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Home » 11 Answers to Questions About the End Times
11 Answers to Questions About the End Times

11 Answers to Questions About the End Times

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We are closer to the End Times than ever before. While that might be an obvious statement, many who don’t believe in the Bible acknowledge that the world will end and that we are getting closer to that day. It’s a reality that is both fascinating and frightening. One of the best ways to come to terms with earth’s final days is to study biblical prophecy. If you wonder about the End Times, renowned prophecy expert and Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah invites you to join him for an exploration of eleven frequently asked questions about the End Times.

  Are we living in the Apocalypse?
  What are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse?
  What does 666 mean?
  What is the Battle of Armageddon?
  What will happen at the Great White Throne Judgment?
  Is the Antichrist alive today?
  Will everyone hear the Gospel before Jesus returns?
  Is there a second chance at salvation after the Rapture?
  What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?
  Will today’s believers be on earth for the Millennial Kingdom?
  Will God destroy the earth?
 
1

Are we living in the Apocalypse?

No. Before God’s judgment falls, I believe Jesus will take to heaven those who have placed their faith in Him as Savior. Seven years later, Jesus will return to end the world as we know it and establish His Millennial Kingdom.

But signs of the End Times are beginning to manifest today. These issues will only deepen and reoccur more frequently as we get closer to the end. In Matthew 24, Jesus gives us a glimpse of some of these signs:

The Sign of Deception

People will cry desperately for leaders to deliver them, and they will seek mystics and religious leaders who claim to have hidden knowledge. Many false teachers will claim to be the Savior. Jesus is the only salvation for this world, and we must be vigilant against counterfeits.

The Sign of Disputes Among Nations

Conflicts, border skirmishes, race wars, national battles, and general unrest will escalate.

The Sign of Devastation

There will be widespread famine and disease, as well as “earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7).

The Sign of Deliverance Into the Tribulation

Just before Jesus returns, there will be an explosion of antagonism toward God’s people. Christians will experience persecution. Many will pay a high price for proclaiming the name of Jesus in our world.

These signs regularly appear in the news today. While we cannot know the date or time of the Rapture, we know these issues will exponentially grow when it does happen.

 
2

What are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Many movies and TV shows deal with apocalyptic circumstances, and references to the four horsemen are not uncommon. Hollywood uses the concept of the horsemen for its own purposes, but Scripture provides the only reliable description of the apocalyptic figures.

In Revelation 6:1-8, John describes Jesus opening four of the seven seals of judgment to begin the Tribulation. The first four seals are the horsemen, who are released from heaven to usher in various judgments on the earth.

 

White Horse

“And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” Revelation 6:2

The rider on the white horse is the Antichrist. After working with Satan to unite the world under the guise of peace, the Antichrist will later wage open war against God’s people. His white horse is a direct imitation of Jesus’ return later in Revelation (19:11-16). Satan’s purpose has always been to counterfeit the work of Christ, and the Tribulation will be no different.

Red Horse

“Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.” Revelation 6:4

The fiery red horseman represents nation rising against nation and individuals fighting each other. It ushers in the war, murder, and bloodshed that characterize the Tribulation.

Black Horse

“So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.’” Revelation 6:5-6

The Bible often associates black with famine. In the early days of the Tribulation, food will be in short supply, so people will have to work all day to get enough food to eat—a denarius was the standard daily wage for ancient laborers. However, the luxuries of the wealthy (“oil and wine”) will remain untouched.

Pale Horse

“So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.” Revelation 6:8

Death is the pale rider followed by Hades (or hell). Together, they will kill with the sword, hunger, disease, and wild beasts—the four judgments the Lord said He would send in Ezekiel 14:21.

3

What does 666 mean?

666 is the mark of the Beast. During the Tribulation, the Antichrist’s accomplice, the False Prophet, will introduce the mark to bolster the Antichrist’s one-world rule. According to Revelation 13:16-17, “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Bearing the mark will be the only way to function in society. Those who refuse to take it will go bankrupt or starve.

Why 666?

Revelation 13:18 tells us it is the number of man. We see this affirmed throughout Scripture. In Genesis, God created man on the sixth day. The Old Testament Law required men to work six out of every seven days. A Hebrew could only be held as a slave for a maximum of six years. And after six consecutive years of sowing a field, the law required its owner to let it lay fallow.

Another way to think of it is the number 666 represents the ultimate in human ingenuity and competence. The Antichrist is the epitome of man’s last attempt at ruling the world before Jesus overrules all those who oppose Him once and for all.

