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!

24 Dec (Revelation 14)

Revelation 14

v.1 We see the Lamb again...this is Jesus! He is seen as He had been slain in Rev 5:6 by His Church, and was referenced as such by John the Baptist in John 1:29, 36 and here as the Savior of Israel and Mankind.

This is one of the most difficult books of the Bible to explain to our kids, but if we keep in mind that all the imagery is Jewish, and from the Old Testament, the types and images make much more sense. If we refer to Daniel 3 where Daniel's three friends were saved and "sealed" by Christ (a theophany), we see the typology coming to fruition. Daniel's friends (a type for Israel) were thrown into the great fire (Great Tribulation) while Daniel was away (the Church raptured). Jesus saved them as He does again in the last days!

v.3 Your kids may wonder why certain people or groups of people have their own special songs for the LORD, and no one else can learn them or sing them...they may think that God shows favoritism. First of all, all the saved in heaven have their own song...so there is no one left out. Secondly, we all have different experiences and means of salvation: The Jews in the Tribulation have a different experience than the Church before the Rapture. We sing to God about how He saved us from what we were experiencing.

v.4 The Tribulation saints, the sealed Jews during the Tribulation, are walking with God...the Lamb. Like the Church before them, they are seen as righteous because they are walking with the Son, and are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. John 1:29, 36

v.7 God gives mankind a "Last Call" before everyone's eternal fate is sealed...God is patient and kind, wishing for no one to go to hell. However, throughout all our lives, we have multiple instances to accept His love for us on the cross, so some choose salvation, and others choose damnation.

This reminds me of the famous C.S. Lewis quote:

In the end, there will be some who say to God, "Thy will be done" and others to whom God says in the end, "Thy will be done."

Each of us, individually, must choose to follow God or reject Him...our eternal destiny is not God's choosing, but ours! Choose wisely! This is important for our kids to understand, for during times of crisis, where natural disasters happen, and many people die, kids may wonder why God did that. He didn't create this world with sin and death...that was a result of Mankind's rejection of Him. However, God provided a way out of death for our souls...His Son, if we choose Him!

v.8 Babylon is where the beginning of mankind's open rebellion of God occurred...the Tower of Babel. Gen 11 All cults and false religions have roots in Babylon...God will rid the earth of this actual place (modern day Iraq) and also the spiritual Babylon.

v.11 It is important to teach our kids that hell is a real place...and it's forever. Hell is the absence of God, and eternal torment, knowing that pride brought them there.

v.14 Scholars debate who this person is...is it Jesus or an angel?

First of all, the wording is like the Son of Man...not THE Son of Man.

Secondly, if we look at what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 13, He says that He instructs the angels to reap. Matt 13:39

If this is confusing to your kids, what matters most is that God will separate His followers from the unbelievers...make sure you're in the right harvest pile!

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.

13 Dec (Revelation 1)

The book of Revelation has to be the most misunderstood books of the Bible. There is so much imagery and typology, that unless we understand the Old Testament, it doesn't make sense! Way too many churches skip this book, and that is a travesty. This book promises a blessing to those who read it and study it...so here we go!

You may want to notice that the book is called Revelation...not Revelations. This is the "unveiling" or "revealing" of the future from Jesus to John.

You may also notice that the number seven is prominent in this book. In Hebrew, the number seven means completion, and this book completes God's plan of redemption for mankind.

Revelation 1

(v.1) The Father gave the Son these things to reveal to us...in this case, John. We who read it, get the revealing of who Jesus is, and what He will do on the Day of the Lord.

(v.3) Some scholars say, and I agree, that if we understand this book, we understand the whole Bible. In that sense, if we study and understand this book, we are blessed to know God better.

(v.4) Any doubt about the deity of Jesus? He has always been, and always will be...He is God, and the physical part of the Trinity.

(v.5) ...the firstborn of the dead...this has multiple meanings. First, Jesus was given the firstborn status, which in Hebrew, means authority. Second, He died and was resurrected, showing us the way to eternal life.

He washed us form our sins in His own blood...this is the power of faith in Him!

(v.7) This is fun to ask your kids...how will all the earth see Jesus come to the earth from the clouds? This is amazing, for only until a few decades ago, there wasn't satellite TV, where events can be seen live all around the world!

(v.8) Alpha and Omega are the "A" and "Z" of the Greek alphabet. He is the beginning and the end...God in the flesh!

Take note that Jesus calls Himself the Almighty...He is God, and to say otherwise is blasphemy. Isaiah 9:6

(v.10) Many scholars debate what this means, but I believe that if you take the whole book's focus, it's the wrath of God coming during the Tribulation. Therefore, the Lord's Day really means the Day of the LORD...the coming of the King to rid the world of evil and unfaithfulness.

(v.13) Take note that Jesus is in the midst of the churches here, and when we reach the church of Laodicea, He is on the outside. In other words, if a church is following Him, He is amongst them. Matt 18:20

(v.14) Notice the description of Jesus...it is just like the one Daniel saw! Dan 7:9, 10:6

(v.18) There are cults and false religions out there that say that Jesus was created, and even the Archangel Michael. When you hear this, ask them what this verse means...when did the Father (Jehovah) die? He didn't...it was His Son, Jesus who is God and YHWH!

