What does it take to spread the gospel around the world?

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” Acts 28:30-31

Luke concludes the book of Acts with the apostle Paul “in his own rented house” in Rome welcoming “all who came to him”and “preaching…and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence” (Acts 28:30-31). The word “all” is used twice in these last two verses of Acts to show that Paul did nothing half-hearted for the Lord Jesus. He showed no partiality to people, receiving “all who came to him” (28:30b). It did not matter what country, culture, or color was associated with these people, Paul welcomed them. 

He showed this impartial hospitality, so he could tell “all”whom God brought to him “with all confidence” about God’s coming “kingdom” on earth through the reign of “the Lord Jesus Christ” (28:31; cf. 1:3, 6; 19:8; 20:25). Paul could preach kingdom entrance through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (cf. Matthew 18:3; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17) with “all confidence” because he sought to please God and not people when he preached (cf. I Thessalonians 2:3-4). The last phrase, “no one forbidding him,” shows the unhindered advancement of the gospel under Roman authorities. God used Paul to take the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. 

Are we willing to let God use us to advance the gospel of Christ around the world? For that to happen, we must have the same wholehearted commitment to Christ, to His gospel message, and to all the people for whom Jesus died that the apostle Paul had. When we do, nothing can stop the gospel from spreading around the world. 

What do I do when I feel overwhelmed?

“When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

When King David felt “overwhelmed” by his circumstances and feelings, he turned to the Lord (“Hear my cry, O God” – v. 1) to “lead” him to “the rock that is higher than” he was (61:2) because God had proven to be “a shelter” and “strong tower” for him in the past (61:3). A rock was a symbol of stability, security, and strength.

When we feel overwhelmed with life we may say to ourselves – “This is more than I can handle. I cannot go on.” What do we do in these situations? Where do we turn for help when we feel overwhelmed? Some of us may turn to a bottle of alcohol, a brief romantic relationship, a shopping spree, a busy schedule, or to a dark space in the corner of our minds to escape the overwhelming circumstances or feelings we are facing. 

This is not what King David did. David turned to the One who could lead him above his overwhelming circumstances and feelings and give him stability (“rock”), security (“shelter”), and strength (“strong tower”) instead (61:2-3). 

During my 20’s, God enabled me to climb several 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado. Often times when I reached the 12,000-foot range, my head would be throbbing from altitude sickness and I would be overwhelmed with fatigue. The temptation for me at that point was to turn around and go back down the mountain. What helped me to keep going upward was focusing on the Lord and the next rock above me, remembering God’s faithfulness on past climbs to help me reach those summits.  

When we feel overwhelmed and we are tempted to give up, let’s do what David did, and look to the Lord to lead us to a secure place that we could never reach on our own. Recalling God’s faithfulness to be our “rock,” “shelter” and “strong tower” in the past, can increase our confidence in Him to be our stability, security and strength in the present. 

God promises a safe landing, not a smooth journey

“And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.” Acts 27:44b

With vivid details, Luke records the dramatic shipwreck involving the apostle Paul and the other 275 people on board (27:26-44). Although it looked like either the sea or the soldiers would kill the apostle and the other prisoners on board, God remained faithful to His promise to bring Paul and “all” on board “safely to land” so Paul could go to Rome (27:44b; cf. 27:24). 

It is important to remember that God promises a safe landing, not a smooth journey. Christians will encounter “tribulation” in the world as they follow Jesus (John 16:33). But the “peace of God” is not the absence of storms in our lives, but the presence of Jesus Christ through the storms (cf. John 6:14-21; Philippians 4:6-7). The same voice that spoke this universe into existence out of nothing (Psalm 33:6, 9), can also calm our fears in the midst of our storms (Acts 27:24; cf. John 6:20). We can have His peace because He is with us and He is in control. 

Some believers are afraid of not landing safely in heaven when they die because they have been taught that their performance and/or power determines whether they will go to heaven, instead of Jesus’ performance on the cross (John 19:30) and His unlimited power (John 10:28-29). Please remember that God promises that His Holy Spirit, Who has “sealed” all who “have heard…the gospel” and “believed” it, will safely and securely deliver every believer in Jesus to heaven when they die or when they are gathered together in the air to be with Him forever (Ephesians 1:13-14; I Thessalonians 4:16-17). Just as God kept His promise to safely deliver the apostle Paul to Rome, so He will keep His promise to safely deliver all who believe in Jesus to heaven.

Are there any errors in the Bible?

By Norman L. Geisler

The Bible cannot err, since it is God’s Word, and God cannot err. This does not mean there are no difficulties in the Bible. But the difficulties are not due to God’s perfect revelation, but to our imperfect understanding of it. The history of Bible criticism reveals that the Bible has no errors, but the critics do. Most problems fall into one of the following categories.

ASSUMING THE UNEXPLAINED IS UNEXPLAINABLE

When a scientist comes upon an anomaly in nature, he does not give up further scientific exploration. Rather, the unexplained motivates further study. Scientists once could not explain meteors, eclipses, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Until recently, scientists did not know how the bumblebee could fly. All of these mysteries have yielded their secrets to relentless patience. Scientists do not now know how life can grow on thermo-vents in the depths of the sea. But no scientist throws in the towel and cries “contradiction!” Likewise, the true biblical scholar approaches the Bible with the same presumption that there are answers to the unexplained. Critics once proposed that Moses could not have written the first five books of the Bible because Moses’ culture was preliterate. Now we know that writing had existed thousands of years before Moses. Also, critics once believed that Bible references to the Hittite people were totally fictional. Such a people by that name had never existed. Now the Hittites’ national library has been found in Turkey. Thus, we have reason to believe that other unexplained phenomena in Scripture will be explained later.

