27 Dec (Revelation 18)

Revelation 18

In the previous chapter, God dealt with the Satanic religion of man...the church of works, paganism and humanism. All these things deny the work of God on the cross, and have devised a way to earn a way into heaven by their own works or for being "a good person."

In this chapter, God deals with the power of the anti-Christ...the world money system. Remember, Babylon has been the symbol of Satan and humanism from the beginning. From the Tower of Babel to the anti-Christ using that area now known as Iraq to influence the world, Satan has been at work.

Those that have denied God, and have been enticed by the worldly things, have fallen for the anti-Christ's sales pitch. They will wail and gnash teeth, for they have believed the lie.

Babylon has been ravished time and again over the centuries, but there has always been inhabitants...a remnant. After the LORD deals with Satan's Throne for the last time, no one will live or work there again!

The good news is that one glorious day, as it's written in Isaiah 55:1, that there will no longer be a need for commerce...there will be such an abundance of food and water, that mankind will no longer want for anything! That will be, of course, for His believers.

26 Dec (Revelation 17)

Revelation 17

This chapter can take a long time to understand, and in addition to that, there are different opinions as to the imagery according to good scholars. I have no doubt that after we are in heaven, the imagery will make perfect sense to us, and we will marvel at how easy it should be to label and identify the images!

With that said, I will try to give the crux of the chapter, with possible identities of the images described.

v.2 As we all know, a harlot is not good, and doesn't care for purity or goodness. In fact, a harlot hates goodness, and will try to corrupt it as much as possible! Do those motives and attributes sound familiar to some fallen angel who rebelled against God? Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-19

Notice how the harlot sits on many waters...when God uses the earth or oceans in Scripture, it points us to the world, not the heavens. So we see where this harlot is coming from. She is able to seduce the kings of the earth, and they follow her in wanton drunkenness and rebellion. Typically, when drunkenness is mentioned in Scripture, or in other literature, we think of bad drunks. Sure, we all know someone in our family who was a funny drunk. But most of the time, a drunk gets rude, sloppy and even violent. This is the case here...the harlot will entice the kings of the world to fight against God and His beloved.

v.5 There isn't much to add to the writing on the forehead of the woman! She is the world religion. As we know, religion is man trying to reach God, or even be like God. True Christianity is a relationship with God...there is a big difference!

v.6 It's pretty easy to see this image...the world church that is far removed from the true Church, using government and coercion to slay the faithful of Christ. But here is a question: Why did John marvel at this? After all, a pagan Rome wouldn't have baffled him if it was persecuting the Church. In fact, at the time of John's life, Rome had taken over from the Jewish leadership of persecuting Christians worldwide.

This is where some scholars will debate, but I will offer my belief, and encourage you to study and decide what is true. To recap some history, during the Roman Empire, they were swallowing up countries and nations wholesale. With the people they enslaved, they also adopted or accepted parts of their pagan practices and beliefs. As we saw in the Dark Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had combined government with the church, leading to atrocities.

What I think John marveled at was how unrecognizable the church had become! In the last days, most "Christian" churches will be preaching different gospels, humanism, self-help and financial windfall lessons, etc. Does that sound familiar with what we see now?

v.9 So the angel tells John that this harlot is from Satan. That makes sense, but the following is where scholars again debate the meaning of the seven mountains. In a Western mind, it is common knowledge that the Vatican sits on seven hills. Many Western scholars believe that the last world religion, and thus, the Anti-Christ, will come from Rome.

Another view is slightly different. Other scholars don't argue about the Roman Empire being the home of the Anti-Christ, but they argue that he will come from the Eastern part of the Empire...that would be the Middle East! Remember Daniel 2

A third view is what I've heard Walid Shoebat teach. He teaches that when mountains are used in imagery, it represents kingdoms. He believes that seven kingdoms...Muslim kingdoms...will be the ones to wage war against God and His beloved. I can't argue with any of them, and perhaps all three views will play out in different ways or stages.

Looking at our world today, the Roman Catholic Church has repeatedly attempted to unite all world religions, while we see almost daily, the Jihadists waging war on Israel and Christianity!

We are so fortunate to live during these times! No other time in history has bible prophecy been revealed in human events as now!

