Property in Perpetuity

Thursday, July 2nd, 2020

Property in Perpetuity, Audio Version

When Abram was 99 years old,

The LORD appeared to him and said,

“I am God Almighty/El Shaddai.

Walk before me and be blameless,

That I may make my covenant between me and you,

And may multiply you greatly.”

Then Abram fell on his face.

And God said to him,

“Behold, my covenant is with you.

And you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham,

For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful,

And I will make you into nations,

And kings shall come from you.

And I will establish my covenant between me and you,

And your offspring after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant,

To be God to you and to your offspring after you.

And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings,

All the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.

And I will be their God.

A major part of El Shaddai’s deal with Abraham was the promise of some intercontinental real estate. Almighty God promised to give Abraham and his offspring a sizable amount of eastern Mediterranean acreage in perpetuity. Do not miss the in perpetuity part. God promised the land as an everlasting possession. And everlasting lasts a long time, if I’m not mistaken.

A question, then: Did Almighty God deliver on his promise of perpetual property? Well…

Historically, Abraham’s descendants briefly had the land, and then they didn’t for 400 years, and then they did (for a very long time), and then they didn’t (for a relatively short time), and then they did again, and then they didn’t for a third time (for nearly two thousand years), and now they do again. So, Abraham’s descendants have been residents of the promised land a total of four times, and have not had possession of it three times.

Do those repeated losses of the land mean that Almighty God failed to deliver on his promise?

It might seem like it, but no. God made a conditional deal with Abraham. A covenant is a conditional deal. Both parties have to keep their end of the deal. If you do this, I promise to do that. Deal? Deal. The promise of perpetual property was (and is) valid as long as Abraham and Abraham’s descendants kept (and keep) their end of the deal.

Hang on. Perhaps I need to make a correction. “And keep their end of the deal” might not be right. It may be that God has altered the arrangement. It may be that Abraham’s descendants will actually hold possession of their land this time, even if they are not faithful to the LORD.

I say that for three reasons, which I shall now enumerate.

Reason number one: Abraham’s descendants are already there now. They were evicted by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago. But now they are back in their ancestral homeland. Officially, they have been back for a little over 70 years. That is a bona fide historical fact. I’m willing to say that God gets credit for their return to their promised land, even if they do not realize it. Jeremiah 16 may speak to this, by the way. It’s worth a read.

Reason number two: In Ezekiel 36:22-38, God asserts that he brought the House of Israel back not for their sake, but for the sake of his holy name. God meant to vindicate his own holiness by bringing them back (which he has done) and by cleansing them from their impurity (which he will do). In other words, God decided not to wait for the House of Israel to get their act together before bringing them back. This time, Almighty God brought them back just to show them and everyone else that he is indeed Almighty God. God altered his arrangement with Abraham’s offspring for the sake of his own holiness.

Reason number three: This time Abraham’s descendants are not going to lose possession of the land. In Amos 9:14-15, God says, “I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel; and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine. And they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land; and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. They shall never again be uprooted out of the land the LORD has given them. That sounds both straightforward and unequivocal. They will never be uprooted out of their land again.

Some of my seminary-trained friends are probably squirming as they read or hear this right now, though. They may be thinking to themselves, “DeKrakenator, among other things, you are making some very big assumptions about the prophetic timing of the Ezekiel 36 passage and the Amos 9 passage.”

Yes, I am, my seminary-trained friends. I am assuming that Ezekiel 36 refers to a more recent restoration of the House of Israel, and not simply to their restoration after the Babylonian exile. Yes, I assume that these passages are being fulfilled closer to our day and time, not way back when. My counter-challenge to you, my fellow seminarians, is to read the whole of Ezekiel 36:22-38 and ask yourself whether it was fully and entirely fulfilled way back then. Were the Jewish returnees ever thoroughly cleansed in the way Ezekiel describes? If so, why did Jesus lament their obtuseness, and denounce their hypocritical leaders? Did they receive the indwelling Spirit in the way Ezekiel describes? At very best, this prophecy was only partially fulfilled at Pentecost; but most of the Jewish people (the House of Israel) did not repent and believe. Thus, it awaits a fuller and grander fulfillment. It has yet to be completely realized.

