365 Reflections

I believe the rapture of the church happens at the singular return of Christ and that we do in fact go through the tribulation. I don't mind if you disagree but I see Scripture bearing witness to this reality and Isaiah helps me get there. In the 25-26 chapters, Isaiah describes God's protective care for His people through the end times. As the world will be judged, God's people will be shielded from the wrath of God. Not at all because we have deserved it or earned it but because we believed in the Son He has sent to save us. Now in Isaiah 27, the prophet enunciates God's activity in the spiritual realm as we see the world descend into chaos.  Isaiah 27:1 (ESV) In that day the LORD with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. The word for serpent is the same as in Genesis 3:1. Leviathan is a sea creature and beastly. It is clearly an image of the drago...

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...

What is your commendation list? That little pile of accomplishments on which you are basing your value and worth in life? What does it look like? Are you proud of it? Are you still working for more of it... hoping and longing to cap it all off with a spectacular grand finale? Here is Paul's commendation list: 2 Corinthians 6:3–10 (ESV) We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet no...

Most of Western Christianity is so out of touch with the roots of this movement. We pray for good days.  We pray for good weather.  We pray that our home expansion will be done by Christmas.  We pray for things the first century Christians didn't even know were problems. The writer of Hebrews gives us a clue as to why we may be just so out of touch in one of the final verses of this great work. Closing out his 13 chapter-long-sermon to a struggling church dealing with persecution and trouble from the authorities as well as their own inner battle for purity and righteousness, he gives a sort of bright spot of good news for the Christians at large: Hebrews 13:23 (ESV) You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Good news everyone!  Tim's getting out of jail! Why was Tim in jail?  Because Tim was a Christian pastor!  That's why.  And the good news is he and another Christian will so...