The original text used the Greek word charagma for “mark.” In antiquity, this word was always associated with the Roman emperor. It often contained the emperor’s name, his image, and the year of his reign. It was necessary for buying and selling and was required to be affixed to documents to attest to their validity.

4

What is the Battle of Armageddon?

 

The Battle of Armageddon is the final battle between the forces of evil and good, with Jesus as the Victor.

Six world powers will converge in the final campaign: the revived Roman Empire, the northern confederation (Russia and her allies), the kings of the East (Asia), the kings of the South (Africa), the Lord and His armies, and the nation of Israel.

Israel will be at the center of the conflict with all the other earthly nations gathering against Jerusalem. But according to biblical prophecy, these nations will band together and fight against the Lord when they see Him coming with the angels and believers who were raptured into heaven.

Christ Jesus will descend to the battlefield in all His power and majesty as the King of the universe. In the words of Revelation 19, “His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.… Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.… He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (verses 12, 15, and 16).

Christ Jesus will slay the nations with the sword as His armies stand together watching. He will conquer without sustaining any losses. All the powers of evil will be no opposition to His strength. In one dramatic moment, He will throw the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the lake of fire. The Battle of Armageddon will end as soon as it begins. 

The resulting bloodshed, according to Revelation 14:20, will spread over a 200-mile area (approximately the size of Israel) and reach a depth of four feet (the height of a horse’s bridle). “All the birds” will be “filled” with the flesh of the battlefield (Revelation 19:21), and it will take seven months to bury the dead and seven years to rid the earth of all the weapons which gathered by the nations (Ezekiel 39:8-16). The bloody battlefields will be the remains of all those who rejected Christ Jesus.

5

What will happen at the Great White Throne Judgment?

 

The Great White Throne Judgment will be the final judgment of all “small and great” who have rejected Christ (Revelation 20:12). Many “good people” who were admired by their peers will be there—even many who held offices in the church and appeared to be Christians. But anyone who has sincerely placed their trust in Jesus and accepted Him as their Savior will not be present.

As Jesus sits on His great white throne, He will summon every person who has rejected Him. Their bodies will rise from the grave and sea to accept their final judgment. Books of judgment will expose every word, action, and thought of the defendants.  

Romans 3:20 says, “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.” The Great White Throne Judgment will attest to that. Matthew 7:22-23 says, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Their fate will be sealed when their names are not found in the Book of Life. After each one stands trial, they will be cast into the lake of fire, the final and forever hell.

Is your name written in the Book of Life? Have you placed your trust in Jesus and accepted the eternal salvation He openly offers to you? If you haven’t, I urge you to make the decision today!

 
6

Is the Antichrist alive today?

The Antichrist could be alive today, but we can’t know for sure. The Bible says that his identity will not be revealed until after the Rapture because the Holy Spirit will no longer be restraining the work of evil on earth (2 Thessalonians 2:5-12). Only when the Antichrist is prepared to take leadership will the world know who he is. Since the Rapture could happen at any time, he may be alive today.

While we cannot know who he is, we know details about him. He will be the incarnation of Satan, the great deceiver. Second Thessalonians 2:4 describes him as one “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Not only will he present himself against Christ but also instead of Christ. He will be the consummate counterfeiter.

 

We know that the Antichrist will be a charismatic leader who will sway the masses with his speaking ability. Daniel 7 says he will have “a mouth speaking pompous words…. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High” (verses 8, 25). “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies” (Revelation 13:5). Captivated by his eloquence, the nations will unite in a one-world government with him as the supreme leader.

In all of this, God will remain in control. Revelation 13:7 says that “it was granted to [the Antichrist] to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” He will send a strong delusion into the minds of the unsaved people to believe the lies of the Antichrist, “that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12). The Antichrist will come in great power, but only in the power that God allows him. And he will not be revealed until Jesus raptures all believers into heaven.

 
7

Will everyone hear the Gospel before Jesus returns?

This can be a tricky question. Before Jesus returns to earth in the Second Coming, everyone will hear the Gospel, but not necessarily before the Rapture of the Church occurs. When Matthew 24:14 says, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come,” it means that the Gospel will reach all people before the end of the Tribulation period.

 
8

Is there a second chance at salvation after the Rapture?

