Category Archives: Apologetics

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

Apologetics, ,

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

I have a great concern about the many prophecies and prophetic visions regarding South Africa that so-called “prophets” are speaking and publishing in the name of the Lord.

According to this category of spiritual leaders, God has a great plan for South Africa. For example, from this nation will come a revival that will spread from Cape to Cairo! The things that God plans to do in and through this country are many and great, so they say. One prophet from up north even stated that, 10 years ago, God spoke of things He was planning to do in South Africa in the next 10 years, but they have not yet happened because the people were not ready!

These so-called “prophets”, who have accepted and use the title “Prophet”, speak with great authority, not because their prophecies are being fulfilled, but because they prefix their words with “the Lord showed me… ” or “the Holy Spirit revealed to me…” They speak as though they have greater access to prophetic visions than the run-of-the-mill believer.

These prophetic voices set up false expectations in the hearts of God’s people that distract them from the truth of God’s Word. The Bible alone speaks authoritatively about who Jesus is, who we are in Christ, what our role is in the world, and what our true expectations are for the future.

WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY ABOUT FALSE PROPHETS?

In the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, God severely warns the people of Israel against listening to the false prophets who speak lies in His name.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.”

Jeremiah 23:16 NIV

“The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come, you will understand it clearly. I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds…. “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?…  “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 23: 20-22, 25-26, 28-32 NIV

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?”

Ezekiel 13:3, 6-7 NIV

Jesus also warned His disciples to beware of false prophets.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Matthew 7:15-20 NIV

“Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.”

Matthew 24:4-5 NIV

HOW ARE WE TO EVALUATE PROPHETS WHO CLAIM TO SPEAK FOR GOD?

Let’s examine the difference between Biblical prophecies and extra-biblical prophecies (which actually form part of the modern-day heresy called Neo-Gnosticism) .

(Neo-Gnosticism is a recurrence of the Gnostic heresy that plagued the early church in Paul’s day. Gnosticism refers to, among other things, secret knowledge revealed to some which adds to the sufficiency of Jesus for salvation.

Anyone who claims to have extra revelation from God, over and above what is written in God’s Word, is participating in the Neo-Gnostic heresy).

  1. BIBLICAL PROPHECY is clear, unembellished, and specific. It states what will happen before it happens, e.g.,

Among the many prophecies God gave Ezekiel about the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of His people, is this specific prophecy about Zedekiah and its exact fulfilment.

“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving. Then I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, though he will never see it, and he will die there. I will scatter his servants and warriors to the four winds and send the sword after them. And when I scatter them among the nations, they will know that I am the Lord.”

Ezekiel 12:12-15 NLT

“By July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, the famine in the city had become very severe, and the last of the food was entirely gone. Then a section of the city wall was broken down, and all the soldiers fled. Since the city was surrounded by the Babylonians, they waited for nightfall. Then they slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonian troops chased King Zedekiah and overtook him on the plains of Jericho, for his men had all deserted him and scattered. They captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains, and the king of Babylon led him away to Babylon. Zedekiah remained there in prison until the day of his death.”

Jeremiah 52:6-11 NLT

Biblical prophecy, for example, clearly states that God has spoken eg,

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying,”

Jeremiah 1:4 NIV

“He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”

Ezekiel 2:1 NIV

BIBLICAL PROPHECY is classified as “God’s Word”, and is, therefore, utterly reliable and trustworthy.

“Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Jeremiah 23:28-29 NIV

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:19-21 NIV

Hundreds of Messianic prophecies about the first coming of Jesus were precisely fulfilled. (On these grounds, we can trust the Biblical prophecies regarding His second coming).

“When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.”

Acts of the Apostles 13:29 NLT

EXTRA-BIBLICAL PROPHECY is noticeably different from Biblical prophecy in both style and content.

Extra-Biblical prophecies focus on, not “The Lord says in His Word,” but what “the Lord revealed to me”. They are often vague, flowery, rambling, obscure, non-specific and unfulfilled. They are cannot be authoritative because they did not come from God.

EXTRA-BIBLICAL PROPHECIES are often backed up by declarations or prophetic actions for them to be fulfilled. 

