OUR DOUBTS AND GOD’S FULFILLING OF PROPHECY

    Impatience seems to be a regular companion of believers. This is partly because God seems to be rather slow in getting things done, and we often think that He needs to speed things up a bit. Even the Tribulation martyrs are seen crying out; “how long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” (Rev. 6:10). And the Apostle Paul certainly seemed to assume that the Rapture of the Church was likely in his lifetime as he twice included himself in those who would be alive at the Rapture event (1 Thess. 4:15, 17). So, I suppose, we are in good company when we wonder if God is finally going to fulfill what He said He would do in the last days of the last days. We believe it, of course, but doubts do arise deep in the minds and the hearts of believers.

We must remember that the fulfillment of biblical prophecy is dependent entirely on the character of God, the One who spoke these prophecies through Apostles and Prophets. When believers begin to doubt or wonder if these prophecies will really ever be fulfilled, it is time to step back and look carefully at the One who made them. God’s attributes are the guarantee that prophecy will be completely fulfilled. Theologically, we know that God is greater than the sum total of His attributes, so that we never can or will fully know Him. But as a reminder, we note here some of His attributes that do impact the fulfillment of prophecy.

1. God is Sovereign – This means that God is the supreme Being in the universe. There is no individual or group that is greater than God. All the forces of men and angels could never dethrone Him or force Him to alter His plans. God may choose to allow certain things to take place, according to the natural laws that He Himself has put in place. But His declared purposes can in no way be thwarted by His creation. His sovereignty includes the truths that He is absolute in His knowledge, power and freedom to act. Those prophetic events that He says will take place, will indeed take place because there is no person or force capable of resisting His plans or His power.

2. God is Truth – Truth is that which conforms to fact or reality. As an attribute of God, it speaks of Him seeing things as they really are; that His revelations about Himself are consistent and totally accurate, and that His revelations about all things, including prophecy, are also accurate and can be relied on. So, His promises will never fail or be unfulfilled, and His prophetic statements are not going to fail or remain unfulfilled. He can be trusted. He does not lie or deceive. And, as He has done, when He swears by Himself on oath that He will do this or that, then we have the greatest evidence that the God of Truth will do it.

3. God is Omniscient – God knows everything; which includes all things that actually are, as well as everything that is possible. He does not learn new things. A.W. Tozer noted that “He knows nothing better than any other thing, but all things equally. He never discovers anything, He is never surprised, never amazed.” (The Knowledge of the Holy, p. 62). So, His pronouncements about coming events are true, accurate and will never need to be adjusted. Some new fact is not going to come to light which mandates an adjustment in the future plan. The prophetic word which has been proclaimed will be the word that is fulfilled completely, with no mid-course corrections to be made. 

4. God is Omnipotent – In the Scriptures, God is often called “the Almighty”; meaning that God is all powerful, and His power never diminishes over time. Therefore, all things are possible and there is nothing too hard for God. However, He does not do anything that is inconsistent with His nature (such as, lying or being involved in sinful deeds). He can do all things that are in harmony with His nature and purposes. So, when God declares that He is going to do remarkable, supernatural, miraculous things in the future, He has all the power to do them. This is a great encouragement to His people. And, it is an important reminder that fulfillment of prophecy is never a question of the lack of power to do them. The question is usually one of God’s timing, which is always impeccable. 

5. God is Immutable – This is the wonderful truth that God does not change. Over time, He does not mature nor does He decline. He is perfect in all ways, and perfection cannot be improved on. Practically, this informs us that God’s love for us is not going to be different next year than it was last year. He is not going to be more or less righteous, or powerful, or truthful tomorrow. Immutability assures us that God’s statements about coming events in this world are not going to change. So, people cannot bribe, coerce or do anything which will bring about change in God’s nature, and therefore, His plans. 

6. God is Holy – God is “set apart” from all that is evil or unclean, and He Himself is absolutely pure. Holiness is the complete absence of evil and the presence of righteousness. Because all people are sinful (sin is anything that is contrary to the character of God), they are, therefore, separated from God. But if they receive God’s righteousness which comes to believing people because of the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross then they can have fellowship with the holy God now and in all eternity. Holiness also means that everything God does is free from any taint of evil or uncleanness. So, in a sense, His justice flows out of His holiness. Holiness requires that God deal in justice with his creation, which includes keeping His word about what He said He would do. This means that He will justly judge all men and angels and evaluate them and deal with them according to His righteous standard. And prophecy has much to say about that.

7. God is Love – One of the great attributes of God is love; that is, He seeks the best for the one loved. God wants our everlasting welfare. The grand purpose of God is to bring people into that glorious, Edenic state which He Himself declared to be “very good.” This is the desired goal of His love; therefore, the Son of God came to die and pay for the sins of mankind. God sought our best so that we could love Him and enjoy Him forever in the prophesied future, forever kingdom of God. His love will be demonstrated in a magnificent way in His future kingdom. But, contrary to some unbiblical teaching, God does not and cannot set aside or modify any of His other attributes in order to “love”. Part of His love is His goodness. He is a good God. This means that God’s nature is to be benevolent, kind and to bestow blessings on people. His goodness will be revealed in the future kingdom where good gifts are given to His children. The future messianic age on this earth plus the following eternal kingdom of God on the new earth will be “very good.” 