As for Amos 9:14-15, it cannot be a legitimate prophecy unless it happens in history. For it to be fulfilled, the Jews must stay put in the land God promised to Abraham, once and for all. But that has not happened, until now. Instead, the House of Israel has been uprooted from their ancestral land time three times in history: first, when they were slaves in Egypt; second, when they were exiles in Babylon; and third, when most of them were slaughtered and the rest were pushed out by the Romans. If they’re going to remain in the land, and never be uprooted again, it must be this time around, since what Paul says in Romans 11:25 is close to accomplishment. That is, before the Jews are redeemed, the fulness of the Gentiles must come in. The Great Commission must become a mission accomplished; and only then will the Jews will be completely restored and established in their promised land, in perpetuity.

There are questions and issues I do not and cannot resolve in just one necessarily brief blog-cast. If you have questions, comments, or observations, please politely let me know, as they help me decide what I should address next. For now, I encourage you to go read or listen to all the passages I just referenced. They include the Covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17, the Prophecy of Compulsory Return to the Land in Jeremiah 16, the Promise that God will Restore them to and Redeem them in their Promised Land in Ezekiel 36:22-38, the Unequivocal and Unconditional Promise of Permanent Residence in Amos 9:14-15, and Paul’s Order of Jewish-Gentile Exclusion and Inclusion in Romans 11.

That’s all for now. Adios.

Limit Two Refills

Friday, June 26th, 2020

Limit Two Refills, Audio Version

An everyday aptitude word problem for you, I do hereby present: If you were to see a sign in a restaurant that says Limit Two Refills, how many times total will they allow you to fill your cup?

Answer: It depends entirely on what type of restaurant you’re at. In some finer establishments, they will not allow you to fill your own cup at all, as only the servers may do so. The answer in such hoity-toity restaurants would be zero; but you won’t go thirsty. In more pedestrian eating establishments, you would be allowed to fill your cup a maximum of three times. Your first filling counts as an initial filling; and the next two are your refills. One initial filling plus two additional refills equals three fillings total.

Bam! You nailed it; didn’t you? Good job!

I do apologize if I just insulted your intelligence. Please bear with me. I’m going somewhere very biblical with this — biblical and beneficial.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a well-known and oft-depicted prophecy, even if you do not recognize the reference immediately. Most people who have a little familiarity with the Bible think of this particular prophecy when they hear the name Ezekiel. It is the prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones. Like your cup at a self-serve restaurant with a limit of two refills, the Valley of Dry Bones is a prophecy that is filled or fulfilled three times. It has already been fulfilled twice. And some glorious day the prophecy will be fulfilled a third and final time. For the sake of this blog-cast, the first filling I will call the immediate fulfillment, the second, the intermediary fulfillment, and the third, the ultimate fulfillment.

Now, to the text we go. The hand of the LORD was upon Ezekiel, who was brought out in the Spirit of the LORD and set down in the middle of a valley. It was a valley full of bones. Ezekiel was led by the Spirit on a tour around and among the bones. There were many bones and lots of skeletons there. They were not buried but just lying there. And they must have been dead a long while, because they were very dry. Then the LORD asked Ezekiel an aptitude question, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And Ezekiel responded with what might have been the equivalent of “I have no idea.” Ezekiel said, “O LORD God, you know.”

Rather than recite the whole account, I will pause here. After you finish with my blog-cast, why don’t you go and read or listen to the rest? Ezekiel 37:1-14 is where to go. It’s very interesting.

For my current purposes, I want to tell you that God does not leave Ezekiel clueless about the identity of the dry bones. The LORD outright tells Ezekiel in verse eleven that the bones are “the whole house of Israel.” The LORD goes on to quote the Jewish exiles, who had been lamenting, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.”

Very importantly, please notice that the Jewish exiles were not actually, physically dead. Many of their relatives and friends may have died; but they themselves had not. They were the living remnant. The exiles quoted by the LORD were still breathing. They were actually alive.

Therefore, the vision given to Ezekiel was figurative or symbolic. Do not miss that. The very dry bones represented the despairing and despondent house of Israel, who had lost all hope and counted themselves as good as dead. But they were not actually dead.

