Archive for the 'Religion' Category

Proverbs 13.

It turns out that in preparing this study, the books of Timothy also have quite a bit to say on the subject. The world tells us that what we focus on is what we achieve; the Bible word is diligent.

“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” – Proverbs 13:4

Background to the Law of the Tithe

The Law of the Old Covenant priesthood is completed in Christ. The Law of Moses included a 30 percent tax all in, not only the ten percent for the works of the temple but also the funding of the national needs of the children of Israel through various giving centered around the tabernacle.

As further background, we think it right that a member of the body of Christ gives ten percent to the local body for purposes befitting the Church of the living God. Before the Law, Jacob vowed a tithe in Genesis 28:20-22. But earlier than that, Abram, the father of us all by faith and to whom the Almighty promised the seed, which is Christ, gave a tenth part of the spoils to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20). David (Psalm 110), Paul (Hebrews 7), and those who correctly read the Psalm and Hebrews liken Melchizedek to Jesus Christ, and not just by type. Under the Law given to Moses, the tenth part of all increase was to the Levites for the ministration of the work of God (Leviticus 27).

Nevertheless, we see Abram giving a tenth before the Law of Moses was instituted by God. We say a tenth is still due, for our priest is the great High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek abiding resurrected eternally at the right hand of Power ever making intercession for the saints (Hebrews 7). He was and still is, due the tenth part of all your increase.

The Law was a covenant with the sons of Israel, but we are the children of the promise, which the interceding years of the Law given at Sinai cannot disannul (Galatians 3:16-18). Abram gave ten; we ought to give ten; the Law, being a separate covenant completed in Christ, doesn’t disannul the tithe to Christ.

The laws under Moses always pointed to the need for Christ. Moreover, being patterned after the things in Heaven, they are beautiful shadows and a type of the mercy and grace of God that Christ Jesus would give Himself on the cross to complete. If you want to know more about the law of the tithe of the Hebrews, that is a separate post. It would be best to do your research.

A tithe goes to the body of Christ, not to a puppy rescue pound, for example. There’s nothing wrong with helping dogs, but that’s not tithing.

We are commanded to gather with a body of true believers. It is fitting to give ten percent of all gross receipts. If the work of that body is not proper, do not stay and withhold your tenth; find a group serving God in spirit and in truth. From a pure conscience, there is no monetary profit here either way; we only tell you to be a faithful steward toward Christ in all He has blessed you with in dominion.

If you didn’t get angry and you’re still reading, welcome. Readers here should know that we aren’t conflating a 501(c)3 Corporation with Christ, the body of Christ, or the work of Christ as He has commanded.

When it comes down to it, there are only four things you can do with money; make it, give it, save/invest it, or spend it. Everything we do with our finances comes under one of these headings. We put them in this order on purpose; this is the priority with which we should treat all money. Diligence in all four phases of handling our money produces superior results.

Exodus 20:15 – the Eighth Commandment – “Thou shalt not steal.” We must earn money; this is how we get it.

Next, you should give, yes, give, before spending a dime on anything, even on the overdue light bill. You must give God His tithe first. Remember, we are dealing with the spiritual empire of God Almighty. If you were doing math, you wouldn’t have taken debt in the first place to end up with overdue bills.

Then, you account for saving or investing, which should be at least 15 percent of all gross income and all received monies.

Next, and finally, you spend. Bills are first to spend on; then and only then are things not of bare necessity.

The one proviso is that you must reduce all debt to zero before investing. Settle those obligations first if you have overdue bills or any outstanding debts. There are mathematical reasons and spiritual reasons for this. Some make an exception for a house in which you live as allowed debt while aggressively funding retirement but consider making at least one extra mortgage payment each year.

We cannot express how poorly many have chosen; paying 22 percent on credit card debt while getting an average return over the years in suitable ETFs or Mutual Funds of 8 to 12 percent compound annually. Cut up the cards, grow up, tell your wife no, be a man, pay off your cars, and buy only used ones.

To properly serve the Almighty, you must stop voluntary servitude to debt masters (Proverbs 22:7). This applies to self, family, and church. You cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

If (when) it all falls apart, you need to be debt free. The last thing you want is “collectors” looking for you and your family. There will be enough to account for without looking over your shoulder for the agents of banks or their IRS enforcers.

Making Money

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” – 1 Timothy 5:8

We see that as believers, we are to work, providing for ourselves and those in our household.

Though it should be enough that God has commanded us, it’s always instructive to look for the promise. When we know why He desires a particular thing for us, we find the truth of the blessings He will pour out upon us.

“11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

What we have in these two short verses is an exquisite axiom of Christianity so well adapted to the flourishing of society in good order to promote the pursuit of happiness under the blessings of Christ’s eternal graces.

