Archive for the 'Religion' Category

Here is Part One. All of the parts of this series are linked in that one place.

No marks, no comments, no verse or chapter markings, no headings; read this, read it five times if you must:

“Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”

In Matthew 23:33, here is yet another direct assault on this generation by our Lord.

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” – Matthew 23:33

“34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.” – Matthew 23:34-35

Verse 34: Jesus tells the Jews that they will kill, crucify, and scourge the teachers and preachers (Prophets and wise men and scribes) of the now coming New Covenant. This indicates that Jews will be persecutors of the disciples in a significant way. They followed the disciples around Judeaizing them (Acts 15:1), and when that didn’t work, they simply killed them or, more often, did what they did to Jesus, got Rome to do their dirty work for them. This was all fulfilled in the first century as the siege 67-70AD approached. Jesus is in the temple proclaiming these things while looking real people in the eye; Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, scribes, civil and religious leaders, and other people of all ranges. These things are not said in some mystical or strange manner that needs to be decrypted. These are direct prophetic threats against that generation from God Almighty; you are guilty!

Verse 35: all the righteous blood shed upon the earth (Land or Judea), from the first murder after the fall of man right up to the last murder (Zacharias son of Barachias) that took place in the temple as the Roman armies approached. This generation was to pay for it all. This is horrifying; the holy righteous, just lawgiver determining the wrath of all those sins upon that generation. Of course, the threat is not idle; verses 34 and 35 are one sentence, there is payment for persecuting God’s men.

“Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.” – Matthew 23:36

How could this be anything other than the very people Jesus is speaking with as He accuses them in the most public manner? The temple was not only a worship center; life in Jerusalem revolved around it. It was a meeting place and social center. This isn’t a private conversation that’s taking place. It’s hard to know how many hundreds or thousands may have heard this.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” – Matthew 23:37

Verse 37 is beautiful in showing God’s longsuffering, but He is holy, and we see God’s wrath in judgment as patience runs out. Here too, is His abiding desire for mercy and reconciliation with those that seek Him. It pricks the heart to consider God’s mercy on our despicable country if only we would come to Him acknowledging His authority and our need for reconciliation; we, too, are a wicked and perverse generation. Don’t be deceived; there is no reason to celebrate what will come upon that generation; God’s judgments are sure and continue today. This verse also offers excellent instruction in righteousness for believers; that they falter not. Stay steadfast to the end, enduring in the hope of the knowledge that we will see Him as He is and will be like Him.

“Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” – Matthew 23:38

Daniel 9:26 says in part, “…and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” (See Luke 21:20)

The word prince is lower case. However, Daniel likely did not know that those people would be the Roman armies of the first century. And see Daniel 9:27, in which “that determined” is the judgment of God upon that generation; the 70 weeks was drawing to a close in the first century.

Some say in verse 38, Jesus may be referring to His (for He is God) absence from the temple. As we’ve explained, there is no need for a temple because the body of Christ is the temple of a new and better covenant with all men.

Vox.

I reached out to Stephen Gutowski, the founder of TheReload.com and a longtime reporter on the gun beat, for the latest episode of Vox Conversations. Gutowski is pro-gun, but he’s also a good-faith voice in this space, and I was looking for someone who could make his side of the argument intelligible to people who don’t understand it.

We talk about my own ambivalence on this issue, the blind spots on the left and right, how he makes sense of America’s obsession with guns, and if he thinks we can ever find a way out of the scorched-earth debate we seem to be stuck in.

Notice the term categorization and scorched earth policies the writer uses right up front.  Only someone who is willing to compromise is debating in “good faith.”  Second, anyone who likes to shoot, for hunting, or sporting purposes like three-gun, two-gun, precision rifle, or simply range shooting, has an “obsession with guns.”  Or anyone who believes that all gun control laws are an infringement upon liberties is obsessed.

Next in our little survey of this conversation, “pro-gun” Stephen Gutowski makes the following statement.

I think that there’s often a lack of focus on trying to come up with real solutions for gun violence. [The gun-control movement is] often looked at instinctively as attempts to restrict gun ownership or gun rights. But restricting gun ownership is not the only thing you can do to address gun violence. So there’s just not enough focus from the right on all the potential solutions that might make a difference without necessarily impacting individual gun rights.

