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In Uncertain Times, We Serve a Certain God
We are living not only in interesting times but uncertain times. Businesses are closing and laying people off until the Coronavirus pandemic is over. Then, there is a question of if they can reopen after it is over. Hospitals are becoming overwhelmed. People are called to shelter in place and enact ‘social distancing’. Workplaces are activating business continuity plans by having employees work from home. All of this is being done in the name of safety and in an attempt to protract the virus’s effect. Many are saying that they’ve never seen anything like this before. They are calling these times, unprecedented.
Though these times may be new to us, they are not unprecedented.
They have happened before. Our ancestors saw them with smallpox and the Black
Plague. While these times are new to us and may have caught us off guard, they
did not take God by surprise. (For more on this, check out my blog, “God and the Coronavirus”.) What is His message to us? We are not to be afraid for He is
with us. This message will only appeal to those who are with Him because those
are the only ones to whom it is true.
The Bible records many times in Israel’s history that the Lord had
to encourage His people in times of trouble. There were times when He told them
to ‘fear not for I am with you’. Other times, He merely demonstrated His power
to show His presence. One such time was the parting of the Red Sea, as
recounted in Exodus 14.
As the Hebrews marched from Egypt to the Red Sea, they later
learned that they were being pursued by Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. Fearful,
they approached Moses and asked why he brought them out there to die. “Were
there not graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the
wilderness?” Moses tried to comfort the people by telling them that the
Egyptians they feared today would never be seen again. Then the Lord told Moses
to command the people to go forward and to stretch out his staff and divide the
Sea. The Sea parted. The people crossed. The Egyptians drowned. That day, God
gained glory. The Hebrews feared the Lord.
Isaiah 7 recounts an attempted overthrow of Jerusalem. The Lord
had to comfort His people during the attack on the city, which was led by the
northern kingdom, Israel, and their neighbor, Damascus. The city was
surrounded. Supplies were cut off. King Ahaz was assured defeat was inevitable.
(Put yourself in their shoes. Can you imagine how you would have felt having
your city/town surrounded by an army that meant you harm, and no one was
willing to help you? Can you imagine the fear, the uncertainty? Even the king
felt defeated.) Isaiah went to King Ahaz and told him to be strong because the
Lord was with him and that he could ask for a sign. Adopting false humility,
Ahaz refused to ask for a sign. So, Isaiah gave him a sign anyway:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and
shall call His name Immanuel.[i] 15 Curds and
honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the Child shall know to refuse the
evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both
her kings. 17 The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and
your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day
that Ephraim departed from Judah.”
The child was to be named Immanuel. The child’s name and presence
were physical proof that God was with them. He was fighting for them. What a
comfort this should have been to Ahaz.
Today’s believers have that same comfort. We have the Holy Spirit
living within us. He is God with us. Paul reminds us that “God has not given us
a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind (1 Timothy 1:7).” Again
in Philippians 4:6-7, Paul instructs us not to worry or stress out over
anything, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
make [our] request known to God; and the peace of God will guard [our] hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus.” (I’ll write more about God’s peace next week.)
History has shown time and time again that God has been there for His
people. He has protected Israel
though many have tried to eradicate her. The church still exists though many
have tried to bring about her demise. Nations have come and gone. Viruses and
plagues have come and gone. Disasters have come and gone. The one thing that
has remained constant: God, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He is Jehovah, the Great I AM. He is the Ancient of Days. He is
sovereign. He is in control. He is the Lover and Pursuer of our souls. He is a
God of grace and mercy. He is the same; yesterday, today, and forever. He does
not change. He will be with us. He is a Sure God in these unsure times. He is a
God of consistency in times that are ever changing.
Turn to Him. He is a sure bet. He is a firm
Foundation in unstable times.
God and the Coronavirus
Here is a controversial question for you: Did God send the Coronavirus? The short answer is yes. I will give you two reasons why.
