Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 8, 2016

What is Coming Next for the Church and Israel, concluded

Three Major Events

It seems reasonable to believe we might gain some insight into the Second Advent of our Lord by looking at the First Advent and see how events were arranged at that time.

Israel had been given a third period of 490 years but we learned in Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks that it was to be divided into two parts, one part which included 483 years and one part which included 7 years. What was not revealed to the Old Testament prophets was the mystery of the church.

The Mystery of the Church

I’ve heard this described as two mountain peaks clearly visible to the Old Testament prophets; the first mountain peak representing the Lord Jesus as suffering servant at the First Advent, the second mountain peak representing the Lord Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords at the Second Advent. What was hidden from the view of the Old Testament prophets was the massive valley separating these two peaks representing the Church Age.

Between the closing of the first 483 years and the beginning of the last 7 years there would be a gap of unspecified length during which God would implement another plan, His plan to create the body of Christ, the church.

We also learned that the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem brought the 483 year period to a close. It was not for another 56 days that the church was to begin which tells us the Church Age did not begin until after Israel had been set aside, there was no overlap.

There is another precedent for a gap; there was a period of around 161 years between the end of Israel’s second period of 490 years and the beginning of Israel’s third and last period of 490 years which included the Babylonian captivity.

In the end times I believe the Church will have been removed for several years before Israel’s last seven years begin; this will give the time needed for the unfulfilled prophetic events we have been considering to take place.

In Daniel 9:27 it is written:

“27 The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

It is this verse to which our Lord is referring when in Matthew we are told in verse 15:

“15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!)”

It is the signing of a treaty between Israel and the Antichrist that is the beginning of the Tribulation, the church will have been taken up and for some reason Israel will have slipped away from God and is looking for a protector.

The Dry Bones

This is a reminder that the restoration of Israel which began in 1948 will not be completed until there is a spiritual awakening in Israel which occurs at the Second Advent of our Lord. In Zechariah 12:10 it is written:

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.”

Then the prophecy given in Ezekiel 37:10 will be fulfilled:

“10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.”

As always, God is looking at the spiritual side of life; the life referred to in verse 10 is the spiritual life of the Jews. Until the Second Advent a large number of individual Jews will be saved but there will be no national awakening until the triumphant return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In spite of the miraculous interventions in the affairs of the nation, Israel still turns its national back on God; until the Second Advent the breath of spiritual life does not return to the nation Israel.

The Antichrist and the Treaty

In their spiritual unbelief, Israel turns to a powerful world figure for their safety; this individual has come upon the world scene as a savior, a deliverer who has promised to bring order out of the chaos that was precipitated by the rapture and the two wars.

For the first three and one half years the Antichrist appears to be the answer to the world’s problems and many nations of the world seek to follow him. After that time is past there is a change in heaven and on the earth.

In heaven a battle rages as described in Revelation 12:7-9 where it is written:

“7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”

At that point, Satan is cast to earth and indwells the Antichrist who declares himself to be God and demands worship. The Antichrist stops the Temple worship that the Jews had been permitted to practice in the restored Temple and establishes himself as God and requires all to worship him. This is the time of which Jesus warned in Matthew 24:15.

This begins the second half of the Tribulation which is referred to as “The Great Tribulation” and the warning is given in Matthew 24:21-22:

“21 For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.”

In Summary

The Church Age will end with the removal of the true church several years before the Tribulation begins. The Tribulation belongs to Israel, it is a time of “Jacob’s Trouble” not the church’s trouble.

7 Alas! For that day is great,
So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 1, 2016

What is Coming Next for the Church and Israel, continued

A Progressive Deterioration

 While the Bible is not specific on the order of some of the end time events it is very clear that these events will take place in a world that is getting increasingly evil. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 it is written:

“3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

We can see the world moving in that direction today, many of the characteristics Paul described are becoming more evident as time passes. While this is not a pretty sight it is encouraging to those of us who long for the return of the Lord that His return is growing ever closer.

I believe the Rapture of the true Church will be the catalyst that triggers the balance of the end time events. I’ve written on this in some detail in my four part series, What’s Going to Happen Next, Part 1. I believed then and believe now the Rapture could happen at any minute.