So, with a God like this, should we doubt that He will do what He says He will do? Is there a place for thinking that Satan and his minions, as well as his human collaborators, will somehow thwart God’s prophetic plans and purposes? In our weariness, we may say “how long, O Lord, holy and true” before you do what you promised, but there is no question that He will do what He promised because of who He is.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND THE ELECTIONS OF MEN

The outcome of an election is very often unclear to us, including this one, until the very last moment. And as I write this article, the final outcome of the current election is still not clear. And this lack of clarity is causing great anxiety and despondency among many. But what is clear is the continuing need for the followers of Jesus Christ to keep their focus on Him and on His coming kingdom. 

The Book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers who were facing some very real persecutions as well as the diabolical hatred from their culture. These tough times were tempting them to “hide”. The counsel of the writer was for them to adjust their focus. The need of the moment for them was to “fix their attention” (Heb. 3:1) on Jesus as the Apostle and High Priest. “The Apostle” communicated the important fact that Jesus was THE One sent with authority from the Father to do His will in this world. Jesus is in charge, not the government or the culture. And Jesus as High Priest emphasizes the fact that He can give us all the grace and mercy needed in difficult times, when we come to Him. These realities were to be their focus.

Our Need to Check Our Focus.  We recall that infamous moment when Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about His coming death (Matt. 16:21-23).  Jesus’ response of “get behind Me, Satan” is well known. But equally important is what Jesus said next. He pointed out to Peter that you are not “setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” And that has always been a challenge to believers and it is certainly the case in this present moment. And while it is legitimate to be involved in “man’s interests”, these must always be a distant second to “God’s interests.” 

God has an absolutely perfect plan for His people, for His Messiah as well as for the entire world. And the Almighty God has let us know about many of those plans. And that, according to Jesus, is to be where our attention is fixed. Is it perhaps time to refocus?

Our Need to Remember His Revelatory Truth. Several months ago, in our Scofield article, we took a look at the wonderfully powerful Psalm 2. There are several points that would be good for us to recall as we try and focus our thinking. (1) While the kings of the earth, and the people of the earth as well, rage against God, He is neither threatened nor intimidated by their threats and anger (note also Isaiah 40). In fact, He laughs. (2) The focus of their hatred is the Anointed One. It has always been true, no matter how it is disguised, that the people of this world (culture) have an abiding hatred of Jesus. Jesus is rather clear on the matter in John 15:18-20. These have the attitude of their “spiritual father” Satan (note John 8:44). These simply do not want Jesus and His righteousness to dictate how they live. (3) The Father has already set Jesus as King, ruling over the entire world from Mt. Zion. Now, this is a future event but it is put in the past tense to emphasize the point that this is a “done deal.” The nations of the earth are the inheritance of Messiah Jesus. There is simply no way possible for God’s plan to be thwarted by anyone. (4) Before the wrath of God is poured out (and it will be), there is an appeal from God for the people of the earth to turn to Him and be saved. Ezekiel 33:11 reminds us that God desires to save men, rather than judge them: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked...turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die?” But those hardened in sin and unbelief will face God’s wrath which will terrify them (Psa. 2:5). And (5) we must focus on the great truth that the day is coming when all of creation will bow before Jesus and acknowledge that He is Lord of all (Phil. 2:9-11).

Our Need to Remember the Coming Plan.  For most readers of this article, the coming plan is pretty well understood and I would not attempt to detail all of that here. There is but One Sovereign Lord who raises kings up and pulls them down (Daniel 2:21) according to His own purposes. And He has a clear, detailed plan that He will accomplish which ultimately is going to restore, and enhance, all that was lost in Eden. By His own path and in His own time, He will bring us into Messiah’s kingdom. But there are some signs along that path which give us some idea of where we might be. (1) First and foremost is the reality that national, ethnic Israel has come back from almost 100 nations in the world to the Land given by covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. With Israel in the land and living “confidently” (Ezek. 38:8: better than “securely''), the basic stage is set for the final end time events. Israel’s presence in the Land was required, and they are there. (2) The nations of the coming Gog/Magog battle are pretty well aligned as Ezekiel sees them; especially noting the activities of Iran, Russian and now Turkey. This significant end times battle is that which begins bringing Israel back into a believing relationship with the Lord their God (Ezek. 39:22). And this repentance of Israel, as well as the salvation of millions of gentiles, is the grand purpose of Daniel’s 70th Week (the “tribulation”). And it is the one requirement before Jesus can return at His Second Coming (Matt. 23:39).  (3) There is no question about the fate of the wicked kings and people who will not turn from their evil and come to the Lord Jesus for His magnificent salvation. According to Jesus and the prophets this coming tribulation time is unlike anything that mankind has ever experienced. The time ahead for this world is simply the worst of times. (4) The growing apostasy within the church itself. Paul spoke of this end times apostasy in 2 Thessalonians 2. And while there will always be believers who remain faithful to the Lord and to His Word, the defection from God’s truth within those claiming to be the church will be unprecedented. What we witness in so very many places in the world is a wholesale turning from Truth. And there are, of course, other signs which give us some idea where we are on this path of God.

