Kingdom of Darkness
12/29/2011
“… the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:2. The prince of the power of the air is Satan, and the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience is alive and flourishing in our hallowed halls of government. This evil prince, along with his controlling powers of persuasion, has been hard at work corrupting mankind from the beginning of creation. Satan is fully aware that humanity has moved into an era which is witnessing the culmination of prophecies.
Way back in the Prophet Daniel’s day Satan did everything he could to keep major end times prophecies from ever reaching Daniel’s ears. “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.” Daniel 10:12-14. For 21 days the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood a messenger sent by God who was to deliver an end time’s prophetic message to Daniel. “Prince of the kingdom of Persia” refers to a position of rank, within the hierarchy of the kingdom of darkness. In this context it’s referring to a “demonic military rank.” Only with the archangel Michael’s help was God’s messenger able to continue and finally reach Daniel. Just as that malevolent fallen angel withstood God’s messenger in those days, the demonic realm is just as well established today. Many reside in high places of authority such as the leadership arena of the governing bodies on planet earth.
Satan is dead serious and fully determined to take control over his domain, which is planet earth and all its inhabitants. The dimension of the malevolent supernatural has moved into the dimension of man. The battle that rages between good and evil is not far from our doorstep. We can be sure that just as there was a prince of the kingdom of Persia during Daniel’s time to stand as a resistance to God’s holy angels, there’s a well established demonic prince of America who is currently resisting the forces of good while he pulls the strings of the decision makers of this land. Thus far what can be plainly seen is our elected officials are intent on driving this country to destruction. That’s what these ranking fallen “bene ha’Elohyim” are all about – the destruction of mankind.
We can also be assured that just as we understand prophecy today, the demonic realm understood it long before us. About 2,000 years ago Jesus confronted a legion of demons who had taken up occupancy in a man from Gadara. “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29. Before the time? What time? That legion of demons knew their time was not up yet. Why had Jesus come? The demons knew prophecy and according to their calculations Jesus was not playing by the rules of the times designated in those prophecies.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. We’re given four designations in this verse and all are referencing manifestations of evil (principalities, powers, ruler, and spiritual wickedness “in high places”). In the Greek they are “archē” – “exousia” – “kosmokratōr” – “pneumatikos-ponēria”. Paul is speaking of Satan and his demonic horde consisting of fallen angels and demons. In the above verse we see a clear designation of the hierarchy of the kingdom of darkness. These hordes of malevolent misfits have received their assigned positions of power from their leader Satan accordingly. They are well established and thoroughly entrenched in the highest governing offices of every nation on earth.
God assigns individuals of His choosing to rule over the nations, yet we must realize that fallen men rebel against their God just as the fallen “bene ha’Elohyim” (angels) did eons ago. In the case of the governing bodies of the world, Satan has corrupted the leadership. We know there are limits to God’s patience, and on occasion some very unpleasant course adjustments (judgments) are decreed. In America’s case, for instance, we see a nation that once lived by God’s ordained moral precepts. America now lives by the demonic influence of the ranking prince. In accordance to the direction of that prince, America has become a nation that now promotes the worldwide distribution of pornography, the wholesale worldwide acceptance of the murder of unborn babies, and the unfettered worldwide acceptance of homosexuality. All of these societal downgrades are an abomination to God. When nations move away from God’s standard for morality something has to give. As we look down Main Street America today it seems our nation is receiving exactly what we deserve, and it’s come to us in the form of our current leadership.
The demonic element working behind the scenes in every nation on this planet is a burgeoning force; they wield great power of influence over the nations. The direction in which most of us would prefer our nation head is not in accordance with the ranking prince doing the steering. As America’s moral foundation collapses we see the waning of love and charity; long past are the days of “love thy neighbor.” America has changed from just a few decades ago; today America has an altogether different mindset. America has fallen so far from its previous high moral state that it’s as though we’re in a sewage hole with nothing to grab hold of to hoist ourselves out. Today it’s all about greed, sex, and self, and that mindset is now perfectly in tune with the ranking demonic prince of America. As so many nations have done, America has turned her sovereignty over to the prince of the power of the air, who in turn has established the ranking demonic supernatural authority over mankind.
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21. Our God is long suffering, but according to His word, one day very soon His hammer of perfect justice will come down with a force never before seen on this planet. All the nations of the world will suffer greatly, and the supernatural element will be put in their rightful place. But that’s for another commentary.
As this rank of demons has taken their positions in the seats of power on planet earth, most of the world’s citizenry have no clue as to who is truly in the driver’s seat. If we dig into our history books it’s not hard to discover that these principalities and powers have been developing their strategy for quite some time now. The nations of the world have now embraced Satan’s agenda, which is the satanic indoctrination of anything that is opposed to the One true God of all creation. We see that Humanism, Socialism, Marxism, Communism, and Fascism have been embraced by the leadership of most nations, including America. Satan has achieved his goal. Right here in America our children are currently being indoctrinated with these very same satanic concepts through our public school system. This should leave no doubt in the minds of every Christian in America that malevolent supernatural powers have taken over the reins of our government.
Satan has used his power of influence to spread his agenda worldwide, he exercises his incredible persuasive authority to amass followers and create a stirring of their minds, and then he simply begins the string pulling from behind the scenes. Satan is domineering - the worst of all despots. But there are bounds that even he can’t cross. God has set the boundaries of Satan’s influence over mankind and although he may think he has complete autonomy, we know God views things differently. But Satan’s manipulative powers of persuasion are formidable indeed. Through his intervention into planet earth’s regional governments he has persuaded mankind that his form of government is best. I would challenge any of my readers to supply me with one example of a governing body that is a major player in world affairs that is not influenced by the demonic. Before you respond allow me to remind you of Jesus’ own words to the Pharisees and rulers of His day. “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30. We are either with Jesus Christ or Satan, there is no in between ground available.
All around the world we see despots ruling their nations with an iron fist, ready to smash anyone at the first sign of disobedience. Just look at Syria, North Korea, Iran, China, and Russia to name a few. These nations are led by the prince of the power of the air, and America is rapidly becoming just as totalitarian.
If Satan can, through his power of persuasion, convince men in the highest government offices to follow him and adhere to his directives instead of God’s precepts he wins the control of that nation’s government. Even though God places men or women in a position to rule over their particular governments it doesn’t mean that those individuals will stand firm and follow God’s will. Remember Saul? Satan’s influence over mankind is increasing as is plainly seen today; as we observe, many people are turning away from the God of the Bible to follow other gods – into the kingdom of darkness.
Although we might think that “We the People” have control over our government leadership through the voting processes established in our country that is no longer the case. With the demonic influence firmly seated at the pinnacle of power, American’s can vote for whomever they wish, but where the power lies the power shall remain. What about the Constitution? The United States Constitution has been disregarded or ignored by our elite elected officials for years. We are no longer dealing with natural man but with malevolent supernatural powers far beyond our control.
The scope and mass of Satan’s influence is so broad that God’s word actually refers to him as the “prince of the power of the air” and the “god of this world.” When you give those designations some deep thought you will agree that in these mortal bodies and without God’s intervention we have no hope of combating the supernatural realm on our own. Everyone on planet earth is subject to the evil of the “prince of the power of the air” when they enter his domain, and his domain is earth.
Scope and mass are two distinct properties used by Satan as he pushes forward into the lives of men. Scope is the range covered by an activity or subject – the range of application or boundaries which Satan takes full advantage of and control over when we allow him that freedom. Mass is different, it is a body that forms a whole but has no definable shape, a large but unspecified number. Satan wallows in this territory. His followers are an unspecified number but we know for certain that that unspecified number is massive. Jesus tells us “...wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” Matthew 7:13b. In other words, they, the many referred to in the above verse, are followers of Satan. Every nation on earth reeks of a malevolent satanic influence. As each nation becomes more and more engulfed in the participation and promotion of Satan’s agenda, more and more people will find themselves heading down that broad way which leads to destruction. Many will not realize their error until it is too late.
The strangeness to all this demonic influence is that even though it is so pervasive the majority of humanity has no clue as to where they are being led. How better to control the minds of people than through their individual governments? Christians, if no one else, should be fully aware of Satan’s influence at every level of government. Ranking fallen angels and the lower class demonic horde have influenced the elected leadership in such a way that those government leaders are now promoting and implementing Satan’s agenda and forcing it on humanity.
How can we “Christians” persuade the foe of the demonic to intervene on our behalf? Prayer and being prepared is the key “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day” Ephesians 6:13. My brethren, we are firmly seated in that evil day. An incredible war is raging and we humans are the prize. Protection from all the fallout is provided by the One who battles for us. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Ephesians 6:16-17. We need to put on the full armor of God to withstand Satan and his horde of fallen angels and demons. But no one can put on God’s armor until they’ve put on His Son, Jesus the Christ.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS
Seventy Weeks of Years
12/22/2011
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24. To begin with, it’s imperative to grasp the meaning behind the term “weeks” in the above verse. Many times while studying God’s word we find our English words insufficient to allow a full explanation of the true meaning found in particular scripture verses. For example, in ancient Hebrew “weeks” refers to a heptadic structure we find throughout the Old and New Testament. Simply put, many times throughout His word God speaks in units of seven. The Hebrew word “shabuwa`” (weeks in English) is used to describe a period of time. Sometimes it serves to describe a seven day period, but in the text above it is a reference to a week of years.
“Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.” Daniel 9:21. This verse indicates that God sent the angel Gabriel to Daniel to give him understanding concerning the seventy weeks.
The angel Gabriel is speaking about the future of Israel, and when Gabriel says “seventy weeks are determined” what he means is seventy sets of seven years are determined on thy people and upon thy holy city. So a total of 490 years will culminate with the fulfillment of all that was spoken of by the angel Gabriel in the verse above. A portion of that verse has already been fulfilled along with 483 of those years.
Seventy weeks are determined. What God means by “determined” is that His decree to Daniel is indomitable, it is set in stone, and it won’t be changed or slighted. If we take God at His word, as we should, what the world is going to experience at the end of the seventieth week of Daniel has, in God’s view, already transpired. Which means these coming events can’t be altered – they must occur just as Gabriel proclaims.
Upon thy people and upon thy holy city. Here the angel Gabriel is referring to God’s possessions - the nation of Israel and His Holy City (Jerusalem). The seventy weeks are determined upon these two possessions of God. Conspicuous by its absence in verse 24 is any mention of the still to come Church age. Why? Everything in the verse above refers to Israel and the Holy City, Jerusalem, save one aspect. The one portion of the above verse already fulfilled today is the most important part of the whole verse. Hold on, the explanation is coming.
To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins. Wow! Have we seen any evidence that an end of transgression and sins has occurred sometime in Israel’s past? Both transgression and sins continue today just as they have throughout the existence of mankind. Therefore, those who insist that all these prophecies have been fulfilled must live on some utopian planet somewhere apart from planet earth. Why? Because as we wake up from our night’s sleep to a new day there are always new transgression and sins to face. God says He will “finish”, put a stop to, all of this world’s transgression and sins, which as we all know has had a long and dismal effect on mankind. The end of all transgression and sins which currently plague us is a specific set date known only to God. What we do know is that elimination point will not come before the end of the prophesied seventy weeks. Sixty-nine of those weeks have passed into history, yet transgression and sins are still in full bloom. By all accounts we see the seventieth week is set to begin very shortly – that is as soon as the Church age, which began at the end of the sixty-ninth week, is brought to a close.
And to make reconciliation for iniquity. This portion of Daniel 9:24 should be fairly obvious to us all. It’s the only part of that verse that has been fulfilled. Of course we know that all of the prophecies stated by Gabriel in that one verse must be fulfilled. But one of God’s main goals which was formulated and determined before even one foundation stone was laid in the creation of planet earth, was to reconcile mankind to Him. Our God and Savior has done just that. That reconciliation occurred when Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, took His preordained position on that cross. Jesus fulfilled that particular prophecy about 2,000 years ago. Reconciliation for iniquity was made, not just for Israel but for the whole of mankind – and Jesus said “Τετέλεσται – Paid in Full.”
So what two important issues have we learned so far? 1) God has promised He will fulfill all the prophecy given to Daniel and that He is by no means through acting on Israel’s behalf. 2) The reconciliation event that occurred some 2,000 years ago has created a Way for all mankind to join the nation of Israel as partakers of the promised inheritance. Because of Israel’s rejection of her Messiah we, the Gentile Church, have been grafted into our very own relationship with the Messiah.
And to bring everlasting righteousness. Everlasting righteousness can’t be afforded to a world where transgression and sins reign supreme. But God’s promise will come to fruition at the end of Daniel’s seventieth week when the King of kings reigns supreme.
Side note:
The mystery of the Church is specific and exclusive in nature. The nation Israel, on a whole, has rejected their Messiah, and that rejection is clearly laid out in Matthew chapter 12 where the Pharisees refer to their Messiah as Satan. That rejection began with Christ’s first advent when He came as a suffering servant culminating with His death on the cross. At His Second Advent, His return as a conquering Hero and the establishment of His Monarchy will be fulfilled at the end of the seventieth week spoken of above. At which point Jesus Christ, King of kings, will put into effect His concept of a perfect new world order. No matter what some theologians and Bible teachers teach to the contrary, Israel is still God’s chosen people. God is still very much involved in the affairs of the Nation of Israel. The seventieth week of Daniel, which is still on the horizon, is a period of time in which God will prove to the nations of the world just what the Nation of Israel means to Him. But His Church must be removed first.
“…and to seal up the vision and prophecy…” Daniel 9:24b. Then the angel Gabriel tells Daniel the vision and prophecy is to be sealed up. This again points to an end and fulfillment of all biblical prophecy. Currently there are a whole lot of people seeing visions and prophesying about what’s on the horizon; every day I receive at least one letter from someone who believes they’ve had a prophetic dream or vision that they believe is foretelling of coming events. “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:” Joel 2:28. We can now conclude that God is setting the stage for the finale of human history which will culminate in everlasting righteousness replacing transgression and sin as Jesus the Christ takes the helm of planet earth as her King. There will be no further need of visions or prophecy in the Kingdom to come as everything will have been fulfilled. Therefore at the end of the seventieth week of Daniel, God will seal up vision and prophecy and make an end of them. There will be no more false prophets or wannabe gods attempting to lead the masses astray.
And to anoint the most Holy. God’s Temple will be the most Holy place on earth. Again, all prophecy must be fulfilled just as the Bible teaches. God’s Holy Temple is not even built yet, therefore this portion of the prophecy is still a future event. God can’t anoint His most Holy place until it’s built. This is another point in a long line of scripture verses which are simply dismissed by the Amillennialist (Preterist) crowd. As God anoints His Holy Temple and puts an end to all forms of unrighteousness, all transgression, and all sins, what comes into perfect view here is not only the act of committing transgression which will be dealt that God-ordained final blow, but all guilt associated with any and all of those unholy and unrighteous rebellious acts will be eliminated.
It’s important to understand that there has been a gap period between the end of the sixty-ninth week of Daniel and the beginning of the seventieth week. This gap of time has now lasted for almost 2,000 years, and during this time God has been devoted to the establishment of His Church. This phenomenal Church growth witnessed by the world for the past 2,000 years will soon be coming to a screeching halt. The Church has been God’s focus, but all of that is about to change. Here in the 24th verse of Daniel chapter 9 we see that God’s focus is primarily on His people Israel and on His Holy City, Jerusalem.
As a nation Israel is still in rebellion to God, but that will change in the middle of the seventieth week as the abomination of desolation is revealed. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet…” Matthew 24:15a. The abomination of desolation will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (note I didn’t say the beginning of the seventieth week) in which the Nation of Israel will be fully engulfed. At this point Israel will come to realize the man they’ve been so enamored with for the previous three and one half years was actually Satan himself. Then they will begin to call on the Name that is above all names – the Name of their “mashiyach nagiyd”(Messiah the King) – which is Jesus the Christ.
