DESTROYERS WILL BE DESTROYED
5-14-08
I speak unto thee and I say when men and women think they may lord over my heritage, think they may dictate, think they may rule supreme and they are not subject unto me but they are haters of my purpose, I say I hate such ones and I will utterly destroy them. I say there are many in this wicked and perverse generation who have sought out to destroy my people while posing that they are mine. But I say that I the Living God know the ones who love me and the ones who obey me and the ones who follow me. I say that the ones who love and make a lie in order to seduce, entice, and take my people away from me I say they will be utterly destroyed. I say that it is me the Living God who shall cause it to be so. Therefore I say keep thy hope, thy strength, thy confidence always in me, for I am thy God. I say that I will uplift thee and bring thee forth causing thee to rejoice in me. I say give thanks, give praise that it is me that you may believe, that it is me that you may follow after. I say rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.
DOWN WITH THE HAUGHTY AND PROUD
I speak unto thee and I say rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, for it is the time that I the Living God shall bring down all who are proud and haughty against me. I say that those who will express themselves in cruelty towards me, towards my people, towards my purpose, I say they will likewise receive cruelty. It is me the Living God who will render unto men that which they have done towards me and I say that it will be multiplied. I say that men will howl and scream and cry out to die but I will not give them death. I say that it is me the Living God who is sick up of those who think that they can live without me the Living God. I say I am sick up of those who strut and boast in their arrogance and vain conceitedness, thinking they remain forever. I say that I shall bring them down and bring down and utterly destroy the wicked. I say that it is me the Living God who will cause it to be so and who will bring it forth. Therefore I say be glad, be glad, be glad when you hear of my judgments, for they are just. I say do not set a limit on what I the Living God may do against the wicked. But I say be rejoicing, rejoicing that I vindicate my wrath. I say indeed that it is time, it is time, it is time and I shall bring forth. I say that all of those who stand up against me will be destroyed by my fury. I say thank me and praise me, thank me and praise me that it is me the Living God and me alone who will reign triumphant, victorious, and will reveal once again that I am the Almighty. I say thank me and praise me, thank me and praise me.
* * *
We would like to hear from you!
To request literature or more information
about us or our community please
E-mail us!
Or write to us:
AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY
HC 60, BOX 11
FENCE LAKE, NM 87315
Is There a New World Coming?
By Larry Chkoreff
Version 1.2
ISBN 0-9676731-7-8
978-0-9676731-7-2
First printing Fall 2006
Copyright © 2000 by Larry Chkoreff
Published by International School of the Bible, Marietta, Georgia, U.S.A.
For information on reproducing this book contact ISOB at:
Email address ñ newworld@isob-bible.org
The ISOB web site is www.isob-bible.org.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Blue files for quick online viewing (htm files)
Introduction
01 Birth of Messiah and its details foretold in Jewish Scriptures
02 Nature of Messiah foretold in Jewish Scriptures
03 Ministry of Messiah foretold in Jewish Scriptures
04 Crucifixion and the details foretold in Jewish Scriptures
05 Resurrection of Jesus foretold in Jewish Scriptures.
06 Messiah Summary
07 Historic Prophecies
08 Second coming of Messiah
Amazing Love Picture.
09 Conclusion and Prayer
Forward
As this book has come into your possession and you are beginning to read, a very rewarding exchange is being offered to you. In exchange for a small amount of your time, you can take a major journey directly into the greatest truths of all time. You will be quickly guided through history, scripture and fulfilled prophecy as the truth unfolds. Your destination will be the discovery of who Jesus Christ was and now is.
If you are Jewish, you are aware of the special Covenant God has with you. You have long awaited the coming of the Messiah. This new look at Jesus is not to convert you, but to look again at the promises of that Covenant and the Messiah. There is no need to change cultures in order to believe in His Son as the Messiah. Millions of Jews have found their completion in Jesus in record numbers, especially since the re-gathering of Israel in 1948.
Those of us who were not born Jewish realize without the Jewish contribution to Christianity, there is no Christianity. We owe you a deep debt of gratitude for making the way for us to reconnect with God. At the risk of severely understating its gravity, we acknowledge that the atrocities and persecution you have endured demand a profound apology which we humbly offer here. More and more "enlightened Christians" have stood with the Jews especially with the outpouring of revelation during the past 100 years. God said of the Jewish people, "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you."
If you are Muslim, this journey will hopefully intrigue, inform and entice you to a deeper search into the Messiah. A personal relationship with Creator God is possible through understanding Him as the God of love. "Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Follow the scriptures herein and see God 's move through history as His Son came to lay down that life for you.
The word Son is most often mistranslated in English from the original languages. God does not have a son as we humans consider the word. Jesus is the Word of God. God the Father needs a human body with which to convey His words of love to us mere humans. Therefore, He became a man, God incarnate, the very Word of God in human flesh, capable of relating to us, His creation.
If you are not religious at all, perhaps even an atheist, but are simply seeking truth, these pages have the potential to introduce you to the very Person whose name is Truth. You need to simply be honest with God, be real with Him. Tell Him exactly how you feel about Him, about religion, about yourself. Tell Him if you don 't even believe He exists. When you sow the truth, you will reap the Truth!
Whether you are Jewish or Muslim, other faith, or just an honest person of "good will," the irrefutable revelations simply presented herein will reward you for taking this journey. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
As for me, the author, these truths, the prophecies and the resulting relationship with Jesus, radically changed and transformed my life in 1979. The power of God struck me, set me free from internal and external bondages, and totally changed me from a failure to a person who is enjoying "Abundant Life" through the power of God working within me.
There are all sorts of intellectual arguments about philosophy and religion. We are not engaging in those. We offer you the testimony of a radically changed life together with amazing Bible prophecies, both of which are beyond argument.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank my precious wife Carol, and our dear friends and ISOB Ministry Board Members Evelyn Akin, Bruce Tucker and Paul Smith, for their help and encouragement in doing this book. They not only proof read, but also encouraged me to actually create this book. It was originally written in 2000, but the Holy Spirit had me wait until 2006 to move forward with it.
Is There a New World Coming?
The Bible clearly states that this earth and the social and economic systems that we know today will not go on forever. Even scientists agree that our earth cannot sustain life too much longer.
The problem is that too many strange opinions seem to be coming at us. Some say that we should not even be concerned with the end of things. Others say that we should store up food and move to the mountains. Still others say that Bible believing people are nothing but idiots who are using scare tactics to promote their religion.
Can anything be trusted today?
Is there anything that can be counted on NO MATTER WHAT?
Some people say that the Bible is just a bunch of fairy tales and outdated stories.
The Bible is called the Word of God. If it is really God 's Word, if it is really what God said and was written down by men, then it should prove itself to be true. Otherwise, how could God expect people to trust it?
We need to be able to trust The Word of God no matter what comes our way! If there is one thing the Word of God dares to do that no other book in the world does or has done, it has historically predicted the future with amazing and perfect accuracy. This proves beyond argument that only God could have authored the Bible.
There are several parables, or stories, told in the Bible that tells about the subject of a New World coming.
The one I would like to tell is about a nobleman, or a king going to a far country to set up a kingdom, and then returning after a period of time. This parable or story was told by Jesus to some of His Jewish followers who thought that Jesus was going into Jerusalem to set up His Kingdom that very day.
Jesus told this story to let us know what to expect in the future.
Luke chapter 19:12-27 says,
"12 Therefore He said: 'A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas [an amount of money equal to 100 days pay], and said to them, 'Do business till I come. '
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us. '
I want to pause here and comment. Notice that this king came from a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. He also inferred that he would leave while the kingdom was forming, and then he would return to receive it. There were several different kinds of people that the king found when he returned.
Jesus was telling these people that someone, a king, would come from a far country, from Heaven to earth, to set up a kingdom (his first coming). Then this same king would return from Heaven some day, and go back to earth to reward some people who helped set up this kingdom (his second coming).
Notice what some of the people said to this king. "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us. '"
Some people did not want to join this kingdom because they wanted to run their own lives and they did not want to be under the king 's authority. You cannot be part of a kingdom without submitting to the king!
Other people took their money (minas) and invested it. They used what the king left for them to help build his kingdom. These people who submitted to the king received a reward when he returned!