The Battle of Psalm 83

The news today is filled with threats of war against Israel; the nations surrounding Israel are threatening the destruction of Israel as a nation, to wipe it off the map. The Battle of Psalm 83 fits that scenario perfectly, the nations surrounding Israel attack and are defeated by God which gives Israel a time of relative peace.

The only real deterrent for that war is the United States; if the United States was suddenly removed from the equation an attack on Israel, “The Little Satan,” could quickly follow.

I believe the Rapture of the church could provide the opportunity for that to take place. The Rapture will cause massive chaos in the United States which could provide the catalyst for not only an attack on the “Little Satan,” but an attack on the “Big Satan” as well, the United States itself. While God has committed to defending Israel the United States has no such commitment from God.

It is at this point, the combination of the Rapture and the Battle of Psalm 83 that removes the United States from the world stage as a superpower. Exactly how that will play out only God knows; but a properly placed EMP could do it.

The Battle of Gog and Magog

One of the minor mysteries surrounding this battle is the time of peace that will precede it. In Ezekiel 38:8-11 it is written:

“8 A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. 9 You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.

10 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. 11 You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence!”

I believe the peace comes after God defeats Israel’s enemies in the Battle of Psalm 83, I believe the confidence Israel feels is a result of God’s dramatic victory over the invading forces and the clear evidence of God’s protective hand over Israel.

This results in a time of peace which Israel has never enjoyed since it again became a nation in 1948. This peace will be destroyed by the Battle of Gog and Magog when yet again the attacking forces will be defeated by God.

During this battle there will be great devastation, we read in Ezekiel 38:18-20:

“18 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will boil over! 19 In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day. 20 All living things—the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth—will quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down; cliffs will crumble; walls will fall to the earth.”

I am convinced this terrible earthquake will totally destroy the Islamic structures that are on the Temple Mount and open the door for the rebuilding of the Temple. The dramatic intervention by God will cause all opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple to disappear; people will be scared to death of Israel’s God!  In Ezekiel 38:22-23 it is written:

“22 I will punish you and your armies with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur! 23 In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

Chapter 39 is devoted to the massive seven year cleanup required to restore Israel to some state of normalcy. The nations at this point are duly impressed by Israel’s God; in Ezekiel 39:7 it is written:

7 “In this way, I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.”

It is this reference to seven years that suggests to me the “Great Tribulation” will not have begun; once that period begins there will be no hope of restoration.

Now the world stage is set for Israel’s last seven years, the Tribulation is about to begin.

 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | January 25, 2016

What is Coming Next for the Church and Israel

Defending the Biblical Truth of the Rapture

There seems to be an increasing amount of discussion on the ordering of events surrounding the removal of the church from this world by the “Rapture.” I would like to devote some time to considering the rapture and examine how it most likely fits in with the other end time events described in the Bible.

For purposes of clarity I know the word rapture does not appear in the English translation of the New Testament but there is a simple explanation for that. In the Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the Greek word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17,  for taken up is ἁρπαγησόμεθα, which is transliterated in its root form as harpazō.

This word is translated, in most English translations, as “caught up, taken up, or shall be seized” or something similar. When the Latin translation, called the Vulgate, was made the Greek word was translated into the Latin as “rapiemur” which became rapture in English. Regardless of the language the concept of the word is to be suddenly caught up or taken up.

The Church Age

For over 1,982 years we have all been living our lives in what is called “The Church Age or The Age of Grace.” This block of time has been carved out of “The Times of the Gentiles” during which God is assembling a group of individuals to become the “Body of Christ” the church. The Church Age began at Pentecost on May 25, 33 AD (See note) and will end at the Rapture of the Church, a date still future whose timing is known only to God.

During this remarkable period God, the Holy Spirit, has baptized those who receive Christ as Savior into an everlasting assembly known as the Church. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit joins with the individual to form a union that will last for all eternity; each believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and becomes a temple of God, the Holy Spirit.

This wonderful blessing started at Pentecost and will end at the Rapture; membership in the true church will close at that time. Although people were saved before Pentecost and will be saved after the Rapture they will not be a member of the true church, the Body of Christ. This is a privilege reserved for those who are born again during the Age of Grace and baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Which Events Remain to be Fulfilled?

