Tag Archives: sayings of jesus

Will You Face The Great Tribulation?

Posted on 16/04/2025 | Leave a comment

Jesus spoke of a terrible time that would occur just before the time of His second coming. He referred to this as ‘the great tribulation’.

When do you expect the great tribulation to happen?  Soon?

C’mon, let’s see what Jesus told the disciples about the great tribulation in the ‘Olivet Discourse’, 2000 years ago (Matthew 24:20-22).

In that discourse, He was answering the disciples’ questions. They remembered his words and these were recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke, in the New Testament for readers of all generations.

Verse 20: “When you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ . . . .  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains . . . Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

Jesus told the disciples they would see the Abomination of Desolation—a sacrilegious defilement of the holy temple in Jerusalem—as the signal for them to get out of Judea and escape the Great Tribulation.

Note the references to Judea and the mountains, to the winter (when Judea gets very cold) on the Sabbath (the limits of travel on that day). The warning is for the people of the generation he is addressing—it is ‘your flight’. Not a warning for people 2000 years hence, but to people who observe the Sabbath, Jews.

Jesus does not know the timing of this (see v.36) so he warns the disciples of his own generation.

So, it has already happened, right?

It is impossible to conclude otherwise. Unless you think that Jesus was mistaken—perish the thought!

Stop worrying.

Verse 21: For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 

Jesus said this time of utter devastation would never be repeated. His term nor ever will shows this will not be the end of the world—again, no one could flee then!

This terrible time is one of the things that would happen before ‘this generation passes away’ (v34).   

22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

We know that the Jews who believed Jesus, the ‘elect’ left Judea and fled to the mountains, following His instructions, and were saved.

But the people remaining in Jerusalem and Judea were cut down not only by the Romans but also by one another in a terrible civil war—bringing the unprecedented horror events of 68-70 AD, described in great detail by the Jewish eyewitness historian Josephus in his War of the Jews, book 6, chap. 5, sec. 3.

On His way to the cross, Jesus said to weeping women “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are those who cannot bear and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not nursed.” (Luke 23:27-31) They must be very concerned for terrible events would happen in their own generation.

History records several temporary cessations of the assaults by the Roman army when the elect, those who followed Jesus, would have had the opportunity to escape from Judea. That’s history.

Thus all this talk about the great tribulation happening in the future and who will face it or who will escape it with some ‘rapture’ event is totally irrelevant. Paul’s letter (Thessalonians 4:16-17) has no hint of anyone fleeing anything but rather people being united with Jesus forever. Right?

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What is the Millennium Reign of Christ?

Posted on 04/04/2025 | Leave a comment

The phrase ‘the millennium reign of Christ on earth, is a form of eschatological speculation that contradicts the Church’s historical teachings on the nature of Christ’s reign. The apocalyptic passage of Revelation 20:4-6 is usually quoted by many teachers in support of this idea These writers include the popular online series ‘Got Questions?’.

These people claim that Jesus Christ will return and will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, literally sitting on the throne of David.  They quote Luke 1:32–33 as one of their proof texts:

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

No mention of Jerusalem here! He will reign not just on earth but in heaven for ever and ever. And we Christians today are enjoying His reign! For we are the true ‘Israel of God’ as Paul declared (Galatians 6:16).

Sending His disciples He said “all power is given unto me in heaven and earth.” (Mat 28:18)

Rev 1:5. John wrote: he is the ruler of all the kings of the world.

Rev 11:15 . . . . the seventh angel sounded  . . . . saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever'”.

Daniel 7:27: And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Revelation 20 just does not connect with the idea ‘while Christ reigns over the earth.’ It says ‘They reigned with Christ for a thousand years.’ Yes, but on earth? No. They have died and they have received their resurrection and will reign with him where He is, in heaven. (Revelation 20:4-6)

See John 14:3: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Let’s interpret the obscure, apocalyptic passages of scripture by text that is perspicuous—a sound hermeneutic. Jesus has ascended and is reigning now and is seated at the right hand of God. To say He will take up residence in earthly Jerusalem is junk theology—believed by millions in a cult.