(v.19) Here is the outline of the book of Revelation:

Chapter 1 = John's description of Jesus and the unveiling of His majesty

Chapters 2 & 3 = The current time in which John was living, where these seven churches exist and are types of the history of the church.

Chapters 4-22 = The church is raptured and in heaven, and John is witnessing the Day of the LORD!

9 Dec (Hebrews 5-7)

Hebrews 5

(v.1) Depending on the age of your kids, use discretion on describing the practice of killing and sacrificing animals for sin. With that said, God ordained and commanded this...why? To show the Jews (and all believers) that there is a cost for our sins.

This started in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve tried to clothe themselves from their shame, and God killed a lamb and gave them it's hide to wear to cover their sin. Gen 3:21

God later put it in writing by the pen of Moses, to offer animals as sacrifices for sin. These practices only "covered up" sin, but it took the blood of God Himself to wash away the sin! John 1:29

(v.8) It's hard for us to fathom that Jesus learned obedience, since He is God, a part of the Holy Trinity. But when He became man, He lived as we are to strive to live...in obedience to the Father, loving and serving others.

(v.14) When we are new to Christ, we only understand the basics. God is showing us that like a baby, we can only take easy to digest wisdom. Later, as we mature in Christ, we are to be hungry for more meat and solid food, so we can grow and understand God's character better.

Hebrews 6

(v.6) This is a difficult section of Scripture, for there are many opinions and theories about salvation. Some people (the Calvinists for example) believe that God called some people to salvation, and not others...there is no way of changing who He called...there is no way for those who weren't called to be saved.

Others, the Armenians, for example, believe the opposite. They believe that we can attain and lose our salvation at will...it's a daily struggle. This also means that what God sanctifies, can be changed by man.

In each case, both are correct, and both are false. Only God can save us, but He does wish for all of us to be saved. John 3:16

What I have learned from some great Bible teachers, is that what the author is saying here, is when we are saved but fall away, or go back to some sinful lifestyle that prevents us to grow in the LORD. This is key...we are still saved, but we are not walking or growing in the LORD. Only when we repent of that sinful lifestyle, can we again be walking with God, and having fellowship with Him.

Hebrews 7

(v.1) Here is an example of the translators creating chapter breaks incorrectly! Nonetheless, the important thing to show our kids, is that Melchizedek is really Jesus in the Old Testament...a theophany or Christophany! Abraham gave tithes to Mechizedek, and Melchizedek performed communion. Melchizedek had no beginning or end, and he was both a King and a Priest...unlike the roles for the sons of Judah and Levi. Gen 14:18-20

(v.25) Jesus is our King, but He's also our High Priest. Because of this, Jesus is able to save us from sin, and speak to the Father on our behalf.

(v.27) This is one of many verses that rebuke religions and churches that say that the communion actually becomes the body and blood of Jesus! No, He died once and for all, and we only take communion to remember what He did for us.

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!

13 Nov (Rom 11-12)

Romans 11

(v.5) God has NEVER gone back on His promise to Israel. That covenant was unconditional...meaning it didn't depend upon the obedience of Israel. God will once again nurture and protect Israel in the last days...He will remove His Church first in the Rapture.

(v.11) As a Christian, and a student of the Word of God, I understand (still learning) and see how Christ is in the Old Testament. The Jews (as a whole, but not individually) do not. When I see how Christ fulfilled the Spring Feasts of Israel in His first coming, and will fulfill the Fall Feasts in His second coming, I have an awe and joy for God that only the Jews had before Christ. Until Christ, only the Jews knew God personally, but after Christ, all can know Him! This is what Paul means by provoking them to jealousy...when they see Christians worshiping YHWH!!!

(v.17) Paul uses imagery here that the people of that time would understand. Israel is the tree, God is the root, and the Church are the branches grafted in. Because Israel (for the most part) didn't accept Christ, the Church is grafted into the promise to Abraham.

One thing to point out...the Church NEVER...I repeat NEVER...replaces Israel in God's promises. We are only able to partake of the same promise of salvation that God revealed to the Jews. If your church teaches that God is done with Israel, and the Church has replaced Israel, then go to another church...that makes God out to be a liar!!!

(v.23) Because God is merciful and loving, He will graft back in those Jews who realize that Jesus is the Messiah.

(v.25) Remember, there are two phrases in the Bible that are often confused:

The Fullness of the Gentiles ~ This is the gathering of the Church. One glorious day, the Father will have the amount of people He deems to be complete, and He will send His Son to gather them in the Rapture.

The Times of the Gentiles ~ This started with Babylon and King Nebuchednezzar, and continues until the Return of Christ. God's focus on Israel was put on hold from the time of Babylon until He raptures His church, and starts the clock again with Israel.

(v.32) God didn't create robots that obey Him without feeling or love. He allowed sin to enter the world, so that the world would realize what love is, and see His mercy and grace! Only then, can someone make the choice to love God and follow Him.