23 Dec (Revelation 13)

Revelation 13

v.1 I know when I first read this book, the imagery was confusing and seemed like a science-fiction novel! However, this is God's Word, and He did say we would be blessed if we understand this book! Rev 1:3

We need to understand the Old Testament in order to understand this book. All throughout the Bible, the sea is a type of the peoples...most often referring to Gentiles. So this "beast" is a man who comes from the Gentiles and is what we call the Anti-Christ.

Remember to tell your kids that Anti-Christ not only means against Christ, but it also means in place of Christ. In other words, the Anti-Christ will try to emulate Christ, and deceive many.

Why does John call this man a beast? Because he is more than just a man...he is the devil incarnate...like Jesus is God incarnate.

10 Horns = 10 Kings Rev 17:12
7 Heads = 7 Kingdoms Rev 17:9-10

There have been 7 great empires that have been Israel's enemy over history:

Sameria (Nimrod/Tower of Babel/Nineveh)
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon (modern day Iraq)
Medo-Persian (modern day Iran)
Greece
Rome (Two parts to Roman Empire = East and West)

v.2 This description is the same as in Dan 7:3-8 but in reverse. I had a teacher remind me that John is writing this from the point of view of eternity, so the events are reversed since he is looking back on history, where Daniel was looking forward.

v.4 Many times, Satan tries to copy God, in order to fool people. Satan has his own unholy trinity:

God the Father vs. Satan (Satan wishes to be like the Most High) Isaiah 14:14
Christ Jesus vs. Anti-Christ (emulate Christ and deceive many who don't know Christ)
Holy Spirit vs. False Prophet (The HS tells us to worship Jesus; the FP will do the same with AC)

v.5 The Anti-Christ will be a great orator, but since the believers will be already raptured, the unsuspecting unbelievers will think that he is speaking wisdom. To our ears, he will be speaking blasphemy and gibberish, but to the world, he will have the answers to heaven on earth.

v.8 Is your name written in the Book of Life? If you have allowed Jesus to be your Savior AND Lord, then it is! Satan will make war with God, His chosen people (Israel), the Church (already in heaven).

v.11 This is the False Prophet...who "looks" like a lamb, but speaks like Satan. He comes from the earth, so we see the typology of people who worship Satan here...he will be a religious leader who tells everyone to listen to the Anti-Christ who is a political leader.

v.12 The AC will be wounded...but not die. We see some more detail of this in Zech 11:17

v.14 The earth dwellers are unbelievers in Christ...they will be fooled because they don't know the Bible and don't have a personal relationship with Christ. Also, because they chose wickedness, the blasphemies that the AC speaks, will be music to their ears!

v.15 The people must decide...follow God and be killed, or follow Satan and be doomed to hell.

v.16 The right hand and the forehead jumped out at me...this is Satan emulating God again. In Exodus 13:9 God commanded Israel to have His Word on their foreheads and right hands. They would have Scripture in leather pockets that they tied around their wrists and foreheads when they worshiped.

v.17 With computers, online banking, and eventually a world economy and leader, all money transactions will have to have the number of the Beast in them to purchase and sell goods. If one refuses to have that number, they will starve.

6 Dec (2 Peter)

This letter was written by Peter from Rome, shortly before his death. The first letter he wrote, was directed to the Jews in Asia Minor (Turkey). This letter, is directed to Christians everywhere, and in every time.

2 Peter 1

(v.2) Grace and peace come to those who seek God's wisdom, and appreciate what He did for us on the cross!

(v.14) Peter is using a Jewish term, tent, to speak to the Christians. A tent refers to our earthly bodies, where we will shed this tent, and God will make us a new, and incorruptible one in heaven!

It is a fun Bible study to look up the references to tents, and especially the Tabernacle...such great typology!

(v.16) Peter reminds us that he spent time with Jesus, God in the flesh, and saw His miracles first-hand. There were many others that did as well, and if these accounts were fabricated or embellished, then history would have denounced them. The truth is, historians are finding more and more, that every event and person in the Bible were true, in spite of their goals to disprove them!

(v.21) Peter write so well what I've been trying to point out all along on this blog...godly men were told what to write by the Holy Spirit! There is no way that so many different men, who never met, and lived hundreds of years apart, could write the same things with intricate detail without God guiding them!