These teachers claim that unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish the kingdom.

These covenants don’t ‘demand’ a physical return. A physical return cannot be proved. Why do people think He would be optically ‘seen’ at His coming in judgment hidden in clouds of glory? He whom no one can see and live? Christian, we walk by faith, not by sight!

He told Pilate ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’

They claim that the Abrahamic covenant promises Israel a land, a posterity and ruler, and a spiritual blessing quoting Genesis 12:1–3. But what does it say:

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God covenanted with Abraham (you/thee, sing.) not Israel. All people will be blessed because of Abraham’s seed, which is Christ! See Galatians 3:7-9:  Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

They claim that the Palestinian covenant promised Israel a restoration to the land and occupation of the land (Deuteronomy 30:1–10).  

True. But then the passage goes on, see verse 18: But if to other gods and [you] worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

They made the wrong choice, again and again and again. Consequently, they were certainly destroyed when Judea, Jerusalem and people were ravaged by the Roman armies in 66-70 AD after the real Jewish followers of Christ had escaped just as He instructed them. “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfilment of all that has been written. (Luke 21:20-22).

They also claim that the Davidic covenant promised Israel a king from David’s line who would rule forever—giving the nation rest from all their enemies (2 Samuel 7:10–13).

When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 

That was fulfilled at the birth of Jesus as we saw above in Luke 1:32–33.

See also Daniel 7:13-14: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.

In conclusion, let me say that this whole idea we have looked at here, rather briefly, is not reflected at all in the pages of the New Testament. Their proof texts are mostly from the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation.

All of this goes along with the obsession millions have about the nation-state of Israel founded not by God Almighty but by politicians and global elites like the wealthy Ashkenazi Jewish banking family Rothschilds.

We are the people of God as Peter wrote to congregations of Jews and Gentiles (1 Peter 2:9).

Repeating, God covenanted with Abraham (Gen 12:1-3):

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Today, we believers in Jesus are that ‘great nation’, not the Israeli state. We are blessed and will be a blessing, and all peoples on earth are being blessed by us!

Let’s do it!

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The Timing of Jesus’ Return

Posted on 25/03/2025 | 1 comment

This article discusses what the New Testament says about the timing of Jesus’ second coming.

We are often reminded by teachers that Jesus said “about that day or hour no one knows, not even angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mat 24:44) as if that should end any further discussion.

But there are a surprising number of passages referring to the timing of his coming. Let’s check them out.

First. Matthew 10:23. “But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Jesus was speaking to his disciples as he sends them out to preach and heal in their mission to the Jews. 

The phrase “the Son of Man comes” is a clear reference to Jesus’ Second Coming. Jesus was telling his disciples that their mission will not be completed before his return, and that they should not be discouraged by persecution, but instead to flee to another city of Israel and continue their work. They are only to go to cities of Israel, to Jews, not to Gentiles.

This passage also emphasizes the urgency of the disciples’ mission, as they are to proclaim the gospel in all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes, a huge task taking several decades. The time was very short and that they must work to spread the message before it is too late for the hearers to repent and believe the gospel. We read about this activity in Acts, Paul preaching first to the Jews.

This is a 1st century Jewish setting and cannot fit any other historic period, let alone 2000 years in future.

Second. Mat 16:27-28. 27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.  “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus was speaking to His disciples and making a profound statement about His Second Coming and the final judgment. This is a 1st century setting and cannot possibly fit any other future historic period.

Though some interpret this as referring to the Transfiguration (Mat 17:1-8), where 3 disciples witness Jesus in a glorified state. That was an important preview of Christ’s role as supreme prophet and king. But there was no mention of his Return or judgment and it was only a few days after the Matthew 16 statement.

Third. Mat 23:38-39. ‘Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Jesus declared that the temple will be left desolate, abandoned.—a prophecy of its destruction which we know came by the Romans in 70 AD. Jesus’ body will replace the temple (see John 2:13-21).

The people of Jerusalem will not see Jesus again until they acknowledge and bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord—Jesus himself, as the One who was to return. The Jews will not recognize him as such until they use this phrase to greet him. This was spoken only a few days before they crucified him.