15 And so it was that when he returned (the second coming), having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas. '
17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. ' (This servant received a reward).
18 And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas. '
19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities. ' (This servant received a reward)
20 Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow. '
22 And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest? '
24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas. ' (This servant did not receive a reward)
25 (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas. ')
26 For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
The people in the next verse were the ones who did not submit to the king the first time he came.
27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me" (Luke 19:12-27).
Not only did they not receive a reward, but were severely punished.
This story tells us that we need to make sure that we recognize this king, and submit to him before he returns the second time. If we wait until then, it will be too late.
The Bible also tells us that sometimes this king is called the Messiah, or a savior.
How can you know for sure how to identify this King, this Messiah? God did not leave it to chance. He gave us a sure way!
God does not want anybody to receive punishment like the people in the story that did not submit to the king the first time he came. So God gave us a sure way to know.
How can you know for sure whether or not there is a New World coming, and how can you be prepared for it? God did not leave it to chance. He gave us a sure way!
How can you trust the Bible?
People have argued about their religious beliefs for centuries. It is impossible for one person to prove to another person whose religious beliefs are correct. One must know for sure that the Bible or whatever book one trusts is true and correct.
To the honest seeker, you will find that other books that claim to be from God do not have the element of prophecy that the Bible has.
No human can speak hundreds of prophecies thousands of years in advance, and see them all fulfilled. Only God sees the future with perfect accuracy.
I want you to be able to recognize this King, (Messiah) so that you may make a personal choice to either submit to Him or not. It is your choice. No one can force you to submit. However, this King loves you so much, that He does not want to see you harmed when He returns.
In order to help you with your choice, we will investigate many of the Bible prophecies that have already been fulfilled. Many of these have to do with the "first coming" of the Messiah.
We will also investigate many Bible prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled. Many of these have to do with the "Second Coming" of the Messiah, and of the coming New World.
Most of the prophecies that are spoken in the Bible have already been fulfilled with perfect accuracy. Those that have not yet been fulfilled, deal with the end times of this world, the coming of the King (Messiah), and Israel.
These two features seem to be connected, the coming of the Messiah and the end times of this world, together with the coming New World.
What does the Bible say about a "New World Coming?"
Please read on. This book is not one based upon fear. It is based upon love and truth.
Here are just a few Bible verses dealing with this subject. There are many, many more.
"Öand have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5).
"far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21).
The above verses indicate that there is such a thing as an age, or a New World to come.
Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, wrote the following:
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2 Peter 3:10-14).
Jesus spoke in answer to a question from the people of His day. They asked:
"Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
"And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name 's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:4-14).
No one knows exactly when the end will come and when the Messiah will return. However we can tell by current events, that the signs of the times do line up with Bible prophecy.
Israel is the time clock. In 70 AD Israel was overthrown and exiled as a nation. In 1948 Israel became a nation once again. This was a major prophecy fulfillment and was a necessary event prior to the end. But now that it has happened, the end could be any time.
It could be one month, ten years, or whatever. One thing is for sure. Your own personal end will come when your body dies, and there is no promise for tomorrow!
The most important question is, "How can I know that I am safe when the end comes?"
Back to Table of Contents>
Is There a New World Coming?
By Larry Chkoreff
Version 1.2
ISBN 0-9676731-7-8
978-0-9676731-7-2
First printing Fall 2006
Copyright © 2000 by Larry Chkoreff
Published by International School of the Bible, Marietta, Georgia, U.S.A.
For information on reproducing this book contact ISOB at:
Email address ñ newworld@isob-bible.org
The ISOB web site is www.isob-bible.org.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Blue files for quick online viewing (htm files)
Introduction
01 Birth of Messiah and its details foretold in Jewish Scriptures
02 Nature of Messiah foretold in Jewish Scriptures
03 Ministry of Messiah foretold in Jewish Scriptures
04 Crucifixion and the details foretold in Jewish Scriptures
05 Resurrection of Jesus foretold in Jewish Scriptures.
06 Messiah Summary
07 Historic Prophecies
08 Second coming of Messiah
Amazing Love Picture.
09 Conclusion and Prayer
Forward
As this book has come into your possession and you are beginning to read, a very rewarding exchange is being offered to you. In exchange for a small amount of your time, you can take a major journey directly into the greatest truths of all time. You will be quickly guided through history, scripture and fulfilled prophecy as the truth unfolds. Your destination will be the discovery of who Jesus Christ was and now is.
If you are Jewish, you are aware of the special Covenant God has with you. You have long awaited the coming of the Messiah. This new look at Jesus is not to convert you, but to look again at the promises of that Covenant and the Messiah. There is no need to change cultures in order to believe in His Son as the Messiah. Millions of Jews have found their completion in Jesus in record numbers, especially since the re-gathering of Israel in 1948.
Those of us who were not born Jewish realize without the Jewish contribution to Christianity, there is no Christianity. We owe you a deep debt of gratitude for making the way for us to reconnect with God. At the risk of severely understating its gravity, we acknowledge that the atrocities and persecution you have endured demand a profound apology which we humbly offer here. More and more "enlightened Christians" have stood with the Jews especially with the outpouring of revelation during the past 100 years. God said of the Jewish people, "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you."
If you are Muslim, this journey will hopefully intrigue, inform and entice you to a deeper search into the Messiah. A personal relationship with Creator God is possible through understanding Him as the God of love. "Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Follow the scriptures herein and see God 's move through history as His Son came to lay down that life for you.
The word Son is most often mistranslated in English from the original languages. God does not have a son as we humans consider the word. Jesus is the Word of God. God the Father needs a human body with which to convey His words of love to us mere humans. Therefore, He became a man, God incarnate, the very Word of God in human flesh, capable of relating to us, His creation.
If you are not religious at all, perhaps even an atheist, but are simply seeking truth, these pages have the potential to introduce you to the very Person whose name is Truth. You need to simply be honest with God, be real with Him. Tell Him exactly how you feel about Him, about religion, about yourself. Tell Him if you don 't even believe He exists. When you sow the truth, you will reap the Truth!
Whether you are Jewish or Muslim, other faith, or just an honest person of "good will," the irrefutable revelations simply presented herein will reward you for taking this journey. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
As for me, the author, these truths, the prophecies and the resulting relationship with Jesus, radically changed and transformed my life in 1979. The power of God struck me, set me free from internal and external bondages, and totally changed me from a failure to a person who is enjoying "Abundant Life" through the power of God working within me.
There are all sorts of intellectual arguments about philosophy and religion. We are not engaging in those. We offer you the testimony of a radically changed life together with amazing Bible prophecies, both of which are beyond argument.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank my precious wife Carol, and our dear friends and ISOB Ministry Board Members Evelyn Akin, Bruce Tucker and Paul Smith, for their help and encouragement in doing this book. They not only proof read, but also encouraged me to actually create this book. It was originally written in 2000, but the Holy Spirit had me wait until 2006 to move forward with it.
Is There a New World Coming?
The Bible clearly states that this earth and the social and economic systems that we know today will not go on forever. Even scientists agree that our earth cannot sustain life too much longer.
The problem is that too many strange opinions seem to be coming at us. Some say that we should not even be concerned with the end of things. Others say that we should store up food and move to the mountains. Still others say that Bible believing people are nothing but idiots who are using scare tactics to promote their religion.
Can anything be trusted today?
Is there anything that can be counted on NO MATTER WHAT?
Some people say that the Bible is just a bunch of fairy tales and outdated stories.
The Bible is called the Word of God. If it is really God 's Word, if it is really what God said and was written down by men, then it should prove itself to be true. Otherwise, how could God expect people to trust it?
We need to be able to trust The Word of God no matter what comes our way! If there is one thing the Word of God dares to do that no other book in the world does or has done, it has historically predicted the future with amazing and perfect accuracy. This proves beyond argument that only God could have authored the Bible.
There are several parables, or stories, told in the Bible that tells about the subject of a New World coming.
The one I would like to tell is about a nobleman, or a king going to a far country to set up a kingdom, and then returning after a period of time. This parable or story was told by Jesus to some of His Jewish followers who thought that Jesus was going into Jerusalem to set up His Kingdom that very day.