2 Peter 2

(v.6) As I mentioned in Romans 1 and Genesis 19, God made Sodom and Gomorrah as examples for us to see His anger at sexual sin. The tolerance and acceptance of the lifestyle of homosexuality was their sin. We need to love the sinner like God does, but also pray and encourage the sinner to stop their sinful lifestyles.

(v.14) Whenever I read this section, I can't help but picture all those televangelists who use God's Word to trick people into making them rich. They are not doing God's will, and their thoughts are only about money and lust. One by one, they have been exposed, and to the unlearned eye, they have stained the name of the LORD.

Read the Third Commandment of the Law in Exodus 20:7...we need to represent our King with love and righteousness, not earthly lusts and desires.

2 Peter 3

(v.4) When we witness to our friends and family, we often hear this argument..."I can't see God, and He hasn't come back for over 2,000 years! Why do you believe in such a God that would lead us on for so long?"

Know your Bible, and pray...your witness and your experience with God is the best counter to the skeptic. They can't argue with how God has enriched your life with joy and peace!

(v.8) This is one verse that can answer the question above...God is outside of time, and He works on our salvation tirelessly.

(v.10) Peter was given a vision, and it is the same as John received in Rev 21:1

(v.13) God will recreate what He started in Eden, and this time, sin will not be a factor!

(v.16) If one doesn't know God's wisdom, then they can't see what He's saying in the Scriptures. I pray that this blog is one of many tools to help you know God more, and to inspire you to study the Bible for your own eye-opening epiphanies!

27 Nov (1 Tim 3-4)

1 Timothy 3

(v.1) A Bishop in this instance is what we would call an Assistant Pastor to a church. This person is not the head of that church, but is the right hand of the Head Pastor. As with the Head Pastor, the bishop is not to be given to drinking...being influenced by alcohol or any drug. The most important thing, is that the bishop should have his house in order...for if he can't teach and keep his own house in order, how could he do the same with a church?

(v.6) When we first come to Christ, and learn so much about Him, we want to share and teach it to others. Paul is warning a church from doing that with new believers, for they haven't lived that long walking with God, and they haven't been tested by life and the devil that long. Remember, the devil's pride is what made him fall away from God, and someone who thinks they know it all when seeing God's wisdom, can do the same!

(v.7) Not only should believers have good things to say about a potential bishop or assistant pastor, but non-believers as well. It's one thing to act right with other believers, but if we are truly a light to the world, then non-believers should at least attest to the good character of the candidate.

(v.8) Deacons are also what we would call Assistant Pastors, but they are usually assigned specific ministries in a church (Children's Ministry, Missions Ministry, Men's Ministry, etc.)

They are not the right hand of the Head Pastor like the bishop is, but they are in the inner circle of the church affairs, and need to be sober-minded and godly. Often, these men help in the alms and tithing collection, and they need to be grounded and without temptation to steal.

(v.16) These are great topics to discuss with your kids:

God was manifested in the flesh ~ Why did God have to become man? Our kids need to know that the book of Ruth and other books speak about our Kinsman Redeemer (Goel in Hebrew) in order to die for us.

Justified in the Spirit ~ Jesus had the Holy Spirit in Him as man

Seen by angels ~ This is fascinating to me! Scholars believe that up until that point, the angels NEVER looked upon God, for fear of being consumed by His power. Not until God became man, were they able to see God...Jesus!

Preached among the Gentiles ~ Up until this point, only the Jews were being taught the Law and the teachings of the prophets. Also, since this is after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was at work collecting the Bride for Jesus.

Believed on in the world ~ Through missionary work, the whole world was being taught the Gospel.

Received up in glory ~ Jesus became man for the sole purpose to redeem us to the Father. Once He died on the cross and was resurrected, He glorified the Father, and the Father glorified the Son!

1 Timothy 4

(v.1) The Church has been saying it's in the Last Days for centuries, but not until this present time in history, can it be deemed near. Prophecy has pointed to powers and alliances that are only now coming into place (Russia and Iran for example), and with the great influence of Islam, Mormonism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and even Jehovah's Witness, can we see the apostasy in full form.