Fourth. Mat 24:14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (Greek oikoumenē) as a testimony to all peoples (Greek ethnos), and then the end will come.

Jesus was speaking to His disciples discussing the signs of the end and His coming and on the spread of the gospel before the end of the age; the time of his return is linked to the completion of their task.

Note Strongs G3525 oikoumenē can exclude ‘whole earth’ e.g., Luke 2:1, Luke 21:26, Acts 24:5, Rom 10:18.  

Note also Strongs G1484 ethnos can meana company, troop, swarm, people group not just ‘nations’

Fourth. Mat 24:15-20:  “when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ . . . .  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains . . . Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

Jesus said the disciples would see the Abomination of Desolation the signal to get out of Judea and escape the Great Tribulation. Note the reference to Sabbath and the limits of travel—all purely a Judean context.

Fifth. Mat 24:32-34. “ . . . . lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

‘All these things’ they see include the Abomination of Desolation, the Great Tribulation, the destruction of the temple and the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens and his return must have happened. If they did not happen then Jesus was at best mistaken (a decision reached by C S Lewis) or worse a false prophet.

The word ‘near’ and the phrase ‘right at the door’ can only mean his coming was quite imminent. It cannot possibly mean centuries in the future. It must be within the generation of his hearers, the disciples.

Sixth. Mat 24:44. “about that day or hour no one knows, not angels . . . nor the Son, but only the Father”

Notice Jesus used the terms hour or day of his coming—not that year, century or millennium.

Seventh. Acts 1:10-11.  After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. The two men in white said to the disciples “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

taken up before their eyes into a cloud: They quickly lost sight of him straining to see him, because it was not a rain cloud but a cloud of God’s glory—see Dan 7:13, Mat 17:5-8, 24:30, 26:63-64;, Rev 1:7, Rev 11:12.  

just the same way as: This Greek construction occurs in Mat 23:37. Greek tropos: like as, in the same way.

How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings . . .

Jesus said he was like a hen–not a hen! Jesus’ return is similar to his departure. He disappears in the cloud and when he returns he will come hidden in clouds of God’s glory, clouds hiding him like when he left.

When he came in judgment destroying the Temple he came in the clouds, just as He promised (Mat 24:30), and just as the same clouds of glory that shrouded Him as He ascended. Why should people  believe that he could be seen bodily, he who dwells in the splendour and glory of Almighty God?

This passage strongly suggests that his coming was to occur within the lifespan of those present. His coming is not a “coming” that will occur in our future, for indeed, it has already occurred.

How could the apostles be so sure?

There are over one hundred passages in the apostles’ letters showing how the first believers were more than confident of his return in their lifetime. Just as these ‘timing’ passages confine Christ’s Second Coming to the first-century generation, they saw the end of the age squarely in that generation as well. See e.g.

-Phil 3:20.  . And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

-Titus 2:11f. we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, J

-2 Thes 2:1.  . .  about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.

James 5:8-9. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

I conclude: Jesus must have already returned!  Please comment and explain if you are unconvinced

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You Ignore My Son

Posted on 03/03/2025 | 1 comment

“You have ignored my Word, my plan, my purpose. Above all you have ignored my Son. My Son, who has given His life for you, my Anointed One, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

You have not listened but have continued with your traditions and useless religious programmes.

You have ignored what He taught, what He demonstrated as your example, to follow Him and His lowliness.

You have ignored His way, neglected His power always available from the Holy Spirit.

What did my Son start on the earth? What did he command his followers?

Make disciples!

Instead you have trusted in what the world has to offer. How can you treat Him like this? You should be ashamed of your apathy, of your lifeless sermons, keeping your seated membership in ignorance and in straightjackets, bound up in practices I never intended.

Who told you to build ‘churches’?—that word is an abomination to me.

You give yourselves a name, an identity, a constitution, an incorporation. You build buildings and spend money on things that are perishing. You rely on money and serve it as your master when I have called this Mammon and warned you that you cannot serve me and mammon at the same time.

