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Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

In the Beginning: Why Study the Book of Genesis

Genesis: It is not just the first book of the Bible – it is the foundation stone on which the remainder of Biblical revelation rests. The Hebrew name, Bereshith, is also the first three words of the Bible; it means ‘in the beginning.’ This says it all.

Genesis is indispensable. Without it, we would not know the following fundamental issues:

  • God as Creator of the world and universe;
  • The beginning of history and the world;
  • The beginning of humanity;
  • Introduction of sin and death into the world;
  • The beginning of God’s plan of redemption starts in Genesis 3:15;
  • Genesis is the foundation of all Biblical revelation; the Bible is the house, and Revelation is the roof.

A Book of Firsts

Just in the first four chapters, we learn about the first mention or origin of the following (this is a partial list):

  • God (1:1);
  • Heaven and the creation of space (1:1);
  • Earth, the creation of matter (1:1);
  • Seas (1:10);
  • Starts (1:16)
  • Male and female (1:27);
  • Marriage and wife (2:24);
  • Sin (3:6);
  • Judgment and more (3:14)
  • First Messianic prophecy (3:15);
  • Tree of Life (3:22, 24);
  • Paradise lost (3:24);
  • Sexual relatio (4:1);
  • Pregnancy (4:1);
  • Birth (4:1);
  • Murder (4:8);
  • Prayer (4:26).

Genesis in Summary

Genesis is remarkable in every way. It devotes 11 chapters to the beginning of the world, including how sin and death entered into God’s good creation. Then, the last 39 chapters are devoted to one man, Abraham, and his family, Isaac (son), Jacob (grandson), and Joseph (great-grandson). Almighty God becomes known as the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’ (a phrase used 5 times in the New Testament: Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32). The remainder of the Bible, all the way to the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation, looks at God’s dealings with this family and how it was used to bless the world.

After the early history of the world is recited, Genesis focuses on Abram of Mesopotamia. Though he came from a heathen place and family, Abram responded to the call of God to leave his country and kindred behind and to proceed to the place He called him. Abram wisely obeyed God and became famous for two things: 1) His faith (15:6); and 2) His friendship with God (2 Chronicles 20:7; James 2:23). 

Then God does something remarkable: He makes an unconditional covenant with the renamed Abraham, promising to give him 1) The land of Canaan; 2) Unlimited seed (descendants); and 3) That through him and his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Thus Abram, whose name means ‘exalted father,’ becomes ‘Abraham,’ ‘father of many nations.’ The purpose of the covenant was not favouritism towards Abraham but redemption for the world.

All three patriarchs learn invaluable lessons of faith. Though they held on to the promise of many descendants, Abraham’s wife, Sarah was barren; Isaac’s wife Rebecca was barren and Jacob’s favourite wife Rachel was likewise barren. Their faith under fire passed the tests and their wives conceived and gave birth.

Of the 3 patriarchs, Jacob was clearly the most colourful of the clan. He hoodwinked his brother Esau twice, fled for his life as a penniless bachelor to Uncle Laban up north in Padan Aram. Jacob married two wives and their handmaidens, sired 12 sons, and returned to Canaan as a rich man. 

The story of Joseph dominates the last quarter of Genesis. The son of Rachel and favoured by Jacob, he has dreams of supreme leadership. But like the other patriarchs, his vision will be tested by adversity. Betrayed by his brothers, and sold into slavery in Egypt, after years of captivity, he catapulted from prison to palace in one day. He became prime minister of Egypt, saved the nation and his family from starvation, and brought his father and brothers to Egypt, where the family went from a large family to a great nation in 400 years.

Though highly regarded for centuries, some modern scholars have called the book ‘mythology’ and ‘unhistorical.’ The creation narrative, the flood of Noah, and even the existence of Abraham have been heavily questioned or rejected. Born-again, Bible-believing Christians must remember that Jesus, Who always takes a high view of Scripture, accepted Genesis at face value. Christ spoke of creation, Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4-6), the flood of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39), and the Patriarchs (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28) as historical events or historical figures. Jesus has credibility in this area, especially because He rose from the dead (Romans 1:4). 

Outline of Genesis

  1. Four Events
    1. Creation (1-2)
    2. The Fall of Humanity (3-5)
    3. The Flood (6-9)
    4. Table of Nations (10-11)
  2. Four Patriarchs
    1. Abraham (12-25)
    2. Isaac (26)
    3. Jacob (27-36)
    4. Joseph (37-50)

Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained

Cursed World (Genesis)

Eternal State (Revelation)

Cursed ground (3:17)

No more curse (22:3)

Daily Sorrow (3:17)

No more sorrow (21:4)

Thorns and thistles (3:18)

No more pain (21:4)

Sweat on the face (3:19)

Tears wiped away (21:4)

Eating herbs of the field (3:18)

Twelve manner of fruits (22:2)

Returning to the dust (3:19)

No more death (21:4)

Evil continually (6:5)

Nothing that defiles (21:27)

Coats of skins (3:21)

Fine linen, white & clean (19:14)

Satan opposing (3:15)

Satan banished (20:10)

Kept from the Tree of Life (3:24)

Access to the Tree of Life (22:14)

Banished from the Garden (3:23)

Free entry to the city (22:14)

Redeemer promised (3:15)

Redemption accomplished (5:9,10)

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Jesus is Coming to Stay: An Amplified Look at Zechariah 14

 

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‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ — Matthew 6:10

The King and the Kingdom Are Coming

We recite this line every time we say the Lord’s Prayer. Do we understand what it means? We are asking … and declaring … that God’s kingdom is coming to earth, and that God’s will can override the will and ways of temporal earthly rulers. Just like it is in heaven. 

