Shortly after John the Baptist was born, his father, Zacharias, who was a priest, prophesied of his mission. Among other things, Zacharias prophesied of John the Baptist, that he would: “…go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways” (Luke 1:76).
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“To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).
Yet, although the world desperately needs peace, the world does not know the way of peace.
Continue readingA character appears in the book of Genesis who has been the subject of mystery, of wonder, of speculation. His name as given in Scripture is Melchizedek. Who is Melchizedek, and why should his identity matter to you?
Continue readingIn the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, it’s stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
“Unalienable rights” implies rights that cannot be surrendered. But the fact is God can grant these rights, and he can take them away.
Adam and Eve surrendered the right to life through their sin, as has their progeny (cf. Romans 5:12). Most of humankind have been enslaved to sin since the time of Adam and Eve, through the choices they made and that their progeny have continued to make (cf. John 8:34). God liberated Israel from slavery in Egypt. But God removed them from their homeland and they were enslaved for a time by the Assyrians as a result of their unremitting sins (cf. 2 Kings 17).
It’s been suggested that it would be better to state that we have the right to pursue peace, God’s way. The Hebrew word often translated peace is not limited to an absence of war, but encompasses the idea of general welfare. “The Hebrew word [often translated peace] is shalom…, meaning, primarily, ‘soundness,’ ‘health,’ but coming also to signify ‘prosperity,’ well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Peace”).
We are to pursue peace. “Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace [shalom] and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Under the rule of Jesus Christ, all nations will have a single government. There will be no war to destroy economies and impoverish nations. And there will be a single economic system based on God’s laws.
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:2-4).
Note that the meaning of shalom includes prosperity, financial security, as well as other aspects of security.
What is the key to financial security, the key to prosperity, the key to a life of abundance?
The Bible reveals the answers to these questions, which we will explore, from the perspective of the economy, or economic system, of the Kingdom of God, which will be established when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, returns to the earth and establishes his direct rulership over it (Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 11:15).
Continue readingThe festivals God commanded in the Bible and his Sabbaths have prophetic implications which form an outline of God’s plan for mankind, as we’ve discussed in previous articles.
“Then do not let anyone judge you in eating, or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or the new moon, or of sabbaths, which are a shadow of coming things, but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17, Green’s Literal Translation).
The word “is” is in italics, because the Greek has no word for “is” in verse 17. It should read, “which are a shadow of coming things [or things to come – KJV], but the body of Christ” (his Church, of which he is the head; Colossians 1:18, 24).
“Shadow,” is translated from the Greek, skia, shadow, sketch, outline. Notice the Sabbaths “Are,” [not were], estin, present indicative. This implies continuing action. The Sabbaths, and the feasts of God, are now and continue to be a shadow of things to come. In other words, they have prophetic significance.
In previous articles we discussed the weekly Sabbath along with the festivals which occur in the early part of the year, namely the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Pentecost.
Now we will proceed to the fall festival season, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets.
Continue readingThere’s plenty of bad news to go around these days. Halfway through the year 2020 many nations have been affected by a pandemic in which millions have been infected with a novel virus and many thousands have died, especially elderly and people with underlying health issues, although the number of deaths actually caused by the Covid-19 virus have been grossly exaggerated by health authorities and the media (cf. “How the World Can Quickly Change”).
Triggered in part by the death in Minneapolis of a black man named George Floyd, who died while handcuffed and lying prostrate with a police officer’s knee on his neck, the United States has also experienced weeks of senseless rioting, property destruction, mayhem and murder by mobs, being encouraged by gutless and lying politicians, news media, celebrities, and many other segments of society. The rioting has left a number of people dead and injured, and resulted in property damage amounting to many millions of dollars. Dark forces are using the unrest to promote a radical political agenda.
So, are you ready for some good news? Keep reading.
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