Revelation

25 September 2016

Dear Phyllis,

The other day we went to some special meetings where the guest speaker was from Australia. He was quite good in the morning but missed the ball by a mile in the afternoon. His theme was eschatology. Some of it was fair, but with some I could not have disagreed with him more. For 50 years my eschatological views have been highly traditional Hal Lindsey/Tim Lahaye. But in recent years I have made some major changes. The biggest is Revelation. There are two interpretations of Revelation – the linear position and the non-linear view. To me, today, the liner view of a straight line is impossible. I say that on two facts. The first is the 6^th Seal as we see it in Rev. 6:12-17. Here we see events that are coming to this earth that are more than catastrophic. There are two significant things happening here that basically are one. The main event is a “great earthquake” (6:12). This earthquake is so severe that “every mountain and island are moved out of their places” (ver. 14). I find it more than significant that this is exactly what we read about the 7^th Vial (Rev. 16:17-21). Here we read of a “great earthquake” (16:18). This one is described as being “such as was not found since men were upon the earth”. It says that “the cities of the nations fell” and “every island fled away and the mountains were not found” (ver. 20). Both passages mention a “great earthquake” and in both verses it says that the islands and mountains are wiped out. That means that the Philippines and Japan are gone and the Himalayas are flattened. If these two events are not the same thing I don't know what is. The passage in chapter 6 of the 6^th Seal is described in greater detail. It tells us that the sun will be black, the moon will be blood, and stars will fall upon the earth like figs coming off a tree when shaken by a mighty wind (vers. 12, 13). More than that, the heavens will depart like a scroll being rolled up (ver. 14). This phenomenon about the sun, moon, and stars is not restricted to Revelation but the same thing is mentioned in several other passages in the Bible talking about the end of the age. This is not chapter 16 but chapter 6 and the 6^thSeal. I have no trouble believing that this will happen just as the scripture tell us in numerous places, but I can't imagine that the events that are discussed after the 6^th Seal are liner. I see no other possibility than the 6^th Seal and the 7^th Vial are the same event. I can't imagine another seven years going on after the islands and mountains disappear, and the stars fall like rain. This has got to be the final catastrophic event to happen to this planet. I see the 7^th Seal as an explanation of what happens to bring us to the final end. I cannot see how the events in Revelation can be liner but they come in a configuration with which we are not familiar at present on this earth.

There is a significant parallel with the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Vials. The Seven Trumpets are (Rev. 8,9); 1, vegetation burned up (ver. 7), 2. a meteor falling in sea (Ver. 8), 3. the rivers become wormwood (ver. 10, 11), 4. the sun, moon, stars darkened (ver. 12), 5. the pit opened (9:1-11), and 6. the Euphrates(ver. 13-21).

The Seven Vials are (Rev. 16:1-21); 1. sores on the men with the mark (ver. 2), 2. the sea becomes blood (ver. 3), the rivers become blood (ver. 4), the sun scorches men (ver. 8), 5. darkness in the kingdom (ver. 10), 6. the Euphrates dried up (ver. 12), and the 7^th and final Vial is the same as the 6^th seal in chapter (6:12-17).

In the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Vials we see that - 2 (sea), 3 (rivers), 4 (sun), 5 (the pit, kingdom), 6 (Euphrates) are all the same. There is a slight difference in what happens each time, and so it is not true to say they are exactly the same but they seem to be an overlay with a modification each time. This does not look liner to me.

To summarize my first point, I do not see anyway the sequence of events in Revelation as being in a straight line. And I strongly see the 6^th Seal and the 7^th Vial as being the same event and the Seven Trumpets and Seven Vials as an explanation of how they got there. What we see in the Trumpets and Vials are all part of the Seven Years of Tribulation And the 6^th Seal and 7^th Vial are Armageddon.