Yet you can’t have a kingdom without a king. So in praying for the ‘kingdom to come,’ we implicitly ask for the Lord to come, too. Finally, you have to have a capital headquarters for the king and kingdom. Without question, it can be only one place: Jerusalem, the City of David, the City of God, and the City of the Great King (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35). 

Scripture is clear that God is coming to the earth. Psalm 96:13: ‘Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.’ God is going to judge the earth but not from His heavenly throne. He is coming down and judging Earth from Earth.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity — Psalm 98:8-9.

While God is a master delegator, using angels and anointed people to carry out His will, there are some things in life that wisdom decrees cannot be delegated at all. Scripture teaches that God is personally coming to earth to fight, win, judge, and reign. In these roles, He cannot and will not delegate to another. 

His coming is more than a courtesy call; He is coming to stay.

God’s Coming Equals Jesus’ Coming.

One potent passage of Scripture about the personal return of the Lord to earth is found in Zechariah 14. A parallel passage is Revelation 19, where the ‘coming of the Lord’ equates to ‘the coming of Christ.’ 

If you recall, in Zechariah 12, God would make Jerusalem a ‘cup of trembling’ to the surrounding nations and a ‘burdensome stone’ for all people. A humble city of stone at the fringe of the Persian empire during Zechariah’s day, the prophet foresaw 2,500 years ago that the holy city would become an international obsession. Modern history has borne this out. Indeed, the nations will turn against ‘Judah and Jerusalem’ and attack them militarily. 

Yet the prophecy has a sober warning: all who burden themselves with Jerusalem will be cut into pieces (Zechariah 12:3) and the invaders will be struck with astonishment, madness, and blindness (12:4). The message: don’t mess with the burdensome stone, you will greatly injure yourself.

Zechariah 14 starts with the phrase: ‘Behold, the day of the LORD cometh’ (14:1). This special day represents the transition from the rule of man to the reign of God, culminating in the Lord’s coming to earth. Jerusalem will be the centrepiece.

‘For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle’ (14:2). Just as God put a hook in the jaw of Gog and brought him forth to his swift demise (Ezekiel 38:4), so the Lord will gather the nations to battle against Jerusalem, and it will be their undoing. The continuous and growing global antagonism –  and anti-Semitism – against modern Israel will turn into military action. While the notion of international political and military action against Israel would have seemed unrealistic in the past. Now, it is becoming more and more plausible. 

For example, a September 2024 Palestinian-sponsored United Nations General Assembly resolution was passed, saying all territories Israel captured in the Six-Day War of 1967 are ‘illegally occupied.’ This includes the West Bank, Golan, and East Jerusalem, including the Old City, the Jewish Quarter, and the Western Wall. The resolution commands Israel to evacuate these territories within twelve months and threatens boycotts. Though military action is not implied here, things could change. When they do, according to Zechariah it will be a bloodbath. 

Anti-Semitism is the oldest and most irrational hatred known to man. It exists even where there are no Jews. In tandem with this is anti-Christian persecution. Both are on the rise in our day. One wonders why. In many ways, it is no mystery at all. We can call it the ‘clash of kingdoms. There are the earthly (and often) ungodly kingdoms of this world. Then there is the kingdom of God. Read Psalm 2 and see this clash for yourself.

Satan and demon powers are stirring up the unredeemed to resist the coming of the King. Since they cannot attack God directly, they channel their rage against those who represent the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the People of the Book. That’s why we must pray and advocate for persecuted Jews and Christians wherever we can. 

The Battle To End All Battles

‘Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations,

as when he fought in the day of battle’ (14:3). This is a remarkable scenario: first, the Lord will gather the nations to attack Jerusalem, which they do; then, He personally comes down and fights against those same nations. The Lord knows how to fight and win. 

During the Israelite conquests of Canaan under Joshua, the Lord promised to be with them, go before them, and fight on their behalf. On the day that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still at Gibeon and the moon over the valley of Ajalon, it says in Joshua 10:14: ‘And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.’ In like manner, God promises to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem (12:9).

  • Could it be that preceding the divine intervention in the battle for Jerusalem, the people of the city will receive the spirit of grace and supplications, look upon Him whom they pierced, and mourn for Him as their only son (12:10)? 
  • Could this be the time Jesus foretold that Jerusalem would not see Him again until it said, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord’ (Matthew 23:39)? Is this the time that the City of the Great King meets the Great King … for the second time?
  • Is this the time that ‘And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob’ (Romans 11:26; Isaiah 59:20)? As Joseph made himself known unto his brothers, Jesus and Israel as a nation will reconcile.

How will the King Return?

We must be clear about this answer. Christ will not quietly return to earth. He doesn’t sneak in through a rear door and silently sits in the back row. Matthew 24:30 speaks about Christ coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Greek word parousia (Greek παρουσια) means ‘coming’ and then subsequent ‘presence’ after coming. Just as Jesus Christ bodily, visibly, and personally ascended to heaven, so He will return in the same manner (Acts 1:11). He will not be a ghost, wind, or breathe, but a literal person clothed in a human body. Yes, it is a glorified body that will never die again, but it is still a human body.

Preceding His coming, the voices of many people were heard singing the Alleluia song. Part of their gratitude was based on the defeat of the horrible ‘harlot of Babylon.’ It was also in thanksgiving for the upcoming ‘marriage of the Lamb.’ 

Revelation 19:11-21 speaks of heaven opening up and revealing the Man on a white horse, whose name is called ‘Word of God,’ ‘Faithful and True, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. He will be accompanied by the armies of heaven clothed in clean, fine linen, representing the righteousness of the saints. 