ASSUMING THE BIBLE IS GUILTY OF ERROR UNLESS PROVEN INNOCENT

Many critics assume the Bible is wrong until something proves it right. However, like an American citizen charged with an offense, the Bible should be read with at least the same presumption of accuracy given to other literature that claims to be nonfiction. This is the way we approach all human communications. If we did not, life would not be possible. If we assumed that road signs and traffic signals were not telling the truth, we would probably be dead before we could prove otherwise. If we assumed food packages are mislabeled, we would have to open up all cans and packages before buying. Likewise, the Bible, like any other book, should be presumed to be telling us what the authors said, experienced, and heard. But, negative critics begin with just the opposite presumption. Little wonder they conclude the Bible is riddled with error.

CONFUSING OUR FALLIBLE INTERPRETATIONS WITH GOD’S INFALLIBLE REVELATION

Jesus affirmed that the “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35, NASB). As an infallible book, the Bible is also irrevocable. Jesus declared, “Truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17, NASB). The Scriptures also have final authority, being the last word on all it discusses. Jesus employed the Bible to resist the tempter (see Matt. 4:4, 7, 10), to settle doctrinal disputes (see Matt. 21:42), and to vindicate his authority (see Mark 11:17). Sometimes a biblical teaching rests on a small historical detail (see Heb. 7:4-10), a word or phrase (see Acts 15:13-17), or the difference between the singular and the plural (see Gal. 3:16). But, while the Bible is infallible, human interpretations are not. Even though God’s Word is perfect (see Ps. 19:7), as long as imperfect human beings exist, there will be misinterpretations of God’s Word and false views about his world. In view of this, one should not be hasty in assuming that a currently dominant assumption in science is the final word. Some of yesterday’s irrefutable laws are considered errors by today’s scientists. So, contradictions between popular opinions in science and widely accepted interpretations of the Bible can be expected. But this falls short of proving there is a real contradiction.

FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

The most common mistake of all Bible interpreters, including some critical scholars, is to read a text outside its proper context. As the adage goes, “A text out of context is a pretext.” One can prove anything from the Bible by this mistaken procedure. The Bible says, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1, NASB). Of course, the context is: “The fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God.’ ” One may claim that Jesus admonished us not to resist evil (see Matt. 5:39), but the antiretaliatory context in which he cast this statement must not be ignored. Many read Jesus’ statement to “Give to him who asks you,” as though one had an obligation to give a gun to a small child. Failure to note that meaning is determined by context is a chief sin of those who find fault with the Bible.

INTERPRETING THE DIFFICULT BY THE CLEAR

Some passages are hard to understand or appear to contradict some other part of Scripture. James appears to be saying that salvation is by works (see James 2:14-26), whereas Paul teaches that it is by grace. Paul says Christians are “saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God: Not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:5, KJV). But the contexts reveal that Paul is speaking about justification before God (by faith alone), whereas James is referring to justification before others (who only see what we do). And James and Paul both speak of the fruitfulness that always comes in the life of one who loves God.

FORGETTING THE BIBLE’S HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS

With the exception of small sections such as the Ten Commandments, which were “written by the finger of God” (Ex. 31:18, NASB), the Bible was not verbally dictated. The writers were not secretaries of the Holy Spirit. They were human composers employing their own literary styles and idiosyncrasies. These human authors sometimes used human sources for their material (see Josh. 10:13; Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12). In fact, every book of the Bible is the composition of a human writer-about forty of them in all. The Bible also manifests different human literary styles. Writers speak from an observer’s standpoint when they write of the sun rising or setting (see Josh. 1:15). They also reveal human thought patterns, including memory lapses (see 1 Cor. 1:14-16), as well as human emotions (see Gal. 4:14). The Bible discloses specific human interests. Hosea has a rural interest, Luke a medical concern, and James a love of nature. Like Christ, the Bible is completely human, yet without error. Forgetting the humanity of Scripture can lead to falsely impugning its integrity by expecting a level of expression higher than that which is customary to a human document. This will become more obvious as we discuss the next mistakes of the critics.

ASSUMING A PARTIAL REPORT IS A FALSE REPORT

Critics often jump to the conclusion that a partial report is false. However, this is not so. If it were, most of what has ever been said would be false, since seldom does time or space permit an absolutely complete report.  For example, Peter’s famous confession in the Gospels:

Matthew: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16, NASB).

Mark: “You are the Christ” (8:29, NASB).

Luke: “The Christ of God” (9:20, NASB).

Even the Ten Commandments, which were “written by the finger of God” (Deut. 9:10), are stated with variations the second time they are recorded (see Ex. 20:8-11 with Deut. 5:12-15). There are many differences between the books of Kings and Chronicles in their description of identical events, yet they harbor no contradiction in the events they narrate.

ASSUMING NEW TESTAMENT CITATIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENTS MUST BE VERBATIM

Critics often point to variations in the New Testament use of Old Testament Scriptures as a proof of error. They forget that every citation need not be an exact quotation. Sometimes we use indirect and sometimes direct quotations. It was then (and is today) perfectly acceptable literary style to give the essence of a statement without using precisely the same words. The same meaning can be conveyed without using the same verbal expressions.

