365 Reflections

Joel 2 is a fascinating chapter. In the previous post, we explored how the three-legged experience of the Christian is unpacked: Repent, Believe, and Receive. But there are three more intriguing verses at the end of the chapter as well. Joel 2:30–32 (ESV) “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls. On the heels of announcing what Peter described as fulfilled in Pentecost, there is another stage of God's working among men mentioned here that we have yet to experience. Joel declares an ultimate day of the Lord where the cosmic realities will quake, the moon will turn from white to b...

Daniel 12:5–7 (ESV) Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. The book of Daniel ends with the climax of history, the second half of the Tribulation. What we call the "Great Tribulation." The persecution of the saints will continue under the beast who breaks his covenant after 3.5 years. The mention of the "holy people" in this text marks out Israel for special assignment as their power comes to an end with the end of...

Daniel 12 moves the reader from the darkest time in history —the Great Tribulation —to the ultimate hope of the Christian: the resurrection. But when does this all happen? Daniel 12:1 (ESV) “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. One more verse in chapter 12 continues the description of what the tribulation will be. It will be an unparalleled time of trouble. Yet amid the trouble, Daniel's people (the Jews) shall be delivered. Yet not all, for Daniel is told that it is those whose names are found in the Book of Life. These are Messianic Jews who come to Christ during the trouble that God allows to come upon the Earth.  Revelation states: Revelation 7:13–14 (ESV) Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in wh...

The 11th chapter of Daniel is fascinating, as it reveals the antichrist in type through the story of Antiochus Epiphanes. If you ask most Christians, they would say they never heard that name, and yet here he is, the original man of lawlessness in the Intertestamental period, giving us a shadow of the world leader to come.  Daniel 11:36 (ESV) “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. Verse 36 is where the facts of Antiochus Epiphanes life and the "king" spoken of for the rest of this chapter separate. Scholars know the history doesn't match this text. Thus, the rest of Daniel 11 is what Jesus told us to look for in the final figure to appear and exalt himself before the return of Christ.  What will the antichrist do? He will exalt himself above every god and speak agains...

God's call on a prophet is to see sin the way God sees it. It destroys and ultimately makes creation utterly useless, chaotic and empty. This is why the Lord speaks to Jeremiah in such seemingly cold-hearted tones in Jeremiah 16.  Jeremiah 16:1–2 (ESV) The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place. Jeremiah is not to have a family. There's a very rational argument for this. The land is utterly corrupt and destined for destruction. The nation was sacrificing their children to Molech. The king was leading the way. It was not a good time for the prophet of God to produce offspring in such a heinous context. Judgment was coming.  Jeremiah 16:4 (ESV) They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts ...

Isaiah 26:1 (ESV) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. There are some who suggest the phrase "in that day" refers to the millennial reign of Christ on this Earth. They may be right but I disagree. And Christians can disagree on such matters. Isaiah 24 described global devastation. Isaiah 25 described God's protection over His people through global judgment. Isaiah 26 now turns to the protective place called the Lord's Church that will exist most clearly in the last days. The reason I believe this chapter refers to that time is that people will still be coming into the city.  Isaiah 26:2 (ESV) Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Yes, people could still be coming to Christ in the Millenium, but would it be faith to believe in a Christ who is visibly present? I don't quite know. But lets move on.  We see that God will protect with strong wall...

Revelation 20 brings us to the Millenium. Some people deny it, some people radically defend it, others spiritualize it. I always wondered one thing: What is the point of it? Why doesn't Jesus simply come back, wipe out the wicked and establish the New Heavens and New Earth and be done with things? A-millenium people believe that's how it will happen. But there are valid arguments for it's reality. For instance, why does John describe the resurrection and who these people are so vividly in Revelation 20 if this is a spiritual idea? Surely these people do not "spiritually" resurrect but truly come to life again. So assuming the Millenium is a prophesied reality, why does it happen? Why will the Lord have 1000 years where He reigns on this Earth only then to release Satan for a time to deceive the nations? I think I have an answer: The Millenium proves that even perfect conditions do not change the human heart. Look at what happens when Satan is released: ...

It is well known in Bible circles the phrase, "It is God's to avenge." It comes from Romans 12:19 which quotes it from Deuteronomy 32:35. God has been saying this to us for a long time. The reason why we are not to take revenge is because when God does it - we will be commanded to rejoice: In Revelation, when harlot Babylon is destroyed, this is God's command to his martyred saints: Revelation 18:20 (ESV) 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” It may seem strange to rejoice over the collapse of anything. But to feel uncomfortable about it is proof you might not be aware of the damage sexual immorality and overabundance of prideful wealth can do to a nation...  Revelation 18:3 (ESV)   For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth hav...

Revelation 17 presents the secular government and false religion mixed together in the end times to form a dysfunctional yet powerful union. John sees the prostitute of Babylon (false religion) seated on a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns (political power). This combination of religion and world domination in the end will lay a heavy burden on those who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Martyrdom will result and a final battle will ensue in which Jesus Christ will conquer. But John notes an interesting detail of this relationship between false religion and secular government. It seems their happy union will end destructively after all: Revelation 17:16–17 (ESV)   And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the w...

Revelation 1:1–3 (ESV) The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. Revelation is about Jesus . It is not the revelation of the end times and last judgment before it is ultimately about who Jesus is and what Jesus will do. He is the Revelation of God to man and has finally been revealed to those who are struggling to see God in their chaotic world. John wrote Revelation in AD 95 during the tormenting reign of Dometian who insisted on Emperor worship demanding people to refer to him as "lord and god." The word, "revelation" means "unveiling." This is what Jesus sets out to ...

Luke 21:12–13 (ESV) they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Did you see it? Jesus says when they punch you and hit you and try to destroy you, when they accuse you of evil and you're facing imprisonment, more beatings or death... don't be discouraged, this is your opportunity to bear witness.  Witness to what? That something better is in store for you as a child of the living God! I love how Jesus tells us to live.  Not reactive as if the world is against us! We are called to be proactive and positive in any situation! We are to be ready to bear witness to the hope we have in Christ. To show the world that even death cannot disturb us, we have a home in heaven waiting. Christ conquered the strongest threat they could hold over us. No matter how we die, we all will rise! Resurrection is co...

Mark 13:26 (NLT)  Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. Mark 13:33 (NLT) And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! Mark 13:35–37 (NLT) You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!” Watch. For all the speculation around Matthew 24 and here in Mark 13, there is one essential truth Jesus IS DEFINITELY saying: "WATCH for HIS RETURN." Someone onces said, "Live like Jesus died yesterday, rose today and is coming back tomorrow."   That's exceptional advice. We worry about our future, our plans, our dreams.  God has the future in His hands.  We get nervous about what "may happen" to us.  We have forgotten the return of the Lord. ...

I'm not going to pretend, this verse is for me.  In fact, I downright need this more than anyone. James 5:9 (ESV) Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. James is talking about the return of the Lord. In the same paragraph he turns our attention to how we talk to our brothers and sisters.  James is talking to persecuted Christians experiencing trials of various kinds.  And when the pressure of life is on we all tend to let it fly against those who are closest to us.  For Christians, it can seem tougher to do life in this culture, to know we aren't home, and to be frustrated with the world and ourselves as we see our own fleshliness make an appearance on occasion.   But we must soberly remember the judgment that awaits us.  Judgment is not only reserved for those sinners "over there." James makes it clear, our judgment is coming as well.  Not between heaven and he...