Jesus returns and resurrects the saved:

The soul can be destroyed,

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

The body and soul are destroyed in hell (aka the grave).  It is not kept alive to suffer through out eternity. If there is a fear to be taught, it is the fear of both the body and the soul are forever destroyed, while the redeemed have a new immortal body and life without end.

As described before, the belief in God AND the resurrection of Jesus are both vital to receiving salvation from eternal death:

… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

It was Paul’s goal to be raised from the dead…..Not to die and be with Him,

” if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:11

The mortal “puts on” immortality and death is no more when Jesus returns.

The dead in Christ are resurrected

 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words”

1 Thessalonians 4: 15-18

Note:  Those who died in Christ and those who are alive when He returns start to “be with the Lord forever” when He returns.  So resurrection is our hope…Our eternity with the Lord does not start until He returns.

Jesus will raise the saved up in the last day.

“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

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:44

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:54

“Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

John 11:24

The teaching of resurrection as our hope s ancient.  Example: Job said,

“my redeemer lives and I will see God in the flesh in the latter day upon the earth.”

Job 19:25, 26

The resurrection is extremely important because we are lost if it doesn’t happen.

Our faith is futile without the resurrection. Our hope is in the return of Christ and the Resurrection, not in dying and floating off to heaven.

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”

1 Corinthians 15:14-19

The Rich Man and Lazarus story does not include a resurrection and is clearly a parable because it comes at the end of a line of parables.  But, there was a resurrection of another Lazarus that clearly describes the state of those who die.  The event is described in John 11.  Here Jesus describes Lazarus’ death with sleep:

“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep…Then said Jesus, unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”

John 11:14

Notice something else, when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life after being dead for 4 days, he did not say to him to come down, but rather come forth (v. 43). If Lazarus had been in heaven, he would have had many things to share, don’t you think?  Why is he silent?  It is because he was asleep.

The unjust have a resurrection too (after the millennium): 

                Resurrection of unjust.

“I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”

Act 24:15

Rest of the dead live again after the 1,000 years Rev. 20:4, 5

“And they lived and reigned with Christ for a[a]thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.”

Revelation 20: 4, 5

The second death is the fate of the lost who are not part of the first resurrection, but rise in the 2nd resurrection. Revelation 20:6

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power…”

Revelation 20:6

At the end of all things, the saved may have died once, but they will never have to die again because they have been given immortality.  But the lost who died once, will die again fully aware that there death will be forever. This knowledge is their punishment and it creates wailing and gnashing of teeth.

At the end time, fire destroys the earth, Satan, and sinners:

Jesus comes a thief in the night in which the heavens, earth, elements, and all the works are burned up.

“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

Everlasting Destruction

“The Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9

Wicked destroyed forever (Psalm 92:7, Psalm 9:5)

“When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.”

Psalm 92:7

Death and hell grave are destroyed

“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Revelation 20:14

Fire comes down from God when the resurrected lost try surround the beloved city. This fire devours them. When something is consumed or devoured, there is nothing left.

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” 

Revelation 20:9

“For our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:29

The Anti Christ (lawless one) is destroyed when Christ returns by the brightness of the Lord’s coming.

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 

2 Thessalonians 2:8

(Read the preceding verses for context)

Wicked are burned up reducing them to nothing

“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

Satan is burned to ashes and shall never be anymore

“You defiled your sanctuaries
By the multitude of your iniquities,
By the iniquity of your trading;
Therefore I brought fire from your midst;
It devoured you,
And I turned you to ashes upon the earth
In the sight of all who saw you.”

All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you;
You have become a horror,
And shall be no more forever”

Ezekiel 28:18, 19

So, scripture is clear, the wages of sin is death, not eternal life in burning flames.  There is a hell, but it is a work of eternal destruction. Even Satan’s fate is total destruction.  His end will wipe the universe clean of sin and its results.