God gave Ezekiel the vision so that he could tell the whole house of Israel what God was going to do. God would soon revive their lost hope and restore them to their homeland.

The immediate fulfillment of this prophecy occurred when the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon (and the general vicinity) back to their ancestral homeland. You can read all about that in the biblical books of Nehemiah and Ezra. So Ezekiel 37 had an immediate fulfillment.

But wait, there’s more!

This Dry Bones Prophecy was fulfilled again in the 20th century, especially shortly after World War 2. If you knew nothing about the return of the exiles from Babylon and only knew the more recent history of the establishment of modern Israel, Ezekiel 37 would still describe what happened perfectly. Therefore, the re-establishment of Israel in 1947-48 is the intermediary fulfillment of this prophecy. Again, notice that the prophecy is still figurative or symbolic in nature. After the Holocaust, God revived the lost hope of the surviving Jewish people and restored them once more to their ancestral homeland.

But wait, there’s one more!

This Dry Bones Prophecy can also be read literally. Someday God will literally, physically bring the dead back to life. Even those long dead will literally, physically be raised again to life and, I should add, to final judgment. Indeed, Jesus has already been vindicated by his resurrection. His resurrection occurred long ago. And Scripture says that Jesus is the firstfruits of a wider resurrection, the first of many to follow. Therefore we anticipate a future, ultimate fulfillment of Ezekiel 37. The question is not whether you will be resurrected. You will. The question, instead, is whether you will be raised in vindication of your faith in Christ or raised to face condemnation for your obstinate sin.

Now, if you have the time and interest, please read or listen to Ezekiel 37.

Talk to the Birds

Thursday, June 25th, 2020

Talk to the Birds, Audio Edition

In 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte fought the Ottomans in the Jezreel Valley, alternatively known as the Megiddo Valley. Napoleon deemed the valley the most natural or perfect battlefield on earth. According to the Book of Revelation, it just might be the final battlefield on earth — at least the final terrestrial battlefield for a very, very long time.

A hill positioned towards the western edge of the valley gives the entire area its name. The Israelis call the hill Tel-Megiddo. Because of an ancient fortress on top of it, the hill has been the focus of extensive archaeological efforts for well over a century, yielding lots of interesting discoveries. There are layers upon layers of history there, going back before the children of Abraham arrived. In the Book of Revelation, Tel-Megiddo has a hybrid Hebrew-Greek name: Armageddon.

Biblical scholars debate whether the Battle of Armageddon will be a literal, physical battle or a spiritual battle. In my estimation, one verse settles the question. That verse is Revelation 19:17: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. And with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God.’” The verse is almost a direct quotation from Ezekiel 39:17. The whole of Ezekiel 39 should therefore be referenced to give prophetic context. When I read Ezekiel 39, I cannot help but conclude that the chapter refers to the aftermath of a massive, literal, physical battle. I would encourage you to read the passage for yourself to see if you come to the same conclusion. Doesn’t it seem like Ezekiel is talking about a massive, literal, physical battle? If that is a correct read, I am ready and willing to take an additional step and conclude that Revelation 19:17 and Ezekiel 39:17 probably refer to the same final battle, a future final Battle of Armageddon.

To summarize in brief, I am arguing that the Battle of Armageddon mentioned in Revelation 19 is one and the same as the massive, future battle described in Ezekiel 38 and 39. That battle takes place on a map, in what is now the nation of Israel. Again, read Ezekiel 39, but also read the prior two chapters, chapters 37 and 38. All three chapters focus on Israel. Just count the occurrences. It is all about the people of Israel, the house of Israel, and the land of Israel.

Israel, Israel, Israel. Okay then, could Ezekiel mean anything other than Israel as it is commonly understood? I mean, Israel, the Jewish nation that currently exists? Ezekiel seems to be talking about that self-same Israel, and only that Israel. Ezekiel is talking about the Hebrew-speaking Jewish nation that once existed and that now exists again.

If everything I have argued for thus far is right, then the nation of Israel does indeed appear in the Book of Revelation. And it is the location for the final battle. Therefore, Israel should be of special interest to Christians. Prophecy is yet to be fulfilled there.

