Eschatology 101 Part Fifteen

This week we end our study on Eschatology 101, this was not an in-depth study of all of Eschatology nor was it a thorough overview of the subject. This study was meant to empower you to read and study God’s Word. You might be wondering, “We didn’t even get into the tribulation or the millennium reign of Christ on earth”. This was intentional! There is so much to God’s Word and Eschatology, and we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the best Bible study is a Bible study between you and God. Proverbs 18:24b “But there is a friend [who] sticks closer than a brother.” There is so much richness and treasure for the believer of Jesus Christ just in this life! His word being paramount, Him being with us as we study is something no other faith can claim. Only in Jesus can a believer request God to teach them.

As believers, we need to take God’s Word seriously. I personally, believe that the Bible is a manuscript that is not taken seriously. It was the late Chuck Missler who said, “The Bible is the only book that hangs its entire credibility on its ability to write history in advance, without error.” Thus Eschatology should be taken seriously. Many pastors and Bible students today neglect to realize the Bible for what it is. When God makes a claim, this can be taken seriously and God can be held accountable for that. We like to take the Gospel seriously, but why not the rest of God’s Word? This is why we as believers fail to understand that if Gabriel says in Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity” we should take it as a fact, much like the laws in the scientific community.

This is why I want to end on the final promise made in the Bible, Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Jesus has made a singular promise for all believers in every age. Jesus is promising a final outcome, a moment when there will be an answer. He has the final word!

As you read, remember the blessings that Jesus gives in Revelation 1:3 “Blessed [is] he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time [is] near.”

Do you know why there is a blessing? Because you have to read the rest of God’s Word to connect to what is being stated. This is why Eschatology is so important. It shouldn’t make us hide, but rather more eager to share the gospel to those who are not saved. The Rapture does not make me give up, it energizes me to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Eschatology is a motivator for those who are saved and a declaration of future events that no other person can predict.

Remember that Jesus Christ is in control. Only to the world does it look like things are spinning out of control; for the Bible believing, serious student of scripture, everything is going the way it was told. We have an engagement with Christ and we need to make sure as many people get to know Jesus before we are called home.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

What should our attitude be when we confront sin? Find out HERE!

Introduction to James Chapter Five

We have slowly been making our way through the book of James; a very concise writer who does not shy away from difficult subjects. His writings are very much to the point and often require the reader to do some self-reflection. While some may find his writings hard to manage, it is actually one of my favorite books of the Bible. James truly gets to the heart of issues that are still prevalent in both the Church and the individual Christian.

In his first chapter, James discussed such topics as endurance in faith, the difference between a trial and a temptation, the dangers of doubting, and our reaction to the Word of God. We learned that we cannot simply be hearers of the Word of God, but doers (James 1:22). We also learned that God does not tempt us (James 1:13-14). We learned in God’s Word what it means to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19).

The second chapter of James was as much of a reflection of the individual’s walk with Christ as the first chapter. In James chapter two, we learned that the outward appearance of an individual is not a mark of their faith, and to show partiality towards someone based on their appearance is wrong (James 2:9). We also learned that while we are not saved by works, our works will show the world who we belong to (James 2:17-18).

The third chapter was admonishing those who would wish to be in a leadership role in which we saw that those in leadership are held to a higher standard (James 3:1). We also learned that the smallest muscle can cause the most harm (James 3:5-6), as well as reached an understanding of what true wisdom is (James 3:17-18).

The fourth chapter discussed the concept of if we are friends of the world or of God (James 4:4). That we need to humble ourselves to God ( James 4:10), and that God is the Lawgiver and Judge; it is through Him that our future plans come from (James 4:15).

We have finally reached the last chapter in this book that has been filled with admonishment, encouragement, and reflection on our walk. In this last chapter, we will see such topics as patiently waiting for the Lord, endurance in our faith, and the importance of prayer.

