Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 19, 2016

Palm Sunday 2016 and its Enormous Significance!

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday

Tomorrow we celebrate the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem where He had come to die. This week was to be a terrible time of testing for the Jewish nation although they had no idea of the great significance of what was to happen from that point onward.

The exact date for this momentous event had been prophesied by the Prophet Daniel and that prophecy, among many others, was being perfectly fulfilled by our Lord as He rode into the city. I would say it was certain that among the tens of thousands present that day only the Lord understood the staggeringly wondrous truths that were being put into place.

Four hundred and eighty three years had passed since the beginning of the third and final group of three 490 year periods that had been given to Israel by God. The second group had ended with the Babylonian captivity and now the third group of 490 years had been put on hold at year 483 as also foretold by Daniel.

Israel was being set aside for an unspecified number of years while a mystery was revealed, the mystery of the church and the age of grace, the age in which we now live. The remaining 7 years promised to Israel would resume at a point yet future when Israel would sign a covenant with the Antichrist.

The Entry into Jerusalem

Contrary to what we customarily celebrate, the entry was on a Monday, not a Sunday and it was not triumphal for our Lord; it was a time of great sadness as evidenced by Luke 19:41-42 where it is written, “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

The particular Greek word used for wept means a loud wracking sob; our Lord’s body was shaken by His sobs as He entered Jerusalem. He is likely the only one who understood the enormity of what was happening; the Jewish nation was being temporarily set aside, their rejection of their Messiah was going to yield great suffering for centuries to come. Their judgment would be severe and is still in force today.

It is likely, in His omniscience, that Jesus saw the Jerusalem of 70 AD as destroyed by Titus and could also see the bodies of some of those welcoming Him as they lay silent in death. This was a momentous, tragic moment that was being recognized only by the Lord and the thought of what was going to befall Jerusalem and His people reduced Him to wracking sobs. I suspect His disciples were totally confused by His reaction to the sight of Jerusalem and the excited crowds.

There is another extremely touching aspect of our Lord’s entering Jerusalem on Nisan 10. If we examine Exodus 12:3 we read, “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month (Nisan) each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” This was part of the instructions given to Israel on the occasion of the first Passover in Egypt. The family would select a perfect lamb and place it on display in front of their dwelling so all could see they were offering the Lord their very best.

God’s Passover Lamb put on display

On March 30, AD33, the 10th of Nisan, the Father put His Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world on display for all Jerusalem to see that the Father was offering them His very best.

After the passing of that day Israel had been set aside for an undetermined number of years. Today we are at year 1,983 and still counting as Israel continues to suffer judgments until the return of the Lord they rejected.

The countdown clock on Israel’s last 490 years will recommence when Israel signs a covenant agreement with the Antichrist; this event and not the rapture of the church will be the trigger that starts their final countdown and the beginning of the Tribulation.

While this was an amazing week, filled with suffering and anguish for our Lord and judgment for Israel, it was the reason our Lord took on human form; that was necessary that He might die for our sins. The moment of triumph was coming soon, the following week our Lord would rise from the dead having perfectly paid the price of our redemption.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

(First published March 28, 2015, updated and revised)

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 14, 2016

The Amazing Wonder of All Life

Life is Precious

Abby in Her New Bunk Bed

Abby Cat, Texas

In this world we are surrounded by life; an incredible diversity of life that can overwhelm the senses. Yet despite this abundance and diversity each life is precious; every life we see is a unique creation, a one of a kind never to be repeated living creature.

Nothing speaks to the grandeur of God more than this divine attention to detail; in nature nothing is mass produced as in a factory, each component of God’s creation is unique. I recall my wonder when I first heard no two snowflakes are identical; they are all different; what a wonderful God we have!

What a wonder that each living being, large or small is unique; a never to be repeated bundle of life that is an individual with it’s own personality.

Joshua

Joshua Mose, Kenya

A Shared Boat Ride

 What is equally amazing to consider is the fact that all of us have a genealogy that goes all the way back to Noah’s Ark; at a very critical point in the history of the world we all shared a boat ride on Noah’s Ark. As mankind we all narrow down to one father and one mother, Noah and his wife.

I don’t know how that makes you feel but it gives me a deep respect for the lives of every living being whether human or animal; their ancestry is just as long as ours.

A Job Given

In Genesis 1:26 we read:

“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

What do you think God had in mind when he designated man as a ruler over all of the creatures named above? Does the Bible give us any clues as to how a ruler should behave? I believe it does in the story of the good shepherd where in John 10:11 we read:

“11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

I’m inclined to think this is the pattern of rulership the Lord had intended man to exercise over His creation; a rulership of loving care and protection over all God’s creatures great and small.

