LIFE AFTER THIS LIFE FOR THE UNBELIEVER (Part Two)

Many too many within the Church today do not tell the whole truth. In a church culture where so many churches are busily marketing themselves and putting on a happy face to draw folks in, these all too often stay clear of some of those “hard” doctrines of the Bible. There is a tendency to go quiet or to mumble when counter culture teachings surface, such as hell and damnation.

The matter of hell and future judgment is often avoided when presenting the good news of salvation in Christ. But the truth is, there is a flip side to the good news and that is the bad news. Jesus Christ died for the sins of human beings, so that if they will accept God’s free gift of eternal life, they will be eternally secure in their position as a child of God. This truly is good news. But the whole truth should also be given; that there are very real consequences (the “bad news”) for an individual who chooses not to accept God’s free gift of eternal life. The consequence is death that is eternal.

In our previous article, we defined death essentially as “separation.” Death means separation of some kind, not non-existence. The Bible speaks of three kinds of death. First, there is spiritual death, which means that a person is separated from God because of their sin (cf. Eph. 2:1). And unless this condition is corrected, that same person will experience the second death (Rev. 20:14) which is eternal separation from God. The “second death” is avoided only through a person placing their trust in Christ for salvation. The third kind of death is that of physical death. When a person’s material body dies, the body and the soul/spirit separate. The body is placed in the ground but the immaterial part goes either to heaven or to hell, depending on whether or not Jesus Christ is the savior of that person.

The previous article addressed the future of the believer in Christ after his or her death. And it is an incredible future for sure. This article will focus on the future of the unbeliever after physical death. And as a reminder, this subject of the future of the individual is in many ways the most personally important aspect of biblical prophecy.

THE INTERMEDIATE STATE OF THE UNBELIEVER. At death the unbeliever, just like the believer, continues to consciously exist. But his existence is truly unpleasant. The Scriptures teach that the unbeliever faces torment. Some have pointed out that sheol/hades is simply used as a term for the grave or for a hole in the ground, but is never used of eternal punishment. It is true that sheol in the O.T. often means “grave”, but it is used of a place of punishment (e.g. Psalm 9:17; Prov. 23:14 where no amount of parental discipline will keep a child from the grave, but it can keep him from punishment in sheol). In the N.T. hades/hell usually are term for punishment (Luke 16:23; Matt. 5:22; 11:23; 23:33), as well as being used for the grave. It is also should be noted that the Bible does not speak of hell is as a place of eternal punishment. Technically, hell will come to an end (thus is not eternal) when it will be cast into the “lake of fire” (the place of eternal punishing). So the immediate fate of the unbeliever is going to be a terribly unpleasant one, which is why God so patiently works with people to bring them to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It should be mentioned here that the theological idea of “soul sleep” as postulated by Seventh-day Adventism is completely refuted by such passages as Philippians 1:21-23 and 2 Corinthians 5:5-8. The refutation of “soul sleep” is beyond the scope of this article (see my book, “Understanding End Times Prophecy”, pages 350-352).

THE ETERNAL STATE OF THE UNBELIEVER. The future of the unbeliever is completely opposite from the believer who will experience a fullness of joy forever (Psalm 16:11). They will experience suffering, loss and ultimate separation. Jesus soberly warned about their future and exhorted people to avoid being placed there (Matt. 24:51; 10:28; 11:21-24; 18:9; 8:12; 5:22, 29-30; 7:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Luke 16:19-31).

The Apostle Paul’s description of the future of the unbeliever really is very sobering. Unbelievers are not going to be “partying” in hell with their friends and a keg of Cours beer. The reality is far from that. Note what he teaches in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

“...when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His might angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”

The unbelievers will “pay the penalty” because they would not let Jesus pay the penalty for them (note Eph. 1:7). Those who carelessly pushed aside the love and grace of God will now experience the judgment of God (note God’s character in Exodus 34:6-7). “Pay the penalty” is a legal term which indicates that punishment is determined by a lawful process. This punishment will come as a result of the “Great White Throne” judgment (Rev. 20:11:15) where unbelievers are revealed as unbelievers because their names are not in the “book of life”; and where their punishment is determined by the “book of deeds” (which strongly suggests that there will be degrees of punishment).

The Apostle then describes what the imposed penalty will be. He speaks of their “destruction.” This is not speaking of annihilation (another subject that is outside the scope of this article, but see pages 356-359 in UETP), but rather refers to ruination; that is, the loss of everything that makes life worth living. In this life, we can experience this to some degree when we live futile, empty lives that push a person towards suicide. In one sense, it is like being deeply, severely depressed forever. Life has no meaning. It is a painful, useless existence that the unbeliever has. Yes, it also includes conscious punishment according to Judge Jesus (Matt. 13:42, 50; 24:51).

A second thing to note in Paul’s discussion is that the unbeliever will be “away from the presence of the Lord.” The unbeliever is forever separated from the Lord. Man who was created for fellowship with God will instead not have God in their experience at all. There is no experience of “common grace” (God’s unmerited favor towards all people). Everyone in this life experiences God’s grace to some degree; as Jesus noted the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. This may not seem like much since many unbelievers may not acknowledge or appreciate God’s grace in their world. But when it is absent, it will be noticed. We do not necessarily appreciate the air we breathe, but take it away and suddenly it has great significance.