What do Do?  Jesus addressed this matter in Luke 19.  He informed His men that He was going away into a far country (heaven), but that He would indeed return and would do so with great authority. He would come back. Their task was not to try and figure out what day on the calendar that would happen, but their task was to do “His business” until that time. And that is really where our focus today must be. We are in this culture at this time and “doing His business” is what we are to do. That will look a bit different for each of us, but it is “His business” that we are to be about. As Jesus told Peter, your focus and mine must be on “God’s interests.”

REVIVAL OR APOSTASY?

    The cultural quicksand appears to rapidly be pulling us down into a place that is dark and foreboding, with the result that calls for revival are increasingly heard. Now, we know from the Apostle Paul that the end of the end times will bring a great departure from the truth of God. He says that preceding the Tribulation will be the apostasy (2 Thess. 2:3). But will a time of revival come before the time of great apostasy? Is talking about “revival” realistic? For sure, an apostasy will come (or is here) but what about revival? In an attempt to deal with this significant issue, we really need to take a step back and try and be clear on these two subjects.

The Matter of “Revival.”  Many believers aren’t sure what they are looking for when they are talking about and seeking “revival.” Just ask them. Some Christians, imagining a “revival”, think of some mystical working of God where strangely unique things happen. Some of this comes from accounts of alleged revivals from the past. But if we seek revival, just what is it that we are expecting to observe? Would we know it if we saw it?  

Several realities about “revival” should be clarified. First, unbelievers cannot be “revived” because they have never had spiritual life as their experience. They can’t be restored to something they never had. They need to be born again, so the issue is evangelism. Second, we need to define the word “revival.”  I would like to suggest that revival is a believer’s new beginning of obedience to the truth of God. Revival is for God’s people. Third, real revival is inseparably connected with the Word of God. This is seen in numerous biblical accounts, such as the revivals in the days of Ezra, Nehemiah and King Josiah. When the Word was heard and correctly responded to, that is when “revival” took place: that new beginning of obedience in the lives of God’s people. Fourth, revival is not a one-time event, but should be regularly taking place in our lives. As we are exposed to new truth from God, or are reminded of truth we knew from the past, we refocus on our obedience to God’s truth. For example, we hear a message on prayer and we think to ourselves, “I need to be more diligent and consistent in my praying.” And we do that. That is “revival”, as we have embarked on a new beginning of obedience related to our prayer lives. So, biblical revival ought to be going on regularly in the life of each and every believer.  But usually, the idea that “we need revival” is looking at some sort of mass movement which targets the unbeliever.

But can this great, mass movement happen today in our culture? The question is obviously not, can God do something. He is omnipotent and He is sovereign. But He has also put the spiritual mechanisms in place for accomplishing His purposes in individuals, as well as nations. And what must be in place is the accurate proclaiming of God’s Word. No Word, no revival. And this brings into focus the role of the Church both corporately and individually. But today there is precious little proclaiming of God’s truth; certainly not what characterized the church in years past. What passes for biblical preaching in many too many churches is simply not biblical instruction in the doctrines, standards and commands of God. Sermons today are characterized by a quick reference to a verse or two (without any real, solid investigation of their meaning in the text), followed by lots of stories and alleged applications of the biblical text. The point I am making is that without a cognitive understanding of God’s commands and righteous standards, along with an understanding of WHO God is, there cannot be “revival”. It is God’s truth that must be responded to. So, can there be revival today? No, not unless that Church makes some dramatic changes in the way it is doing the Lord’s business. God can do anything, but He put in place the mechanism of human involvement in the bringing about of revival. 

While the above might seem unnecessarily gloomy, recent statistics concerning the evangelical church (the group that probably should be leading the way in “revival”) is both enlightening and depressing. What were once core evangelical beliefs have increasingly been abandoned by many churches, pastors as well as individuals. (So much so that the term “evangelical” has pretty much lost its meaning). Just consider a few results of a very recent survey. This survey says that 30% of evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is God; 35% want Roe vs. Wade kept as it is and 56% think that same sex marriage is fine. Other recent studies have revealed that the decline in those who believe that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, error free Word of God is declining rapidly among those in both the pulpit and the pew. So, if the Word of God is essential (and it is) to real revival, then things don’t look very bright. The only hope is for pastors especially, and churches, to reverse the current trend and courageously proclaim God’s precepts without apology and without reservation. If believers hear God’s Word and choose to obey it, then revival begins. It is then that evangelism of unbelievers will really take place. But if one thinks that the Holy Spirit is going to swoop down in some mall (or even in a church building or tent) and overwhelm the people there and cause them to change their ways, further thought is needed.

The Matter of Apostasy.  Since the church began in the book of Acts, apostasy has been present. The term “apostasy” is used just once in the New Testament (2 Thess. 2:3) but it is used several times in the Old Testament. As it is used, the word has the idea of “departing from the truth” but the element of rebellion is there as well. And that makes sense. To depart from God’s truth is to depart from God Himself (so says Paul in Gal. 1:6), which is an act of rebellion. But while the word itself (apostasia) is used infrequently, the idea of walking away from the truth of God is everywhere in the Scriptures.