In contrast, the armies of the Antichrist are destroyed by the sword of His mouth. History’s last great battle that starts and Armageddon will be completed at the Valley of Jehoshaphat near Jerusalem. Antichrist’s armies will be routed and destroyed. The bloodletting will be so great that it equals 1,600 furlongs or 320 kilometres by 1 metre high. Birds of the air will have a great feast from the armies of the Antichrist that are slain. When it’s all over, Messiah makes his victory ascent on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:3-4a).

Both the beast – Antichrist – and the false prophet will be cast alive in the lake of fire and burning brimstone. Satan will be bound and sent to the bottomless pit, sealed for a thousand years. Christ the King will take His place from His throne in Zion and will rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 19:15).

Then the most amazing things happen. After the Lord stands on the Mount of Olives: 

  • Great topographical changes occur: the mountain splits in two (14:4)
  • From the Mount, living water flows westward to the Mediterranean and eastward to the Dead Sea (14:8). 
  • People will flee like in the aftermath of the great earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, ’and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee’ (14:5).
  • It shall be a unique day, not the normal day and night cycle, for light will shine in the evening (14:6-7).

Then, the most important event happens. It is the answer to all our prayers, hopes, longing, and desires. ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever’ —Revelation 11:15. No more crime, corruption, royal commissions, heavy tax burden, abuse of power, unrighteous rule. The Lord’s prayer has been answered, because: 

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one (14:9)

God the King and His kingdom have come … to stay.

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Winning the War on Truth – Part 01


For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before — Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:24-25

Since we are in the last days (Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 2:18), prophetic awareness is a key to surviving and thriving. Study the pastoral epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and you will not only get great leadership tips but also principles of last day living. While there are several key signs we can focus upon, there is one sign that has immediate and practical ramifications. It has to do with the war on truth.

This war is real and it is fierce. Israel, its place in the Bible, today’s world, and end-time prophecy, also hang in the balance.

Why the C?

Warring against truth is nothing new … it has been happening since the days of Eden. Yet, prophetically, what we are seeing today is a frontal assault in overdrive! It is not just that people are lying, more than ever. Or that they do so with a very straight face and without a pang of conscience. It is that there is a strong spirit of deception and delusion that must be proactively resisted.

Let’s consider how the last days’ war against truth came into being:

  1. Relativism: This is facilitated by postmodernism, which is the successor and critic of scientific rational modernism. It believes is ‘radical relativism,’ namely you have ‘your truth,’ I have ‘my truth,’ and no one’s truth is more true than anyone else’s. The proliferation of postmodern relativism is a recipe for philosophical, semantical, and spiritual anarchy.

  1. Low view of truth: Postmodernism is only one of the reasons why many people, including some church goers, have a low view of truth. One popular group of churches in the West make themselves deliberately attractive to postmodern people but it comes at the cost of truth. Go to their website and you will struggle to find a ‘Statement of Faith’ or doctrine. Remember: no truth means no law, liberty, and/or justice.

  1. Delusion: This is what makes the last days particularly dangerous. A spirit of deception and strong delusion will be so potent that the elect have to make a conscious effort to remain ‘in the truth.’ The devil knows his time is short and works overtime to deceive. Fortunately, our weapons are more powerful weapons than his.

‘Post-Truth Vocabulary’

The arsenal against truth is growing. Here is a sample vocabulary lesson on what constitutes the modern version of lies and mendacity:

Spin: Takes the unsavoury issues of life (e.g. abortion), sugar coats and spins them like cotton candy. When signing a grizzly executive order expanding medical research on aborted foetuses, a former US President gave this spin: ‘America deserves the best health care system in the world.’ Spin creates euphemisms, taking sour lemons and makes ‘lemonade.’ Masters of spin – spin doctors – help public officials craft byte-size phrases to get their point across, quickly and persuasively, even if it is not true.

Post Truth: Instead of conveying objective, verifiable facts, post truth seeks to shape public opinion by appealing to narrative, personal belief, feelings and emotion. 

Double-speak: Speaking one way but deliberating meaning something else. Double-speak seeks to obscure, disguise, distort, and divert real meaning by fostering great ambiguity. Political rhetoric can fall under the heading of double-speak.

Smoke and mirrors: An attempt to make you believe something to be true, when it is not. Like a tax-and-spend parliament telling the population that the big spending bill will not add a penny to the national debt or ‘the war to end all wars.’

Gaslighting: This is particularly insidious. It is a form of manipulation, often incessant, to cause a person to doubt their sanity, memory, perception and judgement. The gaslighting person tries to convince the other party that they really did not see what they clearly saw or hear what they clearly heard.

Misinformation: Misleading or incorrect information treated as fact. Less menacing the disinformation but still problematic because it is not truth. We must get our facts right!

Disinformation: A subset of propaganda, false information deliberately and quickly spread with the express purpose to deceive. This is a problematic and evil thing. 

Irrational, unproven, preposterous ideas and policies, void of empirical evidence, are enacted by governments, media and academics. Intimate sexual issues are taught from kindergarteners to university by those who have no Biblical worldview. This practice is backed up by government, big business, and popular culture. 

War on Truth – The Bible Says

Let’s face it, we have never seen such a concerted attack on truth – absolute truth – God’s truth, as we do now. This includes the Bible and what it teaches about Israel. Yet it should not be a surprise to students of the Scriptures. As we have learned, one of the most fundamental signs of the last days is that deception will be manufactured and disseminated on an industrial scale. 

When Jesus’ inner circle asked Him the direct question on what will be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, His very first words were “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4). This is not just a polite suggestion; it is a divine command. Deception does not merely distract and divert people from the right path – it can hijack and destroy. That’s why it should be recognised, repudiated and avoided.

