Perspective by Jack Kelley

Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world. (Luke 21:26)

I realize that the above verse is meant for the Great Tribulation, but it came to mind as I read some of the “news reports” that have come across my screen this week. Here’s a sample of what’s currently going around.

• The President and all of his men are lying through their teeth regarding the government’s health care proposal. They plan to take over the insurance industry, require everyone to enroll, and appoint bureaucrats we’ll never meet to determine the level of care we deserve.
• People will take to the streets this fall in rebellion against the government’s attempt to make flu shots mandatory.
• The coming commercial real estate and credit card melt downs will be the worst yet.
• By mid fall the talking heads on Sunday news shows will be openly using the word “depression” to describe our economic condition.
• In a move to replace the dollar, banks will close for a few days soon to prepare for issuing new currency. When they reopen everyone will discover that the new currency is only worth 8-16 cents on the dollar.
• The National Guard is recruiting people they can train to become internment/resettlement specialists, perhaps to man the internment camps that are being constructed across the country.
• The government is working on a way to implement “preventive detention” programs to lock people up in advance for crimes they might commit.

These are just the reports I received from sources I have always believed to be credible. I won’t even mention the ones I get from the “wing nuts” out there. I have no idea whether any of these claims are true. And that’s part of the problem. I don’t think there’s one single unbiased information source left in this country. Everyone’s pushing some kind of agenda. The middle ground seems to have totally eroded away, and people on both sides are becoming just plain mean to anyone who disagrees with them. This polarization of opinions has effectively put an end to any meaningful discussion.

As a result, a growing number of people believe that the government is trying to pull a fast one on us and they’re upset. And when it seems like all the government does is attack those who criticize them, it makes people even more suspicious.

And that’s what made me think of Luke 21:26. They say our greatest fear is the fear of the unknown and right now there’s a lot that’s unknown. So let’s take a moment to review what we can know and focus on that.

We Know This

The first thing we know is that historically, God has always taken issue with those in leadership positions when their plans have run contrary to the welfare of His children. He had the Prophet Micah explain this in no uncertain terms.

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance.

Therefore, the LORD says, “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity. (Micah 2:1-3)

Obviously Micah was speaking to Israel, but the parallels with current events are striking, and Paul did say that everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. (Romans 15:4) According to some, the biggest transfer of wealth in history has just taken place. Before this is over many will have had their homes and property seized and many more will have been defrauded of their inheritance.

But wait a minute, you say, fraud implies a dishonest intent. Indeed it does. Does any body believe the current financial meltdown, decades in the making, just snuck up on us? Were the best financial minds alive today all taken by surprise? Did those in the know suffer the loss of half their assets too? Where did all the money go?

On one day last week a panel of economists declared that the recession is over, and a major bank reported paying over $3 billion in bonuses to its senior staff. The next day we learned that retail sales for July had plunged unexpectedly and a record number of new unemployment applications had been filed. And the recession that’s supposed to be over won’t show us any solid proof of its demise until the middle of 2010. Are you feeling a little like a mushroom? (Kept in the dark and fed a bunch of manure?)

In effect the Lord had Micah tell the leaders of Israel, “You’re lying in bed at night devising new schemes for defrauding my people? Fine. I’m lying in bed at night devising ways to punish you.” Who does history say won that contest? If it’s going on again, who will win this one?

And We Know This

So if we’re being victimized, the leaders responsible for doing it will get theirs. But the Lord has a message for the victims too, and that’s the second thing we know. There are many versions of this message, and we’ve covered some of them before. King David wrote this one.

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.(Psalm 37:1-4)

When evil men prosper, it doesn’t have to be at our expense. The Lord has unlimited resources and by trusting in Him our heart’s desires can be fulfilled regardless of what others do. We start by trusting in him (we yield our lives to Him) and doing good (literally, we’re pleasant and agreeable toward Him). We dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture (we abide in Him and let Him provide for us). We also delight ourselves in Him (we let Him pamper us). As we do He gives us the desires of our heart (answers our prayers and petitions). Are you out of work, or worried that you soon will be? Are you losing your home or other assets? It might be a great opportunity to turn your life over to the Lord, and let Him do all the things He’s always wanted to do for you. Remember, Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Still OK financially? Do it anyway.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil.

For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. (Psalm 37:5-9)

We need only commit our hearts to Him and trust Him to do this. Even if it seems like wicked men are prevailing against us, we’re to be patient and not get angry or lose hope. We can afford to be like the first century Christians who joyfully accepted the confiscation of their property, because they knew that they themselves had better and lasting possessions. Like them, we should not throw away our confidence; it will be richly rewarded. We need to persevere so that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:34-36)

Remember when Pharaoh’s army had the Israelites trapped between the mountains and the Red Sea? The people felt betrayed and were terrified. They demanded that Moses explain how he had gotten them into such a mess.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” (Exodus 14:13)

That’s still good advice. The Lord is not like us. He doesn’t change His mind or break His commitments. (Numbers 23:19) The promises of Psalm 37 are still more certain than the most ironclad agreement you could ever negotiate on Earth. You only have to trust Him.

That’s all we can do, and that’s all we need to do. We can’t trust our leaders, we can’t trust the experts, we can’t trust the media. We can only trust the Lord.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) This we know. These are my thoughts on 08-15-09.

]]> http://gracethrufaith.com/my-thoughts/things-we-know/feed/ 0 http://gracethrufaith.com/my-thoughts/the-way-it-was-meant-to-be/ http://gracethrufaith.com/my-thoughts/the-way-it-was-meant-to-be/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:50 +0000 admin http://gracethrufaith.com/?p=9784 Commentary by Jack Kelley

The Prosperity Gospel teachers are right when they say that the Lord intended for us to live abundant lives.  The problem is that these teachers have misrepresented the Lord’s motives in making these promises to a point where although they themselves are personally awash in material wealth, their followers rank 2nd lowest of all American Christians in average income.  (Source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life2)  The Lord intended for us to be financially secure so we’d be generous to a fault, not so we could amass personal fortunes at the expense of others.

But that’s a story for another day.  Our topic here is the way it was meant to be.  In spite of current evidence to the contrary the Lord always intended for our lives to be much better than those of the pagan/secular world.  I’ll show you what I mean. Here are some of the things God had Moses tell the Israelites when He was preparing them for their life in the Promised Land,

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.  He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.  You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.  The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. (Deut. 7:12-15)

Their crops would never fail and would always be abundant. Their flocks and herds would grow in number season after season.  Every marriage would produce happy healthy offspring.  There would be no disease.  In modern terms, this means job security and steadily increasing household wealth, in addition to being blessed with great kids and good health.  In short, they would live long and happy lives, secure in the Lord’s blessings.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. (Deut 8:10-11)

He also admonished them never to forget the source of their prosperity,

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (Deut. 8:17-18)

and not make the mistake of thinking they had created their own success.  There were to be no self made men in Israel. He would bless them beyond measure, but He wanted all the credit for doing so.

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.  This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. (Deut 15: 1-2)

If a person did come upon hard times and had to borrow money, any balance remaining after seven years had to be forgiven. (By the way, according to Deut. 23:19, it was also forbidden for a lender to charge interest on these loans.)  There was no long term debt.  And once every generation not only were all debts forgiven, but any who had sold themselves into servitude to pay their debts were set free, and any real property they had sold was returned to them. There was no incentive for empire building, or enriching one’s self at the expense of the less fortunate. (Leviticus 25:8-55)

However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,  if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. (Deut. 15:4-5)

Having to go into debt because of personal hard times should have been an almost unheard of situation.  He promised them uninterrupted prosperity in exchange for obedience.

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.  Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. (Deut 15:7-8,10)

He wanted them to demonstrate their generosity toward each other out of gratitude for the generosity He had demonstrated toward them.