Take note.  Restricting gun ownership isn’t the only thing you can do to address violent, and also take careful note that in order to be a legitimate and good faith advocate for gun rights, you must engage a debate about things you can do to reduce violence.  Much more on that in a moment.  Next, the “pro-gun rights” guys says this.

The president likes to say that no amendment is unlimited, and, frankly, he’s right there.

Next up, here’s that time-honored tradition of asserting that a piece of metal can change human psychology.

How much training is enough? I’m a veteran; I was trained to use a pistol and a rifle, but that was 20 years ago. I’ve barely fired any guns since I left the service. I don’t think I’m prepared to walk around town with a gun on my hip. And that’s not because I can’t shoot, it’s because possessing a gun can change the dynamics of an otherwise trivial confrontation and not being prepared for that responsibility is dangerous, and I worry that most people have even less training than I do.

[ … ]

My worry is that having a gun increases the likelihood that a bad interaction will escalate needlessly. There are a lot of people who think they’ll be safer with a gun, and in some cases, they surely will be, but often pulling a gun in order to neutralize a situation only intensifies it.

Sure, a potential rape victim is only intensifying the situation if she pulls a gun.

To give you an example, I was in the grocery store a few weeks ago in southern Mississippi, and there was a guy in line in front of me with a 9-millimeter on his hip. I’ll be charitable and say he didn’t look trained. But the point is that I don’t get what’s going on there. Carrying a concealed gun is one thing, but this guy wanted everyone to see it. To me that’s inviting aggression or it’s just dumb posturing. I don’t buy that he’s seriously scared of being assaulted in the produce aisle.

What am I missing here?

Let me explain what you’re missing here, and then the reader can go read the rest of this silly conversation as he wishes.

When people make the decision to carry and take it seriously, as one might have car insurance or health insurance or life insurance, or carry an emergency suction device for choking victims (I read just recently about a child who was choking on her food and saved by a stranger who just happens to carry such a device as part of their planning for emergencies), they are making the decision to be disciplined about it.

That means carrying even when you don’t like it.  I hate carrying things on my person.  I don’t wear jewelry, I don’t wear watches, and even hate carrying my phone around and won’t do it if I don’t have to.

But in this case, I will carry a firearm because of [we’ll call it] “The practice of discipline.”  For those who are in that category, they may just hate to carry IWB.  It sweats the weapon and corrodes it, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s unnecessary.  No, we’re not trying to prove something.  It’s just the way we choose to carry.  And finally, there was a time in American history when it was considered unlike a gentleman to carry a weapon concealed.  No gentleman, it was thought, would conceal his weapons.  Open carry was the order of the day.  And it’s easier for men to conceal than women.  Men can hide weapons in our girth.  It’s much more difficult for most women to do that.

So let’s get the root of the problem here.  The constitution isn’t a source of rights.  It is a contract and covenant.  The bill of rights constitutes limitations on governmental overreach.  The root of the problem is that no matter what these writers feel about the limitations on amendments, rights (and duties) come from the Almighty.  We’ve discussed this before.

But if you wish for more direct evidence of ownership of weapons in the Scriptures, look no further than what Jesus commanded in Luke 22:36.  Let’s look at the cultural context for a moment.

… for some evidence, see Digest 48.6.1: collecting weapons ‘beyond those customary for hunting or for a journey by land or sea’ is forbidden; 48.6.3.1 forbids a man ‘of full age’ appearing in public with a weapon (telum) (references and translation are from Mommsen 1985). See also Mommsen 1899: 564 n. 2; 657-58 n. 1; and Linderski 2007: 102-103 (though he cites only Mommsen). Other laws from the same context of the Digest sometimes cited in this regard are not as worthwhile for my purposes because they seem to be forbidding the possession of weapons with criminal intent. But for the outright forbidding of being armed while in public in Rome, see Cicero’s letter to his brother relating an incident in Rome in which a man, who is apparently falsely accused of plotting an assassination, is nonetheless arrested merely for having confessed to having been armed with a dagger while in the city: To Atticus, Letter 44 (II.24). See also Cicero, Philippics 5.6 (§17). Finally we may cite a letter that Synesius of Cyrene wrote to his brother, probably sometime around the year 400 ce. The brother had apparently questioned the legality of Synesius having his household produce weapons to defend themselves against marauding bands. Synesius points out that there are no Roman legions anywhere near for protection, but he seems reluctantly to admit that he is engaged in an illegal act (Letter 107; for English trans., see Fitzgerald 1926).