Everything wrong today points to rejecting this simple life offered by God. Consider our times, how evil desires to know everything you do and to control you in it. The worst busybody of all is the devil by his agents. After all…

God tells us to mind our business, keep to ourselves, and quietly go about doing what’s right. God is obviously a proper southerner. All joking aside, in 1 Thessalonians 4, we are commanded to refuse a busybody, mind ourselves, and work. The twofold promise in verse 12 is that we first appear honest and upright to those without (outside the congregation, i.e., unbelievers) so as not to besmirch the holy name of our Lord. Oh, that Christians would show themselves upright in all things. And the second promise is that we might have a ‘lack of nothing.’ Amen.

These verses from Thessalonians have been on my heart much lately, longing for a simpler time and way. Of course, the context of Timothy and Thessalonians is much different, the early church was under persecution, and 70AD loomed; the apostles had been told it was the end of their epoch (Matthew 24:3, translated in the KJV as “the end of the world”). But perhaps that’s the point; no matter how bad it gets, stay faithful to God and pursue what’s right. The end is always a mere word away whispered in the throneroom of Heaven; it’s the time!

Giving

We put giving before spending, and so should every believer. Give first, before bills of any kind. The first fruits are the Lord’s. If you give first, you will see miracles in how your money spends thereafter.

We are advised under the New Covenant in Christ’s blood to give for the work of God. Christ’s people are always ready to distribute and communicate that which is not only due to Christ, but above, with a cheerful heart of thanksgiving, so the works of God may flourish until the time and times of the end, that we may lay hold on life everlasting. Giving is not only about money, but being rich in good works of your time in serving, provoking the brethren to love and good works, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost.

“17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” – Timothy 6:17-19

Neither are you too poor to give. Lest we be high-minded but instead be reminded, here is the widow with her mite; Mark 12:41-44.

The first and most essential survival preparation is that of a man’s heart toward holy Father God, through Jesus Christ. Verse 17 above tells us not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who gives us all things.

Giving to the service of the Lord, like prayer, is another of those activities that cannot be adequately explained to those that have yet to do it. As with becoming earnest about prayer or witnessing, the blessing of the closeness to our heavenly Father in giving cannot be suitably expressed with words; you have to give to see the results and reap the rewards.

Saving and Investing

We are not providing investment advice. But, some general information that can help is to invest in only what you can understand. Don’t trust somebody with investments you cannot correctly explain in simple terms to a nine-year-old. Never invest in exotic or esoteric adventures. “Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.” – Proverbs 13:16

That challenge cuts three ways, do not trust things you don’t understand. Educate yourself by justifying your investment thesis on paper; writing down your conclusions. Then, be able to look your family in the eye and tell them how 20 years hence, the benefits of slow and steady measured progress in prudent patients will be great while the risks remain average.

“Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” – Proverbs 13:18

Seek good counsel. Everybody in the investment world has an agenda and a product to sell. Finding somebody with the heart of a teacher to help educate yourself and understand the best decisions for your family is a very good option.

In Genesis 41, God has Joseph prepare for the lean years of the coming seven-year famine in Egypt. For this, his family all survived.

“6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” – Proverbs 6:6-8

Years ago, I heard preaching on these Ant verses. It pricked my heart and wrenched my gut. I was mad about it for a couple of weeks. The whole time I was thinking about how stupid an ant is and railing in my head against the message, the ant, and the preacher. How very mature of me, right? I still remember it well. However, it was very effective; being already debt free at the time, soon afterward, I started investing.

In Luke 14, our Lord discusses the cost of discipleship, which may very well be your life, and certainly was for those first-century martyrs and others since. But with many of the examples our Lord used, He chose simple object lessons that any man can understand and applied them to more demanding assignments. By God’s grace, we take the simple object lesson in the parable at face value and employ it for us here: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” – Luke 14:28

Most have to realize they’re on the wrong track before making a change in money habits. It’s easy to cover an odious plan with heaps of debt, but soon it will catch up to you. Count the cost of not managing your finances as a steward of Christ’s blessings. Then make a financial plan to not simply survive but thrive and, more importantly, put yourself in a position to help others when they need it. A man must take care of his own house first, putting himself on a firm footing before he can suitably bless another.

You can allocate for children’s schooling or a down payment on a house, etc., in addition to the 15 percent minimum for retirement. Keeping a serious emergency fund in a checking account, perhaps as much as 5 or 10 percent of annual income, is recommended. The knot in your stomach goes away when you know you can cover with cash, an emergency room visit, or a blown transmission.

Spending

We all know how to spend money, but few know how to spend money wisely.

A zero-based budget leaves no money left over every month. Every dollar earned must be put down on paper before the month starts, then allocated within the areas of giving, saving/investing, and spending according to your plan. Yes, it’s hard, and you will fail for the first several months as you figure out your actual expenses. When starting this, you will be disgusted with yourself for your wasteful behavior but don’t quit!

And that’s the point, getting out of debt and saving/investing for the future are about behavior modification. Every aspect of society is geared toward your perpetual debt farm slavery in pseudo comfort and ease. In Christ, you can break the yoke of debt.