During the reigns of David and Solomon, these promises came true in a way never before seen on Earth.  Israel was blessed with a standard of living that was the envy of every nation.  Especially during the reign of Solomon, Israel was the healthiest, wealthiest, and happiest nation on Earth.

That Was Then, This Is Now

Now I know what you’re thinking.  All that was in Old Testament times.  But before you say that these promises were only for Israel, think about this.  I’ll show you that all these promises are repeated in the New Testament, only now they’ re directed toward the Church.  American Christians need to remember this.  America didn’t become the wealthiest nation on Earth because the Lord promised to bless our nation like He did Israel. There is absolutely no Scripture to support such a view.  America became wealthy because the freedom to pursue the Christian religion without government interference (separation of Church and State) attracted so many faith filled Christians to its shores that for all practical purposes America became the headquarters for the Church on Earth.  As He had promised, God blessed these believers.  It’s what came to be known as the Protestant work ethic that produced America’s wealth, and made even average Americans wealthy beyond the expectations of average non-Americans.

Even a cursory study of American history will show that with few exceptions our government has always been corrupt, big business has always taken advantage of the little guy, and there’s always been an elite group lurking in the shadows, enriching themselves from the sweat of the common people.  Most of our founding fathers were deists.  That means they believed in God, but rejected the notion that He would ever involve Himself in human affairs.  In spite of their lip service, they never expected God to bless America because deists don’t believe God blesses any nation.   They think He just observes His  creation from afar.  It was the Church who started thinking of itself as the new Israel, not the government, (and certainly not God).  What the politicians did was to play up  to that false doctrine, blurring the distinction between religion and patriotism as a way to get re-elected.

America’s decline began when separation of Church and State was re-interpreted to mean that the government could not do anything that was perceived as favoring one religion over another.   Having divorced itself from the Church,  America no longer had any right to the blessings that had come to it because of the Church.  In seizing the philosophical control of the government, non-believers succeeded only in killing the goose that been laying America’s golden eggs, and in the span of a generation or so America went from being the world’s largest lender to becoming its largest borrower. It was a stunning reversal of  fortune.

But that doesn’t mean God’s promises to the Church were rendered null and void.  God’s word can’t be broken by the actions of a corrupt government.  Consider these.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt. 6:31-34)

This is the New Testament equivalent of the promises of Deut. 7:12-15.  The difference is that it was not made to a nation, like it was in the Old Testament, but to the Church.  And the condition is not obedience, it’s faith.  When we seek the righteousness imputed to us by faith and focus on the coming Kingdom in which our true citizenship is vested, the Lord has promised to meet all our Earthly needs.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)

So many Christians live lives indistinguishable from their worldly neighbors because over 90% of Christians have a secular world view.  Half their wealth disappeared in the past year because they’re storing up treasure on Earth where the moths and rust of inflation and interest destroy, and the thieves of government and banking break in and steal.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)

Once again, the focus here is on individuals.  Instead of the polarizing (and largely futile) effort to force non-believers to live by our standards and condemn them to Hell when they don’t, each and every one of us can follow these admonitions regardless of what our country or our neighbor does. If we don’t judge others for their sins, we won’t be judged for ours.  If we don’t condemn them we won’t be condemned.  If we forgive others, we’ll be forgiven.  And even while the entire world goes to hell in a hand basket, our generosity toward others will be matched by God’s generosity toward us.

Please remember, these admonitions were given in a relational sense not in a judicial one.  We’re saved by grace because of our faith, but remaining in fellowship with God requires that we be merciful to others in the same way that He’s been merciful to us. (Matt. 18:23-35)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7)

The City of Philippi was a Roman colony, populated largely by former members of the military who had been given land there as a reward for service.  They were proud of their Roman citizenship, loved being Romans, and tolerated no threats that could disrupt the status quo.  They viewed the Church as such a threat, so believers were persecuted.  Many lost their jobs and most were ostracized by the community at large and deprived of their right to worship in peace.  In the midst of this Paul, himself imprisoned for his faith,  exhorted them to maintain an attitude of joy in the face of persecution, in effect saying that none of this could prevent God from meeting their needs. (Phil. 4:19)

So many ask me questions these days about how bad things will get before the Rapture.  Some send me reports of concentration camps being built to house Christians and other potential “terrorists”, and of a special branch of the US army being trained for use against the civilian population in cases of public protest against government policy.  Others wonder if they should start hoarding food as a hedge against coming shortages.  And still others warn of a Great Depression style bank holiday that could deny us access to our money for weeks or months and cripple our economy.

My response is that the parallel between the Church in Philippi then and the Church in the world now is obvious.  Like them, our destiny is not dependent on the favor of any human government, but upon the immutable promises of God.   We should rejoice in our salvation, pray about everything, be fearful of nothing, and give thanks for anything.  This alone will give us peace.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. (Romans 8:15)  We are the children of the Most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32) These fears are born of our humanity, not of our spirituality.

If you want a strategy for the days ahead try this.

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously … for God loves a cheerful giver. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Cor. 9:6,7-10,11)

As you can see from Deut. 8:17-18, it’s God who has supplied the seed.  Within your circle of acquaintances there’s someone in need. Sow generously to help meet that need and you’ll reap accordingly. First there’ll be the joy that comes from giving, followed by an increase in your store of seed.  You may actually find that you’ve wound up with more at the end than you had at the start.  Next you’ll discover that you’ve begun a chain reaction.  As long as you keep sowing the seed the Lord will keep increasing your supply so you can sow still more.  This is what it means to be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion.  And as a special bonus, each time you sow you’re also storing up treasure in Heaven that nothing can ever devalue.   These are My Thoughts.  07-04-09

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1Cor. 2:9)

In the time just before the Babylonian captivity, the people of Judah were certain that God would not permit the Babylonians to conquer them. “After all,” they said, “we’re God’s people. His Temple is in our midst. Surely He will spare us.” Their leaders encouraged them to think this way and false prophets assured them that everything would soon be normal again. Even when the Babylonian armies were at the very gates of Jerusalem they were expecting God to miraculously deliver them.

In fact, God had actually told them that if they turned back to Him, he would spare them.

If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jere. 7:5-8)

But they took no notice of how their behavior had offended Him, thinking only that because they claimed to be His people He would save them. Their leaders had told them that God would spare them and because that’s what they wanted to hear, that’s what they believed.

Finally, on three separate occasions God told Jeremiah to stop praying for them because He wasn’t going to listen any more. (Jere. 7:16, 11:14, 14:11) They had gone too far. Only a few years after a national revival they had quickly slid back into their idolatry and for God it was the last straw.

God’s third discussion with Jeremiah on this matter is worth reviewing.

Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.”

But I said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ “

Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries (worthless divinations) and the delusions of their own minds. (Jere. 14:11-14)

It was too late. They had missed their last chance. Even if the people did agree to mend their ways and come back to Him now, He knew their hearts had not changed. They would just be doing whatever they could to avoid the judgment. His decision had been made.

God is merciful but He is also just. He can’t go on overlooking sin forever. There comes a time when He has to act, even though He would rather not. It brings Him no joy, and He’s always looking for a way out that won’t compromise His values.

For example, while He was on the way to judge Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham engaged Him on this very point. “Will you spare the cities if there are 50 righteous people there,” Abraham asked. “Yes,” God replied, “For 50 I will spare the cities.” Then Abraham progressively worked the number down until they finally agreed that even if only 10 righteous people were found there God would spare everyone. (Genesis 18:22-33) Well, there weren’t 10 righteous people there so the judgment was confirmed. But there was one and even though He wasn’t bound to, God insisted that the one righteous person had to be removed from the time and place of the judgment before it could begin. The one was Lot. (Genesis 19:21-22)

Whether in Sodom or in Jerusalem, no one knew in advance that God was about to run out of patience because He doesn’t want people to obey His rules just out of fear. He wants them to obey because it’s the right thing to do. With Him the motive has to be right in order to make the action right.