In this passage, Jesus is quite literally ordering His disciples to ignore the Roman laws and disobey them, buy weapons, and be ready to use them.  He is turning His disciples into lawbreakers for the sake of having self defense.

At its roots, these are issues of epistemology (your source of knowledge), ontology, and Biblical law.  Neither author gets that.  To assert that the only ones who are debating “in good faith” are the ones willing to compromise, is to assert that we should be willing to negotiate away God’s law and settle for enslavement rather than liberty.  What God has granted, no man can take away.  Why would a man choose enslavement when God has set him free?

And mark this down for your records.  I had only been exposed to “The Reload” once before, and this time it is even more distasteful.  I don’t consider him to be a legitimate defender of gun rights and will never cite him.  Be careful, Mr. Gutowski, who you befriend.

As for having these debates, this is an ongoing process here on these pages.  We just don’t compromise.  If you believe that you have to compromise to have a debate, I don’t think you understand the word “debate” at all.

Read Micah 7:3

Politics is a waste of time. Wicked reprobate politician A does such and such a sin against corrupt evil politician B? Why do Christians bother watching? We love our sin while reviling others. There’s a whole industry on TV around watching people so that we can tell ourselves; at least I’m not that bad. The person in the mirror is no less guilty before God.

Evil can’t cast out evil. Politicians will never solve what they purport to address because they use more sin to cover sin. It’s silly. Politics is like watching mindless morons walk around in circles bouncing off objects in their path. The problem is; they involve all of us in their nefarious plots.

War is the worst. There is always a conspiracy behind war. All wars have come with a raft of lies. Behind those lies are the lusts of the hearts of men as they desire to consume that which brings them the vainglory of money and power.

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:1-3

We have suspicions about why the church at Jerusalem was lusting for war, but that’s another topic. Almighty God got His vengeance and His glory against all parties involved when He ended the Old Covenant and brought in the New Covenant. Amen.

But, even today, how much more do men desire warfare? Men want wars because they lust for sins all day long. Some men don’t even care what’s at the root of a conflict; they just want to make war. None of this is of God.

Every manner of lie is told to convince the sinner, and all men are sinners, that war is good. Jesus said that the devil couldn’t tear down his own kingdom to bring about good (Luke 11:18). Even if the evil that resides in men wanted to cast out sin with all the fiber of its being, it can’t, and waring for good is absurd.

We’ll finally have the war to end all wars they proclaim. They said that having nukes would end all wars, yet the world has been at war since their first use. Governments will tell you anything to make you feel good about evil. They tell us that we’re the good guys and our cause is just. Are we? Is it? They’ll tell you anything as long as those in power can consume the spoils of war upon their lusts.

There is no good thing behind war. There is just self-defense and just defense for self-preservation in protecting hearth and home. The rest is a grave evil.

“All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.” Psalm 138:4

How do the kings of the earth turn to God that they no longer lust after wars? When they hear the word of God. How can the false prophets at the king’s table in America speak the truth when they are false? Our leaders are surrounded by false prophets and other “yes” men while chasing after the approval of the Oligarchs. How can they do any good thing at all? How can the rulers of this world hear the Gospel when Christians themselves lust after wars?

Dispensationalists love “wars and rumors of wars.” It’s disgusting. Preachers say it’s the end, Gog and Magog; the rapture is upon us because the State-run media said so, and you better crosscheck your Scofield bible with the newspaper headlines or live in darkness. They’re being lied to by State Propagandists masquerading as preachers. They abuse the name of our Saviour that they may also consume the money of the war machine upon their lusts. (Matthew 15:4).

American Christians wax sorrowful over abortion then foam at the mouth to bomb foreign lands for some “great good.” How can you be pro-life and pro-war? God sees your lies. The major denominations in America are organs of the State. The American Church seeks government to solve the country’s “social issues” as though they never heard of sin. Apparently, they don’t know what sin is and don’t know Him, the propitiation for it. American Christians are blinded.