Prior to Daniel’s seventieth week, at a specific God-ordained point on His established timeline, His Church will be complete. At that precise point in time, Jesus will remove every born again believer from the face of this planet. There will not be any remnant of Christ’s Church remaining on earth as God once again focuses specifically on His chosen people, Israel. God will still accomplish all of His goals presented to Daniel by the angel Gabriel according to His plan and for His glory. But we, the Church, can be fully assured that that final week will not involve the body of Christ, until the end when we will come back with our Lord in His glory. “…and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14b.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
12/22/2011
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24. To begin with, it’s imperative to grasp the meaning behind the term “weeks” in the above verse. Many times while studying God’s word we find our English words insufficient to allow a full explanation of the true meaning found in particular scripture verses. For example, in ancient Hebrew “weeks” refers to a heptadic structure we find throughout the Old and New Testament. Simply put, many times throughout His word God speaks in units of seven. The Hebrew word “shabuwa`” (weeks in English) is used to describe a period of time. Sometimes it serves to describe a seven day period, but in the text above it is a reference to a week of years.
“Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.” Daniel 9:21. This verse indicates that God sent the angel Gabriel to Daniel to give him understanding concerning the seventy weeks.
The angel Gabriel is speaking about the future of Israel, and when Gabriel says “seventy weeks are determined” what he means is seventy sets of seven years are determined on thy people and upon thy holy city. So a total of 490 years will culminate with the fulfillment of all that was spoken of by the angel Gabriel in the verse above. A portion of that verse has already been fulfilled along with 483 of those years.
Seventy weeks are determined. What God means by “determined” is that His decree to Daniel is indomitable, it is set in stone, and it won’t be changed or slighted. If we take God at His word, as we should, what the world is going to experience at the end of the seventieth week of Daniel has, in God’s view, already transpired. Which means these coming events can’t be altered – they must occur just as Gabriel proclaims.
Upon thy people and upon thy holy city. Here the angel Gabriel is referring to God’s possessions - the nation of Israel and His Holy City (Jerusalem). The seventy weeks are determined upon these two possessions of God. Conspicuous by its absence in verse 24 is any mention of the still to come Church age. Why? Everything in the verse above refers to Israel and the Holy City, Jerusalem, save one aspect. The one portion of the above verse already fulfilled today is the most important part of the whole verse. Hold on, the explanation is coming.
To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins. Wow! Have we seen any evidence that an end of transgression and sins has occurred sometime in Israel’s past? Both transgression and sins continue today just as they have throughout the existence of mankind. Therefore, those who insist that all these prophecies have been fulfilled must live on some utopian planet somewhere apart from planet earth. Why? Because as we wake up from our night’s sleep to a new day there are always new transgression and sins to face. God says He will “finish”, put a stop to, all of this world’s transgression and sins, which as we all know has had a long and dismal effect on mankind. The end of all transgression and sins which currently plague us is a specific set date known only to God. What we do know is that elimination point will not come before the end of the prophesied seventy weeks. Sixty-nine of those weeks have passed into history, yet transgression and sins are still in full bloom. By all accounts we see the seventieth week is set to begin very shortly – that is as soon as the Church age, which began at the end of the sixty-ninth week, is brought to a close.
And to make reconciliation for iniquity. This portion of Daniel 9:24 should be fairly obvious to us all. It’s the only part of that verse that has been fulfilled. Of course we know that all of the prophecies stated by Gabriel in that one verse must be fulfilled. But one of God’s main goals which was formulated and determined before even one foundation stone was laid in the creation of planet earth, was to reconcile mankind to Him. Our God and Savior has done just that. That reconciliation occurred when Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, took His preordained position on that cross. Jesus fulfilled that particular prophecy about 2,000 years ago. Reconciliation for iniquity was made, not just for Israel but for the whole of mankind – and Jesus said “Τετέλεσται – Paid in Full.”
So what two important issues have we learned so far? 1) God has promised He will fulfill all the prophecy given to Daniel and that He is by no means through acting on Israel’s behalf. 2) The reconciliation event that occurred some 2,000 years ago has created a Way for all mankind to join the nation of Israel as partakers of the promised inheritance. Because of Israel’s rejection of her Messiah we, the Gentile Church, have been grafted into our very own relationship with the Messiah.
And to bring everlasting righteousness. Everlasting righteousness can’t be afforded to a world where transgression and sins reign supreme. But God’s promise will come to fruition at the end of Daniel’s seventieth week when the King of kings reigns supreme.
Side note:
The mystery of the Church is specific and exclusive in nature. The nation Israel, on a whole, has rejected their Messiah, and that rejection is clearly laid out in Matthew chapter 12 where the Pharisees refer to their Messiah as Satan. That rejection began with Christ’s first advent when He came as a suffering servant culminating with His death on the cross. At His Second Advent, His return as a conquering Hero and the establishment of His Monarchy will be fulfilled at the end of the seventieth week spoken of above. At which point Jesus Christ, King of kings, will put into effect His concept of a perfect new world order. No matter what some theologians and Bible teachers teach to the contrary, Israel is still God’s chosen people. God is still very much involved in the affairs of the Nation of Israel. The seventieth week of Daniel, which is still on the horizon, is a period of time in which God will prove to the nations of the world just what the Nation of Israel means to Him. But His Church must be removed first.
“…and to seal up the vision and prophecy…” Daniel 9:24b. Then the angel Gabriel tells Daniel the vision and prophecy is to be sealed up. This again points to an end and fulfillment of all biblical prophecy. Currently there are a whole lot of people seeing visions and prophesying about what’s on the horizon; every day I receive at least one letter from someone who believes they’ve had a prophetic dream or vision that they believe is foretelling of coming events. “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:” Joel 2:28. We can now conclude that God is setting the stage for the finale of human history which will culminate in everlasting righteousness replacing transgression and sin as Jesus the Christ takes the helm of planet earth as her King. There will be no further need of visions or prophecy in the Kingdom to come as everything will have been fulfilled. Therefore at the end of the seventieth week of Daniel, God will seal up vision and prophecy and make an end of them. There will be no more false prophets or wannabe gods attempting to lead the masses astray.
And to anoint the most Holy. God’s Temple will be the most Holy place on earth. Again, all prophecy must be fulfilled just as the Bible teaches. God’s Holy Temple is not even built yet, therefore this portion of the prophecy is still a future event. God can’t anoint His most Holy place until it’s built. This is another point in a long line of scripture verses which are simply dismissed by the Amillennialist (Preterist) crowd. As God anoints His Holy Temple and puts an end to all forms of unrighteousness, all transgression, and all sins, what comes into perfect view here is not only the act of committing transgression which will be dealt that God-ordained final blow, but all guilt associated with any and all of those unholy and unrighteous rebellious acts will be eliminated.
It’s important to understand that there has been a gap period between the end of the sixty-ninth week of Daniel and the beginning of the seventieth week. This gap of time has now lasted for almost 2,000 years, and during this time God has been devoted to the establishment of His Church. This phenomenal Church growth witnessed by the world for the past 2,000 years will soon be coming to a screeching halt. The Church has been God’s focus, but all of that is about to change. Here in the 24th verse of Daniel chapter 9 we see that God’s focus is primarily on His people Israel and on His Holy City, Jerusalem.
As a nation Israel is still in rebellion to God, but that will change in the middle of the seventieth week as the abomination of desolation is revealed. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet…” Matthew 24:15a. The abomination of desolation will mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (note I didn’t say the beginning of the seventieth week) in which the Nation of Israel will be fully engulfed. At this point Israel will come to realize the man they’ve been so enamored with for the previous three and one half years was actually Satan himself. Then they will begin to call on the Name that is above all names – the Name of their “mashiyach nagiyd”(Messiah the King) – which is Jesus the Christ.
Prior to Daniel’s seventieth week, at a specific God-ordained point on His established timeline, His Church will be complete. At that precise point in time, Jesus will remove every born again believer from the face of this planet. There will not be any remnant of Christ’s Church remaining on earth as God once again focuses specifically on His chosen people, Israel. God will still accomplish all of His goals presented to Daniel by the angel Gabriel according to His plan and for His glory. But we, the Church, can be fully assured that that final week will not involve the body of Christ, until the end when we will come back with our Lord in His glory. “…and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14b.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
Thursday, December 15, 2011
WISE MEN STIL SEEK HIM
Wise Men Still Seek Him
12/15/2011
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,” Matthew 2:1. Wise men have been seeking the Son of God since before His birth, and wise men still seek Him today 2,000 years after His death. Why is that?
Christmas is upon us once again, and every year the idea behind remembering and celebrating our Savior’s birth becomes a little more obscure in this secular world. But for those of us who wisely choose to follow Him, this is a very special time of year. I’m not talking about Christmas trees and mistletoe or Santa Claus and reindeer; what’s so special about this time of year is that our thoughts and remembrances are focused on the truth. Our God who created the universe entered His creation as a newborn baby – the baby Jesus – and grew into manhood all so He could die a horrible death so we, His creation, would be spared an eternity in Hell. The realization of that truth dispels any lingering doubts as to why “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.
For the moment let’s ignore all the debate about when Jesus was born – let’s rejoice in knowing that He did come. The 25th of December has become a tradition for Christians to gather together and focus on their Messiah – not just His birth, but also who He is and what He did. As we sing the wonderful traditional and contemporary songs which are so full of the spirit of Christmas, joy fills our heart, peace fills our mind, and love fills our soul.
Because it is such a special time of year, many estranged families are reunited and differences of the past seem to melt away while they remember the baby Jesus who grew to become Savior of the world. Loving one another is what the Lord Jesus is all about. Love is brought forth at just the thought of baby Jesus in a manger. From everlasting to everlasting Jesus brought us His joy, peace, and love. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:13-14. That tiny baby boy who brought forth such joyous praising from the host of Heaven’s angels at His birth is God incarnate. That little baby born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, held tenderly and lovingly in His mother’s arms, was to be “…great joy, which shall be to all people” Luke 2:10b. That little baby boy, surrounded by shepherds who had come in from the fields to view and be a part of the miracle that night, was the full representation of God Almighty. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9. Is there any doubt as to why wise men still seek Him?
The Magi who traveled from the east to meet and bring gifts to this Jewish toddler were wise men indeed. These men were not followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet they knew the scriptures better than the Pharisees. They were worshipers of false gods yet they were able to read the signs in the Heavens. They had foresight enough to adhere to what they had learned from the Hebrew Scriptures and what they’d gleaned from the stars; they knew their destination was Judea, and they knew they were seeking royalty. Why did these worshipers of false gods come to exalt and worship the one true God? They were fully convinced through all of their God given knowledge who it was they were seeking – the King of the Jews.
We’re not told very much about the baby Jesus growing into a toddler, then a teenager, then a young man in His early years of manhood. Not until we find Jesus beginning His earthly ministry are we given a glimpse of who the baby boy born in that manger in Bethlehem had truly become. Then of course as the scriptures unfold for us it becomes obvious who this little baby boy was. Jesus began His mortal life in very humble beginnings, yet preordained before the foundation of the world to be the Savior of mankind. The little baby boy born in the manger met His destiny without doubts, and He taught His disciples that they should not have any second thoughts if they were going to follow Him. Jesus told them what their future held. They too would endure pain and persecution; the world would hate them. Yet, as we see today, wise men still seek Him – persecution or no.
Some thirty-three years after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem’s manger, He was nailed to and died on a cross of wood, yet as Chuck Missler likes to remind us “He made the hill on which it stood.” I’ve often wondered if I’d lived during the years Jesus “walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the hills of Judea” (another Missler quote) if I would have been a disciple of His scattering and running for my life, or one of those in the crowd exuberantly screaming “Crucify Him” while His mother watched her eldest son as He suffered the pain and agony of a torture meant solely for criminals.
The somber manger scene is indeed a beautiful remembrance of our Savior’s birth, and the Christmas season brings numerous messages of love and compassion. It is a wonderful time of year. But the reason for Christmas is to remember that God, displaying His grace and mercy toward His creation in an act of unselfish love, became the propitiation for the sin of the world. This little baby grew into a man and without hesitation, He set out to do His Father’s will. He taught the masses the way of the Kingdom of God, He walked on water and quelled the fears of His disciples as He calmed the seas and dispelled every attempt by Satan to destroy Him.
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing…” Isaiah 35:5, 6b. He healed the sick, made the blind see, the lame walked again, He raised the dead, and all these people rejoiced and praised this Son of God. But there’s so much more “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:25. Amen!
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23. Did Joseph and Mary really understand that this little baby, who May carried and gave birth to, would become the ruler of all nations? Did they know their baby was also their Creator? Could they have had any idea that Mary’s little baby boy would one day die for all of mankind and then rise from the grave three days later? These two regular people were told their child was to be called “God with us” and that “of his kingdom there shall be no end” Luke 1:33b, but what did that really mean? The wise men knew – they knew who they were seeking and they came to worship Him – and wise men still seek Him today!
Soon our Lord will return to take His rightful place on the Throne of David as King of kings. “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:7.
Indeed, this is a wonderful time of year when we enjoy the sights and sounds which envelop our senses all related to the birth of Christ. While we remember Jesus’ birth let’s not forget the reason He came – to set men free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. I love you Lord Jesus, you are my God, my Savior, my King, my Brother, and my Friend.
Merry Christmas, and God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
12/15/2011
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,” Matthew 2:1. Wise men have been seeking the Son of God since before His birth, and wise men still seek Him today 2,000 years after His death. Why is that?
Christmas is upon us once again, and every year the idea behind remembering and celebrating our Savior’s birth becomes a little more obscure in this secular world. But for those of us who wisely choose to follow Him, this is a very special time of year. I’m not talking about Christmas trees and mistletoe or Santa Claus and reindeer; what’s so special about this time of year is that our thoughts and remembrances are focused on the truth. Our God who created the universe entered His creation as a newborn baby – the baby Jesus – and grew into manhood all so He could die a horrible death so we, His creation, would be spared an eternity in Hell. The realization of that truth dispels any lingering doubts as to why “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.
For the moment let’s ignore all the debate about when Jesus was born – let’s rejoice in knowing that He did come. The 25th of December has become a tradition for Christians to gather together and focus on their Messiah – not just His birth, but also who He is and what He did. As we sing the wonderful traditional and contemporary songs which are so full of the spirit of Christmas, joy fills our heart, peace fills our mind, and love fills our soul.
Because it is such a special time of year, many estranged families are reunited and differences of the past seem to melt away while they remember the baby Jesus who grew to become Savior of the world. Loving one another is what the Lord Jesus is all about. Love is brought forth at just the thought of baby Jesus in a manger. From everlasting to everlasting Jesus brought us His joy, peace, and love. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:13-14. That tiny baby boy who brought forth such joyous praising from the host of Heaven’s angels at His birth is God incarnate. That little baby born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, held tenderly and lovingly in His mother’s arms, was to be “…great joy, which shall be to all people” Luke 2:10b. That little baby boy, surrounded by shepherds who had come in from the fields to view and be a part of the miracle that night, was the full representation of God Almighty. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9. Is there any doubt as to why wise men still seek Him?
The Magi who traveled from the east to meet and bring gifts to this Jewish toddler were wise men indeed. These men were not followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet they knew the scriptures better than the Pharisees. They were worshipers of false gods yet they were able to read the signs in the Heavens. They had foresight enough to adhere to what they had learned from the Hebrew Scriptures and what they’d gleaned from the stars; they knew their destination was Judea, and they knew they were seeking royalty. Why did these worshipers of false gods come to exalt and worship the one true God? They were fully convinced through all of their God given knowledge who it was they were seeking – the King of the Jews.