Romans 12

(v.1) Here is a great contrast between Islam and Christianity...Muslims are taught that the only way to assure their salvation (like they could actually earn it) is to die for allah. This entails killing the unbelievers in the process.

Christianity, on the other hand, teaches us to live for Christ, and love and serve others because we are saved by what He did for us on the cross.

Which one is the REAL peaceful faith?

(v.6) The Body of Christ is the Church...it is made up of the people who believe. Like the human body, every part is designed with importance, and a crucial function for the whole body to live. Not all of us can be teachers, pastors, missionaries, administrators, etc, but with the gifts that God has given us, we need to use them for His Church.

One of the most important things we all need to realize, is what God has gifted us with. We may not find that gift the one we would desire, but it's the one that God wants us to use for His glory. Who are we to tell God that He gave us the wrong gifts?

(v.9) There is such a thing as righteous anger. After all, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees with harsh words and turned the tables violently at the Temple. John 2:15

So many people recite the words from Jesus, where He says to turn the other cheek. This is valid up to a point. We are to be loving and kind, where we wouldn't draw violence to us by our actions. If we are combative and harsh with others, we will get hit back with insults and even physical violence.

But if we love and serve others, and we still get hatred, then Jesus says to let Him take care of it, and keep loving and serving.

With that said, we are not to be the pushovers and doormats of the world. We are strong in Christ, and we can protect ourselves and loved ones from harm.

It all comes down to this...if we are His, then we will love what He loves, and we will hate what He hates. God hates evil, for He is good. We are to stand up for the defenseless and for what is good. That is Scriptural.

(v.16) There are scores of Proverbs that repeat this over and over...we are not to believe that we are wise on our own...we are only wise if we use and have God's wisdom. That would be evident if we act in humility, and in a loving and meek manner.

(v.21) We overcome evil by God's power...use prayer and reliance upon Him, and we will prevail in the end!

4 Nov (1 Cor 15-16)

1 Corinthians 15

(v.3) In case you don't know, or wish to have your kids understand the Gospel in definition, Paul gives it to us plainly:

1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...I stress that Christ fulfilled prophecy since the Jews of that day and many throughout history don't see that Christ was spoken about in detail all through the Old Testament.

2. ...and that He was buried...Christ actually died and was buried. He didn't get revived in the grave, but was dead and God brought Him back to life.

3. ...and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Jesus told the disciples many times He would be killed and rise again in three days. Also, He gave the Pharisees notice that like Jonah, He would die and be alive again in three days. Matt 12:39, 16:4

Verses 5-8 show us that there were eye witnesses, and not just a few, but hundreds...this shows us that this wasn't made up. For if there was any falsehood in these statements, there were people still alive that could refute it...but none did.

(v.12) We often focus on the death of Christ, but not the resurrection. They are both important. Jesus' death on the cross justified us back to the Father. But without His resurrection, we would be lost in death. We needed our Savior to live again so we can follow Him and live again!

(v.22) Adam's sin cursed all of us to be sentenced to hell. But Christ's death and resurrection washes away that curse, and we are alive in Him by faith.

(v.36) Paul uses an illustration that makes sense to the people of that time...farming. A seed is not alive...it is dead. When it is buried in the ground, it will become alive again and bear fruit. Does this sound familiar? When we are born again, we are truly alive, and we bear fruit by our faith and works.

(v.44) Once again, we see why the disciples didn't recognize Jesus after the Resurrection...He was in His heavenly body. God will take one piece of our DNA and make our corruptible bodies into incorruptible. If this is hard to believe, then ask yourself why it's so hard for us to believe that God spoke the universe into existence, and we can't believe He can recreate our bodies?

(v.47) Paul makes a great comparison here...we are born of the earth, since Adam was born of the dust. But when we have a spiritual rebirth, we are born of the Spirit, which is not mortal.

(v.52) Paul gives us a clear and simple picture of the Rapture:

1. Christ will meet all believers in the clouds

2. Those that have already died in faith, will have their DNA raised and given new immortal bodies

3. Those believers who are still on earth, will be lifted up in a twinkling of an eye...that is fast!

(v.58) Memorize this verse...it should motivate us daily!

1 Corinthians 16

Paul gives orders and encouragement to the Church in Corinth, and leaves them with wishes of love and grace!

9 Aug (Matt 1:1-17 & Luke 3:23-38)

Why are there four gospels? Why not one? The Holy Spirit wished to reveal four different aspects to Jesus.

Matthew ~ Matthew wrote specifically for the Jews, and his emphasis on the Feasts of Israel point them to Christ...the Messiah! Matthew wrote his gospel with Jesus as the King of the Jews.

Mark ~ Mark focused on Jesus' servant hood. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and showed all of us, that to live godly, we need to serve others.

Luke ~ Since Luke was a doctor, he focused on the humanity of Jesus. Luke is very precise in his descriptions of Jesus, as a doctor who dissects things.

John ~ John focuses on the deity of Jesus...the Son of God. It all starts with John 1:1 and throughout his account, we see that Jesus wasn't just a prophet or great teacher...He was and is God in the flesh.