          The Apostles included in their writings warning about turning from God’s truth and how this church age will end.  They were unusually concerned with what the church would be like when this age came to its end. Prior to the Rapture event, there will be an unusually large invasion of false teachers with their false teachings that come into the Church. Now, we know that Satan, since the Garden of Eden, has used false and distorted ideas as his primary tool in countering God’s work in the world. This is nothing new. But the Apostles foresaw a time when falsehood in the church would explode leaving believers in grave danger.  Large numbers of men and women would seduce the saints with their damaging doctrines and there is so much of that today. These terrible teachings will hurt believers in this life; affect the life to come; and they will carry on into the Tribulation. And while we cannot set dates and times, we are certainly seeing such an explosion of falsehood. The “apostasy” is accelerating and often in places we never imagined, as once solid schools, churches and Christian leaders turn from truth to accommodate themselves to this decaying culture.

We can never look at the absence of sound (health) doctrine and declare that because of that, the Lord will be returning on such and such a date. What we can say is that He might indeed be coming very soon because of the ongoing departure from the truth of God in “the church”. The apostasy is yet another one of the props that will be on the prophetic stage when the end comes. This points to the possibility that it is close to curtain time, and the beginning of the final act of human history known as the Tribulation.

      In the meantime, until the curtain goes up, you and I need to daily refocus on the Lord Jesus (see Heb. 3:1). We are easily consumed by the events in the culture with the result that we become timid and fearful. The Scriptures are loud and clear that we must “contend earnestly” (Jude 3) for God’s truth, and to “expose” the distorted doctrines that are being promoted in the church (1 Tim. 4:1; Eph. 5:11). This contending for the faith is part of what a faithful servant of Christ does. Without being obnoxious, we need to confront errant pastors and culturally compromised Christian leaders about their “apostasy.” Fellow believers who have been drinking the “Kool aid” of these leaders have a need to be informed about what God’s Word really says. Most of us will never stand behind a pulpit speaking to thousands, but more likely will be one on one with a fellow believer who has been seduced by man pleasing ideas. We must not be argumentative, but we must be clear, compelling and full of conviction in our handling of truth. 

There is no revival without a new beginning of obedience to God’s truth in the life of a believer. Without revival the apostasy will come, and perhaps fairly soon.  

THE TEMPORARY WINNER: GLOBALISM

The current political battle, between those who want a global world order versus those with a commitment to nationalism, is also a biblical battle. Whether it is European nations attempting to get out of the European Union, as Britain did, or whether it is the current American nationalism in “making America great again”; the fact is that both biblical history and biblical prophecy come to bear on this subject. And while we are rightly quite interested in the political matters, it is important to make sure that we have an understanding of the biblical matters.

(1) Nations are God’s idea. God brought nations into existence at the Tower of Babel. The main reason for God’s “coming down” to scatter mankind as they were laboring on their tower building project at Babel, was to keep evil from deepening and spreading further. God declared that “nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them” (Gen. 11:6). He was not talking about their architectural pursuits but about their sinning. Because of man’s fixed depravity, he will always involve himself in evil. But it gets worse when he unites with other equally sinful people. The masses tend to take sinful behavior to a deeper level. What an individual might not do alone, when they join a mob or a gang, they will do some pretty wicked things. So, by means of instantly creating new languages, God forced mankind to divide and begin national groups as found in Genesis 10 (Note that Genesis 10 takes place chronologically after the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11). So, while sin would not cease because of this dividing, the extreme demonstrations of sin would be muted. Conversely, a unified, one-world approach would drag mankind down as far as it could go.

The Apostles were certainly not naïve when it came to understanding that governments can be evil. Rome was hardly the example of righteous rulership. However, the Apostles also understood that government is an important means, ordained by God, for the restraining of evil (Rom. 13:1-4). Paul observed that they do “bear the sword” and they know how to use it. Even bad governments do some restraining of evil. If they didn’t, their own national experience would be continual chaos.

It should not come as a surprise then that Satan, the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31) would be against God’s purpose in this matter of nations. We learn from Jesus’ temptation account that the nations of this world system have been “handed over” to Satan (Luke 4:5-6). But while the Evil One does manipulate and influence nations, using evil leaders and demonic forces (note also Dan. 10:20), his ultimate goal is something far more sinister. It is not simply making nations evil, but it is making the world evil. And biblical prophecy sheds abundant light on the matter.

(2) One world government is Satan’s clear goal.  God is the sovereign over all of creation, which is something that the Devil has always aspired to (cf. Isa. 11:12-14). The book of Revelation is quite clear that Satan is going to come close to fulfilling his wicked desires when he rules and is worshipped through the Beast (a.k.a. the Antichrist---Rev. 13:2-17)). This one world government will flourish for a very short period of time, namely for 42 months (Rev. 13:5-7). Though brief, this time will be the wickedest and most rebellious time ever. Unrestrained evil will dominate the planet. The control of the human population will be the greatest ever, as the Evil One institutes an absolute authority using the infamous mark of “666”. His purpose in this is to be worshipped by mankind. This is where the world is headed, and the world will indeed arrive at this destination. This kind of evil is why God shook things up at the Tower of Babel. Even though Satan knows all of this, in the book of Revelation, he works tirelessly to bring about the fulfillment of his global rule, as found in Revelation 13.

All through history, the Devil has employed godless people to further his schemes. And the world that we live in today experiences the same thing. Today, incredibly wealthy globalists are working at bringing about a one-world government. Names familiar to us have this as their stated goal. This is not a conspiracy theory but really a conspiracy fact, and something which will, in God’s timing, take place. As countries, including our own, move away from God’s righteous standards in ordering national life, the move towards a one-world system becomes easier to achieve. One purpose of this short article is to make it clear that the conflict is not so much about Republican vs. Democrat, but rather it is part of the ongoing conflict between God and Satan. Globalism is one of the “doctrines of demons”. The globalists will eventually win, though the victory will be short lived and will not produce what they suppose it will produce. Satan’s apples have always had worms in them and this globalism apple is one of the wormiest and the rottenest of all.