Jesus told this story to let us know what to expect in the future.
Luke chapter 19:12-27 says,
"12 Therefore He said: 'A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas [an amount of money equal to 100 days pay], and said to them, 'Do business till I come. '
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us. '
I want to pause here and comment. Notice that this king came from a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. He also inferred that he would leave while the kingdom was forming, and then he would return to receive it. There were several different kinds of people that the king found when he returned.
Jesus was telling these people that someone, a king, would come from a far country, from Heaven to earth, to set up a kingdom (his first coming). Then this same king would return from Heaven some day, and go back to earth to reward some people who helped set up this kingdom (his second coming).
Notice what some of the people said to this king. "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us. '"
Some people did not want to join this kingdom because they wanted to run their own lives and they did not want to be under the king 's authority. You cannot be part of a kingdom without submitting to the king!
Other people took their money (minas) and invested it. They used what the king left for them to help build his kingdom. These people who submitted to the king received a reward when he returned!
15 And so it was that when he returned (the second coming), having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas. '
17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. ' (This servant received a reward).
18 And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas. '
19 Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities. ' (This servant received a reward)
20 Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow. '
22 And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest? '
24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas. ' (This servant did not receive a reward)
25 (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas. ')
26 For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
The people in the next verse were the ones who did not submit to the king the first time he came.
27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me" (Luke 19:12-27).
Not only did they not receive a reward, but were severely punished.
This story tells us that we need to make sure that we recognize this king, and submit to him before he returns the second time. If we wait until then, it will be too late.
The Bible also tells us that sometimes this king is called the Messiah, or a savior.
How can you know for sure how to identify this King, this Messiah? God did not leave it to chance. He gave us a sure way!
God does not want anybody to receive punishment like the people in the story that did not submit to the king the first time he came. So God gave us a sure way to know.
How can you know for sure whether or not there is a New World coming, and how can you be prepared for it? God did not leave it to chance. He gave us a sure way!
How can you trust the Bible?
People have argued about their religious beliefs for centuries. It is impossible for one person to prove to another person whose religious beliefs are correct. One must know for sure that the Bible or whatever book one trusts is true and correct.
To the honest seeker, you will find that other books that claim to be from God do not have the element of prophecy that the Bible has.
No human can speak hundreds of prophecies thousands of years in advance, and see them all fulfilled. Only God sees the future with perfect accuracy.
I want you to be able to recognize this King, (Messiah) so that you may make a personal choice to either submit to Him or not. It is your choice. No one can force you to submit. However, this King loves you so much, that He does not want to see you harmed when He returns.
In order to help you with your choice, we will investigate many of the Bible prophecies that have already been fulfilled. Many of these have to do with the "first coming" of the Messiah.
We will also investigate many Bible prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled. Many of these have to do with the "Second Coming" of the Messiah, and of the coming New World.
Most of the prophecies that are spoken in the Bible have already been fulfilled with perfect accuracy. Those that have not yet been fulfilled, deal with the end times of this world, the coming of the King (Messiah), and Israel.
These two features seem to be connected, the coming of the Messiah and the end times of this world, together with the coming New World.
What does the Bible say about a "New World Coming?"
Please read on. This book is not one based upon fear. It is based upon love and truth.
Here are just a few Bible verses dealing with this subject. There are many, many more.
"Öand have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5).
"far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21).
The above verses indicate that there is such a thing as an age, or a New World to come.
Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, wrote the following:
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2 Peter 3:10-14).
Jesus spoke in answer to a question from the people of His day. They asked:
"Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
"And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name 's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:4-14).
No one knows exactly when the end will come and when the Messiah will return. However we can tell by current events, that the signs of the times do line up with Bible prophecy.
Israel is the time clock. In 70 AD Israel was overthrown and exiled as a nation. In 1948 Israel became a nation once again. This was a major prophecy fulfillment and was a necessary event prior to the end. But now that it has happened, the end could be any time.
It could be one month, ten years, or whatever. One thing is for sure. Your own personal end will come when your body dies, and there is no promise for tomorrow!
The most important question is, "How can I know that I am safe when the end comes?"
Actually, this is not a thing to be feared. The answer is very simple, very easy to understand, and has a solid basis in Scripture.
Now venture with me into this book and look into the past, present and future of this world, and the world to come.
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 2 Nature of the Messiah as foretold in the Jewish Scriptures
Bible Prophecy Ten
The Messiah was to be One who existed before anything was created.
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting" (Micah 5:2).
Many people believe that there will be a Messiah, a deliverer coming to save the human race, but many of those people do not believe that the Messiah will be God Himself. If you are one of those, just hang on, there will be more revealed about this. We are not saying that there is more than one God! "I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior " (Isaiah 43:11).
"He [Jesus] indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Peter 1:20).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [Jesus] was in the beginning with God." "And the Word became flesh [Jesus] and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1,2,14)
"In the beginning God... " (Genesis 1:1).
Just before the birth of Jesus, there was an older Jewish priest named Zacharias. His wife 's name was Elizabeth. They had no children.
One day as he was doing his duties in the Temple before God, an angel appeared to him. He was afraid, but the angel told him to "fear not."
The angel told Zacharias that he and Elizabeth would have a child, that they should name the child John and that he will be a servant of God filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
The angel also told Zacharias that John would be the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Luke 1:5-25).
The last statement the angel made must have made both Zacharias and the angels in heaven amazed. He said that the Messiah would be God Himself! The people were looking for a man, but God said He would come.
"And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17, NIV).
Notice in Isaiah 43:11 and Micah 5:2 it says that John, the messenger, will go before the Messiah, who will be the Lord Himself, even God, the One who existed from everlasting!
The people were looking for someone to deliver them from Rome. However their real enemy was not Rome, but Satan. No ordinary man could deliver us from Satan, sin, and death.
Bible Prophecy Eleven
The Messiah was to be called Lord.
"The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool '" (Psalms 110:1).
King David said this in Psalm 110. If you really look at it there is an interesting idea in it. "The Lord said to my Lord÷" God spoke to the Messiah, and called Him Lord.
On the Day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted this in Acts 2:33-36.
"Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool. ' ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
This Scripture in Acts 2 takes place after Jesus has been raised from the dead and ascended back to Heaven. Peter who knew Jesus personally spoke this.
Bible Prophecy Twelve
The Messiah was to be called Immanuel; meaning God is with us.
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
This is nothing less than an amazing statement, no wonder so many people do believe it! How could God be with man? God is in Heaven and man is on earth!
Text Box: Fulfillment
"So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us '" (Matthew 1:22,23).
When the angel spoke the Word of God into Mary, she gave birth to a person that was all human, and yet all God! This is the mystery. God became a man.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [the Word, Jesus] was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1,2).
"And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Bible Prophecy Thirteen
The Messiah was to be a prophet of God.
"I will raise up for them a Prophet like you [Moses] from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him" (Deuteronomy 18:18,19) [Spoken through Moses].
Text Box: Fulfillment 1
This is what Peter said in the New Testament. "For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. '" (Acts 3:22-23).
Text Box: Fulfillment 2
This is what Moses said in the Hebrew Scriptures. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." (Deuteronomy 6:4-6).
This is what Jesus said - the same thing that Moses said.
"Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, 'Which is the first commandment of all?' Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these '" (Mark 12:28-31).
Unlike many people believe, the New Testament does not promote a "multiple God theory." Jesus was not claiming to be another God other than the God the Hebrews worshipped. However that is what they thought. That is one reason they did not believe in Him.
What Jesus taught was that God was ONE, but that He made Himself known in three ways - The Creator (Father), The Word (Son), and The Spirit. Even humans make themselves known as more than one. A woman is a woman, a mother and a wife. Yet, she is still just one person.
__________
Bible Prophecy Fourteen
The Messiah was to be a priest of God.
"The LORD has sworn And will not relent, 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek. '" (Psalms 110:4).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ' As He also says in another place: 'You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek '" (Hebrews 5:5,6).
Bible Prophecy Fifteen
The Messiah was to be our judge.
"(For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us)" (Isaiah 33:22).