I hope you are excited to join me as we learn from a man who lived with Christ and yet, it was not until later did he come to acknowledge Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I would challenge you to prepare your hearts, spend time in prayer and read ahead as we start James chapter five. Remember that if you have questions, you can always reach out to the ministry on our contact page. This is going to be a marvelous time for us to examine what God has to say to us and I am excited to have you with me on this adventure.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Eschatology 101 Part Fourteen

Last week we discussed the Rapture of the Church and how this would occur pre-tribulational. It only takes a serious examination of God’s Word to realize that the Rapture of the Church is a promise made by Jesus Himself,

Promise of the Rapture.

John 14:1-3  “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Promise before the seven years of Tribulation.

Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

These two quotes from Jesus’s own mouth indicate that the Rapture of the Church will happen, and it will happen prior to the seven years of tribulation.

However, there is a unique scene in Heaven that must happen for the seven years of tribulation to start. Imagine, the Rapture has happened and now all believers from past to the moment Jesus shouted for us are in Heaven. What a glorious moment, and yet we are part of the very scenario to kick start the needed players for the seven years.

Revelation 4:2-4 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.”

John witnesses a scene in Heaven, a moment in time. Unfortunately, many today depict Heaven based on moments of time. The term for this is Falsus Caelum Assidue (FSA). Many people have been duped into believing we will stand for eternity only saying  “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty” Pastors who commit FSA need to recognize that some scenes in Heaven are events. Instead of only looking at verses in a snapshot, we should examine the scene for what it is.

John is witnessing an event. This event is the opening of the title deed of earth.

Revelation 5:1-4 “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it.”

Why is John weeping? Because he understands that nothing will change on earth until those seals are broken and the title deed of earth is written. Yet, man gave up his rightful place as ruler of this world when we sinned. We gave this deed to Satan. Only a perfect man who is without sin can purchase and acquire the title again. There is only one person who can, and John is reminded immediately.

Revelation 5:5-8 “But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

Now we come to a point in our scripture reading that translations differ. I am quoting from the New King James Version. I think in this one occasion the translators got it right with the NJKV.

Let’s examine the song that is being sung.

Revelation 5:9-14 “ And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power [Be] to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” 14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

The key here is “For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” There can only be one group of people that this is, and that is the Church. The New Testemant is littered with verses backing this statement of position and employment by this group singing. However, what is more unique, is what happens next.

Revelation 6:1-2  “Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” The Church will witness the first seal being opened and the rider on the white horse coming and going to earth. This is the antichrist, this means two things. The antichrist must arrive before the seven year tribulation so that he can establish his power in order to produce a treaty. Thus, we know two things from this. First, the Church is not in The Tribulation, (it will go through tribulations but not The Tribulation). Second, this means there must be a gap. We as Christians need to recognize that only in Christ can we escape the coming judgement sent forth by God. Yet, this should make us ever the more get out and witness and proclaim and shine for Christ, because what is coming will truly be devastating. So next time, someone tells you the Rapture isn’t true, or that the Rapture is in the middle of or at the end of the Tribulation, ask them to read the Bible with the verses we discussed tonight and they will either agree and repent or excuse it out of context.

We the Church will not be in the Tribulation, however we will see the starting points and movements that are needed for the final week.

Next week we wrap up our study in a unique fashion, capturing the highlights of study and reasons for individual callings to go deeper regarding God’s Word and the events following the Rapture.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

An overview of the book of Deuteronomy. Read it HERE!

Stand Together Part Two

Last week we looked at an Old Testament example of the importance of having fellow believers around us to help our walk with Jesus Christ. This week, I want to take a look at a New Testament example to show how this is a trait that needs to be continued even today.

“When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3 And some people *came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. 4 And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, *said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:1-5

Here we see another example of believers in Jesus Christ helping each other out. In last week’s example, we saw that with the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses was able to keep his arms up to allow the Israelites to defeat Amalek. The similarities between that situation and the passage we are looking at today, is that a man of faith is able to accomplish God’s will with the help of fellow believers of Jesus Christ.

