For consistency, all verses are quoted from the Authorized King James Bible. We will continue to make every effort to aid all who are searching for the truth of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
You may find the Greek Dictionary helpful in your studies, see left hand column.
My E-mail address is: philliplaspino@outlook.com
This will be my first post on end-time prophecy:
Posted, 4/5/2026: God’s Handywork
This topic will concern the rebirth of a nation. After 1900 years, what happened in one day, May 14, 1948, is the moment that began the countdown for all other end-time prophecy clues.
My goal is to follow the Scripture and only provable history to the point where it demands a conclusion. We will work with passages from the King James Bible, allowing the Scriptures themselves, not theological systems or personal opinions, to define the framework and the outcome.
The LORD throughout the ages has used both righteous and unrighteous men. Men like King Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Caesar Augustus, and even pure evil men like Adolph Hitler, to guide historical events toward his own purpose and to fulfill his will.
In 70 A.D., the Roman legions broke through Israel’s fortifications. They entered Jerusalem and destroyed both the Temple and the city, killing over one million Jews, and taking tens of thousands into captivity. Thus, the words Jesus spoke to the Jewish people in Matthew 2:38, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate,” bore their fruit.
Looking down on the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives with his disciples, Jesus said, Matthew 24:2, “See you not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
Question: “Didn’t the LORD warn Israel that he would scatter the Jews among the nations centuries earlier if they did not observe his law?”
Over 3000 years ago, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 28:64, “And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth even unto the other.”
In 600 B.C., He told Jeremiah to write the following. Jeremiah 16:13, “Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favor.”
But the LORD also promised to regather them in the latter days.
Jeremiah 29:14, “I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, said the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.”
Ezekiel 36:24, “For I (the LORD) will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.”
Amos 9:14-15, “And I (the LORD) will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them;” verse 15, “And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, said the LORD thy God.”
He also promised Israel they would be a nation born in one day. Isaiah 66:8, “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?”
None of the above passages is symbolic. None are conditional. None spiritualized. All are literal, national, and tied to the end of the age.
Throughout the Bible, and before every major act of restoration, God would raise up a peculiar kind of person, a precious vessel to accomplish his work. Let’s begin with Daniel’s captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C., move forward to 536 B.C., when the LORD led the King of Media, Darius and the King of Persia, Cyrus, to defeat the Babylonians and free the Jews.
Cyrus of Persia was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah over 100 years before his birth, around 700 B.C. Isaiah 44:28, “Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built; and to the temple, thy foundation shall be laid.”
In 559 B.C., Ezra wrote, Ezra 1, In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. He made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it in writing. “The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, go up to Jerusalem, — and build the house of the LORD god of Israel.”
Cyrus’s empire stretched from Asia Minor to the Indus Valley, including Babylonia, Syria, Judah, Egypt’s borderlands, Media, Persia, Lydia, and parts of Central Asia.
The 10 northern tribes had been exiled by Assyria in 722 B.C. Many of them were absorbed into the Assyrian Empire and the Babylonian populations. So, when Babylon fell to Cyrus, all former deportees became subjects of the Persian Empire. The Cyrus Cylinder confirms that Cyrus’ general policy was to return displaced peoples to their homelands. So, the King’s decree applied to any Israelite in his empire, including descendants of the northern tribes. Historically, few from the northern tribes returned, but they were never lost.
And from the time Daniel was taken captive in 606 B.C. by King Nebuchadnezzar until King Belshazzar was defeated in 536 B.C., Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 years of captivity for not resting the land would be fulfilled.
As the centuries passed, the LORD raised Nehemiah before the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Ezra followed before the restoration of the Law, and John the Baptist before the coming of Christ. These men weren’t the fulfillment; they were the preparers.
Now, let’s move forward in time from 70 A.D., the year the Temple was destroyed, to 1492 A.D., the year Columbus set sail from Spain with the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María.
Throughout the Bible, God’s purposes unfold slowly. Both his written word and documented history have proven that the return of the Jews to their land has been moving forward through a multi‑century process.
The LORD made a promise to the Jews, not for their sake, but for his own name’s sake. His promise,
Ezekiel 36:22, “I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the heathen whither you went.”
Jeremiah 31:10, “He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.”
Deuteronomy 30:3, “Then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God has scattered thee.”
Beginning in 1492, Christopher Columbus, and later, men like Haym Salomon, the Rothchilds, Yehoshua Hankin, and others became chosen vessels filled with God’s Holy Spirit to give light to a world covered in the shadows of darkness.
I believe Christopher Columbus may have been “The first modern-day golden arrow placed into the bow of the Lord.” And if one looked closely at the tip of that first arrow, it had a date marked on it, May 14, 1948.
Question: “Did Columbus’s voyage open a new world that eventually became a refuge for persecuted Jews?” When we examine the past 500 years as a sequence, it feels like a slow, deliberate unfolding of God’s will.
Question: “Did Columbus intend to help the Jews?” Columbus as “the first arrow in God’s bow” is a vivid way to express the idea that the discovery of the Americas set in motion a chain of events that eventually created a safe haven for Jews long before a sovereign state of Israel existed.
Let’s talk about his Spanish influence. In 1492, the edict of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and his departure, coincided with the date on which Jews were supposed to be out of the country. Columbus delayed the expedition to avoid sailing on the 9th of Av.
The 9th of Av, known in Hebrew as Tisha B’Av is the major Jewish fast day that commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. It is considered the saddest day on the Jewish calendar and falls each year in late July or August.
The estimated number of Jews expelled from Spain ranges widely, but the trauma was enormous. The final deadline for them to leave was August 2, 1492. But Columbus set sail the morning after the expulsion deadline, on August 3. Many writers have noted the symbolic weight of this timing. His own diary begins by linking the two events.
Also to be considered is his personal letter to his son Diago. He started it with the Hebrew letters Beit-Heh, the abbreviation for (baruch Hashem,) meaning, “blessed in the name,” referring to God. His discoveries did prepare the way for the settlement of North America by European ancestors, giving rise to America, today the most important ally the Jews have had in 2000 years. The United States has remained a secure sanctuary for millions of Jews. And it’s still a tradition for Jews at the end of the Passover meal to add the phrase, “God bless Columbus.”
Did Columbus intend to help the Jews? No one can say for sure, but his voyage opened a new world that eventually became a refuge for persecuted Jews, a nation with strong Christian friendships, and today, Israel’s only political ally.
The Jews who remained in Europe faced rising nationalism, persecution in Russia, antisemitism in France, Germany, and Eastern Europe, and eventually the Holocaust. Many Jews could not leave Europe and the Middle East due to poverty, immigration quotas, or political restrictions.
With the promised dispersion that came in 70 A.D., and the regathering that began 1900 years later, came both curses and blessings. Those who remained in Europe suffered greatly, and those who came to America prospered.
Haym Salomon
Let’s move on to a Philadelphia banker named Haym Salomon. In 1778, Mr. Salomon loaned, interest-free, his entire personal fortune of 600,000 pounds in British sterling to a young U.S. government for the war effort. He also helped raise funds from the Sassoon’s and the Rothchild families, a total of around 3 ½ million pounds sterling for the American cause. George Washington, to show his gratitude to Haym Salomon, engraved on the American dollar a thirteen-star cluster directly over the head of the American eagle in the shape of the Star of David and the brilliant light of the Shekinah Glory that dwelt over the Mercy Seat in the Jewish Tabernacle.
Mr. Solomon died penniless at age 45, never having received reimbursement from the government. While his efforts did not directly influence the 20th-century return of Jews to their homeland, they played a meaningful role in Jewish survival by helping secure the success of the American Revolution, which ultimately established one of the safest and most supportive nations for Jewish life in modern times.
Interpreting history through a theological lens, his contribution can be seen as part of a long chain of events that allowed the Jewish people to flourish in the United States until the establishment of Israel in 1948. He helped establish the United States, secured a future haven for millions of Jews fleeing persecution in Europe, and America was the first nation to recognize the State of Israel in 1948. Haym Salomon was a “Small Part” in a Long Chain of events moved along by the hand of God.
Yehoshua Hankin:
Sixty-seven years before May 14, 1948, Jewish organizations and certain individuals, like Yehoshua Hankin in 1881, known as the Redeemers of Israel and the land, legally purchased large tracts of land from Ottoman landlords, Arab landowners, absentee titleholders, and private estates. These purchases were legal, documented, and paid for in full at inflated prices. Without men like Yehoshua Hankin, there would have been no land base. Without land, there would have been no return, and without a return, there would have been no Israel today. But the LORD had a plan for his people, and that plan had the power of the Holy Spirit behind it.
By the time Israel declared statehood on May 14, 1948, a significant portion of the land Jews settled on had been bought with Jewish money. Much of the agricultural land had been redeemed and cultivated, swamps had been drained, desolate areas had been restored, and cities and settlements built.
This aligns perfectly with the prophetic pattern in passages like
Ezekiel 36:34–36, “The desolate land shall be tilled.”
Amos 9:14, “They shall build the waste cities.”
And Isaiah 35:1, “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”
This had to be a divinely orchestrated process directed and produced by the LORD himself. The land was being prepared before the nation was reborn, exactly as his prophets described.
So, Yehoshua Hankin’s work was another golden arrow shot from the bow of the LORD.” That arrow, like the others fired before it, would land on May 14, 1948. But now the LORD needed an organization to fire his next arrow. On its tip was written the “Balfour Declaration.” The force behind the shot was the horrors of World War II, and May 14, 1948, was the moment of impact.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917
This is one of the clearest political milestones: Britain expressed support for “a national home for the Jewish people” in the land called Palestine. The Balfour Declaration was a statement issued on November 2, 1917, by the British government during World War I. Britain announced its support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people,” which was under Ottoman control at the time.
Arthur James Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, sent the declaration in a letter to Lord Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community. It was a short document, but it became one of the most significant political steps toward the modern State of Israel. It marked the first time a major world power formally endorsed the Jewish people’s right to return to their ancient homeland after nearly 1,900 years of dispersion.
After World War II, and the horrors of the war, the Balfour Declaration was essentially re‑examined and put back on the world stage in 1947, when the newly formed United Nations took up the question of what to do with the land of Palestine.
In May 1947, the United Nations created a special committee (UNSCOP, = the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine) to re‑evaluate the Balfour Declaration, the British Mandate, Jewish claims to a homeland, Arab opposition, and the future of the land. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations partition plan, Resolution 181, partitioned the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. This was the legal step that opened the door for May 14, 1948.
Question: “Did Yehoshua Hankin’s purchase of Land help the U.N. to make its decision?” In a way, yes. The U.N. authorities could see a functioning Jewish society, farms, towns, and infrastructure, a population that had legally purchased and developed land, and a people with a clear national identity. But his was not the decisive factor; it was the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust.
The tender Fig tree:
Matthew 24:32, Jesus said days before the cross, “Learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is near.”
In the prophetic language of Scripture, Israel is portrayed as the fig tree, a symbol used throughout the Old Testament and affirmed by Jesus in His teaching. When the fig tree begins to put forth leaves, it signals that a specific season has arrived. In the same way, the rebirth of Israel after nearly 1,900 years marked the beginning of the final prophetic season described in the Bible.
The restoration of Israel is the central sign Jesus pointed to when He said that the generation that witnesses the fig tree putting forth its branches would also witness the fulfillment of end‑time prophecy.
For this reason, the rebirth of Israel stands as the most significant prophetic marker of our time. It is the moment when the fig tree puts forth its leaves, signaling that the prophetic clock has begun to move toward its appointed conclusion.
So, without a nation, there is no fig tree budding. Without the fig tree budding, Matthew 24:34 would have no trigger.
All the above is not a coincidence; it’s not politics, or human achievement; it’s the hand of God working to unfold his prophecies as written and bring glory to himself. We are now living in the final few years of that generation.
So, May 14, 1948, is our prophetic starting point? Matthew 24:34 states, “This generation shall not pass, until all these things be fulfilled.” So, what is meant by a generation?
Concerning Matthew 24 and the word “generation,” the Greek Lexicon tells us how the word should be understood. It “Speaks of the men of any generation or age, those living in any one period, a race, class, or the present generation.” So those standing on the ground of Israel on May 14, 1948, would be the generation that should see “All these things fulfilled.”
After 70 A.D. and for the next 1900 years, no nation on earth has had an average lifespan of 80. Most male lifespans hover around 30–45 years. In the 1800s, global life expectancy was still under 40. Only in the last century, and especially in Israel, do we see men living to the age of 80. Israel’s last census in 2024 put men’s age at 80.2 years, and women at 84, one of the highest life expectancies on Earth. Ask yourself whether this was all a coincidence? Or is it the foreknowledge of God knowing the State of Israel would exist, and that in 2000 years the average male in Israel would live to be 80 years old?
So yes, Israel’s modern lifespan is a new phenomenon, not something ancient readers could have applied.
If someone believes Matthew 24 refers to the reborn nation of Israel, then using modern census data to define “This generation” is a logical move.
I went to A.I. and asked the question, “If May 14, 1948 is not the starting point that we are to look for, what are the odds that Israel could again be destroyed as it was in 70 A.D., the people scattered, lose its language, its land, and then, far into the future, be restored in one day with the same nationality of people, same language, same currency, same land, same identity?
The answer is simple. God promised in Amos 9:15, “They shall no more be pulled up out of their land.”
This means they will not be restored multiple times, nor will they be scattered, destroyed, and regathered again. The regathering in 1948 is the final restoration; it’s permanent. So, A.I. answers, “The odds of Israel’s modern restoration happening by chance a second time are essentially zero.”
Once Israel was reborn, the prophetic “mysteries” that were sealed within the pages of the Bible suddenly had context. I am not trying to invent a new system; all I’m doing is tracing clues God has embedded in the prophetic record.
I know what many of you are thinking. Jesus said in Mark 13:32, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”
In 531 B.C., Daniel was told the words were to be sealed until the time of the end, meaning when the time of the end came, they would no longer be sealed. What I’m suggesting is that the Holy Spirit is now illuminating what was previously sealed; this is a biblically valid position. I will post another article concerning the false teaching that our Lord and Saviour, the all-knowing Creator, Jesus Christ, does not know the time of his return.
Israel’s restoration is the trigger
This is the part many of those who study end-time prophecy avoid, but I will state it plainly. Before May 14, 1948, there was no prophetic clock. After 1948, the clock began to tick and gain context.
After the worldwide regathering of the Jews, the clock is now active, and moving to the end of the generation born in 1948.
This is exactly what the prophets said: Amos 9 tells us there would be permanent restoration. Ezekiel 37 tells us it would be a national resurrection. Jeremiah 31 states that the regathering would be from one end of the earth to the other, and Deuteronomy 30 states that the return would be in the latter days.
These are not Hog-podge clues; they are all markers written in the Bible for us to know and understand, and they all began on May 14, 1948, a nation born in one day.
