"A Personal God" CLASS OF DOLPHIN LIBRARY l Bible Teaching University l Night School

A Personal God

What doth it profit thee to enter into deep discussions concerning the Holy Trinity, if thou lack humility, and be thus displeasing to the Trinity? For verily it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition than be skillful in the definition thereof. If thou knewest the whole Bible, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what should this profit thee without the love and grace of God? --Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471), Of the Imitation of Christ

Occasionally an email reaches me from a Muslim who is seeking to persuade me that Allah is the one true god with no rivals. I often start a discussion by making a few comparisons between Allah the god of Islam, and Yahweh the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There are major differences.

Yahweh is a personal God. He enters into personal relationships (covenants) with individuals and with groups of people. Allah is not a personal god. Muslims do not receive any assurance of forgiveness for their sins during their life-times, nor any inner confirmation that they are dealing with a living, personal, intelligent, responsive being.

Muslims are strict monotheists and have difficulty understanding that God could be One, yet possess an inner plurality of Persons. Many people today are polytheists (perhaps without realizing it). In religions where more than one god is supposed to exist, the gods are generally male and female and often sexually active among themselves and sometimes with mortals. They are frequently rivals of one another with a hierarchy, and with territorial boundaries or other limits to their power and rule. Some pagan gods are part human and part animal.

But consider a hypothetical universe where God was one person--one entity. Prior to creating anything, we can easily imagine that a one-person-god might eventually become, in time, a bit "lonely." In fact, when we think of "person" we always automatically think or more than one person(s). What would a one-personal god do with all his time if he had no companions? Surely he would be bored with no one to relate with? If that one-personal god then decided to created sentient beings--men and angels--how could he avoid creating robots and puppets who surely would soon also bore him? Without a consort this god one-personal deity would have no equal. But if god were to have a consort, we already would have a universe of two gods. i.e., living under some form of dualism.

If a one-person god were all-powerful, why would he ask his subjects to bow to his wishes and demand that they live in subservience in all matters? Surely that would be a dull and unimaginative arrangement for all parties?

One of the other Hebrew names for the God of Abraham is Elohim. This important name is used in Genesis One--and a total of 2750 times in the Old Testament. Elohim is a plural noun which takes singular verbs--implying more than one Person in the godhead, a Being who always acts self-consistently ("in concert" or "by divine counsel"). But it is only in the New Testament that we get a clear picture that the true God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit--three Persons yet one God. We only know this about God because He has chosen to reveal Himself to his creatures this way--it is not something we can discovery by reason or scientific investigation.

Now consider the situation where no universe has yet been created, but a Three-Personal living God exists (eternally). The three Persons, we suppose, are equal, but not identical. Since all "personal relationships" we know about involving giving and taking, initiating and responding, leading and following, it is easy to imagine that the Persons of the godhead are likely to be perpetually involved in some kind of totally fulfilling relationships among one another. They evidently do not ever become bored with one another. Nor does a three-personal God need a creation. This kind of God could exist with an inner dynamism which we can scarcely begin to even imagine. When we add into this picture the additional information--which He has also revealed to us--namely "God is Love," then it is not difficult to imagine that each Person of the godhead lives not for Himself but for the other Persons within the godhead. This God can apparently not act selfishly as we do -- His love is always "self-giving."

For this three-Personal God to decide to create a universe with men and angels in it now takes on a whole new dimension. What if this God has chosen to allow men and angels to know Him and to relate to Him personally? Suppose we are invited somehow to "share in His love?" If the real God has chosen to make men very much like himself in terms of free-will, creativity, imagination, diversity--and the capability of loving and being loved--then He has given us created beings the highest possible honor. [Richard Young, a colleague of mine and dear friend is responsible for provoking me to think a bit about the interpersonal relationships within the Godhead. See his notes on the Trinity in my article on the names of God, http://ldolphin.org/Names.html.]

Some non-Christian religion and cults imagine that man is already God, or somehow already a part of God. Other suppose they are capable of attaining "godhood" by some kind of path of trial and testing and good deeds. However, the Bible always makes a sharp boundary between the Creator and the created. God is separate from, and He transcends all that He has created. [Psalm 82 is sometimes used to argue that men are already gods. Ray Stedman addresses this in his commentary on John's gospel,http://pbc.org/dp/stedman/john/3859.html]

Though men are not real gods and can not become "God" the Apostle Peter says something amazing in this regard. Peter writes, "God's divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:3-4)

The New Testament shows in clear terms that normal humanity was designed to be indwelt by God. We human are incomplete without a relationship with a personal God. This is how God decided to create us! Granting men free will and allowing to know their Creator by means of personal relationships (one at a time) now opens marvelous possibilities for life and liberty among men. "You are complete in Christ who is the head of all rule and authority," Paul writes in Colossians.

God uses mostly masculine pronouns when speaking to us in Biblical revelation. But believers understand right away that the Biblical God is not a sexual bring--as the heathen gods usually are. The image of God in man can not be expressed by a male alone, but must be imaged to us by male and female together.

"Then God [Elohim] said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26-28)

That is, the God of the Bible is as much "feminine" as He is "masculine"--(we must use these terms carefully when talking about the nature of God). Men and women are identical in spirit but different in soul and in body. The interactions of the two sexes are not the interactions of two identical clones with one another, but relationships of unique persons who are designed to balance and compliment one another. (See Made in the Image of God, http://ldolphin.org/Image.html). Furthermore, no two human beings are identical. Each one of us is a unique creation--a work of exquisite art. Therefore the personal relationship each of us has with God is one-of-a-kind. Every friendship, every marriage, every relationship we have with another person is also unique. God likes variety in His all creative handiwork--He did not make us a bunch of clones and we are far, far from being puppets or robots.