However, when I sat to look over this passage more, I noticed something interesting that needs to be noted for all who claim to follow Jesus Christ. In Mark 2, we see that there is a crowd listening to Jesus’s words, we see four men attempting to bring their friend to Jesus but are denied by the crowd. As believers, we should never stand in the way of those who are seeking to see, acknowledge, and know more about Christ. We should always make room for others to come to Him. It is interesting to note that Jesus states that it is the faith of the paralyzed man and his friends that caused him to be healed, not the faith of the crowd at whole. If someone is genuinely seeking the Lord, we would be foolish to stand in their way.

This is not to say that God’s work won’t be completed either way, after all the faith of the men involved caused them to drag their paralyzed friend on top of the house, remove the roof, dig a hole, and lower him down before Jesus. Imagine the faith that the four men had to carry this out, imagine the faith of the paralyzed friend to allow them to do this. These men had the faith to know that if they could only get before Jesus Christ, the paralyzed individual would be made well. This is just one more example of why we need fellow believers near us, so that when the times are rough, they can help lower us through a roof if need be to get closer to our Heavenly Father Jesus Christ. What an amazing thing God has done, giving us fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are able to be there for us and point us to the person we all are connected to. We might not have anything else in common, but in Christ this is the only commonality we need to consider. So my challenge to you is, who do you have in your life that is there to help you seek the Lord? Do you have someone? If you do, do you help push them to Jesus Christ in their walk? If you do not have anyone, ask the Lord to provide someone into your life.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Eschatology 101 Part Thirteen

Mill House Ministres has no problem telling our readers of other sites and missions that you should go read. We recognize that the church is larger than one person or even one mission group. The Church is unique with directives and guidance from the Holy Spirit that can be different but centered with uniformity within the Holy Word of God. With this said, I would strongly encourage you to see the works of Olive Tree Ministries, Behold Israel, JD Farag Prophecy Update, Christ in Prophecy, Pastor Andy Woods, and Prophecy Watchers.

Each provide video and written information regarding the subject of the rapture, which after reading God’s Word for yourself should be utilized as needed to help enrich your understanding of the subject. The links to their individual websites are provided below.

The Rapture as stated last time, is a quick and easy way to get people upset. This is unfortunate because God’s Word discusses this event to help encourage the believer.

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 “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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

In the last supper, the disciples are wanting to know when they will see the Lord again. While the age was beginning, God was giving them the sign of its ending.

John 14:1-3 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

This age comes to an end when the Lord God brings His ambassadors home. Currently, we have been sent out and not even the gates of hell can stand against us.

Matthew 16:17-18 “Jesus replied, You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”

There is not one verse in the Bible that gives a sign for when the Rapture will occur. However, there is a large chunk of Bible scripture pointing to events that the rapture must happen first for it to take place. One of those is the revealing of the antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 “For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.” What holds the antichrist back is the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit to be taken out here would mean we as the Church must be taken out of the way. Thus, we know that the antichrist must be taken out of the way. Why is this important for us to talk about? Because the Rapture plays a pivotal point in the timeline of our own history. Imagine, if you see signs of the coming tribulation (which we are) and you think you have to go through it, it would be terrifying. Thankfully, God’s Word reveals we are not going to. Thankfully even the nay-sayers who are saved will be Raptured and when they are scratching their head in bewilderment, those who studied God’s Word and took it seriously and in context will be there to explain. This might sound like I am ranting, or going down a rabbit hole, but it is needed to be shared to the Church. The biggest attackers of the scripturally promised event of the Rapture is from born again believers. This is why we are providing the resources at the bottom for additional educational material.

Next week we will continue to study what happens to the Church after the rapture and how is the antichrist beckoned. Until that time, feel free to look at the resources we are providing and look at the rich study and scripture analysis written by people who have also come to terms with God’s unique plan when it comes to the Rapture of the Church.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL 

https://youtu.be/6IVyGC-6dEU?si=bvI8v7leh55k-m9X

https://beholdisrael.org

https://www.jdfarag.org

https://christinprophecy.org

https://andywoodsministries.org

https://prophecywatchers.com

Re-Post Friday

How should we handle those who claim to be followers of Christ but are not acting in fitting manner? Find out HERE!