Under this banner of deception, Christ goes on to say that many shall come in His name, proclaiming themselves to be the Messiah, and shall deceive many. 

If ever there was a good reason to “follow the cloud (of God’s glory), not the crowd,” this is it. TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Time for Truth: The Ninth Commandment – Part 01

 

Time for Truth: The Ninth Commandment – Part 01

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour — Exodus 20:16

It is as old as the Garden of Eden, familiar as weeds in the field, common as colds in the winter. Yet, it is also a great evil that has spread faster than Covid on a cruise ship. What is this pernicious thing? We know it as ‘bearing false witness’ or, in short, ‘lying.’ It is the subject of the ninth commandment. While the command seems to be narrow – abstaining from false witness – it actually applies to the entire gamut of the falsehood industry.

The Bible has some very strong things to say when it comes to lying vs. truth. While it goes back to the beginning of human history, lying today has entered into an enlarged and dangerous phase.

We live in a corrupt culture that rejects objective and absolute truth for ‘framing,’ ‘narrative,’ ‘perception,’ and ‘relativism.’ Postmodernism, which represents a radical form of relativism, rejects the certainty of absolute truth. Everyone has their ‘personal truth.’ In a narrow way, they may have a point: Two people can be sitting in the same room. One person says they are ‘hot’ and the other ‘cold.’ Who is telling the truth? Both of them.

Yet, danger lurks beneath. One of postmodernism’s key phrases is ‘perception is reality.’ A person’s perception has replaced truth as the gauge of reality. If the person feels, ‘rejected,’ then they are ‘rejected,’ no matter how much those around them show love. If they think they can fly, who are you to tell them otherwise as they are climbing their way to the top of the skyscraper to jump off? Perception can be stubbornly moody and subjective, blinding a person from real truth. Such attitudes are an incubator for lies and deception. We need to ween people from ‘perception as reality’ to ‘truth is reality,’ but how? More about that later.

Yet, does the law of gravity apply equally to two people who jump off the cliff? If the speeding car crashes into a wall, do all passengers face the prospect of injury or death? Can two people enjoy the same sunshine at the same time and place? Or the same rain?

The Bible is clear: God’s Word is permanent, eternal, universal, and true (John 17:17). While there may be differences of interpretation on some aspects of theology (e.g. pre-tribulation vs. post-tribulation rapture), there should be no disagreement on the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, like those listed in Hebrews 6:1-2.

 A society that rejects absolute and objective truth, especially God’s, is a sitting target for a pandemic of lies, deception, and delusion. Cultural Marxism, which has zero fidelity to truth or the western constitutional order, seeks to deceive, divide, and conquer. They tell us that mathematics is ‘racist.’ William Shakespeare, the finest playwright of all time, and Beethoven, the finest composer of all time, are denounced as ‘white supremacists,’ as is objective truth itself. The American Medical Association recommends that we delete the line item ‘Sex’ from birth certificates. Why? Because we can’t tell the gender of a new-born by genitalia alone. We can tell the gender of the animal world but now in the 21st Century we can’t on newly born humans? Furthermore, statements by people who are experts and credible in their field are being censored as ‘misinformation’ by ‘fact checkers’ (really, ‘truth-smashers) in positions of big tech power.

Here is some insight from the New Testament. Listen to this warning in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (KJV):

Even him (antichrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Did you notice? In the very last days before the return of Christ, there will be:

1.      Signs and lying wonders;

2.      Wicked deception of unrighteousness;

3.      Lacking a ‘love of the truth’ that precludes them from salvation;

4.      A spirit of strong delusion will happen to them so that they believe a lie;

5.      Condemnation follows after those who refuse to believe the truth but enjoy unrighteousness.

Today, the battle for truth has spilled over into areas that, at least in some cases, were once reliable and credible bastions of veracity. In the ‘spirit of wokery,’ the media, education, judiciary, science, and medicine are more guided by politics and narrative than on bedrock truth. This distortion leads to delusion, which can be very dangerous indeed – akin to drunk driving.

Next time, we will look at the deeper spiritual cause of deception and begin to learn how to respond in the truth.

TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Bible, Education, Gospel, Prophecy, Teaching

The Hardworking Servant Messiah: Why Study the Gospel of Mark? Part 02

SUMMARY OF MARK

 Like the start of a marathon, the Gospel of Mark begins with a bang. Rich in detail, fast in pace, breath-taking in scope, this Gospel shows Jesus as an active, robust, on-the-move Servant-Messiah. He also was destined to suffer as no human has ever suffered – bearing the world’s sin, forsaken by God, and an object of divine wrath.

In the first part of Mark, there is an emphasis on service and power. Jesus is shown to have authority over sin, sickness, and demonic power; healings abounded and the crowds swelled as a result.

Then comes the second part of Mark. If the disciples were unclear about His true identity, it became strongly apparent when Peter confessed Jesus as Messiah (Son of David, Son of God) at Caesarea Philippi. This was followed by the transfiguration, where eternity touched earth on that holy mountain. They also were informed that Jesus’ destiny was to suffer, die, and rise from the dead. In fact, there were frequent mention of suffering as part of the price of discipleship (3:21-22,30; 8:34-38; 10:30,33-34,45; 13:8,11-13). Suffering brings purification and perfection, which also leads to enlargement and promotion.

Should Mark 16:9-20 Be in the Bible?

An on-going controversy involves the last twelve verses of the Gospel of Mark. The Greek manuscript called Textus Receptus, which was used in Luther’s German Bible, the King James Version, and Modern English Version, includes these verses.

The NIV uses an eclectic Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament, sometimes called ‘Critical Text.’ In its footnote for Mark 16, is says: ‘The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.’Basically, they are questioning the inclusion of these verses in the Biblical text.