As with the camp of Israel in the Wilderness and the four faces of the cherubim, these four aspects of Christ are revealed:

Lion ~ Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah...the King of Kings, and the LORD of Lords!

Ox ~ The Ox is used for work...servant hood.

Man ~ God became man in order to save mankind from eternal doom in hell

Eagle ~ The eagle is associated with deity, and Jesus is the Son of God, part of the Holy Trinity!

Matthew 1

(v.1) Since Matthew is writing for the Jews, he starts his genealogy with the first Jew...Abraham.

(v.16) Notice that Joseph is listed as the husband of Mary...this will be key when we look at Luke.

(v.20) The Holy Spirit made Mary pregnant, so none of Joseph's DNA was in Jesus...again, this will make sense when we look at Luke.

(v.23) Matthew quotes the Old Testament the most out of all the gospels, which makes sense, since he is preaching to the Jews who hold the Torah and Tenach as the Scriptures.

Luke 3

(v.31) When we compare Luke's genealogy of Jesus against Matthew's, we see an interesting difference...Matthew shows Jesus' bloodline through David's son Solomon...the next king in the Tribe of Judah. But in Luke's account, David's other son, Nathan is listed...why?

In Jeremiah 22:30 God proclaimed a curse on the royal line of kings...this seemed like God just nullified the only way the Messiah could come and save mankind. After all, Joseph was a direct descendant of Jeconiah, so Joseph's blood was cursed...no son of his could rule on the Throne of David.

However, in the book of Luke, we see how God got around that...He used the bloodline from David through his other son, Nathan. Mary is a direct descendant of Nathan, so Jesus has the royal kingly blood of David in Him, but not the curse!

That is the reason for the Virgin Birth...Jesus had to be both man and God at the same time, so without tainted blood, He fulfilled the Scriptures and the Law for all of us, and His death and resurrection made the way back to the Father possible!

31 Jul (Esther 3)

Esther 3

(v.1) Here we have the villain of the story...Haman. If we look back, we see that other people's actions help create this situation about to unfold:

In 2 Samuel 16 we learn of a descendant of King Saul, that was angry at David, and threw stones at David, as David fled Jerusalem. David's nerves and feelings were undoubtedly at a high point, and it would've been understandable if David had this man, Shimei. Mordecai is a descendant of Shimei! Here, God was working, for if David had killed Shimei, then Mordecai would never have been born!

Also, Saul disobeyed God, and didn't kill Agag...Haman is a descendant of Agag! 1 Samuel 15

So, by David's obedience, Mordecai was able to be used to encourage Esther and save God's people. And by Saul's disobedience, Haman was born to torment and try to kill all the Jews.

God wants obedience...sacrifices and rituals don't impress Him. Our obedience to Him makes a difference in the lives of others. 1 Sam 15:22

(v.2) Like Daniel and his friends before him, Mordecai would not bow to a man. Only God deserves this type of homage. Rom 14:11

(v.6) This is a good time to remind you kids that ever since Satan knew that God was going to redeem mankind through a Messiah, he persecuted and tried to kill off the possible chain of descendants. He tried with Moses, with the time of Esther, and we will see him try again with Herod during the time of Jesus' youth.

(v.13) This is a type of what will happen in the Day of the LORD...the world will try to wipe out Israel and Jerusalem in one day. But God Himself will come down and save Israel, like Mordecai and Esther do here.

15 Jul (Daniel 9)

Daniel 9

This is one of the most important chapters in the whole Bible! If we understand what God is saying through Daniel, we will understand Revelation and the Gospels so much better!

(v.4) Daniel knows that the 70 years of servitude Jer 29:10 is about to be up, and what does Daniel do knowing that God's Word will happen like always? He prays! Even when we know that God is doing something in our lives we must praise Him and converse with Him in prayer.

(v.6) I point out to my kids that Daniel includes himself in the sinful state of the people, yet, the two men who were given great insight and power were Joseph and Daniel.

(v.21) As we read Daniel's emotional prayer, Gabriel arrives to give Daniel some prophecy from God. As we shall see in the Gospels, it is Gabriel who seems to be the messenger of the Cherubim, while Michael is the fighter.

This should also remind us that God will reveal things to us, if we are in steady and heartfelt prayer.

(v.23) Daniel is called beloved...there are only two individuals called this in the Bible, and they were both given vividly detailed last-days prophecies...Daniel and John. Daniel pens this book and especially this chapter with huge insight, and likewise by John with the book of Revelation.

(v.24) I remind my kids that in Jewish culture, and in the Bible, numbers represent things. The number seven typifies completion, so the seventy years of servitude by the Jews was a result of 70 years of ignoring the sabbath of the land. Lev 25:4

In Jewish culture, a week is not just seven days...they think of things in weeks...weeks of days, weeks of months, weeks of years. So, seventy weeks in this case is meaning seventy times seven years, which is 490 years. We need to look at this in years, not the typical week we in the Western world are used to.

This verse summarizes the total time of redemption for Israel...seventy weeks of years. In the end, Jesus will return and be anointed the Most Holy.

