Monthly Archives: September 2016

The Son of Perdition – 2 Thessalonians 2:4

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

 

Summary:

We know this verse describes the last three and a half years of Antichrist’s career because during the first half of Dan-iel’s 70th week he will not exalt himself above all that is called God, he will be a good Jew who will honor all that is called God. That’s why he’ll be honored by Israel. Midway through the 70th week he will exalt himself. During the first half of the 70th week he will be exalted by Israel and the world as a peacemaker (Dan.11:21,24) who brought peace to the Mideast. But after he dies and rises (Rev.13:1,2) he will exalt himself as God (IITh.2:4 cf. Is.14:13,14).

Daniel tells us he will exalt himself against “the prince of the host,” Christ (cf. Josh.5:14), by claiming that he is Israel’s Christ. He adds that the Beast will “exalt himself above every god” (Dan.11:36), similar to how Paul says he’ll exalt himself “above all that is called God.” So what kind of things are called God in the Bible? Several!

The nations called their idols gods (Ps. 96:5), and idolatry will be big in the Tribulation. The spiritual “fornication” the nations will engage in with the “whore” of Babylon (Rev.17:1-5) is the same kind of whoring that Israel did with idols (Deut.31:16). This makes people think the church of Antichrist will be Rome, but long before Rome messed with idols there was a pseudo-Judaism that worshipped God and idols (Judges 17:3). After God put Israel aside, Satan focused on infiltrating Christianity with idolatry, but when God returns His attention to Israel after the Rapture, Satan will infect Judaism with idols again. The whore of Babylon will be Jewish, not Catholic. Revelation 17:1-3 says that the whore will sit on the antichrist to symbolize how Antichrist will honor all that is involved with Judaism during the early part of his career. This is why he is called “the idol shepherd” (Zech.11:7).

However, Zechariah 11:7 goes on to describe his deadly wound that is healed (Rev.13:1,2) after he rises from the dead after his assassination. He will then exalt himself above the idols that are called gods by “showing himself that he is God” (IITh.2:4).

But how will he sit in the temple, as Paul says, when the temple had no chair? Since the people kept sinning, the priest had to keep sacrificing and so there was never time for him to sit, unlike Christ, who offered one sacrifice for sins for ever (Heb.10:11). Oh, there is one chair, but it is occupied. The mercy seat above the ark was a chair, it was the throne of God (Num.7:89). Antichrist “as God” will sit on that seat “shewing himself that he is God” (IITh.2:4).

Of course, the problem with sitting in God’s seat is that once a year a priest will sprinkle blood in your lap—unless you abolish animal sacrifices, as Antichrist will do (Dan.8: 11) claiming that he is the once-for-all offering for their sins.

The Jews themselves were said to be gods (Ps.82:6; John 10:34,35) since God’s Word came to the world through them (Rom.3:1,2), just as Moses was a god to Pharaoh for giving him God’s word (Ex.7:1) and just as the Jews will be gods to the Gentiles in the kingdom for giving them God’s word (Micah 4:1-5). Antichrist will exalt himself above the gods of the Jews by claiming to be the Jew that the Jews have been waiting for for thousands of years, the Messiah.

There are also gods “in heaven” (ICor.8:4,5) against whom Antichrist will exalt himself, the same “gods” that Eve envied (Gen.3:5), the fallen angels. Antichrist will “blaspheme…them that dwell in heaven” (Rev.13:6). He will call some of them down and stomp on them (Dan.8:9,10). You can’t destroy an angel, but you can rough one up! He will do this, and these gods will go along with this, to convince the world he is Christ! If you can call down the gods of heaven and stomp on them, that makes a compelling argument!

Lastly, Antichrist will exalt himself above the gods of the stars (Deut.17:2,3). All the seal judgments are from Anti-christ (Rev.6:1-11) including the removal of the stars of the second heaven (v.12). When he turns out the lights of the universe, many will believe he is Jehovah God, above all gods (Ps.135:5). But when he claims to be God, he will be brought down to the pit of hell (Ezekiel 28:2-10).

Only Going Through the Motions

Posted on by Pastor John Fredericksen

Throughout much of the Old Testament, God’s people, the nation of Israel, had a very shallow, distant walk with the Lord. Even though given the unique privilege of having God’s written Word available, the Lord told the prophet Amos, “they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept His commandments” (Amos 2:4). This did not mean they completely ignored the Scriptures. In some cases, they simply neglected the Word. Often they only went through the motions of having it read to them without internalizing the truths of God and allowing it to change their daily lives. In other cases, after time in a distant, meaningless walk with the Lord, they completely abandoned the sacred Scriptures to worship false gods made by the hands of men.