Now for Matthew 24:34, “This generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled.”
You’re going to use the Greek word for “generation” metonymically, meaning there will be a group of people living at the same time, a race or lineage, a class of people, in this case, Jews, a people alive when the fig tree begins to bud.
The generation that sees Israel restored will not pass until all is fulfilled.
Let’s take a look at Psalm 90.
I am not date‑setting. I am doing what Jesus told us to do: observe the signs and understand the season. Israel’s restoration began in 1948; that by reason of a “strong generation is 80 years.” We are now at the far end of that window, and the clues are no longer sealed.
The restoration of Israel is the prophetic trigger; this generation that witnessed it is nearing its end. The mysteries sealed until the end are now understandable. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is illuminating what was previously hidden. We are not waiting for the season to begin; we are in it.
My Bible never states, “that we will never know the year,” or we will never know the generation.” Neither does it say, “We will never know the season.” It only says, we will not know the day or hour.
There is a massive difference, and I will continue to operate in the space Scripture actually allows. I do not believe the six-day war of 1967 has anything to do with end-time prophecy except that it falls within the time frame of our 80-years. The passages that describe Israel’s end‑time restoration, Amos 9, Ezekiel 37, Jeremiah 31, and Deuteronomy 30, never mention retaking Jerusalem, expanding its borders, military victories, or the Six‑Day War. Those events are historically important, but not prophetically required for the restoration prophecies I have been citing.
The only requirements are that Israel returns, Israel becomes a nation, the Jews are regathered from all the nations of the world, the people are planted permanently in the land, that Israel is one people again, and that Israel is restored in the latter days.
Question: “Does Israel’s modern life expectancy strengthen the “80‑year generation” interpretation of Matthew 24:34? For most of history since 70 A.D., very few nations had an average lifespan anywhere near 80. Only because of twenty-first century medicine has global life expectancy risen dramatically. Israel today has one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
So, on the surface, Israel, the nation central to biblical prophecy, happens to sit right at the “fourscore” mark mentioned in Psalm 90:10.
Psalm 90:10 is descriptive, not prophetic; it describes human mortality in poetic terms. It isn’t presented as a prophetic countdown, or a definition of a “generation,” or a timeline tied to Israel. It’s simply saying: Most people live 70 years; strong ones may reach 80.
This is why most biblical scholars don’t treat the Psalms as a prophetic metric, they define “generation” by lifespan. The Greek word “genea” (generation) in Matthew 24:34 has several possible meanings.
So, while prophecy teachers often choose 70–80 years, the text itself doesn’t mandate it. So, Israel’s modern life expectancy is interesting and may hold a strong clue for us. Census taking is to reveal how old people are and how long they will live.
So yes, Israel’s modern lifespan is a new phenomenon, nothing the ancients could have applied. So if someone believes Matthew 24 refers to the reborn nation of Israel, then using modern census data to define “this generation” is a logical move.
Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones unfolds in two stages. First, the bones come together, which is physical restoration; then the breath of life enters them, which is spiritual restoration. So, May 14, 1948, was stage one: A nation physically restored, but not yet spiritually awakened.
And in Ezekiel 37:15–22, the prophet sees the two sticks become one.
The prophecy states that Judah and Israel will be reunited, they will become one nation, have one government, and will live in their own land. This never happened after the Babylonian exile, not under Roman rule, and not in the diaspora. But it did happen in 1948 which makes it the clearest fulfillment of the “two sticks” prophecy since Ezekiel wrote it.
Israel since May 15, 1948.
Israel went to war the day after it became a nation, and to this day, Jerusalem is still being trampled underfoot by the Gentiles.
First, Israel had to be reborn, and Matthew 24 describes events tied to that rebirth.
Given that framework, here is the clearest, most internally consistent answer: the prophetic clock begins with Israel’s rebirth in 1948. And because Matthew 24 is future‑focused and tied to the fig tree (Israel), then the moment Israel becomes a nation again is the moment the countdown begins.
Everything Jesus describes in Matthew 24 assumes Israel exists, is back in the land, is surrounded by hostile Gentile nations, is central to world attention, and Jerusalem is contested. None of these conditions existed 2,000 years ago. They all became true starting in May 1948.
Israel was under attack the day after their independence. This reinforces our prophetic framework. Ezekiel 38–39, early conflict, hostility immediately follows restoration. Zechariah 12–14, nations surrounding Jerusalem, and Matthew 24:6, “wars and rumors of wars” involving Israel. The fact that Israel’s rebirth was instantly met with war fits the prophetic pattern rather than contradicting it.
And what about Jerusalem still being trampled underfoot by Gentiles? This is where Luke 21:24 comes into focus. “Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
After 1948, Jerusalem was divided, the Old City was under Jordanian control, and no Jew could access the Temple Mount.
So yes, Jerusalem is still under partial Gentile control. That does not negate 1948 as the starting point; it simply means the prophecy is unfolding in stages.
Question: “Does modern-day technology help to fulfill verse 14 of Matthew 24? Modern technology is one of the most obvious ways Matthew 24:14 can be fulfilled, and it’s something previous generations could not have imagined.
Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations; and then the end will come.” This is to be taken literally; the “Good News” must reach every nation, every people group, and reach into every corner of the world. So, modern-day technology becomes not just helpful but essential. For nearly 2,000 years, this verse was humanly impossible to fulfill, but today, it’s happening in real time.
Technology now allows the gospel to reach places that were unreachable for centuries. There is Satellite broadcasting, Internet streaming, social media, Smartphones, Digital Bibles, and translation software. A message can be sent from Jerusalem and heard in Africa, Asia, or South America within seconds. Ours is the first generation in history where Matthew 24:14 is literally achievable.
Also, Bible translation is accelerating at an unprecedented speed. For most of history, only a handful of languages had Scripture; translation took decades or lifetimes, and many groups throughout the world were completely unreached.
Also, we have AI‑assisted translation, digital linguistics, cloud collaboration, and portable recording devices. This new technology has pushed Bible translation into a new era. Entire New Testaments can be translated in months, not decades, and this is exactly what Matthew 24:14 requires.
There are more smartphones on Earth than people with access to clean water, even in closed or hostile nations. In a closed society, the people secretly download Scripture, watch videos, listen to audio Bibles, and join underground online groups that bypass borders, governments, and censorship. Again, no previous generation could accomplish these things.
Now let’s talk about the Hebrew language, which was brought back, as was the shekel, and the land, flourishing. We have every right to see those details as part of the same prophetic picture. When you look at Israel’s rebirth, its language, its currency, and its land, you’re seeing pieces that did not exist for nearly two millennia suddenly snap back into place within a single generation. These are not issues we can easily dismiss.
For almost 2,000 years, Hebrew was not a spoken national language. It survived only in prayer, synagogue readings, and scholarly texts. No nation in history has ever revived a dead language and made it the daily speech of millions. Yet Israel did exactly that, as prophesied. This aligns with the prophetic expectation that Israel would return as a nation, not just a scattered people; they would return with their own identity, not absorbed into other cultures, and they would speak the language of the prophets again. The revival of Hebrew is one of the most striking signs of national restoration in modern history.
The shekel was the ancient biblical currency. For centuries, it existed only in archaeology and Scripture, then suddenly, in 1980, Israel officially restored the shekel as its national currency. The name, the symbol, and the concept all come straight from the Hebrew Bible. This was a deliberate return to Israel’s ancient identity, something that fits perfectly with the idea of a nation being restored “as in days of old.”
For centuries, travelers described the land of Israel as barren, swampy, desolate, and uninhabitable. Mark Twain famously called it “a desolate country… a silent mournful expanse.”
But today, Israel exports fruit and flowers, the desert blooms, agriculture thrives, water technology has transformed the land, forests have been planted, and vineyards now cover the hills.
This lines up with prophetic passages like Isaiah 35, the desert blossoming, Ezekiel 36, the land becoming fruitful again, and Amos 9, vineyards planted and cities rebuilt. The transformation is so dramatic that it’s often cited as one of the clearest modern fulfillments of biblical prophecy. All the above form a coherent picture of national restoration that did not exist at any point from 70 AD until the 20th century.
Posted 3/11/2026: Religious dogma
Religious dogma refers to a set of core beliefs that a closed organization considers absolutely true and not open to debate. These beliefs form the foundation of their identity and guide how followers understand the world and their place in it.
Question: What makes an organization “dogmatic”? Their committees treat their teachings as the only acceptable truth. They discourage, or even forbid, independent investigation and restrict members’ access to external information, and they frame questioning as disloyal or spiritually dangerous.
So, if a group tells its members, “Don’t read anything except our publications, don’t attend Bible studies unless we run them, and that all outside material will mislead you.”
If anyone has fallen into that trap, it will cause intellectual isolation, dependence on that organization’s truth, reduce an individual’s ability to compare interpretations, and be a barrier to critical thinking.
In other words, the organization has shaped the environment so that its teachings cannot be questioned or tested.
The following are a few examples of religious dogma.
In Catholicism, the belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven, a teaching not to be questioned. The Catholic Church’s Magisterium proclaimed this.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the Watchtower organization is God’s sole channel of truth. That the Watchtower Society is God’s only organization, the Governing Body is God’s sole spokesman, and salvation depends on loyalty to the organization. This is what gives all their other doctrines their authority.
Surprisingly, Jesus and the apostles warned against human‑made rules, closed systems of authority, and leaders who restrict access to truth.
Jesus repeatedly confronted religious leaders for elevating their own interpretations and traditions to the level of divine truth.
He said to the scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 15:6, “You have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”
He criticized leaders who tried to control access to the truth. Matthew 23:13, “For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in.”
Jesus appealed to personal reasoning, conscience, evidence, and Scripture. He said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
3/8/2026
Jesus farewell discourse
John 14:28 is one of the most commonly misused verses by those who deny the full divinity of Jesus Christ. But their misuse comes from lifting the verse out of its context and ignoring the rest of John’s Gospel, which overwhelmingly affirms Jesus’ divine identity.
Jesus said to his disciples, John 14:28, “I go away, and come again unto you. If you love me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”
He spoke these words the night before the crucifixion. He was telling his disciples, “Don’t let my death be a stumbling block to you.” I have told you before, “I go away.”
Jesus had no intention of hiding the fact that he was about to depart from them. So, he reminded his disciples that the sadness of departure was relieved by his promise to return. Because their love was incomplete, they did not understand.
Instead of being sad, they should have been joyful that he was going to return to his Father, who sent him.
Why should they be happy? Because his earthly suffering would be over, his glory restored, his mission fulfilled, and his return to the Father would bring blessings when the Holy Spirit is sent.
Now, when Jesus said, “My Father is greater than I,” it had nothing to do with his essential being, and he surely would not have intentionally contradicted his words in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” The Bible is very clear about His Divine nature. It is supported by John 1:1, John 10:30, and Philippians 2:6.
After the cross, the Father was now in a position to reward his Son for his obedience unto death. Philippians 2:9, “God (the Father) also has highly exalted him,” Hebrews 1:3, he sat at the right hand of his Father,” and Matthew 28:18, all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth.
Jesus’ return to the Father is inseparable from His sending of the Holy Spirit, the disciples receiving peace, power, and understanding, and the launching of their mission in the world. So don’t let unfamiliar or misleading voices pull you off course. When Jesus said, “The Father is greater than I,” He wasn’t speaking about His essence or divine nature, but about the role He willingly took on during His earthly ministry.
Posted 2/14/2026
Can we prove using only 3 verses in the Old Testament and 5 verses in the New Testament that Jesus existed before conception? Let’s begin with Daniel 7:13-14 and Isaiah 48:16.
Daniel 7:13-14, “I (Daniel) saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall NOT pass away, and his kingdom that which shall NOT be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:13 shows one “like a son of man” approaching the Ancient of Days (the Father). And Daniel 7:14 shows the approaching figure receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom; all peoples and nations will serve him, his dominion is everlasting, and his kingdom will never be destroyed. Why this matters. Because only God has an everlasting dominion. Psalm 145:13, “Thy kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom.” Only God is served by all nations, and only God rules an indestructible kingdom.
In Isaiah 48:16, Jehovah is speaking, he said, “Come ye near unto me, hear you this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God (the Father), and his Spirit (the Holy Spirit) hath sent me.” If you have any doubt who is speaking, read verses 3-9-10-12-13-15.
In Isaiah 48:16, the LORD said, “I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, thee am I: and now the Lord God (the Father), and his Spirit (the Holy Spirit), hath sent me.” This verse is one of the most intriguing passages in the book because the speaker claims eternal presence: “From the time that it was, I was there.” That language is reserved for God Himself, yet the speaker says the Lord God sent him. This creates a distinction; the speaker is with the Father from the beginning, but is also sent by Him, and by His Holy Spirit.
The following New Testament verses make direct, unambiguous claims, so we will no longer be dealing with hints or symbolic visions. Once you add Colossians 1:15–17 and John 1:1–3-14, the preexistence of Jesus is no longer just “suggested.” It becomes explicit, unavoidable, and doctrinally central.
John 1:1–3, “The Word was with God (the Father), and the Word was God.” Verse 3, speaking of Jesus as the Word, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” With John 1:14, “The Word became flesh.”
Why add verse 14 to the mix? It makes the identity of the Word unmistakable, and it grounds theology in history. It identifies the eternal Creator as the one who entered human history in a tangible, visible way, plainly showing that the eternal Creator became a human being.
Now, Colossians 1:16–17, “For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible — all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
So, the Old Testament provides the categories: a heavenly Son of Man, a divine person sent by the Father, and one who existed before the beginning. And the N. T. identifies Jesus as that person.
Posted 2/2/2026
Let’s begin with the following: notice that Jesus’ earthly ministry had nothing to do with the Gentiles. He explicitly stated that His mission was directed to Israel.
Matthew 15:24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
His instructions to the Twelve: Matthew 10:5–6, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles… But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Question: “For what purpose did the Father send his Son to Israel?” It was to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy about Israel’s Messiah.
Romans 15:8, “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.” The “circumcision” refers to Israel. His mission confirmed the covenants and prophecies given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David.
Jesus was sent to call Israel to repentance and prepare them for the kingdom. John the Baptist and Jesus both preached the same message:
Matthew 3:2, John said, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17, Jesus said, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The kingdom was promised to Israel, 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 9; Daniel 2, 7.
The prophets foretold that only a remnant of Jews would believe.
Isaiah 10:21–22, “A remnant shall return;” Verse 22, “Yet a remnant of them shall return.”
John 1:11–12, “He (Jesus) came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on his name:” So, his ministry sifted Israel, revealing who would believe.
He came to offer salvation to Israel first, but later, Paul explains the order, Romans 1:16, “To the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Jesus came to reveal Himself as Israel’s promised King and Shepherd.
