Sunday, December 17, 2023

The Mystery of the Gospel

… that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)

The Gospel is a mystery. The Gospel (Greek: euaggelion) means “good tidings” or “good news.” The angel brought the euaggelion to the shepherds who watched their flocks by night.[1] It was the euaggelion that the Savior was born in Bethlehem. But what did this euaggelion mean? When the angels departed, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see the euaggelion for themselves. Once they had seen the baby, they spread the news to all who would hear. “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds” (Luke 2:18, emphasis mine). It was a mystery!

Monday, December 4, 2023

Chose or Chosen?

For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14)

I find myself in the midst of Christian brothers who have strong Calvinist leanings. I accept most of the five points of Calvinism to some degree – Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints (T.U.L.I.P.) – but I cannot fully embrace U, L, and I. I completely agree with T and P – the Total Depravity of man, and the Perseverance of the Saints, i.e., “once saved, always saved.”

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Shepherd of Shepherds

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” (Luke 2:8)

One of the best arguments against the birth of Christ having taken place in late December is this fact recorded by Luke in his Gospel. There were shepherds out in the fields watching over their flocks. By late December, there is not sufficient grazing to sustain large flocks of sheep. Jerusalem is near the same latitude as Dallas, Texas where I used to live, and by the middle to the end of November, there is not much left on which cattle can graze. So, they need to be fed on hay or “cake” until the next spring. So, it seems very unlikely that shepherds would be out in the fields tending to sheep in the wintertime.

Sunday, November 12, 2023

Three Days

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hosea 6:2)

In one of my Bible readings this week, I was reading Luke’s account of Jesus’ resurrection. Luke records that two disciples (not apostles) were returning to their home in Emmaus. Because they invited Jesus into their home, I assume that they were husband and wife; Luke does not say. Regardless, after Jesus broke bread with them and disappeared from their sight, they finally recognized that it was Jesus who had traveled with them. They immediately returned to Jerusalem and found “the eleven” together. However, according to John’s account, Thomas was not with them. Apparently, Luke used the term (“the eleven”) in a generic sense referring to the Apostles.

Sunday, November 5, 2023

One Was Thankful

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (Luke 17:15)

Thanksgiving Day is upon us, and I’m sure most of us have plans for food, family, friends, and fellowship. In today’s culture, Thanksgiving Day is just a good excuse to have a day (or two) off work, indulge in gluttonous behavior, and worship before the luminous god of football followed by the giving of alms to the god of materialism the next day, all the while in complete ignorance of the significance of the day.

Sunday, October 22, 2023

The Land

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

One cannot escape the flood of wars and rumors of wars coming from the Middle East. More than two weeks ago, at the climax of the Feast of Tabernacles in Israel, Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel. They killed many innocent civilians and took away many captives. They raped women and tortured and killed children and babies. Their atrocities left the world in shock. Not since ISIS have such horrors been on full display for the world to see.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Little Ones

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

The verse above was part of my daily Bible reading this week. It is a very familiar verse that I have read hundreds of times perhaps, heard sermons preached on it, and participated in Bible studies that covered it. When read out of context, it seems that Jesus refers to children – “little ones” – in this discourse, and that is the way it has been presented, or at least the way I have understood it, in the past.

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Spit In The Eye

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, (John 9:6)

Jesus performed many healing miracles during His time of ministry on earth. The miracles were not only an expression of His compassion for the hurting, but they served as evidence of who He was according to predictive prophecy.

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Did Matthew Goof?

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; (Matthew 27:9)

Critics of the Bible constantly look for opportunities to find errors in Scripture. However, whenever they find an error in Scripture, eventually, Scripture proves true and the critics are proven wrong.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Judge Not

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1)

Throughout church history, false teachings and outright heresies have arisen due to the faulty hermeneutic of taking Scripture, especially a single verse, or even a single phrase within a verse, out of context. So it is with the verse above.

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Lord

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (John 4:1)

I never cease to be surprised by how often I read a familiar passage in Scripture and see something new that escaped me all the previous times I read that particular passage. So it was this week when I read in John, Chapter Four, in my daily Bible reading. It is the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Maybe This Year

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

For many years now, this time of year brings a strong sense of anticipation to me. Next Friday, September 15/16 celebrates the Jewish festival of Yom Teruah, a/k/a Rosh HaShanah, or the Feast of Trumpets. It sounds the beginning of the new civil year 5783.