When we think of interpersonal relationships of any kind it is immediately evident that we are all constantly involved in both giving and receiving. One can not have the one without the other. There also exists in life a response to match a stimulus, a responder to answer to the initiator. God Himself is also a "community of three persons." Therefore the true God is also the God of community. The importance of community is very important. God Himself is a member of the community. This is also part of His design for mankind. God participates fully in all aspects of His creation.

If God being a member of the community was not a very evident fact of life before the birth of Jesus, it is certainly clear from the New Testament that in taking on the form of a man, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, has indeed joined Himself to our humanity. God's purpose in doing this is not only to accomplish our salvation from sin, butto enable us to live together in community with Him forever more. God meets us through the man Jesus Christ as our Mediator, our Great High Priest, our Counselor, our Lover, our Friend. For instance, there are two Adams in the Bible: the first Adam, from whom we have all descended--and Jesus the Last Adam who heads a whole new race of humans. Christians can think of Jesus as their Elder Brother--among His many other attributes.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

About this "family" the Bible has much to say! Once one begins to speak of a personal God who want to know people personally and once we learn that this God has chosen to meet us through a fellow human being of our own race, Christian faith moves quickly and radically apart from all other religions. [Because of the Fall--man's rebellion against God--one becomes a true member of God's family by spiritual rebirth--but this does not release non-Christians from ultimate accountability to God as Creator, Lord and Judge of all.]

My friend Glenn Miller of the Christian Think Tank amazes me constantly with his erudite and thorough essays on every conceivable subject of theology imaginable. Glenn's more recent 25 page "short" treatise is "must reading." Why can't God just forgive sin, instead of demanding justice? He asks, (see http://www.christian-thinktank.com/whyjust.html). Glenn shows that our behavior as humans implies accountability to our Creator, but also so one another. We have major responsibilities to the community--and God is a member of the community. 

Our actions--public or private--affect our relationship with God--but also the entire community. There are no private deeds and actions we do that are innocuous--"we are all bound up together in the bundle of the living" to use an Old Testament metaphor.

The Law of Moses given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai tells us what God is like as a Person. He is moral, just, holy, but loving and compassionate. Since He can not change, any outside "persons" who wish to live in a harmonious relationship with Him must find a way to adjust to what He is like. Briefly put, the writer of Hebrews says, "Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 14:14)

At first glance, it appears that the Old Covenant (the Law of Moses) is ordering us to try to change on our own, and to make every effort live up to the standards of Deity, by meritorious self-effort. Romans 3 sets us free from such a delusion--the Law was given to establish our deep need for grace and mercy. The Law also lets us know that we are to live daily in total dependence upon the Lord. We are quite incapable of any righteous deeds when running on our own steam.

The New Covenant, on the other hand, makes it possible for us to live in a harmonious personal relationship with God--because God changes us from the inside out, if we give Him permission to do so. This is a tall order! We all start out quite self-centered and self-seeking, and we must be changed into the likeness of a being who is self-giving.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more." Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:12-25)

Every one of us understands quite a bit about relationships among ourselves--with parents, siblings, spouse, friends and enemies--from experience. We all learn to relate to other people by trial and error, both positively and negatively. Instinctively we know and sense what an interpersonal relationship is all about.

But, it is strange to me that I do not tend to deal with God the way I deal with other "persons" whom I know. Yet God is much more of a living Person than any other "entity." God is the very Author of life. All of life, at every level, has its source in Him. Yet, I worry most about what other people think of me. Everything I think or say or do--my entire history--is known to God. But I can easily be indifferent to what he thinks about me! Often I remind myself of what the Lord said to Samuel about King Saul, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

I know intuitively than I can not expect to enjoy a more intimate relationship with another person which goes deeper than the degree of intimacy I have attained in my personal relationship with Jesus. But my time alone with God is easily set aside, compromised, crowded out by a thousand mundane matters, on a daily basis. (Seehttp://ldolphin.org/Intim.html, http://ldolphin.org/relationships.html)

If we think we understand something about how two persons can relate with one another, imagine the intensity and vitality of the relationships the Three Divine Persons share with one another! For us to know God is to be drawn into God Himself, into union with Them. From the closing chapter of C.S. Lewis' science fiction trilogy:

"For one moment she had a ridiculous and scorching vision of a world in which God Himself would never understand, never take her with full seriousness. Then, at one particular corner of the gooseberry patch, the change came. 

What awaited her there was serious to the degree of sorrow and beyond. There was no form nor sound. The mould under the bushes, the moss on the path, and the little brick border, were not visibly changed. But they were changed. A boundary had been crossed. She had come into a world, or into a Person, or into the presence of a Person. Something expectant, patient, inexorable, met her with no veil or protection between. In the closeness of that contact she perceived at once that the Director's words had been entirely misleading. This demand which now pressed upon her was not, even by analogy, like any other demand. It was the origin of all right demands and contained them. In its light you could understand them; but from them you could know nothing of it. There was nothing, and never had been anything, like this. And now there was nothing except this. Yet also, everything had been like this; only by being like this had anything existed. In this height and depth and breadth the little ideal of herself which she had hitherto called me dropped down , and vanished, unfluttering, into bottomless distance, like a bird in a space without air. The name me was the name of a being whose existence she had never suspected, a being that did not yet fully exist but which was demanded. It was a person (not the person she had thought), yet also a thing, a made thing, made to please Another and in Him to please all others, a thing being made at this very moment, without its choice, in a shape it had never dreamed of. And the making went on amidst a kind of splendour or sorrow or both, whereof she could not tell whether it was in the moulding hands or in the kneaded lump. 