Stand Together

Last week we discussed that the only way we will be able to find rest is through Jesus Christ. We need to accept His sacrifice, be redeemed on His works alone, and when we struggle we need to allow Him to lead us through this life. Today, I want to expand upon this topic but in a slightly different context. And that is the importance of having support in our walk with Jesus Christ.

Oftentimes, the Old Testament seems to be overlooked. We focus so much on the words of Jesus Christ, a very important thing, that we almost forget that there is so much more we can learn from God and about God in the Old Testament. For example, in Exodus 17 we are given a very applicable example of the importance of having support from those around us, while allowing God to lead us where He wants us to be.

“Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 Joshua did just as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about, when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed; but when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 And Moses’ hands were heavy. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. So his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner; 16 and he said, “Because the Lord has sworn, the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

Exodus 17:8-16

God has already provided for the Israelites a means of escape from Egypt, He has fed them, He has provided water, and now we see that He is providing them protection. Amalek sought the Israelites out and attacked them, but the Israelites knew that they had God on their side and so they were able to face the challenge. Moses, the leader of the Israelites and their representative to God, went forward with the staff of God and with it raised’ changed the tides of the battle. However, the weight of it began to take its toll, and so two others stepped forward to help. First is Aaron who would become the priestly line for the Israelites, second is Hur. Not much is known about this man other than he was held in good standing and became a leader when Moses went up to Mount Sinai, Exodus 24:14. It was thanks to the support of these two people that Moses was able to hold up his arms long enough for Joshua to defeat the enemy.

Today, we can look at this and see that without the support of a church (Aaron) and those who are also following God’s will (Hur) we will not be able to be as successful in following God’s path for us. God could have easily allowed the Israelites to defeat Amalek without any assistance from Him. Instead, God used the opportunity to provide another example of how we must be first dependent upon Him, and second must surround ourselves with those who will hold us up when we become unsteady in our walk with God.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Eschatology Part Twelve

Last week I told you we would discuss how the church age comes to an end and how this evil man talked about in Daniel chapter 9 is brought forth.

As controversial as it might sound, the Christian world has fallen victim to not reading God’s Word. In some cases, they have even taken the added step of creating additional writings instead of staying true to the sixty-six books. Because of this, there are some who claim that what we are going to be discussing is nonsense. Recently, I actually heard a pastor of a church who had been pastoring for over 20 years claim, from an authoritative stance, that the Church age would not end the way scripture claimed but rather in a different way. This is troubling, and I understand there might be some who will not like or rather even be angry with what I am going to say. Nevertheless, today we start a small series in our larger eschatology series on the Bible defined as the rapture of the Church.

Today we are going to tackle one fact and one criticism of the rapture. At the end of the mini series we will discuss if we can establish a law or only a theory in regards to the rapture of the Church.

First, I want to start with the fact. There are many references in the Bible regarding principles of the rapture and even moments of the event discussed, however none is so obvious than Jesus Christ’s own words in John 14.

John 14:1-3  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Jesus is soon leaving to be with the Father in Heaven, He is preparing a place for us. Thus, He must be coming back. Simple really, however some claim this is the second coming of Christ and not the rapture. Even so, this argument of second coming is ruled out in the title itself. Jesus in the Second Coming is coming to earth. Ironically, He has some people with Him, these people are everyone that went through the rapture.

The Second Coming is described as below.

Revelation 19:11-16 “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”

Sounds very different than Jesus telling the disciples He was preparing a place for us?

The challenge we will tackle today, is the argument that the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible. Ironically, they only need to read the Bible in Latin and the word would be found. Nevertheless, the rapture is used as a term to describe an event. Trinity and Bible are not found in the scriptures, and yet we understand they are very much present.

Next week, we will discuss more regarding the rapture of the Church and how this must happen for the church age to come to an end, and it must happen for the man discussed in Daniel to come about.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A snapshot into the book of Numbers. Read it HERE!