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Judgment's Coming

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)

The Apostle Paul spoke of the Church as a “mystery” hitherto unknown. The Old Testament (OT) prophets did not foresee the Church in their forecasts of the coming Messiah and the full restoration of the nation of Israel.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Lawlessness

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Anyone that halfway pays attention to the news – even the “lame-stream-media” – can see the unprecedented rise in crime these days. Mobs of black young people ransacking stores and running off with thousands of dollars’ worth of high-end merchandise. (I am not being racist; I am just stating the obvious for anyone paying attention. Security cameras don’t lie and they are not racists.) They get away with it because police are not allowed to stop them and leftist district attorneys refuse to prosecute them.

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Simply Revelation

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:1-3)

The book of Revelation puzzles many who read it. It seems strange and sometimes bizarre. Many avoid the book because the contents elicit fear about the predictions of things to come. However, the book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read, hear, and apply its contents. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation 1:3).

Sunday, August 6, 2023

Coming Quickly

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

(Revelation 22:7)

Have you ever imagined traveling in a time machine and going backward or forward in time to witness what happened in the past, or to see what would happen in the future? I am sure many people have, and several science fiction movies have attempted to portray what that might be like.

Sunday, July 30, 2023

A New Creation

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)

With the Great White Throne Judgment[1] out of the way, sin has been purged from the earth. However, the creation was cursed with Adam’s sin, and even with the near Edenic conditions of the Millennial reign of Christ, the planet retains remnants of the curse. God told Adam, “… cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (Genesis 3:17-18). The purging of the curse will come by fire. The Apostle Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10, emphasis mine). Earth, i.e., the planet, will not cease to exist, for God promised that it would exist forever. The psalmist states, “[God] Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever” (Psalm 104:5, emphasis mine).

Sunday, July 23, 2023

The End of 1000 Years

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (Revelation 20:7)

At the beginning of the Millennium when Jesus comes again, “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” is bound and imprisoned in the “bottomless pit” for a thousand years.[1] At the end of 1000 years (20:7, above), he will be released for “a little season” (20:3), “And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8). Who are these that are deceived? They are not the saints who reign with Christ. The saints – the Bride and the Tribulation saints – have glorified bodies “like unto his glorious body”[2] that are incapable of sin, and they are immune to Satan’s deceptions. The ones who Satan deceives are the progeny of those that survived the Tribulation and entered the Millennium in their natural bodies – some believers and some non-believers – and retained the ability to reproduce. At the end of 1000 years of perfect conditions and “pre-flood” lifespans[3], billions of people will inhabit the earth. These are those who Satan incites to rebel. The “Gog and Magog” mentioned here are not the same to which the Prophet Ezekiel refers;[4] but rather, it is the “spirit” of Gog and Magog that seeks to destroy the people of God.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

A Thousand Years

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:1-2)

When Jesus entered Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago on the back of a donkey’s colt, He presented Himself as melek shâlêm, “King of Peace.” Now, He comes on a white horse as the conquering KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.[1] In the previous chapter of Revelation, we learned that He comes to rule “with a rod of iron.” Unlike kings that have come before, His rule will be absolute but benevolent, and He will reign on Earth for a thousand years.

Sunday, July 9, 2023

The King Is Coming!

The King Is Coming

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)

The heavenly wedding reception is concluded. Now it is time to ride! The next thing John saw is reminiscent of his first sight of heaven. “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1, emphasis mine). At that time, he was on the outside looking in. Now he is on the inside looking out. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war (Revelation 19:11, emphasis mine). The door of heaven opens and this time he sees a rider on a white horse. However, this is not the rider on a white horse that he saw at the breaking of the first seal.[1] That rider had a crown (a stephanos not a diadēma) and a bow with no arrows, and he went out “conquering and to conquer.” We identified that rider on a white horse as the Antichrist, the Beast. However, this rider is “called Faithful and True.” He does not break His promises, and there is no falsehood in Him. He judges rightly and He executes judgment, i.e., “war” rightly.

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Heavenly Wedding Reception

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)

I have never been a bride, so I have no idea how a bride feels when the big day comes, and all her wedding plans come to fruition. She gets to take center stage at the wedding ceremony and later at her reception. It is a day for which she has prepared for months – picking the perfect bridal gown, selecting the perfect colors for her theme, selecting the floral arrangements, picking the perfect venue, choosing her wedding party, etc. It must be exhausting, yet exhilarating when the day finally comes.

Sunday, June 25, 2023

The Collapse of Babylon

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (Revelation 18:1-2)

I must confess a bit of confusion as I consider this next chapter in the Book of Revelation. In the previous chapter, we saw Mystery Babylon, the controlling religious system of the Tribulation period, destroyed by the Antichrist and the world leaders that used her to gain power and control over the people of the earth. “And the ten horns [i.e., the world leaders] which thou sawest upon the beast [the Antichrist], these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (Revelation 17:16, emphasis mine).