Like the world, you use their marketing strategies, and thus compete with rival pathetic pseudo-religious corporations. You appoint CEOs and call them ‘senior pastors’. Where is this in the teaching of my Son or in the doctrines of the apostles?

Like the world, I see jealousy, ambition, merchandise, control, titles, vainglory.

You try hard to follow me in YOUR way but not in MY way. So you end up doing it YOUR way.

You strive when my yoke is easy, my burden light. You are labouring for wages and not out of love for me.  

You ignore Truth and prefer to believe lies like expecting some future rapture experience after my Son actually returned 2000 years as He promised!

And the lie that you believe about this nation you call Israel when you are the chosen race, the holy nation, My own people.

Yet I still love you even as you ignore me, as my love for you is forever and inexhaustible.”

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Posted in Assembling, church, Discipleship, Eschatology, Go Forth, Israel, Make disciples

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Jesus Has Come

Posted on 10/02/2025 | Leave a comment

Jesus came back within the generation of his peers!

Please look up and study very carefully Matthew 24 :32–34.

And when you’ve studied this passage carefully, perhaps you will come to a different opinion when you can understand that Jesus came back within the lifetime of many of his contempories.

Was Jesus mistaken? The esteemed writer C S Lewis said Jesus was mistaken! Jesus did not come back as he said (See his book “The World’s Last Night”). That is also the view of many liberal scholars and Islamic writers. This discredits Jesus. They fail to look at the rest of the New Testament.

Christ has already come back long ago. He came at the ‘end of the age’ i.e., the end of the Jewish (Mosaic) age, the end of the Old Covenant. It was NOT the end of the world or the end of history. It was the end of Judaism. Jesus came when Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Temple were utterly destroyed (the great tribulation). It was a divine visitation. 

This is just unbelief period, plain and simple. This unbelief is so dishonouring of our Lord. it must break his heart. Of course, he is so forgiving. That’s amazing.

Let’s think about Peter, James and John listening to Jesus, when He spoke of the sign of Jesus’ coming:

 30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the land. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds—from the end of the sky to the other. 32 Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.  (Matthew, 24:30-34)

How did these disciples and other apostles such as the apostle Paul respond to this information? That’s very easy! We can tell how they responded by their writings in the NT. They wrote unaminously of Jesus’ coming using terms like “right at the door,” “soon,” “near” and “at hand”. These do not mean 2000 years.

Right?

The first believers “waited eagerly” for his appearing (1 Cor 1:7-8, Gal 5:5 , Phil 3:20, 2 Tim 4:8, Heb 9:26-28).

Question: But could the disciples have possibly thought that by ‘generation’ Jesus meant something else far into the future, like some today who twist the scriptures saying that ‘generation’ here meant ‘race’ (the Jewish race) or others that say that by ‘generation’ Jesus meant some future generation who would see the signs of the end. No!

How can I say that? Because they took his words plainly and seriously as we can see in the rest of the New Testament!

Let God be true and every man a liar (Rom 3:4). Truth matters, evidence matters. We have been told a terrible lie. How can we behave so unfaithfully, ignoring what Jesus actually said?

Have you been brainwashed, deceived, indoctrinated? People will believe whatever they hear and do whatever they’re told by famous commentators, commentaries, or pastors. They have all been groomed by ‘dispensationalism,’ and they will follow that to the edge of a cliff.   If you’re still oblivious to the fact that you’ve been brainwashed into some sort of cult, it’s probably because you’ve already been indoctrinated.

Time to wake up. It’s time to stop waiting for the ‘rapture’. Time to spread the word of God.

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Jesus came—Period

Posted on 27/01/2025 | Leave a comment

This will be brief.

Please look up and study very carefully these three passages from Matthew’s Gospel.

Firstly, Matthew 10:23. Matthew 16:27 to 28 and Matthew 24 :32 to 34.

And when you’ve studied these carefully, perhaps you will come to a different opinion when you can understand that Jesus came back within the generation of his peers.

The alternative is that Jesus was mistaken. That was the view of the esteemed C S Lewis—see his book “The World’s Last Night”. It is also the view of many liberal scholars and Islamic writers.

This discredits Jesus.