The fundamental, fatal flaw in globalist thinking is their view of the nature of man. Globalists see man as inherently good (which makes them inherently good also). In their view, the ills and evils found in the world have come about because of greedy big business, corrupt politicians and bloodthirsty warmongers. All these realities flourish in the nationalist incubators, and so, the world finds itself in its present condition. Likely these greedy, corrupt, bloodthirsty folks will need to be eliminated. Arriving at a one world order will get rid of the above and allow mankind to flourish. Biblically, such a view is totally out of touch with reality, and incidentally, in opposition to man’s history as well.

(3) One world government is God’s stated goal. Satan has always been a counterfeiter, taking what God has created and revealed, making his own version of those things. Ruling the world was not really the Devil’s idea. God is to be King. So, when the Evil One wants to be like God, it is no surprise that this includes ruling the world.

We as believers in the Lord Jesus understand that Jesus Christ will establish His righteous kingdom on this planet. So, after the counterfeit kingdom of Satan, the authentic kingdom of King Jesus will come. The prophets and apostles spoke often, and in great detail, about the peace, joy and abundant blessings that will be characteristic of Jesus Messiah’s kingdom. His will be a glorious, benevolent dictatorship. It will be utopia. Mankind will experience what God intended from the very beginning in Eden because man’s core problem of sinfulness has been fully taken care of by the Cross. First will come the one-thousand-year rule of Christ on this present, curse free earth; and then, the eternal kingdom of God on a new earth. Godly globalists will prevail! God, on oath, has said it will take place.

It is worth noting that there will be nations in the future, forever kingdom of God, and these nations will have a prominent role (see Rev. 21:24-26). Nations in the perfect future kingdom will obviously not have the function of restraining evil. There is no evil. We, therefore, conclude that nations will have new purposes in eternity. Perhaps, since God and His creation and His future kingdom are highly organized, nations will enable us to better serve and worship God. Clearly, Revelation 21 is letting us know that redeemed mankind will not be some huge mass of humanity, but will be divided up. Stay tuned on this one.

In the meantime, before the Devil’s globalism becomes a reality, we believers need to be alert to opportunities to inform those around us that they can have a part in the coming reign of Messiah Jesus, and His wonderful and glorious global rule. Our participation in this marvelous future kingdom comes when we place our faith in the Savior-King who will return to this earth as He promised His followers He would do. That will be amazing for us, but we need to remind ourselves that globalists are in great need of the Savior also. 

The best days are yet ahead. Even so come Lord Jesus! 

STANDING STRONG FOR CHRIST IN A HOSTILE CULTURE

          How are we, as followers of Jesus, to live in a cultural setting that is swiftly becoming quite hostile to Jesus. When times become ominous, people often respond by hiding and thinking only about self-preservation. This is part of the great attractiveness of the “prepper” mentality, as they stockpile food, weapons, water and whatever they believe will give them a measure of safety and security.  And while we understand that the wise man sees danger and is careful to avoid it if possible (Prov. 27:12) and that there is wisdom in preparing for the “winter season” (Prov. 6:6-11), the Lord Jesus has put us in this culture for such a time as this. We are here to represent Him and not hide in a bunker, physical or mental.

What we know.  First, all that we need for living a God-pleasing life, in any cultural setting, has been given to us in the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:3). Nothing we face or experience is not, in some way, dealt with in the Scriptures. So, we have all the truth we need. It is true, of course, that the Holy Spirit has been given to each of us and He enlightens, directs and empowers us to live well for the Lord Jesus. The Apostles of the Lord lived all of their ministry lives in hostile environments; first among the Jews and then among the Romans. And so, they write the scriptures guided by the Spirit, but also from personal experience with a hostile cultural setting.

          Second, we know how all of this will eventually end. Biblical prophecy is designed to aid us in living better right now. Prophecy does not stutter or stammer when it tells us that the Lord God is sovereign over the men and nations of this world, and that He is neither impressed nor intimidated by their rantings and threats. (We discussed this in last month’s study of Psalm 2, “And God Laughs”). His plans for the future will bring great salvation (Rev. 7) to mankind along with great judgment (Rev. 6, 8, 9, 16). The chances of all these prophecies being fulfilled are 100%. Satan, the Antichrist, the False Prophet and all their minions will not thwart or delay by one minute, God’s executing perfectly His divine will. The appearing of our Lord Jesus remains our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) and the Father’s plan of installing King Jesus over the coming, glorious kingdom remains a certainty. These truths are designed to strengthen our inner person by reminding us of the ultimate outcome of world events. They strengthen us in order that we might live confidently, and even boldly, in a cultural setting where God’s standards are viewed with utmost contempt and the idea that God (if there is one) has any relevance. 