There are several end time events described in the Bible which have yet to be fulfilled. The Bible does not specify their exact timing and their sequence so, as one might expect, there has been a great deal of discussion and speculation on those subjects.

I believe in a dispensational interpretation of the Bible so I will continue my examination from that perspective. From that perspective Israel has a future which was promised to it by God. The best explanation of what is going to happen and why has been given to us in the prophecies of Daniel; I’ve written on the Seventy Weeks prophecy here: The Seventy Weeks Prophecy of Daniel This is the first in a three part series on the subject.

A major thrust of this prophecy was the dividing of Israel’s last 490 years into two parts, a period of 483 years which included the First Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a shorter period of 7 years which is still future. It is the 7 year period which is referred to as the Tribulation.

The 483 year segment was brought to a close by the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem on March 30, 33 AD.

 Next we will consider those events preceding Israel’s last seven years.

Note – All First Advent dates are based on the work of Dr. Harold Hoehner in his book, “Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.” Zondervan Corp. 1977

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | January 18, 2016

Deeds, Not Words, A God Honoring Life!

Every Christian’s Responsibility!

Last week I published an essay on “Deeds, Not Words.” One of the first comments I received had to do with Christian service and that surprised me a little as my thoughts were more focused on Christian living.

While the Bible makes it clear Christians are all called to Christian service, the Bible also makes it clear these forms of service can vary widely. In Ephesians 4:11 we read of a few examples:

“11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”

I have in mind another area of deeds, the service of Christian living, living our lives in active service to God by all that we do, think, and feel. The verses that immediately came to my mind are found in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it is written:

“19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

Here it is made clear that we are to honor God with our bodies; I would suggest that we should also honor God with our souls and spirits as well.

In this we find a common denominator that applies equally to all Christians; each and every one of us must, by our deeds, honor God in these three areas, body, soul, and spirit. Let us consider them one at a time.

Honoring God with your Body

 In the context of these verses the Apostle Paul was speaking of sexual sin. That is probably a good place to start as it is so widespread in today’s culture. Earlier in this section of Scripture the Apostle wrote:

“12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. 13 You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

15 Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.”

The world is riddled with promiscuous sex and sexual innuendo to the point it permeates almost every aspect of life; sexuality is attached to cars, soap, toothpaste, you name it. Is it any wonder Christians become confused by all the clamor and begin to act in ways dishonoring to God?

This is an old but effective tool that has been used by the “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world” for thousands of years; the truly sad thing is it still works in the lives of Christians! The only effective defense is the shield of faith and obedience to the Word!

Honoring God with your Soul

Each morning, as you wake up, you have the opportunity to restore a divine perspective to your worldview, your view of life and self.

I rejoice in the fact that I am a created being, created by and for the Lord Jesus Christ. I live in a created world that continues to exist as an expression of the mighty power of God. This provides the framework for the rest of my day.

I see the hand of God in all that comes into my view; the beauty of the sunrise, the air I breath, the water I drink, all reflects God’s grace, love and mercy to His creation.

I reflect on the thought that every person I see is made in the image of God; they are eternal and there will never be a time when they are not a part of God’s creation.

Honoring God with your Spirit

As a Christian man I rejoice in the fact I have a living spirit, a spirit that has been restored to life by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. I exult in His Lordship over my life and delight myself in the promise of eternity with Him.

I love to meditate on God’s view of life, this moment we are experiencing in our mortal bodies is so brief, so quickly gone that one can only wonder at the significance we attach to it.

I suspect that as a baby I had some sort of crib or baby bed but I have absolutely no recollection of it; it is completely vanished from my memory. By comparison with eternity this brief span of my mortality is of even shorter duration; a brief flash and then gone and perhaps even forgotten.

What a joy to know this is only a brief prelude to life and that the vast majority of my life will be lived in a new heaven and a new earth in a body far superior to the one I inhabit now.

This is God’s promise and I rejoice and delight in it! By God’s grace may you rejoice and delight in it too!

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:1-4

Next week I will start a three part series on the separation of the church and Israel focusing on the removal of the church by the Rapture; I invite you to join me.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | January 11, 2016

Deeds, Not Words!