Without Qualification

Wednesday, June 24th, 2020

Without Qualification, Audio Version

We are very close to the apocalyptic final return of Jesus Christ. Because we are close to the return of Jesus Christ, the study of the Book of Revelation is not just somewhat pertinent, it is essential. The Book of Revelation was given for such a time as this. It was given to the Church for the purpose of discerning these days — these very days, right now. And it was given in order to help us understand how to make it through these days without losing hope or losing faith. We do well to be wise and take heed to what is written therein. The wise will pay close attention to the message of the Book of Revelation during this time.

Is the previous paragraph propeller-hatted crazy talk? Does it come across as the ranting of a fanatic fundamentalist? Does it sound like something a cult leader would say to attract the naïve and impressionable? Or is it spot-on? I will show my cards here: I believe every word of it. I believe we are living just before the return of Jesus Christ. Thus we are wise to live accordingly, and foolish to live otherwise. Matthew 25:1-13 comes to mind here.

As I wrote the first paragraph, I gave thought to how it might be perceived. People will deem it outlandish, I thought. People will think it extreme. I imagined someone I know well shaking his head in disapproval, not necessarily because he would disagree with what I say, but because I say it so bluntly. After I wrote it, I thought about editing it extensively. Perhaps I should add lots of qualifiers, in order to sound less loony. Academics will disapprove of the lack of nuance, I realized. They will immediately think of numerous crazies throughout history who misled people with exactly this kind of apocalyptic talk. Should I qualify it somewhat? Should I nuance it?

But I decided not to. Even knowing how it might be perceived, I decided to let it stand as is, because I actually believe every word of it. And because I do, I think it is extremely important that people hear it. The time is very near. It really is.

But what if I’m wrong? What if the time is not near? What if the return of Christ is decades or even centuries off? Am I willing to go down as another crazy zealot predicting the end of the world? People might even call me a false prophet for saying what I say here. Am I okay with that?

Sigh. I guess so. I’m willing to be wrong. I’m willing to be called crazy. I’m willing to be misperceived, or alternatively, rightly perceived as an apocalyptic kook. I believe what I’m saying enough to say it, even if I am wrong.

Of course, at this point, I sorely want to launch into an explanation for why I am right and why you should believe me. But I will not do that yet. Yes, I will do it, but not yet.

Instead, I just ask you to consider everything I am saying with a dose of empathy. For a moment, try to view it hypothetically. You don’t need to believe a word I’m saying; just put yourself in the shoes of someone who truly does believe that Jesus Christ is about to come back. If you were that person, what would you do? Would you feel compelled to say something? Would you want to warn people? I would like to suggest that yes, you would.

Without doubt, you would be tempted to qualify and nuance what you say, because if you’re even a bit smart, you would realize how crazy it might come across. You would also realize that if you’re wrong, you would become a laughingstock and another case study in the history of apocalyptic crazies. But if you truly believed what you claim, you would say it all the same, because you are convinced that a lot of people need to repent, and a lot of people need to get ready to face their Maker. Love for others would compel you to run the risk of sounding crazy.

That’s me. I am that guy.

So I am left with burden of trying to convince you and everyone who reads or listens to this that I’m not crazy. I do realize that. And I know ahead that I will not be entirely successful. A lot of people will just sign off here. Alright, thank you for your time and goodbye.

But for those of you who are still listening, I’ll just start by calling your attention to current events. The world around you is going crazy. Have you noticed? Have you noticed that we are living in especially turbulent times? In Matthew 24:8, Jesus spoke about global birth pangs. Do you recall that? These are those. When you hear the news, do you wonder, even in passing, if these might indeed be the end times, the last days? Perhaps you ought to wonder about that some more. Perhaps you should not immediately dismiss that thought, even if it feels scary. We are indeed seeing the fulfillment of many biblical prophecies, right now. There are many biblical reasons to think that Jesus might be coming back, and very soon. Most importantly, what we are seeing happen increasingly fits what Revelation symbolically prophesies, as I hope to demonstrate and convince you. When you see that, it is both astonishing and awesome.