  • BIBLICAL PROPHECY will be fulfilled regardless of people’s responses. God promised, for example, that David’s dynasty would never end, even if his descendants failed to follow David’s godly example. Despite David’s many wicked descendants who ruled in Judah, Jesus, son of David, is the final fulfilment of that prophecy.

BIBLICAL PROPHECY and its fulfilment, along with creation, is a clear witness to the existence of God and relates to God’s purposes for Israel and Israel’s preparation for the coming of the Messiah. All Biblical prophecy eventually points to the coming of Jesus to accomplish redemption for both Jew and Gentile.

“Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”

Revelation 19:10 NLT

“Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 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.  From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.”

Isaiah 46:8-11 NIV

3. BIBLICAL PROPHECY speaks against sin and warns of the consequences of disobedience.

Every book in the New Testament contains warnings about the consequences of ungodliness, especially in relation to our Lord’s second coming, for example…

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NIV

Many of the prophecies in the New Testament contain warnings of bad things and judgement coming on the earth rather than good times and revival, and prophecies that deal with the believers’ future focus on Jesus’ return and the restoration of all things under His eternal reign.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

2 Timothy 3:1-7 NIV

EXTRA-BIBLUCAL PROPHECY focuses on good times coming as opposed to what the Bible predicts, ignoring the sinfulness of the individual or the nation.

EXTRA-BIBLICAL PROPHECIES ignore the supremacy of Jesus and make predictions about all the good things God is planning to do in and for an ungodly country. These prophecies are to be fulfilled by making declarations about what God is going to do.

According to many of these prophecies, God is about to bring massive revival to South Africa which will change the country. However, nowhere in the New Covenant does God promise revival.

Throughout the New Testament, the focus is on becoming who we are in Christ. Revival is for dying or dead people. Believers are not dead but alive; we have been made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Most of these declarations come from the Old Covenant, which are irrelevant for us because.

A. We, as a country, are not in covenant with God,

B. We are not in relationship with God through the Mosaic Covenant,

C. Jesus has fulfilled the Old Covenant and brought us, who believe in Him, into the New Covenant,

D. The New Covenant does not involve nations but individuals, joined to Jesus by faith through the Holy Spirit,

E. The New Covenant has transferred us into another realm, citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Our focus is to be on God’s Kingdom, not on our nation, except to be witnesses for Jesus to the ungodly world around us.

F.  We are no longer subject to the devil’s deception because Jesus exposed and disarmed him at the cross, taking away his power over us,

G. The focus of the New Covenant is not nations, including Israel, but the church which is God’s “holy nation”. Jesus is head over all things for the church.

EXTRA-BIBLICAL PROPHECIES have no confirmation in God’s Word. They arise purely from the imagination of the “prophet”. They have no authority or power over God’s people. Power lies in what God has SPOKEN not in what people claim that God has spoken.

“I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.”

Jeremiah 23:21-22 NIV

“Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

EXTRA-BIBLICAL prophecies often directly contradict God’s Word.

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.”

Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT

Jesus is God’s final word to the world. God has nothing more to say to us because He has said everything and given us everything we need in and through Jesus.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence.”

2 Peter 1:3 NLT

“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”

Colossians 2:9-10 NLT

There are severe warnings for those who add or take away anything to the Word of God, both from Old and New Covenants, and the finished work of Jesus. They will come under God’s judgment.

“So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.”

Deuteronomy 12:32 NLT

“And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.”

Revelation 22:18-19 NLT

There is a trend in some streams of the church where people desire a  “word from the Lord” which amounts to what I call “spiritual fortune-telling”. This is the counterpart of the fortune-teller or taro-card reader, clothed in Christian “prophecy”.

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

There is evidence, in Scripture, of prophetic words spoken to individuals regarding their future e.g., Jeremiah’s words to Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:5-17); and Agabus’ words to Paul (Acts 21:10-14). However, these were not sugar-coated prophecies about a rosy future but warnings about what was about to happen.

So-called “words” from the Lord are dangerous because they raise false hopes, focus on success and prosperity and distract from Jesus who is the one upon whom our lives depend.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith….”