The Apostle also notes the duration of their experience. It is “everlasting”. The punishment will last forever in this place of confinement called the “lake of fire.” Jesus also spoke of the eternality of it in Matthew 25:46. It must be noted that if the believer’s experience is an everlasting one then the unbelievers is also. Jesus used the same word in Matthew 25:46 to describe the duration for the believer as well as the unbeliever.

The sobering reality is that the future of the unbeliever is truly a terrible one. This information is given in the Scriptures to warn unbelievers and cause them to turn to the Savior. But it is also a powerful exhortation to we who are believers to be more merciful to those obnoxious, sinful unbelievers that are part of our personal world. We sometimes want to see them judged now and removed from this world. But when we understand that their future is horrible, it ought to have a tenderizing effect on us. Their future is forever in separation, loss and torment and the only remedy is the good news about Jesus. We who possess this good news need to proactively seek to be filled with grace and truth and let them know that there is a Savior; and yes, they do need saving.

LIFE AFTER THIS LIFE FOR THE BELIEVER IN JESUS (Part One)

I do readily admit that death is not the most pleasant of subjects, and people generally prefer not to think a lot about it because deep inside it brings uneasiness or just plain fear. The biblical truth that “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27) pointedly reinforces what man intuitively seems to sense---that there is life after death. The concern is, therefore, what will life be like after life here is over?

It is not surprising, therefore, that many are quite ready to listen to ideas and philosophies that teach tranquility and peace for all after death and the absence of punishment of any kind. This may take the form of a television special that gives the testimonials of those who claim to have had near death experiences that are warm and wonderful, or philosophies that teach such things as reincarnation. Even some within the church suggest that since God is a God of love, people do not need to be unduly concerned about what lies beyond death.

But of all the truths found in biblical prophecy, none is as important or personal as “what happens to me when I die?” The Bible does speak clearly and confidently on the matter. This article will be a reminder of what happens to the believer in Jesus Christ at death, and the next article will focus on what happens to the unbeliever at death. As we shall observe, the future of the believer and the unbeliever are not at all the same. First, it is important that we define what is meant by “death.”

The Biblical View of Death. Though death is both real and inevitable, it is unnatural. When God created His “very good” creation, death was not part of it. It is the sin of Adam and Eve that brought death into the world, according to the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:12. But death should not be, and that is why, eventually, death will be finally conquered and completely banished from the new creation (1 Cor. 15:26).

In the Bible there are three kinds of death. (Eph. 2:1; Rev. 20:14; Gen. 35:18-19). There is spiritual death (the separation of a person from God); the second death (the eternal separation of a person from God; and then there is physical death (the separation of the material part of man from the immaterial part). Death basically means separation. Death does not mean non-existence, nor does it mean annihilation.

So when a believer in Jesus Christ (one who is no longer spiritually dead; that is “separated from God”) dies physically, his body (material) ceases to exist and his soul/spirit (immaterial) continues to exist. The issue is where and how does the immaterial exist. The Scriptures do tell us a number of things about what transpires after physical death

The Intermediate State. The “intermediate state” is that time between physical death and final resurrection. It is that condition that Uncle Fred is presently in. There are some truths about this state that are quite certain. First, believers are guaranteed that nothing, including death, will ever separate us from the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). Second, believers never need to fear what happens at the moment of death. Death is not some long, dark, foreboding tunnel we travel through. Rather death for the believer is put in very non-frightening terms; such as “sleep” (1 Thess. 4:13-15). Third, believers are assured that death brings them immediately into the glorious presence of Jesus Himself. In two passages that are grammatically and theologically powerful (2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:21-23), the Apostle Paul declares without any reservation that believers can only be in one of two places. They are either here on earth or they are in heaven with Christ. Here or there. There is no third option. There is no “soul sleep” (Seventh-day Adventism) nor is there any “purgatory” (Roman Catholicism). The strong grammar of these passages not only presents two options only, but also tells us that there is no time lapse between death and being with Jesus the Lord. Death brings a believer instantly into the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

One matter that is not clear but rather might be suggested has to do with the conscious state that the believer is in. In other words, does the believer have a temporary body, something to house the immaterial part prior to resurrection? Jesus’ transfiguration holds an interesting possibility. And it has to do with the presence of the Old Testament hero Moses. Moses, whose body was buried at his death in the plains of Moab, appears on the Mount of Transfiguration in bodily form. This appearance was, of course, chronologically prior to Jesus’ resurrection, and thus the resurrection of anyone else. No one received a resurrection body before Jesus, the “first fruits of the resurrection”, was resurrected. (People, like Lazarus, were returned to life but in their earthly physical bodies, not their resurrection bodies). So perhaps we do not exist in spirit form but have some sort of clothing for our immaterial parts. It would not, of course, be a problem for the Creator to call such bodies into existence.