Yes, the Messiah was to become our judge! Notice it also says that the Lord is our judge! That could be a fearful thought, God becoming our judge. Most people cannot believe that because they know they are not worthy to be judged by God.
They feel that God will just have mercy on their faults, sins and mistakes. This kind of thinking is what keeps most people from the truth, that God is a judge! He does have mercy but only through His blood and His life as a substitute for our life of failure and sin. He is a God of judgment, yet because of His love, He Himself has taken the judgment due to you and to me on Himself! However you must accept the exchange.
Text Box: Fulfillment
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified [called innocent] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23,24).
It is true that all men have sinned and deserve to spend eternity in Hell. However God sent Jesus His Son, to come to earth to stand in our place before God in His courtroom, and plead guilty for us. He took our penalty of death. We can go free, however we are not free unless we accept the judgment that was put on Jesus for us.
Jesus went through several courtroom trials and was sentenced to death. Yet He never did anything against the law, He never sinned. We deserved death; He did not. It is a swap, a trade.
"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:22,23).
No matter how bad you have been, God no longer will judge you if you accept Jesus as your Lord and allow Him to take your place.
Bible Prophecy Sixteen
The Messiah was to be a King.
"Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You '" (Psalms 2:6,7).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, 'Are You the King of the Jews? ' Jesus answered him, 'Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me? ' Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done? ' Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here. ' Pilate therefore said to Him, 'Are You a king then? ' Jesus answered, 'You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice '" (John 18:33-37).
Many people were confused about Jesus, and many people are still confused about Him. Kings rode into battle on a majestic white horse; Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
Jesus was not coming to battle against flesh and blood, but against evil spiritual powers that were holding mankind in slavery. He was coming to set men free from Satan.
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 3 Ministry of the Messiah as foretold in the Jewish Scriptures
Bible Prophecy Seventeen
The Messiah was to be anointed by the Spirit of God.
"The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:2).
Anointed is a word that means to be sent and authorized by someone. It also means to be empowered by the sender. Jesus was all God and all man, but He left His Godly power in Heaven. He was born to a poor family in a poor country.
God anointed Jesus, as a man, with His Holy Spirit to accomplish His work. God will anoint you to accomplish the work He has for you here on earth.
Text Box: Fulfillment
"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased '" (Matthew 3:16,17).
Bible Prophecy Eighteen
The Messiah was to be preceded by a messenger.
"Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, Says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:1).
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God" (Isaiah 40:3).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! ' For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight ' '" (Matthew 3:1-3).
God had promised to send a messenger who will prepare the way for the Messiah. Now we will see who this messenger is and how God sent him. God always keeps His promises!
There was an older Jewish priest named Zacharias. His wife 's name was Elizabeth. They had no children.
One day as he was doing his duties in the Temple before God, an angel appeared to him. He was afraid, but the angel told him to "fear not."
The angel told Zacharias that he and Elizabeth would have a child, that they should name the child John and that he will be a servant of God filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
The angel also told Zacharias that John would be the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Luke 1:5-25).
Bible Prophecy Nineteen
The Messiah was begin His ministry in the region of Galilee, in Israel.
"Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined" (Isaiah 9:1,2).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. ' From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. '" (Matthew 4:12-17).
Bible Prophecy Twenty
The Messiah would have a ministry of miracles.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert" (Isaiah 35:5,6).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matthew 9:35).
Jesus did miracles to feed more than 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish.
Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. '" (Matthew 11:4-6).
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John Chapter 11).
Jesus did many mighty miracles.
Here He is giving sight to a man who was born blind.
Jesus will do a miracle in your life because He loves you.
Bible Prophecy Twenty One
The Messiah would teach using parables.
"Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done" (Psalms 78:1-4).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world '" (Matthew 13:34,35).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Two
The Messiah would enter the Temple.
" 'Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, ' Says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:1).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, 'Who is this? ' So the multitudes said, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. ' Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves." (Matthew 21:10-12).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Three
The Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a donkey.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).
This was an amazing prophecy. Kings never entered into battle on a donkey, but always on a white horse.
The crowds thought that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem to set up the "New World," or His Kingdom.
Actually, the first time Jesus rode into Jerusalem (on the donkey) His goal was to set up His spiritual kingdom by defeating His spiritual enemy, Satan. He did that when He allowed Satan (through the people) to crucify Him.
The second time Jesus will come into Jerusalem, it will be on a white horse, as the King of King and Lord of Lords!
"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them, ' and immediately he will send them. ' All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
'Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. ' ' So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them" (Matthew 21:1-7).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Four
The Messiah would be a stumbling stone to many Jews. Many would reject Him.
"So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed '" (Isaiah 28:16).
"The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone" (Psalms 118:22).
"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him" (Isaiah 53:3).
"For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, ' and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. ' They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for '" (1 Peter 2:6-8).
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).
Jesus came as a meek and humble person into the world. Many of the Jews and others in His day were looking for a Messiah who looked more successful from the worldly point of view. Many people cannot believe that the Messiah is actually God! When He comes the second time, He will come as a ruling King!
Many people feel that the idea of the Messiah being God violates the Scripture that says, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Actually as far back as Creation, God referred to Himself as "We", and "Us."
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground '" (Genesis 1:26).
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The word used for God in this Scripture is " 'Elohim," which infers that God is plural.
The Bible teaches that God has three forms, but is only One God. He appears and functions sometimes as the Father, sometimes as the Holy Spirit, and sometimes as the Son of God, or in other words, The Word of God.
__________
Bible Prophecy Twenty Five
The Messiah would be a light to many Gentiles.
"Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth '" (Isaiah 49:6).
Originally, God chose Abraham to develop a family from which the Messiah would come. Abraham became a Hebrew, or the originator of God 's family. Through the centuries many Hebrews always felt that God was only a God of the Hebrews, or Jews.
The truth is God used the Hebrews to bless all the Gentiles, sometimes called nations. In Genesis 12:1-3, God told Abraham that He would bless him, so that he could bless all the families of the earth. God's plan and intent is to bless all people of all races with His salvation.
Again in Amos God spoke of the Gentiles, as in many more Scriptures.
"'On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' Says the LORD who does this thing" (Amos 9:11,12).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, 'It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. ' ' Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:46-48).
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 3 Ministry of the Messiah as foretold in the Jewish Scriptures
Bible Prophecy Seventeen
The Messiah was to be anointed by the Spirit of God.
"The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:2).
Anointed is a word that means to be sent and authorized by someone. It also means to be empowered by the sender. Jesus was all God and all man, but He left His Godly power in Heaven. He was born to a poor family in a poor country.
God anointed Jesus, as a man, with His Holy Spirit to accomplish His work. God will anoint you to accomplish the work He has for you here on earth.
Text Box: Fulfillment
"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased '" (Matthew 3:16,17).
Bible Prophecy Eighteen
The Messiah was to be preceded by a messenger.
"Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, Says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:1).
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God" (Isaiah 40:3).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! ' For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight ' '" (Matthew 3:1-3).
God had promised to send a messenger who will prepare the way for the Messiah. Now we will see who this messenger is and how God sent him. God always keeps His promises!
There was an older Jewish priest named Zacharias. His wife 's name was Elizabeth. They had no children.
One day as he was doing his duties in the Temple before God, an angel appeared to him. He was afraid, but the angel told him to "fear not."
The angel told Zacharias that he and Elizabeth would have a child, that they should name the child John and that he will be a servant of God filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
The angel also told Zacharias that John would be the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah (Luke 1:5-25).
Bible Prophecy Nineteen
The Messiah was begin His ministry in the region of Galilee, in Israel.
"Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined" (Isaiah 9:1,2).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. ' From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. '" (Matthew 4:12-17).
Bible Prophecy Twenty
The Messiah would have a ministry of miracles.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert" (Isaiah 35:5,6).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matthew 9:35).
Jesus did miracles to feed more than 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish.
Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. '" (Matthew 11:4-6).
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John Chapter 11).
Jesus did many mighty miracles.
Here He is giving sight to a man who was born blind.
Jesus will do a miracle in your life because He loves you.
Bible Prophecy Twenty One
The Messiah would teach using parables.
"Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done" (Psalms 78:1-4).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world '" (Matthew 13:34,35).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Two
The Messiah would enter the Temple.