No. Christ has already come back long ago. He came at the ‘end of the age’ i.e., the end of the Jewish (Mosaic) age or the end of the Old Covenant.

It was NOT the end of the world or the end of history. It was the end of Judaism.

Jesus came when Jerusalem and the Holy Temple were utterly destroyed (the great tribulation). It was a divine visitation or Parousia. 

The very novel ‘rapture’ doctrine was created around the 1830’s by an exclusive Brethren Englishman, John Nelson Darby and propagandised by an American criminal called ‘Dr’ Cyrus Schofield who created the Scofield Reference Bible. Today millions of ‘Bible believing’ people believe this Satanic teaching. It is against the Kingdom of God and leads to pessimism and a ‘I wanna get outa here’ mentality.

Read Matthew 23 37-38 where Jesus addressed, castigated the Jewish leaders:

“As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.”

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Jesus—A False Prophet?

Posted on 06/01/2025 | Leave a comment

Jesus made many, many promises to his disciples. Some of these promises were prophesies about his second coming. Here are just a few recorded in the Gospel of Matthew: see Mat 10:23, 16:27-28.23:34-36, 24:34. However let’s just look at the last one of these in more detail:

I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Jesus and his apostles prophesied many times about his imminent second coming, and yet countless numbers of believers today still hold that no such return took place? So was Jesus wrong? Or have they have misunderstood what had been said?

Famed Christian apologist C S Lewis wrote a collection of essays, called ‘The World’s Last Night’, (Harvest Books, 1st edition, November 4, 2002). In that book Lewis wrote:

“It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.”

He goes on: “It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side. That they stood thus in the mouth of Jesus himself, and were not merely placed thus by the reporter, we surely need not doubt . . . . . . .  he would never have recorded the confession of ignorance at all; he could have had no motive for doing so except a desire to tell the whole truth. And unless later copyists were equally honest they would never have preserved the (apparently) mistaken prediction about “this generation” after the passage of time had shown the (apparent) mistake. This passage (Mark 13:30-32) and the cry “Why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) together make up the strongest proof that the New Testament is historically reliable. The evangelists have the first great characteristic of honest witnesses: they mention facts which are, at first sight, damaging to their main contention. The facts are these: that Jesus professed himself (in some sense) ignorant, and within a moment showed that he really was so. ….”

So Lewis believed Jesus prophesied that he would return in that same generation. Lewis did not attempt to twist any words of Jesus to make them talk about some future generation, like some commentators. Lewis then concluded that those prophesies were not fulfilled at that time.  So Jesus and his apostles were delusional.

Lewis’ error stems from unrealistic expectations about what Jesus had in mind: Jesus prophesied the imminent end of the world, yet the world is still here. Jesus was wrong.

But it was not to be the end of the world. In 70 AD, Jesus came and went, having finished every single thing he promised to do, and the world is still with us today.

But why did Lewis then not reject Jesus and the apostles and return to atheism? For Lewis, the high status of Christ remained! This makes no sense.  If Lewis’ ideas were correct, it would make Jesus a liar and false prophet.

The Bible defines a false prophet as one who prophesies events that do not come to pass. If someone prophesied that a specific events would take place within a specific time and that time were to come and go without the event happening, then he could legitimately be labelled as a false prophet.

So dear reader, can you see that if you think Jesus did not come just as he promised, within that generation, you must conclude that Jesus was a false prophet.

Jesus said that he did not know “the day or the hour” of his coming. But he emphatically knew the generation within which he would come—his own, and that of his first followers!

What Lewis held was the wrong notion that Jesus’ return would mean the end of the world. He then decided to question Jesus’ understanding, rather than his own. 

Dear reader, are you making the same mistake as this greatly esteemed apologist? Perhaps you should question your own understanding, rather than the Lord Jesus’ understanding? Hey?

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Gleanings from The Letter to the Hebrews: The Final Days—Part 3

Posted on 18/12/2024 | Leave a comment

Recapping

These Jesus’ followers were new Christians though they still identified as Jewish. They were the true people of God but were suffering, opposed, persecuted by apostate Jews, who refused to accept Jesus. 