How to Find Rest

Have you ever experienced a hard day of work? Maybe it is a physically laborious job or one that is mentally draining, by the end of the day you are wondering how could you possible go back and do it all over again. Have you ever felt this about your religious walk? That there are so many rules and ordinances that must be followed in order to have a close relationship, or a relationship at all with the Father? Now what if I told you that it did not need to be this way?

For many individuals right now, there is a belief that they need to follow certain dietary restrictions, give up certain everyday vices during a time of year, or behave in a certain type of way in order to make themselves worthy for God. This post is not meant to get into how God feels regarding our religious works, look at Isaiah 64:6 for this answer. Neither are we talking about staying in sin, for those who are acting in sin they need to repent and turn towards the Lord. Instead, I want to address those who are physically tired in their attempt to be righteous and those who are tired in their walk with Jesus Christ.

The first group are those who follow all the religious “rules” that are placed upon them either through upbringing or through the church they attend. It can be almost stifling trying to keep up and succeed in these rules in order to be seen as righteous to those around. The second group are those who are born again believers in Jesus Christ who are struggling to make Jesus fit within their own wishes for their life. These are the individuals who are trying to direct God in the direction they want their life to go instead of allowing God to lead them where He wants them to go.

Unsurprisingly, the answer to both groups weariness is the same. “28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Here we find Jesus calling to all who are weary and burdened down with life and the religious rules placed upon them. It is tiring trying to succeed in these rules because all they do is point out how drastically we fail to measure up to what God wants us to be. This is why we need Jesus Christ, only by giving it all to Him can we find rest. When we remove the yoke of the world from our shoulders and place on the yoke of Jesus Christ, we begin to learn from Him and see that to follow Jesus Christ is not about rules but a real relationship with the God who cares for us!

For those who have already experienced the rest of Jesus Christ but find themselves struggling to follow. I ask these born again believers if they are truly allowing God to lead their lives. Have they exchanged the yoke of the world for the yoke of God? Or are you trying to make the Almighty and Righteous God fit into ideals presented by a wicked in unholy world? If this sounds like you, then the answer is still the same. Come to Him! Allow God to lead you and you will see how quickly He provides your rest!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Eschatology Part Eleven

When you tell people that you are studying eschatology, they might tilt their head to the side and give you a strange look of confusion. Most people do not know the technical term for the study. However, if you say, “I am studying the end times” they might immediately think you are studying the antichrist. For us, this post today is regarding the evil man, however it is not a full biography of him. Today we are evaluating his most significant actions in relation to the nation of Israel as related to the Law of Accomplishment.

Daniel 9:27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

If you were to just read this verse on its own without any context from our previous study, you would be scratching your head in confusion. However, we know from our previous studying that when we see the words, “and he” we know we are talking about a certain time and a certain man. Both have already been identified.

  The time was identified in Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.” This is 490 years, also known as seventy weeks. Sixty-two weeks are completed yet there is still one week to go. This is not a study over the exact number of the days, but I would encourage you to review Dr. Chuck Missler’s work on the subject.  

The “him” was identified in Daniel 9:26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.” The group that destroyed the temple in 70AD will have a lineage that will be identified in the last days which will bring forth a man who will be the antichrist.

So the big question many ask is, who destroyed the temple? The short answer, Rome. However, to get down into the details there were four legions. V Macedonica, XII Fulminata, XV Apollinaris, and X Fretensis. The ethnic background all point back towards the Roman Empire.  

Thus, when we examine verse 27 we can see that there will be a man who will make a treaty with Israel, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week.” Halfway through this treaty or at three and a half years he will break this treaty, “but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.” We see that there is the temple again being mentioned! “Stop a sacrifice and grain offering” The temple is being implied ans operational before this, as of the time of this writing this has not happened. The Jews need to build their temple again, for that they must have Jerusalem and for that they must be in the land. This is why May 14th, 1947 is so amazing for the student of eschatology. The clock is getting primed to start ticking again. The 490 years are getting prepped to start.