" 'Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, ' Says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:1).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, 'Who is this? ' So the multitudes said, 'This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. ' Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves." (Matthew 21:10-12).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Three
The Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a donkey.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).
This was an amazing prophecy. Kings never entered into battle on a donkey, but always on a white horse.
The crowds thought that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem to set up the "New World," or His Kingdom.
Actually, the first time Jesus rode into Jerusalem (on the donkey) His goal was to set up His spiritual kingdom by defeating His spiritual enemy, Satan. He did that when He allowed Satan (through the people) to crucify Him.
The second time Jesus will come into Jerusalem, it will be on a white horse, as the King of King and Lord of Lords!
"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them, ' and immediately he will send them. ' All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
'Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. ' ' So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them" (Matthew 21:1-7).
Bible Prophecy Twenty Four
The Messiah would be a stumbling stone to many Jews. Many would reject Him.
"So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed '" (Isaiah 28:16).
"The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone" (Psalms 118:22).
"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him" (Isaiah 53:3).
"For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, ' and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. ' They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for '" (1 Peter 2:6-8).
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).
Jesus came as a meek and humble person into the world. Many of the Jews and others in His day were looking for a Messiah who looked more successful from the worldly point of view. Many people cannot believe that the Messiah is actually God! When He comes the second time, He will come as a ruling King!
Many people feel that the idea of the Messiah being God violates the Scripture that says, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Actually as far back as Creation, God referred to Himself as "We", and "Us."
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground '" (Genesis 1:26).
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The word used for God in this Scripture is " 'Elohim," which infers that God is plural.
The Bible teaches that God has three forms, but is only One God. He appears and functions sometimes as the Father, sometimes as the Holy Spirit, and sometimes as the Son of God, or in other words, The Word of God.
__________
Bible Prophecy Twenty Five
The Messiah would be a light to many Gentiles.
"Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth '" (Isaiah 49:6).
Originally, God chose Abraham to develop a family from which the Messiah would come. Abraham became a Hebrew, or the originator of God 's family. Through the centuries many Hebrews always felt that God was only a God of the Hebrews, or Jews.
The truth is God used the Hebrews to bless all the Gentiles, sometimes called nations. In Genesis 12:1-3, God told Abraham that He would bless him, so that he could bless all the families of the earth. God's plan and intent is to bless all people of all races with His salvation.
Again in Amos God spoke of the Gentiles, as in many more Scriptures.
"'On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' Says the LORD who does this thing" (Amos 9:11,12).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, 'It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. ' ' Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:46-48).
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 5 Resurrection of Jesus as foretold in the Jewish Scriptures.
Bible Prophecy Fifty
The Messiah would be raised from the dead.
"I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol [Hell], Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalms 16:8-11).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"[W]hom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence. '
Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption" (Acts 2:24-31).
Jesus is alive!
Bible Prophecy Fifty One
The Messiah would be born again from the dead as the Son of God.
"I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You '" (Psalms 2:7).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ' ' And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David. ' Therefore He also says in another Psalm: 'You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption '" (Acts 13:32-35).
"For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You '? And again: 'I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son '?" (Hebrews 1:5).
Here is a mystery revealed. Jesus was raised from the dead as a "new creation" or a new species of being that never existed before.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
__________
Bible Prophecy Fifty Two
The Messiah would ascend back to Heaven to God.
"You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there" (Psalms 68:18).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven" (Luke 24:50,51).
Bible Prophecy Fifty Three
The Messiah would be seated at the right hand of God on His throne.
"The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool '" (Psalms 110:1).
Text Box: Fulfillment
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1).
"[W]ho being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3).
"Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31).
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 6 Summary of Messianic Prophecies.
Summary of Messianic Bible Prophecies
Prophecies about Jesus.
There are over 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in His birth, life, death, and resurrection, but consider as an example only the seventeen most prominent ones. The combined probability against these seventeen predictions occurring is equal to:
1 chance in 480,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. (480 billion x 1 billion x 1 trillion).
In the life of the Lord Jesus himself there are over 300 fulfilled prophecies. It is ridiculous to imagine that these prophecies would all be fulfilled by accident by one person. Only one chance in a number followed by 181 zeroes! To give you some idea of the size of this immense figure, think of a ball that is packed solidly with electrons (two and a half million billion make a line about one inch long). Now in your mind imagine this ball expanded to the size of the universe-some four billion light-years in di‚ameter (a light-year being the distance that light travels in a year at the speed of over 186,000 miles a second). Multiply this by 600 quadrillion. Out of this vast container of electrons, remove just one electron, and "color" it red and return it to the con‚tainer, and stir it with tire other electrons for a hundred years. Then blindfold a man and send him in to pick it out the first time. Impossible? With the same chance, Christ lived and died according to the Scriptures by "accident! " [1]
Impossible? With the same chance, Jesus the Christ lived and died, was resurrected and is now alive according to the Scriptures, and all this by "accident."
Isaiah 42:9 says, ìBehold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
[1] Pratney, Winkie, a handbook for FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ñ Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, MN. 1977 page 72
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 7 Historic Prophecies.
Bible Prophecy Fifty Four
Prophecy about the city of Jericho.[1]
"Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, 'Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates '" (Joshua 6:26).
Text Box: Fulfillment
Joshua 6:26 was written around 1380 B.C. This prophecy specifically predicted:
1) The city of Jericho would be rebuilt.
Fulfilled when King Ahab had Hiel rebuild Jericho.
2) When the builder lays the new Jericho 's foundations his oldest son would die.
Fulfilled when Hiel 's oldest son Abiram died.
3) When the builder sets up the city 's gates his youngest son would die.
Fulfilled when Hiel 's youngest son Segub died. I Kings 16:34.
__________
Bible Prophecy Fifty Five
Daniel 's prophecy about the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem.
One of the most amazing prophecies in the Word of God is Daniel 's prophecy in Daniel Chapter 9 telling the exact day that Jesus would enter Jerusalem to be crucified, 500 years before it happened!
Daniel had been shown many prophecies in visions. Chapter 9 of Daniel records the angel Gabriel coming to Daniel and speaking the most amazing prophecy to him.
He told him that God 's people would have a period of 70 weeks cut out of history for them, during which time several things would take place.
69 of the 70 weeks have been fulfilled in actual history. There is a pause of thousands of years, and then the last week will be fulfilled. This is a common thing in Bible prophecy. In a spiritual way we are in the last week, now in our lives today.
The word week is "shabua," which in Hebrew means seven; it is like saying a dozen. The entire Old Testament proves this out; when a week is spoken of it means seven, and it usually associated with years (Leviticus 25). Daniel was thinking in terms of periods of seven years for each "week."
We are going to focus on the 69 weeks, which now is history and prophecy fulfilled in a supernatural way.
The year in Old Testament terms was not 365 days but 360 days; proven in Genesis 7:11- 8:3. It verifies that the flood lasted 150 days and then it gave us the five-month period by dates.
The starting point for this prophetic event was to be the issuance of a command to rebuild Jerusalem, including the streets, the walls, and the moat as a protection against the enemies.
"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens ', and sixty-two 'sevens. ' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble" (Daniel 9:25).
The starting point was the command to rebuild the City, and that was given in Nehemiah 2:1. It was the month of Nisan in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes. He began his reign in 465 BC, + 20 years = 445 BC, so the decree took place in 445 BC the month of Nisan. 445 BC Nisan = March 14.
69 weeks X 7 X 360 days = 173,880 days.
Now for the rest of the math:
Text Box: Fulfillment
Add to March 14, 445 BC 173,880 days = April 6, 32 AD, which is the very day Jesus rode into Jerusalem in his triumphal entry. What an amazing prophecy and fulfillment!
Bible Prophecy Fifty Six
One of the most amazing prophecies was given by Ezekiel
It was the foretelling of the very month (maybe even to the day) of Israel 's return to the Promised Land after being away over 1,900 years. The year was 1948!
In 70 AD, a little more than 30 years after Jesus was resurrected, the Roman General Titus came and destroyed Jerusalem. The Jews dispersed all over the world. Multitudes of civilizations have come to Israel to steal God 's promise. Later, in the 1940s, Hitler tried to destroy the last traces of Jews from the face of the earth.