We’re not told very much about the baby Jesus growing into a toddler, then a teenager, then a young man in His early years of manhood. Not until we find Jesus beginning His earthly ministry are we given a glimpse of who the baby boy born in that manger in Bethlehem had truly become. Then of course as the scriptures unfold for us it becomes obvious who this little baby boy was. Jesus began His mortal life in very humble beginnings, yet preordained before the foundation of the world to be the Savior of mankind. The little baby boy born in the manger met His destiny without doubts, and He taught His disciples that they should not have any second thoughts if they were going to follow Him. Jesus told them what their future held. They too would endure pain and persecution; the world would hate them. Yet, as we see today, wise men still seek Him – persecution or no.
Some thirty-three years after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem’s manger, He was nailed to and died on a cross of wood, yet as Chuck Missler likes to remind us “He made the hill on which it stood.” I’ve often wondered if I’d lived during the years Jesus “walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the hills of Judea” (another Missler quote) if I would have been a disciple of His scattering and running for my life, or one of those in the crowd exuberantly screaming “Crucify Him” while His mother watched her eldest son as He suffered the pain and agony of a torture meant solely for criminals.
The somber manger scene is indeed a beautiful remembrance of our Savior’s birth, and the Christmas season brings numerous messages of love and compassion. It is a wonderful time of year. But the reason for Christmas is to remember that God, displaying His grace and mercy toward His creation in an act of unselfish love, became the propitiation for the sin of the world. This little baby grew into a man and without hesitation, He set out to do His Father’s will. He taught the masses the way of the Kingdom of God, He walked on water and quelled the fears of His disciples as He calmed the seas and dispelled every attempt by Satan to destroy Him.
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing…” Isaiah 35:5, 6b. He healed the sick, made the blind see, the lame walked again, He raised the dead, and all these people rejoiced and praised this Son of God. But there’s so much more “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:25. Amen!
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23. Did Joseph and Mary really understand that this little baby, who May carried and gave birth to, would become the ruler of all nations? Did they know their baby was also their Creator? Could they have had any idea that Mary’s little baby boy would one day die for all of mankind and then rise from the grave three days later? These two regular people were told their child was to be called “God with us” and that “of his kingdom there shall be no end” Luke 1:33b, but what did that really mean? The wise men knew – they knew who they were seeking and they came to worship Him – and wise men still seek Him today!
Soon our Lord will return to take His rightful place on the Throne of David as King of kings. “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:7.
Indeed, this is a wonderful time of year when we enjoy the sights and sounds which envelop our senses all related to the birth of Christ. While we remember Jesus’ birth let’s not forget the reason He came – to set men free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. I love you Lord Jesus, you are my God, my Savior, my King, my Brother, and my Friend.
Merry Christmas, and God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Thursday, December 08, 2011
RETURN OF THE NEPHILIM
Return of the Nephilim
12/08/2011
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. Whether or not we want to admit it, earth’s been invaded by an element of malevolent, supernatural, other dimensional beings. The paranormal is in full swing. The fight is raging and humanity is the prize. The battle has now moved into our four dimensional space/time continuum and still people ignore it or write it off as silly science fiction nonsense. Yet science fiction often has a foundation based on fact. Earth’s inhabitants are in for a measure of the paranormal unparalleled in the last 4,000 years.
Currently Satan, his hoard of fallen angels, and the demons of old are poised on the brink of facilitating the most startling phenomenon the world will ever witness; the Bible calls it a “strong delusion”. The race is on; it’s a race against time itself. Not one of the multitudes of malevolent supernatural beings, or any human for that matter, has a clue as to when Satan’s time will run out. But there are certainly indications that humanity has entered its final phase, which portends that Satan’s last days are here. Satan can see the same things we see, except he sees them with an urgency the rest of us can’t even comprehend. Satan is responsible for the evil which will bring about much of the catastrophic occurrences on planet earth in the last days.
Satan has an agenda which includes a massive amount of deception and a bit of public exposure to pique the interest of a few, yet maintaining his agenda in the realm of science fiction for the moment. In the meantime scary things are happening – the appearance of ghosts/demons, “space” aliens, unexplained animal mutilations, etc. All of these weird occurrences are burgeoning. The world is moving into chilling, unexplored territory. Yet people seem to have no fear of the aforementioned occurrences. Why is that? Because we’ve been desensitized through some entertaining Hollywood movies, and the exploitation of the paranormal. We’ve got ghost hunters enjoying a field day while exploring all the claims of paranormal occurrences, vampires becoming so acceptable in our society that many want to become vampires themselves. When I was a young boy all my friends and I wanted to be like Superman who represented everything good – today kids and adults want to be vampires which represent everything evil. What an about face society has made.
Nothing seems to be lacking as Satan slowly and meticulously unveils his deception. The mainstream media has even gotten into the fray. They see the appearances of ghosts, goblins, ghouls, spirits, and anything that goes bump in the night as newsworthy entertainment. Imagine if by chance, someone actually runs into a few of these very real specters? Would people associate any evil with such a phenomenon? There’s more than just a chance man will see these spirits as benevolent. It is Satan’s goal that mankind embrace the whole idea of the paranormal as benevolent extraterrestrials meaning no harm but only good for earth’s populous.
Here’s the rub, the human race is being setup for the last day’s delusion. Everything is falling perfectly into place. The brunt of the delusion won’t be fully in place until the “Church” is in Heaven. There’s no doubt that what’s currently occurring all over the world points to a worldwide deception. To some of us who have been given discernment, Satan’s attempt at deluding the public is obvious. “…the son of perdition. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God...” 2 Thessalonians 2:3b-4a. This son of perdition is ready to be revealed, his only hindrance is the Holy Spirit indwelt Church.
Please try and understand that once the Church is gone and the deception is unleashed, believing anything but the lie of the enemy will be incredibly difficult – impossible for many. “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” 2 Thessalonians 2:11b. Why would God send this strong delusion? The very next verse tells us why. “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:12. In other words, those who had been presented with the truth of the Gospel of Christ and rejected that truth have nothing to look forward to but condemnation as God’s strong delusion is implemented. When we take that last verse to fruition, many of us will come to a most horrible conclusion. Many of the folks we’ve witnessed to over the years who’ve remained steadfast in their rejection of the truth will end up swallowing the strong delusion – hook, line, and sinker.
I broached the subject of supernatural evil in a commentary a few weeks ago and with the tremendous response from my readership I decided to delve a little deeper into this incredibly important subject matter of the book of Genesis chapter 6.
We’re told in chapter 6 of Genesis that a supernatural evil brought on the destruction of the antediluvian world. This subject matter deserves much more attention and explanation than I can place into one commentary, especially when one considers all the foolish and misleading interpretations of these few verses. Fallen angles, human women, and their offspring – the Nephilim is the focus in this commentary, but the paranormal stems from the demonic hoard who, after the flood of Noah, found themselves without bodies. These were the Nephilim hybrids of that era. The last days before the return of our Lord Jesus will experience a resurgence of the Nephilim, hence all the activity surrounding the paranormal. Satan is readying the inhabitants of this planet to accept another invasion by the fallen angles and the return of the Nephilim.
Many folks today try to dismiss the Nephilim completely by attributing this assault on humanity as the result of the co-mingling of the sons of Seth with the daughters of Cain. Try and support that idea using Scripture. An acrobat would be hard pressed to perform such a stretch.
There were Nephilim (giants) in the land in those days and also after that. The procreation of human beings can create little monsters, but they aren’t monstrous. The Nephilim hybrid – the offspring created from the union of fallen angels and human women – brought about the most evil the world had ever experienced. To this very day we’ve not been subjected to such evil – but it is coming.
Let me get one thing straight. This commentary is not being written as an attempt to persuade those who hold opposing interpretations of Genesis 6 to change views. What I’m espousing here has come about through years of diligent study. I would propose that each “in Christ believer” do their own study of these critically important scriptures. Please don’t send me someone else’s contradicting study; believe me I’ve seen and read them all.
The verses in Genesis chapter 6 are perfectly clear and do not contradict Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 22. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Matthew 22:30. Notice Jesus is speaking of the resurrection and angels of God in Heaven. Angels appear to men numerous times in the Bible and in male form. They’re seen eating and drinking, therefore they undoubtedly have access to all human bodily functions.
God says what He means and means what He says. I decided a long time ago to challenge myself to learn what these verses meant instead of listening to others concerning these passages. If we adhere to what the Bible is actually telling us, the truth is not difficult to discern “That the sons of God (The Hebrew bene ha Elohiym – always refers to angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose…There were giants (nĕphiyl in the Hebrew or Nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:2, 4-5.
In the verses above the “sons of God” refers to fallen angels who came to earth, took wives of all they chose. Put in more simple terms, the fallen angel’s cohabitated with human women and their unions brought about these hybrids referred to as Nephilim, and they were giants. What we are told occurred during that stage of human history is an evil that quite frankly seems almost impossible to even consider let alone believe, yet it is factual. To the human mind the concept of angels and human women procreating is so repugnant – so beyond fantasy – that most simply dismiss it as impossible. The problem with dismissing this evil as fantasy, especially at this point in time, is akin to burying our heads in the sand. We, the Church, need to be keenly aware of and kept abreast of this strange evil coming about again. Make no mistake these fallen angels are currently continuing their shenanigans as they corrupt the last day’s human race. The bringing forth of the hybrids (Nephilim) into our midst has begun.
These fallen angels, through whatever means at their disposal, brought a mass of hybrid beings onto this planet with one goal in mind: to create a soulless and pure evil human hybrid – to replace all who are made in God’s image. Their success would have eliminated any chance of a forthcoming Messiah. Our Messiah arrived precisely when He was supposed to which tells they were not successful. Satan has, once again, begun his dastardly deeds with another assault on mankind.
Non-human hybrids that had no souls were also void of ability to love, therefore through the influence of the fallen angels their imaginations were pure evil continually. The evil was not merely focused on mankind but on the animal kingdom as well. With enough of this interbreeding, love could be bred out of man completely. This is exactly what occurred. All flesh became corrupted save Noah and his family. “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” Genesis 6:7. Scientists have extrapolated that there were as many people on earth prior to the flood of Noah as there are today. If that be the case and all but eight were saved from God’s decree to destroy man from the face of the earth, something much more evil had to have taken place besides just interbreeding of various human lineages. What occurred in the antediluvian world is to reemerge in the last days. The return of the Nephilim.
Why would God destroy every created thing? Why destroy poor dumb animals, the birds of the air, and creeping things? “And the LORD said, I will destroy man…, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air.” (v7b) Yes, the animal kingdom was also corrupted, thus God destroyed them also. These malevolent supernatural beings interfered in the animal kingdom to create part animal, part human “hybrids”; an animal soul cannot exist in a human body, and vice versa. FYI - the United States Senate has just passed a bill that would clear the way for the acceptance of sodomy and bestiality in the military and it was passed by a margin of 93 to 7. Who’s pulling the strings of government? “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…” 2 Corinthians 4:4a. Satan is the “god of this world” most men and women in leadership roles over nations bow to his every whim.
Unlike the giant Nephilim of the past the new hybrids are being created in labs around the world to resemble humans with human like traits. They will be just as soulless and loveless as those of the antediluvian corruption. They are probably already living among us. Everyone should become familiar with transhumanism. The secular scientists involved with this type of breeding animal/human hybrids are doing the devils bidding. I believe this is a major part of the strong delusion God will send to deceive the unbelieving world.
What I’ve explained in this commentary is completely verifiable through a diligent study of the scriptures. If you think I’m nuts, that a scenario such as I’ve espoused is impossible, then all I can say is wait and see. But while you wait you might heed Jesus’ words “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
12/08/2011
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. Whether or not we want to admit it, earth’s been invaded by an element of malevolent, supernatural, other dimensional beings. The paranormal is in full swing. The fight is raging and humanity is the prize. The battle has now moved into our four dimensional space/time continuum and still people ignore it or write it off as silly science fiction nonsense. Yet science fiction often has a foundation based on fact. Earth’s inhabitants are in for a measure of the paranormal unparalleled in the last 4,000 years.
Currently Satan, his hoard of fallen angels, and the demons of old are poised on the brink of facilitating the most startling phenomenon the world will ever witness; the Bible calls it a “strong delusion”. The race is on; it’s a race against time itself. Not one of the multitudes of malevolent supernatural beings, or any human for that matter, has a clue as to when Satan’s time will run out. But there are certainly indications that humanity has entered its final phase, which portends that Satan’s last days are here. Satan can see the same things we see, except he sees them with an urgency the rest of us can’t even comprehend. Satan is responsible for the evil which will bring about much of the catastrophic occurrences on planet earth in the last days.
Satan has an agenda which includes a massive amount of deception and a bit of public exposure to pique the interest of a few, yet maintaining his agenda in the realm of science fiction for the moment. In the meantime scary things are happening – the appearance of ghosts/demons, “space” aliens, unexplained animal mutilations, etc. All of these weird occurrences are burgeoning. The world is moving into chilling, unexplored territory. Yet people seem to have no fear of the aforementioned occurrences. Why is that? Because we’ve been desensitized through some entertaining Hollywood movies, and the exploitation of the paranormal. We’ve got ghost hunters enjoying a field day while exploring all the claims of paranormal occurrences, vampires becoming so acceptable in our society that many want to become vampires themselves. When I was a young boy all my friends and I wanted to be like Superman who represented everything good – today kids and adults want to be vampires which represent everything evil. What an about face society has made.
Nothing seems to be lacking as Satan slowly and meticulously unveils his deception. The mainstream media has even gotten into the fray. They see the appearances of ghosts, goblins, ghouls, spirits, and anything that goes bump in the night as newsworthy entertainment. Imagine if by chance, someone actually runs into a few of these very real specters? Would people associate any evil with such a phenomenon? There’s more than just a chance man will see these spirits as benevolent. It is Satan’s goal that mankind embrace the whole idea of the paranormal as benevolent extraterrestrials meaning no harm but only good for earth’s populous.
Here’s the rub, the human race is being setup for the last day’s delusion. Everything is falling perfectly into place. The brunt of the delusion won’t be fully in place until the “Church” is in Heaven. There’s no doubt that what’s currently occurring all over the world points to a worldwide deception. To some of us who have been given discernment, Satan’s attempt at deluding the public is obvious. “…the son of perdition. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God...” 2 Thessalonians 2:3b-4a. This son of perdition is ready to be revealed, his only hindrance is the Holy Spirit indwelt Church.
Please try and understand that once the Church is gone and the deception is unleashed, believing anything but the lie of the enemy will be incredibly difficult – impossible for many. “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” 2 Thessalonians 2:11b. Why would God send this strong delusion? The very next verse tells us why. “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:12. In other words, those who had been presented with the truth of the Gospel of Christ and rejected that truth have nothing to look forward to but condemnation as God’s strong delusion is implemented. When we take that last verse to fruition, many of us will come to a most horrible conclusion. Many of the folks we’ve witnessed to over the years who’ve remained steadfast in their rejection of the truth will end up swallowing the strong delusion – hook, line, and sinker.
I broached the subject of supernatural evil in a commentary a few weeks ago and with the tremendous response from my readership I decided to delve a little deeper into this incredibly important subject matter of the book of Genesis chapter 6.
We’re told in chapter 6 of Genesis that a supernatural evil brought on the destruction of the antediluvian world. This subject matter deserves much more attention and explanation than I can place into one commentary, especially when one considers all the foolish and misleading interpretations of these few verses. Fallen angles, human women, and their offspring – the Nephilim is the focus in this commentary, but the paranormal stems from the demonic hoard who, after the flood of Noah, found themselves without bodies. These were the Nephilim hybrids of that era. The last days before the return of our Lord Jesus will experience a resurgence of the Nephilim, hence all the activity surrounding the paranormal. Satan is readying the inhabitants of this planet to accept another invasion by the fallen angles and the return of the Nephilim.
Many folks today try to dismiss the Nephilim completely by attributing this assault on humanity as the result of the co-mingling of the sons of Seth with the daughters of Cain. Try and support that idea using Scripture. An acrobat would be hard pressed to perform such a stretch.