Go get your pay stub, or open your electronic pay stub. Seriously, go get it now. Look at it, what if you didn’t owe a dime of that money? It’s all yours with zero payments? What could you accomplish?

Remember not to love the money, for that is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), but love the Lord our God, and all things He desires to give will be added unto you.

And finally, that inheritance we talked about: “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” – Proverbs 13:22

Here is a fully account of the follow-on antics.

Late Friday, the walleye fishing world was sent reeling after a cheating scandal was exposed in front of God, country, and a mob of justifiably furious walleye fishermen. Two guys – we can no longer call them fishermen without smearing the 99 percent who play by the rules – were exposed for what appears to be the most nefarious, blatant, and outrageous case of cheating that tournament walleye fishing has ever experienced.

Since we live in this drunkenly litigious climate, I will have to use every qualifier necessary – allegedly, reportedly, apparently – to relay this story, but when you have video captured from dozens of cell phones, it will be hard to build a case that their reputations have been unfairly tarnished.

I won’t use the terms apparently, allegedly or reportedly.  The video is right there.

When tournament director Jason Fischer sliced open the gullet on one of the fish that Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky had turned in, lead weights were exposed. Next fish – same thing. Next fish – lead weights and pieces of walleye fillets.

The duo had apparently, allegedly, and obviously, dropped these objects down the throats of their “catch” to enhance the weight and thus, improve their standing in the tournament. Fischer, a police officer in the Cleveland suburbs and a guy with an unassailable reputation in the Lake Erie walleye tournament ranks, was furious and threw them out of the tournament with a gesture reminiscent of the home plate umpire ejecting former New York Yankees manager Billy Martin.

Only the arrival of on-duty police officers likely saved Runyon and Cominsky from the assembled mob of “real” fishermen, many of whom had, behind the scenes, voiced their suspicions the duo had cheated in the past.

This story gets much messier. Since Runyon, of Cleveland, and Cominsky of Hermitage Pa., have already claimed the first-place prizes and considerable amounts of money in several LEWT events, including the 2021 season-ending championship, what happens now?

Legal eagles tell me that this apparent cheating in this weekend’s tournament constitutes fraud and is a felony. But the pair also took the top money in this past spring’s Rossford Walleye Roundup, and the huge payout in the 2021 Walleye Slam.

The duo weighed in the apparent top catch in last year’s Lake Erie Fall Brawl and made claim for the more than $100K attached to that finish, but then were disqualified. When the tournament director at the time offered no explanation or clarity other than to say one of them had failed the polygraph, the tournament lacked the transparency it so desperately needed.

Runyon went to great lengths to proclaim, repeatedly, that they were innocent and had caught their fish by following all of the rules. He secured legal counsel and has been trying to sue the Brawl to claim their so-called winnings.

Imagine that even after being caught red-handed, you were so eaten up with pride and greed that you hired legal counsel and argued that you “caught [their] fish by following all of the rules,” when that’s not even the point in question.

There is a lot of winnings and sponsorship money at stake.  Thieves and dishonorable men will go after that money.  But God doesn’t change His mind on the eighth commandment because of a lawyer.

Reading the title made you think, yes, we can be wise, or even I can be wise; perhaps there is a way under our superior efforts to make things right. “Wisdom finds a way” is one of the most deceptive things we’ve heard this year. It’s indicative of decay into the filth of human self-exaltation in our time. No, wisdom does not find a way. Delusion finds a way. Want to know what the wisdom of men looks like? Three hundred fifty million “free people” accepted the lockdown and put diapers on their faces. Even the Churches did this; God help them.

There is nothing wise about any man. Men are depraved, wicked, sinful, and fallen creatures that lack the capacity for any good thing, including wisdom. The pride of life causes one to become deluded into believing they are good and wise, even all-knowing. No, you’re not God! This idea comes from the devil, that old serpent, for when Eve saw that the fruit would make one wise, how could she resist?

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

So they ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and every decision any man has had to make since that day has only been a choice within the structure of the sin curse. No man has been free since that day, for every object of the heart’s desire is tainted by sin. The world looks at freedom as being free to sin. But sin is bondage in this life, and unto death. But, in Christ, a man can be free from sin (Romans 6:6-14).

The New Testament brings out this concept as well.

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” – 1 John 2:16

Where the woman saw the tree was good for food, 1 John 2 calls it the lust of the flesh. The woman saw that it was pleasant to the eyes, and 1 John calls this the lust of the eyes. The woman saw that it was to be desired to make one wise, and 1 John calls this the pride of life.

Any politician saying that “we” can take a wise course is a liar, and the devil is his father. Man only has the choice to accept sin or avoid sin as best he can. The latter is most often a more challenging course, but it’s far and away the right decision that reaps the blessings of the Lord of Heaven.