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Beast-Riding Harlot

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Revelation 17:1)

We come to another parenthesis in John’s record. The seven-bowl judgments have been poured out, and the end of the Tribulation has come. While we focused on the terrors of the seven bowl judgments, other things were happening on Earth that John explains in the next two chapters. These details help us to understand the purpose behind all these judgments. They also help us to see what is taking place around us right now which will prepare us for what is coming.

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Vile Vials

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. (Revelation 16:1)

In the words of an old country-western song, “Turn out the lights; the party’s over.” According to my understanding, we have arrived at the final 21 months of the seven-year Tribulation. The first three and one-half years brought the seven seal judgments. When Jesus, the Lamb, breaks open the seventh seal, the seven trumpets begin to sound. Around the midpoint of the Tribulation, according to Daniel the Prophet, the Antichrist, a.k.a. the Beast, defiles the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. If he was not recognized when he confirmed “the covenant” securing peace for Israel, which initiated the seven-year Tribulation, there will be no doubt about his identity at this time.

Sunday, June 4, 2023

Prelude to the End

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. (Revelation 15:1)

We are nearing harvest time. Chronologically (as I see it), one year and nine months remain in the Great Tribulation. The first six seals brought us to the mid-point of the seven-year Tribulation or the first three and one-half years. The trumpet judgments ushered in the last three and one-half years, and the final trumpet unleashes the final seven plagues or bowl judgments that culminate in the Lord’s return. We stand at the precipice of the end.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Harvest Time

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. (Revelation 14:15)

At this point in the Revelation account, we have come to the last half of the Tribulation. We have seen that in the midst of the terrible judgments coming upon the earth, God in His mercy continues to reach out to a lost and rebellious world by way of the 144,000 witnesses, the two Old Testament prophets brought back to earth to testify by way of wonders and miracles so that no one on earth will have an excuse for rejecting God. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will desecrate the Temple in Jerusalem by claiming to be God and demanding that he be worshiped as God. At this time, the Antichrist is fully possessed by Satan, and God allows him to kill the two prophets, and the 144,000 who, up until this point have been protected by God. In the previous verses, we see the 144,000 in the heavenly Mount Zion with Jesus. However, God continues to show His mercy by sending His angels to proclaim the Gospel all around the earth so that all on earth (who have not yet accepted the “mark of the beast”) will have the opportunity to turn to Christ. Of that time Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine).

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Tribulation Witnesses

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

Jesus warned, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,[1] (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” (Matthew 24:15-22, emphasis mine).

Sunday, May 14, 2023

The Beast and His Mouth

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

At this point, John’s interlude continues as we anticipate the judgments that follow the seventh trumpet. In the last chapter, we saw the great celestial sign of the woman, representing the nation of Israel, giving birth to the male child, representing Jesus who would rule the nations with a rod of iron, and the dragon, representing Satan, who attempts to destroy the male child. However, the male child gets taken to heaven, so the dragon turns on the woman. John’s vision is both historical and futuristic. From the time that Jesus ascended into heaven, Satan has attempted to destroy God’s people – the Church and Israel. When the Church is removed at the Rapture, Satan will focus and intensify his efforts against the nation of Israel in order to thwart God’s plan to fulfill His covenant with the nation of Israel.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

The Woman and the Dragon

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (Revelation 12:7-8)

The seventh trumpet has sounded, but before we see the judgments that follow, John gives us another behind-the-scenes look at events from a heavenly perspective. Chronologically, the seventh trumpet sounds at the final half of the remaining three-and-one-half years of what is known as the “Great Tribulation.” This, of course, is based on my understanding of the sequence of events, and I could certainly be wrong about that. One thing for certain is that those who have placed their trust in Christ will be witnesses to these events, like John, from a heavenly perspective. Before the seven-year Tribulation begins, the Church, i.e., those who have truly placed their faith and trust in Christ for salvation, will be “snatched up abruptly” (raptured) out of the world and taken to join Jesus in the air and dwell with Him forever.

Sunday, April 30, 2023

The Seventh Trumpet

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

The Two Witnesses testify to the mercy of God that even through severe judgment, God gives a sinful and rebellious world ample opportunity to repent. For the first three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation, they have preached in the streets of Jerusalem and the whole world heard their message so that they have no excuse. Surely, many turned to Christ because of their message, but to be a Christ-believer in these times is a life-commitment indeed. We saw them underneath the altar as those who had been “slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9).