Often I hear people stop here, they start to speculate on who is the antichrist or race off to another verse of the Bible instead of finishing this verse and the thought process of what is being said. We will not do that here. Let us continue with the rest of verse 27, “and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

This is talking about what will happen after the three and a half years. “And on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction one that is decreed.”

(Author note: To the reader, there are moments I try to keep to a standard of Bible translations that are closer to the word for word. However, there are moments this can be a disservice to the reader and for this reason I use the NLT for the final thought process of studying verse 27).

Daniel 9:27 “And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

Some say this has already happened with Antiochus the IV, but they forget to realize that Jesus Himself mentions this in the future. Jesus lived and performed His ministry after Antiochus performed his atrocities. Nevertheless, what we do get out of this is another hint to the circular pattern and foreshadowing of prophecy in the Bible.

Daniel 9:27 ends heroically and in a great way, “until the fate decreed for this défiler is finally poured out on him.” This moment is finally described in Jesus’ revelation to John in Revelation chapter 19. Here John testifies of when Jesus comes back as the “Ben David” the King, the Lion of Judah. This time when Jesus comes, it will be terrifying for those who do not belong to Him. Revelation 19:20-21 “And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast--miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.”

It is here that we come to a close regarding the Law of Accomplishment. Gabriel, who is decreeing this to Daniel, has explained to him how the 490 years will end. It will end with the worst person to ever come at the Jewish people being utterly destroyed. That destruction would not be detailed until John in the book of Revelation.

So what does this mean for you and I? It means as we study eschatology, we need to be mindful of what we are studying and take into account the laws vs theories and even hypothesis that are laid before us. Instead of assuming, we should dig deeper into God’s word. Next week we will discuss how the age of the Church comes to an end, and how does this evil man talked about in Daniel chapter 9 is brought forth.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

How should you handle when someone sins against you? Find out HERE!

Unveiled Glory

Have you ever wondered how the outside world views those who are born-again Christians? Sure we seem to be the butt of so many jokes, but have you ever wondered if the rest of the world sees those who are actively following Christ in a different light? Or have you ever looked at your own behavior and considered if it is showing the world God’s grace or if you are following right along with the world? Paul writes a passage in 2 Corinthians that directly relates to these ideas.

“3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, 3 revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 Therefore, having such a hope, we use great boldness in ourspeech, 13 and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away. 14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; 16 but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

We see that Paul starts this passage pointing out an issue that Christians still have today, and that is to praise themselves or to seek praise from others regarding actions they have done. This issue Paul is quick to point out that we are letters of Christ to the world, our actions show our faith in the living God. “revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,” 2 Corinthians 3:3-5.

It is the fact that our behavior is not to seek praise from others, but to bring glory to God that Paul then continues to show that we have become servants or enactors of a new covenant. One not of rules and regulations, but of grace. The old law was always designed to show how impossible it if for mankind to meet God’s standard; it is why on our own we are not adequate to complete it, only Christ is. However, the old law was still given by God and was designed to show God’s glory in the need for a savior. Paul then wishes to show the reader that this new covenant will have even more glory because it is not an act of condemnation but of accepting that Jesus Christ is righteous and we can only be righteous through His actions. “6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory in this case has no glory, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.” 2 Corinthians 3:6-11.

So how should a Christian act? It is with boldness, not in our works but in the works of Jesus Christ! Paul reminds the Jewish readers at the time that Moses hid his face after seeing God because God’s glory remained on him. It was to much for the others to bear. Moses hid, we should not. We should walk about boldly showing the world God’s grace. There may be those who do not wish to see God’s glory, but those who turn to the Lord will be able to see Him through our actions and be able to understand more of God.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Eschatology 101 Part Ten

Hello reader! I have to admit, this series feels like a total loss at times! There is so much to talk about and so little time. However, this series is called “Eschatology 101” for a reason. We are looking for the foundational supports that make up the rest of the building. Today though, I need to warn you. We are going deep and this is a long post! There is no way to cut it in two or even three and we will be jumping from verse to verse. I would implore you to be a vigilant saint, act like a barean, and check my own work for yourself.