All you can do is set your heart toward God, knowing your eternal station while serving Christ in faith. Christians waste countless hours on politics when they should be spreading the Gospel and building Christian communities.

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53:10

The pleasure of God for you prospers at the hand of Christ. The Lord Jesus was put to grief, an offering once for all, that having been raised from the grave, the Prince of Peace might rule and reign. Being made the seed of Christ, born again, brings salvation and rest. Not war, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to bring sinners to repentance.

Note: Acknowledging that this thing has gotten away from us a little, it was not supposed to be this long; one more part after this. Maybe?

Part One  Part Two  Part Three  Part Four  Part Five  Part Six

Read the parable in Matthew 21:33-46 to get the context.

Leading to verses 37 and 38, Jesus is talking about the prophets that were slain because the leadership didn’t want to hear the truth. (See also Matthew 23:35).

In verse 39, Jesus is telling of His soon coming crucifixion. According to the parable, the Son was killed so that the Sanhedrin could steal His inheritance, which is the “Kingdom of His dear Son.” (Colossians 1:13). We can relate this to Christ being the seed of the promise to Abram, Christ’s church, of which we are joint-heirs (Romans 8:16-17) and numbered as the stars (Genesis 22:17-18).

This is very important to understand and not taught in the American Churches. In Part One of this series, we pointed out that John the Baptist warned the Sanhedrin not to claim Abram as their father (Matthew 3:9). We further pointed out that the Sanhedrin did that very thing in John 8:38-39. The Sanhedrin was trying to steal the throne of Christ to become the heir by claiming Abraham as their father. Read Galatians 3:16-17. There was one part of the Abrahamic Promise that the Jews could not fulfill because it wasn’t about them; it was Christ, though He would be the Son of David, He is the only begotten Son of God. Read this passage in Matthew 22:

“41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” – Matthew 22:41-46

Who is Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2)? It’s Jesus Christ, it’s not the Jews, and it’s not a country (kingdom) in the Middle East; it’s Jesus, just and only Jesus the only begotten Son of God; He is the heir.

Back to our text in Chapter 21:

“40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” – Matthew 21:40-41

In verse 41 above, the Sanhedrin testify against themselves, clearly stating what is about to befall them. They knew what was right, but still, they refused to submit to God and His authority. This should be instructive for us today.

In verse 45 of the parable, they got it; Jesus was speaking of them, but still, they refused to act and wouldn’t submit to God.

Christ’s kingdom is not of this world; it’s a people birthed not of the will of the flesh but of God (John 1:13). The Kingdom of God is not birthed by the natal (nation) womb of women but by the Spirit of God (John 3:4-7), making of all that come to Christ one people (Revelation 7:9-10). Jesus is the firstborn, by His resurrection (Colossians 1:18), that you too might be reborn by the Spirit of God (John 3:3). There is no Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:28), and there is no temple but the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27, John 2:19, Ephesians 1:22-23). Each passage from which these verses are taken has specific contexts, but none are abused here.

Context matters; the broader context in which the entire New Testament is given is critical, as the American Churches turn the Holy Bible into an unknowably mystic manuscript for a mere buffet from which to pick your favorite lifestyle sayings and phrases. Not only is the Word of God abused by taking single verses out of context and making a religion from them, but in expository preaching from sections of Scripture for a personal application while ignoring the context of the entire New Testament that God gave us. The New Testament is also provided so that we can know the purposes for the wrath of His judgment, His merciful grace, and, yes, for instruction in righteousness.

The conditional covenant God gave to Moses had one thing left to be fulfilled, its final chapter in Christ Jesus making a New Covenant in Him when He fulfilled the Law and Prophets (Matthew 5:17, Luke 24:44). The covenant of the promise of a seed given to Abram could not be disannulled by the Law given to Moses (Galatians 3:16-17).