Words take too long. To be aware of all this and to know that it had already gone made one single experience. It was revealed only in its departure. The largest thing that had ever happened to her had, apparently, found room for itself in a moment of time too short to be called time at all. Her hand closed on nothing but a memory. And as it closed, without an instant's pause, the voices of those who have not joy rose howling and chattering from every corner of her being.
"Take care. Draw back. Keep your head. Don't commit yourself," they said. And then more subtly, from another quarter, "You have had a religious experience. This is very interesting. Not everyone does. How much better you will now understand the Seventeenth-Century poets!" Or from a third direction, more sweetly, "Go on. Try to get it again. It will please the Director."
But her defences had been captured and these counter-attacks were unsuccessful." (C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength)

Solomon, by the way, says that contentment and happiness in life is a gift from God--and he gives these gives only to those who choose to serve Him.

"...for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the man who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy." (Ecclesiastes 2:25-26a)

Our society is crumbling rapidly. Families are falling apart. Close friendships are few and far between. Promises that are kept and commitments that are honored--are few and far between. People seem to have forgotten that God is a Personal God. What this means is that true community is almost gone as well. God, the Creator and Judge and Master of the community must inevitably move decisively to judge, to heal and to restore that community. In the real world that means that some will be excluded in the time of renewing, and all of us will be judged and evaluated in the process.

"Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)

"The State of the World and the End of the Age" l CLASS OF DOLPHIN LIBRARY l Bible Teaching University l Night School

The State of the World and the End of the Age

Well over a year ago a series of crises in banks and lending institutions gave us reason to believe God was at last beginning to judge our nation for a century of decadence and moral decline. Soon it was clear that financial institutions and national economies all around the world were also drastically affected. Many of us now believe that God is doing exactly what he said He would do. He will shortly send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, back to this planet to forcefully set up a kingdom of justice, righteousness and peace on earth. Jesus is, after all, the Owner and Heir of planet earth. Sadly the vast majority of people on the earth today do not know Jesus and do not wish to know Him. His return will therefore involve a bloody invasion by force.

The New Testament tells us that the "church age," now drawing to a close, has been a 2000-year interval in which the message of God's love and forgiveness has gone out to the entire world, over and over again. The invitation has been a call for all peoples to know Jesus Christ as Lord and to become members of His family. The Bible says that when the "full number" of gentiles has come in (to the church), Israel would once again be placed at center stage as chief of the nations, with Jesus ruling all the earth from Jerusalem as His capital. Ancient promises made to the patriarchs of Israel will then at last be fulfilled. Then and only then will man's dream of world peace come to pass.

Although the historic land of Israel sat empty for most of the past two millennia, Jews began to return to their land exactly as the Old Testament foretold, until statehood was declared in 1948. About half of the Jews in the world now live in the nation which has always historically been called Israel -- but almost none of them know their God or God's messiah Jesus. The restoration of Israel among the nations of the world means that ultimately every one of the surviving Jews will live in Israel and everyone on earth will know Jesus as King.

Though the number of people who profess to be Christians in the world today adds up to a sizeable fraction (about 2 billion people out of a total of almost 7 billion) the number of true Christians who actually know Jesus and who follow Him is a tiny minority. One out of three Jews died in World War Two during the Nazi holocaust. The prophet Zechariah tells us that 2 out of 3 Jews in Israel will perish in the coming world war which will center around Jerusalem. Many more millions of people will become followers of Christ in the coming final years that mark the end of the age. The invitation to know the God of Israel will remain open until the very end, yet the majority will be lost.

The daily news from Europe and the Middle East this past year sounds as if it was written by the Old Testament prophet Daniel or by Jesus' Apostle John. Scores of Old Testament (and New Testament) prophecies are lining up to be quickly fulfilled as Jesus draws near and is about to set foot once more on the Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem.

There are many clear indicators in the Bible that give Christians sound reasons for believing the return of Christ is on the immediate horizon. A year ago while teaching through the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament I was struck by an earlier judgment on Israel when God quietly said He would remove truth from that nation's daily life. "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it." (Amos 8:11-12)

The prophet Daniel has told us that an explosion of knowledge would be one indicator that the time of Messiah's coming was near. That prediction's reality should be abundantly clear to us today. Vast libraries of knowledge are at our disposal on the Internet, but God has evidently quietly been removing truth from our churches, from schools, from government, from our daily lives. Knowledge is of no use to us if we lack wisdom to apply what we know.  We are in big trouble now because the widespread rejection of God's rule over us has caused Him to begin to withdraw His protection from us.

The Bible not only insists that absolute truth does exist, but "true-truth" is to be found only in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote that "in Christ are to be found all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3), echoing what Solomon said 3000 years ago. "For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God..." (Eccles. 2:26)

Throughout the Old Testament it can be seen that God does His greatest work through ordinary individuals or small groups. One example is that of Gideon who routed 135,000 Midianites with only 300 men. (God pruned Gideon's original army of 35,000 down to 300 to make it perfectly clear that it is He who fights our wars for us). The God of the Bible is the God of remnants. Billions of people drowned in the Flood of Noah after rejecting God's pleas to join Noah on board the Ark. At the end of a hundred years of ark-building on dry land, the rains came. But only eight people were onboard the Ark. In many of today's churches only a handful are living in daily fellowship with Jesus, yet God will continue to do great things when even a few of His people come together to make themselves available to Him.