Remember, the letters in the New Testament were not written to us today but they can still be very important for us—audience relevance is important.  This letter is full of warnings and for today’s Christian this is just as relevant.  So let’s again plunge into some important passages.

Hebrews 10:1

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 

The whole Mosaic system was only a shadow, not reality. Now these “good things” had come for these first century believers by virtue of Jesus’ perfect self-sacrifice. Why would they ever go back to a dim preview having to repeat sacrifices every year, all utterly failing to cleanse worshippers?

Why then do many Christian believers today support the return of this system—focusing on modern Israel, on the rebuilding a new temple and re-introduction of the sacrificial system? This is NOT Christian. This is idolatry! Christ alone must be our focus. He alone is able to provide perfect cleansing for our sins. To bless “Israel” is to reject Christ—to turn our backs on him.

Hebrews 10:14

For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

Think of it! His one offering forever made them and us today perfect! Forever perfect in his sight—past tense. This wondrous fact, despite our ever-present need to reject sin, as we “are being made holy”—our constant sanctification process. Amazing grace!

Hebrews 10:36-38

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

Our author encourages his readers to have patience and endurance in doing the will of God. He reminds them (not us) it will only be a little while when the coming one will come and NOT delay and they will receive all that he has promised! Even though they have received so much in his atoning death and resurrection, there is more to come when Jesus returns!

Were these first century believers disappointed? I think not! They would have experienced their completed salvation, the assured finishing of the atonement (see last post, Hebrews 9:28). Jesus had come as promised (see Matthew 10:23, 16:17-18, 24:34).

Now, let’s imagine for a moment that he did not come. Imagine you were one of the first century believers and as the last few in your community passed away and Jesus had not returned as expected. You are horrified. Suddenly you realise Jesus was a false prophet. You feel the horror, the torment and the abandonment of all you had been taught. Your teachers had been deceived, had believed a lie. Your hope dashed to pieces. You realise the ‘gospel’ was a myth, a fairy tale. You abandon making any disciples. All over the Roman world heart-broken ‘believers’ stop meeting together and sharing good news. The way, the truth and the life comes to an end forever.

If Christ had not already come you and I would not be sharing in Jesus’ blessing would we? Get it?

So does this not demonstrate that Jesus has already returned a second time?

Hebrews 12:22-24

. . . .  you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

Our author encourages his readers to realise that even before Jesus comes they have come to so much. What a list! This is for us today too. Let’s be encouraged. Note the past tense “have come”!

The way they have come is by faith (Hebrews 11). Not by a physical mountain, a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, as the Israelites had at Mount Sinai. This is nothing like a physical or bodily “catching-up” (a rapture) into the heavenly realm. It is a participation in Jesus by faith. Note the past tense “have come”!

They had come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Contrast this with the Zionism we see today, focussed on an earthbound Jerusalem, the city of false gods.

They had come to the glorious company of thousands of angels. Angels are there for them and us. They are servants—“spirits sent to serve and care for people who will inherit salvation.” (Heb 1:14)

They had come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. The word assembly (Greek ekklesia), a non-religious word, horribly translated ‘church’. They and we are called ‘God’s firstborn’ meaning the privileged ones who inherit God’s Kingdom.

They had come to God himself, who is the judge over all things, to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who are perfect, to Jesus our mediator and to the sprinkled blood—forgiveness instead of vengeance. 

So much fantastic blessing for them and for us!

Hebrews 12:27-29

When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also. This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.  Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

The expected shaking was in the future for these 1st century believers. Our author recalls Haggai 2:6. “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land.”Now that prophecy was about to be fulfilled for them “in just a little while”—not after 2000 years!

Hebrews 13:14.

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Here again we have the phrase ‘to come’ translating the Greek word mello meaning “about to come”. These 1st century believers were expecting their permanent or lasting home soon!

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Gleanings from The Letter to the Hebrews: ‘The Final Days’—Part 2

Posted on 09/12/2024 | Leave a comment

Recapping

These Jesus’ followers were new Christians though still identified as Jewish. They were the true people of God as all “who remain confident in their hope in Christ. They were suffering, opposed, persecuted by apostate Jews, who refused to accept Jesus. 