It all admittedly hinges on how the Book of Revelation is interpreted. Know that from the get-go. Whether I’m right or not about our proximity to Christ’s return depends entirely on my interpretation of Revelation. So I need to explain that further and in greater detail. It’s worth your time, I believe. But you have to decide for yourself. If you are interested in learning my interpretation, please continue to read or listen to this blog.

Juneteenth

Friday, June 19th, 2020

Juneteenth, Audio Version

Why is the Book of Philemon even in the Bible?

To call Philemon a book is extremely generous, and somewhat inaccurate, as it runs less than a page. In the original language (Koiné Greek), the “book” has only 334 words, excluding the title. If you were to take time to read it (which won’t take you long at all, I promise) you’ll realize it’s actually personal correspondence, not a book. That should come as no surprise, though, since the final third of New Testament is actually a collection of first-century correspondence. In other words, a big section of the New Testament is just a bunch of old letters. In technical seminary-speak, these ancient letters are called epistles. But here’s an insider’s whispered pro-tip for you: They’re one and the same. Letters are epistles are letters. Same thing, same difference.

But among the letters of the New Testament, Philemon is a peculiar letter. It is unusually personal. Why is this particularly personal letter in the Bible?

Most of the epistles in the New Testament are not actually personal. They are not personal, private correspondence. What I mean is that they’re not strictly from one individual person to another. They’re not intended as private letters. They’re meant to be read publicly to an audience, to a church. The writer even sometimes says so. It is his stated intent.

However, there are some exceptions. A selection of the New Testament epistles are indeed private correspondence. And the fact that they’re private but somehow became public is interesting. How did that happen? Why did it happen?

Philemon is a private letter that managed to go public. It is included in the most widely distributed book in human history, the Bible. It is there for all of literate humanity to read over and over through the ages. Someone, somewhere thought it should be leaked.

But what does the letter say? What is so valuable about this particular private letter that it was made public, and for the rest of history?

In the Epistle to Philemon Paul writes to a Christian who hosts a church at his house. Paul basically says, “Hey Brother Philemon, I’m really very appreciative for everything you’ve done for Christ and his Church. But I think you need to know that I have a close working relationship with a runaway slave of yours. Just to play it all straight, I have decided to send him back to you. I could just command you to set him free (since you kind of owe it to me, after all); but I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m appealing to your conscience: Don’t you think it would be best just to free him? He can do more for God as a free man than as a slave; wouldn’t you agree? And you will be a better off, too.”

That’s the gist of the letter. And somehow it managed to wind up in the Bible.

Why do you think that is? I’ll suggest why I think it is.

Perhaps God arranged for it. Perhaps God wanted us to have it and hear it. Perhaps God wants to appeal to our individual consciences through it. Because God is a liberator who delights in liberty. Because God desires freedom for those who have been held as slaves. I cannot think of a better or more convincing reason for why it was included in the Bible.

The Congregants’ Account

Thursday, June 18th, 2020

The Congregants’ Account, Audio Version

Here’s my proposed headline, from The Galilee Gazette, perhaps:

Carpenter’s Claim to Fulfill Old Prophesy Infuriates Hometown Congregation

Nazareth – This past Sabbath, Yeshua Ben-Yosef, an unemployed local man, was accosted, forcibly ejected from the village synagogue, and nearly killed by a group of livid congregants after he assumed the Rabbi’s chair and strangely claimed to personally fulfill a prophecy from the Prophet Isaiah. He somehow managed to elude the angry crowd, though, and currently cannot be located.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have knowledge of his whereabouts to contact them immediately. They hope to carefully question him, and, if possible, find out what might explain his grandiose claims. His family does not believe Ben-Yosef poses an immediate danger to anyone; but they are concerned about his inexplicable, bizarre behavior in recent months.

According to congregants familiar with both him and his family, Ben-Yosef regularly attended the village synagogue most of his life. However, within the last six months, Ben-Yosef abruptly quit his occupation as a wood-working craftsman, and went absent from the village for long periods of time. His family says that Ben-Yosef left his job to become an itinerant rabbi. His brothers say he became obsessed with something he calls “the Kingdom of God,” which he claims is “at hand.” Even his family is unsure of what he means by “the Kingdom of God,” and why he believes it is worth abandoning everything to pursue with such urgency. They are concerned about his mental health.