They are the only race of people to survive thousands of years without a country! In 1948 (during my own lifetime) after World War II and Hitler 's failure, the Jews came back and formed a new country called Israel. I watched it on TV! I saw the United Nations vote to ordain this.
Ezekiel was given this prophecy in a most unusual way from God.
"Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face against it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.
For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year" (Ezekiel 4:3-6).
God said this would be a sign to Israel. He told Ezekiel to lie on his left side 390 days (representing 390 years), and then lie on his right side 40 days (representing 40 years), or a total of 430 years. This would be a sign to Israel that their punishment would be for 430 years.
In the spring of 536 BC they were released from Babylon. If you count the 70 years of captivity in Babylon, they still had 360 years left (430- 70 = 360).
However, nothing happened at the end of this 360-year period. The majority of the Jews were still in Babylon, now known as Iraq and Iran, and they were still backslidden people. They had failed to repent of their disobedience.
The solution to this mystery is in Leviticus 26 where it states that the punishments for Israel are based on her obedience and disobedience to His commands. God said here that if Israel did not repent, the punishments would be multiplied by 7 [2].
This means that the 360 years of further punishment prophesied by Ezekiel was multiplied by 7 (360 X 7 = 2,520 Biblical years). A Biblical year was 360 days. Converting this to our calendar years that would total 2,483.8 years (2,520 X 360 = 907,200 days) / 365.25 = 2,483.8 years)
______________________________________________Text Box: Fulfillment
Ending of Babylonian
Captivity was in 536 BC
Plus 2,483.8 calendar years
Equals 1,947.4
Adjust for no zero year.
between 1 BC and AD 1 1
Therefore the captivity of
Israel would end in May 1948
Which was the date Israel became a nation; May 14, 1948.
This great day marked the first time since the days of Solomon that a united Israel took its place as a sovereign and independent state among the nations of the world.
This is more proof that God is the Author of the Bible.
Such prophecies being fulfilled in this way are beyond human manipulation. It also shows that Israel is part of God 's plan and that we are living in very special days; some call it end times. We do not know when things on this earth will change, when Jesus will come back, when anything will happen, but we do know that in 1948 a major Bible historical event took place!
Bible Prophecy Fifty Seven
Fulfilled Prophecy: Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible
By Hugh Ross, Ph.D. [3]
Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letteróno errors.
(The remaining 500 or so reach into the future and may be seen unfolding as days go by.) Since the probability for any one of these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance averages less than one in ten (figured very conservatively) and since the prophecies are for the most part independent of one another, the odds for all these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance without error is less than one in 102000 (that is 1 with 2000 zeros written after it)!
God is not the only one, however, who uses forecasts of future events to get people 's attention. Satan does, too. Through clairvoyants (such as Jeanne Dixon and Edgar Cayce), mediums, spiritists, and others, come remarkable predictions, though rarely with more than about 60 percent accuracy, never with total accuracy. Messages from Satan, furthermore, fail to match the detail of Bible prophecies, nor do they include a call to repentance.
The acid test for identifying a prophet of God is recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. According to this Bible passage (and others), God 's prophets, as distinct from Satan 's spokesmen, are 100 percent accurate in their predictions. There is no room for error.
As economy does not permit an explanation of all the Biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled, what follows in a discussion of a few that exemplify the high degree of specificity, the range of projection, and/or the "supernature" of the predicted events. Readers are encouraged to select others, as well, and to carefully examine their historicity.
(1) The prophet Isaiah foretold that a conqueror named Cyrus would destroy seemingly impregnable Babylon and subdue Egypt along with most of the rest of the known world. This same man, said Isaiah, would decide to let the Jewish exiles in his territory go free without any payment of ransom (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; and 45:13). Isaiah made this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus was born, 180 years before Cyrus performed any of these feats (and he did, eventually, perform them all), and 80 years before the Jews were taken into exile.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1015.)
(2) Mighty Babylon, 196 miles square, was enclosed not only by a moat, but also by a double wall 330 feet high, each part 90 feet thick. It was said by unanimous popular opinion to be indestructible, yet two Bible prophets declared its doom. These prophets further claimed that the ruins would be avoided by travelers, that the city would never again be inhabited, and that its stones would not even be moved for use as building material (Isaiah 13:17-22 and Jeremiah 51:26, 43). Their description is, in fact, the well-documented history of the famous citadel.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 109.)
(3) The exact location and construction sequence of Jerusalem 's nine suburbs was predicted by Jeremiah about 2600 years ago. He referred to the time of this building project as "the last days," that is, the time period of Israel 's second rebirth as a nation in the land of Palestine (Jeremiah 31:38-40). this rebirth became history in 1948, and the construction of the nine suburbs has gone forward precisely in the locations and in the sequence predicted.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1018.)
(4) The prophet Moses foretold (with some additions by Jeremiah and Jesus) that the ancient Jewish nation would be conquered twice and that the people would be carried off as slaves each time, first by the Babylonians (for a period of 70 years), and then by a fourth world kingdom (which we know as the Roman Empire). The second conqueror, Moses said, would take the Jews captive to Egypt in ships, selling them or giving them away as slaves to all parts of the world. Both of these predictions were fulfilled to the letter, the first in 607 B.C. and the second in 70 A.D. God 's spokesmen said, further, that the Jews would remain scattered throughout the entire world for many generations, but without becoming assimilated by the peoples or of other nations, and that the Jews would one day return to the land of Palestine to re-establish for a second time their nation (Deuteronomy 29; Isaiah 11:11-13; Jeremiah 25:11; Hosea 3:4-5 and Luke 21:23-24).
This prophetic statement sweeps across 3500 years of history to its complete fulfillmentóin our lifetime.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 120.)
(5) Jeremiah predicted that despite its fertility and despite the accessibility of its water supply, the land of Edom (today a part of Jordan) would become a barren, uninhabited wasteland (Jeremiah 49:15-20; Ezekiel 25:12-14). His description accurately tells the history of that now bleak region.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 105.)
(6) The day of Elijah's supernatural departure from Earth was predicted unanimouslyóand accurately, according to the eye-witness accountóby a group of fifty prophets (II Kings 2:3-11).
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 109).
(7) Jahaziel prophesied that King Jehoshaphat and a tiny band of men would defeat an enormous, well-equipped, well-trained army without even having to fight. Just as predicted, the King and his troops stood looking on as their foes were supernaturally destroyed to the last man (II Chronicles 20).
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 108).
(8) One prophet of God (unnamed, but probably Shemiah) said that a future king of Judah, named Josiah, would take the bones of all the occultic priests (priests of the "high places") of Israel 's King Jeroboam and burn them on Jeroboam 's altar (I Kings 13:2 and II Kings 23:15-18). This event occurred approximately 300 years after it was foretold.
(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1013).
Given that the Bible proves so reliable a document, there is every reason to expect that the remaining 500 prophecies, those slated for the "time of the end," also will be fulfilled to the last letter.
Who can afford to ignore these coming events, much less miss out on the immeasurable blessings offered to anyone and everyone who submits to the control of the Bible 's author, Jesus Christ? (See the paper entitled Grace for a list of these benefits.) Would a reasonable person take lightly God 's warning of judgment for those who reject what they know to be true about Jesus Christ and the Bible, or who reject Jesus ' claim on their lives?
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 8 Second Coming of Messiah.
Bible Prophecy Fifty Nine
The Messiah, the King, is coming to earth a second time.
It is estimated that for every promise in the Bible for the Messiah 's first coming, there are five promises for His second coming.
Jesus Himself told His disciples many things about His second coming.
"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? '" (Matthew 24:3).
Jesus answered them and told them: (Matthew 24)
1. Many will come and say they are the King, but they are deceivers.
2. There shall be wars and rumors of wars.
3. Nations shall fight other nations.
4. There shall be widespread disease.
5. There shall be widespread hunger and famine.
6. There shall be widespread earthquakes.
7. Many will betray others, and hatred will be widespread.
8. Many false prophets will come.
9. Many people will lose their ability to love.
10. The good news about the Messiah will be spread throughout the earth.
11. There will be a worldwide anti-Messiah (anti-Christ) movement that will even penetrate into God 's Temple.
12. The tribulation and suffering in these times will be intolerable for many people.
13. Things will be similar to when Noah went into the Ark. People will not realize that the end is coming. They will be going about their normal life, not paying attention to the coming destruction and judgment.
