In Gen 12:1-3 we read:
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (KJV)
The blessing which God pronounced upon Abraham and his descendants was passed down to Isaac but not Ishmael, and it was passed down to Jacob but not Esau. It was passed down only to those who had faith in the God of Abraham.
Only those who had faith in God left Egypt with Moses for the promised land. God had prepared Moses and the nation of Israel to enter the promised land and receive the Old Covenant Kingdom, but only Moses, Caleb and Joshua had the faith to believe that God would give them victory over their enemies in the land.
Because most of the nation of Israel refused to enter the land, God announced that they would be punished with forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The people became terrified at that prospect and some of the Jews decided that they would enter the land after all. Moses warned them not to try it because the power of God would not be with them. They entered the land and were slaughtered by the Canaanites. Only after forty years in the wilderness did the nation of Israel enter the promised land and receive the kingdom of the Old Covenant.
After the Lord Jesus was crucified and the Holy Spirit was given, the New Covenant Kingdom was offered to Israel. This was to be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s blessing to Abraham. Again, the nation of Israel refused to enter the promised land because of their unbelief. As a result, God temporarily set aside His promises to Abraham. In our present age, Israel has no special purpose among the nations. However, God has not forsaken His promise to Abraham. God will someday bring the nation of Israel back to the promised land, and they will enter the land through faith and will receive the kingdom of the New Covenant.
Today, there are some Jews who want to take the promised land by force, thinking that it is God’s plan for them to do so. They need to be warned that God is not with them in this effort. They will fail miserably. In fact their efforts will result in the ultimate reign of the antichrist who will slaughter those who try to take the land in their own might.
Daniel prophesied in Dan 11:13-14:
13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. (KJV)
It is not wrong for Israel to have a nation today, but it would be wrong for the nation of Israel to try to take the promise of God by force. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, He will defeat the antichrist and give the promised land to a small group of Jewish believers who have faithfully waited upon the Lord. These faithful Jews will be protected in the wilderness during the holocaust of the antichrist just as their forefathers were protected in the wilderness just before the Old Covenant Kingdom.
Today, it is most important that believers teach the nation of Israel about the truth of Jesus Christ and warn the nation of Israel of the dangers of trying to take the promised land by force. It is still true that God will bless those who bless Israel, but believers need to do some serious thinking about the best way to bless Israel.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Thursday, July 31, 2003
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Since believers today have the power of the Holy Spirit within them, why can’t we establish the spiritual Kingdom of God on the earth? That is a question which theologians have debated for nearly 2 thousand years. Some say that we can and that we should. Others say that it can not happen until Christ returns to personally rule on the earth. As you may have guessed, I hold the latter view. The reason it this. Today, God has ordained in His perfect wisdom to allow the devil to have great power and authority within the world system. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that the devil is the “god of this world”.
2 Cor 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (KJV)
However, the devil has very little power over the believers of this age as long as they are yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Jn 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
The devil has used his power and authority to ensure that success within our present world system depends upon playing the devil’s game. For Christians to rule the world today, they would have to gain power by means of deceit and manipulation. Then to maintain power, they would have to abuse human rights and severely limit individual liberties. I am afraid that the Christian religion has been very successful through the years because it has maintained its power over people by these very means. These methods will never establish a spiritual kingdom.
Reportedly, D.L. Moody said that our world is a sinking ship, and it is not our job to save the ship. It is our job to rescue as many people as we can before the ship goes down.
Some see it as pessimistic to say that we can not reform this world. They say that this limits the power of God. However, accepting the truth of God’s word as the blueprint for our goals and activities will prevent us from wasting time going in the wrong direction. Today believers can effectively work to make this world better but should focus on sharing the love of Jesus Christ with those who are under Satan’s spell. This can be done in any job including politically oriented jobs. We simply have to focus on our true mission. Jesus said that there are many who are waiting to hear the gospel.
John 4:35
35 . . . behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (KJV)
When the Lord Jesus returns to set up the New Covenant Kingdom, not only will the world have the personal presence of the Lord Jesus, but the devil will be stripped of all of his power.
Rev 20:1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled . . . (KJV)
During the kingdom, human hearts will be filled with the Spirit of God, the curse will be lifted from the earth, and the world system will operate on the basis of true liberty and justice for all.
Micah 4:3
3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
2 Cor 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (KJV)
However, the devil has very little power over the believers of this age as long as they are yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Jn 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
The devil has used his power and authority to ensure that success within our present world system depends upon playing the devil’s game. For Christians to rule the world today, they would have to gain power by means of deceit and manipulation. Then to maintain power, they would have to abuse human rights and severely limit individual liberties. I am afraid that the Christian religion has been very successful through the years because it has maintained its power over people by these very means. These methods will never establish a spiritual kingdom.
Reportedly, D.L. Moody said that our world is a sinking ship, and it is not our job to save the ship. It is our job to rescue as many people as we can before the ship goes down.
Some see it as pessimistic to say that we can not reform this world. They say that this limits the power of God. However, accepting the truth of God’s word as the blueprint for our goals and activities will prevent us from wasting time going in the wrong direction. Today believers can effectively work to make this world better but should focus on sharing the love of Jesus Christ with those who are under Satan’s spell. This can be done in any job including politically oriented jobs. We simply have to focus on our true mission. Jesus said that there are many who are waiting to hear the gospel.
John 4:35
35 . . . behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (KJV)
When the Lord Jesus returns to set up the New Covenant Kingdom, not only will the world have the personal presence of the Lord Jesus, but the devil will be stripped of all of his power.
Rev 20:1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled . . . (KJV)
During the kingdom, human hearts will be filled with the Spirit of God, the curse will be lifted from the earth, and the world system will operate on the basis of true liberty and justice for all.
Micah 4:3
3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
God’s Old Covenant with Israel was characterized by its association with the physical world. In the Old Covenant, Israel had a physical kingdom in which they offered physical tithes by means of physical sacrifices. They observed the physical Sabbath days and numerous feast days. They also had various ceremonial washings with physical water.