There were Nephilim (giants) in the land in those days and also after that. The procreation of human beings can create little monsters, but they aren’t monstrous. The Nephilim hybrid – the offspring created from the union of fallen angels and human women – brought about the most evil the world had ever experienced. To this very day we’ve not been subjected to such evil – but it is coming.
Let me get one thing straight. This commentary is not being written as an attempt to persuade those who hold opposing interpretations of Genesis 6 to change views. What I’m espousing here has come about through years of diligent study. I would propose that each “in Christ believer” do their own study of these critically important scriptures. Please don’t send me someone else’s contradicting study; believe me I’ve seen and read them all.
The verses in Genesis chapter 6 are perfectly clear and do not contradict Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 22. “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Matthew 22:30. Notice Jesus is speaking of the resurrection and angels of God in Heaven. Angels appear to men numerous times in the Bible and in male form. They’re seen eating and drinking, therefore they undoubtedly have access to all human bodily functions.
God says what He means and means what He says. I decided a long time ago to challenge myself to learn what these verses meant instead of listening to others concerning these passages. If we adhere to what the Bible is actually telling us, the truth is not difficult to discern “That the sons of God (The Hebrew bene ha Elohiym – always refers to angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose…There were giants (nĕphiyl in the Hebrew or Nephilim) in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:2, 4-5.
In the verses above the “sons of God” refers to fallen angels who came to earth, took wives of all they chose. Put in more simple terms, the fallen angel’s cohabitated with human women and their unions brought about these hybrids referred to as Nephilim, and they were giants. What we are told occurred during that stage of human history is an evil that quite frankly seems almost impossible to even consider let alone believe, yet it is factual. To the human mind the concept of angels and human women procreating is so repugnant – so beyond fantasy – that most simply dismiss it as impossible. The problem with dismissing this evil as fantasy, especially at this point in time, is akin to burying our heads in the sand. We, the Church, need to be keenly aware of and kept abreast of this strange evil coming about again. Make no mistake these fallen angels are currently continuing their shenanigans as they corrupt the last day’s human race. The bringing forth of the hybrids (Nephilim) into our midst has begun.
These fallen angels, through whatever means at their disposal, brought a mass of hybrid beings onto this planet with one goal in mind: to create a soulless and pure evil human hybrid – to replace all who are made in God’s image. Their success would have eliminated any chance of a forthcoming Messiah. Our Messiah arrived precisely when He was supposed to which tells they were not successful. Satan has, once again, begun his dastardly deeds with another assault on mankind.
Non-human hybrids that had no souls were also void of ability to love, therefore through the influence of the fallen angels their imaginations were pure evil continually. The evil was not merely focused on mankind but on the animal kingdom as well. With enough of this interbreeding, love could be bred out of man completely. This is exactly what occurred. All flesh became corrupted save Noah and his family. “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” Genesis 6:7. Scientists have extrapolated that there were as many people on earth prior to the flood of Noah as there are today. If that be the case and all but eight were saved from God’s decree to destroy man from the face of the earth, something much more evil had to have taken place besides just interbreeding of various human lineages. What occurred in the antediluvian world is to reemerge in the last days. The return of the Nephilim.
Why would God destroy every created thing? Why destroy poor dumb animals, the birds of the air, and creeping things? “And the LORD said, I will destroy man…, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air.” (v7b) Yes, the animal kingdom was also corrupted, thus God destroyed them also. These malevolent supernatural beings interfered in the animal kingdom to create part animal, part human “hybrids”; an animal soul cannot exist in a human body, and vice versa. FYI - the United States Senate has just passed a bill that would clear the way for the acceptance of sodomy and bestiality in the military and it was passed by a margin of 93 to 7. Who’s pulling the strings of government? “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…” 2 Corinthians 4:4a. Satan is the “god of this world” most men and women in leadership roles over nations bow to his every whim.
Unlike the giant Nephilim of the past the new hybrids are being created in labs around the world to resemble humans with human like traits. They will be just as soulless and loveless as those of the antediluvian corruption. They are probably already living among us. Everyone should become familiar with transhumanism. The secular scientists involved with this type of breeding animal/human hybrids are doing the devils bidding. I believe this is a major part of the strong delusion God will send to deceive the unbelieving world.
What I’ve explained in this commentary is completely verifiable through a diligent study of the scriptures. If you think I’m nuts, that a scenario such as I’ve espoused is impossible, then all I can say is wait and see. But while you wait you might heed Jesus’ words “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Thursday, December 01, 2011
WHO YOU GONNA BLAME
Who You Gonna Blame
12/1/2011
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30. Since this is our commandment – and as we adhere to that commandment with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength – how then can we justify blaming God for the evil in this world?
God gets the blame for every evil, horrible, senseless act of hate and destruction that occurs around the planet. Look at all the people strung out on drugs and alcohol, and what about all the senseless murders that are reported every day by our illustrious media services? It’s always the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who receives the blame from those who have no understanding of God. It’s never the Islamic god allah, nor any other false entity. Oddly enough, people are quick to blame God, but refuse to even acknowledge the existence of His adversary Satan. When we fail to see the true supernatural being who promotes evil and who is responsible for the dismal state of affairs of this planet then the tendency is to blame the Creator. Yet Satan is the deceiver and the destroyer of souls. Satan is the reason we live in a fallen world instead of a paradise. Eve fell for the serpent’s lies and that began the downward spiral of man. But it was Satan masquerading as a serpent who instigated the whole ungodly scheme.
Why does God allow…? Why doesn’t God put a stop to…? If God loves us then why are we in such…? Fill in the blank. These are frequently asked questions, but they are always asked of God our Creator as though He were to blame. God is not the progenitor of evil, Satan holds that title. No one wants to believe in a dark, fallen, supernatural being like Lucifer (Satan) slithering around in the dark, so most people point their finger at God when evil occurs.
Satan is, according to the God of the universe, “…the god of this world…” 2 Corinthians 4:4, which means that today just as in earth’s early history, that fallen supernatural deceiver previously known as Lucifer or Light Bearer, should take the blame for the direction we see humanity heading. Because of the fall of mankind earth temporarily belongs to Satan, but his tenure as owner of and ruler over earth is almost over. His home is about to be foreclosed on.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;” 2 Timothy 3:1-4. We see all sorts of men and women today immersed in immorality, being fully corrupt in their hearts and minds, willing to inflict all forms of evil on others. The news organizations flock to these extreme and sensational works of the followers of Satan like sharks to the scent of blood. They seem to feed on the depravity of humanity.
From the beginning of time, men and women have been lured into the very dark arena of the malevolent supernatural world through their own foolish choices and their evil desires. As the hammer comes down on people who get wrapped up in lawless acts that ruin their lives, they seem almost instinctively to assign the blame for their predicament to God. Of course, many don’t even believe in God but the blame must go somewhere, thus blaming God is seen in their warped brains as justification of all their evil deeds.
Yes God gets angry at our foolishness and there will be a time when He will allow the ultimate hammer to fall. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” Romans 1:18. But blaming God for our own self-indulgences and unbelief is indeed folly.
God told Adam and Eve what to do and what not to do. God, being the Creator had the right to dictate to these two how to live, but He would not force them to comply. Our antediluvian parents disobeyed God’s directive. Thus they made the decision to hand over the ownership of this world to Satan. Satan now has dominion over earth and over the lost. Instead of blaming God, who gave us everything, we should be striving to live an awesome life in unison with Him. We should be loving Him and praising Him while turning our lives away from the things Satan says are good and enjoyable. Satan’s secret agenda should be no secret at all; he only wants to see all human’s destroyed. There now, it’s out in the open – no more secret. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10.
Satan, in all his deceptions, works his evil upon us then places all blame for that evil on our Creator God. He prefers to work his evil incognito. If we allow Satan this free pass, the tendency of most people will be to write off all mention of him as pure lunacy. But with every instance of hurt, pain, or suffering, hating and blaming God becomes the norm – dismissing God from every aspect of life, except when it comes to assigning blame, becomes altogether too easy. God never wanted His Creation to experience pain and suffering, He doesn’t want to see us hurt – as such we shouldn’t see Him as a mean, strict parent, but as a strong loving God who heals our lives even after we’ve gone way off course. Because we live in a world that has been cursed we must learn to live with the fact that evil things are going to happen to us and to the ones we love – the closer we get to the end the more frequent and persistent will that evil become.
Satan exists, he’s a powerful and cunning supernatural entity, and he’s malevolent to the core. We may view this world as beautiful, but in all actuality it is a disfigured cesspool brought on by the father of all lies and the deceiver of souls. Satan should be receiving the blame for the ills that have infected mankind, and man should take responsibility for his own actions. God should be given all praise, glory, and honor coupled with our undying love, but never assigned blame.
You and I have a Father, one who knows and blesses us by fulfilling our every need whether we gratefully acknowledge Him or not. We’re God’s creation, He would never think of us as rubbish even though we live on this rubbish heap. God has loved us from before the creation of the world. He’ll always love us even though He so unjustly receives such criticism and blame. God is fully aware of the blinders deployed by the one who hates us. God explains all this in His word which, because of those very blinders, so many reject.
As many of us have found out, cancer is a part of life. But this world has an even greater cancer which will soon be eradicated. Death is a part of life in a fallen world, this is just a given that everyone has or should have grown accustomed to; at any moment it can overtake us. Again, the one to blame for death and disease is Satan, not our Creator God. Satan’s has usurped authority over mankind through his deceit. This authority has one goal, to hurt, maim, kill, and completely destroy men’s lives.
God, the Creator of this universe, only wants us to see Him as He truly is, as our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and loving Father in Heaven. Mankind, for the most part, has foolishly chosen to ignore God and allow Satan a free hand. God doesn’t allow evil things to occur, Satan with his free hand makes evil occur. Satan’s fixation has always been of pure hate; he hates mankind with a passion we can’t even comprehend. When a loved one dies we hurt, and he knows it. But what Satan does through deceitful means is to blind us of God’s perfect love while he convinces us that the Creator of the universe should be the recipient of our hate as we grieve for a loved one’s passing. In this realm Satan has been quite successful.
People make decisions that in many cases lead to hurt and suffering for them and their family. Is this God’s fault? Should we blame God for the bad choices we’ve made? Man’s rebellion to his God has created a lot of pain and suffering, most in Christ believers simply see this as another part of living in a fallen world. We’d all like to protect our loved ones from suffering pain or anguish, but sadly there’s going to be occasion for everyone in this world to experience dark times while they travel that valley of death. Placing God at fault for what boils down to our free will decisions is foolishness.
We live in a sin filled, fallen world where the worst “evil being” imaginable along with a malevolent hoard of tagalongs are in charge. We shouldn’t focus our lives on this invisible evil but we should be fully aware who is behind the full on carnage that is destroying lives.
Yes, God knows the nature of the beast that runs this world. God will one day soon take all pain and suffering from us. Nothing will remain but love, peace, and joy as we who are saved step from this world into our awaiting eternal domain of Paradise.
Perhaps the enemy’s technique of blinding humanity from seeing the truth of God has been so effective in your life that even though you don’t believe there is a God, you see no other recourse but to blame Him for every occurrence of misery that comes down the pike. In that case, just be aware that the God who you deny loves you so much He died a most horrific and agonizing death on a cross so you might have everlasting life.
God will not interfere with your decision to remain in unbelief while you assign culpability to Him. But when you enter the eternal destination you’ve chosen, which is Hell and total separation from God, you’ll be instantly confronted with the reality of your life’s decisions. You will never blame God again, only yourself.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
12/1/2011
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30. Since this is our commandment – and as we adhere to that commandment with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength – how then can we justify blaming God for the evil in this world?
God gets the blame for every evil, horrible, senseless act of hate and destruction that occurs around the planet. Look at all the people strung out on drugs and alcohol, and what about all the senseless murders that are reported every day by our illustrious media services? It’s always the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who receives the blame from those who have no understanding of God. It’s never the Islamic god allah, nor any other false entity. Oddly enough, people are quick to blame God, but refuse to even acknowledge the existence of His adversary Satan. When we fail to see the true supernatural being who promotes evil and who is responsible for the dismal state of affairs of this planet then the tendency is to blame the Creator. Yet Satan is the deceiver and the destroyer of souls. Satan is the reason we live in a fallen world instead of a paradise. Eve fell for the serpent’s lies and that began the downward spiral of man. But it was Satan masquerading as a serpent who instigated the whole ungodly scheme.
Why does God allow…? Why doesn’t God put a stop to…? If God loves us then why are we in such…? Fill in the blank. These are frequently asked questions, but they are always asked of God our Creator as though He were to blame. God is not the progenitor of evil, Satan holds that title. No one wants to believe in a dark, fallen, supernatural being like Lucifer (Satan) slithering around in the dark, so most people point their finger at God when evil occurs.
Satan is, according to the God of the universe, “…the god of this world…” 2 Corinthians 4:4, which means that today just as in earth’s early history, that fallen supernatural deceiver previously known as Lucifer or Light Bearer, should take the blame for the direction we see humanity heading. Because of the fall of mankind earth temporarily belongs to Satan, but his tenure as owner of and ruler over earth is almost over. His home is about to be foreclosed on.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;” 2 Timothy 3:1-4. We see all sorts of men and women today immersed in immorality, being fully corrupt in their hearts and minds, willing to inflict all forms of evil on others. The news organizations flock to these extreme and sensational works of the followers of Satan like sharks to the scent of blood. They seem to feed on the depravity of humanity.
From the beginning of time, men and women have been lured into the very dark arena of the malevolent supernatural world through their own foolish choices and their evil desires. As the hammer comes down on people who get wrapped up in lawless acts that ruin their lives, they seem almost instinctively to assign the blame for their predicament to God. Of course, many don’t even believe in God but the blame must go somewhere, thus blaming God is seen in their warped brains as justification of all their evil deeds.
Yes God gets angry at our foolishness and there will be a time when He will allow the ultimate hammer to fall. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” Romans 1:18. But blaming God for our own self-indulgences and unbelief is indeed folly.
God told Adam and Eve what to do and what not to do. God, being the Creator had the right to dictate to these two how to live, but He would not force them to comply. Our antediluvian parents disobeyed God’s directive. Thus they made the decision to hand over the ownership of this world to Satan. Satan now has dominion over earth and over the lost. Instead of blaming God, who gave us everything, we should be striving to live an awesome life in unison with Him. We should be loving Him and praising Him while turning our lives away from the things Satan says are good and enjoyable. Satan’s secret agenda should be no secret at all; he only wants to see all human’s destroyed. There now, it’s out in the open – no more secret. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10.
Satan, in all his deceptions, works his evil upon us then places all blame for that evil on our Creator God. He prefers to work his evil incognito. If we allow Satan this free pass, the tendency of most people will be to write off all mention of him as pure lunacy. But with every instance of hurt, pain, or suffering, hating and blaming God becomes the norm – dismissing God from every aspect of life, except when it comes to assigning blame, becomes altogether too easy. God never wanted His Creation to experience pain and suffering, He doesn’t want to see us hurt – as such we shouldn’t see Him as a mean, strict parent, but as a strong loving God who heals our lives even after we’ve gone way off course. Because we live in a world that has been cursed we must learn to live with the fact that evil things are going to happen to us and to the ones we love – the closer we get to the end the more frequent and persistent will that evil become.
Satan exists, he’s a powerful and cunning supernatural entity, and he’s malevolent to the core. We may view this world as beautiful, but in all actuality it is a disfigured cesspool brought on by the father of all lies and the deceiver of souls. Satan should be receiving the blame for the ills that have infected mankind, and man should take responsibility for his own actions. God should be given all praise, glory, and honor coupled with our undying love, but never assigned blame.
You and I have a Father, one who knows and blesses us by fulfilling our every need whether we gratefully acknowledge Him or not. We’re God’s creation, He would never think of us as rubbish even though we live on this rubbish heap. God has loved us from before the creation of the world. He’ll always love us even though He so unjustly receives such criticism and blame. God is fully aware of the blinders deployed by the one who hates us. God explains all this in His word which, because of those very blinders, so many reject.