Israel had been God’s kingdom on Earth for over 600 years. They were so well established they didn’t think it mattered what they did. As long as they called themselves God’s people and went through the motions of worshiping Him they thought they were safe. And after all their Scriptures said that Israel was a Kingdom established by God, who intends for it to exist forever on Earth. Even so, when God’s righteousness demanded judgment, nothing could prevent it.

We need to remember that while in many ways America is like Israel, the Church is not. First, The Church is not a national kingdom with a homeland and geographical borders. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil 3:20) He’s not coming here to be with us where we are. He’s coming to take us to His Father’s house to be with Him where He is. (John 14:1-3) So when He does it won’t matter whether we’re from the United States, the United Kingdom or the United Arab Emirates because the Church is everywhere. God has only established one eternal nation on Earth and that’s Israel. The Church’s eternal home is in Heaven where an inheritance from God Himself awaits us. (Gal. 4:4-7)

Second, the Church never needs to fear a judgment such as the ones I described above. The Lord Jesus agreed to be judged in place of the Church in order to present us to Himself without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephes 5:27)

The Religious Right and other well intended American Christians frequently send out eMails urging everyone to pray for America. But where in the Bible did God to say to pray for any place on Earth other than Jerusalem? God’s will would be much better served if the Church would pray for itself, that it would finally adopt the Biblical world view it was intended to have, and become what it was intended to be, the body of Christ. It’s an indication of what a secular world view the American Church has when more of us are praying that God will restore the good old days in our country than are praying for the Lord’s speedy return to take us away from here.

Prayers for America are fine as far as they go, but they’re motivated more by a love for what our country has been than by a desire to see God’s will done on Earth. And when you get right down to it, praying that God will restore America could be seen as an admission that we’re really not ready to see God’s will done on Earth yet.

Many of us grew up in America believing that God is on our side. But when I began studying the Bible I realized that God doesn’t take sides, He is a side. Whatever blessing we’ve enjoyed as a nation has come during times when we’ve been on His side, not because He’s on ours. As far as God is concerned, America is one of the nations destined to be completely destroyed during the Great Tribulation (Jere. 30:11). In His mind, the only nation on Earth that matters always has been and always will be Israel.

Even so, there came a day when God told Jeremiah to stop praying for Israel because it was too late to change His mind. Even a revival wouldn’t have helped them. If it’s not already here, that day will soon come for America and whatever favor our nation might have enjoyed with God will be gone for good.

It’s time for American Christians to realize that America is just a place where we’re temporarily living. And while we mourn the fact that America seems to be turning its back on Israel, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that America is also turning its back on the Church.

According to no less an authority than our President, America is not a Christian nation.  He’s right.  The only connection between God and America today is that a bunch of us who believe in Him happen to live here. Americans don’t live by God’s laws, we don’t teach our children about Him in our schools, we don’t offer public prayers in His name, and the holy days we observe are no longer tributes to Him. We don’t thank Him for the blessings we receive and we don’t turn to Him when we’re in need.

America is a secular gentile nation that will soon be no more comfortable a home for the Church than pre-war Germany was for the Jews. It’s high time we excised our patriotism from our religion. Think of it as a reverse separation of Church and State. In the last election Americans said they don’t want the Church’s values guiding the nation’s direction.  Well neither should Christians want America’s values guiding the Church. We should be so passionately yearning to leave here that our feet barely touch the ground when we walk.

One day the Lord was asking some men to follow Him. The first one said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” (By that he meant, “Let me wait till my father dies.”) And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)

His position here is consistent with His warning against accumulating treasure on Earth.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matt. 6:24) In the original language the word translated money also includes possessions. If you’re up to your elbows in nice things, you’re naturally going to want to spend your time with them instead of preparing to leave them and move to your new home.

He also had this to say about the seed sown among thorns.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matt. 13:22)

These verses all speak against becoming so immersed in the ways of the world that we lose sight of where our real home is. In each case the one who falls into this trap becomes unfruitful. That means we ignore Kingdom opportunities here and forfeit Kingdom rewards there.

Why do so many in the American Church cling to America when America has made it clear it wants nothing to do with the Church? It’s because it’s our nature to always place a higher value on what we know than on what we don’t know. We know how good our life here has been, but most of us don’t know the first thing about how life in our eternal home will be. A surprising number believe we’ll be sitting on clouds all day playing harps. Others think of Heaven as an endless worship service, and compare it to their Sunday morning experiences. It’s no wonder they’d rather stay here.

It would be easy to blame organized religion for not teaching us the truth about this. But that would be a cop-out. After all organized religion itself is an earth centered institution. The real problem is that it takes a lot of faith to choose the unknown over the known. And just like most American Christians don’t have the faith to live their beliefs, choosing to live secular lives instead, most of us don’t have the faith to believe God’s promises for eternity, so we focus on the here and now.

The solution to all this is deceptively simple. Paul wrote that faith comes through hearing the Word of the Lord (Rom. 10:17). By reading what the Bible says about what’s in store for us we can be made new in the attitude of our minds (Ephes. 4:23). We can be transformed, no longer conforming to the pattern of this world. (Romans 12:3). We can understand what it means to be in the world but not of it. We can discover that the greatest adventure ever designed for mankind lies right around the corner, and since we’ve accepted the Lord’s death as payment in full for our sins it’s all for us. And finally, we’ll understand that while America’s successes have been without parallel, in all the Age of Man the biggest winner by far is the Church. 06-06-09

Several financial editorials I’ve read lately have mentioned how happy everyone is to say goodbye to 2008, as if they believe it’s all over now and 2009 will be different. As we step gingerly into the new year most people can only hope that’s true, because nobody can say for certain. No expert can tell you how deep our financial pit really is. They don’t know where or when the housing market will bottom out. They don’t know how much it’s eventually going to cost to keep the Big 3 automakers out of bankruptcy. They can’t tell you how much pain still lies ahead in the consumer credit markets. In fact they can’t say anything at all for certain because they just don’t know. All we can tell for sure right now is that whatever the experts are doing isn’t working yet. No long term strategy has emerged so there’s no clear path back to prosperity.

But as Christians we don’t have to wonder what to do. There are a few steps we can take right now to make sure 2009 will be better for us than 2008. I hesitate to call them New Year’s resolutions because we all know how long those last. And I’m not going to waste our time telling you to get out of debt. That was good advice a few years ago, but if you didn’t take it you’ll soon be selling things on e-Bay to raise cash, if you aren’t already. But since we’re all more favorably disposed to start fresh at the beginning of the year, here are some things we can do now to ensure a better time ahead.

1. Stop Worrying: Matt. 6:33-34. Seek the Lord’s righteousness and His Kingdom in everything you do and let Him do the rest. Stop working to make ends meet and start doing whatever you do for the Glory of God (1Cor. 10:31). Instead of living in faith that the same geniuses who got us into this mess will somehow get us out of it, start living in faith that the One who has never deceived you will meet your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19)

2. Store Up Treasure In Heaven: Matt. 6:19-21. Start performing random acts of kindness in the Lord’s name. Become a light in this dark place. It doesn’t take much, and all you’re asked to do is what you can. I don’t care where you go to church, there’s someone in the room with you who urgently needs help. The soup kitchens, food banks, and emergency shelters have constant needs as well. Find a place where the Lord’s working and pitch in. Everyone in need is your neighbor (Luke 10:29-37). Be a good neighbor.