During the period of the gospels, many physical miracles were done by the Lord Jesus and the disciples, while Christ was being presented as Israel’s Messiah. During the Acts period, while the New Covenant Kingdom was being offered to Israel, there were many physical miracles, wonders, and signs that God gave to demonstrate the validity of the offer.
When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will again have a physical kingdom. The Bible says that the entire nation of Israel will serve as a nation of priests who will receive the tithes and administer the various physical ceremonies. They will also serve as judges for the nations of the world. These things will all be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, our present dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have spiritual baptism into the Body of Christ. We enjoy the spiritual sabbath, or rest, that we find in the Lord Jesus. We are spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom. We enjoy spiritual miracles of the heart such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering and all of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul said that believers today are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. It pleased the Father that all the fulness of God should dwell in Christ, and we find our fulness or completeness in Him.
Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)
The physical realm is but an empty shell without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. Physical water baptism was but a shadow or picture of the believer’s spiritual immersion into Christ. Physical circumcision was merely a picture of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death and the cutting away of the lusts of the flesh. Paul said that these shadows have no substance and that we should focus on the spiritual fulness that is ours in Christ.
Col 2:17-19
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. (NKJ)
This physical world has only a secondary significance for believers today because we are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20), and we should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
During the period of the gospels, many physical miracles were done by the Lord Jesus and the disciples, while Christ was being presented as Israel’s Messiah. During the Acts period, while the New Covenant Kingdom was being offered to Israel, there were many physical miracles, wonders, and signs that God gave to demonstrate the validity of the offer.
When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will again have a physical kingdom. The Bible says that the entire nation of Israel will serve as a nation of priests who will receive the tithes and administer the various physical ceremonies. They will also serve as judges for the nations of the world. These things will all be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.
However, our present dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have spiritual baptism into the Body of Christ. We enjoy the spiritual sabbath, or rest, that we find in the Lord Jesus. We are spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom. We enjoy spiritual miracles of the heart such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering and all of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul said that believers today are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. It pleased the Father that all the fulness of God should dwell in Christ, and we find our fulness or completeness in Him.
Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)
The physical realm is but an empty shell without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. Physical water baptism was but a shadow or picture of the believer’s spiritual immersion into Christ. Physical circumcision was merely a picture of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death and the cutting away of the lusts of the flesh. Paul said that these shadows have no substance and that we should focus on the spiritual fulness that is ours in Christ.
Col 2:17-19
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. (NKJ)
This physical world has only a secondary significance for believers today because we are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20), and we should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Monday, July 28, 2003
We have seen that Paul taught that each believer is in Christ and that the Spirit of Christ is in each believer. He also taught that this union resulted in believers becoming part of the body of Christ in a spiritual sense. Paul’s description of the body of Christ in his early epistles was very informal. Paul’s later epistles include Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, and in these epistles, Paul reveals a formal institution called the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 (God) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (KJV)
Not only does this verse show the Body of Christ as an institution, it shows an institutional structure in which Christ is the Head of the Body. This is emphasized again in Colossians.
Col 1:18
18 And (Christ) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (KJV)
In I Corinthians 11:3, Paul said that Christ is the head of every man but made no mention of Christ being the head of the body. In I Corinthians 12:21, Paul made a general reference to the head of the body of Christ, but he said nothing about Christ being the head of that body. During the Acts period, God was working within the framework of the dispensation of His covenants with Israel, and it is only logical that God would not reveal his dispensation regarding the institution of the Church which is the Body of Christ until after His institutional relationship with Israel was set aside.
After Israel’s covenant program was set aside at the end of the book of Acts, God called Paul to tell the world about the institution of the Church which is the Body of Christ. This involved the revelation of a new dispensation or a new program from God. In II Corinthians 3:6, Paul said that he was a minister of the New Covenant which was given to Israel, but in the later epistles, Paul was emphatic about the fact that he was the minister of a new dispensation in which God was calling believers into a spiritual, institutional Church in the heavenlies. It was a Church whose members were chosen by God based on His knowledge of their faith in Christ. God revealed to Paul the details of this new dispensation which Paul referred to as “the mystery” because it had never been revealed to any other prophet. Paul sensed the urgency of letting people know about the changes that had taken place. He wrote these words in Ephesians:
Eph 3:8-9
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (KJV)
As magnificent as this new institution is, Paul never lost sight of the fact that the whole thing hinges on the faith of the individual believer and upon the spiritual union that exists between Christ and the believer. The following passage in Colossians reveals the continuing significance of this doctrine in Paul’s life and ministry.
Col 1:24-27
24 (I) now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and . . . the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Eph 1:22-23
22 (God) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (KJV)
Not only does this verse show the Body of Christ as an institution, it shows an institutional structure in which Christ is the Head of the Body. This is emphasized again in Colossians.
Col 1:18
18 And (Christ) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (KJV)
In I Corinthians 11:3, Paul said that Christ is the head of every man but made no mention of Christ being the head of the body. In I Corinthians 12:21, Paul made a general reference to the head of the body of Christ, but he said nothing about Christ being the head of that body. During the Acts period, God was working within the framework of the dispensation of His covenants with Israel, and it is only logical that God would not reveal his dispensation regarding the institution of the Church which is the Body of Christ until after His institutional relationship with Israel was set aside.
After Israel’s covenant program was set aside at the end of the book of Acts, God called Paul to tell the world about the institution of the Church which is the Body of Christ. This involved the revelation of a new dispensation or a new program from God. In II Corinthians 3:6, Paul said that he was a minister of the New Covenant which was given to Israel, but in the later epistles, Paul was emphatic about the fact that he was the minister of a new dispensation in which God was calling believers into a spiritual, institutional Church in the heavenlies. It was a Church whose members were chosen by God based on His knowledge of their faith in Christ. God revealed to Paul the details of this new dispensation which Paul referred to as “the mystery” because it had never been revealed to any other prophet. Paul sensed the urgency of letting people know about the changes that had taken place. He wrote these words in Ephesians:
Eph 3:8-9
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (KJV)
As magnificent as this new institution is, Paul never lost sight of the fact that the whole thing hinges on the faith of the individual believer and upon the spiritual union that exists between Christ and the believer. The following passage in Colossians reveals the continuing significance of this doctrine in Paul’s life and ministry.