The Anniversary of the Birth of Alice Paul

On January 11, 1885 Alice Paul was born, a young woman who was to be influential in the fight for women’s suffrage. While this was a significant event for that cause, it is the motto associated with Alice Paul that caught my attention: “Deeds, not words.”

Alice Paul

From “The Home School Mom” November 5, 2012, by Mary Ann Kelley

“Deeds, not words.” has a wonderful ring to it, don’t you think? How often do we let the opposite happen in our lives, we talk a good fight but that’s the beginning and the end of it.

I encounter this endlessly in the Christian community but with a pious twist, let’s pray about it, or I’ll pray for you sounds so devout, so holy and while prayer to God is very important it was never intended to replace action. Christianity is something you do; not just something you talk about or even pray about but something you take action on, something you do!

I’m Sinning, Please Pray for Me

As an online missionary for Global Media Outreach I get mail from all over the world from Christians who are struggling with various personal sins. I often get letters forwarded to me from others who have been asking for and getting prayers for the personal sins they are committing but are having no success in quitting these sins.

It’s almost as if there was a disconnect between the prayers and the sinful actions; just pray for me regarding my sin and suddenly something wonderful will happen and the sin will go away. That’s not the way it works; you can’t just pray about the sin and continue to practice it; you have to change your deeds, you have to change what you’re doing, you have to stop that sinful action! “Deeds, not words.”

The Problem with Personal Sin

Most Christians with whom I come in contact have no idea of the nature of their enemy. They have no idea they are soldiers who will live their entire lives on a spiritual battlefield. They have no idea they are under attack and must defend themselves if they are to be victorious in battle. They don’t even know there is a battle in progress.

I have written on this before in the series called, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” a three part series that describes the challenges we face as Christians in the Lord’s army.

A vitally important point I try to emphasize is the fact that we cannot do it on our own; by ourselves we are fearfully outclassed and under powered. The Bible makes this clear in Ephesians 6:10-17 where it is written:

“10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Battlefield Casualties

In the first essay of the series I wrote in the second paragraph:

“Although it will change during the final conflict, we are now dealing with destruction and carnage in the lives of everyone at a spiritual level as the spiritual battle for men’s soul’s rages around us. The carnage is being displayed in many lives as people make bad choices and cause themselves and others serious harm. Broken lives, broken marriages, broken commitments of many sorts litter the battlefield of this war.”

From a worldly perspective things may not appear too different from how they were before; but from a spiritual perspective we are seeing destruction and carnage in a cascading volume of misery and sin.

The Power of God, the Holy Spirit

When I write to Christians who are struggling against attacks from the “evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” I hasten to tell them of the power available to them in the person of God, the Holy Spirit.

I want them to understand how they can release that power in their lives; a power that can tip the balance in their favor as they engage in combat. This is promised to them in 1 John 1:9 where it is written: “9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” Confession releases the power of the Holy Spirit and helps us to defend ourselves against the attack of the enemy.

It is the power of God, the Holy Spirit that can make possible the deeds that will make the difference in our lives. Deeds that will turn back the attacks of personal sin and free us from the bondage we would otherwise suffer.

“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | December 31, 2015

Carrying Excess Baggage into 2016

A Storage Problem

From time to time I find myself reluctant to dispose of things for which I have no immediate need; I rationalize and say to myself there may someday be a need for whatever is in question and I err on the side of caution and decide to store it somewhere for possible future use. It appears I’m not the only one who does this as storage facilities are to be found everywhere.

This, however, is not the sort of baggage I have in mind here; I’m thinking of the mental baggage we accumulate and lug around with us through life for which there seems to be unlimited storage space.

Each year that passes contributes its own share of baggage to our storage facility; some of that baggage is pleasant and cheerful but some of the baggage is dark and sad. The passing of years can dispose of some of the baggage but some of it seems to defy disposal and remains in storage ready to be retrieved; unfortunately the dark and sad baggage seems to fall into this category all too often.

2016 is Almost Here!

Traditionally the new year is seen as an opportunity for a new start; one sees the promise of the new year as a blank sheet of paper upon which it seems possible to write something new; a fresh start as it were.

The making of new year’s resolutions has been a part of this picture as long as I can remember followed by all the jokes about failing to keep those resolutions. I suspect we’ve all been a part of that scene at one time or another.