The Eternal Future of the Believer in Jesus. It was the prayer of Jesus in John 17 that His followers would be with Him and see His glory. That prayer will be answered. We possess “eternal life”, but “eternal life” is not simply endless existence, but speaks of a quality of life; that is, the life of God Himself being possessed by regenerate men. In eternity we will have a quality of life which is simply beyond our present experience or understanding. There will be some differences between believers based on the Judgment Seat of Christ, but all will enjoy the wonders of eternity. What will it be like to live without the incessant pull and power of the flesh? What will it be like to be holy and forever righteous? What will it be like to have absolute peace with God and be in complete harmony with all the rest of mankind and all creation? What will it be like to live without sin, crying, pain and death?

From what we can discern in Revelation 20-22, the focus of our lives after the resurrection will be on the earth, not heaven itself. The Lord apparently will be returning to His original plan of establishing something similar to the Garden of Eden. When church age believers are resurrection they will join with the recently resurrected Old Testament and Tribulation believers at the Second Coming. As King Jesus comes to earth to establish His marvelous kingdom of righteousness, joy and peace, all believers will be with Him. For a thousand years, believers will revel in the righteous reign of the King. Then, after the thousand years are completed, the new earth and new heavens are created and the indication of Revelation 21 is that we believers will reside on the new earth. There will be full, unhindered fellowship with God as He comes and takes up residence among us. Our imaginations cannot conceive of the glorious days that await the follower of Jesus Christ. By His grace, not our goodness, we have an incredible future to look forward. For sure, the best is yet to come for the believer in Jesus.

The Star and the Sign

The “star” and the Wise Men are inseparably connected with the Christmas story and the first coming of Jesus Messiah. The “star” has long been the subject of casual discussion as well as theological debate. But whatever one thinks about the “star” it cannot be denied that it appears everywhere at Christmas time; on Christmas cards, nativity scenes, in advertising, in pageants, as tree ornaments and in dozens of other random places. But biblically what was the “star” and why was it in the story? And does it have anything to do with the second coming of Jesus Messiah?

THE STAR OF MATTHEW 2. In most nativity scenes, the Wise Men (3 of them) are there with the shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the baby and a variety of animals. But that scene is not really accurate. First, the Bible never gives the number of Wise Men who came to Bethlehem. But more importantly, it clearly lets the reader know that they were never there at the birth of Jesus. The text of Matthew 2 indicates that they arrived well over a year later and, when they did get to Bethlehem, eventually found Mary and the child Jesus in a house in that town.

This common confusion about the arrival of the Wise Men (who are not “kings”) extends to the matter of the “star.” The word “star” (aster) has as its root meaning the concept of radiance or brilliance. It is used in the Bible of people, angels, Christ as well as those luminaries in the sky. So the word has a variety of meanings and is not limited to a luminary in the sky. There are a number of indicators in the story of Matthew 2 which inform us that the “star” is not a literal star. When we look carefully at the account in Matthew 2, there are a number of facts which become apparent.

First, the “star” did not guide the Wise Men from the east to Bethlehem. They saw the “star” in the east and went to Jerusalem because they were convinced that this “star” was a sign of the birth of the king of the Jews. (We do not know for certain how they knew this; though the prophecy of Balaam, the prophecies of Daniel and the presence of a Jewish community in Babylon may have contributed to their knowledge). They went to Jerusalem because what more logical place to find Israel’s king but the capital city of Jerusalem.

When they got to Jerusalem, the Wise Men were informed by the scribes that the king (messiah) would be born in Bethlehem which was located about 4 miles south of Jerusalem. Then when the Wise Men exited Jerusalem they rejoiced because they once again saw the “star”. So the “star” did not behave like a normal, literal star in that it appeared, then disappeared for months and then reappeared outside of Jerusalem. Also, it guided from north to south as well as appearing in the east before appearing in the west. None of this is the behavior of stars or alignments of planets. Secondly, the “star” guided the Wise Men for about four miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and then “stood over (the house) where the Child was” (2:9, 11); not over just the town or a neighborhood. No star or alignment of planets could pinpoint the exact house where the young child Jesus was living. Literal stars simply cannot point to such a specific location.

If the “star” was not a literal star then what was it? I would suggest that it was the appearance of the glory of God; what is often referred to as the “Shekinah”. This glory of God appeared and guided the Israelites in the wilderness. It had a continuous presence of God over the Tabernacle and on the journey to Canaan. I would concur with Dr. Arnold Fruchetenbaum’s analysis of the “star” in his book “Messianic Christology”.

“By this star coming in the form of light, what we actually have is the appearance of the Shechinah Glory….The Shechinah Glory is the visible manifestation of God’s presence. Whenever God became visible in the Old Testament, this is referred to as the Shechinah Glory. In most cases, the Shechinah Glory came in the form of a light, fire, cloud or some combination of these three things. Over in Babylonia a light appeared, a brilliance, a radiance that may have looked like a star from a distance and yet had actions and did things which no star can do or does do. What these Wise Men actually saw was the Shechinah Glory. When they saw this…unusual brilliance, they deduced from it that it was a signal that the King of the Jews, the Messiah, had been born.” (Messianic Christology, pp. 143-144)

So, to signal the coming of the Messiah, the glory of God was seen in the heavens by the Wise Men. The meaning of this signal was so clear to them that they embarked on the long, long journey to Judea. So the “star” was a sign that Jesus the King had come. Now, might this “star” also make an appearance at the time of His Second Coming signaling the return of Jesus the King?