Col 1:24-27
24 (I) now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and . . . the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Friday, July 25, 2003
The spiritual union that exists between Christ and the believer is the central concept of all of Paul’s doctrine. Paul teaches that each believer is in Christ, and that Christ is in each believer. In I Corinthians and Romans, Paul introduced the idea that believers are members of Christ’s body.
Rom 12:5
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (NKJ)
1 Cor 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (KJV)
Paul penned Romans and the letters to the Corinthians around 58 A.D., and Paul’s description of believers as the body of Christ in very informal. In fact, it appears to be a simple analogy to illustrate the unity of believers. Paul never calls this body the Church, and he never says that Christ is the Head of this body.
Paul was imprisoned in Rome about 62 A.D. It was there that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. In these epistles, Paul declared that Christ now serves as the Head of a new, heavenly institution called the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 And (God the Father) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (NKJ)
Col 1:24
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (NKJ)
Paul said that this truth regarding the Church which is the Body of Christ was given only to him and that God had kept it a secret from all other generations in previous ages.
Col 1:25-26
25 of (the Church which is the Body of Christ) I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (NKJ)
With this revelation of the heavenly Church which is the Body of Christ came the setting aside of Israel’s earthly, institutional religion. In these prison epistles, there is no hint of those things which were associated with the Old Covenant, such as sacrifices, purification rituals, or the Passover. Neither is there any mention of Israel’s New Covenant or the things which were associated with the New Covenant, such as water baptism, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesying, casting out demons, and healing.
God had taken Israel as His wife in the Old Covenant and offered Israel a spiritual reconciliation of that marriage in the New Covenant. Israel rejected God’s offer, and God set aside Israel’s program to reveal the Church which is the Body of Christ.
With the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ came also the revelation of the fulness of Christ. That Christ is not only the Messiah. That Christ is not only the Savior. But that Christ is God. All that God is is totally and absolutely true of Jesus Christ. Believers are totally complete in Him and are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus..
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Rom 12:5
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (NKJ)
1 Cor 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (KJV)
Paul penned Romans and the letters to the Corinthians around 58 A.D., and Paul’s description of believers as the body of Christ in very informal. In fact, it appears to be a simple analogy to illustrate the unity of believers. Paul never calls this body the Church, and he never says that Christ is the Head of this body.
Paul was imprisoned in Rome about 62 A.D. It was there that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. In these epistles, Paul declared that Christ now serves as the Head of a new, heavenly institution called the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 And (God the Father) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (NKJ)
Col 1:24
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (NKJ)
Paul said that this truth regarding the Church which is the Body of Christ was given only to him and that God had kept it a secret from all other generations in previous ages.
Col 1:25-26
25 of (the Church which is the Body of Christ) I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (NKJ)
With this revelation of the heavenly Church which is the Body of Christ came the setting aside of Israel’s earthly, institutional religion. In these prison epistles, there is no hint of those things which were associated with the Old Covenant, such as sacrifices, purification rituals, or the Passover. Neither is there any mention of Israel’s New Covenant or the things which were associated with the New Covenant, such as water baptism, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesying, casting out demons, and healing.
God had taken Israel as His wife in the Old Covenant and offered Israel a spiritual reconciliation of that marriage in the New Covenant. Israel rejected God’s offer, and God set aside Israel’s program to reveal the Church which is the Body of Christ.
With the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ came also the revelation of the fulness of Christ. That Christ is not only the Messiah. That Christ is not only the Savior. But that Christ is God. All that God is is totally and absolutely true of Jesus Christ. Believers are totally complete in Him and are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus..
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Thursday, July 24, 2003
The Apostle Paul revealed that keeping the Law of Moses could not bring salvation.
Gal 2:16
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (KJV)
Paul revealed that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (KJV)
Today, we will look at Paul’s revelation concerning the intimate spiritual experience of those who believe in Jesus Christ. After Paul spoke of the ineffectiveness of the Law in Galatians 2:16, he said something very mysterious in verse 20.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)
Paul clearly taught that he had experienced a spiritual unity with Christ to the extent that his spirit died with Christ on the cross of Calvary but that his spirit was replaced with the Spirit of Christ. In Romans 6, Paul said that this spiritual unity exists between Christ and every believer.
Rom 6:3-4
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (KJV)
The word baptize means to immerse. Therefore, Paul says that those who are spiritually immersed into Jesus Christ are spiritually immersed into His death, burial and resurrection. The physical body of each believer, therefore, becomes an instrument of the Spirit of Christ. This results in a tremendous change in the believer’s life.
2 Cor 5:17 says:
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Gal 2:16
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (KJV)
Paul revealed that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (KJV)
Today, we will look at Paul’s revelation concerning the intimate spiritual experience of those who believe in Jesus Christ. After Paul spoke of the ineffectiveness of the Law in Galatians 2:16, he said something very mysterious in verse 20.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)
Paul clearly taught that he had experienced a spiritual unity with Christ to the extent that his spirit died with Christ on the cross of Calvary but that his spirit was replaced with the Spirit of Christ. In Romans 6, Paul said that this spiritual unity exists between Christ and every believer.
Rom 6:3-4
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (KJV)
The word baptize means to immerse. Therefore, Paul says that those who are spiritually immersed into Jesus Christ are spiritually immersed into His death, burial and resurrection. The physical body of each believer, therefore, becomes an instrument of the Spirit of Christ. This results in a tremendous change in the believer’s life.
2 Cor 5:17 says:
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
In Matt 28 we find what is commonly called the “great commission”. It reads:
Matt 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
This passage is often referred to as if the Lord Jesus was telling His disciples to go and teach all people that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and that those who believe will receive eternal life. It seems clear that the disciples did not understand His words in that way. The disciples would most certainly have understood Jesus as saying that they should go everywhere and teach people about the fact that Jesus Christ was the promised messiah of the Jewish religion. This message would have been delivered for the most part to the Jews who had been scattered into all nations. This is obvious from the fact that Peter was so reluctant even in Acts 10 to go and talk to Cornelius, the Gentile.