          Third, we are to actively represent our great God in this world. Jesus reminds His followers, (in Matt. 5:16) that we are to shine as lights in the world, and by so doing, bring honor to Him. We are not to hide the light by putting it under a basket (or in a bunker). Most of us don’t think we are that great or important, so that it will not make much of a difference what we do. But, throughout the Bible we have accounts of how God made significant impact in situations by using just one individual (and often one that was not in a position of power or authority). We are here at this time to be used by Him among our family, friends, fellow believers and the acquaintances that we come across. He has people and situations that He wants us to influence and, therefore, to represent the Lord Jesus. Remember, we are never called upon to be famous, only faithful. And it is likely that our being faithful will take place outside the bunker. Paul’s exhortation to believers 1900 years ago is just as vital today. In Ephesians 5:11-17 (ESV).

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light….Look  carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

 

          Fourth, in connection with the above, we need to remember the fact that even those who are vehemently opposed to the Lord and His standards are, nevertheless, in desperate need of His saving grace. The Apostle Paul was motivated this reality of people’s true condition and not by what they try and project (2 Cor. 5:16). They need a Savior. And, as it turns out, we remain the only ones who can tell people that the Lord loves them and has provided eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. So we need to remind ourselves that we are Christians first and Americans second. And as Christians, Jesus has given us the task of sharing the good news (Matt. 28:19-20).

          Fifth, we must be ready to obey God first, and then to obey government. This might prove to be an area where we need to wisely apply biblical truth. There might come situations where we must decide to obey God rather than men. Every now and then the early church had to do so (Acts 4:19-20). And our current climate may bring believers once again to that place mentioned by the Apostles. Christ, not Caesar, gives the Church its marching orders.

Sixth, Jesus was crystal clear that when we identify with Him, the world (Satan’s system) will hate us for it (John 15:18-20; 17:11, 15-16). So hostility from this culture is to be expected. But if this experience does arise in our lives, we will never be abandoned by the Lord and, therefore, we are not to live in fear. (Heb. 13:5b-6). The spirit of fear, which often leads to the “bunker mentality” is not to be true of us. Paul, living in the hostility of his age, said that “God has not given us a spirit of fear” (2 Tim. 1:7).

What we don’t know.  First, we don’t know how the current cultural collapse in America will play out in the coming days. Will it continue or accelerate? Will it be hindered by the Church coming alive? At this point, we don’t know what the November, 2020 election will produce. We are informed, however, by Daniel that God sets up and removes leaders according to His plans and purposes (Dan. 2:21). So no amount of money spent, shady politics, lies or deceptions will change what God is going to do. Pray we may and must. God is sovereign in these matters but He does factor in the prayers of His people. Ultimately, our trust lies in Jesus and not in a person or a party.

Second, obviously we do not know when the Lord Jesus will come and take His Church to be with Himself and thus trigger the events of the Tribulation (Matt. 24:36; 1 Thess. 4:13-17). There are no necessary events or signs which must take place before the end time events unfold. His return truly is an imminent one, and we are to keep one eye on the heavens. And, in spite of those who annually predict the rapture in connection with the fall Jewish feasts, we simply do not know when the Lord Jesus is coming for us. But once He does come, the world will be faced with supernaturalism of an unbelievable nature and extent. 

So, to each of us the Lord has put us in this time to represent Him and to wisely do so in what is clearly an evil age where increasingly good is called evil, and evil is designated as good. In the bunker? Get out. The Lord will direct our paths.

AND THEN GOD LAUGHED

The world we live in seems to be turning upside down. One year ago we would not have imagined what we are seeing, hearing and experiencing today. It seems so surreal and many sit dazed by what now exists. Present is a unique global pandemic which has motivated millions to dramatically change the way they live life. Many people are living with such anxiety that they seem afraid to step outside their homes lest they be attacked and destroyed by Covid-19.  Added to the fear of this disease are the endless television and the internet clips, showing rioting in city after city accompanied by looting and destruction. More clips record the defacing and destroying of monuments and statues, and much more media communications, which indicates that our way of life is unexpectedly changing. The rising prominence of groups such as Black Lives Matter (which is really not about people with black skin but is a Marxist movement bent on bringing down capitalist America), Antifa and others which have come out of the shadows to brazenly declare their goals. And added to all this, real leadership is lacking on so many levels. Many too many politicians use all of the above to advance their personal agendas, and especially their all-consuming lust for power and control.

So what do we do with all of this?  We are to do what believers have done throughout the ages, and that is to shift our focus off of the events swirling around us and refocus back on the great Creator-Savior God that we know and serve. Many portions of Scripture help with this, but Psalm 2 does it as well as any. So take a moment and open your Bible to Psalm 2 and we will take a brief stroll through this powerful portion of Scripture. It is designed to give great clarity and peace to our lives as we are reminded of important truths.

PSALM 2 is a psalm that is referenced numerous times in the New Testament. It was, according to Acts 4:25-26, written by King David. The Psalm itself informs us that the Son (the Anointed One/Messiah) will receive His inheritance, which is said to be all the nations of the world. His reign will be on this earth and He will rule from Zion, after His enemies have been defeated. The Psalm has four distinct parts to it.

In 2:1-3, David speaks. He is amazed at the amazing lack of wisdom seen in the kings of the earth who actually believe they can successfully resist and defy God. David just cannot believe they hold to the foolish idea that they can break free from the Creator and His Anointed, and to somehow remove His rule and influence from the earth. What David observed is much the same we are presently witnessing. Most all of the world’s rulers do not want God’s standards and laws to dictate their decisions or their actions. These rulers of men are badly deluded into thinking that the earth belongs to them and that they can dismiss God’s rule. They are, of course, simply following the philosophy of their “father”, the devil. Their attitudes and actions are deliberate and are not the result of a lack of information. It is also clear that they have a particular hatred for the Father’s Anointed One, none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. In their arrogance and hate, they are determined not to be bound, in any way, by His rules, and they have no intention of having Him rule over them. Isn’t this description by David being replicated today in our world today?