Eternal life is given only to those who turn to Jesus and place their trust in Him. Life eternal is given to those who know Him and not about Him. It is all about Jesus.  He holds the keys to the grave and death:

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

Revelation 1:18

Because we believe He can resurrect us and give us immortality, we have passed from death to life. I want to be part of the first resurrection, don’t you?

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

John 5:24

I often wondered why God wipes away all tears. The passage in Revelation 21: 4, Revelation 7:17, Isaiah 25:8 are in the context of the end of time when all of God’s people arrive in heaven at the same time after the resurrection as desribed in 1 Thess. 4:15-18

The saints will spend their first day in heaven wondering about a loved one who didn’t make it. Then they will understand from the Lord Himself that they were lost and will never be anymore. There will be tears in heaven, but Jesus will literally and symbolically wipe away the tears.  He will explain and show them the many opportunities given them to receive eternal life as a free gift, but they refused.

Then all the saints will bow, throw their crowns, and proclaim

 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 4:11

 

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Further Study:

Want to go deeper?  below is information for those who might want to look at things a little closer.

The Word “Hell”

Hell is an English word coming from the same root as: heel, hill, hole, whole hall…etc. Its original English meaning was any place, or someplace covered over. This sounds like a grave which is confirmed by the following Hebrew and Greek words.

The writers of the Bible had several words to choose when talking about what we call “hell”:

1.) Sheol/Hades

2.) Gehenna

3.  Tartarus

Sheol is a Hebrew word used 63 times in the Old Testament (KJV).  The New Testament equivalent is Hades which is used 11 times. Both are proper names for a literal place (grave) and figurative place (destruction). What is notable is that righteous men such as David, Jacob, Jonah, and even our Lord are described as going to Sheol or Hades! To go to Sheol means to be cut off from life, to die. It is the state or place of the dead.

Jesus compared death to “Sleep.” (e.g. Lazarus- John 11:11, and a 12-year old girl-Mark 5:39). Paul used it often (e.g. 1 Corinthians 15:51, Ephesians 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:14) as did David (e.g. Psalm 13:3) and Job (Job 14:12). Daniel used it in a Paul like vision of both the righteous and the unrighteous coming up from sleep (resurrection),

“And many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Gehenna

Gehenna is a Greek word derived from the Hebrew words ‘ge hinnom’ meaning the Valley of Hinnom. Used 12 times in the new testament.

“Gehenna was a well-known valley, near Jerusalem, in which the Jews in their idolatrous days had sacrificed their children to the idol Moloch, in consequence of which it was condemned to receive the offal and refuse and sewage of the city, and into which the bodies of malefactors were cast and where to destroy the odor and pestilential influences, continual fires were kept burning. Here fire, smoke, worms bred by the corruption, and other repulsive features, rendered the place a horrible one, in the eyes of the Jews. It was a locality with which they were as well acquainted. But in process of time Gehenna came to be an emblem of the consequences of sin, and to be employed figuratively by the Jews, to denote those consequences. But always in this world. The Jews never used it to mean torment after death, until long after Christ. The word had not the meaning of post-mortem torment when our Savior used it.” –J.W. Hanson’s, Bible Threatenings Explained.

When Jesus used it 11 times, he was not referring to a place under the earth, or even the lake of fire described by John in Revelation, but rather a valley where the refuge of the city continually smoked and the ultimate fate of dead animals.  It was not a place of unending torture, but rather a fitting symbol of death and destruction.

Jesus again used the word “Gehenna” when he described the destruction of both the body and soul in hell.  “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).

Tartarus

Tartarus is used only once to mean ‘to cast down to Hades’, referring to the angels who sinned in 2 Peter 2:4. The angels described in Jude 1:6 are told to be reserved in everlasting chains until judgment. If Tartarus means a burning hell, why would the angels be there before judgment?

Contradictions?:

The origin of a place of eternal torture for rejection of God comes from Egypt and was adopted by the church during the dark ages to scare the people into submission to the church.  The teaching of purgatory was also used by the church to obtain money for the lost.  That is another study in itself, but I will stop here.