Furthermore, when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, he specifically addressed the “men of Israel”, and he spoke to them about the fact that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead and that if they would believe, Jesus Christ would return from heaven to set up His kingdom on the earth. This certainly is not the message we preach today.
Today, we preach that when Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, His blood paid for the sins of the whole world and that those who believe are given eternal life. This concept was not really articulated until Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica. In 1Thes 5:9-10 Paul said,
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (KJV)
Paul was more specific in 1 Cor 15:3 where he said,
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (KJV)
But Paul really spelled out the details in Rom 3:24-25 where he said,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood . . . (KJV)
Therefore, the truth of the gospel, as we know it today, was kept secret until God revealed it to the Apostle Paul. It was Paul who taught us that all who believe Christ died for their sins will receive eternal life regardless of their race or religious background.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Matt 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
This passage is often referred to as if the Lord Jesus was telling His disciples to go and teach all people that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and that those who believe will receive eternal life. It seems clear that the disciples did not understand His words in that way. The disciples would most certainly have understood Jesus as saying that they should go everywhere and teach people about the fact that Jesus Christ was the promised messiah of the Jewish religion. This message would have been delivered for the most part to the Jews who had been scattered into all nations. This is obvious from the fact that Peter was so reluctant even in Acts 10 to go and talk to Cornelius, the Gentile.
Furthermore, when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, he specifically addressed the “men of Israel”, and he spoke to them about the fact that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead and that if they would believe, Jesus Christ would return from heaven to set up His kingdom on the earth. This certainly is not the message we preach today.
Today, we preach that when Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, His blood paid for the sins of the whole world and that those who believe are given eternal life. This concept was not really articulated until Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica. In 1Thes 5:9-10 Paul said,
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (KJV)
Paul was more specific in 1 Cor 15:3 where he said,
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (KJV)
But Paul really spelled out the details in Rom 3:24-25 where he said,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood . . . (KJV)
Therefore, the truth of the gospel, as we know it today, was kept secret until God revealed it to the Apostle Paul. It was Paul who taught us that all who believe Christ died for their sins will receive eternal life regardless of their race or religious background.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
The Bible has some good news for human beings, but to really understand the good news of the Bible, one needs to have a general understanding of the different ways God has worked with people from the beginning. In the beginning, God created all things including the first man and the first woman. They lived in innocence until they disobeyed God, but when they sinned, the curse of death fell upon them and all of mankind.
About 4000 years ago, God chose Abraham out from among all people because Abraham had faith in God. God told Abraham that from him a great nation would come forth. That nation is the nation of Israel. God loved the nation of Israel with a special love and took her as His wife. God’s marriage covenant with Israel was the Old Covenant Law, and in that covenant, God promised to provide for Israel and protect her as long as she was faithful and loyal to Him. God also promised that in the final chapters of the history of mankind, Israel would rule the world in the spiritual power of God’s love and mercy. God promised that a deliverer or messiah would come from the nation of Israel, and this messiah would lead the Jews into this worldwide political kingdom.
This marriage between God and Israel was a very rocky marriage from the beginning, for during the wedding ceremony, as Moses was with God on the mountaintop, Israel was already showing her rebellious heart by worshiping a golden calf. Through the years Israel would repeatedly wander from God only to be punished and brought back to God in repentance.
Jesus Christ came as the promised messiah about 2000 years ago, but Israel, as a whole, refused to believe that this lowly Jesus could possibly be the messiah. As a result, God set aside His marriage with Israel. Today, God has a special relationship with the people who do believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, Who gave His life for the sins of the world. Those who believe are spiritually baptized into Christ to become members of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the Church took the place of Israel and that God has established the New Covenant with the Church even as He established the Old Covenant with Israel. This would make the Church the wife of God, and it would imply that God has promised Christians today that they will rule the world through the power of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many Christians today are trying to rule the world for God in their own human power and through their own human reasoning.
The Bible teaches that our present age will end with a great apostasy and the ultimate rule of the antichrist. To rule the world today, Christians would have to completely ignore human rights and all basic human freedoms in order to eliminate all evil. This is exactly the means by which the antichrist will gain power and force the world into subjugation to the devil. The book of the Revelation teaches that Jesus Christ will return to the earth to defeat the antichrist and remarry Israel. This new marriage with Israel will be the New Covenant, and this marriage will bring great blessing to all the world through a great kingdom of righteousness. Jesus Christ will not have to ignore human rights and individual liberty because the Holy Spirit of God and His righteousness will dwell within the hearts of the people.
Today, our goal is not to rule the world. Our goal is to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that those who believe can experience the righteous liberty of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not call us to oppress the wicked but to set at liberty those who are in bondage to sin. Those of us who believe in Christ will live forever in the presence of our loving God because Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins on the cross of Calvary.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
About 4000 years ago, God chose Abraham out from among all people because Abraham had faith in God. God told Abraham that from him a great nation would come forth. That nation is the nation of Israel. God loved the nation of Israel with a special love and took her as His wife. God’s marriage covenant with Israel was the Old Covenant Law, and in that covenant, God promised to provide for Israel and protect her as long as she was faithful and loyal to Him. God also promised that in the final chapters of the history of mankind, Israel would rule the world in the spiritual power of God’s love and mercy. God promised that a deliverer or messiah would come from the nation of Israel, and this messiah would lead the Jews into this worldwide political kingdom.
This marriage between God and Israel was a very rocky marriage from the beginning, for during the wedding ceremony, as Moses was with God on the mountaintop, Israel was already showing her rebellious heart by worshiping a golden calf. Through the years Israel would repeatedly wander from God only to be punished and brought back to God in repentance.