  2:4-6 records the words of God the Father who breaks the silence by laughing at these pathetic “powerful” kings. God in heaven is clearly not threatened or intimidated in the least by their arrogant boasting, and is unfazed by their threats. And as we witness our world in the grip of this spiritual insanity (which could be preparatory for the end of the end times), we really should listen most carefully to this inspired Psalm. God has displayed extraordinary patience with sinful mankind and their opposition to Him (remember 2 Peter 3:9-10). But David sees a time when God’s patience is exhausted and His righteous wrath is dramatically displayed. These who so aggressively opposed the Lord God will then be stricken with total terror as they hear the words of the angry God and experience His almighty hand of judgment. They thought they could thwart God and keep Him from fulfilling His covenant promise to David (2 Sam. 7). But this they cannot do. He will place His King (the Messiah, son of David) as ruler on the Temple Mount; that is, Mount Zion. This is how all of this will eventually end and that is great news.

2:7-9 are the words of the Anointed One as He proclaims God’s word. The “decree” of the Lord is a reference to the Davidic Covenant which states that the great descendant of David will indeed rule forever. We should remember Psalm 89 where God took an oath that nothing would prevent the Son from ruling over the entire earth. God said in 89:34-35, “My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness, I will not lie to David.” The fulfilling of this promise by God is an absolute certainty, even if the power brokers of the world deny that such things will ever happen.

        Now, the Anointed One (the Lord Jesus) declares that His right to kingship is based on His sonship. And while His eternal sonship is implied, the sonship that is in view in this psalm is the one linked to His incarnation, death and resurrection. It is this aspect of His sonship based on the Davidic Covenant, which is the basis for asking the Father for His inheritance. His inheritance, as it turns out, is not just ruling over Israel, but it is over all the nations on this present earth, even over all the nations currently in rebellion against Him. These nations will be forced into submission, and the Anointed One will crush all rebellion and resistance. These insolent, arrogant kings of the earth will come to their end as they hear the laughing of God in their ears. It is said that the Son will rule with a rod of iron, which is a phrase used several times in the Book of Revelation to tell us that in the coming kingdom of Jesus there will be zero tolerance for any overt sinning and rebellion. It is important to note that no such ruling by Jesus has yet taken place, and the “rod of iron” is certainly not in evidence today. So theological positions which present Jesus as ruling in His messianic kingdom now, just do not align with Psalm 2, nor with the numerous scriptures like it.                              

        But back to the point concerning today. All these rulers and all these groups which boldly pronounce that they are independent of any god, especially the Creator God and His Anointed One, will be bowing the knee to Him (Phil. 2:9-10). This does give perspective, does it not? The rioters, the supposed brilliant people of this world and the politicians will all bow before Jesus, the Anointed One.

2:10-12 gives the final counsel of God (maybe God the Spirit?). The leaders of the nations of the earth are told to take this coming reality of the Son’s installation as king most seriously. God prefers to save rather than judge. But when His appeals are rejected, the severe judgments of God will surely come. (We should remember the important revelation of God in Exodus 34:6-7 where God’s patience and consistent love is seen, and yet, if mankind will not respond to that, then His holiness requires that He judge). Here in Psalm 2, these leaders are told to worship God with reverence. In the Scriptures, reverential awe of God is always evidenced by obedience and submission to God. So much better for all if the leaders of these nations gladly submit to Him. Millennial blessing will be theirs.

There is simply no question as to how things are going to come out, sooner or later. Our all-knowing, wise and good God will, at some point, decide to end the present domination of the earth by the “god of this world”. We take great comfort in the truth of Psalm 2 that His wonderful purposes will not be thwarted by these rulers of the nations of the earth. This reality is to be our focus and our perspective.

In a time of oppression and persecution long ago, the Apostle Paul reminded Timothy that living life afraid and intimidated is not appropriate for the child of God. He stated that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity (fear) but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7).  Now as we view our present world, we may think that such things can’t exist in us. But they can, as these attitudes are produced by the all-powerful Spirit of God who dwells within each and every believer. He can produce in us these supernatural attitudes. And the Spirit does so in close connection with the truth found in the Word of God and applied in our lives; truth such as Psalm 2.

SATAN: HIS KNOWLEDGE, ACTIVITIES AND PREPARATION FOR THE END

Satan has always been deeply involved in the world’s politics, economics, hostilities and deceptions. He is, after all, the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31; Eph. 2:2). When we view the tensions and issues in this world, we generally focus on Russia, Washington D.C., Hezbollah, China and several others. And, if you are at all like me, the tendency is to forget the very active involvement of Satan and his forces in all of this. For some high tech, sophisticated Americans this kind of “Satan talk” seems downright medieval or perhaps just foolish. But as followers of the coming King Jesus, it is not. And for us, it is wise to periodically reflect on biblical realities, including those truths that tell us of God’s clear plans for the future of this world, as well as of the goals of the “god of this world”.  We are aware that we live in an unsettled world. It is coronavirus infected, and it has an abundance of dictators, terrorists and other unsavory persons. If we look carefully, we can observe the philosophy of globalization gaining strength and seemingly pushing us towards the end times. The ever new and changing technology now enables the power brokers of the world to pretty much control the economics of the world. So, in all of this, we ask, is Satan really running this show? If so, does he have a goal in mind and a plan to reach that goal?  Let’s remind ourselves of some satanic truths.