For those of you that are reading this, and are of the faiths I just cited, I don't mean to insult you or to judge you. I do, however, ask that you examine those faiths, and see that the teachings of those faiths follow ONE MAN. They have added or deleted from the Bible, and have gone the way of man's wisdom, not God's wisdom.

Paul is speaking about this very thing to Timothy, and with the Church reading this over the centuries, he is speaking to us. We need to go to the original text (in Hebrew and Greek) to find the root of doctrine, and not follow a single man's quest to find Divine Truth and be followed.

Please read Acts 17:11 and take that to heart...even with what I teach on this blog...check it against Scripture and see for yourselves what God says.

(v.3) Scholars believe that this is alluding to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church where leaders are not allowed to be married. This is not Scriptural, for even Peter himself was married, and the RCC believes he was the first pope! The first institution established by God was marriage, and I even believe that the New World Order and the Coming World Leader will abolish marriage to try to keep the world population down.

(v.7) The book of Proverbs admonishes us from being given to gossip...it is destructive and not godly.

(v.8) We hear people cite "our body is the Temple of the LORD" and say that means that we are to be physically fit. Of course, taking care of one's health is good, but God is more concerned with the health of our minds and our spirit, for that is what sustains us and what we use to serve God.

(v.13) The Head Pastor is to teach and read the Word daily. The assistant pastors are to serve the body and do the daily church tasks.

15 Nov (Rom 15-16)

Romans 15

(v.2) Our sinful nature impels us to look out for #1...ourselves! But what Christ showed us, and what Paul is stressing here, is that when we are born again, we look to help and serve others' interests before our own. If we have a heart and desire to do that, we know the Spirit is working in us.

(v.3) Of course, not everything Jesus did while on the earth is documented. In fact, most of what He did is not documented...only the things the Spirit wants us to read and learn from. So if we look at the Gospels, we don't see that Jesus spent a day at the spa, or took in a bubble bath! No, He was on a mission, and it was His desire to have His time spent saving souls. We should seek to do the same, by witnessing and praying without ceasing!

(v.4) First of all, what is in the Bible actually happened...ALL OF IT!!! It is there to teach us right and wrong, and to better understand God's character and desires for us. That is why no teaching beats your own time reading the Word, and hearing what God is speaking to you that day.

(v.7) The Hebrew word here in English is like taking someone in...letting them have dinner or staying at your home. We are to offer our home and food to believers...especially if they are traveling or need some help.

Romans 16

(v.4) It wasn't trendy to be a Christian back then, and one day, it will be just as dangerous all around the world. God is preparing us for that time, for we need to be deeply grounded in the Word, and have our faith as strong as possible.

(v.5) The Church started out in homes, and I believe, will end up in homes. One day in our lifetimes (I believe), it will be against the law to perform public displays of worship for the LORD. The Church will have to meet in homes in order to worship, pray and read the Word.

(v.17) We need to stay clear from people who teach a different Gospel, and more importantly, a different Jesus. If a church or person teaches that Jesus is not God, part of the Holy Trinity, then they are preaching a different Gospel. If they think that Jesus was just a good man, then they are denying the deity of Christ, and ignoring His own words.

(v.18) Unfortunately, much of the church is teaching "feel good" sermons, and not confronting sin and death without Christ. There are plenty of teachings that give us comfort, but only because we realize what Christ is giving us comfort from...hell. Teach your kids that there is a real Satan, and a real hell. The only way to avoid those things is to accept Christ as your LORD and Savior.

22 Oct (Gal 1-4)

Galatians 1

(v.6) There are many different religions in the world, and among them, many different denominations or groups. The more man has worked, the further away from God's Word he becomes. We need to stick to the Bible, and follow God's Word, not some man or specific church's traditions.

(v.8) There are a few cults out there that need to read this verse...just because an angel spoke to someone after the Bible was ordained, doesn't mean it's a good angel. Remember, one third of the angels fell with Satan!

(v.12) Paul was given the unique privilege to hear the teaching of Jesus! The disciples did as well, but they didn't get the detailed teaching like Paul did.

(v.19) Here again we see that Mary had more children after she had Jesus. James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

Galatians 2

(v.6) God loves all of us equally, and shows no favoritism

(v.16) We are saved by grace, and justified to the Father by the blood of His Son.