Jesus Christ came as the promised messiah about 2000 years ago, but Israel, as a whole, refused to believe that this lowly Jesus could possibly be the messiah. As a result, God set aside His marriage with Israel. Today, God has a special relationship with the people who do believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, Who gave His life for the sins of the world. Those who believe are spiritually baptized into Christ to become members of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the Church took the place of Israel and that God has established the New Covenant with the Church even as He established the Old Covenant with Israel. This would make the Church the wife of God, and it would imply that God has promised Christians today that they will rule the world through the power of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many Christians today are trying to rule the world for God in their own human power and through their own human reasoning.
The Bible teaches that our present age will end with a great apostasy and the ultimate rule of the antichrist. To rule the world today, Christians would have to completely ignore human rights and all basic human freedoms in order to eliminate all evil. This is exactly the means by which the antichrist will gain power and force the world into subjugation to the devil. The book of the Revelation teaches that Jesus Christ will return to the earth to defeat the antichrist and remarry Israel. This new marriage with Israel will be the New Covenant, and this marriage will bring great blessing to all the world through a great kingdom of righteousness. Jesus Christ will not have to ignore human rights and individual liberty because the Holy Spirit of God and His righteousness will dwell within the hearts of the people.
Today, our goal is not to rule the world. Our goal is to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that those who believe can experience the righteous liberty of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not call us to oppress the wicked but to set at liberty those who are in bondage to sin. Those of us who believe in Christ will live forever in the presence of our loving God because Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins on the cross of Calvary.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will be the cure for all of the evils of the antichrist, just as He is the cure for all that is antichrist today. The Apostle John said:
I Jn 4:3-4
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
The devil and his demonic agents are very active in the world today. Paul said we struggle with them.
Eph 6:12-13
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (NIV)
We have power over these principalities and powers because the Lord Jesus disarmed them at the cross.
Col 2:15
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (NIV)
Obviously, the spiritual armor God has provided for our battle is very effective.
Eph 6:14-18
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints– (NKJ)
One of the purposes of the Church which is the Body of Christ is to bring glory to God by putting on display the victory of the Church over the authorities and powers of the darkness of this world.
Eph 3:8-11
8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
I Jn 4:3-4
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
The devil and his demonic agents are very active in the world today. Paul said we struggle with them.
Eph 6:12-13
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (NIV)
We have power over these principalities and powers because the Lord Jesus disarmed them at the cross.
Col 2:15
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (NIV)
Obviously, the spiritual armor God has provided for our battle is very effective.
Eph 6:14-18
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints– (NKJ)
One of the purposes of the Church which is the Body of Christ is to bring glory to God by putting on display the victory of the Church over the authorities and powers of the darkness of this world.
Eph 3:8-11
8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
We have seen that Daniel was a great prophet of God. However, Daniel did not know about this age in which we live. The Apostle Paul said that the revelation concerning this age was given to him alone.
Eph 3:1-5
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery . . .
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (NKJ)
That is why Paul so often warned people to follow him and his doctrine. To the Philippians, he wrote:
Phil 3:17
17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. (NIV)
Phil 4:9
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (NIV)
To Timothy, Paul wrote:
1 Tim 1:3,11
3 . . . that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. (NKJ)
2 Tim 2:2
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (NKJ)
2 Tim 3:10,14
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, . . .
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, (NKJ)
The dispensation of the grace of God was a mystery, hidden from the prophets, until it was revealed through the Apostle Paul. Understanding this mystery helps believers to appropriately pattern their lives and their worship after the doctrine of the Apostle Paul. It also makes it possible for Bible students to appreciate all scripture as a consistent presentation of God’s dealings with different groups of people in different times.
2 Tim 3:16
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (NKJ)
All scripture is profitable. One would pay a great price for neglecting of any portion of God’s word, but it must be rightly divided according to Paul’s doctrine.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Eph 3:1-5
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery . . .
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (NKJ)
That is why Paul so often warned people to follow him and his doctrine. To the Philippians, he wrote:
Phil 3:17
17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. (NIV)
Phil 4:9
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (NIV)
To Timothy, Paul wrote:
1 Tim 1:3,11
3 . . . that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. (NKJ)
2 Tim 2:2
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (NKJ)
2 Tim 3:10,14
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, . . .
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, (NKJ)
The dispensation of the grace of God was a mystery, hidden from the prophets, until it was revealed through the Apostle Paul. Understanding this mystery helps believers to appropriately pattern their lives and their worship after the doctrine of the Apostle Paul. It also makes it possible for Bible students to appreciate all scripture as a consistent presentation of God’s dealings with different groups of people in different times.
2 Tim 3:16
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (NKJ)
All scripture is profitable. One would pay a great price for neglecting of any portion of God’s word, but it must be rightly divided according to Paul’s doctrine.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Monday, July 14, 2003
After Daniel’s vision in Chapter 8, an angel explained to him the meaning of the vision. The angel said that a great leader from Greece would overthrow the Medes and Persians and that his kingdom would then be divided among four of his generals. The angel said that the antichrist would come out of one of these four regions of the Greek Empire. The angel even gave a few details regarding the antichrist.
Dan 8:25
25 "Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means. (NKJ)
It strikes me that the antichrist will destroy many “in their prosperity”. For thousands of years, rulers have tried to maintain their grip over their subjects by stealing from them and oppressing them. I am reminded of the cruelty of a ruler like Saddam Hussein who kept his people in poverty and murdered those who did not pay homage to him. When the antichrist comes, he will be much more clever. He will first reward the masses with great prosperity, realizing that once people have experienced wealth, they will often do anything to keep what they have. By this means, he can appear to be benevolent while exercising complete control over his subjects. However, his subjects will be destroyed in their prosperity.
My son, James, used to work for a charity group that does home repairs for needy people. One day, James told me about a man whose house was in great need of repair. James told the man that his group would be willing to make the needed repairs free of charge, and James was shocked when the man said, “The Lord has always been very good to me, and you might want to help someone who really needs it.”
This man knew the truth of I Timothy 6:6.
1 Tim 6:6
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. (KJV)
Such a person would not be a very easy target for the antichrist. He obviously had a moral compass which could not be swayed by a desire for the material things of this life. The Apostle Paul warned the believers at Philippi that many religious leaders actually have a greater desire for material success than they do for teaching the truth of God’s Word.