(1) Satan does not know when the end time tribulation events will come.  Lest we think that Satan has some form of omniscience, let’s recall that he definitely does not know when the end will come. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus was as clear as can be when He declared that only the Father knows when the final days will come. And He noted that not even angelic beings were knowledgeable of this fact. This is why Satan is at a disadvantage regarding end time events. This is why Satan always has and always will have an “antichrist” ready to go at a moment’s notice (because that is likely all he will have). Some 80 years ago, many evangelical preachers pointed to Adolf Hitler as the likely Antichrist. And he probably would have been if God had given the green light for the final days. But He didn’t and so Hitler wasn’t. Satan just does not know when the prophesied end times will commence but he is always working at putting necessary things and people in place.

(2) Satan has a goal for this world system that he is in charge of.  Revelation 13 gives insights into Satan’s passionate desire to be like God and rule over all the nations of mankind. He is the first and greatest globalist. (Note that God ordained nations for man to live in and as a means of putting a lid on evil; Genesis 10 and 11). Using the Antichrist and the False Prophet, they will form the unholy trinity and will come as close as Satan will ever get to being king of the world. Nothing less than absolute domination of this world is the goal of the Evil One. This is his great goal and he will have his way for about 42 months.

(3) Satan has “action steps” which he will use to achieve his desired goal.  There is no doubt that Satan has for millennia observed mankind and in his brilliant, but perverse, mind he knows what works so very often. C. S. Lewis captured the “wisdom” and insights of Satan and demons in his classic tale of the “Screwtape Letters.” And if C.S. Lewis was right, a lot of understanding of man’s behaviors and tendencies have been cataloged by the forces of evil. For example, in today’s coronavirus environment, Satan has seen again that people will give up much for self-preservation, including their health. This observation is actually thousands of years old. In his dialogue with God about the man Job, Satan said, “skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life” (Job 2:4). In his observation of people, Satan has learned that being healthy is a primary concern for humans. Even “independent, self-reliant" people can quickly cave in when life and health are seemingly threatened. And this is a reality in our present environment. We sometimes wonder why in the end times people will so quickly give in to the Antichrist (and to Satan who empowers him—Rev. 13:4-7). When a person sees their health or wealth being endangered, it seems that for many it is now time to bargain, compromise and be done (if need be) with personal liberties. Was this not an observable phenomenon in German, Japan and Italy in World War II? And we are presently seeing it today in our own country and around the world. As we noted in previous articles, the coronavirus pandemic is not a sign of the end times, but there is significant illustrative value in it. As we observe present events and see how people are responding, it gives insights into how mankind behaves and how it will behave. And it sheds some light on how Satan and the Antichrist will control people, even using the infamous “mark of the Beast.”  

(4) Satan always works in the minds of people to inculcate those “doctrines of demons” which are intended to bring about his desired goals.  The Apostle Paul spoke of this in 1 Timothy 4:1 when he put the spotlight on deceiving demonic beings and their distorted doctrines. These fallen beings originate and propagate philosophies that find their way into the human experience. This is an important point for us to remember. What is being espoused by some mocking late-night talk show host, or proclaimed by some radical left-wing politician has its origins at Lucifer University. Whatever philosophies or ideas will bring about the intended one world government of the Devil will be used. Most of our great thinkers are simply “useful idiots” involved in a much larger cause which they likely know nothing about. The battle has always been for the mind and will continue to be the case all the way to the end of human history.

(5) Satan will have some success but it will be short-lived.  Like a flash of lightning, Satan’s glory and success will light up the world and then quickly be gone. God is patient, but He is not tolerant. One wonders why Satan continues on his present course when he realizes his fate. Don’t you think that he has memorized the Book of Revelation? Surely, he knows how his efforts will end. But Satan is the classic example of what sin does to a created being. Sin distorts, hardens and deceives. He does understand his end, but apparently doesn’t believe it or think about it. But the Lord Jesus Christ will come in glory and terminate his plans, goals and all his “kingdom”.

As Americans, we have pretty much been insulated from many of the evil things that have plagued men and nations for most of earth’s history. This was because our republic was essentially based on the principles of God as found in the Scriptures. And adhering to those dynamic truths, America was a stable nation and one blessed because there were good consequences to abiding by God’s truth. We have, since the 1970s, been rapidly moving away from that foundation and now sense that instability has come upon us. 

What shall we do now? The answer is found in an old hymn. We are to “trust and obey for there’s no other way.”  And while we can involve ourselves in the political arena, we should remember that we hold a dual citizenship. We are first and foremost citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). And as such, our primary loyalty and devotion is to our King. Each day we have an opportunity to be faithful to Him. That we can do. Faithful to Him in our relationships with others; in our worship of Him; in our praying without ceasing; and in whatever He might give us to do that day. As Jesus recommended, we are to live life in “day tight” compartments. This we can do.