As many of us have found out, cancer is a part of life. But this world has an even greater cancer which will soon be eradicated. Death is a part of life in a fallen world, this is just a given that everyone has or should have grown accustomed to; at any moment it can overtake us. Again, the one to blame for death and disease is Satan, not our Creator God. Satan’s has usurped authority over mankind through his deceit. This authority has one goal, to hurt, maim, kill, and completely destroy men’s lives.
God, the Creator of this universe, only wants us to see Him as He truly is, as our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and loving Father in Heaven. Mankind, for the most part, has foolishly chosen to ignore God and allow Satan a free hand. God doesn’t allow evil things to occur, Satan with his free hand makes evil occur. Satan’s fixation has always been of pure hate; he hates mankind with a passion we can’t even comprehend. When a loved one dies we hurt, and he knows it. But what Satan does through deceitful means is to blind us of God’s perfect love while he convinces us that the Creator of the universe should be the recipient of our hate as we grieve for a loved one’s passing. In this realm Satan has been quite successful.
People make decisions that in many cases lead to hurt and suffering for them and their family. Is this God’s fault? Should we blame God for the bad choices we’ve made? Man’s rebellion to his God has created a lot of pain and suffering, most in Christ believers simply see this as another part of living in a fallen world. We’d all like to protect our loved ones from suffering pain or anguish, but sadly there’s going to be occasion for everyone in this world to experience dark times while they travel that valley of death. Placing God at fault for what boils down to our free will decisions is foolishness.
We live in a sin filled, fallen world where the worst “evil being” imaginable along with a malevolent hoard of tagalongs are in charge. We shouldn’t focus our lives on this invisible evil but we should be fully aware who is behind the full on carnage that is destroying lives.
Yes, God knows the nature of the beast that runs this world. God will one day soon take all pain and suffering from us. Nothing will remain but love, peace, and joy as we who are saved step from this world into our awaiting eternal domain of Paradise.
Perhaps the enemy’s technique of blinding humanity from seeing the truth of God has been so effective in your life that even though you don’t believe there is a God, you see no other recourse but to blame Him for every occurrence of misery that comes down the pike. In that case, just be aware that the God who you deny loves you so much He died a most horrific and agonizing death on a cross so you might have everlasting life.
God will not interfere with your decision to remain in unbelief while you assign culpability to Him. But when you enter the eternal destination you’ve chosen, which is Hell and total separation from God, you’ll be instantly confronted with the reality of your life’s decisions. You will never blame God again, only yourself.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
TIMES THAT TRY MEN's SOUL
Times That Try Men’s Souls
11/24/2011
Today is very different than yesterday. Tomorrow will be nothing like today. But one thing is sure, we don’t see one day passing without reading or hearing a reference being made to this world falling apart – eroding, ending. There are so many signs today which only add to man’s apprehension in regards to an approaching calamity. “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.” Luke 21:26. Certainly the kinds of headlines we’re bombarded with today can and do try a man’s soul.
What mankind is witnessing today is only the “birth pangs” associated with the nearness of Christ’s return; certainly we’re not feeling the full on effects of what Jesus tells us is coming in the last days. Jesus’ return is close, and every Christian should reel with anticipation and excitement every time something out of the ordinary or unexplainable happens. But today’s Christians seem to be apathetic concerning the coming of their Lord; a lull between events allows apathy to creep into the Christian’s life lessening the anticipation of future events. Although many may read about the catastrophic occurrences around the world which have led to mass amounts of human death and suffering, there seems to be a sort of disconnect as people simply dismiss any possibility of such devastation occurring near them, or in their lifetime. Today most followers of Jesus Christ are unaware of the unimaginable magnitude of catastrophic events that are coming. Jesus warns the last remaining generation prior to His return that they will be overwhelmed by three specific ever recurring events, which are earthquakes, pestilence, and famines. Interestingly we’re all witnesses to the fact that all three are increasing in frequency and intensity just like birth pangs.
If we were to travel back just fifty years and revisit the “birth pangs” of that era they would seem miniscule in comparison to today. Fifty years ago when I was 10, there was little talk, if any, of the “end of the world” scenarios. Today it’s everywhere we turn. Why? I believe the simple fact is that people, being made in God’s image, are quite adept at recognizing the signs as they effect the earth and sky changes that only God could bring about. Although they know something’s afoot most have no clue as to what is going on, and little desire to pursue God’s word for the answers. Over time, this apathy creates an atmosphere of fear, as men can’t grasp what’s taking place. Thus, men’s hearts will fail them as the end grows ever closer.
There is no doubt in this expositors mind that evil has increased exponentially throughout the world. A moral and upright person can’t even watch the nightly news, or read online news content, without grimacing in disgust while being consumed with sorrow. The horror inflicted on mankind by our fellow man, especially that which is inflicted on the very young and the very old can only be seen a pure satanic. All of this evil is many times more prevalent today than just fifty years ago. Certainly each generation must go through trying times, and the generation of fifty years ago had many troubling tribulations. Our current generation seems to have reached its zenith in regards to this trend of pervasive evil; an evil which has led all civilizations into extreme immorality, and depravity. Another form of evil permeating this world is greed. Astonishing to me is that, while most of us are doing everything we can to tighten our belts to ward off what many see as another Great Depression headed our way, a bunch of the elite bankers are so full of greed that they are doing everything possible to negate our personal sacrifices. Certainly the greed of a few will lead many men to the apex of that which tries souls.
This is our time to be tried. The difference between all those other times and ours is that this is the “last generation” before Christ’s return. The truth is, for those of us who know what’s coming next, these are exciting days. Difficult to comprehend at times yes, but exciting nonetheless. If we give some thought to what’s coming next, and then pay close attention to observe the times and the signs, there will be nothing surprising or terrifying about what follows. “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5.
Apart from all that immorality, depravity, and greed which certainly reigns supreme on planet earth these days are the last day’s events of which Jesus tells His disciples will come. We are on a timeline in which those symbolic birth pangs are occurring more frequently and with much more intensity. But where on that timeline are we currently? Good question. It may help us to define our current position on that timeline by viewing the recurring signs of the past. When we do, we will be confronted with a huge difference in comparison as we look at frequency and intensity. I’ll give three short examples regarding these three observable phenomenon.
If we perform a simple web search on the United States Geological Service website (www.usgs.gov) we’ll find there a plethora of data concerning earthquakes past and present, even predictions of future events. Interestingly we find that both the quantity and severity of earthquakes have increased and are increasing daily. In my birth year, which was 1951, there were zero earthquakes recorded on the day I was born (August 24). I arbitrarily picked the year 2008 for a comparison and was floored by the number of earthquakes recorded that year on my birthday. There were over 293 earthquakes in “diverse” places. Remember were looking at just one single day’s earthquake occurrences. Now let’s take a look at the earthquakes for the entire year of 1951. The total was 592 that year. Now let’s look at that arbitrary year of 2008. Total earthquakes that year were 31,777 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Are the birth pangs increasing just as Jesus explained? Some will simply say that technology has improved so that we are now able to detect more earthquakes than in previous years. Let’s see if that holds true. The 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco, for example, registered 7.8 magnitude. According to the USGS website the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was recorded at a magnitude of 7.1 on the very same equipment as the quake of 1906. What this example demonstrates is the equipment in place during the 1906 earthquake was quite sufficient in registering any quake that might have come along. Simply put there just weren’t as many. Today’s earthquake frequency and intensity is increasing exponentially just as the Bible clearly states.
Here’s a little more information for the skeptic. So far this year (2011) 189 earthquakes have occurred within the range of magnitude measuring from 6.0 to 9.0. In 1951 there were only two earthquakes at a magnitude above 6.0, one recorded at 6.2 and the other at 6.3. Obviously something substantial is going on in regards to the frequency and intensity of earthquakes today, which point us back to the Bible and the fact that we should regard Jesus’ words as true and indisputable.
What must have been perceived as non-events by Bible teachers fifty years ago has certainly fallen into the category of “WOW the Bible is true” in the mind of any truth seeker today. “…and earthquakes, in divers places” Matthew 24:7b. The Greek word “kata” is translated divers in English meaning “throughout” but it can also mean “daily”. So we can conclude that in the days just prior to Jesus’ return there would be earthquakes occurring on a global scale increasing in their frequency and intensity on a daily basis. Even more interesting is the fact that earthquakes have increased so much in just the last fifty years that now hundreds of earthquakes shake this world every day.
Pestilences: Any deadly infectious malady – including plagues. In the last days they will come on mankind with increasing frequency and intensity. In a country that prides itself as being on the cutting edge of discoveries which result in medical cures and disease control, many ugly maladies remain unstoppable. There are actually so many plagues and diseases being combated today that they are too numerous to mention in this commentary. Let me just say that the mother of major infectious plagues these days, HIV/AIDS, is still on the top of the ladder when it comes to stubbornness. HIV/AIDS has been found to be increasingly difficult to eradicate. Certainly AIDS is the personification of the meaning behind Jesus’ word pestilence – meaning communicable, transferable, transmittable, contagious. Take your pick, isn’t this exactly what every society in every country on earth is experiencing? There is an inordinate amount of frustration with this burgeoning disease.
Famine is the one sign on our Lord’s list of signs that has the most potential for causing widespread calamity, which will certainly try man’s soul to the max. And just as earthquakes and pestilences are nothing new yet increasing in both intensity and frequency, so it is with famines. Today we witness an intensifying devastation occurring in drought stricken countries.
I recently read an article which indicated that extreme poverty in the U.S. is at record levels. The article stated that 1 in every 15 Americans are considered very poor, and that 20 million Americans are living in extreme poverty.
“About 20.5 million Americans, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population, make up the poorest poor, defined as those at 50 per cent or less of the official poverty level. Those living in deep poverty represent nearly half of the 46.2 million people scraping by below the poverty line. In 2010, the poorest poor meant an income of $5,570 or less for an individual and $11,157 for a family of four. That 6.7 percent share is the highest in the 35 years that the Census Bureau has maintained such records, surpassing previous highs in 2009 and 1993 of just over 6 percent.” Source – Daily Mail
The obvious picture we see developing is that American’s overall are becoming poorer not wealthier. Not only is employment declining but so are wages. Once upon a time a famine was coming to America. It’s no fairytale folks that famine, by all intents and purposes, has arrived. Food is certainly high on the average persons mind every day. Poor people have a hard time buying food, some people resort to stealing to get their daily bread. Some 46 million Americans are currently receiving food stamps. When that well runs dry many will turn to stealing to get what they and their family need to survive. The birth pangs Jesus spoke about are unfolding before our eyes. Famines certainly can cause the hearts of men to fail.
Obviously the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ can’t be far off. These are the times Jesus referred to as the beginnings of sorrows. According to Jesus’ own words the last generation is the generation that will experience the brunt of birth pangs. We are that generation. But the most intense of those birth pangs are yet to come and the removal of His Church must surely be at hand. These times will become much worse as we move closer to Christ’s return. Many of my brethren, me included, are praying constantly that His return is only seven years away. That would mean that the Rapture of the Church could occur today.
Everywhere we look the sky seems to be falling, yet few are running for the One that protects and covers. Nothing can stop what’s coming, the prophecies of the Bible must be fulfilled, and they will be to the letter. Since there’s no place to run, no place to hide, that only leaves us one alternative. The peace and joy we have in Christ will endure right up to the day He takes us home. “Be careful for nothing… And the peace of God, which passed all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6a-7.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
11/24/2011
Today is very different than yesterday. Tomorrow will be nothing like today. But one thing is sure, we don’t see one day passing without reading or hearing a reference being made to this world falling apart – eroding, ending. There are so many signs today which only add to man’s apprehension in regards to an approaching calamity. “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.” Luke 21:26. Certainly the kinds of headlines we’re bombarded with today can and do try a man’s soul.
What mankind is witnessing today is only the “birth pangs” associated with the nearness of Christ’s return; certainly we’re not feeling the full on effects of what Jesus tells us is coming in the last days. Jesus’ return is close, and every Christian should reel with anticipation and excitement every time something out of the ordinary or unexplainable happens. But today’s Christians seem to be apathetic concerning the coming of their Lord; a lull between events allows apathy to creep into the Christian’s life lessening the anticipation of future events. Although many may read about the catastrophic occurrences around the world which have led to mass amounts of human death and suffering, there seems to be a sort of disconnect as people simply dismiss any possibility of such devastation occurring near them, or in their lifetime. Today most followers of Jesus Christ are unaware of the unimaginable magnitude of catastrophic events that are coming. Jesus warns the last remaining generation prior to His return that they will be overwhelmed by three specific ever recurring events, which are earthquakes, pestilence, and famines. Interestingly we’re all witnesses to the fact that all three are increasing in frequency and intensity just like birth pangs.
If we were to travel back just fifty years and revisit the “birth pangs” of that era they would seem miniscule in comparison to today. Fifty years ago when I was 10, there was little talk, if any, of the “end of the world” scenarios. Today it’s everywhere we turn. Why? I believe the simple fact is that people, being made in God’s image, are quite adept at recognizing the signs as they effect the earth and sky changes that only God could bring about. Although they know something’s afoot most have no clue as to what is going on, and little desire to pursue God’s word for the answers. Over time, this apathy creates an atmosphere of fear, as men can’t grasp what’s taking place. Thus, men’s hearts will fail them as the end grows ever closer.
There is no doubt in this expositors mind that evil has increased exponentially throughout the world. A moral and upright person can’t even watch the nightly news, or read online news content, without grimacing in disgust while being consumed with sorrow. The horror inflicted on mankind by our fellow man, especially that which is inflicted on the very young and the very old can only be seen a pure satanic. All of this evil is many times more prevalent today than just fifty years ago. Certainly each generation must go through trying times, and the generation of fifty years ago had many troubling tribulations. Our current generation seems to have reached its zenith in regards to this trend of pervasive evil; an evil which has led all civilizations into extreme immorality, and depravity. Another form of evil permeating this world is greed. Astonishing to me is that, while most of us are doing everything we can to tighten our belts to ward off what many see as another Great Depression headed our way, a bunch of the elite bankers are so full of greed that they are doing everything possible to negate our personal sacrifices. Certainly the greed of a few will lead many men to the apex of that which tries souls.
This is our time to be tried. The difference between all those other times and ours is that this is the “last generation” before Christ’s return. The truth is, for those of us who know what’s coming next, these are exciting days. Difficult to comprehend at times yes, but exciting nonetheless. If we give some thought to what’s coming next, and then pay close attention to observe the times and the signs, there will be nothing surprising or terrifying about what follows. “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5.
Apart from all that immorality, depravity, and greed which certainly reigns supreme on planet earth these days are the last day’s events of which Jesus tells His disciples will come. We are on a timeline in which those symbolic birth pangs are occurring more frequently and with much more intensity. But where on that timeline are we currently? Good question. It may help us to define our current position on that timeline by viewing the recurring signs of the past. When we do, we will be confronted with a huge difference in comparison as we look at frequency and intensity. I’ll give three short examples regarding these three observable phenomenon.
If we perform a simple web search on the United States Geological Service website (www.usgs.gov) we’ll find there a plethora of data concerning earthquakes past and present, even predictions of future events. Interestingly we find that both the quantity and severity of earthquakes have increased and are increasing daily. In my birth year, which was 1951, there were zero earthquakes recorded on the day I was born (August 24). I arbitrarily picked the year 2008 for a comparison and was floored by the number of earthquakes recorded that year on my birthday. There were over 293 earthquakes in “diverse” places. Remember were looking at just one single day’s earthquake occurrences. Now let’s take a look at the earthquakes for the entire year of 1951. The total was 592 that year. Now let’s look at that arbitrary year of 2008. Total earthquakes that year were 31,777 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Are the birth pangs increasing just as Jesus explained? Some will simply say that technology has improved so that we are now able to detect more earthquakes than in previous years. Let’s see if that holds true. The 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco, for example, registered 7.8 magnitude. According to the USGS website the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was recorded at a magnitude of 7.1 on the very same equipment as the quake of 1906. What this example demonstrates is the equipment in place during the 1906 earthquake was quite sufficient in registering any quake that might have come along. Simply put there just weren’t as many. Today’s earthquake frequency and intensity is increasing exponentially just as the Bible clearly states.