Phil 3:18-19
18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-- who set their mind on earthly things. (NKJ)
Paul then warned Timothy about the pitfalls associated with greed.
1 Tim 6:8-10
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Dan 8:25
25 "Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means. (NKJ)
It strikes me that the antichrist will destroy many “in their prosperity”. For thousands of years, rulers have tried to maintain their grip over their subjects by stealing from them and oppressing them. I am reminded of the cruelty of a ruler like Saddam Hussein who kept his people in poverty and murdered those who did not pay homage to him. When the antichrist comes, he will be much more clever. He will first reward the masses with great prosperity, realizing that once people have experienced wealth, they will often do anything to keep what they have. By this means, he can appear to be benevolent while exercising complete control over his subjects. However, his subjects will be destroyed in their prosperity.
My son, James, used to work for a charity group that does home repairs for needy people. One day, James told me about a man whose house was in great need of repair. James told the man that his group would be willing to make the needed repairs free of charge, and James was shocked when the man said, “The Lord has always been very good to me, and you might want to help someone who really needs it.”
This man knew the truth of I Timothy 6:6.
1 Tim 6:6
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. (KJV)
Such a person would not be a very easy target for the antichrist. He obviously had a moral compass which could not be swayed by a desire for the material things of this life. The Apostle Paul warned the believers at Philippi that many religious leaders actually have a greater desire for material success than they do for teaching the truth of God’s Word.
Phil 3:18-19
18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-- who set their mind on earthly things. (NKJ)
Paul then warned Timothy about the pitfalls associated with greed.
1 Tim 6:8-10
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Friday, July 11, 2003
In Daniel, chapter 8, Daniel tells of his third vision. In this vision, Daniel saw a ram with two horns which was destroyed by a goat with one prominent horn.
Dan 8:3
3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. (NKJ)
The ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire. History reveals that the Medes dominated the empire first, but then the Persians ascended to power and became even more powerful than the Medes. The Medes and Persians were able to overthrow the Babylonian Empire when Cyrus the Persian entered the city through a pair of doors which were left unlocked in the city wall. This had been prophesied by Isaiah the prophet.
Isa 45:1
1 "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: (NKJ)
However, Cyrus the Persian was a commanding general under Darius the Mede. Therefore, Daniel correctly stated that Darius defeated Belshazzar in this battle for Babylon.
Dan 5:30-31
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. (NKJ)
The prominent horn of the goat which defeated the Ram was Alexander the Great who died at a relatively young age and left his empire to be divided among his four commanding generals.
Dan 8:8
8 The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. (NIV)
Out of one of these four remnants of the Greek Empire will come the antichrist.
Dan 8:9-11
9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.
11 It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. (NIV)
This vision is very interesting in that it narrows down the roots from which the antichrist will rise. Daniel’s previous visions show 10 nations that rise up out of the Roman Empire and yield their power to the antichrist, while this vision shows the antichrist, himself, will rise up out of the vestiges of the Greek Empire.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III's link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Dan 8:3
3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. (NKJ)
The ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire. History reveals that the Medes dominated the empire first, but then the Persians ascended to power and became even more powerful than the Medes. The Medes and Persians were able to overthrow the Babylonian Empire when Cyrus the Persian entered the city through a pair of doors which were left unlocked in the city wall. This had been prophesied by Isaiah the prophet.
Isa 45:1
1 "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut: (NKJ)
However, Cyrus the Persian was a commanding general under Darius the Mede. Therefore, Daniel correctly stated that Darius defeated Belshazzar in this battle for Babylon.
Dan 5:30-31
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.
31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. (NKJ)
The prominent horn of the goat which defeated the Ram was Alexander the Great who died at a relatively young age and left his empire to be divided among his four commanding generals.
Dan 8:8
8 The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. (NIV)
Out of one of these four remnants of the Greek Empire will come the antichrist.
Dan 8:9-11
9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.
11 It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. (NIV)
This vision is very interesting in that it narrows down the roots from which the antichrist will rise. Daniel’s previous visions show 10 nations that rise up out of the Roman Empire and yield their power to the antichrist, while this vision shows the antichrist, himself, will rise up out of the vestiges of the Greek Empire.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III's link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Satan is really the greatest of all the great impostors in that he has tried to emulate every aspect of the earthly kingdom of God in his earthly empire. First, the Kingdom of God has its capital city of Jerusalem, while the empire of the devil is located in the plain of Shinar of present day Iraq.
The roots of Jerusalem go back to the city of Salem of which Melchizedek was priest and king. As you may recall, Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek after defeating the armies which had looted Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 14). Jerusalem later became the capital city of the Old Covenant Kingdom under King David and will be the capital city of the New Covenant Kingdom when Christ rules the earth for 1,000 years.
The roots of Babylon go back to the tower of Babel in the land of Shinar and the apostate religion of Nimrod (Genesis 10:9,10). Later, the great city of Babylon grew up in Shinar and became the capital city of the Babylonian Empire. Babylon will become the capital city of the empire of the antichrist in the tribulation period. It is interesting to note that one of the kings who looted Sodom and Gomorrah and was defeated by Abraham in Genesis 14 was the King of Shinar. This gives further evidence of the continuous rivalry that has existed throughout history between God's power in Jerusalem and the Satan's power in Babylon.
Second, the Kingdom of God is ruled by a triune God. The Bible clearly teaches that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit dwell together as one. Satan will imitate that pattern during the tribulation period with the antichrist, the false prophet, and the dragon who is Satan, himself.
Third, Jesus Christ was killed by the religious leaders of His day. He was buried, and He rose again the third day. As the great impostor, Satan will manipulate the hearts of certain people during the tribulation period who will cause the antichrist to suffer a mortal wound. After this mortal wound the antichrist will appear to come back to life.
Fourth, Jesus Christ was God in human form. He was born of a virgin and, therefore, had no human father. Satan, being the great imitator, will rise from the bottomless pit (Revelation 17: 8) to dwell within the body of the antichrist after the antichrist receives his mortal wound.