The challenge is the baggage we keep in storage in our minds; we carry that baggage into the new year with us and let it sabotage our efforts to make a new start.

What if it were possible to deal with the problem of excess baggage, to eliminate it as a source of trouble; would that help make a new start more feasible?

Saul of Tarsus

The early descriptions of Saul of Tarsus reveal a man with a mission; sincere, earnest, but misguided. In Acts 9:1-2 we read:

“Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.”

Can you imagine the sort of baggage that would deposit in the Apostle Paul’s baggage storage facility? It was this kind of baggage that would prompt Paul to later say, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.” 1 Timothy 1:15

The point is even the Apostle Paul had dark and sad baggage he kept in storage; just like you and me; the Bible makes it clear, we’re all in this together.

What to do, what to do?

Fortunately the Bible has answers for us in that regard; answers that we must accept in the same way we received our salvation, acceptance completely by faith!

First we must confess our sins to God. 1 John 1:9 it is written:

“9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

As Christians we have the privilege of confessing our sins directly to God the Father; in His matchless grace God forgives us of our sins and purifies us from all unrighteousness. I love that part, when we confess our known sins God also forgives us our unknown sins as well; such grace!

Second, and this is important, we must believe we are forgiven and receive that forgiveness even though we don’t deserve it; just as we received our salvation, by faith alone!

Finally

Again we turn to the Apostle Paul for guidance here; Paul who had accumulated so much dark and sad baggage as Saul of Tarsus. In Philippians 3:12-14 we read:

“12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Let each of us join with Paul and press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed us; forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, let us press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

May your 2016 be richly blessed by the grace of God!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | December 21, 2015

The Happy Return of Christmas

The Happiest Season of the Year!

-Merry Christmas

Art by Adele Bower

That wonderful, happy time of the year is almost upon us, Friday the 25th is Christmas. The stores I’ve happened to visit have been packed with customers who seemed to be in a good mood in spite of the long lines; it seems that Christmas can often bring out the best in us.

The enormous significance of Christmas, the First Advent of our Lord, may sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season and the sometimes frantic preparations that seem to be an inevitable part of the days before Christmas. We have even witnessed an effort on the part of some to remove Christ and Christmas from the winter “Holiday Season” and to secularize the season so as not to offend those who prefer to reject the message of Christ and Christmas; fortunately that trend seems to be losing ground.

For those of us who love the Lord Jesus Christ, this season is a beautiful reminder of our Lord, the wonder of His birth and the enormous significance of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

Four Hundred Years of Silence

The voice of God through His prophets had become silent; for 400 years Israel did not receive any word from God through the prophets. Much had happened that was instrumental in setting the stage for the events that would transpire during the First Advent but there was no word from the Lord; just silence for 400 years.

God was planning to break that silence in the most dramatic way possible; God the Son, the living Word, would be born of a virgin and become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. The silence would finally be broken by the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord; the Word of God would be made flesh and dwell among us. We would have a Kinsman/Redeemer, a Savior who would take our place of judgment and die on the cross for the redemption of our sins.

The Birth of the King

It is fascinating to me to reflect on the decisions God made as to the birth of the Son of God. The eternal creator of the universe was not to be born in a palace or even a major city of the time; but was to be born of humble parentage in a small insignificant village named Bethlehem. Although both were of the line of King David, any association with royalty had faded generations before. His mother, Mary, was a peasant girl and her husband, Joseph, was a simple carpenter; hardly a likely couple to become the caregivers for the humanity of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.

All proceeded according to God’s eternal plan and the precious baby was entrusted to humans to care for and love as He grew in stature and wisdom over the early years of His life.

The Shepherds

The Bible describes two events surrounding the birth and early childhood of our Lord. The first had to do with the angelic host appearing to the shepherds. I have read that these particular shepherds and the sheep of their flock were very special; these were the sheep destined for temple sacrifice. How fitting that the announcement of the birth of the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, should be made to shepherds tending the sheep to be sacrificed on the Temple altar.

The Magi

The second event concerns the arrival of the magi whose number is not specified in Scripture. I have previously written on the magi and the mysterious star they followed and have some strongly held opinions concerning both. The account of the magi is only given in Matthew 2:1-12, and the implications are the magi appeared around two years after the birth of Jesus. I believe these particular magi were of a group founded by the prophet Daniel, and the gifts presented by the magi were placed with that group originally by Daniel himself.