It is one thing to imagine the coming time of glorious world peace which will prevail under the reign of Jesus in Jerusalem. Meanwhile it is heartbreaking for most of us when we see how sinful we are, how unworthy. The human condition is sad and tragic but no matter how long God pleads with mankind only a few have ever responded. Jesus Christ has already paid in full for the sins of all who have ever lived, His offer of forgiveness and new life is freely offered to everyone--but the majority are not to be persuaded. If we grieve, God's heart of love grieves more.

In his commentary on the book of the Revelation, Ray Stedman comments on how God's coming judgments will affect us.

"What we are seeing here in the judgments of the last days is really nothing new. It is simply commonly experienced penalties for evil increased in amount to an incredible degree. God has been sending judgments like this all through the history of mankind. There have been volcanic eruptions, meteors falling upon the earth, red rain from the skies, poisoned waters, etc. All these terrible disasters have struck before, but now they grow to a climax. Yet we must not misunderstand them, for they are for our own good.

I list for you five effects of judgment upon us since we are all being judged in some degree, more or less. Hardships, trials and difficulties are all a part of the judgment of God upon human evil, and we all experience it.

1. First of all, judgments frighten us. They are intended to. They are sent to arrest our attention. They chill our blood. They alarm us. They scare the living daylights out of us. Like children at a horror movie we are fascinated by them but we want to hide our eyes from them and not look fully at them. That is the first effect of judgment. It arouses fear.

2. Then, because it terrifies us, judgment also sobers us. How many people in the Bay Area immediately rearranged their priorities five minutes after the earthquake hit on October 17? We heard many testimonies during that time of people saying, "I'll never take life as lightly again. That taught me a lot. I began to see what is really important." That is also what judgments do. They help us reassess our lives. They change our priorities. C. S. Lewis well says that fear or pain or judgment is "God's megaphone to reach a deaf world."

3. And so judgments correct us. They force us to face unpleasant facts about ourselves. We do not like that. We do not like to be told that we are not perfect. We know we are not, but we do not like anyone else to say so. We are uneasy at having these things pointed out. But judgment strips away our illusions. It restores us to reality. We begin to think accurately, clearly, as God thinks. We plan more carefully. We live more thoughtfully. That is why God sends judgment.

4. And fourth, judgment humbles us. We begin to see that we are really not in control. We do not run everything about our lives. We are not autonomous creatures. We are not little gods, capable of making anything we want to of ourselves, as the media keeps trying to tell us. We are not in charge. We see how foolish we have been in the past, that we have made many mistakes when we thought we were right. We begin at last to welcome guidance, to listen to others, and especially, to seek out the wisdom of the Word of God.

5. Finally, judgment reassures us. It comforts us. It answers Habakkuk's great prayer, "In wrath, remember mercy," (Hab 3:2). We learn that God does not like judgment either. He calls it, in Isaiah 28:21, his "strange work." He keeps it as brief as possible. He gives ample warnings before it gets unbearable. He sends anticipations of it, forceful reminders, that this kind of thing can happen so that we might pay attention and act before it gets out of hand.

All this supports the view that the Bible gives everywhere of a loving God, "slow to anger and plenteous in mercy," (Psalm 103:8 KJV). Is it not strange that people who do not read the Bible very much almost invariably say, when you talk about judgment, "Well, the God I worship is a loving God; he would never do anything like that!" My friend, it is the very love of God that makes him judge! God must judge in order to eliminate evil once for all from his creation and bring about the world of universal blessing which men have longed for throughout all of human history. (From God's Final Word, http://www.raystedman.org/revelation/4200.html)

Take heart! Cling to the great promises of God. With eagerness, let us act in faith trusting the living God who can not fail.

Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

born a child and yet a King,

born to reign in us forever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

(Charles Wesley, 1707-1788)

"Taking God Seriously" l CLASS OF DOLPHIN LIBRARY l Bible Teaching University l Night School

Let's Start Taking God Seriously

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This Spring a friend and I have been spending several hours at a stretch, several times a week, reading and discussing the Bible, especially the Old Testament. It did not take us very long to see that our popular ideas and notions about God were way out of bounds in many ways. For example, we Americans are not God's chosen people, the vast majority of us will not go to heaven when we die. God does not look down in favor on our much-touted, self-aggrandizing way of life. There really is a Day of Judgment coming soon and it won't be pretty for those who have failed to take God seriously. There is lots of good news in the Bible, great news in fact. God is a living, communicating Being. He asks us to know Him and to respond to Him. This is actually a tall order asking from us our whole selves. American "Christians" have been slipping and sliding downhill for a long time now--many years--and much-deserved judgment upon our nation has begun in earnest. 
Judgments against Israel in the Old Testament
The prophet Ezekiel, and some thousands of his countrymen, were taken captive from Jerusalem to a detainees' camp outside of Babylon in 597 BC. This was eleven years before Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 586. Meanwhile, the prophet Jeremiah remained behind in Jerusalem warning all those remaining there that Babylon was actually their safe refuge for the next 70 years. Israel was to be exiled by God for multiple failures of disobedience. God warned Ezekiel ahead of time that the people and their elders would not listen to their legitimate leaders.