Variations in the New Testament citations of the Old Testament fall into different categories. Sometimes they are because there is a change of speaker. For example, Zechariah records the Lord as saying, “they will look on me whom they have pierced” (12:10, NASB). When this is cited in the New Testament, John, not God, is speaking. So it is changed to “They shall look on him whom they pierced” (John 19:37, NASB).

At other times, writers cite only part of the Old Testament text. Jesus did this at His home synagogue in Nazareth (see Luke 4:18-19 citing Isa. 61:1-2). In fact, He stopped in the middle of a sentence. Had He gone any farther, He could not have made His central point from the text, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (vs. 21). The very next phrase, “And the day of vengeance of our God,” (see Isa. 61:1-2) refers to His second coming.

Sometimes the New Testament paraphrases or summarizes the Old Testament text (see Matt. 2:6). Others blend two texts into one (see Matt. 27:9-10). Occasionally a general truth is mentioned, without citing a specific text. For example, Matthew said Jesus moved to Nazareth “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:23, KJV). Notice, Matthew quotes no given prophet, but rather “prophet” in general. Several texts speak of the Messiah’s lowliness. To be from Nazareth, a Nazarene, was a byword for low status in the Israel of Jesus’ day.

ASSUMING DIVERGENT ACCOUNTS ARE FALSE

Because two or more accounts of the same event differ, does not mean they are mutually exclusive. Matthew 28:5 says there was one angel at the tomb after the resurrection; whereas John informs us there were two (see 20:12). But these are not contradictory reports. An infallible mathematical rule easily explains this problem: Where there are two, there is always one. Matthew did not say there was only one angel. There may also have been one angel at the tomb at one point on this confusing morning and two at another. One has to add the word “only” to Matthew’s account to make it contradict John’s. But if the critic comes to the texts to show they err, then the error is not in the Bible, but in the critic.

Likewise, Matthew (see 27:5) informs us that Judas hanged himself. But Luke says that “he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out” (Acts 1:18, NASB). Once more, these accounts are not mutually exclusive. If Judas hanged himself from a tree over the edge of a cliff or gully in this rocky area, and his body fell on sharp rocks below, then his entrails would gush out just as Luke vividly describes.

PRESUMING THAT THE BIBLE APPROVES OF ALL IT RECORDS

It is a mistake to assume that everything contained in the Bible is commended by the Bible. The whole Bible is true (see John 17:17), but it records some lies, for example, Satan’s (see Gen. 3:4; John 8:44) and Rahab’s (see Josh. 2:4). Inspiration encompasses the Bible fully in the sense that it records accurately and truthfully even the lies and errors of sinful beings. The truth of Scripture is found in what the Bible reveals, not in everything it records. Unless this distinction is held, it may be incorrectly concluded that the Bible teaches immorality because it narrates David’s sin (see 2 Sam. 11:4), that it promotes polygamy because it records Solomon’s (see 1 Kings 11:3), or that it affirms atheism because it quotes the fool as saying “there is no God” (Ps. 14:1, NASB).

FORGETTING THAT THE BIBLE IS NONTECHNICAL

To be true, something does not have to use scholarly, technical, or so-called “scientific” language. The Bible is written for the common person of every generation, and it therefore uses common, everyday language. The use of observational, nonscientific language is not unscientific, it is merely prescientific. The Scriptures were written in ancient times by ancient standards, and it would be anachronistic to superimpose modern scientific standards upon them. However, it is no more unscientific to speak of the sun standing still (see Josh. 10:12) than to refer to the sun “rising” (see Josh. 1:16). Meteorologists still refer to the times of “sunrise” and “sunset.”

ASSUMING ROUND NUMBERS ARE FALSE

Like ordinary speech, the Bible uses round numbers (see Josh. 3:4; 4:13). It refers to the diameter as being about one-third of the circumference of something (see 1 Chron. 19:18; 21:5). While this technically is only an approximation (see Lindsell, 165-66); it may be imprecise from the standpoint of a technological society to speak of 3.14159265 as “3,” but it is not incorrect. It is sufficient for a “cast metal sea” (see 2 Chron. 4:2) in an ancient Hebrew temple, even though it would not suffice for a computer in a modern rocket. One should not expect to see actors referring to a wristwatch in a Shakespearean play, nor people in a prescientific age to use precise numbers.

NEGLECTING TO NOTE LITERARY DEVICES

Human language is not limited to one mode of expression. So, there is no reason to suppose that only one literary genre was used in a divinely inspired Book. The Bible reveals a number of literary devices. Whole books are written as poetry (e.g., Job, Psalms, Proverbs). The Synoptic Gospels feature parables. In Galatians 4, Paul utilizes an allegory. The New Testament abounds with metaphors (see 2 Cor. 3:2-3; James 3:6), similes (see Matt. 20:1; James 1:6), hyperbole (see John 21:25; 2 Cor. 3:2; Col. 1:23), and even poetic figures (see Job 41:1). Jesus employed satire (see Matt. 19:24; 23:24). Figures of speech are common throughout the Bible.

It is not a mistake for a biblical writer to use a figure of speech, but it is a mistake for a reader to take a figure of speech literally. Obviously when the Bible speaks of the believer resting under the shadow of God’s “wings” (see Ps. 36:7) it does not mean that God is a feathered bird. When the Bible says God “awakes” (see Ps. 44:23), as though he were sleeping, it means God is roused to action.