(v.25) The decree or command (depends upon what Bible you have) was by Artaxerxes Longimanus to rebuild the city and Temple on March 14, 445 BC. This started the six and sixty-two weeks of this verse...69 weeks.

Sir Robert Anderson, in 1894, calculated the days until Messiah the Prince comes, was exactly 177,880 days...April 6, 32AD the VERY DAY that Jesus proclaimed Himself King of the Jews and rode into Jerusalem on a donkey! Zech 9:9 and Luke 19:35

I take a moment to let that sink in with my kids...and myself! God had it documented, hundreds of years in advance, that the Persian king would proclaim the city to be rebuilt, and exactly to the day, the day the Messiah would come to save the world! This is exact mathematics, and it is one of many proofs that the Bible was written and inspired by God, since He is outside our time constraints.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem, since they didn't know the VERY DAY that God would provide for them their King. Luke 19:41-44

(v.26) Messiah shall be cut off...the Jewish Scriptures predict that the Messiah will be executed...just as Jesus was!

...but not for Himself...Jesus had to die, and for all of us! The Gospel is written in the Old Testament!

In 70AD, the Romans destroyed the sanctuary (the Temple), but the last part of this verse is considered an interval, since it hasn't happened yet. Much like in Revelation, where there is a pause before the judgement of God. Rev 12:6

This week before the 70th week is known as the Times of the Gentiles, where the Church is on the scene. After the Rapture, God will focus again on Israel, and the 70th week will be fulfilled. The reason for the delay, is that God has a number that He wants to have with Him forever from His Church...when that number is attained, the Rapture will happen, and He will send His Son down to earth again to bring His wrath and judgment!

(v.27) This last week (the 70th week) will be the time of the Tribulation. The Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel, let them build their Temple again, and rule the world by a world government.

Halfway through the seven years, the Antichrist will not let the Jews do their Temple sacrifices and practice their Mosaic laws, and then do blasphemy in the Temple itself. This will bring on the Great Tribulation for the last 3.5 years, and then Jesus will come back.

The more we understand this chapter, the more we will see the book of Revelation, the Gospels, and the whole Bible become clearer! If these things are still fuzzy, I suggest you read more on this, and make sure your kids see that God predicted all this a long time before they happened!

8 Jul (Daniel 2)

Daniel 2

(v.4) In order to let your kids understand what is happening here, we need to go back a bit in history. Nebuchadnezzar inherited the throne, and the so called "wise men" worked for his predecessor. I think old Nebby wanted to see how wise they were, and to see how loyal to him they were.

The Chaldeans were considered wise, and it's reported that they had the gift to interpret dreams. But here, Nebby doesn't tell them the dream for them to interpret...they have to know what the dream was, and then interpret it!

This is where God is at work...only He could know what Nebby dreamed, and only God knows what's in our hearts and thoughts.

My kids like to list the times God spoke to people through dreams:

~ Joseph, Jacob, Daniel, Joseph (earthly father of Jesus) to list a few

(v.14) I love Daniel...he calmly goes to the guard who's job it is to kill him, and reasons with the guard. This tells us that Daniel was mature beyond his years, and also, that he commanded respect that the guard would listen to him in spite of the possibility of Nebby's wrath.

(v.28) Daniel didn't take credit for the knowledge of the dream...he gave all the glory to God!

(v.38) Daniel describes this image of a man with different parts to him, representing future empires...it's prophecy of the future! Not only is this amazingly accurate with the subsequent empires after Babylon, but we also get an understanding of the final one in the last days:

Head (Gold) ~ Babylon

Chest (Silver) ~ Persia

Thighs (Bronze) ~ Greece

Legs (Iron) ~ Rome

Feet (Iron and Clay) ~ Rome 2

This is exactly what happened in history...Babylon was defeated by the Persians, who was succeeded by the Greeks, and then Rome dominated the world. But after Rome dissolved and broke into pieces, there will be a last empire during the times described in Revelation.

We will also see in Daniel 7, that these empires had animals that represented them:

Babylon ~ Winged Lion

Persia ~ Bear

Greece ~ Leopard

Rome ~ Terrible Beast

(v.43) This is an interesting verse if you notice that empire in the last days mingles with the seed of men. We have an allusion to the Nephilim again as we saw in Genesis 6. After all, it said there that as in the days of Noah, and also after that...which tells us that once again Satan's demons will be the cause of the earth's final showdown and destruction.

This last empire that is sometimes called Rome 2, will be a confederacy of nations that conspire to eliminate Israel once and for all. Some scholars think it's the Vatican and the European Union, and others think it's the nations listed in Ezekiel 38-39.

(v.47) Nebby sees that only the Almighty God could have shown Daniel these things. After reading the rest of this book, you might join me in believing that Nebby became a believer in the God of Israel.

(v.48) Like Joseph before him, Daniel went from prison to second in command. This is also a type of Christ, since He sits at the right hand of the Father.