Regardless of Satan's attempts to imitate God's earthly kingdom, his empire of evil will be no match for the power of God. Satan's empire of lies will crumble before the truth of Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation period, Jesus Christ will return to earth with the hosts of heaven to defeat the antichrist. Christ will cast the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire and will cast Satan into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed for one final rebellion. His rebellion will be crushed, and he will be cast into the lake of fire with the antichrist and the false prophet.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III's link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
The roots of Jerusalem go back to the city of Salem of which Melchizedek was priest and king. As you may recall, Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek after defeating the armies which had looted Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 14). Jerusalem later became the capital city of the Old Covenant Kingdom under King David and will be the capital city of the New Covenant Kingdom when Christ rules the earth for 1,000 years.
The roots of Babylon go back to the tower of Babel in the land of Shinar and the apostate religion of Nimrod (Genesis 10:9,10). Later, the great city of Babylon grew up in Shinar and became the capital city of the Babylonian Empire. Babylon will become the capital city of the empire of the antichrist in the tribulation period. It is interesting to note that one of the kings who looted Sodom and Gomorrah and was defeated by Abraham in Genesis 14 was the King of Shinar. This gives further evidence of the continuous rivalry that has existed throughout history between God's power in Jerusalem and the Satan's power in Babylon.
Second, the Kingdom of God is ruled by a triune God. The Bible clearly teaches that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit dwell together as one. Satan will imitate that pattern during the tribulation period with the antichrist, the false prophet, and the dragon who is Satan, himself.
Third, Jesus Christ was killed by the religious leaders of His day. He was buried, and He rose again the third day. As the great impostor, Satan will manipulate the hearts of certain people during the tribulation period who will cause the antichrist to suffer a mortal wound. After this mortal wound the antichrist will appear to come back to life.
Fourth, Jesus Christ was God in human form. He was born of a virgin and, therefore, had no human father. Satan, being the great imitator, will rise from the bottomless pit (Revelation 17: 8) to dwell within the body of the antichrist after the antichrist receives his mortal wound.
Regardless of Satan's attempts to imitate God's earthly kingdom, his empire of evil will be no match for the power of God. Satan's empire of lies will crumble before the truth of Jesus Christ. At the end of the tribulation period, Jesus Christ will return to earth with the hosts of heaven to defeat the antichrist. Christ will cast the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire and will cast Satan into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed for one final rebellion. His rebellion will be crushed, and he will be cast into the lake of fire with the antichrist and the false prophet.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III's link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
The antichrist of the tribulation period and his false prophet will support a powerful Satanic religion. The false prophet will do great miracles to deceive the people, but murder will be in his heart.
Rev 13:13-15
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (NKJ)
He will make every person worship the image of the antichrist and receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead to buy or sell. The false prophet and the antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire when Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom.
Rev 19:20
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (NKJ)
The religion of the antichrist and false prophet will be a blood thirsty religion which is centered in the city of Babylon.
Rev 17:3-6
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (NKJ)
It is interesting that the 10 nations who align themselves with the antichrist will hate his religion.
Rev 17:16-18
16 "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17 "For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18 "And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." (NKJ)
Apparently, their loyalty to the antichrist will be based solely upon political convenience.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Rev 13:13-15
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (NKJ)
He will make every person worship the image of the antichrist and receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead to buy or sell. The false prophet and the antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire when Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom.
Rev 19:20
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (NKJ)
The religion of the antichrist and false prophet will be a blood thirsty religion which is centered in the city of Babylon.
Rev 17:3-6
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (NKJ)
It is interesting that the 10 nations who align themselves with the antichrist will hate his religion.
Rev 17:16-18
16 "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17 "For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18 "And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." (NKJ)
Apparently, their loyalty to the antichrist will be based solely upon political convenience.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
The prophet Daniel spoke in Daniel chapter 7 about the nations which would rule over Israel. He saw the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, and the Greek Empire as a lion, a bear, and a leopard. The Apostle John saw the total rule of the Gentiles as a beast with seven heads and ten horns which was like a leopard but with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion.
Rev 13:1-2
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. (NKJ)
John described a similar beast in Revelation 17 and said the seven heads represent seven kings of which 5 are fallen.
Rev 17:10
10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. (NKJ)
To see the full extent of Gentile dominion over Israel, one needs to go back to the Assyrian Empire which conquered the northern 10 tribes of Israel before Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. That would give 5 empires up to the time of John’s writing of the Revelation. They were Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. John spoke of the Roman Empire as the one which is, and he spoke of the empire of the antichrist as the empire yet to come.
Back in Rev 13, John said that one of the heads of the beast would receive a mortal wound but would either survive the wound or be revived after being clinically dead.
Rev 13:3-5
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. (NKJ)
After receiving this mortal wound, the body of the antichrist will be possessed by Satan. The antichrist is the seventh head of the beast, but, after receiving the indwelling power of Satan, he will become the eighth head of the beast.
Rev 17:8 and 11
8 "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
11 "And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Rev 13:1-2
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. (NKJ)
John described a similar beast in Revelation 17 and said the seven heads represent seven kings of which 5 are fallen.
Rev 17:10
10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. (NKJ)
To see the full extent of Gentile dominion over Israel, one needs to go back to the Assyrian Empire which conquered the northern 10 tribes of Israel before Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. That would give 5 empires up to the time of John’s writing of the Revelation. They were Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, and Greece. John spoke of the Roman Empire as the one which is, and he spoke of the empire of the antichrist as the empire yet to come.
Back in Rev 13, John said that one of the heads of the beast would receive a mortal wound but would either survive the wound or be revived after being clinically dead.
Rev 13:3-5
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. (NKJ)
After receiving this mortal wound, the body of the antichrist will be possessed by Satan. The antichrist is the seventh head of the beast, but, after receiving the indwelling power of Satan, he will become the eighth head of the beast.