FORGETTING THAT ONLY THE ORIGINAL TEXT IS INERRANT

Genuine mistakes have been found-in copies of Bible text made hundreds of years after the autographs. God only uttered the original text of Scripture, not the copies. Therefore, only the original text is without error. Inspiration does not guarantee that every copy is without error, especially in copies made from copies made from copies made from copies. For example, the King James Version (KJV) of 2 Kings 8:26 gives the age of King Ahaziah as 22, whereas 2 Chronicles 22:2 says 42. The later number cannot be correct, or he would have been older than his father. This is obviously a copyist error, but it does not alter the inerrancy of the original.

First, these are errors in the copies, not the originals. Second, they are minor errors (often in names or numbers) which do not affect any teaching. Third, these copyist errors are relatively few in number. Fourth, usually by the context, or by another Scripture, we know which is in error. For example, Ahaziah must have been 22. Finally, though there is a copyist error, the entire message comes through. For example, if you received a letter with the following statement, would you assume you could collect some money?

“#OU HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

Even though there is a mistake in the first word, the entire message comes through-you are 20 million dollars richer! And if you received another letter the next day that read like this, you would be even more sure:

“Y#U HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

The more mistakes of this kind there are (each in a different place), the more sure you are of the original message. This is why scribal mistakes in the biblical manuscripts do not affect the basic message of the Bible.

CONFUSING GENERAL WITH UNIVERSAL STATEMENTS

Like other literature, the Bible often uses generalizations. The book of Proverbs has many of these. Proverbial sayings, by their very nature, offer general guidance, not universal assurance. They are rules for life, but rules that admit of exceptions. Proverbs 16:7, HCSB affirms that “when a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” This obviously was not intended to be a universal truth. Paul was pleasing to the Lord and his enemies stoned him (Acts 14:19). Jesus was pleasing the Lord, and his enemies crucified him. Nonetheless, it is a general truth that one who acts in a way pleasing to God can minimize his enemies’ antagonism.

Proverbs are wisdom (general guides), not law (universally binding imperatives). When the Bible declares “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:45, NASB), then there are no exceptions. Holiness, goodness, love, truth, and justice are rooted in the very nature of an unchanging God. But wisdom literature applies God’s universal truths to life’s changing circumstances. The results will not always be the same. Nonetheless, they are helpful guides.

FORGETTING THAT LATER REVELATION SUPERSEDES EARLIER ONES

Sometimes critics do not recognize progressive revelation. God does not reveal everything at once, nor does he lay down the same conditions for every period of history. Some of his later revelations will supersede his earlier statements. Bible critics sometimes confuse a change in revelation with a mistake. That a parent allows a very small child to eat with his fingers but demands that an older child use a fork and spoon, is not a contradiction. This is progressive revelation, with each command suited to the circumstance.

There was a time when God tested the human race by forbidding them to eat of a specific tree in the Garden of Eden (see Gen. 2:16-17). This command is no longer in effect, but the later revelation does not contradict this former revelation. Also, there was a period (under the Mosaic law) when God commanded that animals be sacrificed for people’s sin. However, since Christ offered the perfect sacrifice for sin (see Heb. 10:11-14), this Old Testament command is no longer in effect. There is no contradiction between the later and the former commands.

Of course, God cannot change commands that have to do with his unchangeable nature (see Mal. 3:6; Heb. 6:18). For example, since God is love (see 1 John 4:16), he cannot command that we hate him. Nor can he command what is logically impossible, for example, to both offer and not offer a sacrifice for sin at the same time and in the same sense. But these moral and logical limits notwithstanding, God can and has given noncontradictory, progressive revelations which, if taken out of its proper context and juxtaposed, can look contradictory. This is as much a mistake as to assume a parent is self-contradictory for allowing a 16-year-old to stay up later at night than a 6-year-old.

In summation, the Bible cannot err, but critics can and have. There is no error in God’s revelation, but there are errors in our understanding of it. Hence, when approaching Bible difficulties, the wisdom of St. Augustine is best: “If we are perplexed by any apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, The author of this book is mistaken; but either [1] the manuscript is faulty, or [2] the translation is wrong, or [3] you have not understood.” (Augustine, City of God 11.5)

Sources:

G. L. Archer, Jr., An Encyclopedia of Biblical Difficulties

W. Arndt, Bible Difficulties

—, Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

Augustine, City of God.

Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, in P. Schaff, ed., A Select Library of the Nicene and Ante-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church

N. L. Geisler, “The Concept of Truth in the Inerrancy Debate,” ., October-December 1980

—and T. Howe, When Critics Ask

—and W. E. Nix, General Introduction to the Bible

J. W. Haley, Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible

H. Lindsell, The Battle for the Bible

J. Orr, The Problems of the Old Testament Considered with Reference to Recent Criticism

J. R. Rice, Our God-Breathed Book-The Bible

E. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Kings of Israel

R. Tuck, ed., A Handbook of Biblical Difficulties

R. D. Wilson, A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament

How can I prepare to face God as my Judge?

“These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you.” Psalm 50:21

Asaph refers to God as “the Mighty One” who has come “out of Zion” to call “the earth” to stand before Him as a witness “that He may judge His people,” Israel (50:1-6). He was not rebuking Israel for offering animal sacrifices as He had prescribed, but He does remind them that He did not need their sacrifices because He already owned everything they presented to Him (50:7-13). What God wanted from His people was what the giving of their animal sacrifices represented, namely their “thanksgiving” to Him (50:14). He wanted them to “glorify” Him by calling upon Him to “deliver” them “in the day of trouble” (50:15). He was not interested in a ritualistic form of worship from them. He wanted a vital relationship with them whereby they looked to Him to meet all their needs. 

Although Israel presented animal sacrifices as God had instructed them, they loved what God hated by participating in the sins of the wicked (50:16-20). It seems as though Israel concluded that it did not matter to God that they had lived hypocritical lives because He had “kept silent” about their sins up to now (50:21a). But the truth was their sins did not matter to them. So God says to them, “You thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes” (50:21b).

God graciously warns His people, “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver: Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God” (50:22-23). Sincere gratitude and obedience toward God would glorify Him and bring about His “salvation” or deliverance from His coming judgment. But going through the motions of formalistic worship while at the same time participating in the sins of the wicked would invite His wrath. 

All people, saved and unsaved, will eventually face God as their Judge after death (Hebrews 9:27). There are no second chances after death. For those who do not believe in Jesus for His gift of eternal life (John 3:36b), they will face God as their Judge to determine their degree of punishment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Those who do believe in Jesus (John 3:36a) will also face Him as their Judge to determine their degree of rewards in His coming Kingdom on earth (I Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Knowing this is intended to motivate people now to prepare to face Christ as their Judge in the future. 

Going through the motions of worship and using religious words does not prepare unbelievers or believers to face Christ as their Judge. If you have not believed in Jesus yet, it is important to understand that your thoughts, words, and actions are all stained with sin (Isaiah 64:6). No amount of formalistic worship or pious speech can save you from your sins. Only Jesus is qualified to save you from your sins because He alone, being God, is without sin (John 1:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). He paid the full penalty for your sins when He died on the cross and then rose from the dead (John 1:29; 19:30; I Corinthians 15:3-6) so that “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). He invites you right now to believe or trust in Him alone to save you from your sins and give you everlasting life. The moment you do, He guarantees to save you forever from hell and give you everlasting life (John 3:16; Acts 16:31).

For those who do believe in Jesus for eternal life, you can prepare to face Him as your Judge by living to please Him now (2 Corinthians 5:9-11). As you yield to the control of His Holy Spirit daily (Ephesians 5:18), He will give you the power to live a victorious Christian life (Romans 8:1-17) so you can face Christ with boldness instead of shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ (I John 2:28-3:3).

How can God restore my hope?

“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle.” Psalm 43:3

The Psalmist had become discouraged (“cast down”) and restless (“disquieted”) within (43:5a) because the people of his “ungodly nation” had turned against him (43:1). He felt that God, Whom he relied on for strength in the past, had abandoned him (“Why do you cast me off?”) so that his “enemy” could oppress him (43:2). He prayed for God to “send out” His “light and … truth” to “lead” him back to Mt. Zion (“holy hill”) in Jerusalem to “praise” God there (43:3-4). He doesn’t ask God to lead him out of trouble but to lead him closer to the Lord. Instead of letting his feelings lead him into greater depths of despair, he chose to “hope in God” Who was “the help of” his “countenance” (43:5b). 

As I hear and read news report in the USA, it can be very discouraging to see our nation continue to turn against God and His values. When we face uncertain times as Christians, we may feel that God has abandoned us and our nation. We need to hear from God during these times because only the “light” (hope) of His “truth” (Word) can lead us closer to Him. Only God can give us a confident expectation of good in the future (“hope”) so that we can once again “praise Him.” God is “the help,” not the hurt, of our “countenance.” God lifts us up when we are discouraged, He does not put us down (cf. Matthew 12:20). 

When you know the truth (God says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” – Hebrews 13:5) intellectually, but you do not experience it emotionally (“Why do you cast me off?” – Psalm 43:2), be honest with God in prayer about how you feel. Then listen to His voice of truth more than your feelings so He can be “the help of” your “countenance” and restore your “hope in Him.”  

Songs of Deliverance

“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7

After confessing his double sin of adultery and murder to God (32:5), King David acknowledged that God was his “hiding place” Who would “preserve” him “from trouble” that had come upon him because of his sin (32:7a). One writer says that before confessing his sin, David was hiding “from” God (32:3-4). But now David was hiding “in” God (32:7). When believers confess their sins to the Lord it makes Him a Refuge to seek rather than a Judge to escape. The sooner we confess our sin to God the more quickly He can lessen the “trouble” our sin has brought upon us.

I was intrigued with the last part of verse 7, “You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.” One of the benefits of confessing our sin is that God encircles us with songs that proclaim the triumph of His mercy and grace. We are encompassed by “songs of deliverance” from our sin and shame, from doubts and despair, and from our enemies. To the right and to the left, above and below, the air is resounding with joyful music for the forgiven sinner! Instead of hearing songs of condemnation and accusation, the forgiven believer is surrounded by songs about God’s amazing love!!

Who is singing these “songs of deliverance”? Of course, it could be the repentant sinner whose dread has turned to joy. He breaks forth into songs of praise toward his merciful God who has replaced his guilt with His amazing grace! It is also possible that “the angels of God” are expressing their “joy… over one sinner who repents” by singing praises to the Lord (Luke 15:10). Do you ever get the sense that heaven is rejoicing when you are restored to fellowship with God after confessing your sin? Perhaps that is what is meant here. Regardless of who is singing these songs, the main point is that joy surrounds the forgiven sinner. 

The voice of God in a Thunderstorm

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders… The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 11

As Pat and I flew from Los Angeles to Omaha this last Monday night, the Lord put on quite a display of His power as we flew by several thunderstorms over the state of Utah. These pictures do not adequately display the majesty of these storms, but they do remind me of what King David wrote in Psalm 29. 

David describes God’s power as he watches a thunderstorm begin out at sea and move inland over Lebanon toward the north of Israel (29:3-9). Seven times the phrase “the voice of the Lord” (29:3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9) is used in this Psalm to refer to the sound of thunder during the storm’s movement inland which set forests on fire through its lightning and shook the earth causing the deer to give birth.  

The same power manifested in a thunderstorm is available to God’s people today to give them His peace (29:11). His voice can calm the storms in our lives as we look to Him in faith (cf. Mark 14:35-39). 

How can I have more joy in my Christian life?

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

While in Miletus, the apostle Paul gave his farewell address to the elders from Ephesus (20:17-35). After reviewing his past three years of ministry among these elders (20:18-21), Paul expressed his commitment to go to Jerusalem even though the Holy Spirit had warned him of the trouble (“chains and tribulations”) that awaits him there (20:22-23). 

Paul’s main concern was to be faithful to the Lord and to His message of grace, not to be physically comfortable or safe, so he says, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself” (20:24a). Paul was willing to sacrifice his comfort and physical safety to “finish” his “race with joy, and the ministry which” he “received from the Lord Jesus” which is “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (20:24b).

All Christians have a “race” or course to run that God has “set before” them (cf. Hebrews 12:1). Your race will be different than mine, and my race will be different than yours, but all of us are called by God “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” This good news we are to preach revolves around “the grace of God.” “Grace” is receiving from God what we do not deserve. We do not deserve to be saved from hell forever, but God’s grace makes it possible through faith alone in Christ alone who died for our sins and rose from the dead (cf. I Corinthians 15:1-6). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

The Devil does not want this gospel of grace to go out into the world, so he will do all he can to hinder the spread of this message through false teachers and churches (cf. John 10:1b, 8, 10a; Acts 19:21-20:3, 19, 29-30; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 11-15; 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3; I John 2:18-23; 4:1-6; et. al). Satan’s teachers and churches despise the grace of God.

Like the apostle Paul, however, we must remain focused on this message of grace that God has given to us. This is what Paul “counted dear” to himself (20:24a), not his own comfort or physical safety. The word “dear” (timios) refers to that which is precious or valuable. Our hearts follow what we value (cf. Matthew 6:21). So the more we grasp this message of grace and its value, the more our hearts will be vested in this message. And the more vested our hearts are in this gospel of grace, the more “joy” we will have as we see it spread it around the world. No amount of opposition or sacrifice can keep us from testifying to the gospel of the grace of God. 

Conclusion: The more we understand and grasp this message of grace, the more we will value its proclamation to a lost world. And the more we value this message, the more joy we will have in our Christian lives as we see this gospel spread to the ends of the earth! Salvation is free because Jesus Christ paid our sin debt in full when He died on the cross and rose from the dead (cf. John 19:30; I Corinthians 15:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-9)! Believe it and make it known to others before it is too late for them.  

Clearing up the Confusion about the Millennial Kingdom

There is a lot of fuzzy thinking about heaven today. Ask the average Christian and you’ll get a variety of answers. Yet the Bible clears up a lot of this fuzziness when we take the time to study it. For example, did you know that the Bible says believers will experience heaven in three stages? 

1. With Christ in heaven after the rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11). At any moment the Lord Jesus could come for His church to snatch it off the earth to be with Him in heaven. Following the removal of the church, there will be seven years of terrible tribulation on the earth (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 6-19). At the end of the Tribulation period…

2. The Earthly Kingdom of Christ will be established when we will return with Christ and be on the earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).  At the end of that thousand years there will be a…

3. New Heaven and New Earth where you will be with Christ for eternity if you have put your trust in Him for eternal life (Revelation 21-22).

By far, the most is said in the Bible about the second stage, the earthly kingdom – that earthly reign of Christ that precedes the New Heaven and New Earth. We call this earthly reign of Christ the Millennial Kingdom. In this article, we are going to answer four basic questions about the Millennial Kingdom – What is the Millennial Kingdom? Why must there be a Millennial Kingdom before the New Heaven and New Earth. Why study about the Millennial Kingdom? What will the Millennial Kingdom be like in general? 

WHAT IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? The Millennial Kingdom is the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. The Millennial Kingdom is a real, earthly kingdom.  Remember Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue in Daniel 2 ?

God told Daniel that the Statue represented six kingdoms. The head of gold represented the Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar or Babylon. The chest of silver represented the inferior kingdom to follow called Medo-Persia. The belly and thighs bronze represented the third kingdom to rule called Greece. The legs of iron represented the fourth kingdom that crushes and eventually is divided known as ancient Rome. The feet of iron mixed with clay represented the fifth kingdom mixed with strength and weakness known as the Revived Roman Empire. The Stone that grows into a mountain and crushes the kingdom of iron and clay represents the sixth kingdom that is established by God and shall replace all human kingdoms. This is the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. 

The first four of these kingdoms were literal and are now historical. The fifth kingdom is described in Revelation as literal and in the future. Why would the sixth kingdom not be literal and historical? Daniel 2:44 says, “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” 

WHY MUST THERE BE A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEFORE THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH? Why not have Christ return to earth, judge all people, begin eternity future, and be done with it all? Why is the thousand-year kingdom on earth necessary? To answer this, let’s first look at God’s Plan in History: 

It begins with Creation (Genesis 1-2)…Sin and Death (Genesis 3)…All Men Destroyed (through a global flood), but One Family Saved (Genesis 4-9)… All Nations Dispersed (at Tower of Babel) (Genesis 10-11)…One Family Chosen (the nation of Israel) (Genesis 12-50)… One Nation Adopted (Exodus – Malachi). God spent most of the Old Testament era of history dealing directly with the nation of Israel in preparation for the giving of God’s Son, Jesus – One Son Given (Matthew – John). After Christ’s First Coming and the calling out of a special group of people – One Body of People Saved (called the church) (Acts – Revelation 3). God will once again deal directly and openly with the nations of the world. After the Rapture of the church (Revelation 4-5), God will intervene in world affairs to redeem His people Israel – One Nation Redeemed (Revelation 6-19) during the Tribulation period. At the Second Coming of Christ, God will rescue the repentant nation of Israel, conquer the armies of the world at Armageddon, bind Satan and remove his influence, and set up a perfect government on earth so that All Nations are Blessed (Genesis 12:3; Revelation 20:1-10)…At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, God will crush a worldwide rebellion led by Satan, proving that apart from God’s transforming grace people are rebels at heart to the very end, even after a thousand years of living under a perfect government and a perfect King. Then Sin and Death will be No More (Revelation 20:1-6)…and there will be a New Creation (Revelation 21-22) to enjoy with Christ for eternity.

WHY MUST THERE BE A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BEFORE THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH? 

1. To allow God to gradually reverse, restore and redeem everything that was lost or defeated in past history. When you look at God’s plan in history, you can see how He does this step by step. Just as He narrowed His dealings from all men to all nations to one nation to Christ, so as history winds up, God broadens His dealings from one nation to all nations to all men. According to I Corinthians 15:24-28, Christ must rule until every enemy is put down, including death. This thousand-year reign of Christ on earth is the capstone of God’s dealing in human history where God will finally reverse the effects of sin and death forever. What the Bible says about the future is how God sets out to straighten out the mess His creation caused by sin. This is not an overnight “fixit job,” but a grand plan and program that God has been at work on for thousands of years. To send Christ back to earth, merely to raise the dead and judge them and begin eternity is insufficient in God’s plan to take care of all the problems. God has too much invested in His people, Israel, and in the nations for such a blithe scenario. 

2. To reveal and demonstrate God’s character and righteousness in human form to all mankind.

3. To enable God to fulfill His promises to Israel, including the fulfillment of their destiny as a light to the nations, especially those nations to which Israel has been subject for thousands of years. 

4. To bless all nations and nature itself while the human heart is still fallen and in need of a Savior. God’s desire has always been the salvation of as many millions of people as possible – the Millennial Kingdom, with its population explosion and universal opportunity, will be the greatest time of soul winning the world has ever seen.

WHY STUDY ABOUT THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM? In His famous Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, the kingdom to which Jesus is referring is the Millennial Kingdom. “17Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). When does heaven and earth pass away? At the end of the Millennial Kingdom when the new heaven and new earth are ushered in. 

Also in Matthew 6, in the famous Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it isin heaven” (Matthew 6:10). God’s will being done on earth is fulfilled when God’s kingdom comes to the earth. So in Matthew 6, we are not only told to seek His kingdom, we are also told to pray for His Millennial Kingdom. If we are to seek and pray for this Millennial Kingdom, then we also know we are to live for this Millennial Kingdom. Since we are to seek, pray and live for this Millennial Kingdom, then we need to know something about it. What we believe about the future influences how we think, feel, and live in the present. 

WHAT WILL THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM BE LIKE in general? Under this I want to ask four questions. 1. When will it be? 2. Who will be there? 3. What will it be like? 4. How can I prepare for it?

1. When will the Millennial Kingdom be? In Revelation 20:6, we read, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation is a chronological development of God’s plan for the ages. See chart below.

Revelation 1-3 describes the church age from the time Revelation was written until the Rapture described in Revelation 4-5 which pictures the church as the twenty-four elders raptured and rewarded. Sometime after Rapture will be the 7-year Tribulation described in Revelation 6-19. When we come to the end of Revelation 19 we read of the Second Coming of Christ to earth with His church. Then when we come to Revelation 20 we see the Millennial Kingdom. After the Millennial Kingdom is the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The Great White Throne Judgment is the judgment of all unbelievers. It will be demonstrated to the unsaved that they have not trusted in Christ as their only hope of heaven and their works will be revealed to determine the degree of punishment they will receive in the Lake of Fire. Then all the unsaved will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The final event of God’s plan is seen in Revelation 21:1: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.” This is the New Heaven and New Earth where believers in Jesus will live for eternity with King Jesus. So the Millennial Kingdom takes place after the return of Christ to earth with His church at the end of the sever-year Tribulation period.

2. Who will be there?

A. Those who live in resurrection bodies.

a. Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4c).

b. Church saints(I Thessalonians 4:17). When Christ returns to takes us in the Rapture we will be with Him forever. And then at the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return to earth with His Church (Revelation 19:7-21). Jesus said in John 14:3: “Where I am, there you may be also.” This includes the thousand years on earth. 

c. Tribulation saints (Revelation 20:4). During the seven-years Tribulation, the beast (Antichrist) will demand people take his mark or be beheaded. Believers who do not bow down to Antichrist will lose their lives. It says in Revelation 20:4 they will be resurrected and reign with Christ a thousand years. 

d. Old Testament saints. “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life” (Daniel 12:2). At the Second Coming of Christ, Old Testament saints will be resurrected and be with Christ for a thousand years.

A second category of people who will live in the Millennial Kingdom are

B. Those with mortal bodies. Where do those with mortal bodies come from? In Matthew 25:31-46 we are told that when Christ returns to earth He will judge the Gentile nations. In this judgment, 

a. Those believers who survived the Tribulation, will enter the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies. However, those who did not trust Christ during the Tribulation will be cast off the earth into the everlasting fire. 

b. Offspring of believers who survived the Tribulation. Isaiah 65:23 speaks of these: “They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble; for they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.”  

C. What will the Millennial Kingdom be like? 

1. Satan will be bound so he won’t be able to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:1-3). Will there still be sin? Yes, because there will be people in mortal bodies who have the conscious choice to sin just like Adam and Eve did before they sinned. James 1:13-14 tell us we are tempted and carried away by our own lust. We don’t need Satan’s temptation to sin.  

2. We will be in resurrected bodies. “20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). Our bodies will be like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. Christ’s resurrection body was… 

a. Recognizable– our risen Lord was recognized by His voice and appearance. 

b. Real– Jesus’ resurrected body could be felt – flesh and blood of a different kind – resurrected and eternal. Not subject to aging or decay. Christ’s body could appear and disappear instantaneously and go through walls, etc. 

c. Resistant to sin– we will no longer sin in our resurrected bodies. We won’t even be tempted.     

3. There will be universal peace. “3Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore”(Isaiah 2:3-4). Differences between nations and people will be resolved by King Jesus.  

4. There will be changes to the animal kingdom. The Bible says,“6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah11:6-9). Man will be at peace with the animal kingdom. Imagine having a tame lion in your house?! Animals will be vegetarians. Even snakes will be harmless to people. 

5. There will be topological changes to the earth. Jerusalem will be changed with new mountains and valleys. A river will flow from Jerusalem to both the Mediterranean and Dead Sea (Zech. 14:3-9). Deserts will be transformed into gardens; the territory of Israel will be transformed into a place of remarkable beauty reflecting God’s glory (Isaiah 35:1-7). 

6. Longevity of life will return as in the early years on the earth. Scripture tell us, “No more shall an infant from there live but a fewdays, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old”(Isaiah 65:20). People will live longer. When a man dies at one hundred years of age, he will be considered just a child. People may live to be a thousand years old like people before the Flood lived close to that age. 

7. There will be industry and development. The Bible says, “21They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:21-22).   After the terrible tribulation and Armageddon, much rebuilding will need to be done. There will be time to do things you have wanted to do: other careers, exploring, developing relationships. A renewed earth will more than adequately provide for the population.

8. There will be profound worship. A new millennial temple will be built (Ezkiel 40-46). People will come from all nations to Jerusalem to worship King Jesus. Animal sacrifices will remind everyone of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God upon the cross. Everyone will have a knowledge of the Lord.

9. There will be perfect government and swift justice.

a. King Jesus will rule all the nations from His throne in Jerusalem. God the Father says, 6“Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. [Where is Zion? Jerusalem.]7I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You areMy Son, today I have begotten You. 8Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth forYour possession. [Christ will rule the nations] 9You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel’ ”  (Psalm 2:6-9). Sin will be dealt with swiftly as Christ rules with a rod of iron. 

b. David shall rule over the Jewish branch of government as the prince (Ezkiel 37:23-24). King David will be resurrected and serve as the prince over the Jews who yields to the Kingship of Jesus. For example, just as a governor of a state is under the authority of Presdent Trump, so Christ will be the King over all nations, whereas David will be the ruler over Israel. 

c. The Twelve Apostles shall rule over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:27-28).

d. There will be a king over each Gentile nation (Psalm 72:10-11). King Jesus will reign over all nations, but each Gentile nation will have their own king who reports to Jesus. 

e. Faithful Christians shall rule with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12; Rev. 2:25-27). The apostle Paul writes, “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12). If believers endure in their profession of faith, what reward will they receive? Ruling with Christ. If believers deny Christ their endurance, what will He deny them? The reward of ruling with Him. 

In the Millennial Kingdom there will be many opportunities to rule with Christ. Some will hold positions of authority like Presidents, Governors, Mayors, City Council Members, Judges, Senators, Representatives, and the like. There may also be transportation companies, publishers, developers, utilities, entertainment, and sports companies, and so on. All of these businesses will need people in various levels of management. We can have one of those positions of authority if we live faithfully for the Lord until we go to be with Him. 

The Christian life is like a long, grueling race (cf. Hebrews 12:1-2). You may be running that race now…But what about 10 or 20 years from now? Will you keep living for the Lord even when life gets really tough? Will you finish strong for Him? Knowing what God has in store for us in the Millennial Kingdom, should motivate us to live for Him until we go to heaven. Together with Christ we can finish strong if our trust remains in Him.