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” – Job 28:28

What is the locus of a just people’s desire to follow the path of wisdom? Fear of the Lord is the reason which leads a nation into understanding. Having come into the knowledge of the Lord, how does a person or a country demonstrate that wisdom? They shun their pride and the evil of their own understanding by relying upon Holy God; they depart from iniquity and their sins thereby. But to the lost sinners of an unrepentant nation coming under the judgment of God as evident in mass delusions, to say that we can be wise of our own accord is the wholesale embrace of the way of sin, evil, and death. Jesus is greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42).

Our failure of wisdom, being tainted by sin, is the problem that Jesus Christ died to solve; the perfect and sinless, wisest of all, and only begotten Son of God was crucified on the cross to pay for our sin since the fall in the Garden. He died to pay for your sin. Christ rose from the grave again the third day, the resurrected Saviour. Having defeated sin, death, and the tomb, wisdom is found in fear of Him. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:11

“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” – Romans 6:18

Serving sin no more, and pursuing Him that is righteous is the only wise way; but how?

There are a lot of definitions of wisdom. It’s problematic to define because it only comes from God. But God describes it as a fear of Him, departing from evil, entering into His righteousness to work the works of God. When a nation of men fears God and turns from its sins, they become the servants of righteousness. Only a man, having received the grace of God through Jesus Christ unto eternal life, fears God and departs from evil.

“To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” – Jude v25

Repent of your unbelief and call upon the only wise God to save your soul, for He is the one true power in eternity.

Background as definitions: Preterism and Postmillennialism?

Dr. Gentry:

Modern postmillennialism is largely, though not solely, committed to a particular interpretive tool known as “preterism.” This tool is helpful for explaining many of the catastrophic judgment passages as features of the founding of Christianity in the first century rather than evidence for the decline of Christianity in the final century.

However, postmillennialists do not adopt this interpretive approach in order to avoid a negative impact on their eschatological system. Rather, preterism arises naturally from a careful reading of the biblical text.

The evangelical, Reformed preterist strongly holds to the futurity of the Second Advent, the resurrection, and the great judgment. These are orthodox givens well exhibited in Scripture and long held by historic Christianity in creedal form.

Three factors generate preterism: (1) the importance of chronological indicators in biblical prophecy, (2) the impact of OT apocalyptic language on eschatological discourse, and (3) the significance of A.D. 70 for redemptive history. Let us see how these impact Revelation.

First, chronological indicators

Preterism relies heavily upon Revelation’s assertions of the nearness of certain prophetic events (1:1,3; 22:6,10), while non-preterists disingenuously re-interpret these. When the preterist comes upon didactically-seated temporal delimiters, he allows them their literal significance and seeks an historical fulfillment in antiquity. Where absent, then other issues must suggest the proper interpretation, which may or may not demand a past fulfillment.

The article discusses prophetic symbolic imagery and the foundational basis for the New Covenant, aka Christianity. The education in this short post is invaluable to the proper understanding of our current timeframe in God’s plan for our redemptive history in Christ. Read the whole thing.

Source:

US health officials have called for new prevention and treatment efforts as the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases, which include gonorrhea and syphilis, has been skyrocketing over the last few years.

Speaking at a medical conference earlier this week, Dr. Leandro Mena of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that it was “imperative” that the US work to “rebuild, innovate, and expand” STD prevention. This comes as the rate of syphilis infections last year reached a 20-year high, and the number of new infections shot up 26%, beating a record set in 1948.

They need to “rebuild, innovate, and expand” what God has already prescribed in ordination from the start?

The head of the National Coalition of STD Directors, David Harvey, whose group is pushing a proposal for at least $500 million in federal funding to be earmarked for STD clinics, has described the situation as “out of control.”

Health officials are suggesting a number of possible solutions to the problem, such as, for example, promoting the use of condoms and developing at-home testing kits for some STDs that would make it easier for people to learn if they are infected and thus prevent further spreading of diseases.

“4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” – Jesus, in Matthew 19:4-6. He goes on to discuss divorce in the next several verses.

Jesus is citing Genesis 1:27 perhaps, but certainly Genesis 2:21-25. It seems that God has set forth from the earliest foundations in His created order all the innovations needed to curtail sexual diseases. The diseases themselves aren’t the problem; they are simply an outward result of sin. Sin, dear friends, has consequences.

What better way to show that sin is real and affects the sinner? Without fornication, there would be no STDs at all. God owes us nothing to prove Himself, but by His grace, He makes evident His existence by the very operation of the creation under His hand of divine dominion.

If you sin, then you will have illness with permanent consequences. Don’t sin, and you won’t get sick. What could be more precise in the economy of the Almighty than that?

At the fall in the Garden, the devil is cursed, the woman is cursed, Adam is cursed, and the very ground is cursed.