A Job Forfeited

The tragic story of Adam’s disobedience brought this chapter to a close with shocking suddenness. The position of rulership which God had planned for Adam was taken away and forfeited to Satan; the sad situation in which we find ourselves today.

There remains today a slight vestige of the loving care and protection for God’s creatures in the soul of man. Although distorted by sin, many still feel that loving concern for God’s creatures, especially perhaps, those whose spirits have again been brought to life by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

We see evidence all over the world of concern for the animal kingdom; there seems to be no shortage of groups who have developed a passion for the well being of different animal groups. Everything from the immediate concern for a small or even a large animal in a perilous situation to those committed to saving the whales exhibits this concern for animals.

I believe this is all a part of our being created in the image of God and even though severely damaged by sin this image is still operational to some degree. Stories of heroic rescues of animals abound in history as well as stories of mankind being rescued by animals. There is likely a relationship there which will only be restored by the Second Advent of our Lord.

A Better Future

We read of a time when God’s plan for His creation will be more fully implemented, in Isaiah 11:6-9 it is written:

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
    and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

We all have a dream of something better, a deep seated certainty that there is more to life than what we are experiencing now. The Bible reveals the truth of this dream and describes a time when love, peace and harmony will prevail. This is the scene alluded to in the verses above; a time when the distortions produced by sin will be suppressed. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 it is written:

“11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

 We all look forward to that future time and can know with certainty it’s not a question of if, but when. As eternal beings we, as Christians, will have our full share of all God has planned for His children. I rejoice in the promise God has made to us:

“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.”

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | March 7, 2016

What is Baptism in the Church Age?

What does it mean to be baptized?

There seems to be a great diversity of opinion today on the subject of baptism; one hears of baptism by sprinkling, baptism by immersion, baptism of the Holy Spirit, the second blessing, infant baptism and other assorted variations.

It might be helpful to devote some time to the New Testament’s teachings on baptism during the age of the church.

The Greek word for water baptism used in the New Testament is transliterated into English as baptizo and implies immersion in water. With the act of baptism the born again Christian is identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord, this is described in Colossians 2:12 where it is written:

“12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Baptism by immersion is clearly the only way to symbolically match the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord and is reserved for those who have received Christ as Savior and been born again.

Water baptism by immersion and after salvation is a command; while not a direct part of the salvation of the sinner it should follow as a result of that salvation. Water baptism should be seen as a time of joy and rejoicing in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is a celebration of salvation in Christ!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the salvation process. It is by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, that the new believer is baptized into the body of Christ, the church. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not something that comes later to special Christians but something that happens to every born again Christian at the time of their salvation. Paul speaks to this in Romans 8:9-11 where it is written:

“9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

There is no Biblical basis for thinking in terms of a “second blessing;” if someone has been born again they have the Holy Spirit living inside them forever. This is explained in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it is written:

“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

Infant Baptism

 Infant baptism does not save; only personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and the baptism of the Holy Spirit saves and all that is of God and not of man. The sequence of salvation is given in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9:

“5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

As Christians we can plant the seed of the gospel and we can water it but only God can give the increase!

 Where can Baptism be Celebrated?

I recently received a letter from a Christian who asked if one could be baptized in a swimming pool. I told him I knew of no Biblical restrictions on what sort of body of water was acceptable for water baptism; it just had to be large enough for full immersion to properly symbolize the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

I still have vivid memories of a baptismal service at a small church that had no built-in baptistry. Instead a very large watering trough for farm animals was brought in to the front of the auditorium and filled with water. Instead of sitting in their seats and watching from a distance the congregation gathered around the tank; they cheered and applauded the people as they were baptized and even hugged them as they emerged, wet clothing and all. This was followed by singing and rejoicing unlike anything I’ve ever seen before or since!

This baptismal service had turned baptism into the celebration of Christ that it should always be; a time of joy and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. I feel blessed to have been a witness to that inspiring occasion; my memories of that event still bring a smile and a chuckle to me as I reflect on it.

I’m confident those who were baptized at that service as well as those who were privileged to witness it will never forget it.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 28, 2016

A Surprising Discovery!

A Time to Celebrate

Disney World 2 1-12-14

I’ve made a discovery, a discovery that I hadn’t expected and really didn’t know it was available to be made. It is an important discovery and explains a lot I had never previously understood.

The catalyst for this discovery was my gradual progress toward my 83rd birthday which is today; I’ve never been 83 before so this is an entirely new experience for me.

What did I Discover?

I have observed others and watched the obvious physical symptoms of aging but really had no idea how much my perceptions of life would change as I aged. These changes were not something I had planned and in fact I had no reason to even expect them but nevertheless they have happened and are continuing to develop.

This has been of great interest to me as I begin to better understand the point of view I had observed in older people and could not really comprehend. When I was a much younger man I was asked by the national homebuilding company for which I worked to evaluate retirement living as a possible area of enterprise.