THE SIGN OF MATTHEW 24. Jesus taught that immediately preceding and in connection with His Second Coming to earth a sign would appear in the sky (Matt. 24:30). The significance of this sign would be understood by all the earth’s inhabitants, many of whom are unbelievers and who will be gripped by great grief. And this sign will be connected with the coming of Jesus Messiah (“Son of Man”) in the clouds with power and great glory. So, immediately preceding His coming there will be a sign. The word “sign” is semeion. This word is used to refer to an unusual or miraculous event that carries a special meaning. The “sign” points to a reality that has even greater significance than the sign itself. For example, this word is used by John to refer to the miracles of Christ. They were not only miraculous events but pointed to something even more significant; that being the presence of the King and some characteristic of His kingdom (e.g. in His kingdom blind people will see: Isaiah 35). So the sign in connection with the Second Coming is a miraculous event that points to something greater than itself; namely, the coming of Jesus.

 The passage in Matthew 24 strongly suggests that the “star” of Matthew 2 will make another appearance; the appearance of the Shekinah glory indicating the presence of God the Son.

So, while we might observe that the “star” in connection with the first coming of Jesus has been widely misunderstood; we can say with confidence that there will be no such misunderstanding at the Second Coming.

As we celebrate Christmas and the first coming of the Savior, we are wise to keep an eye toward heaven from which comes the Savior who will take us to be with Himself. And then, seven years later the sign in the sky will signal His return to earth a second time.

The Mark of the Beast and the World Economy

One of the most recognized numbers in all the world is that of “666”, the infamous mark of the Beast (Rev. 13:16-18). Many people have heard about the “brand” that will be put on the hand or forehead of people which apparently becomes critical to their existence. But there is also a great deal of misunderstanding and concerns about the “mark of the Beast”. In this brief discussion, we want to get some facts straight about the “mark”, and also see what the present world economy might be telling us about things to come.

Basic Facts Concerning the Mark of the Beast. It is helpful to have the text of Revelation 13 in front of us, so we quote here the relevant verses.

“And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a MARK on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the MARK, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Revelation 13:16-18

Fact #1. The appearance and applying of the “mark of the Beast” does not occur until the middle of the Tribulation period. Revelation 13 focuses on the second half of the 7 year period of tribulation and that is where the “mark” becomes so critical to life. So people today in the church age do not need to be concerned about being forced to receive the “mark.”

Fact #2. It is actually the “second beast”, known as the “False Prophet” (Rev. 19:20) who puts the “mark” on people. The False Prophet is a miracle worker and thus he is able to deceive unbelievers and get them to worship the Antichrist (the first beast), to worship the image of the Antichrist and to accept the “mark” of the first beast.

Fact #3. Having the “mark” will enable a person to carry on the basic economic activities of buying and selling. Without such ability, life will be nearly impossible for the average person; no trade or commerce and no ability to obtain the necessities of life. Undoubtedly the “mark” will be an effective tool used by Satan in depriving the followers of Jesus Christ the basics needed to sustain life. Those who have the “mark” will apparently live normally (if life in the tribulation could be called normal).

Fact #4. It appears that receiving the “mark” is a choice people make; a choice which aligns them with Satan and the Antichrist. Though the people are indeed deceived by the False Prophet, nevertheless it is an act of their will that is involved; they are not “victims”. Their thought is undoubtedly on present survival and not on their eternal future. The “mark” seals their fate as is seen in the final series of “bowl judgments” where those with the “mark” are the targets of God’s final judgments (see Rev. 16:2).

Fact #5. When the text tells the reader to “calculate the number of the beast…” it is probable that this is directed to the people who live in the time of the tribulation. For centuries, scholars have tried to figure out what the text is saying so that the Antichrist can be identified. For centuries, people have been involved in gematria (number mysticism), where certain letters are assigned numerical value. Those numbers are then added up and if “666” is achieved then perhaps the Antichrist is in view. This has been applied to Nero and other Caesars, to certain modern day politicians and others. (A certain theology professor of mine had a name that added up to 666!).

But the main point to the “mark of the beast” is an economic one. We know that commercial life will go on during the tribulation period (note Rev. 18). And we know that buying and selling is the very foundation of economic life and that is what the “mark” controls. There will be in the second half of the tribulation period control of the world’s economic life by the Antichrist. This will go on in full force for 3 ½ years, but will no doubt be set up by years of economic events such as depressions, collapsing of monetary systems and crushing debt. This brings us to where the world economy is now and whether the present situation could be preparing the world for Revelation 13:16-18.

The Mark of the Beast and the Present World Economy. The internet recently has been filled with a number of economists who foresee a terrible collapse of America’s economy as well as that of the world. One such book, “The Death of Money: The Coming Collapse of the International Monetary System” was written by James Rickards.

In April of 2002 the CIA began “Project Prophesy” which was designed to try and see how terrorists might bring down America by going after its economy. The author of the above named book was part of the project. This project later evolved into MARKINT (Market Intelligence) and some important realities were discovered or emphasized. It became clearer on how interdependent the economies of countries were and how one could make economic war on other countries. It has become more likely that the US dollar could collapse in that the US debt problem is not temporary and that it cannot really be fixed. Standing behind the banks of the world is the IMF (International Monetary Fund) which exists to control finance and to contain both economic risk and economic development in the world. The IMF has its own currency (the SDR) which is a non-dollar currency. This is a place where presently some worldwide economic control takes place.