But, how do we understand those verses that describe everlasting fire, eternal fire, and unquenchable fire? The answer is very simple in the light of the context about the final destiny of the unsaved i.e., eternal death, destruction and ashes.  The fire that burns up the earth, the elements, and the unsaved is eternal in its results, not in its duration.  It is unquenchable in that it can’t be put out.  But once it has done its work of destruction, it goes out. Ask any fireman about an unquenchable fire and they will tell you that they can’t put it out, but that does not mean that it does not go out. Once all the wood is burned up, there is nothing left to burn, so the fire goes out.

How about the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16? This has to be a parable and not an actual teaching of the fate of the lost because of these reasons:

1.)  It is the last parable in a series that starts with the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15:8. While it doesn’t specifically say it is a parable, neither does it say that the parable of the lost son is one either.  The point of the parable is not what happens to the lost, but rather the Pharisees (who loved money, Luke 16: 14 would never believe Jesus even if He was raised from the dead because they had not heard (believed) Moses and the Prophets.) They had the idea that being rich and because of their ancestry (i.e., Jacob) they would be in heaven and the others would be tormented in hell.  They made all this up because there is not Biblical example.  Just like they made up all the Sabbath laws without any scriptural authority, they made up this scenario. Jesus turns their story around and the non-Jewish poor man winds up in the place they thought was theirs automatically because of who they were.

2.) Jesus typically talked to the religious leaders and the people in parables.  Yes, He spoke very directly to them on several occasions, but when he was attempting to teach them or show them the truth, he would use parables. Those who wanted to know the truth would go looking for it as did the disciples. “All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them.” Matthew 13:34. “Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” Matthew 15:15. Peter is a good example for us.  If we don’t understand a teaching, simply go to Jesus and ask him. If we really want to know the truth, He will tell us.  Don’t you think?

Conclusion:

There is good reason to believe from scripture that the unsaved die and await their final judgment which is destruction by the lake of fire as described in Revelation and many other Bible verses.

But, to use the teaching of eternal torment where a person’s life is maintained by God himself to simply let him suffer more is beyond reason and scripture.  Is this suppose to scare someone enough to start a loving relationship with Jesus?  Did your wife scare you into a relationship or did she “woo” you?  If she is like my wife, she did everything she could to show me that she loved me.  I was drawn to her spirit of kindness and love for me.

The scriptural way to bring people to Christ is by lifting Jesus up for all to see His great sacrifice, goodness, kindness,  mercy, forgiveness, and power!

“Come to me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

When the disciples were trying to win souls to Christ, they never used the threat of unending torture, but words like:

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

It is not the fear of eternal torture that leads people to a relationship with Christ!

The Holy Spirit brought convicting power to the sermon of Peter and the disciples when they showed how Jesus died for their sins.  The people were “cut to the heart and asked, ‘What can we do?’” (Acts 2:37) Peter said, to them:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2: 38, 39)

Thousands that were converted to Jesus in the early church came from the topic of Jesus and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.  Not one sermon about the possibility of being tortured without end!

But, Peter did let us know that the fate of the world and ungodly is destruction when Jesus returns…everything will be burned up!

There are, perhaps, no clearer words about the fate of the lost and this world as these passages from Peter.  If you want to know the truth about the fate of the lost and this world, listen closely to what is being revealed to you and your children and follow the instructions to eternal life reserved only for the saved:

“…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,  by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3: 1-9

Notice Peter again uses the word “Perish” as the fate of all those who do not come to repentance!

The Day of the Lord

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. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3: 10-13

My brother or sister, here is your hell.  It is hotter than the one taught.  It is not a slow roast, it is immediate and it makes way for a heavens and earth where only righteousness dwells.  They is no corner of the universe somewhere where people are writhing in pain.

The time of Jesus must be soon.  It is time to turn to Jesus and ask Him about things we don’t understand so we can be more powerful preachers and teachers for Him!  Don’t you agree?