Today we continue with Daniel chapter 9, and examine verse 26 and the uniqueness that many people miss.

Daniel 9:26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

We are lucky because part of this verse is accomplished, thus we can examine and evaluate the coming prophetic information. Let us break it down.

“Then after the sixty-two weeks” this has been accomplished, look at our post last week.

“the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing” We know this was accomplished, look at our post last week and examine how God came to die for us, on the exact date He declared hundreds of years before.

However, we now come to our next part and we need to be careful to recognize something many so-called Bible scholars and theologians mistake. The lesson we must not forget, is scripture should not be interpreted alone. This means scripture will be supported by other scripture verses. If you read Daniel 9 :26 by itself, you might very well think something that is not accurate. Nevertheless and thankfully for us, we have a God’s totality of word wrapped up in 66 books of the Bible. So with that said, let us examine what many Bible scholars and theologians miss.

“And the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.”

Some will read this and say this is talking about 70AD with the destruction of the temple by the Romans. This would be accurate, but not precise. See the difference? Accurate means it is not incorrect, but precise means it is perfect.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of learning something from a Messianic Jew (Jew who recognizes Jesus as their Messiah) named Zola Levitt. One of the things he helped walk me through, was that prophecy at times is not linier but circular. Meaning it will have a small accomplishment now, and later on it will have its ultimate accomplishment. This verse is the perfect example. The temple was not only a monument of Jewish culture and significance, but of Roman might! The Romans were in charge, and their signifiant role with government of the area brought glory to their empire. They had financed the renovations and even helped maintain the roads for Jewish pilgrims. The safety of the temple seemed secure because it brought glory to Rome, the Jews appeared to have nothing to worry about.

Luke 21:5 “And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts,”

Yet, we know from Daniel 9:26 that the temple was prophesied to be destroyed. We also know that it would be destroyed in 70AD. Even Jesus Himself recognizes the 70AD destruction.

Luke 21:6 “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”

We know that Daniel is told it will be destroyed; we know that Jesus adds more clearity and states that it will not only be destroyed, but there will not be a stone left on another.

Examine the historical account and you will see that this is indeed what happened.

So where is the future aspect? For this we need to go back to Daniel 9:26 and examine the importance of one simple phrase, the people” of someone who is coming ! Let us look, “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

This means there is a coming prince, but what prince ? In popular terms he is known as the antichrist. Daniel is saying that the temple will be destroyed by the people of the prince who is coming. This means two things. First, that the temple would be destroyed by a group of people who can be identified as a group and their lineage can be identified. Second, this group can be identified later on in the future.

Yet, how does this mean we have another future temple destruction? We know this because the disciples asked Jesus and instead of going into the first destruction in 70AD, He gives insight into the second destruction prophesied about.

Luke 21:7-24 “7 They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them. 9 “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” 10 Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13 “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. 14 “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16 “But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18 “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. 19 “By your endurance you will gain your lives. 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. 21 “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23 “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Many will claim this has happened, however there is no historical event that has even come close to this being fullfilled. Jesus thought it was so important that they understand this, that He even made sure to point out with unquestionably the most obvious signs we could imagine.

Luke 21:25-26 “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Simply put, the destruction of the temple in 70AD reflects the significance of just how perfect God’s prophecies are, but also reflects the reality that there needs to be another.

Now you might be wondering about the ending from last week and thinking to yourself, what did JL mean with:

“We are about to enter a time omitted in scripture by verbiage, but identified through deliberate omittance to reveal a plan of grace for you and I today!”

This is very important for you and I today!

We need to remember that God’s Word is perfect; so if it leaves something omitted, we should see if it has been done on purpose. Rabbi’s throughout the centuries have said God’s Word is even declared in the spacing between the letters and words. The same goes here.

Daniel 9:26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.”

The “And” is an identifier for you and I to recognize that something has happened. We have the luxury of knowing that this “something” is so far two thousand years. This is the Church Age. A time of grace given by God for those who are not of His “fold” to be found and saved. Jesus own words state this, John 10:14-16 “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” There is an old saying that states; “Where there is no information, this states information” the same thing goes. Daniel chapter 9 does not go into details regarding the church age, and yet we can say that the Bible remarkable talks a lot about it.