Remember, the letters in the New Testament were not written to us today but they can be very important for us.  This letter is full of warnings and for today’s Christian this is just as relevant.  For “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). So let’s dive into some important passages.

Hebrews 6:2

You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Our author tells his readers to move on from such “basic principles” as the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. These are three elementary matters frequently ignored by believers today. I spent 3 years in a theological college without hearing anything about any of these three matters. Yet the New Testament has much emphasis on these. The “Hebrews” must move on from these to spiritual maturity. How many today ignore these basics let alone moving on to spiritual maturity! Why are so many today still “babes in Christ” (Hebrews 5:12)?

The practice of laying on of hands is generally confined to “charismatic” people, in healing the sick (James 5) or in the giving of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 1:6). But God says it’s basic! It should be everyday practice!

The resurrection of the dead is something no one seems to talk about these days. Maybe people don’t like to talk about death. But this also something very basic—it’s milk for babies! Paul has a very long passage (1 Corinthians 15) and Jesus spoke about it as coming after death (Mat 22:30). “Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back” (1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT). Was Paul thinking that these first-century believers won’t be raised for another 2000 years? Of course not! That’s absurd. At the beginning of this letter he told them “Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.” (1 Cor 1:7-8 NLT)

Rarely do we hear a sermon on eternal judgment. What happens after death and resurrection is important for all believers. Very often one of us will say that the idea of standing before the Lord and having Him evaluate our lives is a very sobering thought. No matter how confident a person may be in this world, it is hard to see how any of us could be confident on that day. But our author, Paul and other apostles said we can have confidence (1 John 2:28)!

Hebrews 6:13-15

 . . . . .  there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number. Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

This is a reminder how that promise to Abraham came true for us down to this very day. For we who follow Jesus are the true people of God. We are Abraham’s descendants. Jesus said to unbelieving Jews “I tell you this that many Gentiles will come from all over the world –from east and west–and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites–those for whom the Kingdom was prepared–will be thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12). And Paul wrote: “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise”. (Galatians 3:29)

Hebrews 8:13

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.

God made the Old Covenant already obsolete 2000 years ago. Out of date. Why then are so many believers today so focussed on the nation called Israel? There cannot be two Covenants. There can only be one. Only one people of God. We Jesus people are the Israel of God receiving the blessing of God, not today’s nation state called Israel (Galatians 6:16). Christians should not support this Israel state which is no more worthy than any other state.

Be aware that the today’s “Israel” was established with the backing of the atheistic, Ashkenazi-Jewish, Rothschild family that decided to create the country. In 1917, the Rothschild’s used their money, power, and influence to strike a secret deal with the British government for the establishment of the modern state with the name Israel.

The word ‘soon’ is the Greek engys which means imminent, soon to come to pass. For Christians in the first century what was coming soon was in the near future. But for us today we do not live in the Old Covenant. We enjoy the New.

Hebrews 9:26-28 

. . . . .  But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.  And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

Jesus was born at “the end of the age.” This “end” was the end of the Jewish age, the Old Covenant age, not the end of the world! As Peter wrote “God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.”(1 Peter 1:20). That age ended after the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70.

Jesus first appearing was but once to put away sin by his offering up of himself. Done! But there was more to do so he must come again—complete salvation to all (then) who were eagerly waiting for him”!

Under the Old Covenant when the Jews saw their high priest enter the sanctuary on their behalf, they waited expectedly for his reappearance. When they saw him emerge alive, that was a welcome sign that he and the sacrifice which he presented had been accepted by God.

In the same way, Jesus’ return was proof that his offering was accepted by God. If you believe that Jesus has not already come, then rejoice for you have received full salvation because he has already come! Now that’s Good News!

Suppose he didn’t come back in his own generation as he promised (Matthew 24:34). That’s what most evangelicals believe—still waiting after 2000 years. If that is so then salvation would not be complete for anyone! Right?

The term “salvation” here is meant Christ’s completed salvation, his finishing of the atonement, the great high-priest of our salvation having appeared victorious in the Heavenly places.  Salvation is a multifaceted concept, encompassing deliverance from sin, Satan, death, and God’s wrath, ultimately leading to union with God and glorification.