Hebrews 12:1-2a NLT

So, let us beware, dear friends, that we are not sucked into the modern extra-biblical heresies of “the Lord revealed to me…”

How do we deal with such prophecies?

“Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.”

1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 NIV

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV

The answer is simple. Test every prophecy by the standard of Scripture. If it does not conform to the measure of God’s Word, it is not of God. Reject it as false and misleading.

God has given us His complete revelation, preserved in the covers of a book. Anything more than that is outside the authority of Scripture.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV

GUILTY AS CHARGED

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GUILTY AS CHARGED

Again the high priest asked Him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”  “I am,” Jesus said. Mark 14:61b,62a

“Are you the king of the Jews? asked Pilate. “It is as you say,” Jesus replied. Mark 15:2.

There was a deep irony in Jesus’ trial. The religious leaders had both a reason and a motive for wanting to kill Him. For years they had hounded Him for healing people on the Sabbath. This was the worst form of sacrilege for them because the Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 31:14-17). To break the Sabbath was to cut oneself off from the blessings and privileges of the covenant. Jesus responded by claiming the right both to heal and to forgive sins on the Sabbath because He was the Son of God.

This enraged them even further because He was adding to His guilt of Sabbath-breaking, the sin of blasphemy, which was punishable by death, because He claimed to be equal with God. They thought they had a watertight case against Him. This may have been legitimate if the evidence did not point to the truth that He was the Son of God. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, was honest enough to recognise that He was special.

Their motive for wanting to kill Jesus was envy, according to Pilate (Mark 15:9, 10). Envy has a deeper connotation than coveting what someone else is or has. By His compassionate and merciful treatment of the people whom they despised because they thought they were better, Jesus had shown the religious leaders up for what they were, selfish, greedy hypocrites and they hated him for that. He challenged their idea of God by revealing the Father in His words and works and they wanted to silence Him.

As Jewish leaders, they could legitimately charge Him with blasphemy, but they could not execute Him. Only the Roman government could do that. The Sanhedrin tried Him for blasphemy, and He was found guilty on His own admission. The only problem was that He was found guilty because of their prejudice, not because they had examined the evidence. In fact, Jesus was guilty of the claim He had made, not of blasphemy, according to their interpretation, but of being the Son of God.

To pass the death sentence, Rome had to find Him guilty of treason – claiming kingship in opposition to Caesar. And so, He was sent to Pilate for his verdict. Once again Jesus himself admitted to His claim to be king of the Jews but not, as the Sanhedrin accused Him, to oust Caesar but king of the Kingdom of God. Not even Pilate bought into their lie, but he gave in to their demands to save his own skin.

Was Jesus guilty as charged? No. He was not guilty of blasphemy or treason according to the indictment of the Sanhedrin but, yes, He was guilty of the claims He had made. He is Son of God and He is king of the Jews!

RUSSIA, IRAN, AND TURKEY FORMING A BIBLICAL ALLIANCE

Apologetics, ,

RUSSIA, IRAN, AND TURKEY FORMING A BIBLICAL ALLIANCE

Vladimir Putin met with Iranian and Turkish leaders in Tehran recently. The trip will mark only his second trip outside of Russia since the Ukraine war began. In his previous trip outside of the country, Putin visited Tajikistan (home to Russia’s largest military base outside of its own borders) to discuss Afghanistan’s stability. He then attended a summit in Turkmenistan to discuss energy policy with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Turkmenistan.

Given Russia’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine, these trips highlight the significance of Russia’s relationship with these countries – and with Iran and Turkey in particular.

So why should you care? You should care because more than 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel warned of a future time when a vast coalition of nations will attack Israel. The leader of this coalition is a man known as Gog, the ruler of Magog (Ezekiel 38:1). This is why the invading force is known as the Gog of Magog coalition. According to Ezekiel this alliance will send an overwhelming force to invade Israel in the last days. And today, for the first time in human history, we see this alliance forming.

The Invading Nations
Which nations does Ezekiel describe? He identifies the invading nations as “Magog, Rosh, Meschech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah” (Ezekiel 38:1-6). If you look on a 2022 map of the globe, you won’t find any of these nations. So how can I say this alliance is forming?