Here’s a little more information for the skeptic. So far this year (2011) 189 earthquakes have occurred within the range of magnitude measuring from 6.0 to 9.0. In 1951 there were only two earthquakes at a magnitude above 6.0, one recorded at 6.2 and the other at 6.3. Obviously something substantial is going on in regards to the frequency and intensity of earthquakes today, which point us back to the Bible and the fact that we should regard Jesus’ words as true and indisputable.
What must have been perceived as non-events by Bible teachers fifty years ago has certainly fallen into the category of “WOW the Bible is true” in the mind of any truth seeker today. “…and earthquakes, in divers places” Matthew 24:7b. The Greek word “kata” is translated divers in English meaning “throughout” but it can also mean “daily”. So we can conclude that in the days just prior to Jesus’ return there would be earthquakes occurring on a global scale increasing in their frequency and intensity on a daily basis. Even more interesting is the fact that earthquakes have increased so much in just the last fifty years that now hundreds of earthquakes shake this world every day.
Pestilences: Any deadly infectious malady – including plagues. In the last days they will come on mankind with increasing frequency and intensity. In a country that prides itself as being on the cutting edge of discoveries which result in medical cures and disease control, many ugly maladies remain unstoppable. There are actually so many plagues and diseases being combated today that they are too numerous to mention in this commentary. Let me just say that the mother of major infectious plagues these days, HIV/AIDS, is still on the top of the ladder when it comes to stubbornness. HIV/AIDS has been found to be increasingly difficult to eradicate. Certainly AIDS is the personification of the meaning behind Jesus’ word pestilence – meaning communicable, transferable, transmittable, contagious. Take your pick, isn’t this exactly what every society in every country on earth is experiencing? There is an inordinate amount of frustration with this burgeoning disease.
Famine is the one sign on our Lord’s list of signs that has the most potential for causing widespread calamity, which will certainly try man’s soul to the max. And just as earthquakes and pestilences are nothing new yet increasing in both intensity and frequency, so it is with famines. Today we witness an intensifying devastation occurring in drought stricken countries.
I recently read an article which indicated that extreme poverty in the U.S. is at record levels. The article stated that 1 in every 15 Americans are considered very poor, and that 20 million Americans are living in extreme poverty.
“About 20.5 million Americans, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population, make up the poorest poor, defined as those at 50 per cent or less of the official poverty level. Those living in deep poverty represent nearly half of the 46.2 million people scraping by below the poverty line. In 2010, the poorest poor meant an income of $5,570 or less for an individual and $11,157 for a family of four. That 6.7 percent share is the highest in the 35 years that the Census Bureau has maintained such records, surpassing previous highs in 2009 and 1993 of just over 6 percent.” Source – Daily Mail
The obvious picture we see developing is that American’s overall are becoming poorer not wealthier. Not only is employment declining but so are wages. Once upon a time a famine was coming to America. It’s no fairytale folks that famine, by all intents and purposes, has arrived. Food is certainly high on the average persons mind every day. Poor people have a hard time buying food, some people resort to stealing to get their daily bread. Some 46 million Americans are currently receiving food stamps. When that well runs dry many will turn to stealing to get what they and their family need to survive. The birth pangs Jesus spoke about are unfolding before our eyes. Famines certainly can cause the hearts of men to fail.
Obviously the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ can’t be far off. These are the times Jesus referred to as the beginnings of sorrows. According to Jesus’ own words the last generation is the generation that will experience the brunt of birth pangs. We are that generation. But the most intense of those birth pangs are yet to come and the removal of His Church must surely be at hand. These times will become much worse as we move closer to Christ’s return. Many of my brethren, me included, are praying constantly that His return is only seven years away. That would mean that the Rapture of the Church could occur today.
Everywhere we look the sky seems to be falling, yet few are running for the One that protects and covers. Nothing can stop what’s coming, the prophecies of the Bible must be fulfilled, and they will be to the letter. Since there’s no place to run, no place to hide, that only leaves us one alternative. The peace and joy we have in Christ will endure right up to the day He takes us home. “Be careful for nothing… And the peace of God, which passed all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6a-7.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Thursday, November 17, 2011
PARADISE LOST
Paradise Lost
11/17/2011
These days there seems to be a lot of confusion, conjecture, fictional theories, and downright foolishness concerning the whereabouts of the Garden of Eden. What happened to that awesome Garden after Adam and Eve rebelled and received their eviction notice demanding they leave their one time home post-haste? Was it destroyed by the Flood of Noah’s time? Was it just simply eliminated by God? Where has it gone, this Garden of God?
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” Genesis 2:8. Planted in the Hebrew is “nata” and it means to establish. We see from the scripture verse above that God planted (established) this Garden in Eden (Eden, by the way, means pleasure) and then after creating Adam, placed him in his new habitat. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15. Adam was created from the dust of the earth, and then he was transported to a location more befitting his newly created life. Adam was given an awesome responsibility in this newly established habitat, which was to keep the garden beautiful (dress it). But none of these verses tell us precisely where Eden was. So, just where is this garden of God?
After their rebellion and subsequent fall, Adam and his wife were given an eviction notice. Suddenly we see our antediluvian parents being banished from the Garden of Eden. That banishment included a new life in another location apart from the Garden of Eden, a life that would be consumed with hard physical labor, undoubtedly coupled with a deep sense of guilt, shame, and misery for them both. “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.” Genesis 3:23. God sent Adam (and Eve) out of the Garden and back to the land and ground from which he was created. So here we see that God speaks of two distinct locations. The ground that He used to create Adam was distinctly different than the surroundings in the Garden of Eden – the perfect environment for God’s new creation. We know where the “ground” is – it’s the earth where we all live today. But where is that elusive Garden?
“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24. The word “kĕruwb (Cherub) in the Hebrew, used in the above verse, can denote one Cherub or a number of Cherubim. The translators of the King James Version of the Bible translated “kĕruwb” into English as Cherubims which doesn’t really make sense. The plural of cherub is cherubim. There is no need for an “s” at the end as we see rendered in English in the above verse. In this case God placed a Cherub (kĕruwb) at the east of the Garden of Eden to keep the way of the tree of life. As we look further into the Hebrew words we find that God placed just one angelic sword there with the Cherub, this would further indicate the presence of just one Cherub.
Was this precaution to keep Adam and his descendents out of the Garden of Eden? Not hardly. Angels are very powerful and cherubim are even more so. One angel would have been over-kill to keep mankind out of God’s Garden.
Here’s a little tidbit of information for those of you who are not familiar with the power of angels. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.” 2 Kings 19:35. One angel in one night slew 185,000 Assyrians; they are much more powerful than humans.
If we humans were being kept from the Garden we would be able to see it and the Cherub wielding his flaming sword. So, where is that Garden? Consider this. The Garden of Eden does not exist in the dimension in which we live and the Cherub is not guarding against humans, but guarding against supernatural beings bent on wickedness who desperately want access to the tree of life. The flaming sword (angelic sword in the Hebrew) that turned every way indicates a supernatural barrier. Therefore there would be no “earthly” reason for guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden against unlawful entry by mankind. It’s a physical impossibility for mortal humans “in the flesh” to see it, let alone enter the Garden of Eden (Paradise).
That Cherub is there explicitly to keep supernatural malevolent beings from entering and being mischievous. But why? I’m going to answer that question with a bit of conjecture on my part, but it’s a logical conclusion. God told Satan and his hoard of fallen angels that there would be a fight between two distinct seeds (“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15). The hostility God is speaking about is between Jesus the Christ (the seed of the women) and Satan’s seed. This proclamation caused Satan to realize that if he was to survive it was up to him to disrupt God’s plan of the redemption of mankind. If Satan had been allowed to enter the Garden of Eden again; and more specifically to gain access to the “tree of life,” that access could have greatly contributed to his agenda of disrupting God’s plan to restore the broken relationship between Him and man. Obviously God had no intention of allowing Satan any latitude in this area again – hence the Cherub and his sword. The Garden of Eden/Paradise is of another dimension where the faithful go when they die. Therefore Satan and his cohorts had to have been denied any access to that dimension without exception.
“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life , and eat, and live for ever:” Genesis 3:23. The above verse explains why God, being fully aware of Satan’s plan, had no choice but to guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Otherwise man, by way of Satan and his malevolent hoard of fallen angels, would have become as corrupt as those wicked supernatural beings, but with one added detriment for mankind. With access to the properties of that “Tree of Life”, man would have been immortal just like those malevolent supernatural beings and just as bent on corruption, shades of Genesis chapter 6 occurring over and over again.
The only way we humans can live forever is to shed these mortal vessels we refer to as bodies. Basically we must die to live. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54. It was Christ’s victory over death and over Satan that gives humanity the only way of by-passing eternal damnation. Not at all the way Satan would have preferred things to have turned out. But hey, there it is. God is faithful! We can depend on God’s plans as always being perfect.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7. Jesus’ own words tell us where the tree of life can be found – it’s in the midst of Paradise. And those who overcome will be given access to that tree. Certainly the probability of Paradise and the Garden of Eden being the same location is very great indeed since from the beginning the “tree of life” was “established” as one of the trees in the Garden of Eden. We either have two names for the same location – The Garden of Eden/Paradise – or someone dug up the “tree of life” and replanted it in another location.
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:” Luke 16:22. Abraham’s bosom is a reference to Paradise. On the day Christ was crucified there were two others suspended on their own crosses. One recognized who Christ was and asked to be remembered. He is now in paradise with the rest of the believers. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43. Paradise is the location where the Apostle Paul tells us he went when he was raptured (caught up – Harpazō in the Greek). “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” 2 Corinthians 12:4. When the saints are finally caught up (Raptured) we too will be with the Lord in Paradise (the Garden of Eden). If I’m correct in my theory about the Garden of Eden and Paradise being the same location, then the Garden of Eden has moved. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. Now we see Paradise has been moved to a new location – it has ascended up on high.
So, the Garden of Eden is still very real, it’s just not visible to those still living on earth. Paradise is also very real because both locations are one and the same, and God confirms this by referring to the “tree of life” and it’s location as being both in the Garden and in Paradise. It’s a place that is completely off limits to any form of evil. It can’t be described with human words. It’s a dimension that will never be seen by the damned. It belongs to God and the redeemed.
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8. Everyone who has died with their faith firmly established in the Son of God is now occupying that Garden/Paradise. They now know without any doubt that Paradise was never lost – only man. Paradise awaits each of us who’ve placed our faith and trust in the One who designed and created it, our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. The alternative to Paradise has never moved; it’s exactly where it was when Abraham had the discussion with the rich man in Luke chapter 16 verses 19 through 31. By the way, that discourse was not a parable but a true account.
The Creator of all dimensions (Jesus Christ) has a special dimension fully established, which currently houses multitudes of God’s children. In contrast to that beautiful, awesome Garden (Paradise) is a location which is the most unpleasant of habitations, and that is a gross understatement. It currently awaits all the Christ-rejecters who have made it plain they want nothing to do with God. Two distinct and completely dissimilar eternal locations are in view as we live our lives out on planet earth. Paradise and Hell – both equally real. Paradise is the place where the living, continue living…forever. Hell is the place where the dead continue dying…forever. Deciding on which location you prefer doesn’t take a lot of intellectual prowess. It’s a simple choice. Which place is yours?
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
11/17/2011
These days there seems to be a lot of confusion, conjecture, fictional theories, and downright foolishness concerning the whereabouts of the Garden of Eden. What happened to that awesome Garden after Adam and Eve rebelled and received their eviction notice demanding they leave their one time home post-haste? Was it destroyed by the Flood of Noah’s time? Was it just simply eliminated by God? Where has it gone, this Garden of God?
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” Genesis 2:8. Planted in the Hebrew is “nata” and it means to establish. We see from the scripture verse above that God planted (established) this Garden in Eden (Eden, by the way, means pleasure) and then after creating Adam, placed him in his new habitat. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” Genesis 2:15. Adam was created from the dust of the earth, and then he was transported to a location more befitting his newly created life. Adam was given an awesome responsibility in this newly established habitat, which was to keep the garden beautiful (dress it). But none of these verses tell us precisely where Eden was. So, just where is this garden of God?
After their rebellion and subsequent fall, Adam and his wife were given an eviction notice. Suddenly we see our antediluvian parents being banished from the Garden of Eden. That banishment included a new life in another location apart from the Garden of Eden, a life that would be consumed with hard physical labor, undoubtedly coupled with a deep sense of guilt, shame, and misery for them both. “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.” Genesis 3:23. God sent Adam (and Eve) out of the Garden and back to the land and ground from which he was created. So here we see that God speaks of two distinct locations. The ground that He used to create Adam was distinctly different than the surroundings in the Garden of Eden – the perfect environment for God’s new creation. We know where the “ground” is – it’s the earth where we all live today. But where is that elusive Garden?
“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24. The word “kĕruwb (Cherub) in the Hebrew, used in the above verse, can denote one Cherub or a number of Cherubim. The translators of the King James Version of the Bible translated “kĕruwb” into English as Cherubims which doesn’t really make sense. The plural of cherub is cherubim. There is no need for an “s” at the end as we see rendered in English in the above verse. In this case God placed a Cherub (kĕruwb) at the east of the Garden of Eden to keep the way of the tree of life. As we look further into the Hebrew words we find that God placed just one angelic sword there with the Cherub, this would further indicate the presence of just one Cherub.
Was this precaution to keep Adam and his descendents out of the Garden of Eden? Not hardly. Angels are very powerful and cherubim are even more so. One angel would have been over-kill to keep mankind out of God’s Garden.
Here’s a little tidbit of information for those of you who are not familiar with the power of angels. “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.” 2 Kings 19:35. One angel in one night slew 185,000 Assyrians; they are much more powerful than humans.
If we humans were being kept from the Garden we would be able to see it and the Cherub wielding his flaming sword. So, where is that Garden? Consider this. The Garden of Eden does not exist in the dimension in which we live and the Cherub is not guarding against humans, but guarding against supernatural beings bent on wickedness who desperately want access to the tree of life. The flaming sword (angelic sword in the Hebrew) that turned every way indicates a supernatural barrier. Therefore there would be no “earthly” reason for guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden against unlawful entry by mankind. It’s a physical impossibility for mortal humans “in the flesh” to see it, let alone enter the Garden of Eden (Paradise).
That Cherub is there explicitly to keep supernatural malevolent beings from entering and being mischievous. But why? I’m going to answer that question with a bit of conjecture on my part, but it’s a logical conclusion. God told Satan and his hoard of fallen angels that there would be a fight between two distinct seeds (“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15). The hostility God is speaking about is between Jesus the Christ (the seed of the women) and Satan’s seed. This proclamation caused Satan to realize that if he was to survive it was up to him to disrupt God’s plan of the redemption of mankind. If Satan had been allowed to enter the Garden of Eden again; and more specifically to gain access to the “tree of life,” that access could have greatly contributed to his agenda of disrupting God’s plan to restore the broken relationship between Him and man. Obviously God had no intention of allowing Satan any latitude in this area again – hence the Cherub and his sword. The Garden of Eden/Paradise is of another dimension where the faithful go when they die. Therefore Satan and his cohorts had to have been denied any access to that dimension without exception.
“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life , and eat, and live for ever:” Genesis 3:23. The above verse explains why God, being fully aware of Satan’s plan, had no choice but to guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Otherwise man, by way of Satan and his malevolent hoard of fallen angels, would have become as corrupt as those wicked supernatural beings, but with one added detriment for mankind. With access to the properties of that “Tree of Life”, man would have been immortal just like those malevolent supernatural beings and just as bent on corruption, shades of Genesis chapter 6 occurring over and over again.