If the inference that these verses are not from Mark and/or part of inspired Scripture is correct, it creates problems.

1.  Tampering: God’s Word can be corrupted.

2.  Doubt-building: If Mark 16 is not legitimately included, what other parts of the Bible are suspect? The purpose of Scripture is to help build faith (Romans 10:17). Such comments can undermine faith.

3.  Divine inability: The message this sends is – God is not able to preserve or protect His Word.

4.  Addition/Subtraction: There is censure and penalties for ‘adding’ or ‘subtracting’ from God’s Word (Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19). If these verses were not Holy Spirit-inspired, then someone (or ones) will be in serious trouble with the Lord.

Donald Stamps in the Full Life Study Bible, which uses the NIV, says on  Page 1512 that vv. 9-20 are omitted (perhaps removed) from two of the oldest Greek manuscripts, they do appear in other old manuscripts, as well as in the majority of Greek manuscripts from all over the ancient world. Many scholars conclude, therefore, that any reading attested to by the majority of ancient manuscripts is likely to be part of the original writing of the Biblical author. Thus, Stamps concludes,  Verses 9-20 should thus be considered part of the inspired Word of God.

David W. Daniels in Answers to Your Bible Version Questions, page 117 says, ‘Mark 16:9-20 should be in the Bible, since it is found in almost every Bible manuscript of Mark in existence (emphasis mine) … Wherever you look, the evidence, including Alexandrian manuscripts, is over 99% in favour of keeping the words of God in Mark 16:9-20 … Out of 620 manuscripts that contain Mark’s gospel only two omit the last 12 verses.’

Finis Dake in the Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible New Testament page 55, builds the case that Mark 16:9-20 is part of the original manuscript. He, too, states that their are 618 manuscripts that contain Mark and only two (we know them as Codex Sinaitic and Codex Vaticanus) do not. He adds that the Syriac, Gothic, Egyptian, Armenian, and Georgian versions contain Mark 16:9-20. The Latin version has 8,000 manuscripts in existence, copied from Jerome’s Vulgate 382 AD (who had access to the Greek New Testaments of his day). The Vulgate has these verses and so did the 2nd Century Vetus Itala, from which it was a revision. Like the Septuagint, the Vulgate served the church for centuries all the way to the Reformation.

The Church Fathers give testimony about Mark 16. There are 100 writers older than the oldest Greek Manuscripts and 200 more between 300 to 600 AD. All these church fathers attest to the originality of Mark 16:9-20. Vaticanus has a blank space where they verses could have been (before being removed). Also, Codex Vaticanus has missing Genesis 1-46; Psalm 105-137; Hebrews 9:14-13:25; all of 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Revelation. Why don’t the critics of Mark 16:9-20 say that these other portions should be left out as well?

Doctrines taught in Mark 16:9-20 are taught elsewhere in the New Testament:

1.  Post resurrection appearances: Mark 16:9-14 is in John 21:14 and elsewhere;

2.  The Great Commission: Mark 16:15 is in Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47-53; Acts 1:1-8;

3.  Power in Preaching:Mark 16:16 is in John 3:16-20; I Corinthians 1:18-21;

4.  Preaching with signs and wonders: Mark 16:17-18 are in Matthew 10:1-8; 17:20; Mark 9:23; 11:22-4; Luke 10:19; John 14:12;

5.  Ascension of Christ: Mark 16:19 is in Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:9-11

6.  Word of God, duly preached, confirmed by signs: Mark 16:20 with signs Mark 16:17-18 is in Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 2:43; 5:16.

One need not wrestle or lose sleep over these verses. In light of the above comments, my recommendation is take them as from the mouth of God. They will not lead you astray.

TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Hard-Working Servant Messiah: Why Study the Gospel of Mark – Part 01

 

 INTRODUCTION TO THE 

     GOSPEL OF MARK 

It was the first of the four gospels to be written; it is also the shortest. Yet the Gospel of Mark is an indispensable account of the life, ministry, and death of Jesus the Messiah. It is very action packed; indeed, Jesus is rightly seen as a hard-working, active Messiah who preaches to the poor, heals the sick, casts out devils, raises the dead. As the Gospel of Matthew initially reached out to the Jewish people, with a great emphasis on fulfilled prophecy, Mark targeted the Romans – who respected power and action rather than Greek-style philosophising.

GREEK NAME OF MARK

Kata Markon – According to Mark. ‘

AUTHOR OF MARK

‘Mark’ may have been his Roman surname, since he was known as Yohannan or ‘John Mark.’ He was from Jerusalem and his mother Mary had a large house where believers met for prayer and fellowship. Mark may have been the young man in who followed Jesus to Gethsemane with a bed sheet wrapped around his body. Once discovered, he fled from the scene naked (Mark 14:51-52).

Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, but deserted them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). When the second missionary trip was being organised, Paul and Barnabas disagreed so vehemently over the inclusion of Mark that they split (Acts 15:36-40).

John Mark was blessed with high-profile mentors: first it was Paul (Acts 13:1-13), then Barnabas (Acts 15:39), and finally he found a father figure in the apostle Peter, who refers to him as his ‘son’ (1 Peter 5:13). Even Paul had a change of heart over John Mark; in his last recorded words, he wanted the very one he rejected for the second missionary journey … to be brought to him, since Mark was ‘profitable for the ministry ‘(2 Timothy 4:11).

Despite his set backs, John Mark persevered and became the true ‘comeback kid.’ His greatest contribution was writing the gospel that bears his name. Because of Mark’s very close association with Peter, who would have shared with him many things, his Gospel is considered ‘the gospel according to Peter’ – what Peter would have written if he wrote a gospel. Church tradition says that he became the great apostle to Egypt and Africa.