Rev 17:8 and 11
8 "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
11 "And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Sunday, July 06, 2003
The prophet Daniel was an old man by the time Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar, inherited the throne of Babylon. None the less, in Belshazzar’s first year as king, Daniel had a vision concerning the gentile nations destined to rule over Israel. He saw in succession a lion, a bear, and a leopard which represent the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire and the Greek Empire, respectively.
Dan 7:4-6
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. (KJV)
Then Daniel saw a fourth beast which symbolized the Roman Empire.
Dan 7:7
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. (KJV)
The ten horns are like the 10 toes of Daniel chapter 2 in that they represent the 10 nations of the tribulation period who will make an alliance with the antichrist. The vision of Daniel 7, however, included an additional horn which specifically indicates the rise of the antichrist.
Dan 7:8
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (KJV)
Daniel ask for an explanation and was told:
Dan 7:24-25
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (KJV)
The antichrist will express his wrath toward God and those who are faithful to God for 3½ years. But then the Son of Man shall come with the clouds of heaven to establish the New Covenant Kingdom.
Dan 7:13-14
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Dan 7:4-6
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. (KJV)
Then Daniel saw a fourth beast which symbolized the Roman Empire.
Dan 7:7
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. (KJV)
The ten horns are like the 10 toes of Daniel chapter 2 in that they represent the 10 nations of the tribulation period who will make an alliance with the antichrist. The vision of Daniel 7, however, included an additional horn which specifically indicates the rise of the antichrist.
Dan 7:8
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (KJV)
Daniel ask for an explanation and was told:
Dan 7:24-25
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (KJV)
The antichrist will express his wrath toward God and those who are faithful to God for 3½ years. But then the Son of Man shall come with the clouds of heaven to establish the New Covenant Kingdom.
Dan 7:13-14
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
In Matthew 24, the Lord Jesus spoke with his disciples of the end of the age. He said:
Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (KJV)
The disciples may have thought the Lord Jesus was referring to the end of the world because they thought a new heaven and new earth would follow the coming of the Son of Man (Isaiah 65:17). However, God revealed to Paul that our present age of the Church which is the Body of Christ would have to run its full course before the appearance of the new heaven and new earth, and God revealed to John that Christ would reign on this earth for 1000 years before the new heaven and new earth. With these things in mind, it would appear that when Christ spoke of the end, He was actually referring to the end of Gentile dominion over Israel.
Most of Daniel’s prophecies dealt with the subject of gentile dominion over Israel. Daniel knew that God's promise of Israel's world wide kingdom was given before King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took Israel captive. There in captivity, Daniel had the opportunity to interpret a dream for Nebuchadnezzar which opened his eyes to the future. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the king saw a great statue with a head of gold, with breast and arms of silver, with belly and thighs of brass, with legs of iron and with feet of part iron and part clay. The dream included a great stone which struck the feet of the statue and caused the entire statue to crumble.
The statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represented the gentile nations which would rule over Israel between the time of Nebuchadnezzar and the time of the New Covenant Kingdom. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he, the king of Babylon, was the head of gold. History reveals that the arms of silver represented the empires of the Medes and the Persians while the belly and thighs of brass symbolized the Greek Empire headed by Alexander the Great. The feet of iron and clay stood for the Roman Empire, and the toes represent nations of the tribulation period. Although Daniel chapter 2 does not mention the antichrist, his later prophecies and the prophecies of the Revelation confirm that the 10 toes represent nations which will conspire with the antichrist to rule the world. Jesus Christ, the stone made without hands, will deal the final blow to Gentile dominion over Israel when He destroys the antichrist and his evil empire.
Dan 2:44-45
44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure." (NKJ)
When the antichrist rules the earth, he will create a great statue of himself (Revelation 13:15) which the people of the earth will be required to worship. Those who refuse to worship the image will rule with Christ for 1000 years after the antichrist is destroyed.
Rev 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (NKJ)
After the thousand year reign of Christ, a new heaven and a new earth will appear, for the first heaven and first earth will pass away (Revelation 21:1) and the saints will rule with Christ for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (KJV)
The disciples may have thought the Lord Jesus was referring to the end of the world because they thought a new heaven and new earth would follow the coming of the Son of Man (Isaiah 65:17). However, God revealed to Paul that our present age of the Church which is the Body of Christ would have to run its full course before the appearance of the new heaven and new earth, and God revealed to John that Christ would reign on this earth for 1000 years before the new heaven and new earth. With these things in mind, it would appear that when Christ spoke of the end, He was actually referring to the end of Gentile dominion over Israel.
Most of Daniel’s prophecies dealt with the subject of gentile dominion over Israel. Daniel knew that God's promise of Israel's world wide kingdom was given before King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took Israel captive. There in captivity, Daniel had the opportunity to interpret a dream for Nebuchadnezzar which opened his eyes to the future. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the king saw a great statue with a head of gold, with breast and arms of silver, with belly and thighs of brass, with legs of iron and with feet of part iron and part clay. The dream included a great stone which struck the feet of the statue and caused the entire statue to crumble.
The statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represented the gentile nations which would rule over Israel between the time of Nebuchadnezzar and the time of the New Covenant Kingdom. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he, the king of Babylon, was the head of gold. History reveals that the arms of silver represented the empires of the Medes and the Persians while the belly and thighs of brass symbolized the Greek Empire headed by Alexander the Great. The feet of iron and clay stood for the Roman Empire, and the toes represent nations of the tribulation period. Although Daniel chapter 2 does not mention the antichrist, his later prophecies and the prophecies of the Revelation confirm that the 10 toes represent nations which will conspire with the antichrist to rule the world. Jesus Christ, the stone made without hands, will deal the final blow to Gentile dominion over Israel when He destroys the antichrist and his evil empire.
Dan 2:44-45
44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure." (NKJ)
When the antichrist rules the earth, he will create a great statue of himself (Revelation 13:15) which the people of the earth will be required to worship. Those who refuse to worship the image will rule with Christ for 1000 years after the antichrist is destroyed.
Rev 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (NKJ)
After the thousand year reign of Christ, a new heaven and a new earth will appear, for the first heaven and first earth will pass away (Revelation 21:1) and the saints will rule with Christ for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com
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