The CDC is correct; it’s “imperative” that the US solve this problem. Jesus Christ is the answer, and has been from the foundation of the world, and is evermore. He paid your sin debt on the cross in His blood for your forgiveness. By His resurrection is salvation from eternal hell (1 Corinthians 15:3-4): the Kingdom of God is at hand. Having received forgiveness, seeking Him first in all things that you sin against Him no more (Psalm 119:11) is the solution; that is full repentance. In John 8:11, Jesus didn’t say go and neglect a condom no more. After forgiving a sinner by His grace, He said: “go, and sin no more.”

There’s a reason that the DoD considers STDs a readiness issue. But for us, this stuff affects your family and church’s preparedness, not just medical preparedness. If you’ve got active sin of any kind in your camp (Joshua 7), it can destroy the foundations of unity. You need cohesion.

Of course, proper Christian training of children from the start averts a lifetime of confusion and physical, emotional, and phycological problems. Ask anybody saved later in adulthood what the price of sin is. I tell you, it’s too high, for if you knew what things they had done, you wouldn’t let them in your church or near your family.

If you’re a young man or woman, find somebody that you can cleave to for the rest of your life, and never let go.

Note: We’ve been providing a lot of Bible studies on eschatology, posting as we find them, or they have become available, or as we wright them. Soon we’ll make a post that will put them in preferred reading (viewing) order as an educational tool for the reader. That’s a goal here at TCJ, to make us better men and women through Christian education and ministry, better with our tools, and more knowledgeable and competent to survive what may come.

Eisegesis is reading into the text of the Holy Bible your presuppositions, personal view, or agenda, looking for confirmation bias in the Scriptures. Almost every American today, even the educated, operate their daily life in search of bias confirmation. This is very dangerous and has no place in proper Bible interpretation, nor is it wise in any discipline. Exegesis is drawing out the meaning, swallowing your pride, and letting God speak the truth to your heart regardless of how it makes you feel; it’s the plain meaning of Scripture in context.

We might have worded some things differently and have slightly differing views, but in the main, this is a very good brief overview of eschatology.

What is Postmillennialism?

When thinking about eschatology today, few Christians are even aware of the postmillennial view. When I have traveled to Russia, Ukraine, Latin America and other nations on short term missions trips, I am usually asked this question by new converts: “Are you pre-trib, mid-trib or post-trib?” as if these were the only three forms of eschatology. I often have to explain that I am not a dispensationalist. It is difficult to show some Christians that there is another way of looking at the end-times and the millennium altogether.

Postmillennialism (literally, “after the thousand years”) is the belief that Christ will physically return to the earth only after a non-literal millennium is completed. Postmillennialism is optimistic about the end times. Christ’s reign over the earth from heaven increases during the millennium, which is thought to be not a literal one thousand year period, but “a very long time.” Postmillennialism places the Church in a role of transforming whole social structures before the Second Coming and endeavoring to bring about a “Golden Age” of peace and prosperity with great advances in education, the arts, sciences and medicine.

All Christians must believe in the literal, physical return of Jesus Christ. Christians may differ in their opinions as to the nature of the millennium and the exact sequence of end times events without departing from biblical orthodoxy.

However, I believe that major problems have been caused by the most popular system: dispensational premillennialism. Ironically, I did not know anything of the postmillennial view until I became aware of the limitations of the dispensational paradigm. In searching for a view to replace dispensationalism, I found postmillennialism to be most convincing.

The article goes on to provide a brief overview of not just the four main eschatological views but several views and sub-categories. It also provides an understanding of “the antichrist,” the second coming, the Beast of Revelation, the great tribulation, and more.

Newsom announced the launch of his new ad campaign on Twitter.

“Just launched billboards in 7 of the most restrictive anti-abortion states that explain how women can access care–no matter where they live,” Newsom tweeted. “To any woman seeking an abortion in these anti-freedom states: CA will defend your right to make decisions about your own health.”

As sick as it already is that he’s trying to boost his state with abortion tourism, the ads he’s running in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi quote scripture. Those ads feature this quote from Mark 12:31: “Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.”

He clearly has no fear of God and operates in the reality of the shroud of blindness by the devil.

All things will be reckoned unto God, and the times of full restitution will come.

Before going any further, we must note that the Ten Commandments never saved a soul, and following them can’t save yours. All of the ceremonial rules and rituals in the Old Testament are abolished in Christ, the final sacrifice, once for all. There’s no bond or free, no Jew or Gentile, there’s no temple – but the body of Christ which are His Church, the throne of Holy God is in heaven, Jesus is the great High Preist, and the only altar before which to bow is at the feet of the Almighty.

Here’s the full quote from Mark:

“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:29-31

And the rendering in Matthew:

“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22-35-40

One cannot love his neighbor properly except & unless one loves the Lord God first, above all things. There’s a reason Jesus cites loving God above loving our neighbors. In our own fallen capacity, we cannot properly love our neighbor without first having the love of God.