(v.21) Paul makes a great point here...if the Law is still to be lived, and salvation can be attained by keeping it, then Christ died for nothing! But in reality, no one can keep the Law, and Jesus had to die in our place for us to be reconciled to the Father.

Galatians 3

(v.7) Abraham is called the Father of the Faithful, for before the Law, he was justified to God by his faith. Rom 4:3

(v.13) Christ took our place, for we are all cursed with sin. It took God Himself to wipe that curse away. Jesus became a curse by taking on our sins, that is why He sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. For the only time in eternity, the Son was not with the Father for three hours. Mark 16:34

(v.19) Here we see the tie in to the Seed of the Woman in Gen 3:15

(v.24) The Law leads us to Christ, and then Christ leads us, not the Law!

(v.26) Only the angels and Adam were direct creations by God. Eve and all mankind after are sons and daughters of man. When we are born again in Spirit, we are now sons and daughters of God...a new creation!

(v.29) The Abrahamic Covenant comes full circle here...we are heirs to the promises of God through Abraham, since we are of the faith as well.

Galatians 4

(v.23) There are two kinds of people in the world...those born to freedom, and those born to slavery. God used the scenario of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate this. Hagar was a slave or maiden to Sarah. She was not free. Her son, Ishmael, was not born into freedom. The son of Sarah was born into freedom, and given the promise from God. Isaac was the son of promise, not Ishmael.

(v.25) Take notice that Mount Sinai is in Arabia, not Turkey or Egypt. Take a look at this website for some interesting info on the search for The Mountain of God:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=66

The video on this gives me goosebumps every time I watch it!

29 June (Ezekiel 13-16)

Ezekiel 13

(v.3) Any time we aren't following God, we're following our own pride. Many people can trick themselves into believing they are acting out God's will, when they haven't been directed by God. In fact, they're using God's name to commit sins and hide behind a "vision" that God supposedly gave them. These people will have to answer to God in the end, and it won't be pretty.

(v.10) Everyone wants peace, but to trick people into thinking that everything is great when it's not is wicked. We see our world right now, relying upon the United Nations and their "peace" to keep the world from exploding. But if we know our Bible, we know that there will only be true peace when the Prince of Peace returns!

Ezekiel 14

(v.5) God really cares about our hearts...others may see a "good" and cheerful person, but only God sees that person who has a hard heart. However, if we have a good heart and we're really His, then we will display our joy and peace in the LORD, and it will be powerful to others!

(v.14) God will protect His own...He will keep those of us who have faith in Him. However, there are many who seem righteous in Christ, but they are only righteous in their own minds.

Ezekiel 15

Jesus speaks of a vine in John 15 in the same way, where the vine has lost it's ability to bear fruit. This is what Israel had become, so the Gentiles, the Church, will be grafted into the blessings of Israel. The Church doesn't replace Israel, but it enjoys many of the blessings BECAUSE of Israel.

In the end, God will graft back in the Jews who come to belief in Yeshua, and we'll all be one in Christ!

Ezekiel 16

(v.8) This is incredible imagery here, and God is likening His believers to a bride, and He is the groom. This mirrors the relationship with the Bride of Christ and the Groom...Jesus. However, God here is speaking of Israel, who was once the sparkle of His eye, but they wasted His love for them. Ruth 3:9

(v.15) So because of their unfaithfulness, the Groom has discarded His Bride. Only until the Bride truly loves Him again, will He let her back into His rest.

(v.20) We see one of the many atrocities that the people committed in their worship of pagan gods. God loves life, and we are to cherish all life. This includes the fight against abortion.

(v.60) God will remember His covenant with Israel and accept them back if they only repent. He is forgiving and patient...He wants us to love Him for the wonderful God and Creator He is!!!

21 June (Jeremiah 26-30)

Jeremiah 26

(v.2) We often hear people say that they want only to hear the "good" things in the Bible, and not hear about sin and hell. That is only a fraction of the Word, and here God is showing us by telling Jeremiah, that he should not leave out a word...give it to them straight. In fact, we can only truly appreciate what Jesus did for us, if we realize how sinful and doomed we are without Him!