The Jews believed that the end of the age would be the end of the Jewish economy and the close of their civil and ecclesiastical state. According to Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for a future time; It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” So the Jews were expecting their Messiah “for a future time, at the end” and it will not be delayed. The first believers just had to wait patiently—it would not be delayed. It is absurd to believe they are still waiting after 2000 years.

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They eagerly awaited! 

Posted on 26/11/2024 | Leave a comment

The first Christians were awaiting the imminent return of the Saviour with great eagerness and joy. We know this from many texts in the writings of Paul in the New Testament, that they expected this momentous event ‘soon’ and possibly in their lifetime.

Recently while having coffee with a young friend, she said she was eagerly waiting for Jesus’ return. She gushed “I can hardly wait for the Rapture to come!” So young with much of her life still ahead of her! A life she could be spending serving her King here. Instead she wanted ‘out of here’.

Are you like her, awaiting the ‘soon’ return of Jesus?

Let’s examine some of Paul’s words written about 51 AD to the Thessalonians (1:9 -10):

 . . . . you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Paul, writing to believing Christians living in the Roman city of Thessalonica, expected with them, an imminent, soon return of the Lord. That is a fact.

Please read that passage again. Paul believed they (and Paul himself) were waiting for Jesus to come from heaven. Let the implications of that sink in.

Yair I know. That’s a challenge.

As we read this letter today, bear in mind we are reading mail written to believers living 2000 years ago. We must resist the temptation to think we are being addressed by Paul or by the Holy Spirit. Many people think it applies to us today. That is absurd.

This praise of the Thessalonians from Paul and Silvanus doesn’t make sense unless Jesus actually returned in their generation a long time ago. If he did not, nothing in that letter was of any benefit!

Paul knew and believed that Jesus was coming back before his generation had passed away. Of course, following Jesus’ words, Paul did not know “either the day nor the hour” of his return. But he and all the apostles knew it would occur while many would still be alive. Jesus had said it. (Mat 24:30-34)

Were they mistaken? Or more seriously, was Jesus mistaken?

If they were mistaken then their faith was in vain. For all Paul had taught these Thessalonians would have been a waste of time! That would mean the END of the Christian faith. Despair. Hopelessness. Eternal life gone. Resurrection gone. All gone. No one would be following Jesus today!

Please think logically about this.

Let me ask you who still await Jesus’ coming a very important question.

Do you really, seriously, logically imagine that those same real believers who eagerly read Paul’s words, were then terribly disappointed because if they continued to notice others of their community, one by one, passing away while Jesus still had not come, as Paul taught!

If Jesus still had not come then–which is what many modern believers seem to hold—and when the last one of those original Thessalonian believers would have passed away, can you imagine the consternation, the feelings of utter despair and loss of trust in God that would have followed?

Today, some 2000+ years have passed since those original Thessalonian believers were alive. So if you hold the view that Jesus is yet to appear a second time, it logically follows that the faith of Paul’s readers must have been totally in vain. Destroyed.

Then, no one would have ever heard the gospel! The Christian message would be dead in the water from that point.

Come on. Think about it for a minute: If Jesus’ coming was near for these believers, it cannot be near for us, can it? And if Jesus’ coming is still coming near for us today, you must conclude Paul was in gross error.

Do you see the problem? Your problem?

Ask yourself this question: if those Thessalonians were wrong by expecting Jesus to come within their lifetime, why didn’t Paul correct them? Why didn’t he write ‘no, you’ve got it wrong, Jesus won’t be coming for a long, long, time!’

But Paul did not correct them. Instead he continued to encourage them as he wrote this letter to encourage them and then followed it with another letter, which we call Second Thessalonians, with further encouragements about Jesus’ imminent return in judgment on His enemies, unbelieving Israel!

Can you see how illogical it is to expect Jesus to return a second time today if ithat event was promised for the Thessalonians? There wont be a third coming either.

If you trust Paul’s letters were and are the true Word of God, your belief is logically impossible.

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