Jesus is summarizing the Ten Commandments. The first five or so govern our relationship with the Holy One. The second set governs our interactions with each other. “Thou shalt no kill.” falls under the second heading from our Lord, for surely murdering your neighbor, such as a little defenseless baby, falls under the purview of not loving thy neighbor as thy self. All the commands of God are enjoined; with all purposefulness, we are also to defend life from unjust killing! We are not only to tell folks to love thy neighbor, but we are to tell them that God, the supreme ruler of the universe, shall have no equal and must be loved and honored above all things. Newsom has invited the full wrath of the Almighty.

For certain, the ten commandments are a covenant with the Hebrews handed down to Moses. Still, it is clear from the Bible that what would become known and set in tablets as the ten commandments were governing principles for all men before the commandments were given.

There are many good examples within Genesis and Exodus of the Law of God being in force and enforced prior to Exodus 20 at mount Sanai, not the least of which is the murder of Able (Genesis 4:8) in violation of what would be later written as the sixth commandment, “thou shalt not kill.” Murder was always wrong and still is. The sixth commandment preexisted even the very first murder and remains with us today, as do they all. The basis for the Law of Commandments, the Law of God, existed before being written and handed down to Moses.

Within the Law of God, each separate commandment is tightly connected and interwoven with the others. There is no practical way to trace out a violation of Law and not run into an immutable truth of more than one commandment within the Law of God. The murder of Able is but one example. It could be said that Cain violated the First Commandment when he took a life, as God is the creator and sole arbiter of the times, seasons, and number of the days of a man on Earth, and not Gavin Newsom.

So you see, killing a baby in the womb also violates the first commandment. And it’s the theft of God’s authority over life and death, violating God’s commands against stealing. So you see, it’s impossible to violate just one commandment. Now you know why no man can keep the Law; it’s perfect, and we are sinners.

God is the Law Giver. His Law-word is eternal and has real meaning in context. This Bible is not a collection of vaguely knowable spiritual sayings to misapply for our own convenience. Twisting the meaning of Scripture doesn’t change its actual sense.

These commandments are the immutable truth of God. The Law of God still exists for all men on this side of the Cross, restated by Christ in a simple two-part explanation from Mark 12, so that it would go well with us.

Exodus 20:1-17 follows:

1 And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

[ One ] 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

[ Two ] 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

[ Three ] 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

[ Four ] 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

[ Five ] 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

[ Six ] 13 Thou shalt not kill.

[ Seven ] 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

[ Eight ] 15 Thou shalt not steal.

[ Nine ] 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

[ Ten ] 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Fear not the rulers and would-be tyrants of this world, for the times of the restitution of all things approaches. Where is Nero Caeser? Where is Alexander, the coppersmith? Where are Nietzsche, the Pharisees, Marx, or Stalin? Where are all those who claim they will usurp Jesus Christ or even remove His holy name from history? They are dead, but Christ ever liveth to make intercession for the saints. “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” – 1 Corinthians 15:25

Until Then, by Pastor John Weaver, makes no mention of an eschatological view, but he states that Christ is ruling and reigning now; all enemies are being put under His footstool; Jesus is in the act of subduing all His enemies.

This is a great video to understand the truth of what the Holy Bible teaches about the Church, end times, and the Return of Christ; watch the whole thing.

The primary text for the lesson:

“41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son? 42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?” Luke 20:41-44

Revelation 6.

We thought to provide a note at TCJ about Revelation 6. We’ll attempt to simplify the complex by providing a gloss to prime the pump for those coming to the proper understanding of the New Covenant during the time the Church was birthed.

Keeping in mind that Job was probably the first book of the Bible written, perhaps the horse’s earliest use was in warfare (Job 39:19-25). The horse is an article of war; it symbolizes boldness and strength in battle. See Proverbs 21:31.

The very purpose of the sword brought to bear is that you might know there is a judgment (Job 19:29).

If you get Revelation 6 wrong, you can’t understand the book, and you miss the entire point of the end of the Old Covenant and the bringing in of the New Covenant in the blood sacrifice of the Lamb.

The New Testament is about the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets in Christ, the bringing in of the New Covenant, the birth of the Church – His body, and the judgment that comes upon that first-century generation for rejecting His Law – the Word made flesh.

Odd is how the Christian and even non-Christian world accept the destruction of Solomon’s temple and the judgment upon God’s people, and Babylonian captivity. But when Messiah was rejected, the Church birthed, and the second temple was destroyed, suddenly everybody has a problem.

Well, the problem is you. Get over it; God is sovereign and does as He pleases, and no amount of eschatological wishful thinking can change the facts. Revelation chapter six is about the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century (70AD), and neither can wild-eyed obfuscatory speculation about the future change that. Is chapter 6 a foreshadowing of a future global judgment, you decide? But, we will not ignore history or the correct interpretation of Scripture.

If you don’t understand Matthew 24, neither will Revelation make much sense among its fantastic imagery, hyperbolic and parabolic language, and prophetic legal decrees. Some background material is provided here, with study resources provided in part ten. Two further short notes on the subject are here and here.