Daniel had prophesied the very day our Lord would enter Jerusalem as the Lamb of God and I believe he instructed the magi to pay particular attention as that time drew closer. I believe the star was in fact the Shekinah Glory of God and led the magi to the place where Jesus was living. While none of this is specified in Scripture, it would explain a lot.

Christmas Today

Although under attack, Christmas is still a powerful factor in the lives of many. I think we can all agree that the mood becomes a bit more joyous and happy around Christmas especially in the Christian community. The traditions of Christmas are always welcome and bring remembrances of Christmas past and the fun and fellowship of family and friends. The traditional Christmas hymns are a great blessing and tell the story of our Lord’s birth with beauty and simplicity.

Christmas is a happy time and I’m thankful it is here again!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

This is an updated version of an essay first published on December 18, 2013.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | December 14, 2015

A New Poem from Jerusalem

Life in Jerusalem

I received a new original poem from our Jerusalem poet, Hanna Awwad. I cannot even begin to imagine what life in Jerusalem is like at this point in time. Living in an environment where attack is a constant threat and lives are being lost would be very difficult.

The poem follows:

My message to the world

My message to the world that terror reached its top,
In brutality, and it became worldwide so ruthless job,
Its goal to bomb restaurant, stadium, cafe and shop,
To crucify, terrify, behead, hang, burn alive and chop,
To chop people here and there as chopping the crop,
And create a state of chaos, horror and panic on top,
The peace and joy of our hearts, terror intends to rob,
Civilization from the account of time, it wants to drop.

My message is that terrorism has no way but to stop,
For it reached the top, and there is no top over the top.

When The West opened, for terror, the border’s socket,
They did not know, they put the snake in their pocket,
It ate the honey, stole the money, it ignored the culture,
When it became strong, it attacked them as a vulture.

My message to you that terror is nothing but a thought,
Based on the satanic verses that the Quran has taught,
That terror should be fought by pure Christian thought,
By the plan of salvation that Jesus has already brought.

By: Hanna Awwad

More on Hanna Awwad can be found here: http://hannaawwad.webs.com/

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | December 7, 2015

Pearl Harbor and Terrorism in the United States

Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941

Today we observe the 74th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; an attack that was to catapult this nation into the Second World War. There are fewer of us now that can remember where we were and what we were doing when the announcement came over the radio to a stunned nation on that Sunday afternoon.

None of us could comprehend the impact of that attack on our nation and the lives of the citizens of this nation and the world. Two thousand four hundred and three people lost their lives from the attack that day and one thousand one hundred and seventy eight were wounded. More information can be found here:

Pearl Harbor Day, by David Bower

September 11, 2001

As an attack on the United States this record would stand until September 11, 2001 when Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center resulting in the deaths of two thousand nine hundred and seventy seven people and the wounding of close to ten thousand others.

There was a fundamental difference in the nature of this attack; this time we were being attacked by fighters for an international ideology and not a nation.

Is the United States in Danger from an Ideology?

When one considers an enemy it is probably best to know something about that enemy, wouldn’t you agree? The media is pummeling us with information about terrorism so what does that really mean? We are told of terrorists and the terrorist threat, of the war against terror and cautioned about all the dangers of terrorism; is this danger real, is terrorism a potential enemy of the United States?

What does terrorism actually mean, how does the dictionary define terrorism? WordNet defines terrorism as:

Noun

  “The calculated use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear”

That would suggest to me that terrorism is not an enemy, it is a tactic used by an enemy to attempt to accomplish certain political, religious, or ideological goals. The logical question would then be; who is the enemy using this tactic, can the enemy be identified?

There seems to be a common denominator in all of this called Islam; if that is the case then is there a central core from which these tactics spring? I believe the answer to that question is yes, it is called the Quran.

There is one vitally important principle to keep in mind with regard to Islam; it is not a peaceful religion, it is a comprehensive worldview focused on complete domination of the world and has maintained that focus for almost 1,400 years with varying degrees of success.