(v.11) This is common among the lost...they condemn those who preach the Word, and preach repentance. The people in darkness don't want to be exposed by the light. John 1:5

Jeremiah 27

(v.6) God puts the people into power for His purposes. We often wonder why we get bad leaders, well, it's probably because we deserve them, and also, God uses them to wake us up!

(v.16) Beware of people who contradict what the LORD says in His Word. Satan's biggest and most successful trick, is to use supposed "holy" leaders to lead people away from Jesus. If your church or leader of the church is preaching anything other than what is taught in the Bible, even though it seems "nice" you should look for a different church. The Apostle Paul didn't sugar coat his teachings...he gave them the truth, and people either loved it or hated it. It's not our job to "win" people to Christ...it's our job to plant the seeds of the Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

Jeremiah 28

False prophets are our biggest danger...Jesus told us many times to not be deceived. God's Word is true, and it doesn't need any support. There is no need for another Gospel, or another book to support the Bible. Even worse, it's blasphemous to have a book that is considered equal to the Bible, or greater! If you're in a church that does this, pray and seek the LORD's guidance...He will put you in a church that teaches His Word!

Jeremiah 29

(v.15) Jeremiah confirms that God raised up prophets while in captivity in Babylon...Daniel and his friends!

(v.29) Those that teach false things will suffer in the end. I run the risk of this myself with this blog! However, I must say again, that anything I post here should be checked out and compared to God's Word. Prayer and Scripture should support what I write. If not, then disregard and show me in God's Word where I made a mistake. Believe me, if I say something wrong, I want to be corrected!!!

Jeremiah 30

(v.7) The Time of Jacob's Trouble is the Great Tribulation. As we read here, men will be so scared, they will soil themselves! My kids find that funny!

(v.11) God describes the future of the Jews...they will be punished for their rebellion, and for their eventual rejection of their Messiah. They will be killed and persecuted in great numbers, but God will always have a remnant...a small fraction that will live on. We have seen this play out with Moses in the basket, Esther saving the Jews from Haman, Joseph taking Jesus to Egypt when Herod tried to kill all the Jewish boys. And we saw it in a massive scale in WW2, where Hitler and the Nazis murdered a great percentage of the Jews, but not all of them!

(v.22) One day, after the Prince of Peace returns, all of Israel's iniquities will be washed away, and Jesus will rule them in peace and prosperity...in the Millennium!

14 June (Nahum)

Scholars believe Nahum came from the Galilee region, since Capernaum means "City of Nahum" in Hebrew. The prophet Jonah was also from the Galilee region, so we have three Prophets from Galilee...Jonah, Nahum and Jesus. So much for the theory that no prophet came out of Galilee! John 7:52

Over 150 years prior to Nahum, the prophet Jonah preached to Nineveh, saying that if they didn't repent, they would burn. They did repent, and even though Jonah was a failed prophet with his mouth, his life was prophecy of what Jesus would do later.

But now, the Assyrians were obstinate and didn't want to hear of the God that their ancestors repented to, and Nahum is there to tell them their fate if they don't change their ways!

Nahum 1

(v.3) So many people think that the God of the Old Testament is not the same God as the New Testament, since in Jesus, we see humility and sacrifice. But in Yahweh of the OT, we see vengeance and jealousy. Be sure to explain to your kids that the word jealous here is not like we think of it today. Jealousy today is viewed as childish, insecure and sometimes mean, but God's jealousy is different...He wants us to love Him. He wants us to choose to worship Him, and He looks after His own like a Father watching over His kids...don't mess with His kids!

(v.7) What a comforting verse! Even though God can and does mete out wrath upon the wicked, He is loving and protective of His own...make sure you and your family are His...not Satan and this world's child.

(v.11) This is an indicator to the False Prophet we read about in Rev 19:20

Nahum 2

(v.2) I remind my kids that God has not forgotten about Israel and the Jews...they are His people, and He will work with them again, after He has brought His Church to heaven!

(v.13) God fights our battles, and He does it like no other! Why not let Him take care of our problems since, after all, He's only the Creator of the universe!

Nahum 3

God almost dares the wicked from Nineveh to fortify and prepare, for He will bring destruction upon them no matter how much they think they can fight God!