As further background, in chapter 5 of Revelation, a sealed decree of God, a verdict in judgment, is held out in the right hand of He who is, the I Am. No creature in heaven or earth was able to take the scroll and open it. But, having defeated sin, death, hell, the devil, and the grave (the kingdom of death and hell), the sinless, thrice holy, resurrected Lamb of God is worthy (Revelation 5:1-7). Chapter six contains the opening of the first six seals of this multifold decree against those of that generation who rejected Jesus Christ. It’s important to note that Jerusalem also made war on the saints. In the fifth seal, the martyrs cried for vengeance. First, seal one.

Note: The right hand is that of power in Scripture; it’s why Christ is seated at the right of Power, and the position of being seated is that of being seated in judicial judgment (Luke 22:69). Jesus resides in the courts of heaven in judicial power over the affairs of men. Contrast that with Acts 7:55-56, where Steven sees Christ standing at the right side of God. Jesus was standing, to welcome His friend and faithful servant Steven home, and not seated in judgment. Having told the Pharisees that He would henceforth be seated in judgment against them in Luke 22 when they heard Steven say that he saw Jesus standing next to God, it drove them to such madness that they gnawed on him with their teeth.

“1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” – Revelation 6:1-2

Who or what is the white horse? The white horse we suppose to be the symbol of war, not simply battle, but good victory in just war. Some suggest that it is the opening of Rome’s war against Jerusalem. Ultimately, it’s God’s decree in heaven and carried out on earth among those nations and men in the first century. Jerusalem, greater Judea, all the land area called Israel, and surrounding areas were engulfed in the war. This section of Scripture is about the siege of Jerusalem. We think there is somewhat of a time progression shown in the horsemen as the city’s situation grew increasingly dim. Some say the bow represents the early stages of the war with standoff weapons such as the bow and catapult. But indeed, the first horse is that of standard Roman warfare techniques and tactics employed in the first century against Jerusalem.

“3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.” – Revelation 6:3-4

Jesus opens the second seal, and the horse is red. A symbol of blood and evil. This horse is the setting forth by God of the internal struggle among the “kings” and “rulers” of the “world” or land. History shows that as Rome approached and surrounded Jerusalem, terrible infighting occurred (Matthew 10:34), tribe against tribe, kingdom against kingdom, family against each other; even the Zealots turned on each other (Matthew 24:7, 10), all under the influence of devils as God allowed. See Isaiah 19:1-2 as an example of God turning kinsmen against each other as a proclamation of internal warring under His judicial review. Satanic confederacies always fall to internal strifes. Though we deserve what must be coming today, may God have mercy on Western Civilization.

Though we don’t hold this view, some suggest that this seal also represents the totality of fighting. Though Jerusalem was held by siege, the Jews fought back against Rome viciously and to significant effect in the provinces and especially in what is now North Africa.

“5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” – Revelation 6:5-6

Black is that color of distress, calamity, and specifically starvation with its attendant health problems (Lamentations 5:10) and moreover death by famine. The rationing of goods is the picture here. The equivalent of a day’s wages (Matthew 20:2, 9) would net a man only a measure to eat. There are varying opinions on what the standard (amount) was, but suffice it to say; that it was not enough to sustain more than one person and barely at that. Hyperinflation in food costs is pictured. Another example of famine is here in Ezekiel 4:16-17. Here is the Law of a Just Balance – Leviticus 19:36, supported in Proverbs 11:1, 16:11. The balance is a common symbol of equity and justice, which comes from the Bible. God is the great provider of all for all; food scarcity is the just reward for the evils of men and nations.

“7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” – Revelation 6:7-8

That Death and Hell are capitalized here in the KJV is a proper rendering. Verse 8 is the consummation of the fearful ravages of war wrought in the judgments of Holy God. So we also consider pestilence as a manner of judgment along with death by wild animals. The mind goes to the war of northern aggression in which more died from a combination of poor hygiene, lack of nutrition, and inadequate healthcare than by cannon or mini ball. Such is war, real war anyway. As to death by animals, we consider this in Bible terms to be the carcass of the unjust, now discarded, torn by animals (unclean), with no man to attend to a proper burial. It’s the treatment of the dead body of a disgraced man (or nation) in the Bible.

As an aside about verse 8: “his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.” This phrase (with Revelation 20:13) points to why we coined the title: the kingdom of death and hell, which are all, spirit and man, that is opposed to the love and light and truth by Jesus Christ. We that are saved by grace, having the Spirit of God, moving and living, and having our being in Christ, are in the Kingdom of God. There are two kingdoms, and all men serve in one. By abiding in, or accepting, the kingdom of death and hell, sooner or later, it comes for its own, devouring them in their own evil designs on earth as outer darkness and eternal torment awaits, even to good men who do nothing and reject Christ.