While most of us are not economists, we recognize that having huge debt, continually printing money and manipulating the markets cannot end well. And since the economies of nations are so closely linked, we understand that what happens in American or Europe or Japan affects economics deeply and quickly elsewhere in the world. Perhaps as never before in all of human history, we can see the possibility of a one world economy which could be controlled by one man. We see the very real interdependency of nations in the world economy.

Is the IMF, or something like it, the forerunner to the worldwide control that is seen in Revelation 13? That, of course, is impossible for us at this point in time to know. But could it be that this is one more “piece of furniture” that is now in place on the stage of biblical prophecy? Jesus told us that we cannot know the exact timing of end time events. But He also told us that basic indicators would be observable and we are to take note of them. If we are, in fact, nearing the end of the present age then the world monetary situation is set and ready to go.

All of this is not to cause us to develop a “bunker mentality” but live as well as possible for the Lord Jesus in whatever time He gives us either individually or collectively. And it is another reminder that this world is not our home and that we just passing through…into the great kingdom of Messiah Jesus.

Ezekiel and the United Nations

Now that the current war between Israel and Hamas has concluded (at least temporarily), we are not at all surprised by the outcome. With superior fire power, Israel devastated Gaza and brought a crushing defeat to these Islamic haters of Israel. We wonder sometimes what possesses a group like Hamas to imagine that they will drive Israel from the land. It surely is a form of satanically stimulated insanity which motivates them.

What we are not surprised about is that so many nations and individuals found this war with Hamas an opportune event to express high levels of deep hatred for Israel. Signs declaring that “Zionists are the new Nazis” and shouts that “Jews should be gassed” or “burned” were heard in the streets of Europe as well as many Arab nations. But it was not just in the streets of cities all over the world (including the USA) that such irrationality was witnessed. In the United Nations, once again Israel was attacked viciously. This time it was the “war crimes” of Israel that were decried and Israel’s indiscriminate killing of innocents (without mentioning, of course, that over 4000 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel from all locations including schools, hospitals and mosques.)

As we were again exposed to this irrational kind of thinking in our present day, it is good to recall again that this is not something new. And it is not something that is going to go away any time soon. It will go on until Jesus, from the tribe of Judah, comes and conquers His enemies, restores Israel back to Himself and takes possession of His inheritance, which is all the nations of the world (Psalm 2). The prophet Ezekiel has some helpful thoughts in his prophecy. We want to quickly look at some of the words of the prophet Ezekiel, in chapters 35 and 36 because they sound as if they were spoken last month.

The Setting of the Prophecy. This chapter is found within that great section of Ezekiel on the restoration of Israel. In chapters 34-39, God declares that He is going to restore Israel (the words “I will” is used about 70 times in this section). We are told by Ezekiel that the restoration of Israel depends on God’s word and character and not on Israel’s righteousness. There is an order to Israel’s restoration. God will first restore Israel back to their ancient land, and this will be over a period of time and will be clearly seen by the nations of the world. Second, they will be restored back to the Lord. God will use the terrible days of the Tribulation to restore His people spiritually. In the midst of this discussion, we have the declarations in chapter 35:1-36:15 of the antagonism of Edom and the nations of the world. This section is likely included to reveal that the restoring of Israel will not be easy and will be resisted by Israel’s enemies.

The History of the Hatred of Edom Against Israel. Edom was a nation formed primarily from the descendants of Esau as well as Ishmael. God said of Ishmael that “he will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him.” (Gen. 16:12). Later Esau (Gen. 28:8-9) married into the line of Ishmael, and the nation that came about was the nation of Edom. From the very beginning there was a deep antagonism between Esau and Jacob (Israel). In the end times, the hatred of Edom (the Arab nations) towards Israel would remain. The term “Edom” is being used not only of these peoples but also as representing the nations of the world. As Dr. Merrill Unger states: “Edom, her bitterest and most inveterate foe, representative of her enemies in general, is prophesied to be destroyed irrevocably.” (Ungers Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 1567). This irrational hatred for Israel which has been in the world since the days of Genesis will be alive and vibrant at the end of this age and apparently led by “Edom”. It must be said that the rabid anti-Semitism that is witnessed in the world today and will be present in the end of times finds it origin in Genesis 12. This chapter records that moment in time when God entered into an eternal, unconditional covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Through the “seed” of Abraham, Satan, and his attempts to control the world, will be brought to an end. Satan is well aware that it is through the “seed” of Abraham (the Lord Jesus Christ) that his demise will come. He hates Jesus (whom he cannot touch) and so his venom is spewed out on the Jewish people.

The Sins of Edom and the Nations of the World. Ezekiel records several evils of “Edom” (as it represents the world of nations in the end times).