The second major shift I have made in recent years is that I believe Ezekiel 38 & 39 are Armageddon at the end of the Seven Years of Tribulation. One of the main argument that has brought me to this position is a point I have never heard developed. In both Ezek. 39 and Rev. 19 we see what is called God's sacrifice (Ez. 39:17,19) or supper (Rev. 19:17) to the fouls of the air and beasts of the field. In both passages we see God calling to the fouls (vultures) to come and eat. This is the same discussion that went on between David and Goliath. Goliath said to David, “I will give thy flesh to the fouls of the air...” (1Sam. 17:44), and David replied, “I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines to the fouls of the air...” (1Sam. 17:46). This is a biblical term for the most derogatory end of an enemy. This was the end of Jeroboam (1Kn. 14:11) and Jezebel (1Kn. 21:23; 2Kn. 9:10, 35-37). This is the lowest thing that can happen to an enemy, and this is what God will do with the combatants at Armageddon. Rev. 19 is indisputably Armageddon, and, as the passage in Ez. 39:17,19 is exactly the same as Rev. 19:17, it seems to me extremely difficult to make this two separate events. To further bolster that argument in Ez. 38:19,20 we read that “There will be a great shaking in the land of Israel...and the mountains shall be thrown down”. This sound very much like Armageddon as described by Rev. 6:12-17 and 16:17-21.

There are many scholars who put Ezek. 38 & 39 at the beginning of the Seven Years of Tribulation but it certainly looks like Armageddon to me.

The third major shift I have had in my eschatology is that I believe Joel Richardson is correct in asserting thatMagog, Meshech, and Tubal are not Russia but Turkey. Nearly every reliable conservative Bible Atlas has these lands located in northern Turkey – not Russia. And it appears that Gog, who is the “chief prince” of these lands, is the Anti-christ (Ez. 38:2,3). This would be a very hard argument that the Anti-christ will be the Islamic leader.

Up until recently this position would be highly unlikely as Turkey has been the strongest western allay being a member of NATO. But all reports are that the present president (dictator) of Turkey, Erdogan, is the Turkish version of Ayatollah Khomeini. Many observer believe that what Khomeini did in converting the #1 pro-American, western, Islamic country (Iran) into the #1 enemy of America; very soon we will see a similar shift in Turkey. Some observers speculate that the recent failed military coup in Turkey was actually staged my Edogan to enable him to crack down and eliminate all western influence in his military and government to replaced them with hard line, Sharia, Islamist. At this point every thing in recent events has all gone in that direction.

It is superfuless to mention that the Middle East is on fire. There are several more major shifts in power that must happen, but the stage appears to be set like we have never seen it before, to go directly into the events of the last days. What will happen to America is open to speculation, but it seems extremely difficult to believe that she can avoid the severe judgment of God.

I saw an excellent You Tube message by Avi Lipton the other night. He was predicting huge major events in the next 10 months. The only problem was that message was in 2004. Jonathon Cahn was off in his prediction of the Shemitah this year. John Hagee was wrong about the Four Blood Moons. Nearly every end time prophet has been wrong about his predictions. But one thing is certain- now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Rom. 13:11). Several traditional eschatological positions seem to be going by the wayside. I have changed my position much, but I am increasing convinced that the errors are getting cleaned up, and we are getting a clearer look at the world the Bible described to us 2000 years ago. No doubt things are going to get considerably worse. My goodness what will it be like when the Trumpets and Vials are poured out? What will it be like when the Man of sin is in power (2Thes. 2:3,4)? The world is in for a mighty shaking, but – Praise God – we know what the last chapter will be. Israel will be saved and Jesus will be seated on His Throne on this planet receiving the glory, honor, power, (and all the rest of it) that He so richly deserves (Rev. 20:4-6; Dan. 2:34,35,44,45). These are the days the prophets wrote of, and it is our great privilege to raise the flag for Jesus at this terminal moment in history. This is no time to look for a safe haven. This is the most momentous time in history to take a strong stand for Jesus and defy the devil in his schemes. Let's ask God for some more oil and let our lamps shine the brighter. We are doing what we can here in SEA.

Gambatte (give it your best shot), bill

Witnessing

18 September 2016

Dear Phyllis,

The other day our good friends, Dave and Joyce Moore stopped by to take us with them to a nursing home just down the street from our house. The children from their girls home were putting on a performance for the elderly folks there. It was a good performance with the children singing several songs and giving testimonies. At the end they had refreshments. But that is when the real program stated. I saw Pammy going around talking to every person in this nursing home asking them if they wanted to accept Jesus. I was amazed to watch her pray with four people for salvation. Later I said, “I thought that was wonderful that you led four people to Christ.” She corrected me and said, “No there were five. I prayed with one more man”. Later the Moores were deeply impressed at the success of her mission. That night I was telling her how much the Moores admired her for leading five people to Christ, and she corrected me again saying that the final tally was seven. That is pretty good for a short morning. But the thing that really impressed me was last nigh when she went back to the nursing home to follow up with the ones she had prayed with. She came home rejoicing saying how appreciative they were. One elderly lady testified of how much joy she has and her friends remarked that they had never heard her talk that way.