3. Increase Your Giving: Luke 6:38. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but that’s because our fallen nature gives us a scarcity mentality. We want to hang on tighter when we don’t have as much, forgetting that the Lord uses the same measure in blessing us as we use in blessing others. As a result just as we need more blessing, we get stingier. He has unlimited wealth and will share it with us to the same degree that we share ours with others.

4. Keep Things In Perspective: 1 Cor. 10:13. Just about everyone has lost something. Many only have about half of what they had a few months ago, and things are hard for them too. Want to know the most popular item unwanted gifts were exchanged for this Christmas? Cash.

5. Make A Joyful Noise: Psalm 100. There are plenty of folks crying the blues. Rejoice in all things. Let your gentleness be evident to all. We think that peace brings joy, but the opposite is true. Joy brings peace. (Phil 4:4-7)

For us this isn’t just a temporary strategy to help us survive until things get better. It’s our End Game. It’s best to assume that things aren’t going to get better until that soon coming day when we suddenly disappear with out a trace. Doing these five things now will bring us a Happy New Year in 2009 and beyond. Plus it will also ensure that we have an eternity of happiness later. These are my thoughts on 01-01-09

“But as for you who forsake the LORD and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.” (Isaiah 65:11-12)

For most of America’s history there’s been a direct connection between patriotism and faith, probably because the US was founded as a Christian nation. We’ve always believed that God has watched over us, made us prosperous, and been on our side in the wars we’ve fought.

That connection began to unravel in the 1960’s, but it’s surprising the number of people who still believe that if seems to be good for the country, it must be right. This is true even among believers. According to recent Barna polls, 48% of those likely to vote in the coming election are born again Christians. That means they claim to have made a personal commitment to Jesus and believe they will go to heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. These same polls show that nearly half of them will vote for the candidate they think has the best plan for restoring America’s reputation in the world and managing the economic battles that lie ahead, rather than the one who they think will best uphold the Biblical principles they believe. So if only half the voters are believers, and half of them plan to use worldly standards in making their choice rather than Biblical ones, it follows that only 1 in every 4 voters will be exercising any spiritual discernment at all in casting their vote.

The other 3 are using standards like peace, financial security, tolerance, choice, and so on as their guidelines. They don’t realize that only God can restore peace and security to their lives, and tolerance and choice are just nice sounding words that really stand for rebellion against Him. By not considering His standards in casting their vote, they’re guaranteeing that He won’t be helping them get what they want.

What’s At Stake Here?

In the opinion of expert observers, this election could bring about fundamental change in America. Depending on the victor, we could see the last traces of the Judeo-Christian principles that have guided us in the past disappear. Restraints on behavior that God is clearly against could be removed, and prohibitions against behavior that God desires could be imposed. Parents may no longer have the ultimate say in raising or educating their children. The relationship between effort and reward could become unrecognizable. Those with the greatest ability could wind up supporting those with the greatest need. In the name of peace we could make self defense impossible. The list goes on.

If all this comes to pass, believers will be forgiven for their lack of discernment and whisked away in the rapture before things get too bad. After all, obedience to God’s word isn’t the basis for our inclusion in the Church, it’s our belief that the Lord died to save us from our sins. But the unbelieving majority will come to understand the meaning of the Isaiah passage above more clearly than they ever dreamed possible. Everyone in the Great Tribulation will have it rough, but I think that those who rebel as blatantly as people are being called to do in this election will have it especially bad. After all, look at the blessings they’ve enjoyed by being part of a Christian nation, and the light they’ve been shown because of our religious heritage. The Lord called but they didn’t answer. He spoke but they didn’t listen. They will have done evil in His sight by choosing what displeases Him, and He will destine them for the sword.

We know that all these things will eventually come to pass, that it’s only a matter of time. There’s no Scripture anywhere to persuade us otherwise. But it’s quite possible that in this election America will choose a course of action that will accelerate our downfall. We will have forsaken the Lord and His Holy Mountain.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been encouraging us all to accept a giant paradigm shift, to realize that this is not our home. I’ve been saying that we need to start thinking more about our real home and getting ready to go there. We need to distinguish between our love for our county and our love for God. As good as this country has been, it’s no where near as good as where we’re going. Like Abraham we’re looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10).  And the bottom line is that regardless of who wins this election, America will soon be a far different country than it has been.

So this could very well be the last presidential election we’ll ever vote in. It’s time to realize that we really don’t belong in any political party. No matter how we’ve thought of ourselves in the past, the reality is that as Christians we’re monarchists and we await our coming King. Since our fondest desire is to please Him, we should vote the way we think He would want us to. And remember, we’re not voting for someone, and we’re not voting against something, we’re voting in a way that pleases our Lord.

So, how would Jesus vote? He would vote for life, He would vote to uphold His Father’s Word, and He would make His vote count. Can we do anything less? Selah 11-01-08

When the Christian community gets united behind something we’re a force to be reckoned with. The 2004 Presidential election was a good example. Many of those 35 million extra votes George Bush got were from Evangelical Christians. Sadly, things like that don’t happen very often anymore. Even 9/11 didn’t produce any long term change toward unifying the Body. But try to imagine this if you can.  Imagine how different this country would be today if all Christians held a Christian world view, were convinced that the Lord was coming back for us very soon, and were living their lives accordingly. Can you even begin to see the difference we’d be making? It would be amazing. America would be compared to the Israel of Solomon’s day.

To prevent the tremendous effect we would have for good, the enemy has implemented a divide and conquer strategy. He knows that as long as he can keep the Body of Christ fractured he can keep us weak. Over the years, he’s mounted a number of campaigns to implement this strategy. Gifts vs. no gifts, the inerrancy issue, and the proper method of interpretation come to mind. But one of his most successful efforts has been to take advantage of the fact that for His own reasons, God has chosen to keep the Rapture’s timing a secret.

The clues He’s given us point to our departure happening prior to the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week. But right from the beginning Satan influenced Church leaders to conclude that denying the pre-trib pre millennial view would keep us focused on the things of this world instead of always looking up, waiting for the Lord. So even though Paul very clearly taught a pre-trib rapture of the Church, and John revealed a 1000 year Kingdom to follow it, alternate views have sprung up almost continuously since then.

Take Your Pick

Amillennialism came along in the early 400’s to teach believers not to expect any literal Kingdom, ever.  It told believers that the 2nd Coming took place when Jesus came into their hearts, that the Church Age is the Millennium and that end times prophecy is not meant to be taken literally. This removed a major obstacle to having Christianity recognized by Rome.

Post millenialism taught that the 2nd Coming would take place after the 1000 year millennium which is really a golden age of Christian prosperity and dominance in the world. The prosperity gospel and Dominion theology are offshoots of post-millennialism.

The Post Tribulation Rapture view denied the doctrine of imminence by placing the Rapture after the Tribulation. Look for the anti-Christ, it says, not the Christ. Mid-Trib (aka Pre-Wrath) is a compromise between the pre and post trib views that denies imminence as well. Replacement Theology was to deny that the re-birth of Israel is an end times sign. Preterism denies all future prophetic events. Kingdom Now, or Dominionism, contends that the Lord can’t come back until we’ve done our part by converting the world. As a result of Dominionism millions of believers have been looking all their lives for a great revival that’s never coming, instead of looking for the Lord, who is.

The combined effect of all this is that most believers have been lulled to sleep with no clue as to how close we are to the End of the Age. While prophecies that Christians have been anticipating for nearly 2000 years are being fulfilled right before their eyes, they’re more concerned about the long term mortgages on their homes and the interest free financing on their cars. Having sufficient retirement income far outweighs stockpiling treasure in heaven on their list of priorities. Their endless quest for bigger and better toys distracts them from the boredom of lives that have been rendered meaningless, without purpose. False teaching about the End Times has left them ignorant of the closeness of the Lord’s return and complacent about their faith. It has stolen their joy, quenched their spirit, and made them no better off spiritually than the unbelievers who surround us. They sometimes get fired up on Sunday, but by mid-week you’d never know it happened.