Because these are the ancient biblical names of these nations, and while their names have changed over the years, we can still locate them on a map today. Below is a list of each nation, followed by its modern day name:

Rosh = Russia
Magog = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan
Persia = Iran
Cush = Sudan
Put = Libya
Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah = Turkey

Putin’s visit to Tehran will mark the third nation he’s visited since the Ukraine war began, and all three – Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran – are part of the Gog of Magog alliance. Moreover during the course of these three visits, Putin will meet with two additional members of the Gog of Magog alliance – Kazakhstan and Turkey. Is this a coincidence? I don’t think so.

It’s been centuries since Ezekiel first recorded these prophecies. Yet, this alliance has never existed. It certainly hasn’t invaded Israel. But now? Today, we see it coming together.

An Unlikely Alliance
Putin’s trip to Tehran to meet with Iranian and Turkish leaders should be of particular interest to those who study bible prophecy. Why? Because, until recently, these three nations made an unlikely alliance. First, these three nations have never been aligned in all of human history.

Second, Turkey is a member of NATO, and until recently, actively sought EU membership. Third, for most of recorded history, Russia and Iran had a turbulent relationship with little cooperation. In fact, until the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, who deemed Islam incompatible with the atheism of the Soviet Union, the modern nation of Iran had little to do with Russia.

But in recent years, Russia’s ties with both nations have strengthened. Following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini and the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1989, Russia (then a part of the Soviet Union), started selling arms to Iran. In 1995, the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy signed an agreement with Iran to finish the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The civil war in Syria was another area of cooperation between the two countries.

Russia and Iran share a common interest when it comes to keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power. Russia has a vested interest in retaining access to the Syrian naval base in Tartus and stopping the spread of ISIS. As a longtime ally of Assad, Iran also has military forces in Syria. In addition, Iran is the primary sponsor of Hezbollah, a radical terrorist organization. Hezbollah has openly operated in Syria under Assad.

It’s clear Russia and Iran have strengthened their diplomatic, economic, and military ties. But what about Turkey? Of all the members of the Gog of Magog coalition, Turkey is the most interesting. Why? Because it seems even more unlikely ally of Russia in an invasion of Israel.

Following World War I, Turkey established a secular western democracy and became a model democratic republic in the Middle East. In 1949, Turkey became the first Muslim majority nation to recognize Israel. In 1952, it joined NATO. For the latter part of the 20th Century, Turkey was a strong ally of Israel, the U.S., and other western nations. As the 21st Century dawned, Turkey explored membership in the European Union. This would have further solidified the nation’s western ties. Instead, an event took place that reshaped the future of Turkey.

In 2003, Turkey elected Recep Tayyip Erdogan prime minister. A former member of a banned Islamist political party, Erdogan’s administration has been hostile toward Turkey’s secular and democratic institutions. Under Erdogan, Turkey has turned from its traditional western allies and cultivated relationships with nations that oppose western democracy.

In July 2016, Erdogan cracked down on his political opponents following what he claimed was a coup attempt. He imprisoned thousands of citizens and consolidated his grip on power. A 2017 referendum further extended that power. Now the president, Erdogan is the undisputed ruler of Turkey. The nation, once hailed as a model of freedom and democracy in the Muslim world, has quickly devolved into a totalitarian regime eager to befriend America’s enemies.

In September 2018, Turkey met the leaders of Russia and Iran in Tehran to discuss the future of Syria. In February 2019, Turkey met the leaders of Russia and Iran in Sochi to coordinate joint military plans in Syria. Now, these nations are meeting once again in Tehran. The relationship between Putin and Erdogan is strong and growing. All that’s left to permanently move Turkey into the Russian ally column is a clear break between Turkey and NATO. What could cause that?

We may be witnessing it now. Turkey is experiencing massive inflation. They also counted on Ukraine for a significant portion of their food supply. Inflation and food shortages threaten Erdogan’s grip on power. Where can he get a steady supply of energy and food? Russia. It may be what finally drives Turkey into Russia’s corner. When that happens, the key players in the Gog of Magog alliance will be in place.

When Will All This Happen?
So when will this invasion take place? The Bible says it will come “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8). The original Hebrew word in this verse is “acharith” which means “after-part, latter part, last, close, or end.” In other words, this alliance will form in the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel uses this same word “acharith” eight verses later, when he says the invasion will come “in the last days” (Ezekiel 38:16).

This is confirmed again when Ezekiel reveals the Russian leader’s thoughts. Gog says to himself, “I will attack the once abandoned cities now populated with the Jews who returned from exile among the nations” (Ezekiel 38:12). This tells us Russia and its allies will attack the land when it’s filled with the exiles who return from among the nations. In other words, the target is modern day Israel. This means the invasion is coming in our day and time.

Ezekiel stresses this fact again and again when He says the invasion will occur “after Israel’s people have been gathered from among many nations” (Ezekiel 38:8) and “when I bring my people home from among the enemy nations” (Ezekiel 39:27). This return home from among many nations has happened only once in all of human history – modern day Israel.

While we wait for that moment, the military forces of the three most powerful members of the Gog of Magog alliance – Russia, Iran, and Turkey – are now cooperating in Syria. This puts their joint military forces right on Israel’s border. And not just any border – Israel’s northern border. This is where Ezekiel said the invading force will come from – north of Israel (Ezekiel 38:15; Ezekiel 39:2). Is this a coincidence? Again, I don’t think so. Never in history have these three nations formed an alliance. Now, they’re all stationed directly to Israel’s north.

The stage is now set for the fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecies. Turkey has made a strategic choice to align itself with Russia and Iran. Eventually, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the other nations in the Gog of Magog alliance will send an overwhelming invasion force against Israel (Ezekiel 38:8-9). When they do, God will destroy them and display His power and glory for all the nations to see (Ezekiel 38:23). It’s one more sign of how close we are to the Second Coming of Jesus.

Jesus is Coming
The rise of the Gog of Magog alliance is a major sign of the end times and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Remember, Ezekiel said this coalition will attack Israel “in the last days” (Ezekiel 38:16) “after they’ve been gathered from among many nations” (Ezekiel 38:8). The prophet Jeremiah spoke about this same regathering from among the nations.

He said God would “gather the remnant of His flock from the nations where he had driven them and bring them back into the land” (Jeremiah 23:3-4). And then? And then God will “raise up a righteous descendant of King David, a king who will rule the land with wisdom” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). This righteous King is the long-awaited Messiah.

Through the prophet Micah, God promised to “gather His exiles and form them into a strong nation.” Then, He promised to “rule from Jerusalem as their king forever” (Micah 4:6-7). The modern day nation of Israel is the fulfillment of God’s promise to regather His people back in the land of Israel.

So it should come as no surprise to see Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the other nations Ezekiel noted in cooperation with one another. According to the Bible, it’s only a matter of time before they attack Israel (Ezekiel 38:8-9). And after that, it’s only a matter of time before Jesus returns to establish His everlasting Kingdom (Revelation 22:20). Take note – Jesus is coming!

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE WOULD BE JUDGED BECAUSE OF THE SINS WE HAVE COMMITTED

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JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE WOULD BE JUDGED BECAUSE OF THE SINS WE HAVE COMMITTED

How often we hear these words from the mouth of a preacher, “When you stand before God, He will condemn you because you murdered someone by your anger… you lied… you stole… you committed adultery…!

No, my friend, according to Jesus, there is only one standard by which you will be judged.

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

John 3:18 NIV

You see, both unbelief and faith produce the fruit of our attitude towards Him; rejection of Jesus or belief in Him as Lord. All the sins we commit are the fruit of unbelief in Jesus. All our good works are the fruit of lives transformed by the power of the gospel.

“Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

John 3:20-21 NIV

Paul confirmed the truth that God will judge the world by this one standard.

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NIV

Does this mean that those who have never heard of Jesus will escape judgment? Not at all. The Bible clearly teaches us that God has placed a witness to His existence and His nature in the creation around and above us…

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:1-4

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

He has also written His moral law in the conscience of every person born into the world.

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. Romans 2:12-16

In today’s world of technology, every person who has access to the internet has access to a free copy of God’s Word in most languages and dialects. Gone are the days when the Bible could be banned or burned. Religion fears the Bible; prejudice keeps people from reading the Bible, but those who sincerely desire to know the truth will be led by the Holy Spirit to seek the Lord, and those who seek Him will find Him.

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:27-28

God will surely reveal Himself to anyone who seeks Him and desires to know Him.  

3 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD,”    Jeremiah 29:13-14

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE MUST GIVE OUR MONEY AND POSSESSIONS AWAY

Apologetics, ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE MUST GIVE OUR MONEY AND POSSESSIONS AWAY

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on His knees before Him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour you father and mother.’ ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy.’

Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ He said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. (Mark 10: 17-22)

Well, didn’t Jesus tell this young man to give everything away? Sure he did, but Jesus was addressing a specific individual in a specific situation, not telling everyone who follows Him to get rid of their money.

We have no idea who this young man was and how he came to acquire his wealth. He could possibly have been his father’s eldest son who had inherited a double portion of his father’s wealth as the firstborn in the family. There is no evidence that he was a tax collector who had acquired his money through dishonest means. He was quick to tell Jesus that he had not defrauded anyone. He seems to have been an honest and upright young Jew who did all the right things.

Despite his law-abiding life, he still felt that there was something missing. What did he recognise in Jesus that brought him to Him and not to his own religious teachers? Perhaps he recognised that they were no further than he in their religious lives and practices. Perhaps he even saw through their phoney “holiness” and knew that they had nothing to offer him. How long had he observed Jesus and seen in Him a quality that he longed to have in his own life – a humility and genuineness that showed up the “holy” ones for what they were.

Whatever his reasons for seeking Jesus out, he presented a golden opportunity for Jesus to explain the “gospel” to him.  Why did Jesus begin with the Ten Commandments? Is this a model for evangelism? Get people to admit that they have broken the commandments and are going to hell? Jesus did not even mention hell or contradict the young man when he declared that he had observed the commandments from his childhood. What was Jesus” intention? Was it to find out where this man stood in his understanding and attitude towards God?

From his response, it was obvious that this man was a devout Jew. He did all the right things, even fasting, praying and doing his tsidaqahs, his acts of righteousness which were his duty – his first fruits offering, and his tithes to the temple, and giving to the poor. He did everything by the book. What did he lack? He must have had an emptiness somewhere in his heart, a sense of unfulfillment that niggled at him, and became more urgent when he was near Jesus.

He desperately wanted the assurance that he would “go to heaven when he died”. Is that the conviction that he lacked? Perhaps he thought that one good deed, one thing above everything else he could do would do it so that he would never have to worry about it again.

Do, do, do! That was what hammered in his brain. All he wanted was to do something special to have his future secured.

What was his understanding about eternal life? Was he aware that eternal life is not something you “get” when you die; that it is a quality of life that begins now when you embrace God’s instructions for living in the kingdom of God?

Why did Jesus love him? Was Luke saying that Jesus did not love everyone else? I don’t think so. I think Jesus saw the potential in him and longed to see him fully involved in God’s kingdom. He also saw something else in this man; a huge barrier to his becoming a genuine citizen of God’s kingdom – his wealth. In one quick instruction, Jesus uncovered his heart. “Give it all away,” He said, “and come, follow me.”

There is an important principle in Jesus’ words. It’s not necessarily about money. It’s about who or what we love more than Him. He said that whatever stands between us and Him must go, or we cannot be His disciples. Why is it so imperative that we follow Him without any baggage? He came to show us the Father and to take us to the Father. We can only ever experience eternal life when we are reunited with and completely one with the Father.

Jesus said that a branch has no life outside the vine. There is no life in us when we are disconnected from Him because He and the Father are one, and to be one with Him is to be one with the Father. Jesus is the way, the only way and, apart from Him we have no life. 

No one can serve two masters. 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)

The bottom line is who do you love? You will serve the one you love. This rich man obviously loved his money too much to let it go. He chose to forfeit life in union with Jesus and to become whole again and one with the Father because money held his heart.

What holds yours?