Sunday, April 23, 2023

The Two Witnesses

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3)

In the previous chapter (Revelation 10), John introduced us to a “mighty angel” carrying a Little Book who instructed John to eat it. There is a debate as to the identity of this “mighty angel.” I am in the camp that believes this “mighty angel” is none other than Jesus Christ, and the chapter that follows supports this claim, I think.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

The Little Book

And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:10)

The sixth angel has sounded his trumpet releasing a horde of demons upon the earth. One trumpet remains to sound, but at this point, John shifts our focus to events in heaven.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

The First Four Trumpets

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. (Revelation 8:6)

When the seventh seal is open, John sees seven angels to whom seven trumpets are given. The prospect of the judgments yet to come causes silence in heaven for the space of about a half hour, according to John.[1] The preceding six seals brought the initial judgments of the wrath of God and the Lamb, but they are mild compared to what comes next.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

The Seventh Seal

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. (Revelation 8:1)

How long is half an hour in heaven? Is it the same as half an hour here on Earth? Have you ever experienced half an hour in complete silence? I do not think I ever have; there are always some audible sounds even in the quietest times: the sound of the wind, bird songs, distant traffic sounds, etc. I cannot imagine total silence for even a short time, much less half an hour. I imagine it would be rather unnerving.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

The 144K

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 7:4)

The first six seals release unprecedented havoc upon the earth, and the seventh seal is next in line. Meanwhile, John shifts the focus from the judgments taking place on earth to the grace and mercy that God continues to offer the inhabitants of Earth. Even in these times, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Sunday, March 5, 2023

The Sixth Seal

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: (Matthew 24:29)

The first seal, the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal, the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal, the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. The fourth seal releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics. These will not be start and stop events. Once the start, they will progress throughout the Tribulation period. The fifth seal brings persecution and death to those who profess Christ during this time. These Christians are not the Church which was raptured before the beginning of the Tribulation. These are those who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. They are the “Tribulation Saints” who are seen under the altar of God in heaven.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

The Fifth Seal

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. (Matthew 24:9)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. The fourth seal[4] releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

The Pale Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

Sunday, February 12, 2023

The Black Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

With the first seal,[1] the white horse, and the second seal,[2] the red horse, opened, the Tribulation is well underway. By now, Antichrist controls a good majority of the nations on earth. Many others will resist his authority, bringing the world wars that come with the red horse. Several opinions predict the origins of “the beast.” Some believe he will be a Jew because the Prophet Daniel says that, “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God[3] of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:37-38, emphasis mine).

Sunday, February 5, 2023

The Red Horse

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)

The first seal released the white horse whose rider carried a bow, but no arrows, and he was “given” a crown – not a diadēma (a royal crown) but rather a stephanos (a victor’s wreath). The first seal begins what we know as the seven-year Tribulation that opens when “the prince that shall come … shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” that brings “peace” to Israel. Considering the placement of this seal (first) and that he carries a bow and no arrows, we can conclude that this rider represents the Antichrist that will come on the scene.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

The White Horse

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. (Revelation 6:1)

The first sight John saw when the risen Christ summonsed him to heaven was the vision of God on His throne. In His right hand, God held a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. The scroll represents the deed to the earth that was lost in the Garden of Eden. No one in heaven or earth was found worthy to take the scroll and break open the seals except for “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Sunday, January 22, 2023

The First Sight

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)

Sunday, January 15, 2023

The LORD Is With Thee

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto [Gideon], and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. (Judges 6:12)

The Midianites and the Amalekites had been harassing the Israelites for over seven years. These ancient-day terrorists waited until their crops were harvested, and they would swoop down like locusts and strip the land clean of all that the Israelites had worked for, including their livestock. “[Because] of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds” (Judges 6:2).

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Psalm 23

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

The LORD. This is the personal name of God, YHWH, revealed to Moses at Mount Horeb in response to Moses’ question “[when] they shall say to me, What is his name; what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:13-14). To the Jews, His name is so holy, so sacred, that they will not attempt to pronounce the name. Instead, they substitute “Adoni” (LORD) or “Ha Shem” (the name). The LORD is the Creator who made heaven and earth. The opening statement of the Bible asserts, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). John’s Gospel opens with a similar statement attributed to Jesus. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3, emphasis mine). All things came into existence with only the power of His spoken Word, which testifies to His omnipotence. The LORD is possessor, and master of all He has created.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

All New Things

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:5)

We have entered the new year, 2023. How does the future look? Do you think this year will be better than last?

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