Ezekiel 14:21 relates a concise word picture of what we find here in Revelation. The fourfold judgment is that of war, external by Rome in seal one. And seal two, internal fighting under the demonic influence indicated by the phrase “Hell following” in verse 8. This means the devils of hell were allowed by God to torment the people into fighting each other. (Have you noticed the spirit of the people in America lately?) Thirdly, famine and starvation, including uncontrolled inflation, as people sought too few goods. Fourth is the general calamity of war, including disease. The book of Revelation is not some new thing in language or typology. See Jeremiah 14:12, Ezekiel 5:12, 6:11-12 as a few examples of the tools God uses against all who break His covenants.

This section of Scripture is reasonably typical of apocalyptics representing sweeping historical events. The horsemen are not to be viewed in a historicist manner at all. These judgments are a single event in history, i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem. War is terrible; no right man would want it, nor would any right man tolerate it without rebellion for just cause.

The correct interpretation of these first four seals is that which Jesus spoke to His disciples of the desolation of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:6-8, Luke 21:5-6, 10-11.

Note that in Luke 21:12, after the ascension of Jesus but before the war, the persecution predicted by our Lord had already started, which points to the martyrs in the fifth seal; Revelation 6:9-11. The fifth seal is explained well in paragraph (2) here. It should bring great comfort to the saints of God to know that one day, all will be settled in heaven, and in earth, we win and will be vindicated in Christ. That the souls of the martyrs are under the altar indicates that they were a worthy sacrifice unto the Lord God. Are you?

The sixth seal is highly symbolic. We see the power and majesty of our God as He seeks to wreak vengeance for His saints. If you say that all the martyrs of all times are represented as under the alter, it’s not worth fussing over. That those souls in the first century were vindicated is apparent, and that all will be reckoned unto Holy God by the end of history, no believer doubts.

It’s best not to get carried away over-analyzing the symbolism in the prophetic books of Scripture. It’s easy to lose sight of the point of the book of Revelation when examining the red moon, darkened sun, dragon, colors of horses, etc. The book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ and not the revelation of any other thing at all.

Attempting to identify each horseman with any specific character or narrow historic event misses the point in spirit and method of apocalyptic literature in Scripture. If we were to know the particular interpretation of the (persons) horseman, it would be plainly explained in Scripture. God perfectly describes all specific symbolism in His holy word when it represents a particular thing or person we need to know. Revelation 1:20 is a good example, explaining the symbols in that chapter.

In first-century accounts of the siege, there’s evidence that people fled to hide in caves, piling up rocks to block the entrances. The sun was blocked out by fires burning from the Roman flaming catapult attacks, which also turned the moon red (orange). Those are two examples. Verses 13 and 14 are hyperbole bringing us to a sense of wonder at the power of God’s judicial authority over the earth. Other sections of Scripture have similar visual descriptions of the power and wrath of God. Perhaps those things have biblical significance, but it’s not a book of signs, and since they are used elsewhere but not literally, we accept the Revelation of Jesus Christ as being about Him.

Depicted in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are tools Almighty God uses in judgment against all who have forsaken His Law-word. So, by way of warning, one more time, without a national revival and returning to Him, what else could God do to America but the things depicted in both the Old Testament and the New Testament prophetic apocalyptic Scriptures? Europe is even now lining up for war and famine, diseases will follow, and death.

End notes: See Joel 1:4 and Zechariah 1:7-21, 6:1-8 as other examples using symbolism in rapidly successive multi-fold judgments of the Almighty emanating from the throne of His power in glory, each culminating as a single event in history on earth.

I remember when the Lord showed me that the wicked are taken away in their iniquity.

“36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” – Mathew 24:36-42

Who was taken away (verse 39) by the flood, the wicked or the righteous? When the Lord returns, who shall be taken away and who shall be left behind (verses 40 and 41)?

Not growing up in a church or under the teaching of the Rapture Theory, although adding great difficulty to navigating life, has been a huge blessing to understanding the truth of God’s word. After being saved by Christ, then seeking out a group of believers with whom to worship, the rapture and dispensational teachings were always troubling. The Spirit of God would not let me be led into that doctrine. As the Lord grew me in the knowledge and understanding of these things, I began thinking at times that a great many who say they are believers are not saved, and some, unknowingly of themselves, even worship the devil, thinking they know the one true and holy God, they do not.

This video with Pastor John Weaver is a lot of information to show in a single sitting, but its far-ranging exposition is excellent and perhaps better for its brevity than a multipart explanation.

We think this section in Matthew relates to the first-century judgment (Most think it’s about His physical bodily return). Still, when viewed parabolically and referenced with 2 Peter, as Pastor Weaver shows in the video, it’s clear that when the Lord returns, the damned are reckoned first, taken away in their iniquity. We who are left behind will admire and worship, in awe, our just King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Though we have a spiritual type of the final kingdom now, this would fit very well with the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-7) in final form.

While eschatology is interesting, what’s of paramount import is that you know – that you know – the Master’s voice (John 10:27) from among the cacophony of sirens. Are you ready for His return?