PORTRAIT OF CHRIST IN MARK

The four gospels have ‘metaphors:’ Matthew is a lion, representing the kingly Messiah;

Luke has the ‘perfect man,’ John is the eagle, emphasising the heavenly and spiritual of his Gospel. Mark is the ox, representing a strong, energetic, hardworking servant of the Lord.

THEME OF THE BOOK OF MARK

To present an active, robust, dedicated-to-duty Messiah; when Jesus comes into the picture, things get done quickly. The key word of Mark is eutheos (Greek), used 42 times, which means ‘immediately’ or ‘straightaway.’ Jesus is shown as a Man on-the-move in teaching, preaching, moving in spiritual gifts, and faithful to the end.

Because Mark is targeting the Romans, there is less emphasis on Jewish things like reference to the Law, holy days, fulfilled prophecy, and genealogies. The portrait of Christ in Mark is one to whom the Romans could relate to and respect.

KEY VERSES OF MARK

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? — Mark 8:34-37

But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many — Mark 10:43-45

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

 

 

 

Articles, Bible, Education, Faith, Prophecy, Teaching

The Eighth Commandment: More Than Ever – Part 03

 

The Eighth Commandment is so central to living a God-honoring life. It simply tells not to steal. Yet, stealing is practiced more and more, by the poor, the powerful, and those in-between. Theft is now on an industrial scale and uses variety of methods.

Covetousness can lead to stealing (we will learn more about this in the Tenth Commandment); defrauding people of what is rightly their’s is also stealing. Stealing does not merely involve the tangible; theft of intellectual property is just as real as taking any three-dimensional object. Large governments can cast an envious eye on private property wondering how to extract more revenue to pay for pet projects or a growing bureaucracy. While the Bible does accept taxation as an accepted practice of human government (give unto Caesar what is Caesar, Christ said in Matthew 22:21), there is a reason tax-collectors were despised in His day; they took more than they required and kept the difference. That’s why a penitent Zacchaeus offered to restore foretold to anyone he defrauded (Luke 19:8).

Other things to consider in upholding or violating the Eighth Commandment include:

Failure to pay: Failing or refusing to pay what one owes is theft. It’s one thing to be unable to pay and work out a repayment plan; it’s another thing to refuse payment altogether. Psalm 37:21 tells us the wicked borrow and do not pay again.

Co-Signing, guarantor or suretyship: If there is one thing that the Book of Proverbs warns against is surety or co-signing a loan (Proverbs 6; 22:26). Never agree to take responsibility for someone else’s debt; the horror stories of what follows are endless.

Contentment: We are commanded to be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5), for godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). The lack of contentment leads to covetousness, theft, and sorrow.

Get a job: The New Testament tells us to steal no more, but do an honest day’s work and you will have something to give to the needy (Ephesians 4:28); stated more starkly, … if any would not work, neither should he eat’ — 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Imagine how much better off things would be if those who are able to work would do so.

Key to All Ten Commandments

How central is the prohibition against stealing? Does it really contain the other nine commandments? See for your self.

First Commandment: We are to worship and serve no other gods, except the Lord God Himself. Violating this steals the primacy that the Lord our God deserves in our lives; in other words, God should be Number One, period.

Second Commandment: The prohibition on idolatry. Worshipping the creation or a created thing steals the focus and glory which belongs to the invisible God.

Third Commandment: God’s Name is higher than any other and brings salvation (Acts 4:12). Using God’s Name in vain is stealing the reverence and awe it rightly deserves.

Fourth Commandment: Desecrating the sabbath steals the rest and refreshment intended for the individual. The focus on God, faith, and family, which should be our highest priority, is taken away, too.

Fifth Commandment: Dishonoring your parents, whom you can see, mirrors and amplifies dishonour of the Heavenly Father, whom you cannot see. Both the earthly and heavenly are denied the respect, gratitude and credit they rightly deserve.

Sixth Commandment: Murder is the stealing the life of another person.

Seventh Commandment: Adultery is the theft of someone’s intimacy, trust, virtue, vow. It is the vile breaking of the holy covenant and commitment that was promised on the wedding day. Marital love is stolen and carnal lust is put in its place.

Ninth commandment: False witness is another form of lying, and a major form of betrayal, stealing one’s reputation, dignity, livelihood, and peace.

Tenth commandment: Covetousness is the down payment for possible theft, defrauding another and endangering one’s soul, as do the violations of any of the other commandments.

If we will remind ourselves that theft in all its forms is wrong, and teach others likewise, think how much better off this world would be.

 

NEXT TIME: We will learn about the Ninth Commandment – and how precious truth really is.

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Elijah is Coming: Why Study the Book of Malachi – Part 02

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts — Malachi 3:1

Yes, God will send His messenger and indeed, he has already come. His name is Malachi, which literally means ‘my messenger.’ This last prophet of the Old Testament may actually be anonymous and his title has become his name.

 

While this book deals with issues of the day, it speaks about modern things like tithing (3:8-12). It is not an exaggeration to say that you can tell the direction of a person’s heart by where their money goes. In places where Christians are an oppressed minority, you can tell who the infiltrator or ‘fake Christian’ is during the church service because they steadfastly refuse to give money when it is offering time. As always, Jesus said it best ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ – Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34

SUMMARY OF MALACHI

The Hebrew people, soon to be called ‘Jews,’ were back in their land after the 70 year Babylonian exile. Though the religious life had returned to its familiar routine, there was spiritual lukewarmness. People were not tithing and intermarriage with heathen peoples was common. It was time to ‘wake up the sleepers’ and Malachi did precisely that.