Here’s what that means. According to recent surveys in the USA, less than 10% of born-again believers have a Christian world view. That means over 90% of us have been seduced into a pursuit of the same materialistic goals as our unbelieving neighbors. Over 40% have never given the first dime to the Lord’s work. Even more have never shared the Gospel with anyone. Some studies show that the abortion rate among Christians is the same as for unbelievers, as is the divorce rate, and two out of three of our children will stop going to church the minute they have a choice.

I lay most of the blame for this at the feet of so-called theologians who’ve let themselves be influenced by Satan while charged with the responsibility of teaching the Word of God. Remember, Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. (2 Cor. 11:13-15)

Knowingly or not, these people have bought into Satan’s lies and have taught those entrusted to them that God’s word isn’t true.

The Greatest Generation

What the secular media calls America’s greatest generation, those who fought and won WW2, is also the generation that sat in the pews of the great denominational churches of the 40’s and 50’s. There they were taught that God didn’t create the Heavens and the Earth in 6 days and Moses didn’t write the Torah. Daniel didn’t write Daniel, Isaiah didn’t write Isaiah, Jesus didn’t feed 5000 or walk on water, and on and on. To make God small enough to fit in their minds the denominational theologians made Him too small to meet our needs. Amillennialism became their eschatology of choice because with a God that small it was easy to believe that nothing was ever going to happen.  He isn’t really going to return, they say, and even if he does it certainly won’t be now. Some were actually saying that he had died. Because of their teaching, millions of Christians are asleep at the switch during the most important and exciting time in the history of man.

It’s not because prophecy has ever failed, it’s because like the Saducees before them, the theologians stopped believing it and so the teachers stopped teaching it. Jesus addressed this in his letter to the Church at Sardis, a model of the mainline denominations. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Rev. 3:3) The Saducees missed the chance to be on the Lord’s team at the time of the first coming because they stopped believing the prophecies. Liberal theologians and their students are missing the 2nd one for the same reason.

Now another great attack against End Times prophecy has come in the name of the Emerging Church. Leaders of this movement don’t teach the Bible much at all because their success is based on saying nothing that could offend the people in their pews. Consequently there’s no talk of being born again or getting ready for the Lord’s return. They talk of being followers of the Lord not just believers in Him, but in truth there’s very little discussion of what either means. Their pews and their bank accounts are full, and their members are kept busy with projects that often do a lot of Earthly good but aren’t designed to bring any one any closer to the Kingdom. The study of prophecy is viewed as non productive and a distraction from their goals, one of which is to strive for a 50/50 split in their membership between believers and non-believers. The reason for this is that the non-believers can help to form a consensus that will draw the believers away from the moral and spiritual absolutes of traditional Christianity. As with the revival seeking Charismatics there is a thread of dominionism running through the emerging Church’s doctrine.  It helps keep them focused on the things of this world.

Which One Are You?

So the liberals are amillennial and couldn’t tell a rapture from a rupture. Pentecostal, charismatic, and emerging congregations are often dominionists, although for different reasons. Catholics and some conservative protestants are post-trib. Almost all have been tainted by replacement theology, and hardly any study prophecy. That leaves the evangelicals and even among us there’s growing disagreement.

It’s popular to just smile and say of the protestant church, “On the essentials of salvation we all agree, but in the non-essentials there’s room for lots of different opinions.” Baloney. The Bible is not a document written to provide a debating society with lots of different positions. It’s the Word of God and it’s not subject to man’s opinion. Though we may not like it all, we don’t have the right to re-interpret it to suit our desires.

But while we sit around arguing about what it says, the world is falling apart and the time is getting short. The Lord’s coming back and 90% of the Church is distracted by the world and doesn’t have a clue it’s about to happen.

God said, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please … what I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” (Isaiah 46:10-11) It’s not that He’s stopped performing on this promise, it’s just that most of the Church has stopped believing it and no longer expects it.

Of the 5 crowns believers can win as rewards for the way they live, one will be given to those who long for His appearing. (2 Tim. 4:8) It has always fascinated me that it’s called the Crown of Righteousness. Most folks would think that one would go to those who led exemplary lives. Not so. Our righteousness is imputed to us by faith. Longing for His return is a sign of faith in His promise that He will. (John 14:1-3) I wonder how many of those they’ll be handing out.  My Thoughts 09-13-08

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Tim. 4:3)

Usually this verse is quoted in connection with some New Age or Emerging Church teaching. But I think it can apply to students of prophecy as well. We’re so anxious for the Rapture that we periodically go off half cocked and wind up embarrassing ourselves in front of the nay sayers and scoffers.

This is not a new thing. There was a great Messianic fervor in the time leading up to the Lord’s first coming as well. And even after Israel rejected Him, the expectation of a coming Messiah was still a strong part of Jewish life when Simon bar Kochba led a revolt against the Romans in 135AD. He had been confirmed as the Messiah by a leading rabbi, and actually defeated the notorious Roman 10th Legion before being captured and killed, putting an end to both the revolt and the Nation of Israel.

Another Messianic expectation led to the Crusades and the belief that Jerusalem had to be conquered in the name of the Church so the Lord could return. This was the earliest form of dominion theology and was birthed out of an interpretation of prophecy that was originally meant to placate the Romans. In the Church’s earliest days the Romans had rejected Christianity because the Bible taught that Jesus would return to be King of the World. This was a position that the Roman Emperors occupied, and they were understandably reluctant to step aside. Church theologians convinced them that the Millennium was taking place in Heaven so the Lord wouldn’t be returning for 1000 years. It cleared the way for Roman acceptance of Christianity but led to the belief 700 years later that Jerusalem had to be made a Christian city to facilitate the Lord’s return. Untold thousands, many of them Jews, died because of this incorrect interpretation of Scripture.

In the time leading up to WW2 many scholars believed Hitler to be the anti-Christ and saw WW2 as the final Battle between good and evil. A small minority of scholars pointed out that since Israel was not in the Land it couldn’t be the End of the Age, but lots of believers thought it was upon us.

In the 1970’s the Jesus movement brought thousands of young people into the Church, and the Messianic fever broke out again. One of the movement’s well known teachers began hinting that the Rapture would take place in 1981, based on the incorrect belief that the 2nd Coming would happen in 1988, and the excitement level rose even higher. When it didn’t happen those who were just along for the ride fell away, and even among true believers the pre-trib Rapture view took a real beating as disillusioned believers looked for a way to justify their now dashed hopes. Many stopped taking prophecy literally and resorted to an allegorical view.

Again in the late 80’s an incorrect view of Matt. 24:34 led to a book outlining 88 reasons why the Rapture had to happen in 1988. It was a best seller but it was wrong, and the 100 thousand plus who had bought the book had their faith needlessly shaken.

Both these last examples were based on the incorrect belief that the Lord had promised to return within the span of one generation after Israel was re-born as a nation. What He really said in effect was that the generation being born when the first of the End Times signs materialized would still be alive at the 2nd Coming. Although most agree that the re-birth of Israel was the starting point, it’s the lifetime of those being born then that determines the time span, not the length of a generation. But when the rapture didn’t come in 1988, some of these teachers simply switched their starting point to June, 1967, the reunification of Jerusalem, and added 40 years to that, never realizing that it wasn’t the starting point that was wrong, it was the interpretation of the verse. June 2007 also came and went with out a Rapture.

Today there’s yet another case of Messianic fever upon us, and it has to do with what I call the Blood Moon Scenario. In the year 2015 there will be back to back full lunar eclipses on Passover and Tabernacles. Each will be preceded by a Solar Eclipse, the only such heavenly display in the 21st Century. These tandem eclipses also occurred as Israel was being born in 1948 and as Jerusalem was being captured in 1967.

Some are teaching that this points to a return of the Lord in September of 2015, based again on an incorrect interpretation of Scripture. They’re claiming that Ezekiel 40:1 says that the Lord will return on the 10th day of the first month, and are using Israel’s civil calendar to call that day September 23, 2015, 5 days before the day of the final lunar eclipse, as the day to which Ezekiel was pointing.

I think these teachers are disregarding several facts. To start with, Ezekiel was trained as a priest and always used the religious calendar which begins in the spiring. God Himself ordained this change from a fall New Year to a Spring one in Exodus 12. The first month is March, not September.

The biggest problem might be that although Matt. 24:29 says that a darkened sun and moon will mark the end of the Great Tribulation, the Lord clearly said that believers on Earth at the time will not know the day or hour of the 2nd Coming. (Matt. 24:42, 44, 25:13) Back to back solar and lunar eclipses would seem to dispute those statements. More likely the sun and moon will appear to be darkened because of the smoke and particulates in the air from all the destruction.

And in order for the Lord to return in 2015, Daniel’s 70th Week will have to commence in September of 2008. That means Israel will have to experience a national conversion and place themselves back into the Old Covenant relationship they enjoyed in the Old Testament. (Today only about one in four Israelis admits to being a religious Jew.) Then they’ll have to make an official decision to build a Temple in Israel, knowing that it will most assuredly spark an unprecedented level of outrage among their Moslem neighbors in the Middle East, and in much of the world in general. Then a leader with sufficient clout in the world community will have to come to their rescue and enforce a 7 year contract that permits this.

I think the Temple can actually be built anytime in the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week. But in order for the 2015 Blood Moon Prophecy to come true we’ll need to see a major shift in Israel’s attitude toward God immediately for the 70th Week to begin. At this writing, that leaves less than two months for 5 million Israeli Jews to suddenly become religious and agree to put themselves under the Law.

What would it take for that to happen? Something truly miraculous, for sure. I believe Ezekiel 39:22 tells us that God’s victory over Israel’s enemies will accomplish just that. But forget about the false peace and unwalled villages. Can Ezekiel’s battle be mobilized, fought and won in less than 30 days?

In conclusion, I don’t believe these teachers have done their home work, and are causing more harm than good. “Scholarship” like this would never be tolerated in the secular community and those who proposed it would be laughed to scorn. But Christians are so anxious for the Messiah that we’ll accept anything that helps us believe he’s coming soon. And most of us don’t know enough about the Bible to be discerning.

Please believe me when I say I think He’s coming soon too, and hope with all my heart that I’m right. But I’m not going to let that hope cloud my judgment or cause me to ignore what the Bible teaches. Advocates of this hypothesis are very popular right now and they’ve got a lot of people excited. But it’s only because they’re saying what our itching ears want to hear, not because they’re right. Who knows how many will have their faith in the accuracy of God’s word shaken this time? 08-18-2008

“In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.” (Joel 3:1-2)

“The People of the Book” is a name first given to Jews and then expanded to include Christians, since the Christian faith is based on the teachings of the Book, too. The main problem with the leaders who govern the People of the Book is that they don’t believe the Book. Verses like the one above won’t mean anything to them until it’s too late.

For example, let’s take the leaders of the original People of the Book. It’s one thing to hear that this or that Gentile Government has a plan to divide Israel, but when we learn that Israel’s own leaders are trying to do it we shake our heads in wonder. Are they determined to end their very existence as a nation?

“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.” (Lev. 25:23)

Recently we’ve heard persistent rumors that the Olmert government has secretly agreed to re-divide Jerusalem, even though their own laws prohibit such a thing. The Palestinians say that PM Olmert has already agreed to give up almost all of the West Bank, too. And now we’re being told that he’s promising the Golan Heights to Syria in exchange for peace. The Turkish government said that they’ve relayed the offer to Syria, and Syria has confirmed receiving it.

Israel’s opposition party, having already declared that as soon as they’re elected they’ll cancel any peace agreement the current government makes, has now demanded an emergency session of the Knesset to explain once again to the Prime Minister that he has neither the mandate nor the authority to make such an offer.

As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve got outsiders making promises for them. Jimmy Carter, who claims to follow the Book, says that he’s behind Hamas’ offer of a 10 year peace agreement and that he convinced Hamas to accept Israel as a friendly neighbor. (Naturally, Hamas has denied it. Their charter calls for Israel’s destruction.)

Are our memories so short? Hamas proposed this same thing a couple of years ago after they first came to power and were startlingly clear about their intentions. Drawing from their religious history, they said that it was acceptable for them to offer a truce of up to 10 years to an enemy currently too strong for them to defeat. They’re to use that time to lull their enemy into a false sense of security while increasing their own strength to a point where they could be victorious. As soon as that happens they’re free to break the truce and attack.

The example they use is of the Prophet Mohammad who was driven out of Mecca by the more powerful Quraysh leaders. He negotiated a 10 year treaty with them, called the Treaty of Hudaybiya after the town where it was signed, and went to Medina to build up his strength. 22 months later he marshaled his now much more powerful forces against Mecca, and though he had a 10 year treaty with them, he demanded that they surrender. Seeing that they couldn’t win, they did.

Why would anyone believe that this current offer is anything different? How long will we continue to view Eastern intentions through a Western perspective. “Oh, that stuff they say is just for local consumption,” our leaders say, “We don’t pay any attention to it.” They’re right, they don’t and it has always worked to our disadvantage.

And as for the leaders of the other People of the Book, President Bush seems obsessed with the idea of having his “two state solution” in place before he leaves office next January. Sec’y of State Rice is right there with him, perhaps hoping to enhance her chances of being picked as John McCain’s running mate.

It seems like everybody has a plan for Israel. All of them involve cutting the country into pieces and giving them away, and their motives are always self interest. PM Olmert wants to salvage his position as Israel’s leader. Pres. Bush wants to improve his legacy, and Sec’y Rice wants to be VP. None of this bodes well for the people of Israel. Their supposed friends and their own leaders seem determined to sell them down the river. Surely this is what the Lord had in mind when He inspired Isaiah to say:

You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.” (Isaiah 28:15)

True, this passage will have it’s ultimate fulfillment in Israel’s acceptance of the anti-Christ as the messiah. But you can see the trend emerging as those who think they control Israel’s destiny repeatedly make decisions that are contrary to God’s will, in the name of accommodation with His enemies.

But He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4) and no matter what the self-important men of this world try to do, He will have His way. He will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations and all who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech. 12:3)

Speaking as one of them, I just wish the People of the Book had leaders who believed the Book. If they did they’d understand that without the Book there’d be no reason for Israel to have a national homeland, and their enemies would be justified in saying that the world would be a more peaceful place if Israel ceased to exist. But the One who wrote the Book on Israel has something different in mind, as His enemies will soon discover to their eternal shock and dismay. Lord, let it be soon. 4-25-08

El otoño es posiblemente el momento más importante del año para el judaísmo. Tres de las fiestas solemnes de Israel se celebran en esta época, y todas en un lapso de 15 días. Estas fiestas son el Rosh Hashanah que es el Año Nuevo Judío, seguido 10 días después por el Yom Kippur que es el Día de la Expiación, y cinco días después se celebra la Fiesta de los Tabernáculos. En nuestro calendario, estas fiestas por lo general se celebran en algún momento entre mediados de Septiembre y mediados de Octubre, debido a las diferencias entre el calendario (lunar) judío y el calendario (solar) occidental.

Cada uno de estos días santos tienen un significado tanto histórico como profético, siendo el cumplimiento profético durante el mismo día de la fiesta. Por eso es que los cristianos los estudian para tener un vistazo del futuro, como también obtener un mejor entendimiento sobre la cultura judía.