"Then He [God] said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted." (Ezekiel 3:4-7)

The exiles in Jerusalem believed that Jerusalem could never be destroyed; that their refuge in Babylon would be only a short-term minor inconvenience. Eleven years later Jerusalem was destroyed with horrendous loss of life and horrific suffering. The majority of the Jews who heeded the Lord and did escape to Babylon, then adapted to luxury living in Babylon, continuing to ignore their prophets. After the Fall of Jerusalem Ezekiel and Jeremiah each wrote about ongoing history and the long-term place of Israel in God's plans. Each prophet was able to write amazing predictions describing the future of the remnant of Israel--prophecies that are now coming true in the Middle East, 2600 years after the fact.
In his day, Ezekiel was considered a popular "entertainer." He was treated in a cavalier fashion by his people as if he had been sent to entertain, not to save.

“As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’' So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. “Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass--surely it will come--then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:30-33)

Ezekiel, and the abductees with him, stayed at a prison camp located along a canal that branched from the River Euphrates. On and off, over a dozen years, the elders of Israel dropped in for an occasional "elders' meeting" with Ezekiel at his "house" in Babylon. Ezekiel took notes of the third of these meetings; they are recorded in Chapter 20. This one paragraph, Ezekiel 20, raises all sorts of questions about Israel's long-lasting history with their God. It would seem from what is recorded that Israel was always in a "continuous failure" mode with their God. The nation as a whole apparently is never depicted as the loving, responding wife of Yahweh.
Yahweh begins by speaking through Ezekiel about Israel's history since they were slaves in Egypt, about 1500 BC.

It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, (591 BC) that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me (Ezekiel). Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you.”’  “Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.   “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God.’ “On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands.  “Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'"
 “But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.
Then I [God] said, ‘I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’  “But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.  “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them."
“Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths."
"Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.  Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’"
“Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.  Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.  Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire (child-sacrifice), that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the LORD.”  
“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.'"  “When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.” “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel?' As I live, says the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you. “What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.'"

Over the span of Israel's history--which Ezekiel discussed with the elders that night (covering about 900 years) the Lord reminded the elders of Israel at Babylon that He had considereddestroying His people three times. Ironically, Ezekiel was just then speaking to the remnant in Babylon. A few hundred miles to the West, terrible judgment was ready to fall on Jerusalem from the armies of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon.  
Was God's saving help not efficacious at any point along their journey? The answer of course is that the nation of Israel did fail badly in realizing the high calling and purpose God had them for.
But, also a "remnant," a small number, were saved. This is the true history of God's people, whether Jew or Christian.
In summary, while in Egypt, where they were slaves for 400+ years, the people of Israel no longer benefitted from Joseph’s legacy and the good favor of Joseph's pharaoh. The new Pharaoh became harsh with the Israelites, forcing them into hard slavery as his work force and restricting their birth rate by murdering their sons as they were born. (Exodus 1:8-22)
As the pressure on Israel in Egypt increased, the Israelites resorted at last to prayer. Eighty years later, God's appointed deliverer, Moses, was ready to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Rather than destroying the nation of Israel as He had seriously considered, the Lord pitied Israel at least enough to bring them out from Egypt and into the wilderness. At the time, the nation of nearly 3 million people had enough faith that God was able to lead them under Moses out of bondage into the wilderness of Sinai. "All" of Israel following Moses crossed the Red Sea and headed East for the Promised Land searching for a better life. The Egyptians helped with generous gifts of gold and silver.
But not much later, at Mt Sinai, Moses was in a planning meeting with God atop Mt Sinai. Down below the people became bored and restless and persuaded their high priest, Aaron, the brother of Moses, to build them a golden calf to remind them of Egypt. It was not a major effort for them to host a lavish, pagan party modeled about the religious events they had witnessed in Egypt. It was surely not necessary to carry boxes of statues and amulets, ornaments and charms the Egyptians had given them as a farewell gift. These gifts from the Egyptians, the people of Israel melted down readily to be made in a Golden Calf.
Coming down from Mt. Sinai, where he had received the Law from the hand of God, Moses was horrified to see the gross idolatry the people of Israel had embraced, culminating in the adulation and worship of the Golden Calf. It was only the intercession of Moses at that time which caused God to spare Israel after such open denial of their Holy God (See Exodus 32). [On this solemn occasion Moses serves as a type of Christ as Intercessor. Intercession as the word is used in the Bible means that one righteous man chooses to stand alone pleading with his life to a Holy God on behalf of a sinful people].
This is now the second occasion God "changed his mind" and did not destroy Israel altogether after they had refused all of God's attempts to free them from their persistent idolatry.
Idolatry is about what we love in our hearts! False worship varies from one culture to another, from country to country, but always reflect our human preference for idols. Repeatedly we all choose to follow false gods rather than obeying our Creator who can then set us free to move into true fulfillment, wholeness of being, and everlasting life. Our idols can be actual objects such as cars, houses, yachts and summer cabins or they can be amplified hungers and cravings for the lusts and pleasures on this world. We can acquire idolatrous ways when we leave the truth we have been taught and follow the axioms and guidelines of the fallen world-system we live in. We are creatures of habit and easily adapt to the idolatries of the culture we live in. Idolatry is not merely a question of what we believe in our minds, but where we attach our emotions and affections at a deeper level--in the heart. Over and over again the God of the whole world speaks to all peoples and nations concerning our deep-seated rebellion against His rule and our fatal attraction towards the false and the counterfeit. The problem goes to the inner core of all of our lives.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)
[Jesus said], “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men--the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”--’ (that is, a gift to God),“then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them,
“Hear Me, everyone, and understand: “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, “because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:1-23)