Moving now to Matthew 22:

“1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.” – Matthew 22:1-7

If you’ve been following along in this series of posts leading up to Matthew 24, this parable should be the least cryptic thing you’ve ever read. In verse 2, Jesus is the Son of God. In verse 3, “This generation” were bidden to His wedding but refused (John 1:11). In verse 4, all was made ready. In verse 5, they made light of it and went back to earthly things (Luke 9:59-60, Mark 10:21-22). In verse 6, all of the Apostles, save John, were slain for His holy name (Matthew 24:9), and a great many first-century disciples were also killed. In verse 7, the King sent forth the Roman armies (Matthew 24:30), destroyed those murderers, and burned their city in 70AD.

When you understand the purposes for which Christ came in giving us a New Covenant, the prophetic language, even when used in the parabolic form (and hyperbolic in Matthew 24 and Revelation), is not a bunch of bizarrely mystical unknowns.

Having laid out His charges in plain language from John the Baptist onward, He tells them God’s plan for them and why God must do it. It seems harsh, but remember; God is not only love and mercy and therefore longsuffering, but also holy, perfect, and just. Justice must be done, or He reduces Himself to the status of a sinful man. Christ became flesh, yet without sin, He overcame being the perfect sacrifice for your sin. He was buried and rose from the grave again the third day. Amen. God will not be made to sin for any reason and certainly not to appease our feelings.

Part One  Part Two  Part Three  Part Four  Part Five

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” – Matthew 16:4

Again, in Matthew 16, Jesus makes His charge against that generation. The Jews saw many signs and wonders, but we are saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to all who would believe by faith. We are His church. We don’t need tongues and signs and miracles, and neither do the lost; they need to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel of salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

That’s the sign, as was Jonah in the belly of the whale three days, so was Christ in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. This is the only sign we need today; Jesus died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day to offer eternal life.

“Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” – Matthew 16:28

The prophetic futurists ignore this verse, but we don’t know how. Who is Jesus speaking of? The people that were standing there listening to Him or some distant generation? Some of them there with Christ must have still been in Jerusalem just before the siege. They were warned and told to prepare to leave Jerusalem (Matthew 24:16-18).

Christ was coming in great power and judgment in the first century against those that claimed to be God’s heir over Christ and were trying, knowingly or unknowingly, to stop the birth of His church. Jesus is the heir, and you too can be a joint heir with Him. Now is the kingdom in spirit and in truth!

The parables of the mustard seed and the leaven are instructive.

“31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” – Matthew 13:31-33

How can this be some time other than now? Even the dispensationalist says that at His return, it will be sudden. In the parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven, the body of Christ grows over time with care and tending. Don’t be slack, brothers; the commission is indeed great. Nor do we understand the Amillennialist position on this.

Yet, it’s not what it shall be, and neither are we, for we shall see Him as He is. Sure enough, He’s coming back again. This is a massive problem of interpretation today, rightly understanding the spiritual kingdom that He set up at His coming in judgment in the first century as the church was born and the final domain at the end upon His return. We confess to not being able to unravel it completely. Some aspects of the spiritual kingdom that now is are a type of the final glorious presence of Christ when God will be all in all. You have to be ready, in your heart. As much as His followers love the Scripture, and there’s no end to the knowledge of God found in them, it’s with the heart that men believe unto righteousness by faith.

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” – Jesus in Matthew 15:7-8

As our Lord relates how Isaiah spoke of that generation, let it not be said of us. Though the American Churches are apostate, some still hear the Masters’ voice.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” – Psalm 9:17

We can know a few things that are certain. God judges men and nations and He judges empires into the dustbin of history, especially those that forget Him. The problem with America is that she deserves everything that’s coming. There may be a long train of abuses against us, but God has His own list from which there is likely no escape anymore. We have no particular revelation of God but His revealed Law and Word, which are clear; all sin is ultimately against God. Though He is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, His grace abounding unto forgiveness, He does not suffer us in silence forever. He will answer. There will be recompense, a judgment.

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 1 Corinthians 1:21-22

Things will get worse before they get better. Secure your eternal destination at the hand of Holy God, who by His wisdom knows your sin, and your need of salvation. The most important preparation of all is the heart of a man with God. You can be sealed unto the day redemption in Christ Jesus, who is not only the Son of God, but God the Son and gave Himself to die on the cross taking the full wrath that you deserve not only for your transgressions past but for those still to come. And He was buried, but death and hell could not hold Him; Jesus rose from the grave again the third day, in accordance with the prophecies of scripture, proving that in Him is the power of life and the power of life eternal. He alone has the keys of hell and of death.