Matthew 21:5, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee…”
Ezekiel 34:23 was a future prophecy, “I will set up one shepherd over them.”
When he comes, he identifies Himself as that Shepherd: John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd.”
He came to fulfill the law and the prophets. Matthew 5:17, “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. To conclude, His ministry to Israel completed the prophetic requirements of the Messiah.
Question: “Did Jesus’ mission later expand beyond Israel?” It did, but only after His resurrection. His post-resurrection command: Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”
Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” So, the universal mission came only after His earthly ministry to Israel. And how was he going to accomplish this universal mission? It would be through men like Paul.
1/23/2026 Nebuchadnezzar’s image of a man
Let’s draw together the threads in Daniel 2 in a way that serious readers of Scripture should. What we are about to uncover is one of the deepest theological themes in the entire Bible: God uses human kingdoms to reveal the limits of human rule and then replaces them with His own.
The Almighty explicitly calls pagan kings His instruments. Jeremiah 27:6, “Nebuchadnezzar, My servant. God humbles the King until he confesses, Daniel 4:32. “The Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will.” Concerning King Cyrus, Isaiah 44:28, “Cyrus, My shepherd.” And Isaiah 45:1, “Cyrus, My anointed.” These men were not chosen because they were righteous. They were chosen because God uses kings, even pagan ones, to accomplish His purposes.
Is Nebuchadnezzar’s image in Daniel 2 God’s commentary on human government? The Image is dazzling, impressive, powerful, but ultimately fragile; its end is destruction. Each is “man’s best attempt” at ruling the world: Babylon’s glory, Persia’s law, Greece’s philosophy, and Rome’s power and order. But every layer is human, and therefore temporary. The point of identifying the four is not to glorify them, but to show that every human empire ends in dust.
From God’s perspective, the “greatness” of these kingdoms is an illusion. They are impressive only to human eyes. Nebuchadnezzar’s statue is a 2600-year lesson in the failure of human government. The great kings of history are exposed as temporary instruments. Nebuchadnezzar, the “head of gold,” humbled until he acknowledged God, Cyrus, God’s “shepherd,” used to free Israel, Alexander the Great, the “he goat,” unstoppable yet dead at age 32. The Seleucids and Ptolemies, powerful but constantly at war, Antiochus II Theos and Berenice, a political marriage that ended in betrayal and murder, and Antiochus Epiphanes, a part of the “little horn,” a tyrant whose power evaporated. Every ruler leading up to the final Antichrist’s rising and falling is ultimately forgotten.
Daniel’s message is consistent: human empires rise in pride and fall in humiliation, and only God’s kingdom will endure. So, the statue is not a celebration of empire; it is a warning. Nebuchadnezzar saw the image as glorious. Daniel saw it as fragile, and God’s interpretation is devastating. The kingdoms are temporary, unstable; they cannot unite, they cannot save, they will not last, and none can withstand the stone made without hands. The entire image is a monument to human insufficiency and failure.
“A stone cut out without hands struck the image…” “…and the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” This stone is not human, not political, not man-made, not part of the statue, not another empire, and not another attempt at human rule. It’s God’s kingdom, breaking in from outside history, that will soon replace every human kingdom.
So, “Nebuchadnezzar’s image of kingdoms is a lesson in the failures of men. Daniel is not merely predicting history. He is interpreting it, showing the rise of human pride, the fragility of human power, the futility of human politics, the arrogance of human rulers, the inevitability of human collapse, and the sovereignty of God over it all.
Ultimately, human rule will end, and the Lord’s rule will begin. In Matthew 21:42–44, Jesus quotes Psalm 118 about the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, then adds: “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.
Posted 1/20/2026
If we took everything man knows about everything from inner to outer space, the earth, and God himself, what percentage of true knowledge and understanding do we really have?
Humanity loves to measure things, but there are a few questions for which no precise number can be given. Still, these questions deserve more than a vague shrug, so let’s see what the scale of our ignorance really is. No one can calculate a real percentage, because we don’t know the size of the “total” to compare our knowledge against. Experts across many fields consistently agree on one thing: the unknown vastly outweighs the known, not by a little, but by orders of magnitude.
We understand only 5% of the universe, and only that made of normal matter. The remaining 95%, dark matter and dark energy, remain a mystery. We can measure its effects, but we have no idea what it is. Also, over 80% of Earth’s oceans remain unmapped and unexplored.
Concerning biology, we’ve identified only a fraction of Earth’s species. Estimates say 86% of land species and 91% of ocean species remain undiscovered. Even in humans, we don’t fully understand how consciousness works, how memory is stored, or what most of our DNA actually does.
In physics, we don’t know what gravity is at a fundamental level, we don’t know why the laws of physics are the way they are, and we don’t know what happened before God began the material creation. We’ve never drilled deeper than about 0.4% of the distance to Earth’s core, and most of Earth’s interior is inferred, not observed. If we forced scientists to give a number, the most intellectually honest answer would be something like, more than 99%.” Not because we know exactly how much is missing, but because the unknown is so much larger than the known that any smaller number would be misleading.
What do we know about God? If what is said about him in the Bible, would the same percentage, 99%, be correct? Moving from the limits of human scientific knowledge to the limits of what humans know about God as described in the Bible opens up a fascinating angle.
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that human knowledge of God is limited, even for those who are believers. Several passages make this point directly, Psalms 147:5, “His understanding is infinite.”
Romans 11:33, “How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.” The consistent message is that God’s nature, mind, and works exceed human comprehension. So would “99% unknown” be accurate? If speaking philosophically, not mathematically, yes.
The Bible portrays God as infinitely greater than human understanding, so the “known” portion would be tiny compared to the “unknown.” But there’s an important nuance: Science deals with measurable unknowns, but theology deals with an infinite being. Because the Bible frames God as infinite, and humans as finite, it means 99% of what we know about God remains unknown. Probably even an understatement.
If we take the Bible at face value, we can only know what God has chosen to reveal; everything else remains beyond human reach. The revealed portion is tiny compared to the totality of an infinite being. So the Bible’s own perspective aligns with something like, “We know only a sliver; the vast majority of God remains beyond us.”
Now consider his Godly (spiritual makeup). What do we really know about spirit creatures? The Bible does give specific clues about the nature of spirit beings, and those clues outline what is known versus what remains mysterious.
Spirits are nonphysical beings; they do not have flesh-and-blood bodies. Jesus states plainly that a spirit “hath not flesh and bones.” They can appear in physical form, but that’s not their natural state. They possess intelligence and personality, speak, reason, make choices, express emotion, and carry out tasks. They are not mindless forces; they are persons without physical bodies.
They possess immense power compared to humans. One angel is described as destroying an entire army in a single night. Their abilities far exceed human limits, speed, strength, and knowledge. The Scriptures describe a “spiritual realm” that coexists with the physical world but is normally invisible to human senses.
Spirit creatures have roles and hierarchy; each group has distinct functions and levels of authority. They have free will; some remain loyal to God, others rebel. This implies moral agency. Spirits are immortal; they do not age or die. Their existence is not tied to physical processes. The Bible never explains what a spirit is made of. It only tells us they are not flesh. We have no idea how they communicate, travel, process information, or how they experience time, and their capabilities appear far beyond human comprehension.
So, what do they look like in their true form? Their actual appearance remains unknown; the “known” portion is far smaller than 1%. This isn’t a flaw in the Bible text; it’s intentional. The Bible consistently emphasizes that the spiritual realm is beyond human comprehension unless God discloses something.
Simply put, what we know is enough to understand their existence, purpose, and relationship to God and humanity. What we don’t know: Almost everything about their actual nature, mechanics, and inner reality.
1/5/2026
“God is no respecter of persons.” Let’s apply this to Lot’s wife, Noah’s generation, and Matthew 24.
The phrase in Acts 10:34, “God is no respecter of persons,’ means that God does not show favoritism based on status, background, nationality, or personal importance. What matters is our response to God. Our response is normally based on our faith, obedience, and humility.
When we examine the following stories, they fit this principle well.
Lot’s wife wasn’t destroyed because she was singled out unfairly. She received the same warning and the same opportunity to escape as the rest of her family. The angels said, “Do not look back.” But she chose to look back, symbolizing attachment to what God was rescuing her from. The point is, the LORD didn’t treat her differently from anyone else. The warning applied to all, and the consequence applied to all.
Let’s take a look at the people in Noah’s day. Noah preached righteousness for years. The people had the same chance to listen, repent, and enter the ark. The point is, God didn’t destroy them because He favored Noah personally. He saved Noah because Noah responded in faith and obedience. Anyone living back then could have done the same, but they refused.
Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24. He said, when you see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place, “flee to the mountains,” run, run as fast as you can to the mountains, take nothing with you. It will not matter if you are rich or poor, religious or secular, respected or unknown; his instruction applies to everyone equally.
The point is, God’s warnings are not selective. They are for all who will listen. So, what is the common thread? God warns everyone, but not everyone listens, this is where “God is no respecter of persons” fits perfectly.
Bottom line, God gives warnings openly, he gives everyone instructions for safety and salvation, and will not bend the rules for anyone.
What changes the outcome is our response. All these stories illustrate the same principle, that the LORD treats everyone with equal justice and mercy. Those who listen and obey are saved. Those who ignore the warning face the consequences, not because God favors some; but because He honors human choice.
Posted 12/27/2025 People in Crisis:
I know from experience that many people without the knowledge of the Bible, in a last-ditch effort to put away things like drugs, alcohol, or some perverse lifestyle, have prayed to God, a God they do not know, and almost instantly they turned their lives around and began to study the Bible, and become a new person.
What I’m describing is one of the most striking and beautiful patterns in Christian experience, and it lines up with something deeply biblical. God will meet people long before they understand Him. In fact, the above is exactly how countless Christians throughout history have come to faith.
Many people in crisis will cry out to a God they barely know, and He will answer. This is one of the clearest demonstrations of his grace. They don’t know theology. They don’t know doctrine. They don’t know the Trinity, and most don’t even know what they’re asking for. But they know they’re at the end of themselves.
And God responds. This is not because their prayer is theologically precise. It’s because God is merciful, and He delights to rescue people who are drowning. Even before someone knows the Bible, the Holy Spirit can convict, draw, awaken, break chains, and create a hunger for truth.
This is not a “new revelation.” It’s God applying the truth of Scripture to a heart that hasn’t read it yet. In other words, the Holy Spirit prepares the heart before the mind catches up.
What usually follows? they turn to the Bible. Those in crisis don’t stay in vague spirituality; they don’t build a religion out of their experience, nor do they follow “any spirit.” What they do seek is the word, then Christ, truth, and holiness.
This is the proof that their experience was genuine. A true encounter with God always leads a person toward Scripture, not away from it.
Posted 12/7/2025 Revelations 7, the beatitudes
In my King James Bible, the book of Revelation contains seven “beatitudes” (blessings), much like the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. These are distinct statements where the word “blessed” is used, marking key promises or encouragements for believers.
These blessings span Revelation from beginning to end. They emphasize obedience, perseverance, purity, hope in resurrection, and eternal fellowship with Christ. Together, they form a prophetic encouragement cycle: hear, endure, watch, be invited, be resurrected, keep faithful.
1. Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Blessing for those who read, hear, and obey the prophecy.
2. Revelation 14:13 “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
Blessing for those who die in Christ, with rest and reward.
3. Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
Blessing for those who stay watchful and pure until Christ’s coming.
4. Revelation 19:9 “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God.”
Blessing for those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
5. Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
Blessing for those in the first resurrection, safe from the second death.
6. Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”
Blessing for those who keep the words of Revelation.
7. Revelation 22:14, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
Blessed are they that do His commandments, with right to the tree of life.
It’s a beautiful parallel to the seven Beatitudes in Matthew, but here applied to the end-time hope of believers.
Posted 12/2/2025 Go up thou bald head
From today’s perspective, was God’s judgment too harsh? In 2 Kings 2:23–24, the following judgment was not simply about name-calling. The passage reflects a deeper rejection of God’s prophet and, by extension, God Himself.
2 Kings 2:23, “And he (Elisha) went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
The insult to Elisha by the young men of Bethel, who cried out, “Go up, thou bald head,” is an epithet of contempt in the Middle East. “Go up was a reference to the translation of God’s prophet Elijah into heaven. This incident was most likely instigated by their parents; young men, most likely from the ages of 14 to 21, came with no other purpose but to insult the Prophet, adding to their own sin.
Verse 24, “And he (Elisha) turned back, and looked at them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare (tore apart) forty and two children (42 young men) of them.” These youngsters did not believe the report of Elijah’s translation. They sarcastically urged Elisha to follow Elijah into heaven. The judgment that came upon them came from God and was meant to uphold his newly invested prophet.
The “boys” were likely a large group of hostile young men; the Hebrew term (na’arim qetannim) means “youths” or “young men.” Their mocking represented contempt for divine authority. And so, Elisha cursed them in the name of the LORD, and two bears mauled 42 of them. They insulted God, not just Elisha because Prophets were God’s representatives. Mocking Elisha was effectively mocking God’s authority. This was seen as a serious act of rebellion, not a minor insult.
With 42 individuals involved, the prophet’s life may have been in danger. Their jeering was a taunt about Elijah’s ascension. So, they were mocking Elisha’s prophetic role and possibly daring him to prove his legitimacy.
The bears’ attack served as a warning to Israel about rejecting God’s word. It was not random cruelty but a sign that contempt for God’s authority carried severe consequences.
Was God’s judgment too harsh? In Elisha’s day, Bethel was a spiritually compromised city, known for idolatry and hostility toward God’s prophets. Bethel originally meant “House of God.” It was where Abraham built an altar (Genesis 12:8) and where Jacob had his famous dream of the ladder reaching heaven (Genesis 28:19). It began as a place of worship and divine encounter.
But by Elisha’s time (9th century B.C.), Bethel had become one of the centers of idolatry in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. King Jeroboam had set up a golden calf there to rival worship in Jerusalem. This turned Bethel into a hub of false religion and rebellion against God. They were so evil that the LORD eventually sent the Assyrians in to destroy their cities, and to kill, and disperse the 10 tribes.
The story in 2 Kings 2:23–25 of Elisha and the young men or boys, possibly apprentices of idolatrous priests, mocking Elisha, calling him “baldhead.” Their contempt reflected the city’s spiritual corruption and disdain for God’s messengers.
And knowing what was in this mob’s hearts, possibly to injure Elisha or even kill him, the LORD did what he always does in these cases. Look at these young boys today who hang out in gangs. Never underestimate their intentions; they may be young, but they may have more than mugging or car theft on their minds. Remember, back then, there were no phones, roving police cars, or a 911 hotline to call for help. The LORD did the right thing.
Now it’s time to set the record straight: In the Old Testament, and before Jeremiah in 627 B.C., God’s judgment fell on entire families or nations, including children. This was often tied to the idea of collective responsibility. Before the times of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Israel was commanded to destroy the entire population of the Canaanites, including children, to prevent idolatry from spreading. The following are a few examples of God’s divine justice.
Genesis 6–9; the Flood: All humanity except Noah’s family was destroyed because of widespread wickedness.
In Genesis 19 is the story of Sodom & Gomorrah. Both cities were wiped out, including children, for corruption.
In Deuteronomy 20:16–18, Israel was commanded to destroy Canaanite populations, every man, woman, and child. The reason was to prevent idolatry.
In 1 Samuel 15:2–3, Saul was told to annihilate the Amalekites, including infants, for their enmity against Israel and their sins.
Suddenly, there was a shift in prophetic teaching. God’s justice was now portrayed as individual rather than collective. Prophets like Jeremiah in 627 B.C. and Ezekiel in 595 B.C. began to emphasize that children are not to be punished for their parents’ sins.
Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.”
Jeremiah 31:29–30, the people will no longer say “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” Each person will be judged for their own actions.
And in our New Testament, Jesus rejected the idea that children should suffer for their parents’ sins. In John 9:1–3, when asked if a man’s blindness was due to his parents’ sin, Jesus said no, it was not about inherited guilt.
Our New Testament emphasizes personal accountability and God’s mercy, not generational punishment. Now you should understand why the 42 Children in Elisha’s day were allowed to be killed by the LORD. God’s foreknowledge of their future behavior was their justice.
Posted 11/20/2025
Letter to the 7 churches
Question: Is the letter in Revelation 2 and 3 on a timeline, beginning in Ephesus and ending in Laodicea? Or are they sequential eras but timeless messages relevant to all churches in every age?
Let’s discuss the “Timeline view.” Revelation 1:1 begins with the phrase, “Things which must shortly take place” feeding the idea of prophetic progression.
The language in Revelation 2–3 does not prove a timeline, but the descriptions of each church align with successive eras of church history. The names of the churches symbolically match the spiritual condition of each era, forming a prophetic march from the apostolic age of Ephesus to the end‑times church Laodicea.
Ephesus, means “desirable.” They are commended for hard work but rebuked for losing their “first love.” This fits the apostolic church in the 1st century, zealous but later distracted by doctrinal disputes.
Smyrna means “myrrh.” It’s associated with suffering, therefore encouraged to endure persecution. This matches the persecuted church under Rome in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
Pergamum means “fortress.” They were rebuked for compromising with idolatry. Seen as the church after Constantine in the 4th century, when Christianity became state‑favored, absorbing pagan practices.
Thyatira means “sacrifice of labor.” They are criticized for tolerating corruption, “Jezebel.” Linked to the medieval church in the 6t thru 15th centuries.” This marked by papal dominance and doctrinal abuses.
Sardis means “remnant” or “escaping.” They are called “dead” despite their reputation. Often tied to the Reformation era of the 16th century,” outwardly reforming but spiritually stagnant in many places.
Philadelphia meaning “brotherly love.” They are praised for faithfulness and missionary zeal. Associated with the missionary church of the 18th and 19th centuries, spreading the gospel worldwide.
Laodicea meaning “just people.” They are condemned as lukewarm. Interpreted as the modern, end‑times church of the 20th and 21st centuries. They are marked by complacency and self‑sufficiency.
Now, let’s connect the titles Jesus uses in Revelation 2–3 with the timeline view of church history. This way we will better understand how each title not only addressed the local church in Asia Minor but also symbolically fits the spiritual condition of the era it represents.
Question: Do the titles used by the Lord for each of the 7 churches of Revelation have any significant meaning?
The titles used by the Lord in Revelation 2–3 are highly significant. Each title is carefully chosen to match the specific situation of the church being addressed, each reinforcing His authority and highlighting the aspect of His character most relevant to each church’s strengths, weaknesses, or struggles.
Each description connects back to Revelation 1, where John sees Christ in in all his glory. Each title emphasizes the qualities of Jesus that directly speak to the church’s condition.
Some stress His power, such as “He who has the sharp sword,” while others stress His care, “He who holds the seven stars (the 7 messengers of the 7 churches).”
Each title highlights an aspect of his identity that directly addresses the spiritual state of the church. This reinforces the idea that the letters are both historically contextual to real churches in Asia Minor and prophetically instructive, timeless lessons for all churches.
Each of his title’s contrasts with the church’s failure. For example, Sardis is “dead,” so Christ introduces Himself as the One who has the “seven Spirits of God,” the fullness of life-giving Spirit.
Ephesus: “He who hold the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;” Christ’s authority over leaders and his presence among the churches, reminding Ephesus that he sees their loss of love.”
Smyrna: “The First and the Last, who was dead and is alive.” He offers comfort for a persecuted church: he conquered death, so they can endure suffering.
Pergamum: “He who has the sharp with two-edges.” His Word judges compromise and false teaching, He is giving a warning to a church tolerating idolatry.”
Thyatira: “Who has his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.” His penetrating gaze exposes corruption (Jezebel who seduces his servants) and his strength brings judgment.
Sardis: “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” The Spirit gives life; Sardis is spiritually dead and needs revival.
Philadelphia: “He who is holy, he that is true, he who has the key of David.” Christ opens doors of missions and shuts against opposition, encouragement to a faithful missionary church.
Laodicea: “These things saith the A-men,” the faithful and true witness, the beginning (the head) of the creation of God.” His truth contrasts their lukewarm self-deception; he alone defines reality and offers renewal.
Posted 11/11/2025
The Heavenly Sanctuary
Moses’ sanctuary was a copy of the heavenly sanctuary. Both contain two rooms: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), where the High Priest entered once each year. Daniel 8:14 declares, “Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” pointing us to a future event involving the heavenly sanctuary under Jesus’ New Covenant.
Jesus’ primary purpose in ascending to heaven to the throne of the Father was to fulfill His role as our High Priest. In 31 A.D., He began His mediation on our behalf, inaugurating His heavenly ministry in the true sanctuary. Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus offered Himself once for all and now intercedes daily and eternally as the perfect mediator.
Hebrews 4:14 affirms, “A great high priest, that is passed into the heavens,” and Hebrews 7:25 assures us that He “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” The heavenly sanctuary is the true tabernacle, where Christ continually intercedes for all believers as our daily sacrifice. It is Jesus Christ alone who has bridged the gap between fallen humanity and the Father.
He ascended to begin His eternal priesthood, to mediate our sins and intercede for us daily. Through Him, the way into God’s presence has been opened. Yet the heavenly Holy of Holies must still be purified by His precious blood. The putting away of our sins is a work yet to be fully accomplished. The Law we have broken demands the life of the transgressor. Jesus’ blood represents the forfeited life of sinners, whose guilt He bore on our behalf.
Now, as our High Priest, He must carry His own blood into the heavenly Holy of Holies, sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, before the mercy seat, and upon the altar of incense that stands before the veil.
But on whom will our High Priest lay his hands? Who is the scapegoat, over whom Jesus will confess our sins? And on whose head will he transfer our sins, moving them from himself to the scapegoat, then send him away? Only then will the scapegoat with our sins be forever separated from God.
Summary: While the sin-offering pointed to Jesus as a sacrifice, and the high priest represented Christ as a mediator, the scapegoat typified Satan, the author of sin, upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be placed.
So, when our High Priest removes the sins of his people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of his ministration, he will transfer them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final penalty. The scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, never to come again into the congregation of Israel. So will Satan be forever banished from the presence of God and his bride, and he will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners.
Posted 11/3/2025
I will be using verses from the King James Bible. The purpose of this article is to prove that the book of Revelation had to be written before John wrote his gospel and before he wrote his three epistles, 1 John 1-2-3. There is no direct evidence or historical record specifying exactly how long it took John to write the Book of Revelation. The text offers no timeline, and early church sources do not comment on the duration of its composition. The book was written during John’s exile on Patmos, while under Roman persecution.
He was isolated, allowing him time for reflection and writing. Revelation is structured as a series of visions, many introduced with phrases like “Then I saw…” or “After this I looked…,” which implies a progressive unfolding rather than a single sitting. The estimated time of its writing is between 96 and 97 A.D. Let’s begin with,
Let’s begin with Revelation 3:12, Jesus said, “For those who overcome — I will write upon him my new name.” In this verse, his “new name” is not disclosed; it remains a mystery, being held in reserve.
As the book moves forward, John sees in Revelation 19:12, a rider (Jesus) on a white horse, one who is Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.” This verse describes Jesus in His glorified, conquering state. The phrase “A name written that no man knew, but he himself” is profound; it implies a dimension of Christ’s identity that had remained a mystery until John was given this vision.
This new name of Jesus was never disclosed anywhere in the Old Testament, not in the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke, nor in any epistle of Paul, James, Peter, or Jude. Jesus’ new name was known only to himself, likely representing his eternal nature, authority, and role in judgment; a new name that transcends human understanding.
Now let’s move forward to Revelation 19:13, “And he (Jesus) was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” This image of bloody garments is unmistakably tied to Isaiah 63:1–4, where Isaiah sees the Lord coming from Edom.
Isaiah 63:2, “Wherefore art thou red in your apparel?” Verse 4, The person who answers Isaiah’s question said: “Their (his enemies) blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” The blood-soaked garment in both Isaiah and Revelation symbolizes judgment, vengeance, and victory against Christ’s enemies. This is a picture of the Messiah as a warrior King, fulfilling the role of divine avenger. It’s only now that John sees in Revelation 13 the warrior King Isaiah describes, who is clothed in garments dipped in blood.
Only now in Verse 13, comes the revelation of Jesus new name. “And his name is called “The Word of God.” So, Revelation 3:12 was a promise of a new name to be written; Revelation 19:12 mentions a name written but still unknown. And in Revelation 19:13, the new name is revealed: Jesus’ new name is “The Word of God.”
Lexicon definition of the Word, or Logos when applied to Christ: The Word or the Logos in the writings of John is found in John 1:1 and 14, in I John 1:1, 5:7. In Revelation 19:13. It stands for the [b]pre-existent nature of Christ, as in the spiritual and divine nature spoken of in the Jewish writings before and about the time of Christ, and under various names such as Wisdom in Proverbs 8:12-22; “One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven…”in Daniel 7:13, compared to Proverbs 30:4, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell.”
In Chaldean, it’s “the Word of Jehovah,” in the Targums, “By my Word I have made…” In Isaiah 45:12, “I have made the earth…” This shows, and also proves, that the “Word” was already a known divine agent in Jewish thought, and that John now reveals Jesus Christ as the Word.
Now, John moves forward and begins his gospel with this new, profound information. John 1:1, begins with, “In the beginning,” When was the beginning? It was in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning,” before the creation began.
“Was the Word.” “God created the heavens and the earth.” With John 1:3, “All things were made by him (Jesus);”
“And the Word was with God” Genesis 1:2, “And the (Holy) Spirit moved upon the face of the deep” proving the second person of the Trinity.
“And the Word was God.” Supported by 1 Timothy 3:16, KJB, “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest (showed himself) in the flesh,”
So, Revelation 19:13 is the first time in Scripture that Jesus is explicitly called “The Word of God” as a name, not just a title or function. And the name was written on His thigh, a place of covenant and strength, see Genesis 24:2, and Psalm 45:3. This is not a metaphor, but a new revelation.
So, if this new name was revealed to John in Revelation, then we must conclude the following: John could not have used Jesus new name, “The Word” in his Gospel or epistles until it was first revealed to him in Revelation. This flips the traditional dating on its head.
Following is a summary based on a scriptural timeline:
Revelation 3:12, a new name is promised:
Revelation 19:12, It was a name no man knew but he himself:
Revelation 19:13 is the unveiling of the name, it is, “The Word of God.”
John 1:1 is the teaching of that name: John wrote, “In the beginning.” When was the beginning? It was in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning,”
“Was the Word,” He begins the creation, John 1:3, “All things were made by him;”
“The Word was with God,” Genesis 1:2, The (Holy) Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
“And the Word was God.” Confirms that by Jesus, Colossians 1:16, “Were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,”
And in, 1 John 1:1, a Book written after his gospel, is the testimony of that name: “That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;”
1 John 5:7 is the doctrinal defense of that name: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” One in unity of essence and testimony.
So, the Bible has laid out for us a masterful weaving of prophetic, theological, and linguistic threads. It traces the unveiling of Christ’s identity through Scripture, not by speculation, but by Spirit-led comparison of texts.
One last question: Why was the book of Revelation so controversial and nearly excluded from the canon in several early church councils?
It was too apocalyptic, too mysterious; it exposed spiritual warfare and judgment. It revealed names and truths that were not yet widely understood, and it declared Jesus as the Word of God, a title that Jewish mystics and Targumic traditions had reserved for the Father alone.
And so, Revelation is the key that unlocked John’s Gospel, and that’s why it is feared, resisted, and was nearly suppressed.
Posted 10/28/25 Ichabod:
Ichabod is a name drawn from 1 Samuel 4:21. It’s the name given to a child born in tragedy. His name was Ichabod, which means, “The glory has departed from Israel.”
When a church replaces the true cornerstone, “Jesus Christ,” with a counterfeit cornerstone, and cuts into its side, “Jesus is a god,” it is denying Jesus’ deity, his unity with the Father, and his role as Savior. Within the walls of their Temple, there may be music, preaching, and growth, but it lacks the manifest presence of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the power of truth.
Why? Because the presence of God has departed, the Holy Spirit no longer indwells, worship becomes hollow, and the lampstand is removed. And although the name of Jesus is being used, the power is gone.
2 Timothy 3:5, They “Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
In the year 599 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar raided the Temple in Jerusalem. 2 Kings 24:13, “He carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made in the temple of the LORD,”
But the Jews continued their daily sacrifices and continued to celebrate their feast days. But the LORD said to them, Isaiah 1:11, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? — I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or he goats.”
Malachi 1:10, “Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought: Neither do you kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, said the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.”
What remained was a Temple with priests, incense, and rituals, but no Ark of the Covenant, no Mercy seat or Golden Candlestick holding the eternal fire from heaven. That’s Ichabod, that’s what happens when Jesus is demoted to “a god,” or is outwardly denied.
For those who claim that Jesus is not God, but a god, are they like those who say there is no God? This question cuts to the heart of biblical discernment. The short answer is: yes, in a profound spiritual sense, though the outward claim may seem more respectful or religious.
Surface Comparison: “Jesus is a god” vs. “There is no God” Denial of Jesus as God are those who claim Arianism, Jehovah’s Witness theology, and some New Age views that affirm Jesus as a powerful being, a created entity, or a lesser divine figure. Atheism outright denies any deity.
At first glance, these seem vastly different. One reveres Jesus; the other rejects all gods. But Scripture probes deeper, not just what is said, but what is denied.
Biblical Testing: What Does Scripture Say? John 1:1–3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through Him.”