The only way we humans can live forever is to shed these mortal vessels we refer to as bodies. Basically we must die to live. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54. It was Christ’s victory over death and over Satan that gives humanity the only way of by-passing eternal damnation. Not at all the way Satan would have preferred things to have turned out. But hey, there it is. God is faithful! We can depend on God’s plans as always being perfect.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7. Jesus’ own words tell us where the tree of life can be found – it’s in the midst of Paradise. And those who overcome will be given access to that tree. Certainly the probability of Paradise and the Garden of Eden being the same location is very great indeed since from the beginning the “tree of life” was “established” as one of the trees in the Garden of Eden. We either have two names for the same location – The Garden of Eden/Paradise – or someone dug up the “tree of life” and replanted it in another location.
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:” Luke 16:22. Abraham’s bosom is a reference to Paradise. On the day Christ was crucified there were two others suspended on their own crosses. One recognized who Christ was and asked to be remembered. He is now in paradise with the rest of the believers. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43. Paradise is the location where the Apostle Paul tells us he went when he was raptured (caught up – Harpazō in the Greek). “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” 2 Corinthians 12:4. When the saints are finally caught up (Raptured) we too will be with the Lord in Paradise (the Garden of Eden). If I’m correct in my theory about the Garden of Eden and Paradise being the same location, then the Garden of Eden has moved. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. Now we see Paradise has been moved to a new location – it has ascended up on high.
So, the Garden of Eden is still very real, it’s just not visible to those still living on earth. Paradise is also very real because both locations are one and the same, and God confirms this by referring to the “tree of life” and it’s location as being both in the Garden and in Paradise. It’s a place that is completely off limits to any form of evil. It can’t be described with human words. It’s a dimension that will never be seen by the damned. It belongs to God and the redeemed.
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8. Everyone who has died with their faith firmly established in the Son of God is now occupying that Garden/Paradise. They now know without any doubt that Paradise was never lost – only man. Paradise awaits each of us who’ve placed our faith and trust in the One who designed and created it, our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. The alternative to Paradise has never moved; it’s exactly where it was when Abraham had the discussion with the rich man in Luke chapter 16 verses 19 through 31. By the way, that discourse was not a parable but a true account.
The Creator of all dimensions (Jesus Christ) has a special dimension fully established, which currently houses multitudes of God’s children. In contrast to that beautiful, awesome Garden (Paradise) is a location which is the most unpleasant of habitations, and that is a gross understatement. It currently awaits all the Christ-rejecters who have made it plain they want nothing to do with God. Two distinct and completely dissimilar eternal locations are in view as we live our lives out on planet earth. Paradise and Hell – both equally real. Paradise is the place where the living, continue living…forever. Hell is the place where the dead continue dying…forever. Deciding on which location you prefer doesn’t take a lot of intellectual prowess. It’s a simple choice. Which place is yours?
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Friday, November 11, 2011
IT'S PERSONAL NOT CORPORATE
It’s Personal not Corporate
11/10/2011
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6. Since the beginning of our human existence the influence of one spouse over another has been, in many cases, disastrous. Eve was deceived by the serpent, not Adam. But through Eve’s influential prodding Adam made a decision that led to his death. It was Eve’s will that Adam should eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From the very beginning we see that one spouse can have a strong influence over the other.
Stumbling blocks and strongholds of the enemy are continually placed in all our lives. We must learn to fight to withstand the enemy forces. The lost people of this world will find this increasingly difficult. One such stumbling block is known as conformity. A somewhat touchy subject for any writer is to address the conforming influence a husband has over his wife, or vice versa. A man and woman will have various conflicting convictions prior to marriage, but soon after the consummation of that marriage a change begins to occur. Many times that change results in one or the other being conformed into accepting what the other believes. In most cases the wife’s beliefs change to mirror the beliefs of her husband. In some cases it’s not a bad thing; sometimes a spouse, being at one time lost and worldly, begins to see God’s truth. Thus the positive influence of this spouse is a good thing. On the other hand, when a husband or wife holds to a false belief system and influences their spouse against believing the truth of the Gospel of Christ, this conformity will only lead to destruction. Satan knows the truth, that Jesus the Christ is alive. But to fight that truth, a weapon in his vast arsenal is the influence of one spouse over the other.
Each individual on this planet must make a choice concerning the eternal. This choice is a personal decision affecting only the person making the choice. For example, I can’t make the choice for my wife nor can she make it for me. The same goes for our children, we can teach our children right from wrong, we can teach them about faith and love – all about Jesus – but we can’t make the most important decision of their lives for them. I’m sure some of us would like it if we could make that decision for a loved one, but it just doesn’t work that way. Even though salvation is a free gift of God, He’s made it abundantly clear it’s personal not corporate. Everyone must face the reality that Satan wields his influence over the lost like a king over his kingdom. An unbelieving spouse is a subject of that king, thus he/she must do his bidding.
My wife and I were married in June of 1988. I was 36 years old. I was pretty well set in my ways. I was already an alcoholic, my vocabulary was more than just laced with profanity, and I had a mean disposition. My new bride, a godly shy woman, a born again Christian with a heart that could only have come from God, knew that she was not following the word of God by becoming yoked with a non-believing and very ungodly, worldly man. I was for all intents and purposes a follower of the enemy of God; this is something my wife should have been repulsed with. Instead she fell in love me and I with her. We were married shortly thereafter. Can you see how horrible my influence over her life could have been? But instead she influenced my life. Please understand, it seldom works out that way.
Husband or wife, whichever one follows Satan normally will have the stronger influence. In most marriages the husband is the dominant force. They exercise an incredible amount of influence over their wife’s life. A wife, who obeys her unbelieving and many times manipulative husband, when it comes to a decision for Christ may just obey him right into Hell. In many marriages this tragedy is very real. Similarly, a wife can have the same detrimental effect on her husband if she remains in her satanic induced blindness toward the truth.
When men or women ignore the truth of God just to appease their spouse they are only foolishly falling into a trap laid down by the father of all lies (Satan). This personification of evil keeps a tight rein on those who belong to him. Satan will work one spouse against the other convincing them to remain in his camp. I’ve seen this type of situation time and time again, where a spouse begins to climb out of the muck and mire of the filthy camp of the enemy only to be waylaid by their other half who unabashedly steps in to do Satan’s bidding. I’ve also witnessed that at this point both of their hearts become incredibly hardened against their Creator, and when they remain in that steadfast position they all but cement their decision to spend an eternity in Hell.
Many will follow their spouses into the abyss instead of using their own intellect to come to a decision for Christ. Ignoring the power of the enemy is a common mistake these days as so many relegate Satan to nothing more than a mythological existence at best. Thus, he’s able to keep his hold on people through their own ignorant and erroneous beliefs.
Influence and conformity can be powerful stumbling blocks that, when coupled with decision making, can and do lead people astray. Certainly there are everyday decisions that affect the marriage and those decisions must be made together. Both spouses must participate in the decision making process to really enjoy a good and loving marriage. But the decision to turn one’s life over to Christ is the most important decision in this life, and it is personal not corporate.
Over the years I’ve learned, as many of you have, that marriage is a great institution. I can’t, or won’t, even contemplate living alone without my wife. My wife is not just a woman I met fell in love with and then married, she is more, much more. She is a major part of my life, she has become a part of me – bodily she and I are one. I can’t be separated from her for any length of time at all without missing her in a way that is almost impossible to describe. The love we have for one another is that same love that Jesus has for His Church. When she is away from me it’s the same as though a part of my body has been ripped away. God meant for us to view marriage just as He described it in the book of Genesis “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. God meant it. When a man takes a woman to be his wife there’s a lifelong bond established. This bond is never to be broken. This is exactly why the influence of one spouse over the other can be so great. If one spouse is a non-believer, the adverse affect that that one person can have on the other can truly mean Hell for all eternity.
This is precisely the reason why we (believers in Christ) aren’t to be unequally yoked with non-believing people “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. Why is the Apostle Paul giving us this admonition? Because time and time again unequal unions result in a most devastating end for one or both participants.
Then, of course, we have marriages with both husband and wife being non-believers. These two unbelievers aren’t really going to know love, the love of Christ that transcends all barriers, since their union was not built on a godly foundation. This ungodly union can place an incredible strain on a marriage, especially if one spouse begins to learn the truth about God. There’s a span of time where one spouse might begin to see God in ways they’ve never perceived before. This can cause friction in a marriage and even result in divorce. Even though one spouse emerges victorious in Christ they may have just destroyed their marriage. The Bible tells us that God hates divorce – and please don’t misunderstand, I’m not advocating divorce – but God in His word tells us that the believing spouse is under no obligation to remain in a marriage with an unbeliever. “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15.
Because of the incredibly powerful influence of their spouse, many who might be on the verge of making a decision for Christ will be convinced to stay in unbelief. As such they continue to drink from Satan’s pool of damnation. This is just another of Satan’s tools of deception. It’s a horrible sight to be witness to, especially when it occurs within your own family. In the big scheme of life, a personal decision for Christ is the most important of all decisions; all other decisions are comparatively immaterial. If we understand nothing else in this life, we must come to grips with the fact that a decision for Christ is personal not corporate.
Wife, your husband has no say in the matter concerning your eternal destination – husband, your wife has no say in the matter concerning your eternal destination. Here’s something to consider, when you stand before the God of all creation, at His Throne of Judgment with the rest of those who rejected Christ as their Savior, you will not be able to use the excuse that it was your spouse that kept you from making the decision to avoid Hell. It will be too late at that point to make excuses and there will be no chance for you to change your mind concerning your eternal destination.
Here are your choices: follow my unbelieving spouse into Hell or follow Jesus Christ into Heaven. Remember influence works both ways – your decision for Christ could be just what your spouse has been waiting for – to see the love of Christ in you. That Christ centered love might be the catalysts that turns another hardened hear toward Christ. Hear Jesus promise to you: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28. (Emphasis mine)
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
11/10/2011
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6. Since the beginning of our human existence the influence of one spouse over another has been, in many cases, disastrous. Eve was deceived by the serpent, not Adam. But through Eve’s influential prodding Adam made a decision that led to his death. It was Eve’s will that Adam should eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From the very beginning we see that one spouse can have a strong influence over the other.
Stumbling blocks and strongholds of the enemy are continually placed in all our lives. We must learn to fight to withstand the enemy forces. The lost people of this world will find this increasingly difficult. One such stumbling block is known as conformity. A somewhat touchy subject for any writer is to address the conforming influence a husband has over his wife, or vice versa. A man and woman will have various conflicting convictions prior to marriage, but soon after the consummation of that marriage a change begins to occur. Many times that change results in one or the other being conformed into accepting what the other believes. In most cases the wife’s beliefs change to mirror the beliefs of her husband. In some cases it’s not a bad thing; sometimes a spouse, being at one time lost and worldly, begins to see God’s truth. Thus the positive influence of this spouse is a good thing. On the other hand, when a husband or wife holds to a false belief system and influences their spouse against believing the truth of the Gospel of Christ, this conformity will only lead to destruction. Satan knows the truth, that Jesus the Christ is alive. But to fight that truth, a weapon in his vast arsenal is the influence of one spouse over the other.
Each individual on this planet must make a choice concerning the eternal. This choice is a personal decision affecting only the person making the choice. For example, I can’t make the choice for my wife nor can she make it for me. The same goes for our children, we can teach our children right from wrong, we can teach them about faith and love – all about Jesus – but we can’t make the most important decision of their lives for them. I’m sure some of us would like it if we could make that decision for a loved one, but it just doesn’t work that way. Even though salvation is a free gift of God, He’s made it abundantly clear it’s personal not corporate. Everyone must face the reality that Satan wields his influence over the lost like a king over his kingdom. An unbelieving spouse is a subject of that king, thus he/she must do his bidding.
My wife and I were married in June of 1988. I was 36 years old. I was pretty well set in my ways. I was already an alcoholic, my vocabulary was more than just laced with profanity, and I had a mean disposition. My new bride, a godly shy woman, a born again Christian with a heart that could only have come from God, knew that she was not following the word of God by becoming yoked with a non-believing and very ungodly, worldly man. I was for all intents and purposes a follower of the enemy of God; this is something my wife should have been repulsed with. Instead she fell in love me and I with her. We were married shortly thereafter. Can you see how horrible my influence over her life could have been? But instead she influenced my life. Please understand, it seldom works out that way.
Husband or wife, whichever one follows Satan normally will have the stronger influence. In most marriages the husband is the dominant force. They exercise an incredible amount of influence over their wife’s life. A wife, who obeys her unbelieving and many times manipulative husband, when it comes to a decision for Christ may just obey him right into Hell. In many marriages this tragedy is very real. Similarly, a wife can have the same detrimental effect on her husband if she remains in her satanic induced blindness toward the truth.
When men or women ignore the truth of God just to appease their spouse they are only foolishly falling into a trap laid down by the father of all lies (Satan). This personification of evil keeps a tight rein on those who belong to him. Satan will work one spouse against the other convincing them to remain in his camp. I’ve seen this type of situation time and time again, where a spouse begins to climb out of the muck and mire of the filthy camp of the enemy only to be waylaid by their other half who unabashedly steps in to do Satan’s bidding. I’ve also witnessed that at this point both of their hearts become incredibly hardened against their Creator, and when they remain in that steadfast position they all but cement their decision to spend an eternity in Hell.
Many will follow their spouses into the abyss instead of using their own intellect to come to a decision for Christ. Ignoring the power of the enemy is a common mistake these days as so many relegate Satan to nothing more than a mythological existence at best. Thus, he’s able to keep his hold on people through their own ignorant and erroneous beliefs.
Influence and conformity can be powerful stumbling blocks that, when coupled with decision making, can and do lead people astray. Certainly there are everyday decisions that affect the marriage and those decisions must be made together. Both spouses must participate in the decision making process to really enjoy a good and loving marriage. But the decision to turn one’s life over to Christ is the most important decision in this life, and it is personal not corporate.
Over the years I’ve learned, as many of you have, that marriage is a great institution. I can’t, or won’t, even contemplate living alone without my wife. My wife is not just a woman I met fell in love with and then married, she is more, much more. She is a major part of my life, she has become a part of me – bodily she and I are one. I can’t be separated from her for any length of time at all without missing her in a way that is almost impossible to describe. The love we have for one another is that same love that Jesus has for His Church. When she is away from me it’s the same as though a part of my body has been ripped away. God meant for us to view marriage just as He described it in the book of Genesis “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. God meant it. When a man takes a woman to be his wife there’s a lifelong bond established. This bond is never to be broken. This is exactly why the influence of one spouse over the other can be so great. If one spouse is a non-believer, the adverse affect that that one person can have on the other can truly mean Hell for all eternity.
This is precisely the reason why we (believers in Christ) aren’t to be unequally yoked with non-believing people “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. Why is the Apostle Paul giving us this admonition? Because time and time again unequal unions result in a most devastating end for one or both participants.
Then, of course, we have marriages with both husband and wife being non-believers. These two unbelievers aren’t really going to know love, the love of Christ that transcends all barriers, since their union was not built on a godly foundation. This ungodly union can place an incredible strain on a marriage, especially if one spouse begins to learn the truth about God. There’s a span of time where one spouse might begin to see God in ways they’ve never perceived before. This can cause friction in a marriage and even result in divorce. Even though one spouse emerges victorious in Christ they may have just destroyed their marriage. The Bible tells us that God hates divorce – and please don’t misunderstand, I’m not advocating divorce – but God in His word tells us that the believing spouse is under no obligation to remain in a marriage with an unbeliever. “But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” 1 Corinthians 7:15.