The howling barren wilderness of the Sinai did not provide Israel with a whole new set of stone or wooden idols to be added to the old gods from Egypt, the real idolatry was in the heart the whole time and quite invisible. Later on when finally dwelling in the promised land, Israel would become exposed to the pagan gods of the other nations externally as well as internally. The wonderfully crafted tabernacle of Moses, the sacred vessels, the priesthood, the sacrifices and the yearly religious calendar were all in place throughout the 40 years of wilderness in the wilderness. There was ample opportunity for Israel to discover what God is like as a Person and then to follow Him into a life of liberty and freedom. The austerity enforced on God's people by the circumstances of living in the wilderness did not diminish the people's idolatry, it was ready to break forth repeatedly.
Lest anyone reading this claims that this situation with regard to Israel’s long-term national idolatry does not carry over for us to learn from, or to be relevant to the church, we have the Apostle Paul's words which speak otherwise:

"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 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. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." (1 Corinthians 10:1-14)

The Apostle Paul in Romans 1 puts together a picture of mankind as we are when we were born-- in Adam. Paul describes the downhill path of mankind over time regardless of national background, sex, genetic traits, education, or family upbringing. Thus, the failure of the church which Jesus started follows a downhill course similar to Israel's "continuous failure" to be what God intended us to be. The church has now failed, as Israel failed. The Apostle Paul was perfectly correct:

“There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth isfull of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:10-20)

After showing us that the creation itself, and our hearts (i.e., our innermost natures), have clearly reveal our Creator's existence, power and purpose, Paul shows that we were originally created to be ruled from within, from the heart -- by one God, the God who built the universe and who created each one of us. When running according to design, the human "machine" has a living spirit, an ego or "self"-- able to live in close partnership with God the Holy Spirit.
The "heart" -- as the word is used in the Bible -- describes the center of our identity and personhood. Our human spirit and God the Holy Spirit are supposed to be at all times ruling together within our hearts.  The Fall of Man severed our relationship with God and left us with most of our protection gone. The passage above, (Romans 3:10-20) is all about the collapse of the entire social order of man. This in turn has come about because of man's rejection of God's rule within our hearts. Usually idols are a person or thing, a doctrine or ideal, a love, a spouse, a friendship that has become most important to the individual than God. At this early stage of "falling" away from God, the individual has violated the first two commandments in the Law of Moses. Because idolatry never satisfies, we quickly add more love idols in our hearts and affections.
Yet, in spite of so much failure, one would think that 800 years of continuous history from Moses to Ezekiel would have drawn the people of Israel to change their ways eventually -- but this did not happen. A small remnant in each generation of Israel evidently accepted the Lord's terms to living in harmony with their God, but the majority ignored this extra generous, ultra-gracious Lord. Thankfully there has always been a godly remnant. No one of us needs to be lost, all sinners are welcome in the family of God. "...He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
Ezekiel's wife died on the day Jerusalem fell, and most of the remaining inhabitants in the City were slain by Nebuchadnezzar. When the news of the demise of Jerusalem reached the exiles in Babylon weeks later, the exiles were forced to give up all hope of returning to their beloved city.
When Jerusalem fell, Ezekiel was released from God's tight restrictions of his life-style. He was given the assignment of writing large sections about the future of Israel. (Ezekiel 25ff). The entire nation of Israel was to be raised from the dead according to the prophet's vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. Messiah would come to be their true Shepherd and King. The nations of the world would be all judged thoroughly. Messiah's return would provoke a terrible war which will draw all nations together against Jerusalem. Messiah will then Himself build a Fourth Temple, too large for the present Temple Site. At last mankind will enjoy justice and peace mediated from Jerusalem.
Ezekiel died in Babylon after many more years of faithful service to God in Babylon. While reading the scroll of Jeremiah, Daniel the prophet realized that God intended to leave His people in Babylon only 70 years. In a powerful moving prayer, Daniel asked that the Jews be allowed to return to Jerusalem. They came in small numbers, first rebuilding the Temple, then erecting walls around the city. They came with a legitimate king and priest. The return from the Exile was another sure sign of the God who keeps His promises.
Regarding events that are yet future for us, the God of Israel speaking said this:

 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD! ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,’”’ “therefore prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people”-- ‘therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken, which became plunder and mockery to the rest of the nations all around-- ‘therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with whole-hearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.”’ “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.” ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. “But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. “For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. “I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. “I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. “Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children.”
 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because they say to you, ‘You devour men and bereave your nation of children,’ “therefore you shall devour men no more, nor bereave your nation anymore,” says the Lord GOD. “Nor will I let you hear the taunts of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to stumble anymore,” says the Lord GOD.’” Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. “Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. “So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. “When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name--when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ “But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. “And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. “Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. “I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. “And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. “Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations.
“Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!” ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. “The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. “So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ “Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.” ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. “Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”’” (Ezekiel 36)