28 June (Ezekiel 9-12)

Ezekiel 9

(v.4) I ask my kids what this verse reminds them of, and they cite the Passover and the time in Rev 19:20

(v.6) I have had critics of the Bible cite this verse as one of the reasons they don't believe the Bible is inerrant. They say, "My God is Love, and He would never tell anyone to kill innocent women and children." What we must understand is that they aren't innocent...they are worshipping idols and profaning the name of God to others. By their actions, they are leading others away from God.

Ezekiel 10

God's glory was manisfested again in the Temple.

(v.12) Like in Rev 4:6 these cherubim had eyes all over their bodies. This is symbolic of the sight of the LORD...He sees everything!

(v.14) We see the four faces of the cherub again, and they mirror the four faces of the Gospels.

Ezekiel 11

(v.10) Because the people of Israel didn't listen to God with His promises and blessings, He gets their attention by bringing judgment upon them. We are all like that at times, we fail to acknowledge the many blessings He gives us daily, and only when we're in trouble, do we really appreciate He is our God.

(v.17) This happened on May 17. 1948!!!

Ezekiel 12

(v.15) Again, God is showing the rebellious people that He is the LORD, by allowing their enemies to take them into captivity. As we shall see, like the time of Moses, they will once again cry out to Him and worship Him as He should be!

26 June (Ezekiel 1-4)

Ezekiel was a prophet during the time of the seige of Jerusalem by Babylon. He was from the tribe of Levi, so he could have been a priest, but God called him to be a prophet, and to speak to His people.

At this time, there were many false prophets who were promising the people that Jerusalem wouldn't be destroyed, and that they would be able to return in a few years. The people wanted this ordeal to be quick (who wouldn't) but as with life, God has specific plans for us, and sometimes that means we must endure hardships for longer than we want.

Like the other prophets of his time, Ezekiel wasn't liked since his messages were about repentance or there would be judgment. Like we see today, people just want the nice things about life and God, and they don't want to actually repent and let Him be our LORD.

Ezekiel 1

(v.3) Ezekiel was a priest, but God called him to serve as a prophet. This makes me think of the many times I thought I was supposed to be something, but God had other plans! I pray I'm more like Ezekiel, and I listen to what God wants me to do for Him!

(v.10) These angelic beings are called Cherubim...which Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel are as well. These are the mighty angels, and they serve the LORD continuously...except for Lucifer!

I point out to my girls that we need to study these cherubim, since the four faces represent the four themes of the Gospels in the New Testament:

Lion - Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Matthew

Ox - Jesus as the Servant - Mark

Man - Jesus as the Word in the flesh - Luke

Eagle - Jesus as God- John

I also show my kids that these same images are represented in Rev 4:7

Ezekiel 2

(v.5) We need to remember this...it's our job to speak of God's love in the Gospel, and let God do the converting. We are only to plant seeds and let the Spirit do the watering and nurturing. Testify to your family and friends, and let God do the rest.

(v.6) Our biggest enemy when witnessing is ourselves...we let Satan tell us that we aren't equipped or holy enough to share God's Word. We all fall to this from time to time, but if we pray and let the Spirit give us the words, then we'll be doing His will when we witness.

Ezekiel 3

(v.8) Does your pastor speak from the Word? Does he focus on it, or just read one verse and tell anecdotes? God's Word is sufficient, and the best thing a pastor can do is just point out things or clarify things.

(v.15) In order to witness or do missionary work, we need to be amongst the people God is having us witness to. To me, this means we are to witness to friends, family and coworkers, since we are in the same life experiences for the most part. From there, we can then go and witness to strangers or in missions.

(v.16) Are we watchmen or watchwomen of God's Word? Do we look at God's Word and compare it to current events, and share with our family and friends? We aren't supposed to predict things, but we can point out where God's Word is manifesting itself right before our eyes!

Ezekiel 4

My kids thought this chapter was funny, since God had Ezekiel do some strange things. It's strange if we don't know the culture of the time, and if we don't look deeper into the imagery of what God is showing us.

The Bible is to be taken literally, but obviously, if there is imagery or metaphors, then we see the pattern of what God is showing us. When we see this, the Bible comes alive to us, and we understand more what God is saying to us.

29 May (Isaiah 5-7)

Isaiah 5

(v.7) God has described in the previous verses, how the people of Israel have rejected Him, and how they will be consumed by their enemies as a result. We see a lot of patterns in the Bible, for that is the way God reveals Himself to us and His people.

Prophecy in Western culture:

Prediction --> Fulfillment

Prophecy in Hebrew culture:

Pattern --> Fulfillment

God speaks to us in pattern throughout the Bible, not only to make sure we understand, but to see that the whole Bible speaks of one thing...God's plan of redemption for mankind in His Son!

(v.8) For those of us who currently live in so much cement and buildings, or those who have lived in those areas...it is not good for us to be so cramped in. God wants us to live amongst nature and to see His handiwork every day! My family recently moved from the suburbs of Southern California to the hill country of Texas, and we see God's handiwork every day! We can't help but see God in our yard and the creatures He has in it.

If we think about it, as a society, we have replaced God's handiwork with man's handiwork in our cities. We see immense buildings, roads, signs and lights...but only when we venture into the country or to the mountains, do we see God's majesty in His creation.