(1) The slaughter of the Jews (35:5; 36:4). The blood of Israel has been shed in abundance. “Edom” has not hated blood and murder. Does this remind us of dozens of statements made by Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS? And not just their statement but their brutal actions. They have loved blood and there will be retribution in kind from the Lord (35:6). There will be no mercy shown to them because they refused to show mercy. (Note what Amos 1:11 says about this attitude of Edom).

(2) The Taking of Land Given to Israel Under the Abrahamic Covenant (35:10; 36:2, 5). The Land was given to the descendants of Abraham within the eternal, unconditional covenant. To take that land is to steal from the Lord God. The promise of the Lord in Ezekiel is that Israel will get all of their land that was given to them under the Abrahamic Covenant. “Edom” will pay for their arrogant claims that the land will become theirs. The Land is not “Palestinian land” and it has not been theirs from “time immemorial” as is often claimed. It is not true to history that the Jews arrived late and took it from the “Palestinian people” (who, of course, do not exist in history). Note the proud boast of “Edom” in 35:10 where the two nations likely refer to Israel and Judah. “These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them…” Does that not sound a lot like what we hear today when it is said that Israel will be driven into the sea and “Palestine” will be possessed by the Arab peoples?

(3) The Intense Hatred and Envy of the Jews (35:11). The Jewish people have turned the swamps and barren desert into lush, productive land. They have been innovative and developed an immensely prosperous land. This reality has only fueled the long standing hatred and envy against the Jewish people. God clearly has chosen to bless and prosper them even though they presently remain in their unbelief.

It must be noted that this envy and hatred is seen in the words spoken against Israel (an example of which is that constant stream of abuse flowing out of the United Nations). Israel is said to have become “a derision to the rest of the nations”(36:4), but that will come to an end when Messiah reigns and “I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer”(36:15). This has not taken place yet but the UN will be silenced!

The End of It all. One basic thing that “Edom” forgets is that to attack Israel is to attack the God of Israel (35:10). When they speak against Israel, they speak against the Lord Jehovah (35:13). When they take land, they steal it from the Lord Himself (35:10; 36:5). In the end, the patience of the Lord God will come to an end and He will deal with them according to their evil (note Exo. 34:6 and 7). And, “Edom” has also forgotten the most basic of points. That point is that the Abrahamic Covenant is still in force and that those who “curse” Israel will be cursed by God (which is not an enviable position to be in). (See Gen. 12:3)




So we learn from Ezekiel that the deep antagonism against Israel was true in the past and it will be true in the present, but that it will not be true in the future kingdom when Jesus, son of David from the tribe of Judah, rules. Then all will be as it should be. We need Ezekiel’s perspective as we observe events in the middle-east and hear the rhetoric coming out of New York (the United Nations), Damascus, Tehran, Cairo, Gaza City and many other places.

Living Today In Light of the Future Day of the Lord - A Study of 1 Thess. 5:1-11, Part 2

In the previous study we observed that knowledge of the future ought to cause us to take appropriate action in the present. So, if I learned that the new computer I needed to get would cost $250 less during the coming Saturday sale, I would make preparations to buy it at the Saturday sale, and not on Friday or Sunday. This is normal and natural. As believers, we have been informed about coming future events and the Apostle Paul encourages us to take appropriate action right now.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the Apostle reminded believers of the coming “day of the Lord” (5:1-3) and then spoke of the appropriate actions believers should take as a result (5:4-11). In the previous study we discussed 5:1-3 and in this study we look at 5:4-11.

THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD AND COMING EVENTS (5:4-11).

The Status of Believers (5:4-5). We, as believers in Jesus, do not have the same status as unbelievers. They are “in darkness” but we are not. The phrase “in darkness” has to do with the sphere in which a person lives and the phrase “of darkness” refers to the nature of the unbeliever; something true of us before trusting Christ. “Darkness” is the realm of Satan and his kingdom (Col. 1:13; Eph. 4:18; 6:12). The person who believes in Jesus is taken out of that realm and is placed in the realm of light. As Peter declares, by His grace we have been called “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Because we are in the light and not in darkness, the day of the Lord will not “overtake”us. This powerful verb means “to seize with hostile intent”; and it teaches that because believers are not in darkness, the Tribulation will not lay hold of believers and will not catch them by surprise. Why? Because believers in the Church will not be present on the earth when this takes place. It is important to note in the verses that follow that Paul is clear that believers can live badly and be spiritual asleep. And since that is possible, then we can see that a “sleeping” believer would likely be very surprised by the sudden birth pains---if it were not for the fact that no church age believer will be on the earth. The Apostle stresses in 5:5 that every single believer has been removed from the realm of darkness (“are all sons of light”) which eliminates the possibility that any will experience the birth pains of the Tribulation. (Note that the word “day” in 5:5 is without the article and is, therefore, not speaking of “the day of the Lord”). People of “light/day” will not experience the wrath of God in the tribulation.

The Exhortation to Believers (5:6-8). Next three exhortations target believers: (1) don’t sleep; (2) be alert; and (3) be sober. First, the Apostle warns believers not to be sleeping (a present tense emphasizing on going present action). This word for “sleep” is different than the one found in 4:13-18 where it there speaks of the death of a believer. Here it speaks of moral and spiritual indifference. This is the true status of the unbeliever but, unfortunately, it can also be true of a believer in Jesus. If this is not possible, then we must ask why Paul exhorts believers not to be this way! So, contrary to the way it ought to be, believers can be sluggish and indifferent to spiritual and moral matters. Unbelievers are that way but we are not to be like them (see Rom. 13:12-14).