I joined national organizations, attended meetings and conferences all over the United States and made it a point to visit many retirement homes all over the country.

I was not able to understand how these older people could endure the limited lifestyles offered by even the finest of these facilities. How could they possibly think in such restricted terms? I could imagine them emotionally chafing under the restrictions imposed by their aging bodies.

God’s Grace in Action

What had totally escaped my attention was the fact their perceptions of their situation had changed as their bodies aged. Those in normal physical health for their age were not generally suffering with the increased restrictions imposed by their bodies but were largely at peace with them.

This factor, changed perceptions, has probably been my greatest surprise as I have aged; there are so many things that were important to me as a young man in which I no longer have any interest.

While I had taken no steps to initiate these changes, they have come regardless and now I see them as God’s blessings to His children as they age. I move a little slower these days but I’m at complete peace with that change; I see it as God’s grace in action!

What Does the Future Hold?

One of the many joys of being a Christian is the opportunity provided to simply trust in God for the future. Only the Lord knows how many more years He has planned for me and I am completely content to leave all of that up to Him! I have been blessed, by God’s grace, with reasonably good health and with the aid of dentists, doctors and surgeons have managed to hold it all together to this point.

Only the Lord knows how I will fare both physically and mentally in the remaining years He has appointed to me but I trust Him and have learned to lean on Him for the present and the future.

It is my greatest desire to always be available to my beloved wife to love her and care for her as long as she needs me and I pray to God that He will allow for me to do just that. I comfort myself with the sure knowledge that He loves her even more than I do and will always watch over her regardless of what may happen to me.

Please forgive me if you feel I sound somewhat sentimental in this essay; after all celebrating one’s 83rd birthday should provide certain liberties, don’t you think?

One last thought, another source of joy is the beautiful promise we all have from the Lord in Romans 8:28-30 where it is written:

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 22, 2016

The Image of God

You are created in the image of God.

A vitally important fact of our existence is often overlooked or ignored; we were created in the image of God. While the impact of that is not immediately apparent, it is, nevertheless, something we should consider as we think on our lives. The truth of the matter is all human beings are distinctly different from all else in creation as only we were created in the image of God.

Hardwired in our Brains

A recent article suggests that the image of God extends to the way our brains are hardwired; God is an inherent part of the way we think. I believe we can all agree this makes perfect sense since we are created in the image of God.

“Scientists Prove Your Brain “Recognizes the Reality of God” by Jessilyn Justice : Feb 17, 2016 : Charisma News

“Psychologists and anthropologists deemed that children left to their own devices would have some conception of God. Some attribute this to our innate sense of detecting patterns in the world (as to discern predators or prey in nature), while others propagate the notion of a ‘supersense’—or a cognitive tendency to infer hidden forces in the world working for good or ill,” says Shaheen E. Lakhan, who holds several doctorate degrees, including an M.D.

Even if you were never taught to believe in God, your brain could still recognize His existence. Such is the premise of Romans 1, and a roundtable discussion set to air on National Geographic.

According to National Geographic, fascinating new research has uncovered the possibility that believing in God may be hardwired in our brains.

Lakhan’s statements back up those of Andrew Newberg, who actively researches “neurotheology.”

More on this is available by clicking on the link below:

science-proves-your-brain-recognizes-the-reality-of-god-researchers-say 

You are going to Live Forever!

There is never a shortage of movies and TV shows about one or more characters who are eternals; it seems as if we are fascinated by the thought of living forever.

If you wonder in what other ways you bear the image of God one of those ways is the simple fact that you are a true eternal; there will never be a future time in which you are not present. The brief time you spend in your mortal body is nothing in comparison to the eternity yet to come.

 We are told early in Genesis that man was created in the image of God; in Genesis 1:26-27 it is written:

“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.”

We are given further insight into this process of creation in Genesis 2:7 we are told:

“7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

Up to that point all of creation had been spoken into existence but man was unique, man was breathed into existence by the breath of God; God was fulfilling His decision to make man in His own image.

The Image is Damaged but not Destroyed

We are told in Genesis 3:6-7:

“6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

God had warned Adam that if he disobeyed the command that he would die and at the point of disobedience Adam died spiritually and caused the spiritual death of Eve and all future descendents that might be born of a human father!

Although the image of God had been damaged by disobedience, there yet remained a critically important part of God’s image that remained intact and that was God’s eternal life.

Every human being born has eternal life and will never die; every human being will have a living presence in God’s creation in both time and eternity. The most important question is where will that eternity be spent, what are the options?

Walking Down the Street

If we fully grasp this reality of life every human being we see on the street or elsewhere will be seen as an eternal being created in the image of God. The mortal body they occupy at the moment is only a temporary dwelling, one that will be left behind; the occupant of the dwelling is, however, eternal and must effectively deal with the eternal consequences of their decisions.