If you can't live in an area where you can enjoy nature, make sure to take your kids to the beach, the mountains, or the like on a weekend. Also, it's good to send them to Christian Camp in the woods, so they can get closer to God.

(v.14) Here we see the word Sheol again, and it's the place for the spirits until Christ died and allowed the believing spirits to go to heaven. The unbelieving spirits stay in Sheol, and they will be cast into the abyss with Satan and his demons.

(v.20) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil

Aren't we living in these times today? Our culture mocks righteous living for lavish and exuberant lifestyles. We defend the convicted murderer, but throw away and kill the unwanted child in the womb. We are intolerant of Christians, but preach tolerance to them at the same time!

Always measure your values and beliefs with the Word of God, and you'll do well in this life.

Isaiah 6

(v.3) Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts

I show my kids that they say holy three times...this is believed to be referring to the Holy Trinity.

(v.8) Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?

Take note of the word Us and read Gen 3:22 and Gen 11:7 to them...the word in all these cases is Elohim, which is a plural word (three or more) used in the singular tense. This is God as the Holy Trinity! Also, take note of Isaiah's response...he volunteers to serve God! We should all take Isaiah's lead and step out in faith and serve God!

Isaiah 7

(v.14) This verse is used at Christmas time to point us to the Immaculate Conception of Christ. But skeptics try to say that the word virgin means a young woman!

First of all, the Hebrew text says the virgin which points us to one particular virgin. And if we use common sense, what kind of sign would it be to Israel to have a young woman give birth to a son? That happens every day! No, God is talking about one particular woman who hasn't been with a man, and the Holy Spirit makes her egg fertilized by supernatural ways! God had this plan all along, if we read Gen 3:15 we see that God pointed to this event from the beginning!

In Hebrew, the name Immanuel means God With Us and that is what Jesus was! We know this for a fact, since John states this at the beginning of his gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

~ John 1:1, 14

Remember, the name Jesus means Yahweh is Salvation, so His name was His mission!

22 May (Hosea 1-7)

The book of Hosea is the first of what is called the Minor Prophets. Of course, this doesn't mean their messages are little, but their books are not as long as some other ones like Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Hosea was a contemporary of Amos, Isaiah and Micah, but Hosea prophesied in the Northern Kingdom, and saw it fall to the Assyrians.

The name Hosea means Salvation in Hebrew, so when you hear Hosanna in songs of worship, it means Save Us.

Hosea focuses on the love of Israel in God, and how God so wants the people to return to Him. We will see some typology here with Hosea and his wife Gomer...it depicts the love of God to us undeserving and rebellious people He created.

Hosea 1

(v.2) God has Hosea take a harlot for a wife, and tells Hosea what is going to happen to his children. How many of us would go through with that, knowing how bad it was going to turn out? Hosea is a man we should admire and emulate. His faith was great.

Here we see the children's names, and their names mean what God is going to do with Israel:

Jezreel ~ means Scattered, and the valley where God is going to give the Northern Kingdom of Isreal to Assyria

Lo-Ruhamah ~ her name means Unloved, and God is going to hold His mercy upon Israel for their idolatry and fornication.

Lo-Ammi ~ Her name means Not My People and this is a sign to all of us, that if we reject Him and push Him away, He will grant our wish and keep us from Him for eternity.

Hosea 2

We can see the imagery here, where the wife of Hosea, Gomer, is a harlot, and she is a type of Israel in their idolatry and fornication. God is showing Israel's fate by His Word to Hosea.

(v.7) God shows us that Israel will eventually return to God, and that will be in the Great Tribulation, where they finally accept and see that Yeshua is their Messiah!

(v.13) God allows hardships to befall on us, especially if that's what it will take to bring us back to Him. He is our refuge, and sooner or later, we will remember that. Unfortunately for Israel, she will not remember until the last days.

(v.16) This is more typology of the Bridegroom (Jesus) and His bride (all believers in His Church).

(v.23) After God has retrieved His Church, He will focus again on Israel, and they will be once again His people, and they will call Him their God.

Hosea 3

(v.4) Many scholars believe this verse and chapter describes the Diaspora, where after the Romans sacked Jerusalem in 70 AD, all the Jews went all over the earth. They don't have a Temple to this day to do their Mosaic rituals. But one day, after Yeshua has returned, they will do them again!

Hosea 4

The Northern Kingdom had immense wealth, vast lands, and much power...but as God says in verse one, they didn't have love, and they didn't know their God. I tremble when I read this, since I believe the USA has gone the same route. We are the great Superpower, but we are empty and without God, we are lost.

Hosea 5

(v.15) This is an important verse...God is speaking of Himself, in the person of Jesus.

I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense.

Who else but Jesus, came from heaven to earth and returned? Notice that God says offense in the singular...He is not holding onto their many daily sins, but the one sin that separates them and us from Him...the acceptance of His Son!

Then they will seek My face, in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.

Not until the Great Tribulation will Israel as a group of people seek Jesus. They will finally see and acknowledge their denial, and cry out to God. Then the Father will say to His Son, "Go get 'em" and save Israel!!!