The message of the Bible has been mostly ignored or twisted down through the centuries. Today's church, after 2000 years, is in failure mode for the most part, as Israel was after 1500 years of living under the Old Covenant. As mentioned in a previous newsletter, the size of the Christian "remnant" in our nation today is perhaps only 1%.
Time is fast running out for all varieties of sinners and for all disobedient communities, churches, nations. Eventually God can only act in perfect justice. See Notes on Repentance,http://ldolphin.org/repent.html .
As we have seen, Ezekiel reminded of four specific times (one is yet future) in the national life of Israel, when Yahweh's anger was so exhausted that He tells us He felt like destroying the nation completely. His says that His restraint was to safeguard His own name and reputation.
First God hates hypocrisy (see, Paint or Get off the Ladder, Isaiah 58, http://ldolphin.org/isaiah58.html ).  Second, it is very dangerous for us to call ourselves "Christian" if we never enter into a personal relationship with the God of Israel, obeying and following Him you the rest of our lives. We misrepresent God when our life-styles do not match what we say we believe. Third, since only a tiny few professing Christians really are genuine, we should not follow the moral standards of the majority (even in the best of churches). We should associate with members of the remnant. (The remnant in our day are called "overcomers" in the letters of Jesus to the Seven Churches of the book of Revelation, see The Concept of the Remnant, http://ldolphin.org/Remn.html).
God is exceedingly patient. The Bible calls this God's long suffering love. He is very reluctant to judge anyone. He always prefers to heal, restore and save. In fact, before creating our world the Persons of the Godhead worked out all the details necessary so that a Holy God could save sinful men and still be just and fair. God has done all the work, His offer of love and restoration is still offered to us at this late hour.

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no-one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

"The Beast and the False Prophet"l CLASS OF DOLPHIN LIBRARY l Bible Teaching University l Night School

The Beast and the False Prophet

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These days almost every article on prophecy seems to talk with authority about "Antichrist." ¹ However I don't ordinarily see much consistency from one article to the next! Hopefully the following short summary will help clear the air.
Bible prophecy is about Israel -- because that small nation was chosen by God 4000 years ago to be chief over all the (seventy) nations. Bible prophecy usually mentions other nations only if they are historically and geographical close to Israel. Nations south of the Equator, for instance, are not mentioned in Bible prophecy. Remote countries like the U.S. are just parts of the "isles"or "coastlands." ²
Jesus was plain when He addressed the religious leaders of Israel during His last visit to His homeland.

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive." (John 5:39-43)

Clearly a counterfeit messiah, a religious figure, a false prophet, would show up in Israel, deceiving nearly everyone in the world, sometime before Jesus Christ returns. This evil man is described as the second of two "beasts" in Revelation 13. Paul calls him "the man of sin" (2 Thessalonians 2:3). He deceives not only Israel, but also the entire world. His boss, the first beast, an end time world political, military leader, rising out of a revived form of the Old Roman Empire, will be allied with the second beast and with Satan to comprise a kind of Satanic Trinity.

"...I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, [the sea is a symbol of the nations around the Mediterranean], having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth [eretz Yisrae], and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 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. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is six hundred and sixty-six [six is the number of man, 666 a Satanic trinity]." (Revelation 13)

The overall picture of the end of the age is that the man of sin will accepted by the Jews as their long awaited messiah (see Modern Jewish Beliefs Concerning the Coming Messiah,http://ldolphin.org/messiah.html). This man will orchestrate a regional peace treaty safeguarding Israel with the help of the First Beast. This seven-year peace treaty (based on division of the land of Israel) will fail after 3.5 years. At that time the fake messiah will enter the newly completed Third Temple in Jerusalem, declaring that he is god. Naturally such an announcement will outrage all Muslims and orthodox Jews, and gravely alarm the rest of the world as well.
Hearing such arrogant, grandiose claims by a Jewish leader, who most everyone thought was the long-expected messiah, will cause the entire world to have sound reasons for wanting all of Israel to be destroyed. The armies of earth will set out to do just that, to invade and eradicate all Jews, not knowing that the real God of Israel is drawing them together for their own destruction. The world's armies will too late realize they are fighting "space invaders"--the God of Israel and angelic His armies.
The God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has different plans for His people than today's world leaders can imagine. The horrific destruction of the ensuing great war, felt world-wide, will finally bring Israel to full repentance. Jewish leaders will at last pray, inviting Jesus Christ to save them.
When Israel acknowledges Yeshua as their rightful King, Jesus Himself will come to Jerusalem a second time, this time not riding on a donkey, but descending with the angel armies of heaven to take up His rule and restoration of the earth.
Both the Beast and the False Prophet will meet their end directly at the hands of Jesus at the time of His return:

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, “that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:11-21)

The seven year period which follows the rapture of the true church, and ends with the second coming of Jesus in power, is figuratively known as the "Tribulation" Period. The last half of this "week," when the most terrible judgments of God fall on mankind, is called "the GREAT tribulation." (See Aspects of the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ, http://ldolphin.org/Return.html).
The tribulation period itself is a bit complex. A few decades back, Bible scholars spoke of the "Battle of Armageddon." Now most everyone realizes this final war will be a series of encounters better described as "the Campaign of Armageddon." The information needed to understand the end time is scattered through the entire Bible (20% of the Bible is prophecy). Therefore don't expect to become a world-class scholar on prophecy overnight. Know the entire Bible well, cover to cover, and more importantly, live every day in close accord with Jesus, the Savior of the World and the true World Leader. ⁴

"What determines the future is what God has done in the past and what He has promised to do in the future.  So don't look horizontally at current events."  Ray C. Stedman

Jesus Christ is not only Israel's true Messiah, He is the Creator of the universe and the appointed Ruler of all the nations.