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:14

You must be established in Christ Jesus. Few there be that find it! Get this settled today. You can receive the Spirit of God to literally and actually inhabit your heart being made a new creation in Christ, and securing the salvation of your soul being redeemed, by God, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus, having His mark, never fearing men or death again. Amen.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” Matthew 7:13

The road to hell is wide, smooth, and easy. The road to the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord is a single-lane narrow path; only may a man enter in by Him.

Of Exodus 31:4, John Calvin says this.

It was a disgraceful thing to prostrate themselves before a calf, in which there was no connection or affinity with the glory of God; and with this the Prophet expressly reproaches them, that “they changed their glory ( i. e. , God, in whom alone they should have gloried) into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.” (Psalms 106:20.) For, if it be insulting to God to force Him into the likeness of men …

But men prostrate themselves before other men all the time, even today, looking for a savior in the form of man (or in this case, an animal).  God is jealous.  There is no more connection or affinity with God among world leaders as with the Ox.  It’s as disgraceful today as it was then.  Truly, this seeking after men as savior is as old as history.

The remedy is found in the Scriptures: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.” [Proverbs 18:10]

EDIT: Forgot the links to the prior articles. Here they are: Part One  Part Two  Part Three  Part Four

The Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in 70AD by the wrath of God. This destruction was indeed within that generation. These are the facts. Knowing this in hindsight, Jesus’ (along with others) repeated use of “this generation” is rather difficult to recon as some so-called Church Age. If the temple had been destroyed five generations later, or 500 years after Jesus spoke these increasingly vehement accusations, then we would have to consider what the text means. But, the text means just what Jesus said. These things did come upon that generation.

Jesus, again, declares the wickedness of that generation. Although sounding a little bit like the hewing down of the wicked fruit trees back in Chapter 7, this is a much more direct assault:

“34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” – Matthew 12:34-35

And Peter, full of the Holy Spirit of God, said in Acts 2:40: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.”

Bad things, terrible things were coming to that generation. Though persecution abounded, to be spared the wrath of God, one had to belong to Jesus Christ. This has been true since the Garden and remains true today. Peter is warning them that when the flood of judgment comes, don’t be taken away as they were in the days of Noah.

“But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.” – Jesus Christ in Matthew 12:6

Although not a direct reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus’ point is very well taken, the necessity of the temple is ending. There is no further need for a temple. He is greater than any temple. To ensure proper worship by His church, He destroyed the temple during that generation in 70AD.

Referring to His crucifixion and resurrection: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19

Any attempt to build another temple made with hands would be blasphemy.

Steven points out the end of the temple worship system in Acts. To see it all begin in Acts 6:8  through Acts 7:60. Steven, full of the Holy Spirit of God, lays out the history of his people’s temple worship system, concluding that the Christ of God has come; the days of the need of temple worship are over. For this, they killed Him. What great faith. (Note: the Jesus mentioned in Acts 7:45 is Joshua from the Old Testament.)

“48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?” – Acts 7:48-49. Steven is referring to Isaiah 66:1-2. Also, see Acts 17:24-25, which is Paul on mars hill.

Christ Jesus and all we in Christ are the temple under the New Covenant brought to fruition in the first century. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16)

So, we see the disciples and Paul saying that the temple was unnecessary. Also, read Hebrews 9. Only the blood of the Christ of God Almighty can save a man. And since He is come and shed His blood, no more sacrifice is required, therefore no more need of any temple other than the body of Christ.

The body of Christ, His church, is the temple of the living God. If you know people who promote the (re)building of some physical temple to re-institute animal sacrifice, steer clear of them; that spirit is not of Christ.

Part One  Part Two  Part Three

As background to Matthew 24, we’re going to see how the word of God employs certain words. To rightly understand prophetic language, you must know these terms. These words are used in prophecy throughout the Scriptures, including some in Matthew 24 and Revelation. We’ll look at Cloud(s), Host, LORD of Hosts, and Flood.