While this shift in perspective is difficult and contrary to popular opinion it is, nevertheless, the ultimate expression of reality and the best way to establish priorities for living that really matter.

The validity of all of our decisions must necessarily depend on the degree to which they relate to reality and as I have mentioned before in What is Reality  true reality is the Trinity, all else is derived and dependent.

The Consequences of Spiritual Death

It is clear from the Bible that all men have died once, a spiritual death brought about by the disobedience of Adam. God’s solution to that problem was the new birth, being born again by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ delivers the one born again from the dangers of the second death.

What is the second death, well that’s one death you want to avoid if at all possible. The Bible tells us of the second death in Revelation 20:11-15:

“11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

One of the most fearsome aspects of the lake of fire is its eternal nature; it is a punishment that will never end. Considering the extremely deadly consequences of misreading reality it becomes important indeed that we see reality as it really is, the Trinity.

I concluded my article on reality with the following paragraph which I present again for your consideration.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have effectually and successfully responded to true reality; your life will have been a success regardless of whatever else may happen.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | February 15, 2016

Agonizing Over Past Sins

The Burden of Past Sins can Haunt our Memory

In my work with Global Media Outreach I get many letters from Christians who are deeply troubled by their memories of past sins. They can feel so troubled they question whether God could even love them or forgive them because of what they have done.

They even question their salvation; how could someone who is really saved have sinned so badly? This is further complicated by the fact that although they regret those sins they continue to fail and sin again; how could God love such a sinner, they wonder?

All of us can be burdened with this problem if we let our feelings take control of our minds. As Christians we are cautioned to proceed on the basis of our knowledge of Bible doctrine, not our feelings!

Much of this can come from a misconception of the sin problem; we have a painful awareness of our own personal failings and our inability to consciously and consistently live a holy life. We seem to think that God’s approval is reserved for those who live exemplary lives essentially free of the pathetic sins that seem to plague us.

Some may even try to measure their “goodness” with the perceived “goodness” of others and might, as in the case of the Pharisees, find themselves to be worthy of God’s approval.

The basic problem with all of this is a serious misunderstanding of the sin barrier between God and man. Is our personal sin the culprit in our alienation from God or is our personal sin only a symptom of a deeper problem?

The Bible goes to some lengths to explain the true nature of our problem; the problem started before the law was even given. Without the law, without a moral standard, can there even be a sinful transgression?

The Source of the Problem

The Bible makes it clear that the penalty of sin is death but if that’s the case why did people die before the law was given? How can something be wrong if there is no standard against which to measure an action?

The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans 5:12-14 when he writes:

“12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”

Is Paul saying that all people were charged with sin because of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden? Yes, that is exactly what Paul is saying; the underlying sin problem between God and man is Adam’s sin, not personal sin!

Just as a fever does not cause the flu, but is only a symptom of the presence of the flu virus; personal sin does not cause our alienation from God but is only a symptom of the real cause, our spiritual death in Adam.

The Cross Changes That Too!

When Christ uttered the words, “It is finished!” things changed forever. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for all of the sins of the entire world past, present, and future! The impact of 1 John 2:1-2 is far reaching:

“2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

That is an enormous revelation, this means the penalty for all personal sin was paid at the cross. Personal sin is no longer the issue; the only issue remaining is receiving the forgiveness offered by Christ’s death on the cross.

All of this worrying over more or less personal sin is nothing more than a waste of time as far as the Christian’s place in God’s family is concerned; they were all washed away by the shed blood of Christ.

For reasons known only to God, it pleased God to save the soul and the spirit but not the body. The born again Christian still inhabits a mortal body with a sin nature; a body which can have no part in heaven and must be either discarded or transformed at the rapture.

Quenching the Power of the Holy Spirit

When Christians receive Christ as personal Savior they are  spiritually baptised into the church, the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Additionally the Holy Spirit indwells each Christian and will never, ever, leave them. We are told in Romans 8:9-11:

“9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

While the Holy Spirit will never leave the Christian the power of the Holy Spirit can be quenched by unconfessed sin in the believer’s life leaving the sin nature in control. In 1 John 1:9 we are told of confession of sin; confession of sin restores the power of the Holy Spirit in the Christian’s life and permits a Spirit led life.

The Challenges of Battle

I have written extensively on the spiritual war in which all Christians are engaged (To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War) so I will only mention it briefly here. In this context I only want to point out how the Christian’s success as a soldier of the Lord, as well as their general quality of life, will depend on keeping the Holy Spirit empowered in their lives.

Overcoming the evil forces of this world and our own sin nature requires a fully functioning and fully operational Spirit of God at work in the Christian’s life.

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:25 NLT

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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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