Second, the believer is to be alert. This word has the idea of being wide awake and watching like a sentry on duty. This echoes the Lord Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:42. We are to be observing the world around us while keeping one eye on the heavens from which the Savior comes (Phil 3:20-21). We are to live with the conscious expectation of the Lord’s return. The emphasis here is not simply about one’s theological position but also one’s attitude of expectancy. We can become dulled by the passage of time and the Lord’s seeming delay and become careless.

Third, believers are to be sober; that is, we are to be rational and aware of our condition and the conditions around us. A person who is drunk (not sober) is often completely unaware of events swirling around him and which could dramatically impact him (and very often does). In 5:7, Paul describes the unbelieving world which is notoriously careless in the way it lives. They are spiritually asleep and intoxicated (by many things in culture, not just alcohol) because they are of the night.

In 5:8, the metaphor changes somewhat as we are exhorted to be like good soldiers, alert and prepared for war. We are to put on (1) the breastplate of love and faith, and (2) the helmet of the hope of salvation. The metaphor is the same as Ephesians 6, though the armor in view is different. As in Ephesians 6, it is the responsibility of the believer to put these things on. The breastplate is made up of faith and love. Faith is our belief and proper response to the Lord and what He has said. We understand from His Word that terrible days lie ahead but we are not to be fearful or anxious because we have His promise that we are not going to experience the birth pains. Love looks at our proper response towards others. We are not to be self-indulgent and self-centered (this would be part of our being “sober”) as we live in the end times. The helmet protects the head and guards our thought life. Salvation has the primary idea of “deliverance.” In this case it is our deliverance from the coming “day of the Lord.” Hope refers to our confident expectation. We can know that we are delivered because we belong to the Lord Jesus who will not allow His bride to experience end time wrath.

The Deliverance of Believers (5:9-10). Our confidence in being delivered from the day of the Lord is a reasonable thing because God has declared two things: (1) we are not destined for wrath; and (2) we are destined for final deliverance. First, God has not destined the believer to experience His future, eschatological wrath. Why? Because the believer’s sin (all of it) has been removed and God is now propitiated (satisfied) by the death of Jesus. Christ’s death accomplished once and for all the deliverance of those who believe. There is no need for “purgatory” of any kind, including being “purified” by the Tribulation. Second, believers are destined for the final phase of their salvation; that of glorification which includes that resurrection body (given at the rapture---1 Cor. 15:51-53). God will finish what He has begun in us. It is important to observe that the only agent of this salvation is Jesus Christ (5:9) and that we believers are not mentioned as contributing in any way to our own salvation. The deliverance from the time of God’s wrath (the tribulation) is Jesus removing His people via the rapture event.

All believers will be part of this final deliverance. It is instructive to note (in 5:10) that two kinds of believers are spoken of; those who are awake and those who are asleep. As noted earlier, believers can live poorly and be asleep; that is, they can be spiritually and morally indifferent. That, however, makes no difference at the rapture event, as all believers in Jesus will be taken. This one verse pretty well destroys the “partial rapture” view, which holds that only godly believers who are walking with the Lord will be taken at the rapture, while the carnal Christian will be left to go into the tribulation. It should be said that immediately following the rapture will be the Judgment Seat of Christ and there the “sleepy” believer will answer for the way he has lived.

The Encouragement of Believers (5:11). The section closes with the exhortation to keep on encouraging one another with these truths. And what a wonderful exhortation it is! We are to comfort one another with the truth of being with Christ; of our final salvation; and of exemption from Divine wrath. We are constantly (present tense) to be reminding each other of these ultimate realities.

What shall we do with these exhortations by God’s Apostle. First, it might be a good idea to take a few moments and determine (with the Spirit’s help, of course) what my true spiritual state is---sleeping? Alert? Sober? Second, ask the tough question of yourself, “do I love His appearing?” And third, do I speak often encouraging other believers with this great truth of the Lord’s return and His promise of final deliverance?

Living Today in Light of the Future Day of the Lord - A Study of 1 Thess. 5:1-11, Part 1

It is pretty certain that if we knew about a coming significant event, we would take appropriate action to get ready. So, if we knew that we would lose our job in two months, we might start looking for another job as well as making some financial adjustments. If we knew that a hailstorm was going to hit in an hour, we would put our car in a garage out of harm’s way. If we knew that a burglar was going to break into our house in the early morning hours tomorrow, we would make a number of adjustments preparing for his coming.

Knowing ahead of time what is going to happen is one of the significant reasons why biblical prophecy is important in the believer’s life. When we become aware of coming events (and believe it) we do life differently. This was the Apostle Paul’s emphasis with the believers at Thessalonica as he instructed them about future events and our response to those events.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the Apostle reminded them of the coming of the Day of the Lord (5:1-3), and then of the needed response of the children of the Lord to this reality (5:4-11). In this study we will look at the matter of the coming “day of the Lord” (5:1-3) and then in the next study we will focus on what our response is supposed to be (5:4-11).