Yes, during the Tribulation, many people will choose to believe in Jesus and be saved. Most of these new believers will become martyrs for their faith because of intense persecution. Revelation 7:9-14 portrays these new believers accumulating in heaven after the Rapture:

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” … Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

How will these people discover the truth of the Gospel after the Rapture? According to Revelation 7, 144,000 Jews—twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel—will be chosen and sealed as witnesses to the Gospel before Christ returns. The Holy Spirit will provide them with power and protection to preach the Gospel during this time. With the promise of God’s protection, they will be fearless. No one will be able to harm them until their job is complete. Then, they will ascend to heaven.

 

Revelation also mentions two men who will prophesy for nearly three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation (Revelation 11:3). Then, after the 144,000 enter heaven, an angel will proclaim the Gospel “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’” (Revelation 14:6-7). This bold preaching of both angels and men will be a testament to the strength of God’s character; it will demonstrate His graciousness and justice. When His judgment is on display, His mercy is just as real and present.

Although multitudes will receive salvation during the Tribulation, no one should use it as an excuse to put off accepting Christ. If you haven’t already, I urge you to surrender your life to Jesus today.

9

What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?

This is one of the most common misconceptions about prophecy. The Rapture and the Second Coming are often confused, but they are two different events on God’s prophecy timeline.

First, the Rapture will be the day when Christ takes every Christian to heaven with Him, including those who have died. This is the event Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Some argue that the Tribulation period will begin before the Rapture. However, Scripture says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), and I believe the Church will not experience the judgment that God has planned for that time.

At the end of the seven years, Jesus will return, marking the Second Coming. Unlike His first appearance, He will emerge as the victorious King of the universe, surrounded by His saints. He will gain victory at Armageddon and establish His kingdom on earth.

At the Rapture, Jesus comes for His saints. At the Second Coming, He comes with His saints.

At the Rapture, Jesus doesn’t come to earth. At the Second Coming, His feet touch down on the Mount of Olives, and He will reign on earth.

At the Rapture, Jesus comes with a blessing for His saints. At the Second Coming, He brings judgment for those who have rejected Him.

The Rapture can happen at any moment, but we know the Second Coming will happen seven years later.

10

Will today's believers be on earth for the Millennial Kingdom?

Not only will believers today be on earth for the Millennial Kingdom, but they will also rule with Jesus!

After the Tribulation, raptured believers will join Jesus and His armies of angels and return to earth: “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:14, NIV). Jesus will gain victory at Armageddon, and believers will receive authority to reign with Him for one thousand years. Several passages in Scripture point the role of believers in the kingdom:

Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. Jude 14-15

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 1 Corinthians 6:2

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6

Today’s believers are rulers in the making. God is preparing us not only for heaven but also for administrating the Millennial Kingdom. During this time, God will establish the first genuinely righteous leadership. As our righteous King, He will never make one mistake—He will always make the right decision.

 
11

Will God destroy the earth?

Pop culture leads us to believe that one day a giant explosion will destroy the earth. But God is not going to destroy the planet, He is going to purify it.

Second Peter 3:10-12 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up…. The heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.”

It’s understandable how this passage can lead some to believe in the apocalyptic explosion theory. But when we look at the original Greek, the word translated “burned up” more accurately conveys the idea of being uncovered or laid open. God will not burn the earth down to a heap of ashes; He’s going to refine every element and atom down to the earth’s core. He’s going to renovate the earth to a quality we haven’t experienced. The beauty we enjoy today is barely a taste of the vibrancy we will experience when God purifies His creation.

Revelation 21:1 says, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” But God will not create a new earth from scratch like He did in Genesis. He will renovate His creation and remove all the evidence of sin, decay, and disease. The world will not be new in composition but in quality—perfectly refurbished to its core.

 

Then the New Jerusalem—the city of heaven we hear so much about with streets of gold and pearly gates—that city will come out of the clouds, and there all believers will reside with God for eternity.

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:2-4

~ ~ ~

Continue your study of biblical prophecy with these other popular articles by David Jeremiah:

Seven Churches of Revelation Bible Study

Becoming a Cashless Society—A Financial Sign of the End Times

What Is the Tribulation?

Why Would Anyone Accept the Mark of the Beast?

What is the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation?

The False Prophet in the Book of Revelation

11 Answers to Questions About the End Times

What Is the Rapture?

What Is the Millennium? 7 Answers to 7 Questions

4 Signs of the End Times

the 144,000 in the Book of Revelation

The Revelation Prophecy Timeline

See all prophecy articles here >

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Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world.
Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections.
Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow.
J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred. But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.
Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers, from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable.
John Calvin

New Earth

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death.
William Gurnall

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one.
E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes