God’s Grace Will End

Have you ever wondered when God would quit offering forgiveness? Or what you might do that would be too big for him to forgive? Or what the limit of sins might be? The Bible is clear God’s grace will end. At that point, God will no longer offer salvation.

But while he was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

These were the words Jesus used to describe God’s love.

That’s our God — the One that runs to us. The One full of compassion, love, grace, and mercy for us. The One who desires nothing more than to show this to us.

Father, I have sinned against you. I am [not] worthy to be called your son.

This is how Jesus described our condition in the parable of the prodigal son recorded in Luke 15. And of course, Jesus nailed it.

You might can relate, but I am constantly the prodigal and God is constantly the good Father.

The other day I once again found myself in need of discipline and chastisement from the Lord. True to form, I avoided a few mornings of “quiet times”. I would not bother praying or opening up my Bible. I knew what I deserved to hear. I knew again I have failed, no scratch that — I have rebelled against God.

As always all of life then began to spiral to crap, and misery became the tune on my lips. So finally,

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Another Reminder that Prophecy is Important

I have felt lead to teach on prophecy and provide resources through www.prophecysimplified.com, and I have backed off the past few weeks. But an image stopped me in my tracks this weekend. It is the picture above. It shows what looks like individuals and probably a family scrambling to climb a rock in the rain. The rock is no small rock, but rather one of the tallest mountains in the world.

About 4,000 years ago it would have been wise if people had paid attention to prophecy. We are not sure when the prophecies began, but at least some 600 years before the “event” Enoch powerfully warned that God was going to judge the world for their sin. Almost a thousand years before the “judgment event” Enoch would prophetically name his son “when he is dead it shall be sent” or who we know better as Methuselah.

So there may have been warnings a thousand years ahead.

There was definitely a warning given 120 years ahead of the prophecized “judgment event” as is recorded in Genesis 6.

Only one man was listening and following God on how to prepare.

Then at least 40 years before the “event” a visual warning was being constructed and its builder was preaching a warning. Still no one was listening.

God warned the world.

Prophesy provided the answers.

Yet only Noah and his family listened. They were prepared when the rain came and floods rose. They had paid attention to prophesy. They had listened. They survived.

The rest who ignored prophesy drown.

They were killed.

When the rain came and flood waters rose they headed for the mountains. They climbed as the water chased them. They reached the top and it was not high enough. Parents held their children above the water to rescue their children, but soon their arms proved to be too short. If parents really wanted to save their children then they should have headed prophecy. They should have paid attention. They would have been prepared. They would have survived.

A greater judgment is coming. We don’t know when, but prophesy helps us navigate through it.

I agree that what really matters is preaching Christ, but God gave us prophecy too. I am afraid at some point the future there will be deception and judgment events in which will cause those who once professed Christ to turn from that faith.

So we need Christ and we need to pay attention to the warnings He gave.

I’m back on task. Seeing the image of children on the mountain tops about to drown while billions had already done so shatters my heart. Let is shatter yours. Turn to Jesus and then pay attention to His prophesy.



It’s Not Absurdity but Hooks in the Jaws Causing the US to Give Iran Nukes

I feel as if I am in an alternate universe when I hear President Obama or Secretary of State John Kerry speak about how good this deal is with Iran. Because as the administration sells this deal to us — Iran is openly declaring they want to wipe us off the face of the earth. They are declaring the same thing towards Israel, and they are openly hopping into bed with Russia. It is ludicrous. Then our congress walks the plank to our destruction as if they are hypnotized (or more likely blackmailed) by endorsing this deal. It is as if we are watching brainwashed zombies lead our nation.

It is absolutely mind boggling to watch and see in the same newscast John Kerry share how great a deal this is, and then the next clip being Iran’s parliament cheering, “Death to America.” Then before the newscast goes off the air there is a clip of Iran purchasing refueling planes from Russia so they can have a nonstop flight to the US to drop the bombs we are handing them.

I feel as if I am watching Dumb and Dumber, watching Lloyd sell Petie the dead bird to the blind kid. It is beyond ridiculous.

The word that keeps coming to my mind is absurd.

Giving a nation who hates us money and the opportunity to build a nuclear weapon is absolutely absurd, right? There is ZERO good that can come out of this for the United States and especially Israel.

But maybe it’s not absurd at all. Maybe it is hooks in the jaws of our leadership. Maybe it’s out of their control. In Ezekiel 38 & 39 we are given a detailed account of the future Battle of Armageddon. In Ezekiel 38:4, we are told that God would put metaphorical “hooks” in the mouths of the leadership of Turkey, possibly Russia, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and other nations to surround Israel to destroy it.

Revelation 16:13-14 is less metaphorical as it says evil spirits will come forth from the Antichrist to deceive all the nations to come surround Israel to destroy it.

So if God brings that war about by hooking leaders in the jaws then maybe he arms those armies by placing “hooks” in the jaws of leaders today.

That is the only way this Iran makes any sense to me — it’s not absurdity but rather hooks in the jaws.