First, God is sovereign. He is in control of every molecule in this universe. If it was not His will that the virus come, it would not have come. So, whether He sent it or allowed it (to me, it’s semantics), He is the reason it is here. (See my blog: God Is Ultimately Responsible for All Suffering.)
Second, God did send plagues in the Old Testament. Exodus 8-12 records nine plagues the Lord sent through the land of Egypt when Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. Exodus 32 records God sending a plague among the Israelites after they worshiped the Golden Calf. In Numbers 16, the Lord sent a plague among the people in response to their rebellion against Moses and Aaron. It only stopped after Aaron put incense from the altar into a censer and went and stood in the midst of the congregation. Even then, over 14,000 people had died.
One particular plague I want to draw your attention to is Numbers 21. It is arguable if this could be called a plague, but the effects are the same. Because the people spoke against God and against Moses, God sent fiery serpents among them to bite them. Every, or nearly every, person who was bit, died. When the people repented, the Lord told Moses how to stop the plague. He was to create a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Whenever a person was bitten, if they looked at the bronze serpent, they would be healed and live.
Jesus referred to this incident in John 3. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Why did He refer to this incident in speaking of Himself?
Just as there were likely some in the Wilderness who were bitten and who did not look to the bronze serpent to be healed, there are many now who are under sins judgment and who will not look to Jesus Christ to be saved. Looking at the Bronze Serpent was the only remedy God provided as a cure for the bite of the fiery serpents. By looking at the Bronze Serpent, they would live and not die. There was no salve, no magic incantation that would help them. Only looking at the Bronze Serpent would save them.
Similarly, looking to Jesus Christ is the only Remedy God provided as a cure for the sting of sin. By looking to Jesus Christ, we would live eternally and not perish. There are no good works nor good nature that will help us. Only looking to Jesus Christ will save us.
Did God send (or allow) the Plague? Yes. Why? It is hard to say. No one here knows fully the mind of God. But He may have done it for the same reasons He did it to the Egyptians and the Israelites—disobedience and rebellion. He may have sent it as punishment and as a warning. Our world is becoming so full of people rebelling against the command and the Person of God. Therefore, He sent a plague among us to call us to repentance before it is too late. Leviticus 26:21 says, “Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven time more plagues, according to your sins.”
One thing the Coronavirus has done is to cause people to reach out to God. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Could a worldwide revival be on the way? Possibly. Or sadly, we may miss the warning God has sent us and do as we did after 9/11, go back to our sinful ways once the crisis passes.
Reach out to God while it is not too late. Recognize we are facing eternal death because of sin and only Jesus Christ is the cure. Trust that when He died 2000+ years ago on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins. All we have to do is believe that He was Who He said He was and that He did what He said He came to do—to give His life as a ransom for many.
Look to Jesus and receive the only Remedy God has provided us to escape eternal death and receive eternal life.
Five Reasons the Rapture and the Second Coming Are Two Different Events–Part 4
Fourth, there are signs that precede the Second Coming
A fourth reason the Rapture and the Second Coming are two separate events is that there are signs that precede the Second Coming but there are no signs that precede the Rapture of the Church. As stated in Point 3, Jesus said He would return like a thief in the night. A thief does not leave clues that he is coming to warn the people. Instead, he tries to make his approach as stealthily as possible, as not to get caught. Jesus’ return to get us will be without warning as He pointed out in Matthew 24:39 and 44. That is not to say that there are no signs that foretell when His return is near. In Matthew 24, Jesus gave many signs that will portend His return such as the increase in the number of wars and threats of wars, ethnic groups fighting one another, increase in disease and famine and earthquakes, the rise of many false prophets, and increase in lawlessness and a decrease in the love of many. Though these seem to be general signs, the things He wants us to know is that as the end of the world gets near, these signs will grow in frequency and intensity—like birth pangs on a woman in labor (Matthew 24:8).
According to the scriptures, there are some things that must first happen before the return of the Lord.
- The Great Apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)—Paul speaks of the falling away of the church. He spoke of this in his letters to Timothy and Titus but not to this degree. In this passage, he speaks of a “rebellion (ESV)” or apostasy (NASB). What is an apostasy? It is the desertion or departure from sound doctrine. The mainstream church will stop teaching sound doctrine but will teach things that appeal to the flesh of man. It will depend upon programs rather than prayer. It will have concerts and call it worship. It will replace anointed sermons with eloquent speeches. It will stop teaching about sin and the need for repentance. It will stop teaching that Jesus is the only way. It will stop teaching about hell and punishment. Instead, it will teach about the goodness of man and the love of God. It will have a form of godliness but no power.
- The rise of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)—Jesus will not return until after the Antichrist comes on the scene. Who or what the Antichrist is, no one knows. Some have suggested it may not be a person but a system. At any rate, until there is someone who is going to try to declare himself as the savior of the world, Jesus will not be back. Revelation 19 speaks of how Jesus will destroy the Antichrist and the False Prophet in the Lake of Fire. As was pointed out in Point 1, something catastrophic must happen to facilitate his rise, where the nations of the world will cede to him their power.
- The Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-17). The Antichrist will force the world to take a mark of allegiance. This mark will likely be sold as a way to facilitate the transfer of money, the locating of criminals, and readiness of medical data. However, it will also be a mark of loyalty to the devil and his kingdom. Taking the mark will mean the forfeiture of your soul. It is how he will control you, track you, and maybe even torture you. What is the mark? No one knows. It has been suggested to be everything from a tattoo to a microchip. It will be placed in the forehead or on the right hand. You cannot travel without it. You cannot buy food without it. If you do not have it when stopped, you will be arrested. If you refuse it then, you will be killed. This is the means by which the Antichrist will establish a one-world economy.
- One world government. As stated before, the Antichrist will conquer the world through peace, then though the military that he will control. After whatever disaster happens that opens the door for him, he will persuade the world that he has the answers, and through smooth talk, he will get nations to give him their power, their military, and establish him as their leader. Once he has that, he will use that power to keep the people in line. He will be the supreme ruler with a bunch of potentates that will answer to him. As yet, there is no one world government, though the world seems to be headed that way.
- Attack on Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). The prophet Ezekiel speaks of an alliance, believed to be between the Russians and the Muslims, who will lead an attack against the land of Israel. That attack will fail. The Bible says that God will fight for Israel. It will take seven months to bury the dead. If there is any prophecy the church believes may be fulfilled in our lifetime, it is this one. Even today, the Islamic nations are seeking to destroy Israel. They chant, “Death to Israel.” It will not happen. Israel will never again be invaded. She will never again be destroyed. The world is worried about Iran getting a nuclear weapon. It will not matter for it will not hurt Israel. God has promised. If Israel is destroyed, you can take it to the bank that there is no God. He has made an oath.
- Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). The Battle of Armageddon is the event that immediately precedes the return of Christ. It is at this battle that the Antichrist leads his army and the armies of the world into a final battle against the land of Israel, Jerusalem, in particular. He has already declared himself to be God and the Jews expel him as a blasphemer. It is after this even that he declares war on them. Much of Israel will be invaded (not destroyed). People will seek asylum in the Negev and Petra. The armies from the east will go to Israel to fight, not against the Jews, but against the Antichrist. Israel will be caught in the middle. The cause of this battle is unsure. It is believed that something will be discovered either in Israel or by Israel that will cause the Antichrist to sign a [false] peace treaty with them. It is likely he is going to invade them to take control of this resource. The Oriental army, numbering 2 million, will also invade seeking to gain control of it, as well as attach the Antichrist and his army. With all the weapons of war ready to level poor Israel, Jesus returns to save the day (Revelation 19:11-21). In their foolishness, they will have the audacity to turn their weapons on Jesus but it will futile because Jesus will destroy them all.