A cloud can be a large body of people, and in the context of the judgment of God, it’s specific to armies of warfare. And this usually indicates the movement (maneuvers) of armies. The word cloud appears many times in the bible in several contexts. A very clear example of a cloud for our purposes is here in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

In verse 3 of Ezekiel 38, below, we see that Jehovah is preparing judgment. He says: “I am against thee” This is a threat. He goes on in verse 4 to explain His design upon this army and what nations these armies are of in verse 5. In verse 4, again, He uses the word company. This is a group of people, and since He just described a military outfit, we must conclude that He’s speaking of a military company of soldiers. In verse 6, He uses the word bands to describe these armies. Both company and band(s) are still used today, indicating military troops. Now read verse 9; cloud and band are used together with a band of soldiers covering the earth as a cloud moving with purpose at the direction of the LORD of Hosts.

“1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.” Ezekiel 38:1-9

(Note: The readership here doesn’t watch TV preachers, but just to be sure, Ezekiel 38 already happened and has nothing to do with Russia.)

See also Ezekiel 39:4

A host is also a large body of people, and in the context of the judgment of God, it too is specific to armies of warfare or invading peoples.

The Lord of hosts is most often cited as Jehovah. The Captain of the host of the LORD in the book of Joshua is the Christ of God, acting as the head of Joshua’s armies to effect God’s judgments upon the earth against His enemies in the taking of the promised land. (Note: This is the land promise made to Abram that was fulfilled under David when his kingdom attained to the Euphrates River.)

“13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:13-15

Another clear example is 1 Samuel 17:45

One more example, this one from Isaiah Chapter 19:1 “Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt…” In context, this refers to God using armies to judge Egypt. God is not literally riding a cloud into Egypt. At least we doubt that.

These terms are essential in both Matthew 24 and Revelation. And note much of the language between Isaiah 19 and Matthew 24. The Lord let loose the spirits of hell in each situation to confuse the judged during these separate incidents.

Clouds mean hosts, although not interchangeably. The Lord of hosts comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory in Matthew 24:30 and similarly in Revelation 1:7 and other places in Revelation; this is Jesus. There is no real break in the consistency of these uses from the earliest mentions in Scripture through to Revelation.

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” – Matthew 24:30

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” – Revelation 1:7

Also, the use of the word Flood by God is a purposeful alarm to get you to remember that great judgment. A flood is not by water anymore; it’s used to describe the overflowing of God’s will by implementing His great purposes in judgment at the hands of human instrumentation. See these verses and read their context: Isaiah 28:2, Isaiah 59:19, Jeremiah 46:8, Nahum 1:8, and Matthew 24:39.

Part One  Part Two

Read Matthew 10:16-23

In verse 16 of Matthew 10, Jesus shifts from the short-term training mission He is sending His disciples on (Matthew 10:1-15) to the more extended mission they will carry out after receiving the Holy Spirit. All the prophecies of Jesus in verses 16-23 were fulfilled in the first century. You can read about most of these prophecies in Acts, primarily Acts 5. Others are according to church history. Many stood before the Sanhedrin (Councils) and some before the kings. For example, Peter is said to have stood before Nero and John before Domitian.

But what of verse 23?

“But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.” – Matthew 10:23

Jesus says that the disciples would not have finished preaching in the cities of Israel before the Son of man came. Are the 11 plus Paul still in Israel preaching the Gospel? How can this be? It must refer to the coming of Christ in power and great judgment in the first century while that generation was alive. The temple and Jerusalem and greater Judea were destroyed in 70AD (Matthew 24:27, 30).

This section of Scripture was fulfilled in that generation during the first century as Jesus ended the Old Covenant and brought in the New Covenant of promise. It was all done just as God said it would be here in Matthew 10. Does the American Church today make Jesus out to be a liar?

Shifting to Chapter 11 of Matthew, in verses 16-24, Jesus again accuses “this generation.” He says nothing satisfies them. They’ve rejected the witness of John the Baptist, and He’s showed them great miracles with signs and wonders, including the biggest miracle of all, salvation from sin, but by the dullness of their minds, they wouldn’t receive Him.

“16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. 20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not” – Matthew 11:16-20

You can read on about the upbraiding of the cities. The judgment referred to is probably the end. Nonetheless, these cities did not withstand the onslaught of the Roman Legions during that generation in 70AD. The point is made again; “this generation” is on perilous ground with Holy God.