But unfortunately because of this deal Persia (Iran) will be lead out to the fields of Megiddo with a nuclear arsenal bought and paid for by you and me. At that time the United States will not be able to rescue Israel or even decide to march against it because Persia (Iran) will have been so kind to reward our help by making our nation a radioactive wasteland.

Absurd.

Naw rather hooks in the jaw.



It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Prophecy in Jesus’ Day

There are many reasons given to not study prophecy. I hear them all — it is confusing, it’s complicated, we weren’t meant to know it, or there are more important things we should be concerned about. I do agree with that last one sharing the Gospel is more important, but it is important that we have a grasp on what Scripture says about the coming future.

Just think, wouldn’t it has been helpful if those on earth when Jesus was here in flesh knew more about the prophecies concerning Jesus? I think it would have been. Maybe they would have believed, they would have savored his short time with them, and theoretically maybe they wouldn’t have crucified him. At least the Jews would have been left out of causing the crucifixion. It would have been greatly helpful for their life then and for eternity.

And they can’t use the line that it wasn’t meant for them to know it.

It is estimated there are over three hundred and fifty prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament. If they knew only a few then they could have put it together. They could have realized what Peter proclaimed, “You are the Christ.”

One prophecy in Daniel 9 says that the Messiah would be “cut-off” 483 years after one of the decrees given in the return of Israel from Babylon. This alone should have put the Jews in the ballpark if they took prophecy to heart. They could have been looking earnestly at the time Jesus appeared.

Another was that He was to be preceded by one “preparing the way”. John the Baptist did this before there very eyes.

Of course another was that He would be born in Bethlehem. Why didn’t someone ask Him where He was born?

If the people of Jesus’ day knew prophecy then they could have been aware that He was the Messiah.

If we don’t know the warnings of His return then we too could be deceived.



The Three Main End-time Views Simplified

Prophecy is not as confusing as we make it. One of the problems out there is that there is so much material to weed through. Not all sermons, study tools, commentaries, and other resources are created equal. Some of the confusion from your study and with the messages bouncing around in your head that you have heard are because they are apples and oranges. Actually in the case of biblical end-time prophecy it is best said that there are apples, oranges, and bananas.

There are three main interpretations of the “layout” of biblical prophecy. There are variations of each of the three, but if you can learn to recognize and work within these three your understanding of prophecy will become clearer.

For your own study and understanding of prophecy you need to decide which of the three you espouse and study from that interpretative framework. Also when you are studying or listening to a message you need to recognize which of the three views the author or preacher espouses.

The three views are based off of two things the Millennium and the Second Coming of Jesus. The Second Coming of Jesus is when He “touches down” on earth physically. The millennium is the 1,000 year rule of Jesus on earth that is explained in Revelation chapter 20. A straight forward, literal reading of the passage explicitly says that Satan will be bound for a 1,000 years as Jesus rules from Jerusalem. Then after that 1,000 years Satan would be let loose for a short time. Although this is the only Scripture passage that mentions the 1,000 year time frame, it is not the only passage about Jesus ruling on earth. Almost all of the Old Testament prophecies wrote about the Messiah establishing a kingdom on earth and ruling from Jerusalem.

Here are the views:

  1. Premillennialism

The prefix is the key to remembering this term. “Pre” means before. So this terms says that Jesus would return before the millennium. This view also   states that there will be a literal, physical millennium kingdom. Jesus would physically rule from Jerusalem. This is the predominant view of present day evangelicalism. It seems to have been the view of the early Christians. There are two main variations of the view Classical Premillennialism and Dispensational Premillennialism.

  1. Postmillennialism

Again the prefix is the key to remembering this term. “Post” means after.      So this terms says that Jesus would return after the millennium. This view says that we are currently living in the millennium. Proponents of this view differ in the view of the time frame of the millennium some still believe it is a literal 1,000 years while some believe it is an undetermined amount of time. Both sides do agree that that Jesus rules spiritually through the church, and that the spread of the church and Christian values will bring about the promised peace written about in Revelation 20 and elsewhere in Scripture. This view became popular in the 17th century. It began to wane during the World Wars, but can still be found today. Some would argue that the millennium hasn’t even started and is still to come, but Jesus would not return until  Christianity ruled the world.

 

  1. Amillennialism

Again the prefix is the key to remembering this term, but unlike the     previous two interpretative views this prefix does not apply to the return of   Jesus, but rather the existence of the Millennium. “A” means not. So this term states that there will be no 1,000 year rule of Jesus. Proponents still       believe Jesus would return, but they see Revelation 20 as being only symbolic.

 

For one to begin to understand end-time prophecy they have to select an interpretive view to follow. But let me be clear it is not a buffet where any view is fine — just pick one. The interpretative view must arise from the text itself. So you need to take seriously which view you espouse. You need to let Scripture itself show how it should be interpreted. If the particular passage or biblical book does not give clear direction then it needs to be interpreted like other prophecy passages.

 

So seek the Lord and study on how the text should be interpreted and prayerfully discern the end-time prophecy layout. Recognize what view the preacher you are listening to is following or the author you are reading — it is important to know if you are studying an apple, orange, or banana.