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth, You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You coastlands and you inhabitants of them! Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the LORD, And declare His praise in the coastlands.
The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. “I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once. I will lay waste the mountains and hills, And dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, And I will dry up the pools. I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them. They shall be turned back, They shall be greatly ashamed, Who trust in carved images, Who say to the molded images, ‘You are our gods.’ (Isaiah 42:1-17)

Notes:

¹ The Greek prefix "anti" can mean "against" or opposed to, but it can also mean "instead of," as in "counterfeit. " "Christos" is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word for "messiah." Commentators seem to use "antichrist" to refer to the First Beast or the Second, but not in a consistent way.
² God gave the land of Israel to the descendants of Abraham through his sons Isaac and Jacob. Israel was to be governed through a King and a Priest until the time of a promised Messiah. It sounds strange to our gentile ears, but God will judge all the nations of the world through Israel and He will judge Israel directly Himself.
Joel the prophet said, “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land. They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink. “Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? Will you retaliate against Me? But if you retaliate against Me, Swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head; Because you have taken My silver and My gold, And have carried into your temples My prized possessions. Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem You have sold to the Greeks, That you may remove them far from their borders. “Behold, I will raise them Out of the place to which you have sold them, And will return your retaliation upon your own head. I will sell your sons and your daughters Into the hand of the people of Judah, And they will sell them to the Sabeans, To a people far off; For the LORD has spoken.” (Joel 3:1-8)

"All of us Need to Repent" l CLASS OF DOLPHIN LIBRARY l Bible Teaching University l Night School

All of us Need to Repent

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The people of Israel were at a very low state spiritually at the time Jesus served among them. True, they welcomed the healing work He accomplished, the relief from demonic oppression, and his opposition to the oppressive legalism of the religious establishment. Moved by compassion and pity for the pressing crowds, Jesus had little time for training his disciples. But His failure to evict the Romans from the land of Israel, or to interfere with local politics, became increasingly annoying to the people. The “clergy” of the time became furious at Jesus when He called them phonies and deceivers. They all were motivated by self-righteousness and pride.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)

Heading on foot from Galilee to Jerusalem, where He would die by popular vote, and right on Daniel’s schedule, Jesus turned His attention to teaching his disciples, often using stories, proverbs and, parables.

One day Jesus picked two examples from the news of the day to highlight the fact that life is uncertain. Those unprepared for physical death would find there was no second chance.

We can’t be sure when, or how, death will claim any of us. Accidents happen. Innocents often suffer, and justice is long-delayed, apparently to those who deserve it most. Especially in matters of this present earthly life, there is no guarantee of safety, prosperity, good health, let alone attaining our cherished goals.

“…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

Only after we have “repented” can we receive confirmation from God that a safe afterlife has been made ready for us? How does repentance save? How do we repent? How much repentance is enough?

Jesus gave two examples to show that death often catches people off guard and unprepared, and why repenting today, here and now, is so important.

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
“Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Matthew 13:1-4)

Not long after He spoke the above words, Jesus carried His cross of execution to a high spot on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem, away from the Temple. It was there that God the Father punished Jesus for the sins and wrongdoings of everyone who had ever lived, and for all if us yet to be born (looking ahead in the future). (See: http://ldolphin.org/sixhours.html)

A holy sinless God has already addressed the problem of how we can know God personally, and be made able to live up to His standards. The whole transaction is offered free of charge. Jesus supplies all the resources. “Repenting” is how we appropriate the amazing accomplishment of God, (which He purchased on our behalf, for our benefit). This “eternal life assurance policy” was put in place before the building of the universe had been completed. This incredible gift of God is missed by many because of our deadly pride and self-righteousness. Churches often get the message wrong. Most of us just remain woefully ignorant.

God is a living Being (in fact “God is love”). His emotions are far deeper than ours. He has perfect memory. He is perfectly Just and Holy, always true to His Word. Every detail in His ruling the entire universe (visible and invisible) is managed by Him with perfect fidelity. In order to expunge, to purge away, and to nullify the evil which is everywhere; In order to forgive us sinners and make us all new, Jesus the Son of God had to exchange places with each of us sinners: dying on our behalf.

The archaic English word “repent” is offensive to many of us religious sophisticates today, but in practice we can start repenting by focusing on God and talking directly to Him right here and right now. God is no less real because we can’t see Him. He speaks modern English. He reads our minds. For many, the place to start is to thank God for the good things in life we have been given thus far. Then we should surrender our lives to Jesus as best we can, and then make appropriate life-style changes. These simple steps bring us into eternal life with God here and now. The intimate life with Jesus which should follow is called “walking with God,” Our Heavenly Father has much to give us and to teach us. 

The Hebrew concept of repentance is about changing our directions and goals so that we line up with the path and the goals that God set out for His people long ago. The Greek word for repentance is about a “change of mind,” a transformation that sets us straight with God’s reality. Life is very complicated, so “repenting” daily is a very wise way to live. (Please read my two short but more detailed articles in order to more fully grasp this subject: http://ldolphin.org/repent.html.)

Are we thankful that that we exist as opposed to “not existing” at all? What good things in life do we enjoy now, even if we currently feel overwhelmed with misfortune? Am I willing to allow God to use me to raise my neighbor’s good, or the common good?

The Bible describes our fallen race as full of pride, selfishness, and greed. Can we admit to God that some, or all, of these “negatives” reside in us? Repentance can be very painful because most of us tend to avoid living in reality to some extent. Can we allow God to forgive us and to throw away the list of charges against us in the books of heaven?
          
Many of us, when we start to “repent,” do not believe that God is interested in us, or that He is willing to relate to us. Neither do we feel close to God at all. Opening prayer with God can feel nonsensical at first. But repenting soon brings wonderful results in our inner healing. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold all things have been made new.”(2 Corinthians 5:17)

When a nation can be seen to be falling apart morally and spiritually, every one of us as individuals needs to repent. As soon as we begin repenting, God will shine moral light on our paths and byways. Soon it should be self-evident, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”