The Quran

The Quran is the heart and soul of Islam and the driving force behind Islamic behavior. If the Quran is the driving force behind Islamic terrorism then how could Islam ever be called “a religion of peace”? There just happens to be a simple explanation for that seeming contradiction; the Quran has two opposing points of view.

There is an early phase called the Meccan phase and then a later phase called the Medinese phase. The early Meccan phase was inspired by the efforts of Muhammad during Islam’s infancy to provide protection from the more powerful forces of Judaism and Christianity. The later Medinese phase was inspired by Muhammad’s success in gathering an army and beginning his warfare against his neighbors.

These two opposing ideologies produced contradictory statements with the last written verses replacing contradictory verses written earlier according to the Islamic law of abrogation. In other word the warlike Medinese verses replaced the peaceful Meccan verses. The internet has many examples of the law of abrogation and the contradictory writings in the Quran.

Muslims in Name Only

Needless to say there are many Muslims that do not practice the harsher Medinese teachings of Islam just as there are many Christians in name only who are not born again. The danger that exists, however, is any who truly believe Allah is god and Muhammad is his prophet could, at some point, embrace the law of abrogation and become convinced that the warlike Medinese verses have replaced the more peaceful Meccan verses.

This could potentially result in a more aggressive posture toward those who are not Muslim and greater use of terrorism as a tactic.

Fundamental versus Radical Islam

When this most recent round of Islamic terrorism first began to gain the world’s attention there was confusion about what it should be called; some referred to it as fundamental Islam and others referred to it as radical Islam. I propose to you that fundamental Islam is a more precise name and better describes what is happening.

This is the Islam practiced by Muhammad during the later years of his life and reflects the warlike attitude he maintained during those years. The Islamic terrorists are more faithfully duplicating the attitude and behavior of Muhammad during the last years of his life.

Our failure to clearly identify the enemy and take appropriate steps to deal with the threat presented by this enemy is an invitation to disaster. At some point there will have to be a showdown; there will have to be another Charles Martel and a Battle of Tours (732) if the tide of Islamic aggression is to be turned again. I wonder if this battle will be called the Battle of Armageddon?

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | November 30, 2015

The 1933 Model Year

A Wide Range of Things were Happening in 1933

In spite of the fact of the “Great Depression” auto manufacturers were producing a variety of automobiles that looked and performed in dramatically different ways. Whereas today it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish different makes of cars; in the dusk it is almost impossible, in 1933 the cars had very distinctive appearances that were much easier to identify.

One notable contrast was the difference between the 1933 Cadillac V-16 and the 1933 Austin Seven pictured below.

1933 Cadillac V-16 1933 Austin SevenCadillac above and Austin below (in case you were wondering)

The Cadillac, even with all 16 cylinders didn’t really measure up to the fabled Pierce Arrow, Silver Arrow…

1933 Pierce Arrow, Silver Arrow

and then for racing fans there was always the 1933 Bugatti.

1933 Bugatti Race Car

At least from an automotive perspective there was a great deal of innovation going on in 1933. There’s no doubt in my mind that any of those on the streets today would make heads turn.

Why Pick 1933 You may well ask?

Well, there is in fact a personal reason I selected that year; that was the year my model made its first appearance.

David Baby PictureThe 1933 model of David

Today I must confess feeling more of a kinship with the Austin than with any of the others. While the Lord has been exceedingly gracious and merciful to me time does take its toll. I actually find it kind of exciting to watch the changes taking place in not only my body but my perspective on life and living.

My wife and I occasionally discuss this and we’ve both observed the differences in our attitude toward life; how less is now quite sufficient for us. I see this as a real blessing from the Lord; as our physical abilities are reduced our expectations and desires are reduced correspondingly. The Lord is always so gracious and loving to His children!

I can recall wondering, as a much younger man, how older people could be at peace with their more limited lifestyles; now I understand and it works beautifully. My wife and I have been blessed with reasonably good health and are still somewhat active around the house. While we both keep busy there is the reassuring realization that when we get tired we can take a nap; nap time is good, very good!

We are having a wonderful time in my retirement; I wouldn’t have missed it for anything except, of course the Rapture, that would be a great reason to miss it!

At Disney Land cropped

(My apologies to those who got an error window yesterday; there was a temporary technical mishap that has now been corrected.)

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