What does this mean for you and I right now ? It means two things which must be identified. The church age is a specific aspect of time that is marked with a beginning and end which will come to fruition at its appointed time. In aspects of the The Law of Accomplishment, (God has given 490 special years for the nation of Israel and Jerusalem to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy), God has put a pause button on the years, there are seven to go, there is a future aspect of Daniel chapter 9 verse 26 “And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.” Next week we will dive deeper and see just what Daniel was told regarding this future event.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming;

JL

Re-Post Friday

A snapshot into the book of Exodus. Read it HERE!

All Together

Have you ever been reading through any of the books written by Paul and wonder how he could have been so harsh with the Jews? But then have you ever sat and realized that you are under the same correction that Paul is describing? There is an issue that seems prevalent in a lot of churches right now, and that is we tend to think that our sins are “less” or “don’t matter as much” simply because we go to church. Or we see an issue that a brother or sister in Christ is struggling with and think that is bigger than our own struggles, that we are “better Christians” because we don’t have the same issues. If you have experienced this, or even thought it yourself; I ask that you read Paul’s words in Romans 3:9-20.

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written: “There is no righteous person, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; 12 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The venom of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And they have not known the way of peace.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin.”

In today’s common speech it would sound something like this, “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that all are under sin.” And what I mean by this is that everyone is all under the bondage of sin, there is no man, woman, or child who has not committed some sin. It is why God sent His Son, because only the Son of God could live a perfect and untainted life. What separates individuals now is some have come to understand that they will never be “good” enough to not sin, they acknowledge that they need a Savior; and then there are those who have not come to this knowledge and continue to practice sin.

The issue comes in when born-again believers forget that at one point they were seen just as guilty in the eyes of God as those who are practicing sin; this can create a mentality that we are better than those who have not come to know Christ. Which is why Paul then begins to pull verses from Psalm 14, to remind everyone that apart from Christ no matter race or social status you are under sin’s guilty verdict. None of us do good, our works on our own are as filthy rags to God. “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.” Isaiah 64:6. It doesn’t matter what our sins were, if they were “minor” or if they were “major” in the eyes of mankind, all sin is sin as a major offense to God! There is no small or big sins, they are all equal!

For the believers who are reading this who may have found themselves looking and comparing themselves to those around them. Remember, you were seen just as guilty as they are. Do not let pride seep in and convince you that you were in any way better then they. Then, go out and be like Christ! He sat with the worst of mankind and sought to rise them up, to bring them to a saving faith in God, and to serve them! He lived a perfect life but still washed the disciples feet! Be like Christ and serve!

For the non-believers, there is hope and that hope can be found in Romans 3:21-26.

“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

We cannot receive eternal salvation on our own rights. We have all fallen short of God’s glory; we are all equal in that sense. But what separates the believer from the non-believer is the understanding that we cannot receive salvation based on our works. It comes only through the works of Jesus Christ! He is the author of our salvation, He is the one who lived the perfect life, who died and was resurrected, it is His actions and not ours that brings mankind to be rectified to God!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Daily Time with the Teacher

I want to take a quick moment from our Eschatology series and encourage you to read a Proverbs a day. God wants us to be in His Word as a way to help us understand and support our decision making process throughout life.  

Proverbs 4:1-4 “Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding, 2 For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. 3 When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, 4 Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;”

Reading the Bible is more than just for Eschatology, but for also the personal moments right now.

Proverbs 5:1-2 “My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; 2 That you may observe discretion And your lips may reserve knowledge.”

God is eager for us to be students, are you eager for Him to be a teacher in your own life? Take a moment, each and everyday and read the chapter related to Proverbs and see how quickly God interacts in your life. He will talk to you, I have seen it in my own life and I know He will do it in your life. So no matter what you are going through in your life, remember that the Bible is applicable right now.

Proverbs 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.”

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A reminder that our work is not done. Read it HERE!