He offers six oracles where 1. God speaks of His great love for His people; 2. His people dishonoured him; 3. Their offerings were rejected; 4. The sending of His messenger before the Lord’s sudden coming; 5. A call to return to the Lord; and 6. Addressing Israel’s unwarranted comments about God. There are 23 questions back and forth between God and Israel. The end of the prophecy – and the Old Testament – gives a solid warning and forecasts the long-anticipated ‘day of the Lord’ (Chapter 4).

Malachi mixes the Law (Moses – 4:4) with the prophets (Elijah 4:5), both whom appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. After Malachi there is the 400 years called the inter-testament period that ended with the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist and the Gospel of Matthew. Daniel 11 is a prophecy about that period.

Malachi is quoted in Romans 9:13 regarding God’s love (1:2-3); the coming messenger (3:1) is quoted by Jesus Himself regarding John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-15); finally, the prophecy of sending Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (4:5) is interpreted as John the Baptist (Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13). Revelation 11:3-6 speaks of the spirit of Elijah.

God does not want to see marriage or any other commitment as merely a contract, which has legal and financial implications but nothing more. No, marriage and relating to God is a covenant, a binding agreement. When covenant is honoured, there are great rewards; when broken, there are dire consequences. Covenantal faithfulness should be seen in marriage and family life.

Tithing, giving the first 10th of your income increase to God, is part of that too. Tithing settles the ownership question since everything belongs to God. Those who tithe acknowledge that principle. The prophet gives a challenge: if you pay your tithe, the windows of heaven will open and shower so much blessing that there is no room to contain it. In addition, God will rebuke the devourer for your sake. Finally, worship should be of the heart

The last chapter of Malachi and the Old Testament solidly focus on the future ‘Day of the Lord.’ It is likened to fire that burns up the stubble until there is nothing left. Yet, for those who ‘fear the Lord,’ you have a bright future because the Sun of righteousness is coming with healing in his wings. Instead of being judged, you will be an implement of judgement by treading down the wicked.

The faithful are to remember the law of Moses, given on Horeb, before the promise of the coming of Elijah, who will reconcile fathers to children and vice versa. Without this reconciliation, the Lord personally will come and smite the earth with a curse.

Yes, it’s true – the last word of the Old Testament is ‘curse.’ Understand that the Old Testament is a blessing, yet failure to obey God brings judgement. Remember the last words of the New Testament are The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen — Revelation 22:21. Thus, we go from ‘curse’ to ‘grace’ thanks to the gospel of Christ.

OUTLINE OF MALACHI

I.         Oracles of the Lord (Contemporary scene – 1:2-3:18)

A.     Oracle One: God’s Love for Israel (1:2-5) – Israel: How have you loved us? (1:2)

B.      Oracle Two: Israel’s disobedience (1:6-2:9) – Israel: How did we despise your name? (1:6); How have we polluted you? (1:7);

C.      Oracle Three: God rejects Israel’s offerings (2:10-16) – Israel: Why? (2:14)

D.     Oracle Four: The Lord will come quickly (2:17-3:6) – Israel: How have we wearied You and Where is God’s justice? (2:17)

E.       Oracle Five: Return to the Lord (3:7-12) – Israel: How do we return? (3:7) & How have we robbed you? (3:8)

F.        Oracle Six: Israel’s uncalled for statements about God (3:13-18). Israel – What have we spoken against you (3:13)? What did our obedience gain? (3:14)

II.      The Day of the Lord (Future – 4:1-6)

A.     A day of judgment against the proud and wicked (4:1)

B.      Day of victory for the righteous (4:2-3)

C.      Fathers and children restored to each other (4:4-6)

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Education Matters

 


Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it — Proverbs 22:6

When people are polled, the majority say that education is a top priority for them. Indeed, it should: education helps set people on the path of life. Yet, pouring more government money into education does not necessarily translate into greater outcomes or solid citizens. If we are going to see an improvement in educational standards, we need to look at the basics.

Education Defined: The word apparently comes from the Latin term educo, which means to ‘train, educate, and to lead forward.’ Education is more than merely informing a student; it ultimately is about formation. Classical and Judaeo-Christian education helped to mould students into responsible citizens with a worldview that appreciates thinking, ethics, morality, rule of law, democratic governance, human rights, and more. Ultimately, education means enculturation.

Misperceptions

Number One – Teachers Only: There is a perception that education only happens by trained career teachers in the classroom. Not so. The first school is the home and parents are the first teachers.

Deuteronomy 4:9b (Regarding the righteous statues and judgements of God’s Law): “… Make them known to your children and your children’s children.’

Much training for a lifetime happens in the home. It is of the utmost importance that people take seriously their responsibility to train their children. Schools couldn’t possibly teach everything anyway but bear in mind that parental training is a Biblical command.

Ephesians 6:4: And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Number Two – Formal Education Only: There is the idea that formal education, where there are classes, lectures, assignments, examined, and awards, is the only education we get. Not so. Only a fraction of our life is spent in the classroom; the rest of the time we should imbibe the concept of informal education or life-long learning. It can be more powerful than any classroom. The church is another source of education, formal and informal, as its been for centuries.

Number Three – Value-Free: With the notion of separating ‘church and state,’ public schools are considered to be values-neutral. Not so. Public education, like so many things in life, has a worldview. Worldview is defined as ‘The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world; a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by a person or group.’ Western education once embraced the dominant Judaeo-Christian worldview, but has gradually replaced it by progressivism, cultural Marxism, secular humanism and postmodernism.

Reformers (or revolutionaries) like John Dewey (1859-1952) helped institute ‘the long march of the ideologies’ through the educational system. The reason that these worldview are so dominant in our culture today – in the media, judiciary, politics, law, the entertainment industry, and the like –  is because they were introduced in the school system many decades ago. If you hold on to traditional Judaeo- Christian values and your children or grandchildren are in a public school, don’t be surprised if they come home espousing positions and worldview very different to your own.

Secularism and progressivism are very much the worldview of western public education today. In the United States, such organisations as the National Education Association and Federation of Teachers very much push for these values. For example, such education demands the teaching of evolution and rejects the notion that we were created by God in His image. If God is our creator, then we are under His rule and ultimately accountable to Him. This is something that the secularists don’t want (Psalm 2:3).

In the United States, the right-leaning Republican party favours ‘choice-based, parent-driven accountability’ at all ages. The left-leaning Democratic Party opposes school choice and vouchers, saying money should be spent in supporting the public schools.

There has been an increasing trend to nationalise education. Traditionally, school boards were local and this allowed parents to have needful input. This is no longer possible with nationalisation, where decisions affecting students are made by nameless, faceless bureaucrats 100s and 1000s of kilometres away.

Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge — Proverbs 19:27

It is said that education is expensive but ignorance even more. To this, we add wrong education is the most costly of all. Bad education can morph into indoctrination into false ideologies.

A Christian mother approached this author after a public meeting and told her story. She lived in a rural area and she and her husband sent their 18 year old son to the big city to learn computer science. Though raised in the church all his life, in only six weeks he came home as an arrogant, opinionated ‘social justice warrior.’ Both parents were university graduates, but this fact did not stop their newly ‘woke’ son from lecturing them about how the mother was ‘oppressed’ by the patriarchy, ‘her husband.’ He also wagged his finger on other progressive causes. Needless to say, the young man also stopped going to church.

How should you handle education?

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise — Deuteronomy 6:6-7

First, recognise that the family and church are top sources of (informal) education, and need to be utilised more and more.

Second, make the acquisition of truth the highest priority. God is the ultimate source of truth (John 1:17; 16:13). It sets us free (John 8:32), brings hope (Psalm 25:5), a cause for rejoicing (1 Corinthians 13:6), and a valued part of the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:14). With so much falsehood, lies, spin, gaslighting, doublespeak, smoke and mirrors – indeed, a spirit of deception, we need truth and discernment to come out on top. Truth also helps us avoid false teachers (1 Timothy 1; 2 Peter 2) and keep us on God’s path.

Third, education involves thinking and reflection. Foster such a skill: after all, we have a God-given reasoning capacity and with the right education it can bring great good.

Philippians 4:8:Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Yes, education matters because you matter to God.

Articles, Bible, Education, Prayer, Prophecy, Sexuality, Teaching

Issues Facing the Church: A Common Act No One Talks About Part 02

 

The Way Forward

Last month we looked at the topic no one talks about, yet is ever-common, called masturbation or self-stimulation (from now on referred to as SS). We looked at the topic from every angle. Yes, it is correct that the Bible does not explicitly mention the practice, so hence there is no blanket commendation or condemnation. It provides a temporary release of energy and there is no danger of catching sexually transmitted diseases.

 Yet, at the same time, we learned that SS is often, even mostly, motivated by lust, visual stimulation like pornography, or worse. It can happen even when the person had not planned for it, at awkward times, hence implying a lack of self-control. It is not an easy habit to quit. Another problem is that there can be a terrible sense of guilt, even though no one (but God) is watching. Along with the guilt is a puzzle: why do many married men practice SS?

Do you do SS or know someone who does? If so, it is up to you, and you alone, to decide whether you want to continue this practice. If you are of the conviction that this is not good for you? Are guilt and lust part of your experience? Despite its addictive side, do you want to break free?

Remember that human effort is normally not enough. After all, it’s not only your actions that have to change, but also your thinking. It must be a holistic effort. Lust in the heart has to be conquered in order to control your actions of your hands. Like in many things, we need God’s help. And, if necessary, confide in a trusted person who can pray and keep you accountable.

Martin Luther was credited with this quote: I can’t stop the birds from flying over my head, but I can keep them from nesting in my hair. Our world is sinful, seductive, and visually stimulating, ever-beckoning to its dark sensuous ways. Proverbs 7:26: For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

The following Scriptural practices can help. They can help you overcome in this area, and in any area, which has control over your life. Seek pastoral or mature Christian advice. Some practical tips include:

1.       The Word: Psalm 119:9,11: When you hide God’s word in your heart, you won’t sin against Him. Take a few of the many scripture promises, meditate, memorise, then confess them aloud before the Lord.

2.       The Cross of Jesus: Religion, good works, education, cannot overcome the lust-sin issue. Only the gospel of Christ, with the cross at its centre, can hit a death blow. Romans 6 is your declaration of independence from the sin dominated sex-saturated self-life. You are encouraged to focus on verses 6-14 especially. Again, read, meditate, memorise, and confess.

3.       The Holy Spirit: Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). The Holy Spirit is able to put to death the deeds and thoughts of the flesh, which includes lust (Romans 8:13). Remember the injunction of Jude 20 to build yourself up in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. Prayer in the Spirit is powerful and edifying – while you are doing Spirit-prayer, it is virtually impossible to practice the bad habit you eagerly want to break.

4.       Quality Christian music: Listening to anointed music has a great effect on causing lusts to flee.

5.       Praise and worship: Again, if you know how to offer heartfelt praise to God, and you are in a place where others do the same, it also can keep the ‘birds of lust’ from nesting in your hair and head.

In overcoming habits and sins, one of the redemptive features is the more we work with God, His Word and Spirit, the stronger we will become. As Revelation 21:7 promises: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.