After these things the Messiah will return to earth to set up His Kingdom and the New World.
Jesus promised that those who belong to Him will receive a reward, not punishment when all these things happen.
The Messiah, the King, has not come the second time yet. However, almost all of these events are now happening. Earthquakes are at a record rate in world history, more people are starving to death then ever, more people are dying of disease than in all of history, and wars are constantly happening. In the 20th Century, more intense wars took place than in all of history.
Jesus warned that no man shall know the day and hour, not even the angels, but only His Father God in Heaven knows the exact time.
Bible Prophecy Sixty
The Messiah, the King, is coming a second time for His people who believe in Him.
Just before Jesus ascended back to Heaven after His resurrection He reassured His people that He would return for them.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14).
There is a promise that the King, the Messiah, will return for His people Israel.
"And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins '" (Romans 11:26,27).
There is a promise that the King, the Messiah, will destroy His enemies when He returns.
"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
Bible Prophecy Sixty One
War against Israel.
There is a prophecy in Zechariah chapter 14 that states that in the last days all nations will make war against Israel just prior to the Second Coming of the King, the Messiah.
(Zechariah 14:2-9). "For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You.
6 It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish.
7 It shall be one day Which is known to the LORD--Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.
8 And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur.
9 And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be--"The LORD is one," And His name one."
Quote from an American residing in Jerusalem. December, 2000 www.foryourglory.org: "A friend in Jerusalem reminded me today that when you look from the Old City towards the Mount of Olives, you see it flow downward into the Kidron Valley and then back up the Mount of Evil Council on the other side. This area bears this name because every time throughout history that an enemy has laid siege to Jerusalem, they have sat upon that mountain top to draw up their battle plans...every time! Today the United Nations headquarters sits on top of the Mount of Evil Council! Zechariah 12:3 says that all the nations will turn against Jerusalem, including the nation you are in right now. And where are they gathering to determine the fate of Jerusalem? In the United Nations, which has its Jerusalem headquarters perched atop the Mount of Evil Council!
There is no place to run or to hide from what is about to come upon the earth and it will be like no other time before or ever to come. There is only one sanctuary - the presence of the Lord Himself. We are likely to go through some very unpleasant things in these perilous times but let us truly rejoice because the day of the Lord 's appearing is drawing very near. If there was ever a time to be absolutely sure that your relationship with the Lord is secure and clean and that you hold no rebellion in your heart towards Him or His Word, it is now!" Quoted from www.foryourglory.org
Some Bible scholars feel that there are three "end time" wars. They point to the recent wars in Iraq (2003 - 2006), which is ancient Babylon as war number one. Jeremiah 50-51 tells of Babylon's destruction.
War number two is in the prophecy in Ezekiel chapters 38-39, stating that the nations referred to as Gog, Magog, Persia, Ethiopia and Libya will make war against Israel in the last days. The history of these nations trace back to Russia coupled in alliance with many Arab nations. These names can be traced. As this paragraph is being written in 2006, there is currently a war against Israel, which is perpetrated by many of these nations. Scholars say that eventually the rest of the nations in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 will join in.
Many prophecy teachers feel that a temporary peace perpetrated by the false Christ, the Anti-Christ, will take place after this war.
Then war number three will take place, which they say is the final Armageddon battle, which will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus.
I do not think that we are able to pinpoint exactly what war is taking place in today's headlines and link it to a certain timetable in the Scriptures. People have been presumptuous about this for centuries. However, if we do not recognize the fact that we are in "end time" seasons, we are fools.
God gives us a sober warning. "[A]nd saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'""But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned" (2 Peter 3:4, 10).
In recent years up to and including the year 2006, Russia has been developing close ties with many Arab nations, many of which are presently making war against Israel as this story is being written. Even this very day as I am editing this book, July 13, 2006, a new war has just broken out in Israel. It appears as though Syria and Iran and the militant Islamic groups are behind the attacks. Russia's apparent motive, according to the opinion of some, is that they resent seeing America as the only world's superpower since the fall of the Soviet Union, and this is their way of coming back.
Quote from an American residing in Jerusalem. December, 2000 www.foryourglory.org.
"Meanwhile in Russia, President Putin has re-instated the Communist Red flag with hammer and sickle as the national flag again and called for the re-using of Stalin era slogans. He continues also to strengthen his ties with Arab nations, especially Syria, Iran, and Iraq."
In addition to the Russian threat, even up to late 2005, many European nations have taking a strong stand against Israel, agreeing with many Arabs who call Israel "occupiers." In 2005 and early 2006, Iran has called for the complete destruction of Israel. Others have suggested that Europe take back the Jews. This is a supernatural prejudice founded in Satan himself.
So much of this Russian threat has come by Russia giving high tech missiles to Iran, who as this is being updated in 2006, is actively threatening Israel with total destruction from the face of the earth with these missiles.
Here is the prophecy for the war described in Ezekiel 38-39.
Ezekiel 38:1-23 says,
¦1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2"Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3"and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.
4"I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.
5"Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6"Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops--many people are with you.
7"Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.
8"After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.
9"You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:"On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:
11"You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gatesà --
12"to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.
13"Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?Ã Ã
14"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:"On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it?
15"Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.
16"You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.
17 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:"Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?
18"And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD,"that My fury will show in My face.
19"For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel,
20 ‘so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.Ã
21"I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains, says the Lord GOD."Every manÃs sword will be against his brother.
22"And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
23"Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. Ã
Ezekiel 39:1-12 says,
¦1"And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD:"Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal;
2"and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel.
3"Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand.
4"You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5"You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.
6"And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.
7"So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8"Surely it is coming, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD."This is the day of which I have spoken.
9"Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years.
10"They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them, says the Lord GOD.
11"It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.
12"For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.
My wife and I visited in Israel, in 2006, and saw first hand the tremendous battles currently raging between the Muslims and God's plan for Israel and the Jewish people. I have seen Arab Christians taking up for our Jewish brothers and sisters. I have seen the archeology of centuries, sometimes 27 civilizations, which attempted to displace the Jewish people from their promised land.
God is faithful to His purpose and to His promise! He will be faithful in your life as well, to the promises that He speaks to you while you are in close relationship with Him! God will fight this battle for Israel. However, I believe that there are lessons for several groups of people:
1. For those that oppose Israel. According to this prophecy, they will be destroyed in God's timing.
2. For the Israelis. I believe that God will intervene as He has in history, when the Israelis understand their desperation for God's intervention and for their trust in Him.
3. For Christians. We should be totally depending upon Jesus and His Word, as this is our only real security in a failing world.
__________
Bible Prophecy Sixty Two
When the Messiah comes back He will not be the same as when He left
>
John saw Him in a vision as recorded in the Book of Revelation.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" Revelation 1:8).
"Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
His head and hair were white like wool [as in fire], as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last '" (Revelation 1:12-17).
The first time He came in the manner of a human, yet He was all God. The purpose of His first coming was to show people how much God loved them, and to reveal the personality of God to people.
He also came so that He could be crucified and punished for your sins in order to allow you to go to Heaven.
The first time He defeated His spiritual enemies by dying on the Cross and being resurrected. Now Satan has no more power over Him. Satan still has power over people, but not people who have made Jesus their Lord.
If you have made Jesus your Lord, you have nothing to fear in these coming wars. The Lord will protect those who are His. He has even defeated death!
If you are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or worship in some other religion, the message is simple. We are not putting your religion down. However, Jesus defeated Satan at the Cross for two simple reasons.
1. To make it possible for you and God to be in close authentic fellowship and communication with one another.
2. To give you a new identity, a new start in life, to birth you into a New Creation over which Satan has no more power.
Jesus was resurrected and then went back to Heaven.
The second time He is coming to set up His Kingdom on a New Earth. He is coming back as King and victor. This time He will put His enemies into the Lake of Fire, Hell, and we who believe in Him will rule and reign with Him forever.
"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11-16).
He will put Satan into the Lake of Fire.
"The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).
He will bring a New Heaven and a New Earth.