Hosea 6

(v.1) God allows us to hurt and have trials, but He will mend us and use them to make us stronger. I remind my kids, that when we tear a muscle, when it heals, it ends up being stronger than before. This is the same with God using trials to mold us to what He wants us to be.

(v.2) This is a verse that applies to Jesus in the grave, and shows us the timing of God. We often want God to help us NOW, but He does it when it's the right time, and never too late. The body starts to decay in the grave on the fourth day, so that's why Jesus was raised on the third day, and Israel will be saved before they are wiped out.

(v.6) God desires love and obedience more than rituals and sacrifices. If our hearts are with Him, then we will act accordingly...not the other way around.

Hosea 7

(v.3) We get the leaders we deserve. I believe our current President is the result of our apathy and rejection as a nation of God. If we don't repent and put God first, then we will get more of the same from our leaders.

(v.14) This whole book is a mirror image of America...we have pushed God out of all our institutions, and we seek the wisdom and leadership of man. The United Nations is the Tower of Babel of our time, and we will have the same fate if we don't repent and return to God.

21 May (Jonah 4)

Jonah 4

(v.2) People who don't know God, think that God in the OT is mean and judgemental. But Jonah shows us again the true character of God:

~ Gracious

~ Merciful

~ Slow to anger

~ Abundant in loving kindness

~ Relents from doing harm

I think we all would say that describes Jesus, and it does! That makes sense, since Jesus is God, a part of the Holy Trinity, and our Creator and Savior!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

~ John 1:1, 14

(v.6) God uses typology here again, and unless we look for it, we miss it. This tender plant is a type of Jesus, for in Isaiah, we get a better idea of what God means here:

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness. And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

~ Isaiah 53:2

(v.7) Here we see the Tolaith worm again, and as we saw in Psalm 22, we are given more typology of Christ. What the Jews in Jesus' day didn't understand, was that the Messiah, the Christ, had to die first to conquer death and save us from sin. Then, He would come back and bring judgement upon evil and rule Jerusalem in righteousness.

(v.11) God shows great compassion here...He knows that the people of Nineveh are lost, and He wishes for all of them to be saved. I remind my kids of a famous verse in the Bible that speaks of this:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

~ John 3:16

So to recap...Jonah's prediction that Nineveh would burn in judgement was false. So why did Jesus call Jonah a prophet? He did because Jonah lived out prophecy himself!!!

If Jonah came the first time in judgement like he wanted to do, the whole city of Nineveh would be destroyed. But God chose to have Jonah live out what His Son would do centuries later...Jonah died and was resurrected three days later, only to preach and save the city!

So in the future, I pray that this helps you speak lovingly and wisely to the unbeliever, and show them God's plan of redemption in this book. This is a true account, and it points us to our God and our Savior...Jesus!

19 May (Jonah 2)

Jonah 2

(v.1) As we concluded chapter 1, we see that God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights? Does this sound familiar? Jesus refers to this in Matt 12:40

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Also, in Luke 11:29 Jesus calls Jonah a prophet, thus giving Jonah an importance and status that most people don't realize. Whether Jonah was in a whale, a shark or some kind of serpent, it doesn't matter...it was big enough to swallow him whole! The Hebrew word used for fish is Dag and can mean fish or serpent. Most often, it was used to reference a fish, but that may be because people discussed fish more than serpents!

(v.2) What a prayer from Jonah! Like most of us, it takes extreme measures for us to get serious and really cry out to the LORD!

I also take time to remind my kids that Jonah mentions the Hebrew word Sheol (it is called Hades in Greek), which is the spiritual place where all who died go to. As we discussed in previous books, the believers went to Abraham's Bosom, and the unbelievers went to Sheol. Not until Jesus' blood washed away sin, could Moses, Abraham, David and all the other believers enter heaven with the Father...they were still in a sinful state. The moment Jesus died on the cross, and hereafter, all who die in faith will immediately go to heaven with the Father, but before that, the faithful had to wait in Abraham's Bosom. If you wish to learn more about this, read Luke 16 where Jesus tells us of this.

I also point out to my kids that Jonah didn't pray until three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish. This is why I believe that Jonah actually died, and he was resurrected and spit out onto the beach...he was again a type of Christ, who was dead for three days and three nights, then resurrected. I can't prove that, but it fits the pattern, and since Jonah's life is mirroring the life of Jesus in many ways, it makes sense to me!

(v.5) Read these verses with Jesus in mind, and it fits. Jesus freed that "captives" in Abraham's bosom. Luke 4:18

Jonah is describing the center of the earth...the abyss. The Greek word for that is Abusso, which is referred to mean hell. Notice how Jonah says the earth with its bars closed behind me forever...he is describing hell...or Sheol/Hades.

(v.9) Whether Jonah was physically dead or not, he was in a bad situation! He prayed fervently to the LORD, and He heard Jonah. I think what did it, was Jonah called upon the name of the LORD by saying, Salvation is of the LORD. This is the name of Jesus...YHWH Saves!