THE FALSE RAPTURE DOCTRINE EXPLAINED

This article was written by a highly respected Christian pastor. It is what the majority of church goers believe. It is a deception of the enemy. We will see how HaSatan has deceived the church as we read. My comments will be in purple. There are no 5 minute discussions in Bible Study. We have been taught many untruths.

This blog was started to challenge much of what we have been taught in the past through deep study of the Scriptures and the fact that Yeshua did not come to start a new religion called Christianity. He came to renew His Father’s Covenant with His people—both Jew and Gentile.

There is much more to the subject of the rapture. I hope this will help you to think critically about what we’ve been traditionally been taught.

The Rapture is perhaps the most important piece of prophecy for us to understand since it could very well impact us personally. This [article] will help you examine what the Rapture is, defend it biblically, and explain its personal and practical importance. Unfortunately we will see how this does not allow the Bible alone to interpret itself.

What is the Rapture? The Rapture is the biblical prophetic event where all who have put their trust in Christ, living and deceased, will suddenly be caught up from earth, be joined with Christ in the air, and taken to heaven. Paul describes the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV – “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The above verses are NOT describing the rapture—they are describing the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD at Yeshua’s ONE and ONLY SECOND COMING. This is very important to understand. You can call our “meeting in the air” caught up (harpazo) as rapture, but this is false. Yeshua only taught that we are resurrected from the dead—never about pre-tribulation escape!

The Second coming, as stated above is “at the trump of God.” This teacher does not understand the Feasts of the Lord as explained in Leviticus 23 and additional explanation in Numbers 16.

Leviticus 23.2 states, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.”

If we are allowing the Bible to interpret itself these are not “Jewish” Feasts, but the “feasts of the Lord.”

Secondly, the Lord is speaking to “the children of Israel” the twelve tribes AND those whom have been grafted into Israel. Ref: Romans 11.17-25, Ephesians 2.11-3.6…we are grafted into Israel…therefore we are grafted into Israel. Search this blog for all of these issues. It is all explained clearly.

The Meaning of “Rapture”

Rapture is derived from the Latin translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which translates the Greek harpazo (to catch up or carry away) as rapiemur from the Latin rapio. The Greek harpazo occurs fourteen times in the New Testament with four variations of meaning, each of which contributes to our understanding of what Paul is describing in verse 17: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with [the dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

First, harpazo can mean “to carry off by force.” Christ will use His power to remove living and deceased believers from the last enemy, death.

Second, harpazo can mean “to claim for oneself eagerly.” Christ purchased us with His blood, and He will return to claim those who are His.

Third, harpazo can mean “to snatch away speedily.” The Rapture will occur “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Fourth, harpazo can mean “to rescue from the danger of destruction.” This meaning supports the idea that the Rapture will save the Church from experiencing the terrors of the seven-year Tribulation.

This coming event is the first part of Christ’s two-part return to earth. First, He’ll remove the Church from the world. Second, seven years later, He’ll establish His Kingdom on earth. For every prophecy in Scripture about Christ’s first advent, there are eight about His second. The 260 chapters of the New Testament contain 318 references to the Second Coming of Christ.

This last paragraph above is not Biblical. There is no two part return. Yeshua comes to save us at the end of the tribulation. How do we know this? By allowing the Bible to interpret itself. If we read the entire chapter of Matthew 24 it is clear He only comes once. That is at the end of the tribulation…read up to Matthew 24.28 then what does verse 29-31 say?

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

³⁰ And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

³¹ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Apostles asked in verse 3 “what are the signs of His coming and end of the world.” Nowhere does it say they will be raptured out. Most of the Apostles died as martyrs! Nowhere does it say they OR we will be “raptured” out! These words were written for All Generations, especially those who will experience the tribulation.

What does the Bible say?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. John 13.16

 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ…1Thess 5.9

During the tribulation God’s wrath will be poured out upon the wicked. The Apostles were told they would be “persecuted” and so will God’s people be in the tribulation. God’s wrath upon the wicked causes them to persecute God’s people.

Are we greater than the Apostles? Where in Matthew 24 is a distinction made?

We are waiting for the Resurrection from the dead and our transformed bodies as written in 1 Corinthians 15.

The Rapture Is Different From Christ’s Second Coming- You cannot show me where it says this anywhere in the written word.

Will the Rapture occur at Christ’s Second Coming? The short answer is, “Yes, but….” The Rapture sets in motion the End-Time events leading to Christ’s Second Coming. The two stages, Rapture and Return, will be separated by a seven-year Tribulation on earth. The purpose of the Rapture is to spare Christ’s own from the horrors of the Tribulation according to Revelation 3:10.  Because those who “Keep my word” are sold out to Yeshua they will not be affected by the testing of the world. That testing is God’s wrath to make the wicked repent, four times in Revelation it says, they refused to repent. Rev 9.20-21; Rev 16.9; 16.11

The prophets saw what appears to be the Tribulation—“the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7)—not the Rapture. But that is not surprising; they didn’t differentiate clearly between the First and Second Advents of Christ. The prophets “inquired and searched carefully” (1 Peter 1:10-11), but they saw more of the big picture than the details. And they didn’t see the Church at all, which is who the Rapture affects. The prophets saw the future like seeing successive mountain peaks through a telephoto lens. They saw the peaks (events), but not the distance that separates them. If we believe there is only one Second coming (there can only be one “second coming”). Jacob’s Trouble is persecution of God’s people Israel AND the Jewish people.

If we are grafted into Israel the tribulation affects us. What most do not understand is what “grafting into Israel” means. It means we become grafted into them.

The issue is that the “church”, mainstream Christianity, has no idea what grafting into Israel means. Again, this is all covered in the blog you are reading.  

Three New Testament passages tell us about the Rapture: John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians are the most complete and form the basis for this discussion. See, they are not understanding there is one Second Coming and that is when we are resurrected from the dead and meet in the air—as the tribulation is coming to an end, not beginning. The above verses are about the resurrection. Read Revelation 19 (His Coming) and 20 (The results of His coming, Millennial Kingdom, final rebellion of nations. White Throne Judgment, satan and angels thrown into Lake of Fire.)

This is why it’s important to understand the Feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23. The three Fall Feasts of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, 10 days later) and Tabernacles (Sukkot) are vital to understand. They contain the HOW of the Second Coming and our resurrection from the dead.

Trumpets—the Trump of God and announcing of His return.

Day of Atonement—Ten days between Trumpets and Day of Atonement represent “the wrath poured out.” The Day of Atonement is when the gates to salvation are closed on the wicked.

Tabernacles—takes place 5 days after Day of Atonement (the number of grace) and represents God dwelling with his people, and the wedding feast of the King. It is a 7 day feast…7 is an important number in the Kingdom.

First, we must note that Paul gained his understanding of the Rapture via special revelation from God—he called it a “mystery” in 1 Corinthians 15:51, meaning a truth not previously revealed. The revelation was “by the word of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15).

Second, Paul shared this revelation in order to meet a practical concern of the Christians in Thessalonica. They were concerned about the fate of Christians who died before Christ’s Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and about the timing of the Rapture—whether it had already happened (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). The above 2 paragraphs are again, describing the resurrection of the dead at the one and only Second Coming of King Yeshua!

Three Reasons the Rapture Could Happen Today—the rest of the article explains what they think will happen and what it means. It is simply false teaching. Not false teaching because they are sinister people, NO, ‘because they are deceived.’ Revelation says SEVEN TIMES that the whole world is deceived.

Finally, the subject of the 144,000 is quite difficult to understand. I am still praying and seeking guidance on Revelation 7. They are a special group of dedicated disciples. They represent the tribes of Israel into which we are grafted. Two tribes are not represented in the 144,000—Dan and Ephraim.

Why? Dan a son of Jacob/Israel and Ephraim a son of Joseph who is GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER MANASSEH. Dan and Ephraim led the northern tribes into idolatry therefore they are not among the 144,000. They represent those who say they follow and are committed BUT were NOT! Christians who refuse to stop sinning.

We see then that Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph’s sons whom Jacob/Israel blessed and grafted into the tribes. Their mother was the daughter of the High Priest of ON in Egypt (Gen 41.45). She bore Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen 41.50-52).

Jacob in Genesis 48 blesses Ephraim and Manasseh and “puts his name upon them.” He is literally GRAFTING THEM INTO ISRAEL. They are not his sons, but rather, Grandsons. They are Joseph’s double blessing as the first born of Rachel whom Jacob loved.

Ephraim and Manasseh are grafted into Jacob/Israel’s family. They represent the grafting in of the Gentiles into Israel! 1 Kings 10 and 11 describe the civil war that divided Israel. The northern Kingdom referred to often in the Bible as Israel separated from the southern tribe of Judah whom represent the ‘Jews’ today (the modern nation is called Israel).

In Genesis 49 after Jacob/Israel blessed Ephraim and Manasseh (in ch 48) he blesses HIS sons Gen 49.1).Then in 49.28 it refers to his SONS as the tribes of Israel. Ephraim and Manasseh are grafted into Israel. Joseph, who receives the double blessing of his sons, and Levi do not receive land inheritance.

However, Joseph and Levi ARE part of the 144,000. So is Manasseh. Dan and Ephraim led the tribes into idolatry and captivity. They have no part in the 144,000 for this sin.

I explained that as simply as I could to say that the 144,000 are comprised mostly of lost tribes (DNA) as they are referred to as special group whom in Revelation 7 who ‘came out of great tribulation’ and serve God in his temple.

Later in Revelation 12 we see a great wonder, a woman who has a manchild caught up to God, who will rule the nations with a rod of iron.

The 144,000 came out of great tribulation in ch 7. The woman is taken to the wilderness and is nourished during the tribulation. How are the woman and the 144,000 connected? Are they one and the same? In the Bible God has hiding places for his special people.

I don’t believe there is a rapturing out, but according to the Biblical pattern there is a place of safety and hiding in scripture…Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Daniel’s friends in the pit, Joseph fleeing to Egypt with Yeshua. A place of safety for some in the tribulation I can see but not a rapture of the ‘church’ that has been falling into apostasy.

We have much to pray about and meditate on in Revelation which we do not yet understand. The RAPTURE IS A DANGEROUS DOCTRINE. BELIEVE AT YOUR OWN RISK! IT WILL DESTROY THE FAITH OF MANY WHEN IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.

I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE INFORMATION BELOW. I hope this will cause those who read to diligently seek and allow the Bible to interpret itself using both O.T and N.T.

This blog has many articles on end time events and what happens when we die. We have been taught many false doctrines which are not supported by Scripture, but are the ‘doctrines of men.’ Do your due diligence and seek the truth.

Reason 1: The Rapture is a signless event.

Unlike the Second Coming, no signs will precede the Rapture. This is called the doctrine of imminency—that is, the Rapture is imminent; it could happen at any moment. Specifically, nothing in God’s prophetic program must take place as a prerequisite to the Rapture. Things may happen but nothing must happen. That means we don’t know when it could happen. It could be today or years from today.

Without any warning, Jesus Christ will return to rapture His saints and take them to heaven. Christians must live prepared lives, ready to meet their Savior at any moment.

Reason 2: The Rapture is a surprise event.

While many through the years have predicted the date of the Rapture and Jesus’ Second Coming, Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:36-39 should be taken literally: No one, including Jesus and the angels, knows the time of His return. Only God the Father knows. Not knowing when Jesus will come for His Church causes us to be ready at all times.

Reason 3: The Rapture is a sudden event.

Paul wrote that the Rapture will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52). “Twinkling” likely refers to the amount of time it takes for light, traveling at 186,000 miles per second, to be reflected on the retina of one’s eye. In less than a nanosecond, the Lord will call believers to Himself!

1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” These are not three distinct sounds, but one sound described three different ways.

This sound will be like a shout, ringing with commanding authority like the voice of an archangel. It will also be like the blare of a trumpet in its volume and clarity. And the sound will be heard only by those who have trusted Christ as Savior. Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come forth!” in John 11:43. His shout of “Come forth!” at the Rapture will not name a single individual, but will be heard by every believer in every grave around the world.

At the moment of the Rapture, God’s people from every era—the disciples, the martyrs of the ages, your godly ancestors, and many more—will rise from their graves.

The Rapture Only Involves Christians                                                                                                                        Each of the three major passages that teach about the Rapture indicate that it involves believers only (including innocent children too young to believe). Anyone who does not trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior will not be raptured into the Lord’s presence and will be left to suffer the horrors of the Tribulation.

Jesus’ words in John 14:1-3 were spoken to His disciples—men who were obviously believers. He assured them that He would prepare a place for them in His Father’s house; they were members of the family of faith in the same way Christians are today. “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (verse 3) describes what we call the Rapture—the uniting of Jesus Christ with His faithful followers.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul talked about “those who are Christ’s at His coming” (verse 23). Verse 1 informs us that the passage was written to “brethren,” and verse 58 concludes the passage by talking about abounding in the work of the Lord, an obvious reference to Christian believers.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul refers to believers as “brethren” (verse 13), as those who “believe that Jesus died and rose again” (verse 14), and as the “dead in Christ” (verse 16).

These passages are clear: the Rapture is restricted to believers. Only those who are followers of Christ will be taken up into heaven when He returns.

Three Ways the Rapture Can Impact Our Life Today

The Rapture can change our life; it is a source of personal comfort and hope. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about it to ease their concerns about their departed loved ones. Death is not final. The resurrection of believers who have died will reverse the effects of death. All who have lost loved ones to the sting of death can be comforted in the knowledge that they will see them again. But it is also a source of strength. Jesus promised His disciples, on the night He was arrested, that He would return for them (John 14:1-3).

It is no wonder that Paul told the Thessalonians to comfort themselves with the truth concerning the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:18). The Rapture can impact our life now, in three ways, while we wait for it to happen.

We can live with expectation.

The letter from Paul to Titus puts into words how the expectation of the Rapture should impact our life:

Titus 2:11-14 KJV – “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and pur”

We can live with dedication.

I am told that Robert Murray M’Cheyne, a brilliant young Scottish preacher who died at age 29 in 1843, wore a watch with the words “The Night Cometh” engraved on its face. Every time he checked his watch, he was reminded that time is marching on. We won’t always have time to win souls for Christ or to consecrate our own life for His service. The apostle John exhorted his readers “not to be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). The imminent return of Jesus for His Church is life’s greatest stimulus for living a dedicated life.

We can live with preparation.

Jesus warned that He is “coming quickly” (Revelation 22:12). That means we should live every day as if He were coming that day. But will we be ready? Will we be found with heart and hands dedicated to serving Him at the moment we see Him face to face? Even more important, have we committed ourselves by faith to Christ, so we are assured of being part of His Church that is called into His presence at the Rapture? When the Rapture occurs, there will be no opportunity to decide. Be sure that you have said “Yes” to Christ so that you will be prepared to rejoice at His appearing.

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David Jeremiah is an author, the founder and host of Turning Point for God, and the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church.

 

UNDERSTANDING HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY WARFARE FROM A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING

This post will help us understand the spiritual war that we are to overcome in the armor of God. War is hell.

A question I have always asked myself is: “Why is there so much war and bloodshed among human kind?” Many others ask, “If God is love, how can He allow this?”

We must understand first and foremost it is God allowing us to do it to ourselves. At some point He will intervene at the end of this age when He saves us from ourselves. Until then blood is going to be shed among man because man has rebelled against God and His Commandments.

The life of a human is in the blood (Leviticus 17.11). It is a great sin to murder and kill. Life is precious in God’s sight.

The word says that Satan the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10.10). When did this begin? Our investigation will allow the Bible to interpret itself. Isaiah 45 is where we start:

For thus has the LORD said that creates the heavens; God himself that forms the earth, he who made it and established it. He did not create it in vain; he created it to be inhabited; I am the LORD; and there is no one else. Isaiah 45.18

The earth was created to be inhabited.

 I form the light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil: I am the LORD that does all this. Isaiah 45.7

God created darkness, He makes peace and creates evil! This is interesting. How does God create evil?

He gave his creations, both man and angels, free will to make decisions. God did not create robots. Free will to decide means man and angels can choose—choose to obey or disobey. Disobedience is rebellion. Rebellion can lead to evilness. Satan rebelled from God because he became full of himself and wanted to take the throne from God.

 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, who didst claim the GentilesNations as an inheritance! Thou who said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven; upon high next to the stars of God I will exalt my throne: and I will sit upon the mount of the testimony and in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be cast down to Sheol/the grave, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14.12-15

Satan wanted to exalt his throne, the one God gave him, above the mount of testimony (the mount of God). Satan ascended above the clouds to God’s throne to be like the most high.

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering: the sardius, topaz, diamond, turquoise, onyx, and beryl, the sapphire, ruby, and emerald, and gold; the works of thy tambourines and of thy pipes were prepared in thee in the day that thou was created.

Thou, great cherubim, was covered, and I placed thee; thou was in the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked among stones of fire. Thou was perfect in all thy ways from the day that thou was created, until iniquity was found in thee. Satan was created perfect until iniquity was found in him.

Because of the multitude of thy trafficking thou was filled with violence, and thou hast sinned; and I cast thee out of the mountain of God, and I cast thee unto evil from among the stones of fire, O cherubim that was covered. Thine heart lifted thee up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I will cast thee to the earth; I will expose thee before the kings, that they may behold thee.

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuary by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy trafficking; therefore I brought forth fire from the midst of thee, which has consumed thee, and I brought thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all those that behold thee. All those that knew thee from among the peoples shall marvel over thee; thou hast been greatly disturbed, and thou shalt not exist again forever. Ezekiel 28.13-19

Satan was a covering cherub—perhaps the most powerful angel in heaven—covering the ark with his wings. He was God’s perfect creation—yet he rebelled.

This began a war in the heavens above the earth.

The Bible indicates that the earth was created to be a beautiful peaceful place prior to the 6 days of creation.

Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou know? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; Job 38.4-12

For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. Isaiah 45.18

God laid the foundations. The morning stars sang together at the creation and shouted for joy! Here shall you come but no further (Lucifer). The earth was formed to be inhabited.

In Genesis 1.1 it says God created the heaven and the earth. In verse 2 it says the earth was void and without form. If the angels sang for joy at the creation of an earth that was to be inhabited what happened between verses one and two?

Is it possible Lucifer (who later becomes Satan) was given dominance over the earth during its formation and young days? Did Satan rebel at this time and ascend into heaven to take the throne? As you can see we can make a Biblical case for this. Why else was the earth without form and void. Was it due to the rebellion of Satan and one third of the angels?

I always have wondered about the Book of Jude and what Jude is talking about.

 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 6-7

Was the first estate of Satan and his angels the job to oversee the formation of earth in its early days of creation? They decided to rebel and the earth becomes formless and void. It was inhabited by the angels during this time but they rebelled. They ascended up to heaven it says in Isaiah 14.13 to usurp the throne.

This was the beginning of war in heaven. Satan and a third of God’s creation decided to take things into their own hands and become the rulers. They thought they could over throw the Creator. The earth was formless and void. There was war in the heavens. There was violence in the heavens due to Satan’s traffic/merchandise. Ezekiel 28.16

Look at the moon and some of the planets. They are scarred with craters. Even the earth has some gigantic craters from the ancient past. Was this due to WAR IN HEAVEN? Is Jude describing a heavenly war with large objects striking the earth and planets?

In any event war and violence began when Lucifer rebelled. The word violence in Hebrew means destruction, malice, ruthlessness, fierceness—violence!

In this sense God created evil as stated in Isaiah 45.7. God gave His creation freedom to choose. We choose good or evil. This is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Trees represent people in the Bible. The olive tree is Israel. The tree of good and evil represents the choices we make.

Will we yield to the Creator and choose wisely and good or choose disobedience and our own wicked desires? It is a choice between life and death—the knowledge of good and evil. This knowledge either brings us eternal peace in God or death.

Satan chose the way of death. He then enticed Adam and Eve into the same choice. He comes to steal (our inheritance), kill (murder), and destroy (tear down). This was the beginning of violence and war. It began when Lucifer became full of himself.

He is the prince of this world. Mankind is under the influence of his evil spirit. Humankind chooses to follow Satan’s path of self, greed, the lust for power, false witness, and lies. The law of God is ignored.

God’s Royal Laws are intended for bringing us blessings and good. Man chooses violence. Abortion is an excellent example of man’s violence.

Violence, war, and bloodshed is the way the world chooses--to be under the power of darkness rather than coming over to God’s Way of Light. To obedience to God’s Royal Law.

Don’t blame God for the wrongs in this world. He must allow it. He must give us freedom to choose. We love to blame God for the violence in the world. How could He allow this if He is a God of Love? This is exactly why He allows it. He loves us enough to allow us to choose. Life or death? Our Father allows us to choose because of His great love for us.

This is why He sent His beloved son to redeem us from this violent bloody world. It was upholding the law…life for a life…blood for blood…the life is in the blood. Yeshua saves us! He restores us to eternal life through the shedding of His precious blood. The Eternal’s sacrifice of Love towards His creation.

Amidst all the beauty of this fallen world there is violence due to trafficking—the world of competition and striving for personal glory, power, and riches. This is Satan’s domain. This is his specialty. It is how he steals, kills, and destroys us. The choice belongs to each and every one who has ever lived. Ezekiel 28.18 – Traffic = Heb. 7404 = trading of merchandize = human merchandize or traffing.

Yeshua told us to “not to love the world and the things of the world.” Be content with what you have and are given by Yahweh. We belong to a Holy Kingdom—God’s Kingdom. We are supposed to give—not take.

There will be blood and war until the King comes and puts down the rebellion once and for all. Then he will sit down at the right hand of Yahweh and give His Father the Kingdom.

Yet a little while and He will come and save us! We will occupy in His name until that day! He will establish the kingdom in a final violent heavenly war and reward his faithful servants in that day.

A final Judgment is described in Revelation 20. When He comes those who have chosen His way will be resurrected from the grave and given eternal life. This is the first resurrection. Those who rise at this time the second death (resurrection) will have no power over them. After the Millennial Kingdom of a thousand years the White Throne Judgment will find Satan and his angels thrown into the pit of fire along with his angels and servants.

God allows His creation to live violently but that is not what He desires for us. It is our choice. His desire is for us to love His word and commandments so that we can walk in His love. We should reflect His love in a violent world. Choose well.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE FINE POINT OF YHVH’S ROYAL LAW – THE TORAH 

I hope that I can explain this fine point of the law. It is very important to understand how the church moved away from its Hebraic foundations after the Apostle’s died. Remember, we have crossed over into Y’shua. The meaning of the word Hebrew is “one who has crossed or passed over.”

Abraham was not a Jew—he was a Hebrew (Gen 14.13). He was called out of a pagan culture and he crossed over into the one true YHVH. Anyone who is born again into Y’shua the Messiah has become a Hebrew! You are not a Jew and you are not a Christian. Do you see it? You are now a Hebrew—Jew and Gentile in Y’shua—one NEW MAN. We have crossed over into Y’shua. We understand we are not “justified by the law.”

“All who rely on observing the Torah of Moshe are under a curse. For it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the Torah’” (Galatians 3:10).

“Clearly no one is justified before Elohim by the Torah, because the righteous will live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). Note: Martin Luther said, "By faith alone." That is not what the word says.

“In YHWH all the generations of Israel will be justified, and in Him they will boast” (Isaiah 45:25).

Is this clear? It is obedience to Elohim’s laws—coming from the KNOWLEDGE that they came from Him. A few more verses…are you understanding this fine point? The Law is our “Code of Conduct” – how we treat one another.

“And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

“You will receive a curse if you reject the commands of YHWH your Elohim and turn from his way by worshiping foreign gods” (Deuteronomy 11:28).

“Then afterward he read all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the Torah” (Joshua 8:34).

The curse of the Torah does not cause Torah to pass away! If Paul is trying to undermine Torah why would he quote from the Torah as he uses the Torah as his authority and in his teaching?

“Clearly no one is justified before Elohim by the Torah, because the righteous will live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). Also found in Habakkuk 2.4

He is saying, the ritual is empty without accepting the fact that the requirement comes from YHVH.

“The Torah is not based on faith; on the contrary, the man who does these things will live by them” (Galatians 3:12). Nobody can live without breaking some law.

The Torah is the Instruction Manual—the Code of Conduct. We are not getting ourselves all tied up in knots “trying to do it.” We walk in the "spirit of the law" so to speak, our Code of Conduct.

When I was in the US Air Force we had a Code of Conduct. We spent several days going over it and discussing it. They were all common sense rules of how we should conduct ourselves and how we should dress as soldiers representing the USAF.

 It was not burdensome for us to do. We were not uptight about conducting ourselves in the prescribed manner. It became natural as we progressed through our training. This is how TORAH is!

“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Mashiyach Y’shua, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Galatians 3:14).

“The promise of the Spirit” is that YHVH spoke to Abraham and WHEN Abraham did as he was instructed, he received the blessing of YHVH for himself and the entire world for his OBEDIENCE!

Here is the fine point: The “curse of the Torah” is simply that Torah shows us what sin is and sets a standard for perfection! The Torah then points us to redemption, salvation, deliverance, and judgment--to everlasting life or everlasting contempt upon resurrection (Daniel 12.1-10).

“Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? Not at all! Rather, we establish the Torah” (Romans 3:31). There it is! It is a fine point that has been lost in our Gentile church.

Paul never discarded the Torah, nor did Y’shua (Matt 5.17-20). Teach the Code of Conduct and be great in the Kingdom!

Y'shua fulfilled the Torah in his life and is our model of how to conduct ourselves. This has eternal ramifications in the Millennial Kingdom where there are rewards for what we have done in this life.

Once we come to understand this fine point everything begins to make sense. It is a literal “crossing over” that establishes our faith on a ROCK SOLID FOUNDATION.

Without a firm Hebrew understanding of the word, it’s all just Greek to us!

 

KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING AND INTREPRETING BIBLE PROPHECIES 

The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Revelation 12.9

It is very difficult for God’s people to be unified in our day and age. One of the reasons for this is that many of God’s people are deceived. Until we begin to let the Bible interpret itself God’s people will continue to be deceived. We cannot have unity until we recognize the truth. We must learn to let the Bible interpret itself. We need to study in a “lawyerly” manner and make sure we understand what the word is saying based on a preponderance of evidence. Until then there will be many who are deceived and a few who understand the truth. 

1. GOD CONTROLS THE FUTURE

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Isaiah 46.9-10

God is in control and only He truly knows the future. He is working out His plans on the earth. God reveals His future plans to us through the prophetic books of the Bible. The Bible is the only accurate source of the future to come. One third of the Bible is prophecy. It is a sure word…2 Peter 1.19-21

2. THE TRUE CHURCH IS FOUNDED ON PROPHECY

Knowing this first that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1.20-21

God’s Bible prophecy is taught by His servants. We should not read our own personal interpretation into Bible prophecies. We are to search the scriptures in order to understand our foundations and prophecy…Ephesians 2.20

3. PROPHECY WAS WRITTEN FOR OUR DAY

Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Daniel 12.8-9 

Many professing Christians believe the Old Testament prophecies are irrelevant today. God tells us that our foundation is built on the prophets, with Jesus as the cornerstone. Daniel did not understand what was given him but he wrote it down because God wanted a future generation to understand it. We are living in the time of the end.

4. PROPHCY IS DUAL

“Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; let them show the former things, what they were, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come. Isaiah 41.22 

And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving Spirit. Howbeit the spiritual is not first, but the natural; and afterward, that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord of heaven. 1 Corinthians 15.45-47 

The theme of duality runs throughout the Bible. There is an earthly Jerusalem and a New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12.22/Rev 21.2). There is an Old Covenant and a New Covenant. Understand that duality is the key to understanding prophecy and the Bible comes alive.

We need to be students of history. Understanding Biblical history unlocks the purposes of God for humanity…Now all these things happened unto them as types, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come (1 Corinthians 10.11).

5. THE BIBLE INTERPRETS ITSELF

The mystery of the seven stars which thou saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands which thou saw are the seven congregations Rev 1.20…stars represent angels.

As we can see above, the Bible interprets its own symbols. God uses symbols, analogies, metaphors, and allegories to describe future events. We need to understand what is literal and what is symbolic. God interprets the symbols to us if we take the time to do word study and interpret scripture in the proper context.

6. UNDERSTAND BIBLE SYMBOLS

And there appeared another sign in the heaven; and, behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads…And the great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, who is called Devil and the Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Rev 12:3, 9

A serpent or dragon = Satan. Gen 3.1; Rev 12.3; 9

Beasts = symbols of Gentile nations. Daniel 7.3-5, 17; Rev 13.1-11

Mountains = symbols of large nations or governments. Isaiah 2.2; Jeremiah 51.24-25; Dan 2.35

Floods = symbols of armies. Jeremiah 46.8; 47.2; Dan 11.22; Rev 12.15-16

7. PROPHETIC TIME INTERVALS

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to preach good tidings unto those who are cast down; to bind up the wounds of the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to order in Zion those that mourn, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61.1-3

Understanding time intervals is very important to understand Isaiah, Daniel, and Revelation. When Jesus read the scripture quoted above he stopped just before “vengeance of our God” because that part did not apply to His first coming which He was fulfilling at that time. The rest of that scripture will be fulfilled at His second coming. This is a time interval of more than 2,000 years! Many prophecies have time intervals--we need to understand this.

8. THE RIGHTEOUS UNDERSTAND PROPHECY

Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12:10

If you want God to reveal His truth to you it is important to be living a righteous lifestyle (see post: The Un-noticed Wages of Sin). God reveals things to those who willing obey His commands. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111.10). If you are diligent in seeking God’s path for your life you will be able to understand the Word of God. He will begin to teach you how to let the Bible, His WORD, interpret itself.