THE COMING OF THE LORD AND THE DAY OF THE LORD(5:1-3).

The Knowledge of Believers – 5:1-2. The discussion opens with “now” (peri de) which always introduces a new subject in Paul’s writings. He had been reminding them about the coming “rapture” (4:13-18) but now shifts to the subject of the coming “day of the Lord”; and specifically the judgment part of the day of the Lord (that is, the Tribulation). He had taught them about this before so this is a reminder and not brand new information. They had learned earlier about the “times” and the “seasons.” “Times” refers to the order or sequence of coming events, while “seasons” (or epochs) refers to significant events that are turning points in history. (For example, September 11, 2001 would be an “epoch” because the world was dramatically changed by the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon). It is worth noting that Paul believed that eschatology was a vital part of Christian theology, as seen by the fact that in the few weeks he was with the Thessalonian believers, he taught them carefully on prophecy. He not only talked about major events but also the sequence of future events.

In the OT the “day of the Lord” is used: (1) in reference to the coming time of unprecedented trouble and judgment, which we commonly refer to the Tribulation; (2) in reference to the judgments and events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ to the earth; and (3) in reference to the coming time of blessing which is looking at the Messianic Kingdom.

The term “day of the Lord” has a rich Old Testament history as it used some 75 times in the OT prophets. It refers to a special time of Divine intervention into this world.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul is just looking at the judgment aspect of the “day of the Lord”.

The Ignorance of Unbelievers – 5:3. It is important to note the difference between “we” and “they” in this discussion. The “they” is looking at unbelievers and “we” refers to believers. In a most fascinating statement, Paul declares that the “day of the Lord” will come when they are saying “peace” and “safety”. This is an amazing thought. When it is the consensus of the world that we are now in a time of “peace”and “safety”, then suddenly the “day of the Lord” (like the thief who arrives unexpectedly—5:2) comes in its full fury. The word peace means that there is an absence of alarm because of the harmonious relationships and circumstances on the earth. Safety means secure from danger and enemies. These two words point to a time when men will feel inwardly that everything is safe and secure and they see no real outward evidence that contradicts that feeling. How they arrive at these feelings is not spelled out. But their general sense is that all is well and that sense ill prepares them for the sudden destructions of the Tribulation period. These judgments are likened to “birth pains” that come suddenly on the expectant mother. The concept of “birth pains” is used by the OT prophets, as well as the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul. It looks at judgments which will come and will increase in intensity and rapidity as time draws to the moment of the end (the birth pains which “birth” the messianic age). Now, which birth pain is it that catches the expectant mother off guard? The first one, of course. She could be sleeping peacefully or enjoying a nice meal, but things change dramatically when that first pain hits. This first birth pain points to Revelation 6 where the first judgments (the “seal judgments”) begin the Tribulation period. These are the judgments which catch the world off guard.

So in these verses, Paul informs us that unbelievers are not only ignorant of the true situation in the world, but they are also ignorant of God’s coming judgments.

One might wonder how they could be so surprised by these judgments. Jesus dealt with that very issue in His teachings (e.g. Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:28-29). He used the people of Noah’s day as an example. Even though the world had 120 years to prepare for the Noahic flood and heard Noah the preacher of righteousness proclaim this coming event, they were caught off guard by the Flood. Why? Because they simply did not believe God’s revelation. Like Noah’s day, mankind in the end times, will be preoccupied with the things of the world and quite dismissive of God’s revealed truth. Mankind simply will not listen to the warnings given in God’s revelation and will most likely write them off (as well as anyone who might refer to them) as the ravings of unstable religionists. This attitude which will prevail in the last days combined with their view that the world is now a basically tranquil place, will set them up for the terrible surprise of the judgments of the “day of the Lord”. They simply do not see things as they actually exist.

But there is a nagging issue here. Why would any sane person see the world as a safe and peaceful place? Why would this become the consensus of most everyone in the world? Is the world safe and secure today? The answer, of course, is “no”. It is neither of these two things mentioned in the text. The reality today is that we have constant surveillance with the NSA, TSA, CIA, FBI and others monitoring life 24/7. We need to go through security checkpoints to get on a flight, go to school or go into a sports arena. Cameras are everywhere and, if the TV shows are correct, our movements, locations and much more are observable by many. The world is not a safe place and thus all the precautions. But apparently something dramatic changes our present situation.

The primary problem today which causes all these precautions is radical Islam. Could it be that the groups and nations that produce and fund these radicals are destroyed? Could it be that prior to the Tribulation period these radical elements are effectively neutralized thus causing a false sense of security in the world? Could it be that the famous Gog/Magog battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 takes place destroying these nations which hate Israel and produce the terrorists of the world? I would suggest (and this is, I admit, speculation) that after the “rapture” event but prior to the start of the Tribulation that God will destroy these nations as describe by the prophet Ezekiel, preparing the world for the great end time events.

Whether this is the exact chronology of events or not, we are faced with the matter of why the world would be saying “peace” and “safety”. We may not be able to figure this out this side of the events themselves but the truth is the world will be saying peace and safety and God’s judgments are a total surprise.

But there is much more in this passage as believers who know about future events must not be spiritually sleepy but alert and living with these events in view.