Feliz Año Nuevo
Los gentiles por lo general se confunden en sus estudios de estos días santos por el hecho de que el Señor cambió el calendario judío al momento del Éxodo (Éxodo 12:2). Lo que había sido el séptimo mes de allí en adelante sería el primer mes, colocando el inicio del año en la primavera.

Pero debido a la cosecha, los judíos han retenido el calendario original también, por eso es que ahora ellos tienen el año religioso que comienza en la primavera y el año civil que comienza en el otoño. Por consiguiente el Año Nuevo Judío siempre se ha celebrado en el otoño hasta la fecha. Esta fiesta se conoce por dos nombres, Yom Terúa, que significa el día del sonido de la trompeta. Esta fiesta se conoce como la Fiesta de las Trompetas, que quiere decir, “la cabeza del año”.

Rosh Hashanah es el momento para comenzar de nuevo. La tradición judía sostiene que la creación se completó en el Rosh Hashanah y, por lo tanto, Adán nació en ese día también. Si eso es así, el tiempo empezó entonces, en el día primero del mes primero del año primero. Rosh Hashanah.

Muchos estudiosos de la profecía colocan el nacimiento del Mesías en Rosh Hashanah, otorgándole a ese día su primer cumplimiento profético, y también creen que el comienzo de la Semana Setenta de Daniel y la Segunda Venida del Señor, siete años después, sucederán en Rosh Hashanah.

Otras personas creen que también el Rapto de la Iglesia acontecerá en Rosh Hashanah, pero yo estoy convencido de que el Rapto es un evento numerado específicamente, en vez de un evento fechado específicamente, lo que significa que la Iglesia será raptada cuando “se hayan completado todos los gentiles” haciendo que el día y la hora sean desconocidos por adelantado, excepto que eso precederá la salvación de Israel (Romanos 11:25), y la setenta Semana de Daniel (Hechos 15:15-16). Casi la única cosa que sabemos de seguro en cuanto al Rapto concierne, es que no sucedió durante esta fiesta del Rosh Hashanah.

Muchos judíos religiosos creen que en el Cielo hay unos libros que registran las obras de la humanidad y que serán abiertos el día de Rosh Hashanah, para hacer un repaso del comportamiento de las personas. Hacia este fin ellos pasan el mes anterior haciendo un esfuerzo sincero para enderezar todo lo malo que puedan haber cometido durante el año que está por finalizar.

Cuando los libros son abiertos, los nombres de aquellas personas cuya vida ha sido ejemplar en todo aspecto, se escriben en el libro durante un año más de vida, mientras que aquellas otras que han demostrado no tener ninguna cualidad para ser redimidos, están programadas para morir. Puesto que la distribución normal de la campana de las probabilidades indicará que muy pocos son los que se ajustan en cualquiera de sus extremos, a la mayoría de las personas se les otorgan diez días adicionales hasta el Yom Kippur para “ponerse a derecho con Dios”. Estos diez días son conocidos como los “días de temor, o reverencia” durante los cuales el destino de cada persona pende de la balanza conforme busca el perdón de los amigos y los vecinos por los pecados que ha cometido durante el año anterior. Un saludo común entre los judíos durante los “días de temor” es, “Que tu nombre se encuentre escrito en el libro”.

En la tarde del Rosh Hashanah, los judíos ortodoxos van a un arroyo o riachuelo, el cual contenga peces, y vacían sus bolsos de las piedrecillas o migajas que han guardado y las arrojan al arroyo, con lo cual simbolizan que Dios desecha sus pecados. Al hacerlo, recitan Miqueas 7:18-20. “¿Qué Dios como tú, que perdona la maldad, y olvida el pecado del remanente de su heredad? No retuvo para siempre su enojo, porque se deleita en misericordia. El volverá a tener misericordia de nosotros; sepultará nuestras iniquidades, y echará en lo profundo del mar todos nuestros pecados. Cumplirás la verdad a Jacob, y a Abraham la misericordia, que juraste a nuestros padres desde tiempos antiguos”.

Esta es una de las descripciones más elocuentes de la gracia de Dios que se encuentra en las Escrituras. Le recuerda a Dios de Su promesa de ser misericordioso con ellos en el juicio venidero de Yom Kippur.

La dependencia que tiene el pez del agua simboliza la dependencia que tienen ellos de Dios. El hecho de que los peces no puedan cerrar sus ojos les recuerda que deben de ser minuciosos porque Dios lo ve todo. Esta ceremonia se conoce con el nombre de Tashlich, que en hebreo quiere decir “Echarás”, una referencia a Miqueas 7:19.

Es Tiempo de Juicio
Diez días más tarde, durante el Yom Kippur se lleva a cabo el juicio, los libros se cierran y la suerte de cada quien es sellada durante otro año.

Yom Kippur es el único día del año en el que se permite hablar el Nombre de Dios. Así es, Dios tiene nombre, pero no es ni Jehová ni Yahvé. Estos nombres fueron formados de las cuatro letras que los escribas hebreos usaban para representar el nombre de Dios en el Antiguo Testamento. Cada vez que la palabra “Jehová” aparece en la Biblia (o Señor en letras mayúsculas en algunas versiones), en el texto hebreo aparecen las letras hebreas JHVH (o YHVH). Los teólogos le llaman a estas letras el “tetragrámaton”, lo cual en griego significa “cuatro letras”.

Entonces, en realidad, estas cuatro letras son las iniciales del nombre de Dios, siendo una indicación de Su verdadero Nombre, el cual, según algunas personas, contiene 72 sílabas.

Ya que el idioma hebreo no contiene ninguna vocal, las primeras traducciones al idioma español le agregaron a estas cuatro letras una E, una O y una A (vocales que tomaron del nombre Eloim, que es una forma de la palabra hebrea que quiere decir Dios y Adonai, Señor en hebreo) a JHVH con lo cual se formó el nombre Jehová. Nosotros pensábamos que ese era el nombre de Dios. En hebreo, esas cuatro letras se pronuncian jud, je, vav, je, lo cual posiblemente dio origen a la palabra “Yahvé” que se usa hoy día. Pero ninguna de las dos es el verdadero nombre de Dios.

Como lo he mencionado, era prohibido pronunciar el verdadero nombre de Dios excepto por una sola vez durante el año, en Yom Kippur, cuando se mencionaba 10 veces. Después de que el templo fue destruido, la ceremonia del Yom Kippur cambió gradualmente hasta que el nombre de Dios cesó de ser usado hasta que subsecuentemente se perdió.

Entonces, nadie con vida hoy día, conoce el nombre de Dios, y posiblemente no se ha mencionado sobre la tierra durante los últimos 1.700 años. Pero eso necesariamente no es malo. Filipenses 2:9 dice que Jesús, o si ustedes prefieren el nombre hebreo Yeshua, es ahora el Nombre sobre todo nombre. Este es el nombre por el cual Dios ha escogido ser conocido.

Pero volvamos al Yom Kippur. Durante una ceremonia grandiosa e inspiradora de temor reverente en el Templo, se traían dos machos cabríos que se presentaban ante el Sumo Sacerdote. Uno era el macho cabrío “para el Señor” el cual se presentaba como una ofrenda de paz como lo ordena Levítico 16:7-10. El otro era el “macho cabrío de la expiación” porque todos los pecados de la nación se ponían simbólicamente sobre su cabeza y luego se le llevaba fuera de la ciudad para ser degollado. El macho cabrío no había hecho nada para merecer eso pero se le escogía para demostrar el hecho de que solamente por el derramamiento de la sangre inocente se podía hacer expiación por los pecados del pueblo. La muerte de los dos machos cabríos simbólicamente ponía a un lado los pecados de la nación, hacía que la ofrenda de paz fuera aceptada y les daba otro año de paz con su Creador. El pueblo mencionaba el Nombre de Dios en sincero agradecimiento.