The Bible says that these things must come to pass before the Return happens. Therefore, we can rest assure that it is not soon. The same cannot be said about the Rapture. In my next post, I discuss the final reason why the Rapture and the Second Coming are two different events: The Feast of Trumpets.
What’s Wrong with Harry Potter?
Unlike most people, I am not a part of the Harry Pott
er or Twilight craze. I didn’t see the appeal. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there has been a sudden increase in movies and television shows that promote the supernatural. Movies like Zombieland, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Freak Night, Twilight Saga, and of course, Harry Potter and television shows like True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Ghost Hunters, and Paranormal Files literally litter the box office and airwaves. They promote demonic and ungodly ideals. Why has there been a sudden influx of movies like this?
First, I want to add that I know that shows like this have always been around. There was Bewitched. There was Sabrina, the Teen-aged Witch, Charmed, Witches of Eastwick, and Lost Boys. There were even the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street movies, but those movies came once a year, maybe. Supernatural movies come yearly or more often. The television shows are on weekly, on more than one network. Their popularity is growing.
Some may argue that the reason why there are a plethora of shows is because studios know what is popular and they make clones of them. This is the reason there were a bunch of Apprentice clones (like Richard Branson’s Quest for the Best and The Cut with Tommy Hilfiger) that came out during the show’s heyday. I believe there is another reason.
The Bible says that the antichrist will come with signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). His powers will be supernatural except they will be from the devil rather than from God. I believe that the reason there is a number of supernatural movies is to prepare and even instill this philosophy to ready a generation to receive the antichrist. That is the reason why we have seen so many of these types of movies like never before.
As I wrote in my hub, The Bible—Book of Truth, things are coming together, setting up the stage for the end time. The Bible describes what the days will be like in the end times. The news speaks about how nations in the Middle East are coming together with Russia in alignment against Israel. These are the same nations named in Ezekiel 38 and 39. As stated earlier, there will be supernatural events during those days. In addition to the 2 Thessalonians passage, Revelation 13 says that the False Prophet will cause a statue to speak, among other lying wonders.
Through the entertainment industry and the education system, people are being introduced to witchcraft and being turned away from God. They are being introduced to this false power, which can be enticing to young minds. These shows and movies teach that by tapping into this power or by chanting magic words, they can do what Harry Potter or the women of Charmed can do. I know that in these movies, there is still evil. Sometimes that evil is the devil. The devil doesn’t care if you don’t worship him. He just doesn’t want you to seek and worship God. So, to ensure this, he is willing to play the villain.
God led me to write this hub to hopefully open the eyes of the people to see that these movies have an ulterior purpose. That purpose is to lead people away from God. Seeking these ungodly powers, this black magic, comes with a heavy price. Demons and demonic possession are nothing to play with. Plus, people who play with this are putting their immortal souls in jeopardy. Jesus said that hell was made for the devil and his angels. People who follow the devil will also end up in hell with the devil. That is God’s Word.
What is the answer? Turn from these movies and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to deliver you from the power of Satan. Though he has no real power, the devil’s influence on the unsaved is powerful. Christians should not follow Harry Potter or Twilight because they should recognize that these are ungodly movies cloaked in action and romance. But look behind the plotlines and see the story. Harry Potter is about a boy who is a wizard (a person who practices witchcraft). The Bible says that Christians are to avoid witchcraft and those who practice it. Twilight and its clones are about vampires and the undead and the underworld. There is no such thing as the undead. The underworld is the abode of demons.
I cannot encourage you enough to turn away from movies and shows like this. Instead, get into the Word of God. His Spirit will give you enlightenment, if you ask God for it. Tell others about the dangers of these movies. Though they seem innocent, they are not. Yet, their apparent innocence will ensnare you and before you know it, you’ll be submerged in a world of evil. The devil is seeking to draw the minds of people from God and he is using the entertainment industry to do it.
Cyber-Discipleship 