MEANING OF THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN REVELATION

Posted on by

This post follows my previous post: Purpose of the seven letters to the Churches in Revelation. It proposes that each of the Seven Churches represents the Church in one of the seven years of the 70th week of Daniel. The first letter is to the Church during the First Year of the 70th Week of Daniel, the second letter is to the Church during the Second Year, etc. Scripture provides multiple other “pictures” of these seven years, particularly the seven seals and Jesus Olivet Discourse. Studying these other scriptures provides a stunningly consistent Pattern of Seven Events: 1) Deception by False Messiahs, 2) War and Bloodshed, 3) Famine, 4) Abomination of Desolation, 5) Martyrdom and Apostasy, 6) Celestial/Earthly Disturbance and Rapture, and then the 7) Wrath of God/Day of the Lord.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE LETTERS

Not only do the letters match the seven-year pattern. they also all have a somewhat complex internal structure consistent among each of the seven letters. This internal structure shared by all the letters helps the reader to compare and contrast how the environment surrounding the Church is changing during each year and how the Church reacts to this changing environment. Let’s look at the basic elements of these seven letters. Each of the church names has a symbolic meaning. Each letter is addressed to an angel in the church. John is commanded to write to the angels. Angels who stand before God himself have no need to have a human write to them. Human messengers need divine revelation, so this highly favors an interpretation that the “angels” are human messengers that relay God’s instructions to his churches. According to Nelson Walters the “angels” of each church are those that bring the message of “overcoming” to the Christians during each year of the 70th Week of Daniel. Many will die and be martyred, so the “angels” may differ from year to year in each of the churches. Each of the letters includes a call to listen, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” This call to listen is a favourite phrase of Jesus that he included at the end of many of his parables (Matt. 11:15, 13:9, 13:43; Mark 4:9, 4:23; Luke 8:8, 14:35). The extended Parable of the Sower in Luke 8 seems to give the best understanding of this phrase. I believe this is the primary reference Jesus was giving us when he used this phrase in each of the seven letters. By quoting the reference to this parable in each of the letters, Jesus is telling us that only a portion of the Christians will have a receptive heart (good soil) for his message. Notice those with good soil will hear, retain, and persevere. By quoting from this parable (Luke 8:5-8) in each of the seven letters, Jesus is warning us there will be those in each year of the 70th Week that “fall away,” and for Christians to be mindful of the snares the devil will set. Now that we have examined the two common elements—-they are all addressed to an “angel” and they all have the same “call to hear”—-let’s investigate each of the individual seven letters.

If the letters are prophecy, then the name given to each church may be symbolic of the general condition facing believers during that respective year of the 70th Week of Daniel, and the purpose of all of Revelation is to prepare and equip believers to overcome this time of trial.

Concerning the first letter, Ephesus means “the desired one.” This name is highly reflective of the immense spiritual battle about to take place. God and Satan both desire the souls of believers. All of the 70th Week of Daniel will revolve around this battle. In year one Satan’s counterfeit messiah and False Prophet will burst upon the world scene. The conflict for the souls of believers will be between the false messiahs and the true Messiah, Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. The battle lines are drawn for the “desired one.”

The attributes of Jesus’s appearance mentioned in the letter to each church is symbolic. The description of Jesus to the church in Ephesus is: “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:” (Rev. 2:1) Jesus himself has defined both of these aspects of his appearance for us. The seven stars are the angels of each church. Human messengers delivering Jesus’s instructions on how to overcome the 70th Week of Daniel. Jesus holds these angels in his right hand. The right hand is the hand of blessing. God’s right hand is also a place of power, “Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy” (Exodus 15:6). Jesus will use these angels to help shatter his enemies by the revelation of His Word, and he will bless these human messengers. The seven lampstands are the seven churches. The Seven Churches are all pictures of the one true Church (as there was only one lampstand in the Tabernacle). Also, it says that Jesus walks among the lampstands. Jesus will be right there with us as we endure and overcome.

In all Seven Letters after the address and the description of Jesus’s symbolic appearance, he briefly describes the Church. For most of the seven years, Jesus provides both positive and negative feedback. This is what our Lord says will be the positive aspects of the church in the First Year of the 70th Week of Daniel: “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.” Revelation 2:2-3

The primary condition of the world during this First Year will be deception by false messiahs. It appears from this passage that the Church is initially able to test and then recognize the false messiahs and false prophets as liars. Jesus also commends the Church for hating the works of the Nicolaitans: the word “Nicolaitans” means “overcoming the people of God” and it is tied to the actions of the rider of the white horse whose “conquering” in Rev. 6:2 is a spiritual overcoming. By this, we determined the Nicolaitans here are the followers of the Antichrist, most likely Muslims. Jesus also commends the Church for their perseverance. The Greek word for perseverance is HUPOMONE which is also sometimes translated endurance. This is the identical Greek word we just saw in Jesus’s explanation of the Parable of the Sower which is critical to understanding Jesus’s call to hear: But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (HUPMONE). (Luke 8: 15. Bearing fruit in the coming trial will require endurance. Additionally, the trial will help produce this endurance, “We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance (HUPOMNE)” (Romans 5:3, emphasis mine). This is one purpose of Daniel’s 70th Week—refining the Bride of Christ.

Jesus has one rebuke for the Church, and it’s a big one: But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent” (Rev. 2:4-5). Bringing the Bride of Christ back into a love relationship is the main purpose of the 70th Week of Daniel. Jesus is clear that the Church will cease to be the Church if they don’t repent and act accordingly. They will fall away and apostatize.

Entering the trial, the Church will do “works” and will “toil,” for the Lord says, “I know your deeds and your toil” (Rev. 2:2). The Church will be expending effort, but it will not be done through the love of Jesus. Just a few verses later, we learn the Church’s works are not adequate. Jesus wants the Church to “do the deeds you did at first” (Rev. 2:5). Even though Jesus is aware of the effort the Church is expending in “good deeds,” these deeds are not done in the right spirit.

Next post we will look at the church in the second year of tribulation, the church at Smyrna. Nelson Walters’s video is excellent but you will need 2 hours and 51 minutes to watch it.

YFC ACTIVE AT SCHOOLIES ON THE GOLD COAST

Posted on by

Mark Powell is the pastor at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Hobart, and a writer and commentator on Christian issues. Pastor Powell was especially impressed to learn what happened at Schoolies on the Gold Coast last month.

He was pleasantly surprised to see a story about “queues of teens” lining up to be baptised in a mainstream media report written by Eleanor Katelaris on news.com.au, one of Australia’s two dominant news sites according to Ipsos rankings. She wrote in part: “An organisation called Youth for Christ (YFC) is hosting public baptisms, inviting teenagers to embrace a more spiritual path amid the usual Schoolies chaos.” “It is a public declaration of faith signifying the symbolic death of a believer’s old life and the beginning of a brand new life following Jesus.”

“This wholesome side of Schoolies has caught the attention of many on TikTok, where one YFC missionary is sharing videos of their initiative.” “It’s certainly an unusual sight – in one clip, a sea of young people walk through the main strip of Surfers Paradise holding Jesus Loves You and Get Baptised signs.” “In another, teens are seen lining up on the street to visit the YFC stall on the main strip.” Cindy McGarvie, National Director of Youth for Christ Australia, said its mission teams have been offering baptisms at Schoolies since 2016. “We’re at Schoolies to share the hope of Jesus. It’s the message we want to be sharing wherever we go. The baptisms are a small, but significant outworking of this simple focus,” she told the reporter. Ms. McGarvie said the feedback this year was “overwhelmingly positive” — noting that most nights there was a constant flow of schoolies coming up to them, asking genuine questions about God. She conceded there can be a lot of “negative influences” on young people at Schoolies, so she is “thrilled” to see so many keen to learn about Christianity.

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/teens-are-getting-baptised-at-schoolies/video/b00e14b04343b15ddc0754fd68dd2122

PURPOSE OF THE SEVEN LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES IN REVELATION

Posted on by

The Seven Letters are addressed to the seven churches of Revelation, and in fact, all of the Book of Revelation is addressed to them as well: “I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches.

Jesus’s Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation are his love letters to us, his bride. These letters are the only prophecies written specifically for the Church that will endure the 70th Week of Daniel; hence, they are key to our understanding of how the Church should prepare for events in the 70th Week. As such, they are of great value because they instruct us on overcoming during this period.

It is our thesis that each of the Seven Churches represents the Church in one of the seven years of that period. The first letter is to the Church during the First Year of the 70th Week of Daniel, the second letter is to the Church during the Second Year, etc. Scripture provides multiple other “pictures” of these seven years, particularly the seven seals and Jesus Olivet Discourse. Studying these other scriptures provides a stunningly consistent Pattern of Seven Events:

[ 1) Deception by False Messiahs,

2) War and Bloodshed,

3) Famine,

4) Abomination of Desolation,

5) Martyrdom and Apostasy,

6) Celestial/Earthly Disturbance and Rapture,

7) Wrath of God/Day of the Lord.

In the next post, we will look at the detail in each of the seven letters to the churches. Much of the information in this post is taken from Nelson Walters book Revelation Deciphered.

END TIMES BIBLICAL PROPHESIED WAR IN DANIEL 8 IS IMMINENT

Posted on by

The stage is being set for the prophesied end-times war in Daniel 8 when the Goat (Sunni Turkey) overcomes the Ram (Shia Iran). What we see unfolding fits with end-times Biblical prophecy that prophecies a major battle between Sunni Turkey and Shia Iran with Turkey winning a decisive battle and re-establishing its dominance in the Muslim world.

Assad’s downfall marks a new realignment in the Middle East. The outcome of this tectonic shift is bound to have a profound impact on the Middle East and the global balance of power.

“We see a huge change in the region. Turkey has become stronger, Russia has become weaker, Iran has become weak,” said Badr Jamous, a leading anti-Assad opposition politician. “But it is the Syrians that will play a big role now, not like before. All will have to listen to our voice and to our decisions.”

Iran, whose embassy in Damascus was looted immediately after the rebel takeover, has lost its major ally in the “axis of resistance” and the vital land connection to its Hezbollah proxy militia in Lebanon.

Turkey is on the ascendant. With Assad gone, Ankara will clearly exert much greater authority over its southern neighbor, and the entire Levant, a boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman aspirations.

Turkey openly supports the Syrian National Army militia, which has focused its energy mostly on battles with Syrian Kurds in recent weeks, with clashes continuing Sunday. Turkey has also provided tacit backing to the most formidable Syrian rebel force, Sunni Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.

Shia Iran (Ram) through its proxies has tried to be the dominant Muslim force in the Middle East “charging westward and northward, and southward” but the much stronger Sunni Turkey (Goat) will not allow that to happen.

“I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam (in Iran) And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram (Iran) standing on the bank of the canal… I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.” Daniel 8:2-3, 4

“As I was considering, behold, a male goat (Turkey) came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground… He came to the ram (Iran) with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath… And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him.” Daniel 8:5-7

Turkey seeks to re-establish its Ottoman Empire and for a short time it will be successful but then the prophecy reveals it will be broken up into four probably by the United Nations. They will not countenance another Ottoman Empire attempting to dominate the world.

“Then the goat (Turkey) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven.” Daniel 8:8-9

It is out of one of these four Muslim nations that the Antichrist arises.

“PRAYER POWER – CHANGING THE WORLD AND YOU”

Posted on by

Following the release of his latest book, “Prayer Power—Changing the World and You,” which is drawing lots of positive comments from around the world, Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson, an award-winning and bestselling author, was asked to share his thoughts on what he sees as the greatest need for God’s people in this hour.

PRAYER MATTERS

In May 2018, 500 former Muslims gathered at night in Nigeria to pray and learn something from God’s Word. Hearing about the meeting, Boko Haram Islamists attacked. They captured 72 men, women, and children and demanded they all return to Islam. Should they refuse, the next morning, their children would be killed while they watched. Throughout the night the captives agonised over what response to make. Then some of the children reported that there was no need to fear. They claimed that Jesus had visited them to reassure them they would be protected. The next morning the Islamists returned, lined up the children, and asked for the adults’ response. It was that they would not revert to Islam. They would not forsake their faith in Jesus. The firing squad was lined up and ordered to aim their rifles ready to fire. Before any trigger was depressed, suddenly the would-be killers were screaming, “Snakes are attacking us.” Some of them dropped dead where they stood. Others dropped their guns and fled.

Seizing the opportunity a Christian darted out, retrieved one of the guns, and was about to shoot at the fleeing killers when a child raced forward calling out, “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot. Can’t you see the men in white are fighting for us?” The angels had arrived. Sometime later upon hearing what had transpired several foreign missionaries came to check it out. In that everyone interviewed recounted exactly the same story, they accepted that it was true. One of them then raised a disturbing question. “Why is it that we never see this sort of event back in our countries?” In another country in which I carry some ministry responsibilities a similarly motivated group were hunting for a local man who was a member of our staff. If they could catch him, they intended to kill him because it was their belief he had committed treason. He had left Islam to follow Jesus of the Bible. The penalty is death. Knowing this many of us were praying for his protection.

Having learned that on his day off each Friday, he cycled alone out to his distant farm plot to tend his vegetable garden, they lay in wait ready to ambush him. Three times they waited to kill him. Three times they failed to attack. Why? What happened? Later they reported, “We couldn’t implement our plan because every time this apostate came, he was surrounded by several men dressed in white.” Those angels—again! These sorts of events, the appearance of angels, bolts of lightning flashing from the sky exactly as it was in 1 Kings 18 with Elijah on Mt Carmel locked in a deathly contest with the 400 prophets of Baal, the dead returning to life and much more, are relatively common in non-Western places in which I am privileged to minister. Why doesn’t it happen in the West?

Reinhardt Bonnke was an evangelist who was invited to come to Australia twice late in the twentieth century. Across Africa, millions of people attended his vast open-air meetings. It is well documented that in those meetings thousands of people were miraculously healed of all sorts of major infirmities. But in his two visits to Australia, in his weeks of ministry, there was not a single instance of anyone being healed or freed from demonic bondage. Why is that? Why is it that in the West, compared with any other era in Christian history, our clergy are the best trained to the highest accredited academic standards, they have the best technology to share their message, from the best facilities money can buy. Yet in every country in the West, the church is in a state of rapid decline, lurching seemingly blindly toward a chasm of extinction. One published report claimed that by the 2090s there may be no current mainline denomination left in the UK.

Here in Australia, we are closing churches at such a rate and selling the buildings to become housing units, theatres, restaurants, or for use by other non-Christian religions. By the 2090s our Christian landscape may look even bleaker than that in the UK. Conversely, there are other countries in which I get to minister, where followers of Jesus are booming on all fronts, growing exponentially despite poverty and persecution. Recently I was working on the manuscript of a book that will be published in 2025. The subject is about just one movement in which there are 452,319 members in 20,651 churches. They have no church buildings, no finance-sapping Bible Colleges, no hierarchical structures, and no trained clergy in our understanding of that office. Their founding leader is still alive and in the prime of life. And there are many other movements like them. Why don’t we see this in Australia?

In that part of the world, a seminar was held for these sorts of church leaders. A pre-condition for being allowed to attend was that each person had to have planted a minimum of 25 churches. None from any Western country could have qualified. Conference organisers were eager to discover what the secret was for such amazing growth often in the most inhospitable circumstances. They paid a team of experts to interview each attendee and report back on their data collation, analysis, and conclusions. The results indicated that there was no regular pattern or methodology that could be codified and on-sold to rescue the spiritually emaciated church of the West. The only element common to each interviewee was the extraordinary importance they attached to prayer. These leaders prayed alone from 4.00am to 7.00am and then met to pray with their leaders before going off to work when offices opened at 10.00am. The churches they led were also noted for their exceptional prayer practices.

They shared this characteristic ministry outcome and way of life with the earliest church in the New Testament. They in turn followed the example and command of Jesus when it came to prayer. In the Old Testament, excluding the Psalms, there are 77 explicit references to prayer. But in just the four gospels there are 94 references to Jesus and prayer. This is one lesson Jesus’ band of disciples never forgot. So, Peter urged believers to remain “clear-minded and self-controlled” so that they could pray (1 Peter 4:7). James declared that prayer is “powerful and effective” (James 5:17-18). John assured us that “God hears and answers” our prayers (1 John 5:15). Paul commands, “Pray continually. For this is God’s will for you” (1Thessalonians 5:17-18). Elsewhere he urged believers in Colossae to “devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). From where did he get that idea? And what did he expect to happen if they did? That pattern of ministry and way of life was embedded in the earliest church from the very beginning.

The Bible says that “they devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 2:42). What happened when they did that? Again, the Bible records that “every day the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47). At first that number was 2000. Then in response to Peter and John’s preaching an additional 5000 men responded (Acts 4:4). When Paul preached in Ephesus (Acts 19:26) a “considerable number of people” responded. That threatened the city’s major commercial enterprise, the manufacture and sale of idols. A riot broke out to stop Paul’s preaching. Whenever people become serious about prayer supernatural things happen. A missionary in China was despondent because there was no response to his labours. He wrote to his mission secretary in England asking if could he recruit people to pray for each of the ten places where he preached. Relatively quickly in seven of the ten locations, the response from locals came and churches were formed. Later when he returned to England and visited mission headquarters, he reported what had happened but could not explain why only seven of the ten responded.

The secretary of the mission replied that when he got the request to recruit intercessors, he succeeded in finding sufficient for seven of the locations. He failed to recruit anyone to pray for the remaining three. “Church on the Rock” in Rockwall, Texas grew from 13 people to 11,000 in just nine years. When its founding pastor was asked to explain the phenomenon, he replied, “I didn’t start a church. I started a prayer meeting.” An associate pastor explained further: The evangelistic programme of our church is the daily prayer meeting… Each morning Monday through Friday we meet from 5.00 to 6.00am for prayer… If we see the harvest (of conversions) fall off for more than a week, we see that as a spiritual red alert and seek the Lord…[5] In Australia and throughout the Western world we have forgotten that nothing of consequence happens except in answer to prayer. But it’s not just any prayer. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark11:22-24).

He said that in the context of moving mountains. The challenge is could any of us pray and without any doubt, believe that a mountain could be moved by prayer? That was exactly the challenge Muslim Caliph Al-Mu’iz of Egypt presented to Christians in 979 CE. On the eastern edge of Cairo squatted Mount Mokattam. It was in the way of the Caliph’s development plans. So, he challenged Christians to live out their faith and pray as Jesus said in Mark 11, that the mountain would be moved. He gave three options: a) Pray to move the mountain. b) Leave Egypt. c) Should they fail—be killed by the sword. Church leaders summoned the church to pray and fast. If they failed the Caliph’s challenge—genocide would be the result. They accepted the challenge to pray and approached a pious shoemaker to pray on everyone’s behalf. He accepted on condition that no one was to know he was the one appointed to pray on behalf of the whole community. He also gave specific instructions on how to pray to be followed by everyone.

On the agreed date, a crowd of Christians gathered as did the Caliph and his troops ready to draw their swords to commence the slaughter. But the moment Simon beseeched the Lord of Heaven and Earth to intervene, a great earthquake hit the mountain lifting it off the ground so that repeatedly daylight could be seen between it and its earth base. Terrorised the Caliph begged the Christians to stop the prayer meeting.[6] Today on the side of that mountain a 10,000-seat auditorium has been excavated by hand. On an appointed night each week, Christians pack that auditorium to pray for the sick. Along one side is a vast shed filled with wheelchairs and crutches, discarded by those who no longer need them. In Exodus 17:10-13 as long as Moses kept his hands aloft in prayer, Joshua and his troops were beating the Amalekites. When he tired and lowered them the Israelites were losing. Aaron and Hur stepped up and held his arms up till complete victory was achieved.

In 2 Chronicles 20:20-30 the vastly outnumbered Jehoshaphat and his troops were about to be vanquished by the Ammonites and Moabites. He called his people to pray and fast. The enemy self-destructed in confusion killing one another. Every Jew in the ancient empire of Persia and Media was about to be killed through a conspiracy hatched by Haman, a leading noble in the court of King Ahasuerus. Then Esther, the Jewish queen, summoned her people to pray and fast. The treachery of Haman was exposed, and he went to the gallows. Genocide was averted. Prayer linked with fasting is even more powerful because it removes two barriers which inhibit the Holy Spirit from working through us. These are a) Self-will and b) Self-gratifying appetites of the body (Galatians 5:19). With prayer linked to fasting according to 2 Corinthians 10:4, the weapons of our spiritual warfare are unleashed to demolish strongholds. In that case there is no limit to what may be achieved.

Wayman Rogers wanted to leave his church because it had plateaued for some time at 200 people. Then the Lord told him that if he stayed and called the people to serious prayer things would change. He did and church grew from 200 to 2000 within a couple of years. But things really broke loose when intercessors added fasting to prayer. There occurred multiple healings and deliverances from demons. The church grew to 10,000. The only problem they encountered was the traffic jams around the church and arguments over who would get to sit in the front rows. In East Germany in 1982, 10-12 people gathered on Monday nights to pray and fast for their nation to be freed from the Communist yoke and to be reunited with West Germany. By 1989 their number had grown to 50,000. Then in 1990, 300,000 of them moved out into the streets praying and worshiping. And in Berlin, the wall separating East from West Germany came tumbling down.

Throughout the West, in every country, the church is dying, and we are descending into deeper chaos. The solution to all of our societal problems will not be found in parliamentary legislation, increased numbers of police on the streets, or costly programs sponsored by our already heavily in debt governments. The greatest need of our day is for God’s people to start to seriously pray, fast, and believe. With the Webb Telescope, we can see billions of miles into space. But we cannot see God in our own lives. We can communicate with robots on Mars but seem to have forgotten how to communicate with the Lord of the Earth. If that is so, our only hope is to humble ourselves as did the first disciples, to kneel and beg, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Source: Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson Founding Pastor of Australia’s largest Baptist church; pioneer frontline missionary, international conference speaker, Bible college teacher, and award-winning, bestselling author. https://drstuartrobinson.com

PETER GIVES US THIS AMAZING END TIMES SCRIPTURE: CREATION/FLOOD/JESUS SECOND COMING/THE END

Posted on by

“You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing first of all that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:3-10

This is a section of scripture where the Apostle Peter is clearly instructing us on Jesus’ Second Coming. First, he shows us how in the last days there will be mockers who doubt that the return of Jesus is imminent. These mockers are non-believers and some are believers. Much of the church acts as if Jesus’ coming is not close at hand. This includes believers who are living as if they have their whole, normal lifetimes in front of them. Most pastors are not preparing their flock for the trials that lie ahead. Peter then helps us understand why the mockers mock: they don’t understand God’s way of telling time! The modern Church has focused on the verse that says that God wishes all to come to repentance. This is a wonderful picture of God’s grace, and we should focus on it. But before that verse is the phrase that explains it all. “One day is like a thousand years.” This is the key to this entire passage, but it has been misunderstood. This is not some general statement like: “God is eternal so long periods of years are like a day to Him.” No, this is a specific instruction. It means when we see the word “day” in the account of creation, it refers to a thousand years prophetically! Notice that before this instruction about the thousand-year equivalent, Peter carefully mentions creation, “by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water.” Why does Peter mention the creation? What does it have to do with the return of Jesus? The Creation account is mentioned so the reader will understand that the day-equals-a-thousand-years formula is to be inserted into it. If Peter did not mean for us to insert the formula into the creation account, why did he mention the creation? This is an awesome key to understanding. It helps show us in the scriptures how God tells time.

Peter validates that the reason scoffers don’t understand when Jesus will return is that they don’t understand that the creation narrative gives us the approximate timing of the Lord’s return. They don’t understand that the principle of a day = a thousand years is to apply prophetically to the creation account.

This Earth has had 6000 years under Satan’s rule, next is Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. Jesus will rule the nations from the nation God established for His purposes: Israel, with a new Jerusalem as the capital city of the world.

 In the Millennium, 13 tribes will inherit a parcel of land.  The portion given to the tribe of Levi is called a holy section.  It will be a parcel 50 miles by 50 miles and will be situated between the land inheritance given to Judah and Benjamin.  Both the city of Jerusalem and the Temple will be in this section of land, called the “sacred district” As described in Ezekiel 45, the land around the Temple is divided into three large parcels of land – The Sanctuary, open space around it and homes for the Levite priests.

King David shall own the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city.

JERUSALEM – A NEW CITY, A NEW NAME – THE LORD IS THERE

Jerusalem will be the Capital of the World on the Highest Summit

JIM CAVIEZEL ON DARKNESS, THE DEVIL. HOLLYWOOD, AND SACRIFICE

Posted on by

Listen to how Jim Caviezel lives out his faith in a hostile environment. How he deals with Hollywood. Taking the role of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ was costly for him in terms of the roles he was then offered by producers. In fact, they dried up. Mel Gibson told him in advance of Jim taking the role that this would be the result. It is costly to be an obedient servant of Christ but Jim would have it no other way. This is an inspirational video and is a challenge to all believers.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW END TIMES PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS?

Posted on by

The Bible says persecution can strengthen the Church

The Bible clearly shows that persecution can advance the Gospel and unify the Church. In Philippians 1:12–13, Paul (writing from a Roman prison) shares how his imprisonment has emboldened others to proclaim Christ without fear. “I want you to know, brothers,” Paul writes, “that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”

Four Iranian Christians were sentenced to 80 lashes for drinking communion wine.

Throughout history, persecution has purified and strengthened the church, fueling its growth even in the most difficult and dangerous places. Consider the underground church in Iran, the fastest-growing Christian community in the world despite — or perhaps because of — 45 years of oppression by a government doing everything it can to hinder its work.

The church in Eritrea is another remarkable example. Pastors there have found ways to witness to others while in prison. The church thrives when its focus is sharpened, and denominational divisions fall away under the weight of shared suffering and purpose.

The Bible tells Christians how to respond to persecution

The Bible provides clear guidance on how to face persecution. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44 are simple and unambiguous: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical response reflects God’s love and is a powerful testimony to a watching world.

The Bible also tells us that Christians who aren’t currently facing persecution still have a role to play and shows how to hold our Christian brothers and sisters in our hearts and minds: “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies” (Hebrews 13:3).

The stories and testimonies of persecuted Christians demonstrate the transformative power of following Christ’s command and example. An imprisoned pastor in Central Asia saw his treatment improve drastically after he began receiving letters of encouragement from believers worldwide. His guards became kinder and his warden more attentive, all because of the unity and love evident among the global body of Christ.

We Christians in free nations must recognize our role in supporting and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

The Bible shows that persecution can be a platform for God’s power

Even amid our trials and weaknesses, God works mightily through his people.

After a house church pastor was arrested in Iran, his wife was terrified that she might be next. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to resist torture and would give up other believers’ names. She prayed that God would hide her from the religious police. But when they arrested and interrogated her, she became empowered by the Holy Spirit, witnessing boldly to her interrogator. “You are an interrogator,” she told him, “but one day you are going to stand before the ultimate interrogator, Jesus Christ, and he is going to examine you. Without him, there is no hope for you.”

After three straight days of her bold, spirit-empowered witness, the interrogator visited her filthy jail cell late one night. She feared that he was there to kill her, but instead he placed his faith in Christ and told her how she could witness for Christ more safely. Then, the interrogator released her and her husband.

This story highlights a profound truth: God often uses human frailty to show us his strength. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s power is “made perfect in weakness.”

What the Bible does NOT say about persecution

The Bible never tells believers to be afraid.

This is striking, considering the suffering brought by persecution. Yet Scripture repeatedly emphasizes courage and trust in God’s sovereignty. As Richard Wurmbrand, Romanian pastor and founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, observed, the Bible contains 366 admonitions to “fear not” — one for every day of the year, including an extra for leap years. That number was significant to Wurmbrand because he was arrested on Feb. 29, which occurs only in leap years.

Fear is a natural human response, but it does not have to define us. A Filipino pastor once told me, “Until God is finished with you, you are invincible.” His confidence was not rooted in his human strength but in God’s purpose and power.

Persecution may not be part of your reality today, but the call to be involved remains. Whether through prayer, advocacy, or encouragement to believers who are currently facing persecution, every follower of Christ has a role to play.

Let us live boldly, trusting that God’s grace and power are sufficient for every trial we face.

Source: Todd Nettleton is Vice President for Message at The Voice of the Martyrs and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He is the author of When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians.

BONHOEFFRER MOVIE IS BOUND TO ‘INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE’

Posted on by

Many of us want to believe that, in the face of severe adversity and risk, we would try to prove worthy of a memorable legacy. Indeed, should circumstances ever turn sour, we hope to fancy ourselves as brave, courageous, and willing to stand firm no matter the cost. And yet, for the vast majority of those who have not been severely challenged in such ways, how could we know for sure the way we would react? This is why examples of people who did stand firm amid trial are not just important, but necessary.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer is one of those examples. Maybe you’ve heard the name — maybe you haven’t. Nonetheless, it’s a name worth knowing. Bonhoeffer was a German theologian, pastor, and author. But what makes him stand out in ways not many can is that Bonhoeffer was also a spy and an assassin who sacrificed his life to take apart Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime’s Third Reich as they sought to exterminate the Jews. Bonhoeffer’s story is powerful, and at its very heart is the call to boldly oppose what is wicked — a call applicable to all.

For these reasons (and more), a team has been working tirelessly for over a decade to create the film, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” According to one of the producers, Camille Kampouris, the hope behind this movie is “to raise up men and women, old and young, to be like Bonhoeffer, to speak out when there’s evil.” According to The Christian Post, “Releasing in theaters this Thanksgiving weekend, the movie explores the theologian’s decision to shift from preaching peace to allegedly plotting murder, a crime that could alter the course of history.”

The film is unavailable for streaming as it has not yet been released. Check back in December 2024 for online viewing options.

Angel Studios has brought Bonhoeffer back to life by taking viewers on a cinematic journey of danger and determination. As Kampouris added, this movie also highlights both the failures of the church as well as “what a real Christian should be like.” Filmmaker Todd Komarnicki explained how “Bonhoeffer is unlike who we are today.” He added that this movie is not targeted specifically at a Christian audience, as Bonhoeffer’s story could impact anyone. He stated, “His singular courage, his willingness to lose everything, and he had a lot to lose, really stands out in a time where I don’t see a lot of political courage now. The way he grappled with his faith, in the way he was honest about his doubts … [and] followed his calling from God, all the way to the foot of the cross. This man’s life is so extraordinary.”

On Friday’s episode of “Washington Watch” with Family Research Council’s guest host Jody Hice, another producer of the film, John Scanlon, unpacked this striking narrative. According to Scanlon, “The movie is a beautiful production by top Hollywood talent about an amazing story.” More than that, Bonhoeffer is “an inspiring character and someone that will make you come out of the movie wishing that you could be a better version of yourself.”

Hice asked, “What was the experience like in filming a movie like this that you know is true?” For Scanlon, “[T]he experience every day of being on set was deeply spiritual.” He continued, “Bonhoeffer’s life is so rich and … he wrote so many wonderful works. … He was a very prolific author. And, of course, his experience in Harlem in the United States [and] his experience in Germany traveling around the world, all changed him and influenced his thinking.”

Ultimately, Scanlon emphasized, “the Bonhoeffer that we bring to the screen is complex. He’s a man of action as well as a man of thought and words. … I think that he can be an inspiration.” He concluded that for anyone of any worldview “who’s facing evil … I guarantee … they’ll find something in this film to inspire and encourage them. And that’s what we’re hoping for everyone in the audience.”

Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.

BIBLE SALES IN AMERICA ARE UP 22%

Posted on by

Sarah Holliday, reporter at The Washington Stand looks at possible reasons why in a country that has been increasingly turning away from God and His values.

The Wall Street Journal wrote that “Bible sales are up 22% in the U.S. through the end of October, compared with the same period last year.” According to the outlet, there are several potential factors for why this is the case. Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, believes “people are experiencing anxiety … related to artificial intelligence [and] election cycles.” All of which “feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be okay.” Maybe Crosby is right. People want to know they’re going to be okay, and so they’re turning to the Bible.

Others have speculated that the rise in Bible sales can be attributed to influencers on social media. Cely Vazquez, whom WSJ described as an artist and influencer, has used her platform to share that she “recently bought her first Bible.” Likewise, the outlet highlighted Amber Cimiotti, another social media figure who thinks podcasters and TikTokers play a major role in the growing number of people buying Bibles.

WSJ also noted how several publishing houses found the customers largely responsible for the surge in Bible sales were members of Gen Z, college students, and younger people alike. And it’s not just religious publishers seeing the Bibles fly off the shelves, but mainstream retailers too — including Amazon. Observers are puzzling over what’s causing it in light of recent surveys that have found that at least 28% of American adults claim to be religiously unaffiliated. That doesn’t exactly scream an increased demand for religious material.

Ultimately, it’s more than likely that all of these factors laid out by WSJ played a part in the increase of people buying Bibles. Rev. Blaine Crawford of Irvington Presbyterian Church told WSJ that he has seen a recent increase in Scripture study groups. He remarked that God’s word is a “grand epic story of the great questions of life. What do we do with grief or anger, what are we here for, where is the world going? The Bible provides a counterpart in a conversation about what we’re doing at this time.”

As people made in the image of God, we were never meant to be away from Him. The reigning theme in the book of Ecclesiastes is not that life has no meaning, but that apart from Christ, the source from which our purpose derives, there is no meaning. As The Post Millennial wrote, “Experts and industry insiders attribute the growth in Bible sales to societal anxieties and a search for hope.” But I don’t think the experts are the only ones who could have figured this out. Rather, Christians should understand this to be the case better than almost anyone. After all, Christians are to be the people who understand their sin and need of a Savior. We ought to be at the frontlines of an anxious culture offering them the hope of the gospel.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins put it this way: “Obtaining a Bible is the first step; the second step is to read it and then understand it. As Philip helped the Ethiopian leader understand the Word, pray that those who are turning to the truth for hope will have others who can help them understand the Good News contained within the pages of the Bible.” Guest host Jody Hice also commented on the news that the Bible is in higher demand on Monday’s episode of “Washington Watch.” Simply put, he stated, it’s “tremendous news!”

Pastor Jay Johnson, FRC’s National Prayer Director, agreed. As he emphasized, “I certainly rejoice at that news, and [I’m] just grateful that … there’s a demand” for the word of God. “There [are]people all over looking for hope, and people are guiding them to God’s word.” But according to Johnson, “it’s not just to know the Bible [and] not just to read the Bible, but to know God. And I think that’s the beauty of God’s word.” He also referenced FRC’s Bible reading plan, Stand on the Word, noting that it’s “a great resource for people to engage in reading God’s word.”

Both agreed that it’s important to read and study the Bible, but beyond Scripture, Johnson urged that “it’s also very vital to find a church that is teaching and preaching the word of God.” It’s important “to get engaged with a local church where they can study with others.” Especially because, as Hice and Johnson agreed, it can be difficult to stay focused when reading the Bible. It can be hard to get started, particularly for people who are new to picking up God’s word like the 22% or so this year. “I just want to encourage people,” Johnson said, “to start out by praying and asking for divine guidance.”

On behalf of everyone here at FRC, we believe in the life-giving, soul-saving power of God’s word. It’s the reason we start every morning as an organization in prayer and Bible study. And so, whether you’re new to reading the Bible or have been reading it nearly your whole life, now is the time to open it up and study it, know it, and ask the Holy Spirit to write it on your heart. And as we read of the 22% increase of people who are cracking open the pages of Scripture, let us pray that God opens their eyes, ears, and hearts to the glorious truth of the gospel.

It’s no wonder this fallen world is full of broken people looking for hope, answers, and truth. And this hope, these answers, and the truth we all crave is found in the Bible. The riches are there, free of charge. All you have to do is read and, by God’s grace, believe.

Topics:Biblical Worldview, Good News, The Church