Because of the incredibly powerful influence of their spouse, many who might be on the verge of making a decision for Christ will be convinced to stay in unbelief. As such they continue to drink from Satan’s pool of damnation. This is just another of Satan’s tools of deception. It’s a horrible sight to be witness to, especially when it occurs within your own family. In the big scheme of life, a personal decision for Christ is the most important of all decisions; all other decisions are comparatively immaterial. If we understand nothing else in this life, we must come to grips with the fact that a decision for Christ is personal not corporate.
Wife, your husband has no say in the matter concerning your eternal destination – husband, your wife has no say in the matter concerning your eternal destination. Here’s something to consider, when you stand before the God of all creation, at His Throne of Judgment with the rest of those who rejected Christ as their Savior, you will not be able to use the excuse that it was your spouse that kept you from making the decision to avoid Hell. It will be too late at that point to make excuses and there will be no chance for you to change your mind concerning your eternal destination.
Here are your choices: follow my unbelieving spouse into Hell or follow Jesus Christ into Heaven. Remember influence works both ways – your decision for Christ could be just what your spouse has been waiting for – to see the love of Christ in you. That Christ centered love might be the catalysts that turns another hardened hear toward Christ. Hear Jesus promise to you: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28. (Emphasis mine)
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
Thursday, November 03, 2011
NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES
Name above All Names
11/3/2011
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9, 10a, 11. Why is the name which God placed above every name so often looked upon with disgust, animosity, and even hatred? Hatred toward the one who gave us life is beyond understanding. Yet even though God exalted His Son’s Name above all names it has become the most hated name in man’s history. I’m not taking about the most hated man in all man’s history, such as Adolf Hitler, but the most hated name above all names. In the United States of American you better think twice before mentioning the name of Jesus in the hallowed halls of academia. Mentioning Jesus’ name in public school as a visitor these days will get you a quick rebuke and if you are a student – detention and expulsion.
Why? What’s in a name anyway? Jesus, is a word translated from a Greek word “Iēsous” which means salvation. So Jesus’ name – a name we use every day (many times in the most derogatory manner) means salvation (our salvation). Most people hate the idea that they need to be saved so they reject the name of the one who wishes only to save them.
A huge majority of folks these days use the Lords name in the most disgusting manner. Jesus is coupled together with the word Christ to facilitate a revolting response to someone else’s angry and suggestive overture. Many times the name Jesus is used to express some annoyance or dissatisfaction. Jesus is used many times by many people who ignorantly go through life with little to no understanding of what they are doing by bantering about the name that God hath highly exalted and placed above all names.
Why don’t people use the name of Mohammad, or Buddha, or even one of the many names attributed to God’s adversary such as Lucifer, Satan, or Baal to express all the filth associated with our imaginations? Why is the name Jesus, which God elevated above all other names for His glory, made to be the brunt of so many filthy conversations these days? We can attribute the reasons for all these unholy expressions of anger and annoyance to two main categories – ignorance and hate.
Hate can be explained in many ways, but the main reason people hate Jesus is because of His most exclusive words. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. Jesus proclaimed to His disciples that there was only one way to get into Heaven and that was through Him (Jesus). Basically, Jesus was only reiterating what He had previously proclaimed “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36. Only through Him (the Son of God) can a person enter Heaven. This statement of Jesus’, for many people, is beyond ridiculous. How can God condemn so many people to Hell just because they believe in an alternative path to Him? After all, we can see that many people want to get to God, they just don’t want to go through God to get to God. They don’t see Jesus as God; interestingly, even though many will see Jesus as God’s Son they don’t equate the two as one.
Let’s be right up front here. There are no paths to Heaven. There is only one way to Heaven and that way was just explained above. The thought of many “paths” is encouraging to a wide variety of folks who are obsessed with being politically correct. This pervasive mindset doesn’t allow for such exclusivity as we see in the Christian faith. The minds of many have been so thoroughly deceived that they believe the lie of the enemy that many roads (paths) lead to God. In all actuality they do all lead to God, but not the way these folks would like to believe. Everyone who continues to believe in the lie which points to many alternative paths to God while rejecting His Son will one day stand before the very God they’ve rejected, Jesus the Christ. It will only be as a hearing, though, for their final judgment which will relegate them to an existence without the presence of God for all of eternity, which is Hell. Sadly, when they finally realize their mistake it will be too late.
Still others hate Him and His name because He was born Jewish, and we know that many people and even whole nations this world over hate the Jews and have for centuries. God entered His creation and became a Jewish man, fulfilling many prophecies. That truth is repugnant to those who have a deep-seated hatred for the Jews. Therefore that hatred continues into the supernatural. People hate Jesus and His name not even realizing that He is their God -- the only God of all eternity.
Most won’t accept the truth about Jesus the Christ during their lifetime. Many multitudes will continue to lash out in hatred and ignorance at the one who would freely give them everlasting life, the one who loves them beyond compare. The name of Jesus is horribly mistreated by a mass of people who see Him as just another man. Some don’t even believe He ever really existed. Some hate Him so much that they will go to any length to explain Him away. Sadly, many of these folks will die carrying that mindset of hate with them to the grave and beyond.
The other category, ignorance, is where many people reside. They remain in the bliss of their ignorance, never wishing to disrupt the lives they’ve made for themselves by intertwining themselves with the foolish tradition of men. “The Bible was written by men therefore it is only of men not of God.” This misconception of God’s word has and will have a very detrimental effect on a large portion of humanity before the end. In this enlightened post-modern world, many people believe they’ve risen above the need for a God. These days, the enlightened crowd considers anything that has to do with God simply manmade, pure superstition. If a person were to casually mention the name Jesus in the presence of one of these enlightened folks they would soon realize the brunt of their mistake as almost immediately there would come a pounce on that person like an attacking lioness protecting her cubs.
Many people today have been taught the lie of evolution to the exclusion of all other very real possibilities. These people believe that evolution is the catalyst which has propelled humanity into the 21st century. These same folks are fully convinced that all religions, including Christianity, are built on nothing more than foolish fantasies, excluding of course their own religion of secular humanism. Now that the populous has been enlightened with the idea that there is no absolute truth and the time of “reason” has been established, they can now say there is no God with complete impunity. Their zeal is unfettered as they trample on the Name above all names – Jesus the Christ, the only way to the Father.
Perhaps the two categories of hate and ignorance are more intertwined than we perceive. Here’s a recent headline taken from the WND website “Jesus’ name ruled unconstitutional, Judge says prayers to Christ do violence to America's pluralistic, inclusive values.” This attempt to bury the Name that God has exalted above all names is fraught with evil. Satan is the one who is behind every attempt to rid mankind of their Creator’s Name. But his attempts will always be fruitless as we who are Christ’s followers are still here reminding the unbelievers that Jesus is the Name above all names, and that He is the only way of salvation.
Obviously many will remain in their progressive state of ignorance, standing firm in their contempt for the one true God while they continually drag His Name through the filthiness of their grossly flawed minds. There are many reasons why Jesus’ name is so infused in the culture of hate today, some of which are due in part to those of His followers. Sometimes Christians can be their own worst enemies. If we study our Bibles we learn that we aren’t to be argumentative or abrasive when it comes to our interactions with non-believers, but we are to be as the Apostle Paul admonishes “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5. Lowliness of mind means that we are to be humble servants of the most High God, Jesus the Christ. We are to address the unbelievers with the mind of Christ who, when addressing the non-believing world, did so with love and compassion not strife or vainglory.
Does it infuriate you when Jesus’ name is used in vain? Think about how God sees those who use His name thusly. Does it infuriate Him? No. He loves them, and He understands better than the rest of us how powerful the enemy is. God wants us to love those who mistreat us and who drag the name of our Savior and Lord through the mud. And when we witness to them we might convince them that the Name they are showing so much disrespect for is indeed the Creator of the universe, and He loves them and is ready to forgive them all their trespasses. If only they will believe.
One day, very soon now, all knees will bow and all tongues will confess that the Name so many willfully abuse is the Name of the Judge of the universe. Jesus the Christ is God Almighty and without exception no matter how people treat His name He loves them all. But God’s word is true, only those who’ve placed their faith and trust in Him and Him alone for their salvation will avoid that Judgment Throne. The rest will be relegated to a place that is filled with fire and brimstone.
Let’s talk to these folks with the love of Christ in our hearts, after all some might just believe and be saved. Talk to them in a manner that they perceive to be argumentative and full of vainglory and they will not respond to His name with any semblance of love and affection. Let’s help all we can to rid them of the hate they profess toward Jesus our Savior God. We can help educate those who are ignorant to who He is. We, His Church, can be the light that so many are looking for in this dark world, which is just about to end, as we promote the truth about the one who has been assigned the Name above all Names. Jesus!
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
11/3/2011
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9, 10a, 11. Why is the name which God placed above every name so often looked upon with disgust, animosity, and even hatred? Hatred toward the one who gave us life is beyond understanding. Yet even though God exalted His Son’s Name above all names it has become the most hated name in man’s history. I’m not taking about the most hated man in all man’s history, such as Adolf Hitler, but the most hated name above all names. In the United States of American you better think twice before mentioning the name of Jesus in the hallowed halls of academia. Mentioning Jesus’ name in public school as a visitor these days will get you a quick rebuke and if you are a student – detention and expulsion.
Why? What’s in a name anyway? Jesus, is a word translated from a Greek word “Iēsous” which means salvation. So Jesus’ name – a name we use every day (many times in the most derogatory manner) means salvation (our salvation). Most people hate the idea that they need to be saved so they reject the name of the one who wishes only to save them.
A huge majority of folks these days use the Lords name in the most disgusting manner. Jesus is coupled together with the word Christ to facilitate a revolting response to someone else’s angry and suggestive overture. Many times the name Jesus is used to express some annoyance or dissatisfaction. Jesus is used many times by many people who ignorantly go through life with little to no understanding of what they are doing by bantering about the name that God hath highly exalted and placed above all names.
Why don’t people use the name of Mohammad, or Buddha, or even one of the many names attributed to God’s adversary such as Lucifer, Satan, or Baal to express all the filth associated with our imaginations? Why is the name Jesus, which God elevated above all other names for His glory, made to be the brunt of so many filthy conversations these days? We can attribute the reasons for all these unholy expressions of anger and annoyance to two main categories – ignorance and hate.
Hate can be explained in many ways, but the main reason people hate Jesus is because of His most exclusive words. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. Jesus proclaimed to His disciples that there was only one way to get into Heaven and that was through Him (Jesus). Basically, Jesus was only reiterating what He had previously proclaimed “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36. Only through Him (the Son of God) can a person enter Heaven. This statement of Jesus’, for many people, is beyond ridiculous. How can God condemn so many people to Hell just because they believe in an alternative path to Him? After all, we can see that many people want to get to God, they just don’t want to go through God to get to God. They don’t see Jesus as God; interestingly, even though many will see Jesus as God’s Son they don’t equate the two as one.
Let’s be right up front here. There are no paths to Heaven. There is only one way to Heaven and that way was just explained above. The thought of many “paths” is encouraging to a wide variety of folks who are obsessed with being politically correct. This pervasive mindset doesn’t allow for such exclusivity as we see in the Christian faith. The minds of many have been so thoroughly deceived that they believe the lie of the enemy that many roads (paths) lead to God. In all actuality they do all lead to God, but not the way these folks would like to believe. Everyone who continues to believe in the lie which points to many alternative paths to God while rejecting His Son will one day stand before the very God they’ve rejected, Jesus the Christ. It will only be as a hearing, though, for their final judgment which will relegate them to an existence without the presence of God for all of eternity, which is Hell. Sadly, when they finally realize their mistake it will be too late.
Still others hate Him and His name because He was born Jewish, and we know that many people and even whole nations this world over hate the Jews and have for centuries. God entered His creation and became a Jewish man, fulfilling many prophecies. That truth is repugnant to those who have a deep-seated hatred for the Jews. Therefore that hatred continues into the supernatural. People hate Jesus and His name not even realizing that He is their God -- the only God of all eternity.
Most won’t accept the truth about Jesus the Christ during their lifetime. Many multitudes will continue to lash out in hatred and ignorance at the one who would freely give them everlasting life, the one who loves them beyond compare. The name of Jesus is horribly mistreated by a mass of people who see Him as just another man. Some don’t even believe He ever really existed. Some hate Him so much that they will go to any length to explain Him away. Sadly, many of these folks will die carrying that mindset of hate with them to the grave and beyond.
The other category, ignorance, is where many people reside. They remain in the bliss of their ignorance, never wishing to disrupt the lives they’ve made for themselves by intertwining themselves with the foolish tradition of men. “The Bible was written by men therefore it is only of men not of God.” This misconception of God’s word has and will have a very detrimental effect on a large portion of humanity before the end. In this enlightened post-modern world, many people believe they’ve risen above the need for a God. These days, the enlightened crowd considers anything that has to do with God simply manmade, pure superstition. If a person were to casually mention the name Jesus in the presence of one of these enlightened folks they would soon realize the brunt of their mistake as almost immediately there would come a pounce on that person like an attacking lioness protecting her cubs.
Many people today have been taught the lie of evolution to the exclusion of all other very real possibilities. These people believe that evolution is the catalyst which has propelled humanity into the 21st century. These same folks are fully convinced that all religions, including Christianity, are built on nothing more than foolish fantasies, excluding of course their own religion of secular humanism. Now that the populous has been enlightened with the idea that there is no absolute truth and the time of “reason” has been established, they can now say there is no God with complete impunity. Their zeal is unfettered as they trample on the Name above all names – Jesus the Christ, the only way to the Father.
Perhaps the two categories of hate and ignorance are more intertwined than we perceive. Here’s a recent headline taken from the WND website “Jesus’ name ruled unconstitutional, Judge says prayers to Christ do violence to America's pluralistic, inclusive values.” This attempt to bury the Name that God has exalted above all names is fraught with evil. Satan is the one who is behind every attempt to rid mankind of their Creator’s Name. But his attempts will always be fruitless as we who are Christ’s followers are still here reminding the unbelievers that Jesus is the Name above all names, and that He is the only way of salvation.
Obviously many will remain in their progressive state of ignorance, standing firm in their contempt for the one true God while they continually drag His Name through the filthiness of their grossly flawed minds. There are many reasons why Jesus’ name is so infused in the culture of hate today, some of which are due in part to those of His followers. Sometimes Christians can be their own worst enemies. If we study our Bibles we learn that we aren’t to be argumentative or abrasive when it comes to our interactions with non-believers, but we are to be as the Apostle Paul admonishes “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5. Lowliness of mind means that we are to be humble servants of the most High God, Jesus the Christ. We are to address the unbelievers with the mind of Christ who, when addressing the non-believing world, did so with love and compassion not strife or vainglory.
Does it infuriate you when Jesus’ name is used in vain? Think about how God sees those who use His name thusly. Does it infuriate Him? No. He loves them, and He understands better than the rest of us how powerful the enemy is. God wants us to love those who mistreat us and who drag the name of our Savior and Lord through the mud. And when we witness to them we might convince them that the Name they are showing so much disrespect for is indeed the Creator of the universe, and He loves them and is ready to forgive them all their trespasses. If only they will believe.
One day, very soon now, all knees will bow and all tongues will confess that the Name so many willfully abuse is the Name of the Judge of the universe. Jesus the Christ is God Almighty and without exception no matter how people treat His name He loves them all. But God’s word is true, only those who’ve placed their faith and trust in Him and Him alone for their salvation will avoid that Judgment Throne. The rest will be relegated to a place that is filled with fire and brimstone.
Let’s talk to these folks with the love of Christ in our hearts, after all some might just believe and be saved. Talk to them in a manner that they perceive to be argumentative and full of vainglory and they will not respond to His name with any semblance of love and affection. Let’s help all we can to rid them of the hate they profess toward Jesus our Savior God. We can help educate those who are ignorant to who He is. We, His Church, can be the light that so many are looking for in this dark world, which is just about to end, as we promote the truth about the one who has been assigned the Name above all Names. Jesus!
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
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