Our number one desire for these Bible lessons are for them to be
understandable, defendable, and for the Holy Spirit to bear witness that the
conclusions are the true, and correct interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
Guidelines for our Bible studies on this website:
1. We treat the living words of the living God as spoken by the
Lord Jesus and given to the Apostle Paul for the Body of Christ the same importance, as the words of the
Lord Jesus recorded in red letters in the books of Matthew – Acts Chp. 8, as what should be
known as the instructions to the nation Israel.
2. We will not be wresting the scriptures against each other, we
will look at the verses in their context, and will not try to make the scriptures
say anything, but what they say.
3. We will be using the verses out of the Authorized Version,
commonly known as the KJV. It is fine if you want to look the verses up in
other translations if you like, but we will consider the Authorized Version as our
final written authority.
4. We do not and will not use the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, or Latin
languages to prove any points, or give any indication that the Authorized
Version has been incorrectly translated.
As we begin this lesson we now have added France, Turkey, and
Munich to the list of tragic events since the Orlando FL and Dallas TX
shootings. This time in France a simple delivery truck was the weapon of choice
to kill innocent women and children! At the time of this writing there are 84
dead and 202 injured.
Again it is hard for me to believe that the events taking place
are not a forerunner of the events spoken of in the Bible as the last days
before the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. If these are not the fulfillment of prophesy these events sure resemble the prophetic words of the prophets recorded in the Bible.
In our last lesson we looked at the words the Apostle Paul spoke to Timothy approximately two thousand years ago concerning
the last days and the perilous times to come. We defined perilous times as a
period of time full of
danger or risk.
I would like to continue with this theme of perilous times as we look outside the scriptures specifically written to the Body of Christ
(Christians in the dispensation of Grace). Let’s take a look at the prophesies
that Jesus gave to the disciples as a record for the nation Israel.
First
up this week we will look at the words of the Lord Jesus concerning the end
times. I love just taking the Bible and letting the Holy Spirit speak to us
through God’s Holy Word.
Matt.24
[1] And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his
disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. [2] And
Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There
shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. [3]
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately,
saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy
coming, and of the end of the world?
In
verses 1-3 we see the Lord Jesus interacting with his disciples as they are
showing him the temple buildings. The Lord Jesus gives them a little preview of
what’s to come.
Notice
that when Jesus is speaking the Temple is still standing and he is telling the
disciples that the day is coming when there would not be one stone upon another
that would not be thrown down, in other words destroyed!
We
recognize immediately this is prophecy or the foretelling of future events. The
disciples immediately asked him when these things would be, as they knew full
well they were asking him to foretell the future.
Of
course unlike some gypsy fortuneteller in New Orleans, the Lord Jesus is going
to give accurate details of the future events.
Matt.24
[4] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man
deceive you. [5] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall
deceive many.
In
verse 4 he warns the disciples against being deceived by men, and then in verse
5 tells them many shall come in his name saying I am Christ and shall deceive
many.
With a quick check I found only one person listed in the 18th
century that officially claimed to be Jesus, the number climbed to seven in the
19th century, and twenty-two in the 20th century.
It
is still early in the 21st century and we are already up to six
false Christ. I find it interesting that the numbers of people claiming to be
Jesus seems to be on the increase, but what I find really more interesting is how
many people will follow these false Christ.
Remember
Jim Jones (1931–1978), founder of Peoples
Temple, which started off as an offshoot of a mainstream protestant sect before
becoming a personality cult as time went on. He claimed to be the
reincarnation of Jesus, Akhenaten, Buddha, Vladimir Lenin,
and Father Divine in the 1970s. Organized a mass murder suicide at
Jonestown, Guyana on November 18, 1978. He shot himself after the murders were
done.
Let’s
look at another so called false Christ by the name Alan John Miller (1962–),
more commonly known as A. J. Miller, a former Jehovah's Witness elder and
current leader of the Australia-based Divine Truth movement. Miller claims
to be Jesus Christ reincarnated with others in the 20th century to spread
messages that he calls the "Divine Truth." He delivers these messages
in seminars and various forms of media along with his current partner Mary
Suzanne Luck, who identifies herself as the returned Mary Magdalene.
In
recorded audio, Miller notes, “There’s probably a million people who say
they’re Jesus and most of them are in asylums. But one of us has to
be. How do I know I am? Because I remember everything about my life.”
Now
let’s look at this false Christ who is alive today, I would like to demonstrate
for you how easy it is to determine if a person who claims to be Jesus Christ
really is or just a fake.
Where
would you go for your information to determine if someone who comes into town
claiming to be Jesus Christ really is Jesus? Well I go to my authorized Bible
(KJV) to test all spiritual
things!
In
the book of Matthew, Jesus gives instructions on how to identify false Christs.
Let’s read them and see if they are easy to understand instructions.
Matt.24
[23] Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is
Christ, or there; believe it not. [24] For there shall arise false
Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. [25] Behold, I
have told you before. [26] Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is
in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe
it not. [27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even
unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
The
instructions seem pretty simple to me, Jesus states if any man claims to be
Christ they are simply not to be believed. Jesus says some of these false
Christs and false prophets will even be able to do great signs and wonders.
I
was listening to a preacher a while back who claimed to have raised people from
the dead (that’s no small thing to claim). Jesus said to just not believe it
when you hear he’s in the desert or secret chambers, and then tells us why in
verse 27. He said as lightning comes "out of the east and shineth even unto the
west so shall the coming of the Son of man be."
Why
does he say that, well because when Jesus comes back to planet Earth, we read in
the book of Revelation that every eye shall see him, even those who pierced
him. We also learn the mode of his transportation, I tell my friends all
the time when Jesus comes back to planet Earth he’s not riding a Harley
Davidson, he is riding a white horse and the first thing he does is make war,
he is not coming back as a babe in the manger, but as the King of Kings
that he is!
Rev.1
[7] Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him,
and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev.19
[11] And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and
he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in
righteousness he doth judge and make war. [12] His eyes were as a flame of
fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man
knew, but he himself. [13] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:
and his name is called The Word of God. [14] And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine
linen, white and clean. [15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that
with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of
iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God. [16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name
written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Mark
my words when Jesus Christ returns to Earth there will be no doubt in anyone’s
mind who he is. Now back to our study on the last days and perilous times.
Jesus
continues with a list of things that will be happening before his coming or
return to Earth. Remember the disciple’s questions “when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end
of the world?” there are three different questions that Jesus is providing
answers to.
Matt.24
[6] And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that
ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the
end is not yet. [7] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places. [8] All these are the beginning of
sorrows.
In
the verses above we see that the signs that will be happening at the beginning
of the time line. All the items in verses six and seven have been happening in
times past, but as we get closer to the end times, the catastrophic events
increase in frequency and magnitude.
Remember
Jesus does not just show up at his second coming until all the old testament
prophecies concerning his return are fulfilled. (God has a timeline for the
restoration of planet Earth to its original sin free condition)
Matt.24
[21] For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. [22] And except
those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the
elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
After
the beginning of sorrows, Jesus tells his disciples in verse 21 that there will
be great tribulation such as was never seen before on planet Earth. All one has
to do is read the newspaper, history books, etc. about the Civil War, World War
I, World War II, and multiply that many times to arrive at just how bad the
great tribulation will be.
When
the Antichrist comes into power and rules supreme on planet Earth, he will make
Stalin, Lennon, and Hitler look like Sunday School teachers.
A
few more quotes from the Bible concerning the upcoming great tribulation that Jesus
shared with his disciples.
Luke.21
[25] And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon,
and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; [26] Men's hearts
failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming
on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
When
we read these words of Jesus many of these things appear to be upon us even as
I write this lesson. Just watch the news a few nights this week and there is
certainly distress of nations. The news casters speak of it every night, but it
is going to get even worse and then guess what our Savior whom this world
crucified is going to return and set all things in order.
[27] And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory.
What
a great day that will be when Jesus Christ returns in all his glory, friend don’t
let that day take you unawares. Today Jesus has his arms outstretched and open
to sinners to put their trust in him. One day we will all stand before him
either as our savior or our judge, don’t put it off invite Jesus to save you today!
"The
crowd that will not accept one truth will decay to the point that it does not
accept one God: many denominations, many translations, many gods."
All of the confusion among Christianity/Christians today can be
attributed to the simple fact that the church, the Body of Christ, does not
recognize the separate, distinct, and unique apostleship, ministry, and message
of Paul.
If you fail to understand, or fail to learn how to rightly
divide the word of truth, you can never come to the knowledge of the truth, and
sound doctrine.
Romans 10 [8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; [9] That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. [10] For with theheart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The words of our Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles!
2Tim.2 [15] Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Come join with us as we study God’s Holy Word!
Remember most unsound Bible Doctrine, is sound Bible
Doctrine misapplied to the wrong time period, or wrong group of
people.
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