Israel still had priests, but when God’s true prophets came with a message too close to home, they responded with words such as, “prophesy not again any more” (Amos 7:13). Resistance, even anger and violence, was a frequent response. Yet, in many cases, they still worshipped the Lord, but only in a halfhearted way that the Lord would simply not accept. Therefore, God’s message to them was, “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer Me burnt offerings…I will not accept them…Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols” (Amos 5:21-23). Even worship toward the Lord can be meaningless, or worthless, to the Lord. This is so when worship is offered with a cold heart, only going through the motions, and without seeking to be continually transformed into the person God wants His child to become (Rom. 12:1-2).

Why would the Lord not accept their worship? It boils down to the explanation recorded in both Isaiah and Matthew: “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8; Isa. 29:13). Simply going through the motions of worshipping the Lord is not enough. He desires that we come to Him in sincerity, with biblical truth being paramount, allowing His Word to transform our lives, and desiring a daily walk that knows Him in a real, close, and meaningful way.

Believer, don’t settle for just going through the motions of worship. Come to the Lord with a genuine desire to know Him intimately, be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29), and do His will. Then, and only then, will your worship of the Lord be truly pleasing to the One who gave His life for you.

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Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

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Berean Searchlight – September 2016

Posted on by kevin
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John 19:38-42 – White Castle Cravings

Posted on by Pastor Ricky Kurth

 

Summary:

Some people crave White Castle burgers, but Joseph “craved” the opportunity to serve the Lord by giving Him a decent burial after the indignities of the cross (v.38 cf.Mark 15:43). Do you too think about serving the Lord and say, “I just gotta have it!”? If not, you’re probably not motivating yourself like Paul motivated the Galatians, by reminding them of the cross (Gal.3:1). It’s called grace motivation, and it is the only thing that works in this dispensation.

We actually have more motivation than Joseph, for he just saw what they did to the Lord. We know what the cross procured for us! Some pastors try to motivate people to serve the Lord by preaching messages about the gory details of crucifixion. We are motivated by studying the spiritual blessings the cross bought for us (IICor.5:14)!

Joseph was a “counselor” (Mark 15:43). Before the cross, he probably advised men to be like him, a secret follower of the Lord. After the cross, he probably advised men to take a stand for Him and serve Him, as he was doing! That’s still good advice!

Joseph was “rich” (Jo.19:38), fulfilling Isaiah 53:9. In giving his tomb to the Lord, he was a good example of anyone who gives their riches to the Lord—he got them back three days later! Of course, in this dispensation, God doesn’t pay us back in this life, but in the next (IITim.2:12).

We don’t wait for the kingdom of God on earth, as Joseph did (Lu.23:50,51), but we wait for the kingdom in heaven. If you want to know how to wait “patiently” (IITh.3:5), it is by serving the Lord as Joseph did!

Pilate “marveled” He was already dead (Mark 15:44) be-cause he’d sentenced many wimps to the cross who died quickly, and he could see the Lord was no wimp. In the 60s it was said He was “effeminate,” but we know He wasn’t because that’s a sin (ICor.6:9) that leads to men being “abusers of themselves with mankind” (ICor.6:9). They also accused the Lord of this sin, since he never married and hung out with 12 men. But Pilate’s surprise that He died so quickly proves He was not effeminate.

Before Pilate “gave leave” for Joseph to take the Lord’s body (Jo.19:38), he made sure He was dead (Mark 15:44,45). He’d been asked to release bodies in the past before men were dead! His release proves the Lord hadn’t just fainted, as men claim today to deny His resurrection.

You’d think the Lord’s brutal murder would push Joseph further back into the closet, but instead it caused this closet believer to come out. But persecution made Paul’s helpers courageous and “bold” (Phil.1:14), just as it made Joseph (Mark 15:43). It’s okay to lament when you hear of ISIS killing Christians (cf. Acts 8:2), but then thank God, for this only spurs men on to preach Christ. Let it spur you on!

Nicodemus also came out that day (Jo.19:39). He came to the Lord “by night” (Jo.3:2), later defended the Lord (7:50-52), but the cross made him own Him as his own. He’s an example of Matthew 20:16, the last to follow Him, but rewarded with salvation equally with those who believed early (Mt.20:1-16). 11th hour conversions still save equally today! Joseph is another example. Since Joseph was rich, we know he hadn’t sold all he had as the apostles had at first (Mt.19:27-29), but once he believed on Christ, he was more saved than Judas, who was now “last” (Mt.19:30).

They “wound” the Lord like a mummy (Jo.19:40), as Mary had (Lu.2:7), a type of how He was born to die. The wise men’s frankincense proved He was born to be a priest (Ex.30:30-34), as did the “linen” (Jo.19:40 cf. Ex.28:1-5; Ezek.44:15-18). Linen was also associated with kings (IISam.6:14). If you’re wondering why kings couldn’t be priests (ISam.13:9-14), ask the martyrs what happened when Rome was the civil power on earth. Religious men can’t be trusted to rule until Christ comes (Zech.6:13).

They laid the Lord in a new tomb to prevent the Jews from claiming He didn’t rise because He was God’s Son (cf.IIKi. 13:21), and to fulfill the type of the red heifer in not bury-ing him a place made unclean by dead bodies (Num.19:9).