"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea" (Revelation 21:1).
God will make all things new and comfort His people.
>"And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'
Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new. ' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful. ' And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death '" (Revelation 21:3-8).
We will live in Heaven with the Messiah, the King, forever. The Messiah, the King, is God.
"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:1-5).
Back to Table of Contents>
Section 9 Conclusion and Prayer.
We began this story with a parable.
Luke 19:12 says, "Therefore He said: 'A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. '"
The King gave His servants resources to use for building His Kingdom.
Notice what some of the people said to this king in Luke 19:14-17,27.
14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us. '"
15 And so it was that when he returned (the second coming), having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas. '
17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. ' (This servant received a reward)
Some people did not want to join this kingdom because they wanted to run their own lives and they did not want to be under the king 's authority. You cannot be part of a kingdom without submitting to the king!
27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me"
As you are reading this, it is likely that some or all of this is new to you. If you are Jewish, you may know that God has a special Covenant with you. Believing in Jesus brings that Covenant to completion in a Jewish person 's life.
If you are Muslim or another faith, your realization that Creator God is a giving God who wants a personal relationship with you, can transform your life.
Comparison of the scriptures given here with any others will validate diving inspiration through indisputable fulfilled prophecy. All that God requires is an open heart and "good will." He is not a hard taskmaster.
"Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor]" (Luke 2:14 - Amplified Bible).
Having a good will simply means that you want the truth about God; you want Him to reveal Himself to you. God, who knows your heart and shows His favor because of your "good will," will reveal Himself to you. You should not trust in cultural and social traditions. Traditions are not reliable way to the truth. They have caused people to miss God. What has been shown here is the indisputable truth of the infallible Word of God.
There are many differing opinions in the world about if, when and how Jesus may or may not come back to earth someday. Even many Christians do not agree on the details. However, one thing is for sure, and that is that there will be a day of judgment for every single person who has ever lived on earth. That Day of Judgment may be when Jesus returns. However, should this be the day that you die, then this will be your judgment day!
That Word says that it is not God 's will that any should perish eternally. God provided for your eternal safety and destination. Jesus paid the ultimate price for that salvation by dying for your sins in your place. The next page will show you how to pray to receive this gift of eternal life.
Prayer
We all start out separated from God.
If you are not sure about these things, here is how to pray: "Oh, God, I am a seeker. I want the truth about who you are and about spiritual things and the King, the Messiah. I want you to reveal yourself to me. I want you to tell me your name. I want this to be a personal thing, not something from a book or from man." Now, pour your heart out to God and tell Him how you honestly feel. Include your doubts, fears, etc.
If you wish to pray to receive the King, the Messiah and the forgiveness of your sins, you may do it right now: "Oh God, I believe that you sent Jesus as the King, the Messiah to take my old life and I want to receive His life. I want to be born back into your family so that I can be connected with You. I believe that Jesus shed His blood for me. I believe that when He died He took my old life and the penalty that went with it. I believe that He was raised from the dead to give me His life. I accept this by making Jesus my boss, my Lord. I turn control of life over to Jesus right now."
Back to Table of Contents>
The Great Exchange
All that that the Messiah suffered on the Cross was for you! There was a great exchange made for you. He took all of your curses, all the bad seed that you or your forefathers have sown. You now deserve the horrible result, the fruit, of that bad seed. However, by grace, Jesus has feely given you all the blessings that only He deserves.
The Cross of Jesus, or the Blood Covenant, gave us all the blessings of God, and gave Jesus all the curses and sins of man.
Isaiah 53:4-6 says, ìSurely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.î
The Story about Barabbas. Matthew 27:16 says that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner. There were three crosses on Golgotha. The two on either side were made for criminals. Who was the middle cross made for, Jesus? No, It was made for Barabbas. Jesus took his place. Isaiah 53 says that Jesus took our place.
Listed here are some of the major exchanges Jesus made for us that we may enjoy.
1. Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven
(Isaiah 53: 4-5, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 2:13).
2. Jesus was wounded that we might be healed (Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:16-17, 1 Peter 2:24).
3. Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we might be made righteous with His righteousness (Isaiah 53:10, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Righteousness means to be in good standing with God (Romans 3:22, Romans 4:6, Romans 10:10).
4. Jesus died our death that we might share His life.
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 2:9, John 8:52).
5. Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing (Galatians 3:13-14, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Deuteronomy 28:1-13).
Some curses:
Mental and emotional breakdowns.
Repeated or chronic sickness and disease - especially hereditary.
Repeated miscarriage or female problems.
Breakdown of marriage and family- marriage to wrong partners.
Continued financial insufficiency, especially when income appears to be sufficient.
Accident-prone.
Suicides or unnatural deaths.
Addictions, such as alcohol and drugs.
Rebellion to authority.
Unnatural sexual tendencies.
Appropriating the power of the Cross will deliver you from these and many more curses. Get ready!
6. Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance (2 Corinthians 8:9 and 9:8).
Sufficiency is just enough; abundance is more than enough so that we can bless others. Jesus was hungry, thirsty, naked and in need at the Cross.
7. Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory (Matthew 27:35-36).
Hebrews 2:10 says that Jesus brings many sons to glory (not shame).
We can receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit counteracts shame.
Sexual abuse causes shame.
We obtain the slavery mindset through shame.
We get self-esteem problems through shame.
8. Jesus endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance with the Father (Matthew 27:45-51). The Father hid His face from Jesus and rejected Him for us. Ephesians 1:6 says we are accepted by the Father.
People are hungry to be accepted, to feel as if they belong, as if they matter to someone. Only Jesus can give this. His Church is the place for belonging.
Children need their fatherís acceptance.
Love must be openly expressed.
Divorce causes rejection (Isaiah 54:6).
Jesus died of a broken heart.
ìAccept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to Godî (Romans 15:7). God accepts us in our sinful condition (Ephesians 1:3-6).
9. Jesus was cut off from the Father by death that we might enjoy Godís presence eternally (Matthew 27:46, Isaiah 53:8, Hebrews 10:21-22, Jude 24, Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 3:16-20).
Our need for emotional security is satisfied.
The fullness of the Holy Spirit is available to give us Godís presence (Acts 1:8).
10. Our ìold manî (sin nature) was put to death in Him, that the new man (Christís nature) might come to life in us (Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20).
Forgiveness of sins is great, but doing away with the person that sins is greater.
11. Jesus experienced our sorrows and bore our griefs that we might have gladness and joy (Isaiah 53, Isaiah 35:10, Isaiah 51:11).
Death of a loved one, loss of some kind, pending disaster, overwhelming worry and sadness can cause hopelessness in your life, even a potential for suicide. The Holy Spirit brings us joy.
12. Jesus kept the law for us so that we could live by grace (Romans 7:6 and 8:1-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 3:1-3).
Living by legalism is promoting the power of the flesh (1 Corinthians 15:56). It leads to frustration, failure, addictions, condemnation, and backsliding.
13. Jesus was tormented that we might enjoy peace (Isaiah 53:5, Philippians 4:7).
14. Jesus was made insignificant that we might have significance. He was sold for the price of a slave (Matthew 26:15,
1 Peter 1:18-19). The price God paid for us makes us significant.
15. Jesus was captured by the world, so that we could be delivered from the world, this present evil age (Galatians 1:4 and 6:14). The world has been crucified to us and we have been crucified to the world.
16. Evil was conquered. Jesus (appeared to have) suffered defeat by evil that we might enjoy victory over evil.
The Cross Was Absolute. It disarmed and defeated Satan and every evil that ever existed. Even the evil that looks as if it is coming on you. No matter what hits you, it must turn into a blessing. Colossians 2:14-15 says, ì[Jesus] blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, [all the right that Satan had to do evil to us] which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. Having stripped rulers and authorities [demons and Satan], He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it.î See also Mark 16:15-19 and Romans 6:9.
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Back to Table of Contents>
Actually, this is not a thing to be feared. The answer is very simple, very easy to understand, and has a solid basis in Scripture.
Now venture with me into this book and look into the past, present and future of this world, and the world to come.
Back to Table of Contents>
Showing posts with label Is There a New World Coming?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Is There a New World Coming?. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)