To say Jesus is a god is to deny this verse that claims He is the eternal Creator, not a created being. That denial is not a minor theological tweak; it’s a rejection of the nature of God.
Isaiah 43:10–11, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me… I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.” This passage obliterates the idea of “lesser gods” or created divinities. To say Jesus is a god is to introduce a rival or subordinate deity, which Scripture calls idolatry.
1 John 2:22–23, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” To deny the full identity of the Son, His deity, His unity with the Father is to reject both. The Bible treats this not as a partial truth, but as spiritual deception.
Why It’s Like Saying “There Is No God.” Both reject the true God as revealed in Scripture. Both replace Him with a false image, either nothingness (atheism) or a diminished Christ (sub-deity). And both sever the saving power of the gospel, which hinges on Jesus being fully God and fully man (see Hebrews 1, Colossians 1–2).
In essence, to say Jesus is a god is to deny the only God who saves. This is a counterfeit that leads to the same spiritual void.
The cornerstone test: imagine a building with a cornerstone labeled “Jesus is God.” Atheism removes the cornerstone entirely. Sub-deity theology replaces it with a flawed stone. Either way, the building collapses.
Posted 10/16/2-25
Humility That Won the War
John 14:28, “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”
The cults use Jesus’ words to imply inferiority in essence to his Father. But when read in light of Philippians 2 and John 17, it becomes clear that Jesus is speaking of functional subordination and voluntary humility, not ontological inferiority, meaning that Jesus is not lesser in essence or nature than his Father.
Now let’s put John in the context of two other verses, Philippians 2:6–7, and John 17:5.
Paul writes of Christ:
Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
This passage reveals that Jesus, though equal with His Father in nature, voluntarily emptied Himself, not of divinity, but of divine privilege and glory. He submitted to the limitations of human flesh, becoming a servant. This is the context in which “greater” must be understood.
John 17:5, Jesus prays, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
This verse is a direct appeal to restore the glory that Jesus had before the incarnation, before he was born of the flesh. It affirms that Jesus shared eternal glory with the Father, but had temporarily set it aside in his earthly mission.
So what does “greater” mean? The Greek word for “greater” in John 14:28 is “meizon,” which has several meanings, “larger,” “more,” “higher in rank.” In this context, specifically in the context of John 14, it refers to position and manifestation, rather than essence.
In essence, Jesus is equal with the Father, John 1:1, Philippians 2:6. In role and manifestation, the Father is “greater” because Jesus has voluntarily taken on human limitations. Question, what were some of the human limitations Jesus took on?
Hunger, thirst, he fasted, suffered fatigue, pain, mortality: Hebrews 2:9, though sinless, he submitted to death.
As a child he learned and grew he experienced grief and sorrow, anguish and distress: He set aside his omniscience: He said, Mark 13:32, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man… neither the Son,” He set aside his omnipresence, now bound by space and time, he veiled his glory, Matthew 17:2, and was tempted. He subjected himself to human authority, paid taxes, and submitted to Roman execution.
This was all consistent with Jesus’ voluntary submission to the Father’s will. John 5:19, He said, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do.”
John 6:38, Jesus said, “I come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
And what was his role? John 17:3, “That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
John 17:18, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them (the disciples) into the world.”
So, Jesus’ statement “My Father is greater than I” is not a denial of his divinity, but a reflection of humility and a profound expression of his obedience and love, pointing to the mystery of the Trinity: co-equal in essence, distinct in role.
Now, in the framework of a Cosmic Contest, Jesus’ statement in John 14:28 becomes a battlefield maneuver.
Great! Let’s build the bridge from John 14:28 and Philippians 2 to your “Cosmic Contest” module. This phrase—“My Father is greater than I”—isn’t just a theological nuance; it’s a strategic clue in a spiritual war narrative.
Jesus, though equal in essence with the Father, voluntarily took a lower operational rank to fulfill the mission of redemption. This was a strategic infiltration, likened to a king dressing as a servant to rescue captives from within enemy lines.
Jesus voluntarily set aside the visible privileges of divinity, not ceasing to be God, but choosing to take on human flesh, submit to suffering, and operate within human limitations.
It was a wartime strategy, to conceal his identity, to move among men undetected, and to engage the enemy without revealing his full power.
Let’s call it, “Kenosis as tactical camouflage,” it describes how Jesus veiled his divine glory to walk among fallen humanity, appeared weak to expose the counterfeit powers, entered enemy territory without triggering immediate resistance, won through his humility, and not brute force. And the moment his mission was complete, he resumed full visible glory, having conquered death and deception.
And it turned out to be the humility that won the war.
Posted 10/10/2025
Valley of Dry Bones:
Following the vision of the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel receives a second vision: the joining of two sticks, representing the divided kingdoms of Judah and Ephraim. While often taught as a continuation of the dry bones’ prophecy, this act stands on a separate prophetic timeline. The dry bones speak of spiritual resurrection, while the two sticks speak of national reunification and covenantal restoration. Now let’s explore verses 15–21, affirming that this prophecy began in 1948 and is still unfolding today.
Verse 16, “Take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah… then take another stick… For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim…” This symbolic act recalls the division of Israel in 931 B.C.:
Judah became the southern kingdom, and Ephraim (Joseph) became the northern kingdom. For centuries, the nation remained fractured, politically, spiritually, and geographically. The two sticks represent a broken family, scattered among the nations.
Verse 17, “Join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.” This was not a spiritual resurrection; it’s a visible, national reunification. The Lord commands Ezekiel to perform a physical act, symbolizing a future political and tribal restoration. The restoration began in 1948, when the Jewish people, unwanted after World War II, returned to their ancient land.
Although tribal identities were mingled or lost, Jews from every background, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Beta Israel came together. The land, for centuries called Palestine, was renamed Israel, fulfilling the prophecy of oneness in the hand of the prophet.
Verse 18–19, “What do these mean to thee? Thus said the Lord God, “Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand.”
The act is meant to provoke a question: “What does this mean?” The answer is clear: the Lord is joining the scattered tribes, not in exile, but in their own land. This is a national sign, not a spiritual metaphor. It is fulfilled in the visible return of the Jewish people, driven by divine impulse and global upheaval.
Verse 20–21, “I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen… and bring them into their own land.”
This verse speaks directly to our time: Today, Jews are being forced out of Gentile lands by rising antisemitism, war, and instability. So, the Lord is drawing them home, not by human politics, but by divine orchestration. The regathering is a prophetic necessity. Though most have not yet received the Holy Spirit, they are being positioned for the next phase of restoration.
The dry bones stand and breathe, but the two sticks join and walk. One is about life, the other about identity. One is spiritual, the other tribal and geopolitical. Ezekiel 37:15–21 reveals a prophecy distinct from the dry bones vision. It speaks of a national miracle, the reunification of a scattered people, the restoration of a broken family, and the preparation for covenantal peace. This prophecy began in 1948 and continues today, as the Lord draws His people from every nation. The sticks are joined, the land is reclaimed, and the King is coming.
Matthew 24:34, “This generation shall not pass, until all these things be fulfilled.” According to the scriptures, a generation is 80; the generation in Israel is now 77. According to the last census in Israel, the average male lives to be slightly over 80 years of age. Is this a coincidence, or is it the will of God?
Posted 10/7/25 John 16
Let’s put the following verses of John 16 in the footsteps of the reality of real life. The reality of men like Nero, Domitian, Hitler, places like the Roman Colosseum, and Catacombs, the diseases of cancer, diabetes, and the death of a child, etc. and match them with the footsteps of Jesus’ words.
When we ask in the name of Jesus, we receive everything we ask to be “Full of Joy.” Or to have Perfect Joy of God in the Holy Spirit. Because we entered Godly purpose and fulfillment, which is God’s perfect love manifesting in our lives as His Children.
Reality dares to place the promises of Jesus not in sanitized abstraction, but in the terror of his enemies, in the blood-soaked soil of history and the pain of life. So, let me walk it out with all you who read this, verse by verse, let’s walk it through the valley of shadows and into the light of John 16.
The World rejoices while the saints weep: Nero burned Christians alive, Domitian demanded worship as a god, Hitler orchestrated genocide, cancer ravages bodies, and children die before their parents, these are the brutal realities of a fallen world.
And Jesus said: John 16:20, “Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice.”
This is not denial. It is Christ’s divine foreknowledge. The world celebrates power, cruelty, and self-exaltation. But the weeping of the saints is not wasted, it’s the prelude to joy.
Jesus likens sorrow to childbirth. The anguish is real, bloody, and unbearable. But it is not the end. Verse 21, “She remembered no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.”
This is not forgetting, it’s a transformation. The pain becomes the passage, and the cross of Christ becomes the crown.
Asking in Jesus’ name, a fulfillment: Verse 32, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you… that your joy may be full.”
This is covenantal intimacy. To ask in His name is to stand in His purpose, suffering, and resurrection. We are to ask as one who has been crucified with Christ and now lives by His Spirit.
The joy Jesus speaks of is not circumstantial. It is not the absence of Nero, cancer, or claws of a wild beast. It is the presence of the Father and Son’s love.
Verse 24. “Your joy no man taketh from you.”
Hitler cannot steal it, Domitian could not decree it away, and death cannot undo it because it is rooted in the eternal love of the Father for His Son, and for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Verse 25, “The time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.”
This is the unveiling. The mystery becomes clarity, the cross becomes the throne, and our suffering becomes the song of joy.
To walk through the fire and still ask in Jesus’ name is to declare that the tomb is empty, for he has risen. And that Nero’s circus, Hitler’s death camps, and the hospital’s morgue do not have the final word. The final word is Joy. Not naive happiness, but the indestructible joy of union with the Father through the Son by the Spirit.
This is the joy of the martyrs, the joy of a grieving parent who still worships, the joy of the cancer patient singing in the Spirit, and the joy of the faithful who see beyond the veil.
Posted 9/29/25
Jesus’ burial and resurrection:
I will be quoting verses from the King James Bible. We will consult the Scriptures for clarity and examine unfamiliar words, if necessary, with a Greek or Hebrew Lexicon. Almost every commentator teaches that Jesus was buried in the late afternoon, likely between 4:30 and 6:00 PM on the day of His crucifixion. His death occurred around 3:00 PM (the “ninth hour” by Jewish reckoning). But I challenge that teaching for the following reasons.
I will attempt to reconstruct the timeline and restore the emotional and spiritual atmosphere of that day, crafting a timeline that restores clarity and reverence to the Passion narrative. According to the Scriptures, Jesus died at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, April 24, 31 A.D. What happened next? John 19:38 tells us. “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.”
My next question would be, “When did Joseph go to Pilate?” Mark 15:42 gives us the answer: “And now when even (evening) was come, (four hours after Jesus had died) because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath.”
Question: What time of the day does the evening come in late April in Israel? It occurs in Jerusalem shortly after 7:00 PM local time.
We know the evening by Jewish reckoning is when the next day begins. So, Joseph goes to Pilate [b]not on the day Jesus was crucified[/b],[b] but the beginning of the next day, on Thursday[/b], “When the evening had come.”
But doesn’t that bump heads with Deuteronomy 21:22–23? “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day…”
Here’s the problem with Deuteronomy 21. I do not believe Deuteronomy can be applied to Jesus, because he died without spot or blemish, and everyone knew it, including those who murdered him, giving support to the idea that Jesus was not buried under the curse of Deuteronomy 21, but rather as an innocent substitute.
The following two events may also have affected the actions of Joseph and the others of the burial party. As Jesus hung on the cross, darkness came over the earth. The darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour, roughly 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, was not only a supernatural sign but a source of profound confusion, fear, and theological weight for everyone present at the crucifixion.
Matthew 27:45, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”
Mark 15:33, “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.”
Luke 23:44–45, “And there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened…”
This wasn’t a passing cloud or eclipse; it lasted three full hours, during the brightest part of the day. This would have disrupted time perception. In a culture that reckoned hours by the sun’s position, a midday blackout would scramble everyone’s sense of timing. Priests preparing for Passover sacrifices would have been thrown into uncertainty. If the sun were darkened, it might have felt like “evening” had come early, adding urgency or confusion to Joseph’s actions.
If the darkness made it feel like evening had come early, It may explain why Joseph waited until “evening had come” (Mark 15:42), waiting to see Pilate until actual sunset, not just during the eerie darkness. This adds weight to the idea that Jesus was not buried on the day He died, but after sunset, once the confusion cleared and the Sabbath began.
Also, could the timing of Jesus’ burial have been influenced by this? The custom of reading scriptures at public gatherings and synagogues on the Sabbath seems to have started after the Babylonian exile; after 536 B.C., according to Nehemiah 8. Could the reading be linked to the late burial of Jesus? As long as he was buried before the reading.
I found this to be a fascinating angle, so let’s trace the public reading of Scripture back to Nehemiah 8, where Ezra reads the Law to the assembly “From morning until midday.” That post-exilic custom became deeply embedded in Jewish Sabbath observance, especially in synagogues. Let’s explore how this might intersect with the timing of Jesus’ burial.
Nehemiah 8:3, Ezra read “From morning until midday” to all who could understand. After the exile from Babylon, public Torah reading became central to Jewish worship, especially on Sabbaths and feast days. By the first century, synagogue readings were structured: On the sabbath morning, Torah portion + Prophets (Haftarah). Typically, it began after sunrise, often around 9 AM (the third hour).
So, we need to ask whether the burial timing of Jesus could have been influenced by the reading. The answer is yes, and here’s why. If Jesus was buried after sunset on Wednesday (the start of Thursday, Nisan 15), the burial would have taken place before the morning reading on the high Sabbath. This would have preserved ritual purity and avoided defilement of the assembly, see Numbers 19:11–13.
The Mishnah (later codified) reflects concern about uncleanness near the synagogues or temple precincts. So, Jesus’ burial before the reading would have prevented any association of death with the joyful proclamation of the Law.
Now I had another question, it concerned Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Question, “Does the scripture say it had to be exactly 72 hours? No! Matthew is the only place in the Gospels where “three days and three nights” is used. It’s a typological comparison, not a mathematical formula.
Nowhere does Scripture say exactly 72 hours. There’s no clock, no timestamp, no indication that Jonah entered the fish at 12:00 PM and exited at 12:00 PM three days later. The phrase is idiomatic, meaning parts of three days, not necessarily three full 24-hour cycles. So, in Jewish thought, any part of a day counts as a whole day.
Wednesday, 4/24/31, the Lord dies at 3 P.M. This marks the beginning of the high Sabbath (Feast of Unleavened Bread). Burial preparations begin.
Thursday: 4/2/31, Nisan 15, Day 1, the first full day and night, but not full 24 hours. Burial occurs on the high Sabbath, fulfilling Isaiah 53:9. Not buried on the day He died.
Friday, 4/26/31, Nisan 16, Day 2. First full 24-hour period begins at sunset Thursday and ends at sunset Friday.
Saturday, 4/27/31, Nisan 17, Day 3. Second full day. Sabbath ends at sunset.
Sunday, 4/28/31, Nisan 18, Resurrection occurs after sunset. Mary finds the tomb empty on Sunday morning, 4/28.
This is why the Gospels repeatedly say: Luke 24:7, “On the third day:” Mark 8:31, “After three days:” John 2:19, “In three days.” The three verses are not contradictions; they reflect flexible idiomatic usage, not strict duration. The prophecy is not about precision, but pattern. Jesus fulfills Jonah’s sign by being in the realm of death across three calendar days, touching both day and night periods. The emphasis is on prophetic typology, not stopwatch accuracy.
Posted 10/25/25
My thinking is that the book of John had to be written after Revelation for one reason. John is told that the person on the white horse, Revelation 19:11, had a name that no man knew, verse 12. Yet in the book of John, he tell us about Jesus being the Word.
This touches on a profound tension between revelation and mystery, between what is declared and what remains concealed.
So, let’s reason it out, and test it against Scripture and chronology.
I’m suggesting in Revelation 19:12, John sees Jesus and says: “He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.”
Yet in John 1:1, he declares: “In the beginning was the Word…” revealing Jesus as the Logos, and in verse 14, “The Word was made flesh.”
Question: If Revelation 12 states that no one knows His name, how could John earlier have written that His name is the Word?
This leads us to propose that John’s Gospel must have come after Revelation, as a post-vision clarification, a Holy Spirit-led unveiling of the mystery he saw in Revelation, but couldn’t name.
Most scholars place John’s Gospel slightly earlier than Revelation. But this model flips that, suggesting that John’s vision in Revelation prompted deeper reflection, culminating in the Logos theology of John’s Gospel.
Here’s the key: Revelation 19:12 and 19:13 are back-to-back:
Verse 12, “He had a name written, that no man knew…”
Verse 13, “…and His name is called The Word of God.”
This is a layered revelation.
Therefore, Revelation must have been written before John, so we have a case of progressive Revelation.
The Logos (Word) theology in John 1 was not abstract speculation, but Spirit-breathed reflection on the glorified Christ.
It honors the mystery of Revelation 19 as an apocalyptic unveiling, while affirming the revelation of John 1 as the doctrinal articulation, a Holy Spirit-led progression.
Let the watchmen be watchful but let them also be wise.
Posted 10/22/25
Let’s trace a prophetic and historical thread that many overlook. The resurrection of the saints in Matthew 27 wasn’t just a miracle; it was a shockwave that most likely reverberated through Jerusalem and beyond, preparing the soil for Pentecost and the birth of the Church.
What is the greatest gift? It’s eternal life with God, eternal life is the seed, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the perfecting of the saints, the building up of the body, and the unity of the faith. They are evidence that eternal life is already at work in the Church.
Matthew 27:52-53, After the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, there was an earthquake that split the rocks of the surrounding hills. “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept (had died) arose. And (they) came out of the graves after his (Jesus’) resurrection, and went into the holy city (Jerusalem), and appeared unto many.”
This is one of the most astonishing and underappreciated moments in the Gospels. It’s not just a miracle; it was a visible, historical eruption of resurrection power, and it absolutely supports the idea that Christ’s victory over death was not merely spiritual or symbolic but tangible and witnessed.
The phrase “the graves were opened” is not metaphorical. It’s a physical breach of death’s domain. These saints had been held in Sheol, the realm of the dead, and now, through Christ’s resurrection, they were liberated. “Many bodies of the saints which slept arose” implies real, bodily resurrection, not ghostly apparitions. This was not a vision; they walked, they appeared, they were seen. Their emergence after Jesus’ resurrection confirms that Christ was the first fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20). His resurrection was the key that unlocked theirs.
They went into Jerusalem and appeared unto many. This was a public testimony to those who had just crucified their Messiah. Imagine the impact: people who had died, perhaps long ago, now walking, speaking, testifying. This event was a preview of the general resurrection, a foretaste of the age to come.
This moment parallels Ephesians 4:8: Christ “led captivity captive.” These saints were the first captives released, the first trophies of Jesus’ triumph over death and hell.
Isaiah 42:7 is a two-fold prophecy: “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” Jesus first went to the Jews, who were sitting in darkness, especially in the context of Babylonian exile and later under Roman occupation, the nation was in both physical and spiritual “darkness.”
Isaiah 42:7 uses poetic parallelism, “prisoners from the prison” and “them that sit in darkness.” This allows for layered interpretation. The prophet often uses “prison” metaphorically for spiritual bondage. Jesus’ earthly ministry directly addressed this; He healed the blind, preached liberty to the captives, and confronted the spiritual blindness of Israel’s leaders.
The second fulfillment came in Matthew 27:52, when the graves were opened. This was a literal release from death. This was a dramatic moment of physical liberation from the grave, arguably the ultimate “prison.”
Because death is the final prison, Christ’s death and resurrection literally “brought out the prisoners.” This aligns with Ephesians 4:8, where He “led captivity captive.” So, If Sheol or hell held the righteous in waiting, then this moment is its breach. Christ didn’t just escape death; He plundered it.
Their resurrection is our surety, our guarantee of what’s to come in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, where all who sit in darkness (death) will be called forth. The Servant’s mission is global and eternal, not limited to one moment. Isaiah 49:9 echoes this when he wrote, “That thou mayest say to the prisoners, go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.”
Posted 9/19/25 Moral complacency:
The Bible speaks not only to those who sin, but also to those who approve of sin, even if they themselves abstain.
Paul’s words in Romans 1 are especially sobering: Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
The verse condemns not only those who sin but also those who endorse and celebrate it. The message is clear: moral complicity itself is a form of rebellion against God’s righteousness.
1 Corinthians 13:6, “Rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth:”
Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them who call evil good and good evil.” This prophetic warning addresses cultural confusion and moral inversion directly.
Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?” Seeking cultural approval at the expense of biblical truth is a trap for many believers.
Ezekiel 3:18, “When I say unto the wicked, thou shall surely die; and you give him not warning, not speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at your hand.” The LORD holds His watchmen accountable not just for their own actions, but for failing to warn others of sin.
Today, we are living in a culture that prizes tolerance over truth. And how many professing Christians fall into the trap of affirming what God condemns, at times out of fear, peer pressure, or a misguided sense of compassion? But Scripture calls this compromise spiritual cowardice, not love.
Does the Lord Jesus welcome sinners? Of course he does. But He also called them to repentance. Mark 1:15, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” He forgave the woman caught in adultery, but told her, John 8:11, “Go and sin no more.”
Posted 9/18/25
I will be using the King James Bible as our lens. Genesis 6:5, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Can we compare the corruption of the earth back then with the corruption of the world today? Noah and his family were saved because he was a just man. In Noah’s day, violence, unrighteousness, and corruption prevailed. In Sodom, righteousness was missing.
Genesis 6:5, doesn’t merely describe outward corruption; it indicts the inner life of man. The “imagination of the thoughts” speaks to the moral and spiritual decay at the deepest level. It was not just violence, Genesis 6:11, but a total saturation of evil in thought and intent.
The parallels between Noah’s day and our own are striking: Genesis 6:11, violence filled the earth; today, global unrest, terrorism, mass shootings, and wars. Back then, thoughts were only evil continually, today, Pervasive immorality, digital depravity, and ideological rebellion. Genesis 6:12, corruption before God, today, institutional decay, exploitation, spiritual apostasy. In Noah’s day, few righteous were found, today, only a remnant of believers exists amidst widespread compromise.
Jesus Himself draws this parallel: Matthew 24:37, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” This is an eschatological warning. The moral climate of Noah’s day is a prophetic mirror of these last days. Abraham pleads for Sodom: Genesis 18:32, “Peradventure ten shall be found there.”
But ten righteous could not be found. The city was consumed not only by sexual immorality, Jude 7, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Also for their pride, idleness, and neglect of the poor. Ezekiel 16:49, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread (food), and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” And so, their destruction came when righteousness was absent.
Compare this with many cities here in America and abroad. Places where righteousness is mocked, truth is relative, and sin is celebrated. The pattern appears to be repeating.
God’s Warning and the Coming Judgment. The flood, the fire of Sodom, and the prophetic warnings of Revelation all point to one truth: God’s judgment is not arbitrary; it is a response to sustained, unrepentant corruption.
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise… but is longsuffering… not willing that any should perish.”
Yet the day of the Lord will come. And just as Noah was “a just man and perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), so too must we be found blameless, walking in righteousness, not by works, but by faith and obedience.
A final thought: violence, corruption, and unrighteousness are not just societal problems; they are spiritual signals. The days of Noah and Sodom were characterized by moral decay, not merely isolated sin. Today, we observe the same saturation, global, systemic, and widely celebrated.
But just as Noah found grace, and Lot was delivered, so too will the faithful remnant be preserved. The question is not whether judgment is coming, it’s how have you prepared yourself?
Posted 9/7/25 Satan’s plan to destroy the credibility of the Bible.
The question touches on spiritual warfare, historical revisionism, and theological distortion. It’s been a centuries-long strategy to undermine the credibility of Scripture; a multi-pronged assault that spans intellectual, cultural, and spiritual domains. How the devil’s plan has been unfolding.
Planting seeds of doubt in academia: Scholars like those from the Copenhagen School argue that much of the Old Testament is myth or national folklore, not history, which erodes trust in Scripture’s historical reliability. The theory that the Pentateuch was compiled from multiple sources (J, E, D, P) challenges Mosaic authorship and divine inspiration. Darwinian materialism redefines human origins without a Creator, making Genesis seem obsolete or allegorical.
The past is now being reinterpreted. The Exodus, the conquest of Canaan, and the existence of patriarchs like Abraham and Moses are being dismissed. Why? Because of the limited evidence of archaeological proof. Discoveries such as the Tel Dan Stele, Pool of Siloam, the moat surrounding ancient Jerusalem, all support biblical accounts; skeptics tend to either ignore or reinterpret these findings to align with secular thinking. Debates over apocryphal texts and manuscript differences are often used to argue that the Bible is inconsistent or altered over time.
Spiritual subversion by the twisting of doctrine and faith. From early heresies to modern occult reinterpretations, these distortions reframe biblical truth as hidden or symbolic, undermining its plain meaning. Groups that claim new revelations or deny core doctrines, such as Christ’s divinity or resurrection, weaken biblical authority. They are promoting “their truth” over “the truth,” eroding the Bible’s moral absolutes and prophetic warnings.
Films, shows, and literature often portray biblical stories as fantasy or superstition, subtly shaping public perception. And when pulpits avoid hard truths or embrace worldly ideologies, the Bible becomes a tool for comfort rather than conviction. But perhaps the most insidious tactic is convincing people the Bible is irrelevant, outdated, or too complex to matter.
Without prophetic timelines and historical integration, we are witnessing a fulfillment of Hosea’s lament: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” The erosion of biblical credibility isn’t just academic, it’s eschatological. It prepares the way for deception, apostasy, and the rise of false authority.
Modern-day tragedies don’t just reflect human evil; they often mirror biblical patterns, and in doing so, they either confirm prophecy or are twisted to obscure it.
Take the voyage of the St. Louis in 1939. I posted an article about it several months ago. A ship full of Jewish refugees was denied entry by Western nations. It’s an eerily reminiscent of Israel’s rejection and wandering, and can be seen as a modern “No Room at the Inn” moment, echoing Christ’s birth and Israel’s exile. And by allowing this event to fade into historical obscurity, the enemy erases a typological warning about global apathy toward God’s people.
The curses for covenant disobedience we find in Deuteronomy 29 include dispersion, persecution, and terror, each tragically fulfilled in Nazi Germany. Many survivors and observers of the Holocaust lost faith, asking, “Where is God?” This is a question the enemy now weaponizes to undermine trust in Scripture. So instead of seeing the Holocaust as a harbinger of end-time persecution and the need for repentance, the world often views it as proof that biblical promises failed.
When dating historical events, the question of which calendar should be used. Should we use the Julian, Gregorian, or Jewish calendars? Conflicting dates create doubt about key periods of time such as the Lord’s birth, baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Concerning the verse “No man knows the day or hour,” it is being misused today. This phrase is often weaponized to shut down serious study of end-time prophecy. And when believers disconnect historical events from prophetic patterns, they lose the ability to discern the times.
Posted 8/23/2025
Can we compare America’s participation in the War with Cyrus and Darius defeating Babylon to free the Jews from captivity? Comparing America’s role in World War II to Cyrus and Darius freeing the Jews from Babylon is a compelling parallel, let’s break it down:
Cyrus and Darius: Liberators of the Jews
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 536 B.C. and issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1–4).
Darius I later reaffirmed this decree and supported the rebuilding of the Temple after opposition stalled the work (Ezra 6:1–12).
These acts were seen as divinely orchestrated. Isaiah even refers to Cyrus as God’s “anointed” (Isaiah 45:1), a rare title for a non-Israelite.
The key themes were, a liberation from oppression, a restoration of worship, and identity, and a fulfillment of prophecy.
America in WWII: A defender and rescuer. America entered WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), but quickly became a key force in defeating Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The Holocaust had decimated European Jewry, and the post-war world saw a surge in support for a Jewish homeland. In 1948, the State of Israel was established—many of us see this as a modern fulfillment of biblical promises of return.
The key themes: Intervention against evil, rescue of the oppressed, and global reshaping that enabled Jewish restoration.
Comparing the Two
Cyrus and Darius America in W.W. 2
Conquered Babylon Defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan
Freed Jews from exile Helped liberated Jews from the Holocaust
Enabled Temple rebuilding Enabled the creation of modern Israel
Both acted as unexpected instruments of divine justice and restoration, non-Jewish powers used to fulfill God’s promises.
From a biblical standpoint: God often uses secular rulers to accomplish His purposes (e.g., Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus). Jesus’ unchanging nature (Hebrews 13:8) doesn’t mean He always acts the same way, but His character and mission remain consistent: justice, mercy, and redemption.
So yes, many Christians and Jews see America’s role in WWII as analogous to Cyrus and Darius, not because America was “chosen,” but because it responded to evil and helped pave the way for Jewish restoration.
History doesn’t repeat itself exactly, but it often echoes. Cyrus freed the Jews from Babylon; America helped free them from genocide and indirectly supported their return to the land. Both moments reflect God’s sovereignty working through human events.
Both acted as unexpected instruments of divine justice and restoration, non-Jewish powers used to fulfill God’s promises.
So yes, many Christians and Jews see America’s role in WWII as analogous to Cyrus and Darius, not because America was “chosen,” but because it responded to evil and helped pave the way for Jewish restoration.
Posted 8/22/25
Here’s the question: Why did the King James translators go from “adoni” (lord) in Psalms 110:1, to kurios (LORD) in Matthew 22:44?
David wrote in Psalms 110:1, about 1000 B.C. the following: “The LORD (Jehovah, the Father) said unto my Lord (adoni the Son), sit thou at my right hand,” adoni is never used for God, but for rulers, or masters. So, David did not refer to the coming Savior as Jehovah. But, in Matthew 22:24, Matthew wrote, “The LORD (Jehovah, the Father) said unto my LORD (Jehovah, the Son), sit thou on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool?” So, Matthew calls the Father God, and he calls the Son God. Question: What changed?
We will first have to develop a timeline beginning with Genesis, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, all written by Moses around 1400 B.C. The coming of a future Messiah was unknown except for a few vague promises and predictions made by the LORD. The first clue came to us in the Garden of Eden around 4000 B.C., after Adam and Eve had sinned, the LORD told the serpent,
Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This verse is our first hint of a coming Savior who would defeat evil.
2500 years later, Moses wrote in Genesis 49:10, when Jacob was ready to die, he spoke to his son Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” This prophecy points to a future ruler from the tribe of Judah, interpreted as a messianic king.
Numbers 24:17, Moses wrote, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh. There shall come a star out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” This verse is seen as a prediction of a powerful leader (Christ) arising from Israel.
In Deuteronomy 18:18, we are told that a prophet like Moses will arise.
Around 1010 B.C. David writes Psalms 110:1, That Jehovah the Father said to adoni his Son, ‘Sit thou at my right hand,”
Question: In Psalms 110:1, when David called the coming Messiah lord (adoni) was he expecting him to be “God manifest in the flesh?” Of course, he wasn’t. Based on the language and context, David likely saw the Messiah as a man descended from his lineage or a divinely appointed ruler with extraordinary authority, but the idea of the Messiah being “God manifest in the flesh” was a development of the New Testament one thousand years later; so, David uses “adoni” to describe him.
Isaiah wrote the following 300 years after David died, between 740 and 699 B.C.
Isaiah 7:14, “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah was unaware of the full messianic implications that later generations would read into his words.
He also wrote, Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,” he will be called the Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace. These titles suggest Isaiah was envisioning a supernaturally empowered leader, one who would govern with divine justice and compassion.
Micah wrote about the same time as Isaiah around 700 B.C. Micah 5:2, “A ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
150 years later, in 555 B.C., Daniel 7:13, he calls the coming one, “The Son of man.”
In 531 B.C., Daniel tells us the coming one will be the Jewish Messiah, Daniel 9:25-26. In these two verses, Daniel reveals this messianic figure, a future anointed King, Priest, and Prophet called the Messiah.
Now we move forward 500 years into the future to October of 4 B.C., when Jesus was born. This was the first explicit declaration in Scripture that the coming Messiah would be God incarnate, not just a divinely appointed human, but God dwelling among humanity. A mystery revealed from heaven concerning the promised seed of Genesis 3.
An angel comes to Joseph and tells him to name the coming child, Jesus, “Yahweh saves.” He then tells Joseph that Isaiah’s prophecy would be fulfilled, “His name Emmanuel, interpreted is, ‘God with us.” Emmanuel is not a proper name, but a title that reflects Jesus’ divine identity and purpose.
David used Adoni (“my lord”), a term typically reserved for human superiors, not God.
But in Matthew 22:44, Jesus quotes this verse to challenge the Pharisees: This is not a contradiction, nor is it a mistake made by the King James interpreters; it’s a revelation. One thousand years after David died, Matthew affirmed Jesus’ divine status. Jesus in Matthew 22:44 proves that the Messiah is more than David’s descendant; He is David’s Lord, and by implication, divine.
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, a position of divine authority.
He is greater than David, not just in lineage but in nature.
Jesus is “God with us;” the Gospel unveils the mystery that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, fulfilling both Isaiah’s prophecy and David’s vision.
1 Timothy 3:16, K.J.B. “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received into glory.”
Posted 8/20/2025
God’s divinely choreographed progression
What has emerged over the centuries is a divinely choreographed progression, from ancient scrolls to digital apps, each translation a step toward fulfilling the Great Commission. The Gospel has not only survived but thrived across empires, ideologies, and revolutions. And today, it continues to answer our deepest questions of identity, purpose, and truth.
The following is a powerful narrative of divine orchestration across centuries, where each milestone in Bible translation and dissemination seems to build upon the last, preparing the world for spiritual clarity and resilience in the face of modern ideological challenges. It’s a historical arc; each step contributed to God’s plan to spread the Gospel and equip future generations.
Let’s begin with the Septuagint (3rd–2nd Century BCE.) It’s a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures by Jewish scholars in Alexandria. It was crucial for spreading Jewish theology to the Hellenistic world. It’s quoted extensively in the New Testament, showing its foundational role in early Christianity.
The Latin Vulgate (405 CE.) Translated by St. Jerome from Hebrew and Greek into Latin. It became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church for over 1,000 years. It unified Western Christianity and influenced medieval theology, law, and education.
John Wycliffe (1382.) The First English Bible. He translated the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into Middle English. He believed Scripture should be accessible to all, not just clergy. It sparked the Lollard movement, which emphasized personal faith, and scripture reading. His work laid the foundation for future reformers, despite posthumous condemnation by the Church.
The Gutenberg Press (c. 1440.), the printing revolution. The press enabled mass production of the Bible, beginning with the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. It broke the monopoly of handwritten manuscripts, democratizing access to Scripture. Gutenberg saw the press as a divine tool: “Let us break the seal which binds these holy things and give wings to truth.” This technological leap was essential for spreading the Reformation and biblical literacy.
The Coverdale Bible (1535) & Matthew’s Bible (1537). These were the first complete printed English Bible (Coverdale). Matthew’s Bible combined Tyndale’s and Coverdale’s work, authorized by King Henry VIII. These bridged the gap between Tyndale’s martyrdom and the King James Version.
William Tyndale (1526.) Scripture from the original tongues, he translated the New Testament from Greek and parts of the Old Testament from Hebrew. He coined enduring phrases like “let there be light,” “the powers that be,” and “scapegoat.” His wages? Martyred. But his translation formed the backbone of future English Bibles, including the King James Version.
The Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther’s German Bible (1534) democratized Scripture in Europe. It sparked vernacular translations across nations: French (Olivétan, 1535), Spanish (Reina-Valera, 1602), Swedish (Gustav Vasa Bible, 1541), and it reinforced the principle of sola scriptura, Scripture alone as the authority.
The Bishops’ Bible (1568.) Anglican Authority. It was commissioned by the Church of England to counter the Calvinist Geneva Bible. Used in public worship, but lacked the popularity of the Geneva Bible for private devotion. It served as the base text for the King James Version, bridging ecclesiastical and scholarly efforts
King James Bible (1611.) The Crown Jewel! It unified various English translations into one majestic, poetic version. It influenced the English language, literature, law, and culture more than any other book. It became the standard for Protestant Christianity and was carried globally by missionaries and colonists.
The Word’s modern Challenges: Responding to Darwinism, cults, and cultural Shifts. The K.J.V. provided a theological anchor amid scientific upheaval, affirming divine creation and moral absolutes. Concerning the cults and false teachings: It provided a clear, accessible Scripture that empowered believers to discern truth from deception. As for Hollywood and Secularism, the poetic and moral depth of Scripture stood in contrast to relativism and entertainment-driven values.
There are a few remaining milestones and themes that have enriched God’s unfolding plan to spread the Gospel across generations. These additions deepen the sense of divine orchestration and show how Scripture has shaped not just theology, but civilization itself.
The Bible has been translated in over 3,700 languages. Modern translators face persecution, echoing the sacrifices of early reformers. Bible translation fueled literacy, education, and social reform, inspiring movements like abolition (Wilberforce), civil rights (MLK), and human rights. It has helped shape Western values: equality, compassion, and justice, each rooted in biblical teaching.
What is Wilberforce? William Wilberforce (1759–1833) was a British politician and philanthropist best known for his leadership in the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade.
He led the campaign that resulted in the Slave Trade Act of 1807, ending Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. He continued fighting for full abolition, which came with
What is MLK? Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) was an American Baptist minister and the most prominent leader of the U.S. civil rights movement. He was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Posted 8/15/2025
Five verses in the New World Translation of the Watchtower’s bogus Bible are and continue to mislead millions. To these five verses, the Witnesses have added one word; it’s the word “other” that does not appear in any original Greek text.
So, we need to ask: in any of the 5800 known manuscripts, can the Greek word “other” be found? The answer is no; there are no known Greek manuscripts that include the word “other” in the original text. Please, don’t take my word for it—look it up yourself. Even their Kingdom Interlinear Translation published by the Watchtower Society shows the Greek phrase as “all things,” not “all other things.” This reveals a tension between their literal translation and the doctrinally influenced (or lie) rendering in the NWT.
The addition of “other” shifts the meaning: it implies that Jesus is excluded from “all things” and is therefore created, not eternal, which supports the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ other deceptive teaching that Jesus is not God, but rather the Father’s first creation. So, we can conclude that the insertion of “other” in the New World Translation is not based on manuscript evidence, but rather on interpretive theology.
One other verse of theirs needs to be questioned; it’s found in Revelation 3:14.
K.J.B. “the beginning of the creation of God.”
NWT “The beginning of the creation by God.”
They interpret Revelation 3:14, to mean that Jesus is the first created being by God. This devious and wily shift of changing “of God” to “by God” is made to reinforce their false teaching that Jesus was created by the Father before anything else was made.
Now here’s the hypocrisy of the whole matter. They say Jesus was created first by the Father, then he created all other things, yet they deny he is God the Creator.
Remember, before anything was created, they claim Jesus was created. Genesis 1:1 reads, NWT, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” If Jesus created all other things, that would have to include the heavens and the earth; that’s what their words claim in both Colossians 1:16-17.
And the one who created the heavens and the earth, their Bible claims, is God, or Jehovah. So, they admit that Jesus is the Creator of heaven and earth; therefore, he is God or Jehovah. But hold on, that was verse one.
Now look what they do in verse two. It’s no longer Jesus who created “all other things,” that would include the heaven and earth; it was the Father’s active force, meaning the Father’s breath (I think) that moved across the waters. Or that Jesus is the Father’s active force. If not, “What the heck is an ‘Active Force’ ?
Anyway, you can look at this information, do your own research, and draw your own conclusions.
Posted 8/3/2025
Whenever studying an important doctrinal statement, I always look for supporting verses. The verse in question today is 1 John 5:7. I agree there is not much support for 1 John 5:7 in ancient manuscripts, but there is some support. What’s needed to satisfy the question is to find out if this verse stands alone or if it has ample scriptural support. First of all, I have to ask, “Do I trust the Bible I have, the King James Bible, as being the infallible word of God?” My answer is yes.
Now I have to ask, do I trust the 60 men who worked on the King James, and did they have the qualifications to translate the manuscripts they had? My answer is yes. Last two questions; by leaving that verse in the Bible, did they have anything personal to gain? Answer No. And would they take a chance putting a verse in the Bible that did not belong there, thereby negating all their work? Answer No.
1 John 5:7, is found in the Spanish Bibles (e.g., Valencia 1478) and Bohemian/Czech Bibles (1488), and in the Wycliffe’s English Bible (1380) based on the Latin Vulgate which also contained the verse. And Erasmus included 1 John 5:7 in his third edition after being presented with a Greek manuscript that contained the Comma Johanneum, (or, 1 John 5:7). The verse stood uncontested in English Bibles for over 500 years, suggesting it was part of the received tradition.
The King James has remained strong for the past 414 years. Christian America was built on the King James Bible and has survived the onslaught of the devil and his disciples over and over again. Therefore, I do not have to look any further than its pages for truth.
So, are there enough verses to support having 1 John 5:7 in the King James? The verse in question: 1 John 5:7, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” This verse is left out of most modern-day Bibles.
Support verses:
Matthew 28:19, “Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
John 1:1-32, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (the Father” Verse 32, “And John bare record (witness), saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him (Jesus).” So, we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
John 5:32-36, “There is another that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true.” Verse 36, “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-5-6, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord (Jesus). And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God (the Father) which works all in all.”
John 15:26, “But the Comforter (Paraclete) which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and being all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God (Jesus) was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles.”
Does “Testify” = “Bear Record”? Yes, linguistically and theologically: To testify is to bear witness, in context, both refer to divine testimony, the Spirit and Father bearing witness to Christ’s identity and mission.
Posted 7/28/25
For over four centuries, the King James Bible stood as a pillar of spiritual authority in the English-speaking world. Its words shaped revivals, grounded doctrine, and united believers under a common text. Before it, the Bishop’s Bible laid the foundation for a tradition of reverence toward the written Word of God. These translations were not perfect because of human effort, they were powerful because of divine preservation.
But in the last seventy years, something changed. The rise of modern translations, often based on so-called “older and better” manuscripts, introduced a flood of new versions. Each claimed to be more accurate, more readable, more relevant. Yet with every revision came new copyright claims, new footnotes, and subtle shifts in meaning. Verses were removed, words softened, and theological clarity blurred. Suddenly, believers had to ask not just what Bible someone used, but which edition.
This constant revision raises a sobering question: When does it stop? If the Bible is endlessly adjusted to fit new information, cultural trends, or scholarly preferences, at what point does it cease to be the unchanging Word of God? Scripture is not a living document in the political sense, it is the living Word in the spiritual sense, eternal and unshakable.
The heart of the issue is trust. Do we trust that God, in His sovereignty, preserved His Word through the centuries? Or do we believe that truth must be rediscovered and redefined with each generation? The fruit of the King James era, revival, unity, and doctrinal strength, speaks volumes. The fragmentation of modern translations, each with its own theological leanings and editorial choices, has not brought clarity but confusion.
This is not a call to idolize a translation. It is a call to recognize that God’s Word does not need constant correction. It needs faithful proclamation. The endless cycle of updates and editions must give way to a renewed trust in the enduring truth of Scripture.
Posted 7/24/2025
Doubt is the most destructive path for any Christian to take:
The last litmus test our Creator may have set up to test our faith in these last days may be his first act, the creation account. Do you trust God’s Word or the world’s wisdom?
If Christians cannot get past the first six days of creation and believe God, the rest of the Bible is open to the opinions of science, evolutionists, the cults, and those who say, “There is no God.”
This is a powerful conviction that resonates deeply with many of us, who see the creation not just as a historical account, but as a foundational test of our faith. And that Genesis 1 is not merely about origins but about trusting the voice of God over the voice of man, especially now in this time of great deception and with doubt running rampant.
If the first six literal days of creation are denied, individuals as well as organizations will usually reinterpret other parts of Scripture.
Believing Genesis 1 affirms that God’s Word is the ultimate authority, far above human reasoning and scientific consensus.
Faith in the unseen, Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command.”
Rejecting the six-day creation often opens the door to:
Evolutionary theory, which denies divine design; naturalism, which excludes the supernatural; And moral relativism, which undermines biblical ethics.
Scripture warns that in the last days, deception will increase, and many will abandon sound doctrine: 2 Peter 3:3–6: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days (mockers), walking after their own lusts,”
Denying the story of creation can cause spiritual blindness, elevating human reasoning above revelation. It opens the door to reinterpretation and weakens confidence in supernatural truths, making them vulnerable to worldly philosophies. So, ask yourself, “Do I trust God?”
Faith in God’s Word is the dividing line. And in the last days, that line is becoming clearer.
Science, by its nature, seeks to understand the physical universe through observation and measurement. Here’s how it contrasts:
Radiometric dating, cosmic background radiation, and the observable expansion of the universe all point to an Earth that is 4.5 billion years old and a universe that is 13.8 billion years old.
Archaeology and Fossils: These disciplines provide evidence of human and pre-human activity stretching back hundreds of thousands of years.
Cosmology: The ability to see galaxies billions of light-years away suggests that light has been traveling for billions of years, implying an old universe.
From a scientific standpoint, these aren’t tests but data-driven conclusions. Before Darwin, the concept of evolution wasn’t a major theological issue for the Christian community, largely because the idea hadn’t yet taken the form that would challenge traditional biblical interpretations.
Darwin’s Theory (1859) introduced natural selection as a mechanism for evolution, which directly challenged the idea of divine, instantaneous creation. His theory sparked intense debate, especially among Christians who held to biblical literalism. It raised questions about human uniqueness, the role of God in creation, and the reliability of Scripture.
Now let’s examine instant maturity: According to Genesis, Adam was created as a fully grown man, not as a baby who matured over time. He could walk, speak, reason, and name animals immediately.
But from a scientific standpoint, a man must have a developmental history, childhood, adolescence, etc. But Adam had none. His age, biologically, might have appeared to be 30, but chronologically, he was only minutes old. So, if God created Adam with apparent age, could He have done the same with the Earth?
Genesis describes the Earth as being created with vegetation, rivers, animals, and ecosystems already in place. Soil had layers, trees had rings, and stars were visible.
Strata and Fossils: Geological layers (strata) and fossils are interpreted by science as evidence of long periods of time. But if the Earth were created mature, those layers would have been part of its original design. The Earth was created with breathable soil and water systems, suggesting intentional layering and structure, not random accumulation over eons.
If the Genesis Flood was as violent and global as described in Genesis 7–8, the erosion of hills, mounds, soil, vegetation, and animals could happen very rapidly, in days to weeks, not millennia.
Genesis 7:11 describes both rain and subterranean water bursting forth. This would create massive, high-energy flows capable of stripping vegetation, topsoil, and even bedrock.
Flood waters would have caused widespread sheet erosion, rapidly leveling terrain, and removing surface features. Think of a flash flood on steroids, water moving at high speeds, possibly 10–30 mph or more, carrying debris, trees, animals, and sediment over vast distances.
As the floodwaters rose and then receded, they would have scoured the land. Hills and mounds up to 1,000 feet could be stripped of soil and vegetation in hours or days. Logs, carcasses, boulders, and sediment could be carried for hundreds of miles, especially during the receding phase. And when the water slowed, it would drop its load, potentially burying material 50 to 500 feet deep in newly formed valleys or canyons.
The flood would have buried organisms quickly, preserving them as fossils. This explains fossil graveyards with mixed marine and terrestrial life.
Layering: Sediment would settle in distinct layers due to changes in flow speed, particle size, and water chemistry, creating the appearance of geologic time, but formed in days to weeks.
Carbon dating , also called radiocarbon dating. This science measures the decay of carbon-14 in organic material and is only effective for dating things up to about 50,000 years old. Here’s how a global flood or apparent age scenario could hypothetically have affect it.
A global flood could drastically alter the carbon cycle, mixing oceanic and atmospheric carbon, burying massive amounts of biomass, and changing the ratio of carbon isotopes.
This could skew the baseline levels of carbon-14, making post-flood organisms appear older or younger than they are.
Rapid burial and mixing of materials could lead to contamination of samples with older carbon, from deep Earth or fossil sources, which would distort dating results.
So, there we have it, believers are challenged to discern truth in a world of competing narratives, spiritual, scientific and philosophical. Perhaps it’s a test of whether we will acknowledge the limits of our understanding and remain open to the mysteries of God.
Posted 7/5/2025
The following is long, but interesting. In the last part of Daniel 9:24, Daniel was to “seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” This is all still in our future.
“To anoint the most Holy,” what is that? The Holy Place is the outer room of the sanctuary where only the Temple priests could enter. It contained the golden lampstand (Menorah), the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. These symbolized light, sustenance, and prayer.
The Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies was the inner sanctuary, separated by a veil. It housed the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy seat. It was the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth. Only the high priest could enter it, only each year on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, which usually falls in October. Our High Priest is Jesus Christ, who will sit on his throne in the Holy Place on Mount Moriah.
A heavy veil separated the two rooms, representing the barrier between God and humanity. When Jesus died, the veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:51), symbolizing direct access to the Father through his only begotten Son, who is the way, and the only Mediator between man and the Father.
While both areas in the Temple were holy, the Most Holy Place was always considered the holiest—the ultimate sacred space in biblical tradition. Daniel 27, tells us the Holy place would be made desolate, until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (or desolator).”
This may be speaking of Islam’s occupation of the holy place, it now occupied by the abomination called the Dome of the Rock, where the false god Allah is honored, and where Israel’s enemies pray. The people of Israel have to look upon this abomination each day, reminding them of their sins, sins committed against the LORD. And so, they pray at the Wailing Wall for the return of their Temple.
Here’s the difficult part of the prophecy. Until May 14, 1948, none of Daniel’s prophecies made sense because Israel did not exist as a nation, and especially after Hitler attempted to exterminate the Jewish people, six million of them. But over the centuries, there remained a few faithful commentators who believed in God, prophesying that one day the Jews would recover their land and the glory they were once blessed with.
The faithful came to Israel’s aid, knowing full well the LORD always keeps his promises. Once Israel became an independent nation, free to do as they willed, the healing began as promised in Hosea 6, “He (the LORD) will bind us up.” But there are troubles like no other that wait for the Jews; their time of persecution by their enemies will come in a period called “The time of Jacob’s trouble.”
No other place in history commands such reverence and fear as the Holy of Holies because it was the most sacred place on earth; it still belongs to Jehovah, and he, Jesus, will one day sit as King and rule the nations with a rod of iron. The LORD himself commanded and blueprinted the Holy of Holies to be part of the Exodus tabernacle, see Exodus 25:40, and in Solomon’s Temple, see 1 Kings 5:8, and 2 Chronicles 2:7.
The Holy of Holies was where God manifested His presence on earth; that is why it is called the most holy place. This sacred place was and is part of God’s plan from the beginning to dwell with us and be our God, to give those He has called full access to Himself, Leviticus 11:44, and 1 Peter 1:16.
Our communion with God takes place in His presence, so our communion centers around the Holy of Holies, which is where God dwells among us. That is why—for a time—worship was confined to the specified location of the temple/tabernacle. That was where the Holy of Holies was, and everything else in the temple revolved around communion and service before God’s presence.
How Does the Holy of Holies Point to Christ? The Tabernacle itself was fulfilled in Christ, who came in the fullness of time to tabernacle (dwell) with the redeemed.
John 1:14, “The Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
Galatians 4:4-5, “When the fullness of time was come, God sent for his Son, —- to redeem them (the Jews) that were under the law, that we (Gentiles) might receive the adoption of sons.”
Has the LORD abandoned his holy place? Good question.
In Revelation 11:2, John is given a rod to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship within. John was told to exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months (3 ½ years).”
This passage suggests not abandonment, but a temporary allowance, a permitted period where Gentile nations will influence what was once considered Holy. This idea aligns with Jesus’ words in Luke 21:24, where He says Jerusalem will be “trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” So rather than abandonment, it’s more like a pause in divine occupation, a prophetic interlude with a purpose.
Theologically, many scholars argue that God’s covenant with Israel remains intact. Romans 11:1–2 makes it clear: “Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!” Paul insists that God has not rejected Israel and that His promises are irrevocable.
In short, NO! God has not abandoned His holy place. It may be under Gentile stewardship for a time, but the narrative of Scripture points toward restoration, not rejection
Posted 6/28/25
Attributes only God possesses
When we use the word ‘God,’ ‘Jehovah,’ for either the Father or Son, what exactly are we talking about other than the name Jehovah? Let’s discuss Jesus as Jehovah. Does the Bible support this teaching?
When we speak of Jesus as God, we’re referring to attributes only God can possess, attributes that will reveal His full deity. These attributes are drawn from Scripture and two thousand years of theological teaching. Here’s my breakdown of the divine attributes commonly associated with both the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
For this subject, we can use either the King James Bible or the NIV, the two most widely used Bibles in use today. The following are attributes we would expect only God (Yahuwah) to possess.
God is eternal. Jesus is said to be eternal: He existed before time began. John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word…”
Hebrews 1:10, The Father is speaking of his Son: “Thou LORD (Jesus), in the beginning has laid the foundation of the earth;”
God is Immutability: Jesus is unchanging.
Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Hebrews 13:12, The Father speaking of his Son: “But thou (Jesus) art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”
God is omnipotent: He has all power.
Jesus is omnipotent: Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
God is omniscient: He knows all things, including the hearts of people. John 2:24–25, “Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men. And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
Revelation 2:23, “I (Jesus) am he which searches the reins and hearts:”
God is omnipresent: Jesus is present everywhere.
Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, to the end of the world; Amen’.” For all time, and all believers.
God is self-existent: Not created but exists by His own nature
John 5:26, “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself;”
God’s Holiness: Jesus is completely pure and set apart.
Hebrews 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and higher than the heavens.”
God is Truth: Jesus is the embodiment of truth.
John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
God is Love: The Lord’s sacrificial death is the ultimate expression of divine love.
1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he (Jesus) laid down his life for us:”
God is Justice: Jesus will judge righteously and fairly.
Acts 17:31, “He (the Father) has appointed a day in which he (Jesus) will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained.”
All the above attributes affirm that Jesus is not merely a prophet or moral teacher, but fully divine; he is God incarnate. These attributes can only be manifest in God.
1 Timothy 3:16, K.J.B. (Jesus) is God manifest (come) in the flesh.”
What makes Christ Jesus unique is, He is also fully human. Therefore, alongside his divine attributes, He also displayed:
Compassion
Humility
Servanthood
Patience
Forgiveness
Are you a doubting Thomas?
The disciples were having their last supper with the Lord. The other disciples witnessed Judas as he left them to betray the Lord. Jesus and the disciples, including Thomas, leave the house and go to the garden, where they find Judas with a band of men. The disciples witness Jesus being taken away to Annas and then to the High Priest Caiaphas.
Acts 18:15 states that the disciples followed Jesus. The next time the disciples see Jesus is when he is carrying his cross. Now they saw a man cut, bloodied, and bruised by the 39 lashes of a whip, and beaten with a rod, his beard pulled out, and a crown of 2-inch thorns pushed down on his head, cutting through his skin to his skull, blood running down his face, back and chest. The disciples were witnessing a man weakened from torture, bloodied, tired, and dehydrated. When they reached the spot of the cross, they saw the Roman soldier pound six-inch spikes through his hands and feet, then lifted up, and left to die.
When Jesus took his last breath, the disciples saw a Roman soldier take a spear and thrust it through his side, John 19:34, “One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water.” A sure sign that Jesus was dead. They saw his body being taken down, wrapped in cloth, and brought to the tomb. They also witnessed the tomb being sealed with a great stone
Days later, after absorbing the events of his death and burial, the Lord appeared to ten of his disciples; Thomas was not there. When the others told Thomas that they had been with Jesus alive, Thomas said to him, “Except I shall see in his hands the prints of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.”
Eight days later, Thomas himself sees the Lord. He witnesses him coming into the room, a room where the doors had been locked. Jesus walks over to Thomas, knowing what he had said earlier, and tells him, “Reach hither your finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
The last time Thomas had seen Jesus, he was bloodied, beaten, and now dead. He saw him take his last breath, then witnessed a spear thrust through his side. He saw him taken to his tomb, wrapped in burial clothes, placed in the tomb, and a large stone rolled across the entrance. These were the last sights Thomas had of the man he walked with for 3 ½ years.
Now he stands one foot away from Jesus, face to face with a person he believed to be dead, touches the wounds of his his hands and sides, looks into his eyes and knows now he is alive, and possessing the power of the Holy Spirit. Now humbled, he cries out,
John 20:28, “My Lord and my God.” Acknowledging Jesus for who he was, his Lord and his God.
The text is clear, Jesus comes into a room through a closed door, walks over to Thomas, and asks him to come to him and reach into the wounds in his hands and side. Thomas is now convinces that the person standing before him is the same person he witnessed on the cross, broken, bloodied, and beaten, put to death, and laid in a tomb. The reality of the one standing before him had set in. In amazement, Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”
Thomas made amends for his doubt and would be the first of millions of Christians who would give the title of “God” to Jesus. From this moment forward, the disciple treated Jesus with supreme respect, never using the same familiarity towards him they had often used before. His resurrection gave them proof of his Divinity.
John 20:30-31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are NOT WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK: But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.
6/5/25
Did Jesus claim equality with his Father?
It was the day before the cross. In Matthew 26, Jesus is confronted by the Chief priests and elders of the temple. Jesus asserted that he was the “Son of man” that is, literally man; and that he was the Son of God, that is, literally God, as the Jews understood it; and that he would be seen sitting on the right hand of power.” The phrase “Son of God” can be understood in three ways. First, by simple origin, secondly by general likeness, and thirdly, by identity of nature with the Father?
In the Jewish court of law, the Jews understood Jesus to mean “Identity of nature with the Father.” In this sense, for a man to call himself the Son of God would be gross blasphemy. He confirmed to them in the belief that he claimed identity of nature with his Father. It is also evident that he meant to assert his own Supreme Godhead.
On another occasion, Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” Two important questions need to be asked: what impression did his comments make upon the Jewish hearers? and what idea did he convey to them?
Their indignation was so aroused that they “took up stones to stone him.” Jesus understood what was meant by their action; for the blasphemer, according to law, was to be stoned; yet he asked them why. They said, “Because you being a man make yourself God.” This was the impression Jesus words had made on the high priest and elders of the temple.
Did Jesus correct them? No, he did not. In John 5:18, “The Jews sought the more to kill him, because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” Jesus never denied this. He said in John 5:23, “that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which hath sent him.”
Jesus denied none of these things. He left upon their minds the burning impression that he claimed to be the eternal God. He could have denied it but did not. They announced to him, that he would be stoned for his blasphemous claims, yet he said nothing.