I am not so fanatical a decisionist as to believe that every one who prays, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner” is born-again, but it sure doesn't hurt to ask peopled if they want to be saved. And then to go the next step to pray with them.

Whatever weaknesses Pammy may or may not have, one problem she does not have is her witness for Christ. I have never seen her equivalent. She is so aggressive that I frequently wind up praying for the people she is talking to that they won't be offended. And more often than not she will wind up calling me over saying, “Bill, please pray for this person.” Amazingly they don't seem to be that offended.

Shortly after we were married we went to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was quite crowded and the only seat we could find was at a long table with two other men sitting at the far end. We hadn't been settled 60 seconds before I heard “Iesu” (Jesus). I don't know how she broke into the conversation but it didn't take long for her to get to the main point. I sat there bleeding for these poor men who had to put up with this religious fanatic. To my utter amazement five minutes later they asked us to join them. They turned out to be two professors at the local university who spoke good English and were genuinely interested in hearing our testimony about the Lord.

These are not isolated incidents but something that goes on nearly every day. Last Sunday we were at a mall with some friends. Pammy cannot walk past a ladies shop without trying on ever blouse and garment in the store. I was pretty crisp when we lost the two ladies. After 10 minutes I went back to get her and warn her I was about to leave without her and let her take the song tau (pickup truck taxi) home. I was humbled when she explained that she wasn't the one trying on all the garments, but they other man's wife.

Shortly after that she stopped where Nissan had two new trucks on display in the mall. To my bewilderment she engaged the salesman like she was interested in buying this expensive truck. I could see him salivate as he got out his order tablet. But half an hour later I saw them sitting at a table as Pammy had a salvation tract out explaining in depth the way of salvation. At the end of a two hour conversation I don't know what the salesman thought of the Lord but he certainly was clearly instructed on how to get to heaven.

Pammy is a phenomenon that really bewilders me. Soul winning is one of the most basic points of the Christian life. It is not optional whether or not a Christian should be a soul winner. Admittedly there are different gifts and not every one has the gift of evangelism. But all Christians should be fruitful. I don't know anyone who would argue with that. In Jesus' parable of talents (Mt. 25:14-29), He didn't say some got a talent and some didn't. Everybody gets talents and everybody is supposed to use them. Some have more than others, but there is no one exempt from using whatever God-given gifts they have.

Just as much as it is imperative for all Christian to abide in Christ, it is assumed that all Christians will be fruitful (Jn. 15: 1-8). And the universal characteristic of fruit is that it has in it the seeds of reproduction. There isn't such a thing as a tree with fruit and in another place there are seeds. All the seeds of reproduction are buried in the fruit. We all know that we are supposed to witness. But with Pammy it is not an obligation. To tell her not to witness would be like telling her not to breath. She is a rebuke to me. Yesterday we were at a meeting where the speaker asked, “How many have witnessed to someone in the past month?” About 40% raised their hand. That means 60% hadn't. We don't have to look too far to discover why the Body of Christ is not growing. But why is it that Pammy would die if she couldn't witness for Jesus, and the Lord has to practically hold a gun at my head to force me to speak up front to souls? I usually feel great after I have had a good time sharing Christ with someone, but it seems like you have to force your way past armed demonic guards to break the barrier of sharing Christ.

Surely the Lord wants to do more for us than what we are experiencing, and maybe we should seriously ask Jesus to thaw out our frozen lips and give us burning hearts to proclaim the wonders and marvels of our worthy Lord. I thank God that He has given me a blowtorch for Jesus for a partner and I can only hope that some of that heat might melt the ice in me.

Prayerfully, bill

New and Old Covenants

11 September 2016

Dear Phyllis,

Last week I concluded my message with the statement, “What God is after is a people created in His own image with the same character. How is that possible”. I will try to answer that question this week.

We see that the Old Covenant and the New are the same. Basically what it is is a marriage covenant between God and His people (Jer. 31:31-33). The words of the covenant are “I will be your God and you shall be My people” (Heb. 8:10). In Jer. 31:32 The Lord says, “I was an husband unto them”, and the whole book of Hosea is devoted to this relationship. And in the NT believers are called the Bride of Christ (Jn. 3:29; Rev. 21:2). In the OT God's Covenant was with Israel and He said they would be “a particular treasure unto the Lord, a Kingdom of priest and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5,6). In the NT Peter reminds us that “we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people” (1Pet. 2:9). The only difference is that in the OT God's covenant was exclusively with Israel but in the NT it is open to all people – whosoever will come (Jn. 3:16; Rev. 22:17). But the same basic requirement of being the same character as God is there in both covenants. It could not be otherwise. It would be impossible for any being to be closely related, and have fellowship with God unless they were on the same page with the same spirit. The only difference between the two covenants is how that character was to be produced and maintained. In the OT the one requirement of the Covenant was “IF you obey My voice” (Ex. 19:5) and the definition or object they were to obey was the Ten Commandments.

I believe that 95% of our preaching today and presentation of the Gospel is badly misdirected. Almost the entire thrust of our salvation message is forgiveness of sin – Jesus died in our place. This business of telling people that “if you believe that Jesus died in your place and accept Him as your savior, you can have eternal life” - and then go on living like the devil - is nonsense. Joe Carroll used to say, “The most important message today is not, 'Have you accepted Christ?'; but 'Has He accepted you?'”. The purpose of the Covenant was to bring man into a right relationship with God – not get sinners into heaven.

Of all the New Testament writers John comes the closest to presenting the basics of the New Covenant. John said, “The things that we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1Jn. 1:3). How is it possible to have fellowship with God? This is the purpose of the Covenant. In the OT God choose Israel to be His people. But sin destroyed that. It wasn't until Jesus came that for the first time in 4,000 years God had a person with whom He could actually have fellowship. Jesus was of the exact Spirit as the Father and His character was the animation of God's commandments. It was not just a matter of keeping the Law, but this was exactly what Jesus was.

As I have said before, any covenant, or agreement, between two people is dependent on both parties keeping their side of the deal. The Old Covenant failed because of mans inability to keep God's commandments. It was to correct that flaw that God made a New Covenant in which He could not only guarantee His own faithfulness to the Covenant, but man's part also. He did this in an amazing way. In the Old Covenant the Law was written externally on stone, but in the New Covenant God said He would write His Law internally in our hearts(Heb. 8:10). How did He do this? He sent the very Spirit of His Son to live in our hearts. The very nature of Jesus now lives in us and this guarantees our performance fulfilling our part. Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:6; 9:15); and He is also the Surety (Heb. 7:22). As the Mediator He is the one who makes it work, and as the Surety He is the one who is responsible to make sure it is done. If a 16 year old boy bought a car and his father was the co-signatory, his dad would be the surety. If the boy failed to keep up the payments the father is responsible that the terms of the contract are fulfilled.

If this is true why is it that most Christians live on such a low level? Andrew Murray says it is because of ignorance and unbelief. Ignorance in that they have never heard that such a life is possible, and unbelief because they refuse to, or cannot, believe what God has promised in His Word actually true. I would like to add two more. One is lack of desire to have Jesus be all and all; to allow Him to live His life in me. And the other is outright love of sin. We love our sin so much we don't want to see it done away with. To such “Christians” I can only say they are living in a delusional world with Alice in Wonderland. And regardless of how loudly and frequently they may say “Lord, Lord”, in the last day Jesus will say, “Depart from Me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you” (Mt. 7:23).

God has done a wonderful thing in making a Covenant with man that not only guarantees His performance but ours also. He has done this by making His Son to be the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant to make sure that our side of the deal is fulfilled. For our part, to experience this life, all we have to do is move over and allow Jesus to take the wheel of our life and believe that God will do for us – and IN us – all that He has promised. When this happens we are brought into a right relationship and can have fellowship with God.

It has taken God many years to make this message clear in my mind but I find His fellowship an inexpressible blessed experience.

Arigato gozaimasu (thank you), bill

Standing by the Throne

4 September 2016

Dear Phyllis,

Years ago I was challenged by the scene of the seraphims crying ceaselessly “Holy, holy, holy”. Both Isiah and John agree concerning what they saw (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8), but we don't see this replicated anywhere else in scripture except these seraphims standing before the Throne. What are they looking at that excites them to the degree that they ceaselessly cry Holy, holy, holy? It came to me that they were observing the activity of God. The actions of God are, of course, the outward expression of His character. This is universally true of all beings. But if God is holy, what makes Him holy? I used to think that God was holy because He didn't smoke, drink, or look at porno. A brother once told me, “I have a dog that doesn't do any of that but he isn't holy”. What is the standard that the seraphims are using to judge God by that so impresses them that He is holy. It came to me that the only possible answer was they were judging God by His performance relative to His own Law. By this reasoning I came to the conclusion that the Ten Commandments are the character of God.

When a man asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment, He turned the table on him and said there is a positive aspect to the Ten Commandments as well as a negative. And He said the sum of everything was love (Mt. 22:36-40). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:10; Jm. 2:8). It is the love that God is showing towards all His creation that makes Him holy. To say that the Ten Commandment are the character of God may be a difficult robe to place on God the Father, but we see that it is a suit that fits Jesus perfectly. As we look at the life of Jesus we see Him fulfilling the Ten Commandments perfectly; in both the negative and positive aspects of the Law. He had no other loyalty but the Father. He was totally void of anything idolatrous. He honored the Name of the Father, refocused the keeping of the Sabbath, He honored His mother and father, He never killed any one, or slept around, He never stole a thing, was always truthful, and was void of covetousness. He truly loved the Father will all His heart and His neighbor as Himself. He never taught a thing that wasn't true of His own character. We can clearly see that the Ten Commandments were the character of Christ. And this is true of what God is. God is love. That is why He is holy.

When God created man in His own image (Gen. 1:26,27) His purpose was that man should be just like Himself. This is not his shape that he has hands, feet, mouth and ears. He wanted man to be just like Himself in character. That probably was true of Adam but we all know the terrible devastation the the fall brought. It totally destroyed the image of God in man. Then 4,000 years later we see a Man who is the perfect image of God – Jesus (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). This is what God was after in creation.

Last week I said this week I would try to discuss the two Covenants – the Old and the New. What does all of this have to do with the Covenants? Everything. The Ten Commandments are the very corner stone of the two Covenants. While it is not specifically stated in these exact words basically the Covenants are the marriage between God and His people where He said, “I will be your God and you will be my people” (Ex. 19; Jer. 32:38; Heb. 8:10). When God choose a people to be uniquely His own He naturally wanted them to be like Himself. Jesus and the Father are perfectly one because they both possess the same character and when the God choose a people to be His own He naturally wanted them to have the same character. It would be impossible to have harmony if this was not true. So when God told Israel that they were to be His people, He told them what kind of people He expected them to be.

It is amazing that people should think of the Ten Commandments as being offensive. And astoundingly that the supreme court would demand that they be taken from public buildings. What pray tell is wrong with them? Is it wrong that we should worship the creator God only? Is it wrong to say that we should respect our parents; that we shouldn't kill, sleep around, steal, lie, and be satisfied with what we have? What is wrong with that? In God's original covenant with His chosen people the only thing He was asking of them that they be that kind of people.

In any covenant, or contract, it requires that both sides of the agreement keep their side of the deal. Failure of either side nullifies the deal. Unfaithfulness in marriage destroys the marriage bond. The original Covenant was excellent. The only problem was that there was a little two letter word at the beginning of it – IF (Ex. 19:5). If Israel kept their side of the bargain they would be God's unique people and enjoy His unique blessings. Failure negated the blessings.

We all know the rest of the story. It would be pointless for God to make another contract if this fatal flaw in the first covenant was not corrected. It was to correct this very flaw that God created a New Covenant. It not only had to guarantee God's keeping His side of the agreement but it must also guarantee mans faithfulness in keeping his side. Other wise the blessings of the New Covenant would be nullified just as it was in the Old one.

This is a message that is almost totally ignored today. Salvation is presented as a pass to heaven by wiping the slate of terrible sins. God is not interested in filling heaven with disgusting sinners whose sins are forgiven and then somehow they will be different when they get to heaven. God's Covenant is not with dead people but with the living. What God is after is people that are in His own image with the same character as He has. And how is this possible?

Maybe we can get into that next week. I hope you got something out of today's letter. This message has been a shocker to me.

Physically I am 100%. A year ago I said I had the body of a 40 year old man. Today I might up that to 60, but my energy level is excellent. There is a small store down the street 100 meters from our house. Three months ago it was unthinkable to walk that far. Now I can run it. Thank you again for your love and prayers;

In our wonderful Lord Jesus,

                                                 bill