Aquí encontramos un par de pedacitos interesantes de la tradición judía. Cuando los machos cabríos se le presentaban al Sumo Sacerdote, su respectivo papel en la ceremonia se determinaba por suerte. Se colocaban dos piezas de oro marcadas dentro de un tazón de oro, y conforme colocaba su mano en la cabeza de cada uno de los machos cabríos, el Sumo Sacerdote sacaba una de las piezas del tazón. Antes de la cruz, el macho cabrío que era presentado al Señor como una ofrenda de paz, siempre estaba al lado derecho del Sumo Sacerdote. Después de la cruz, nunca más fue así.

Mientras que el macho cabrío estaba recibiendo simbólicamente los pecados del pueblo sobre su cabeza, se ataba un listón color escarlata de uno de sus cuernos a la puerta del templo. Cuando el macho cabrío se llevaba al desierto el listón se cortaba, dejando un pedazo en el cuerno y otro pedazo en la puerta. En un sitio predeterminado fuera de la ciudad, el macho cabrío era lanzado desde un peñasco y moría. Durante todos los años antes de la cruz, en el momento de la muerte del macho cabrío de la expiación, el resto del listón en la puerta del templo, cambiaba su color de rojo a blanco simbolizando así el pasaje de Isaías 1:18, “Si vuestros pecados fueren como la grana, como la nieve serán emblanquecidos”. Aquel Quien está sentado a la derecha del Padre y Quien ha cumplido el papel que los machos cabríos solamente habían simbolizado, vino y quitó para siempre los pecados de todas aquellas personas que lo aceptan a Él.

La Ley Es Solo Una Sombra …
En el cristianismo existe un punto de vista que sostiene que Jesús empezó Su ministerio en Yom Kippur, anunciando en efecto que el juicio que merecía la humanidad Él lo estaba llevando sobre Sí mismo (Lucas 4:16-21) y que las personas no tienen porqué seguir viviendo temerosamente del juicio como tampoco de soportar los diez días de temor cada año.

Es fácil ver al Señor en el papel de nuestro chivo expiatorio, cuya sangre derramada compró nuestro perdón para siempre (Hebreos 10:1-4), pero Él también fue nuestra ofrenda de paz. “Porque él es nuestra paz, que de ambos pueblos hizo uno, derribando la pared intermedia de separación” (Efesios 2:14).

En un sentido profético, los sobrevivientes de la tribulación, de todas las naciones, verán su cumplimiento en el juicio del Yom Kippur durante los días que inmediatamente siguen al retorno del Señor. Esto se describe como el Juicio de las Ovejas y los Cabritos (El Juicio de las Naciones) en Mateo 25:31-46, en el cual todas las personas que han puesto sus pecados al pie de la cruz durante la gran tribulación, les será otorgada la vida en el Reino, y todas aquellas personas que no lo hicieron serán lanzadas fuera, al castigo eterno. En Mateo 19:28 el Señor les dijo a Sus discípulos que el juicio de los judíos sobrevivientes se llevará a cabo aquí también.

Y para todas aquellas personas de todas las épocas que rechazaron el sacrificio vicario y expiatorio del Señor, el cumplimiento profético del Yom Kippur se verá al final del Milenio en el llamado Juicio ante el Gran Trono Blanco, cuando todos los muertos no salvos serán resucitados para ser juzgados por sus obras (Apocalipsis 20:11-15).

Feliz Día de Gracias
La Fiesta de los Tabernáculos era la celebración de la cosecha y es la inspiración para el Día de Gracias que se celebra en América del Norte. Comenzó como una fiesta que se prolongaba durante siete días, y más tarde ampliada a ocho, cuando todos los diezmos que los israelitas habían apartado durante el año, se traían a Jerusalén para la celebración nacional de un tiempo lleno de gozo y de dar gracias al Señor por toda esa abundante provisión. El aroma de toda esa exquisita comida que se preparaba sobre el fuego abierto, penetraba en toda la ciudad. Durante siete días por todos lados que se iba se sentía ese aire de gozo y de festividad cuando el pueblo recordaba a su Proveedor y le daba las gracias (Deuteronomio 14:22-26).

Históricamente, esta fiesta conmemora el tiempo cuando Dios moró en medio de los israelitas en el desierto. Su cumplimiento profético se verá durante el Milenio cuando, una vez más, el Señor morará en medio de Su pueblo; con la Iglesia en la Nueva Jerusalén (Apocalipsis 21) e Israel en Jehová Sama, que es el nuevo nombre para la Santa Ciudad en la Tierra Prometida (Isaías 62:2 & Ezequiel 48:35).

En algún momento se le agregó una ceremonia de libación con agua a la Fiesta de los Tabernáculos. Cada mañana una procesión de sacerdotes descendía por las gradas del Templo hacia el estanque de Siloé para sumergir un pichel de plata en el agua. Llevando esa agua de regreso al altar, la derramaban en la tierra que había quedado expuesta al haber quitado un pedazo del mosaico cerca del altar, mientras ofrecían oraciones para que lloviera. El propósito de esta ceremonia diaria era para recordarle a Dios que les diera las lluvias otoñales necesarias para preparar la tierra para la siembra. En Israel no llueve durante el verano y la tierra se vuelve muy dura. Las lluvias eran necesarias para suavizar esa tierra y poder prepararla para la siembre del otoño.

En el último día de la fiesta el mismo Sumo Sacerdote era el que oficiaba y en ese día, en lugar de un pichel de plata, se usaba uno de oro puro. El Sumo Sacerdote vestía sus mejores galas y un gran contingente de sacerdotes vestidos de manera similar, lo acompañaba, tocando trompetas, cantando salmos y batiendo ramas de palmas. Cuando esto se me describió por primera vez, quedé asombrado por su belleza y su pompa. Después he leído que se colocaban tarimas adicionales alrededor del Patio de los Sacerdotes para que más personas pudieran observar la ceremonia.

Un día justo cuando el Sumo Sacerdote estaba por verter el agua en la tierra, una fuerte voz interrumpió la ceremonia exclamando, Si alguno tiene sed, venga a mí y beba. El que cree en mí, como dice la Escritura, de su interior correrán ríos de agua viva (Juan 7:37-38). Era Jesús y Él se estaba refiriendo al Espíritu Santo, al que los creyentes pronto recibirían. Esto hizo que muchos creyeran que Él ciertamente era el Mesías de Israel. (No se nos dice cuál fue la reacción del Sumo Sacerdote, pero ciertamente no pudo haber sido nada agradable.)

Pongámonos Espirituales
Siguiendo el pensamiento de que los eventos que eran externos y físicos en el Antiguo Testamento, con frecuencia son internos y espirituales en el Nuevo Testamento, hay un sentido en el cual estos días santos también reflejan la vida del creyente.

Cuando Jesús vino a vivir en el mundo al nacer (Rosh Hashanah), de la misma manera Él viene a vivir en nuestros corazones al momento de nuestro nuevo nacimiento. Así como Él requirió el derramamiento de sangre inocente para reconciliarse a Sí mismo con Israel (Yom Kippur), de la misma manera Él derramó Su propia sangre para reconciliarse a Sí mismo con nosotros. Cuando moraba en medio de los israelitas en el desierto de Madián (Tabernáculos), de la misma manera Él morará entre nosotros en el desierto de la Tierra. “Y he aquí yo estoy con vosotros todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo”, nos prometió (Mateo 28:20). “Amén; sí, ven, Señor Jesús” (Apocalipsis 22:20). Ya casi se pueden escuchar los pasos del Mesías.