When asked what infuriated them so much about Yeshua Ben-Yosef’s message, Nazarene congregants used words like “arrogance,” “audacity,” and even “blasphemy.”

One witness said, “Look, we’ve known him for about thirty years — his whole life, actually. Yet he presumed to stand up, walk up in front of us like that, and say what he said! I mean, he sat himself casually in the Rabbi’s chair, took a synagogue scroll, carefully found and slowly read that passage. He claimed in all seriousness that Isaiah had spoken of him!”

Another added, “No, it is wasn’t just that. I mean, he did all that, yes. And that did seem very arrogant of him. Who does something like that? But he did more than just claim to fulfill any prophecy. He claimed to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy about the Anointed! About the Anointed! The prophecy he read is about the Anointed One! Does he actually think he is the Messiah?!?”

A third congregant elaborated, “We are all from the same synagogue! We’ve heard the same messages he has! We’ve listened to the same rabbis! We’ve made the same pilgrimages! Does Yeshua really think that he is somehow more knowledgeable about the scriptures than we are? We all know that the Messiah cannot be a former carpenter from Nazareth.”

A fourth congregant nodded and asserted, “It was both arrogant and blasphemous of him. He claimed to be the Lord’s Anointed One, when we all know that Elijah must come first. The scriptures clearly and unambiguously say so. The Prophet Malachi says so. Elijah must come first. If Yeshua had been listening to the rabbis, like us, he would have known that. Where is Elijah? Elijah should have personally introduced Yeshua the Self-Proclaimed Messiah! But Elijah was nowhere to be seen! How can Yeshua possibly be the Lord’s Messiah?”

A fifth, visibly upset, person yelled, “And he even had the chutzpah to insult us! He sat there on the Sabbath, in the Rabbi’s chair, and proceeded to insult us! He said that we are inferior to the Gentiles, that the Lord somehow prefers the Gentiles to us, the children of Abraham!”

Ben-Yosef’s mother said she does not know exactly what to make of her son’s behavior, but does not believe he is arrogant, audacious, or blasphemous. She wonders if he is instead just misunderstood.

This has been an imaginative elaboration on Luke 4:16-30. Please read it.

County Park Personnel

Tuesday, June 16th, 2020

County Park Personnel, Audio Edition

Today’s post is an aside. It is not directly about the Book of Revelation.

Not long ago I went hiking with my daughter and one of her friends. We went to a county park with two or three marked trails. At the trail head there stood a big wooden map displaying the park’s trails. There was a red trail, a blue trail, and a third trail. Was it marked yellow? Maybe. I think so. I think I think so. Honestly, I don’t remember. It may have been yellow, green, orange, or purple paisley. I was oblivious to it, and intentionally so. Since we were only hiking the red and blue trails, I did not pay the third trail any attention. The third trail I deemed irrelevant, very unnecessary. I chose to give it no thought, zero.

Upon further consultation, my dear daughter informs me that the trail is indeed marked yellow. So there you have it.

Anyway, you do the same thing. You deliberately ignore information you deem irrelevant. As well you should. You should ignore irrelevant information, because otherwise you would quickly go into information overload. We cannot function well if we treat all information of equal value. Not everything is of equal value, as we all know. Gibberish, gibberish — we’re inundated with so much noise and gibberish. We get a lot of junk mail. Every day we scroll through hundreds and even thousands of possible clicks. Which shall we choose? How shall we choose? We all necessarily filter out extraneous information. But sadly, sometimes we err. We err in what we deem worthwhile, and in what we deem irrelevant and unnecessary. Sometimes we do.

Back to the woods we go, though. While I consider myself generally good with directions, the park was unfamiliar ground to me. I soon began to feel uncomfortably disoriented. I realized that if not for the trail maps and the periodic colored trail posts, I would end up hopelessly lost in the woods. I was grateful that someone from the county took the time and paid the necessary expenses to survey, map, mark, and maintain the park. Someone had gone before me, did some hard and extensive work, and by virtue of having done so, made things more understandable, and much, much easier for me, and for all other subsequent park visitors. Thank you helpful county park personnel. You kept me from getting lost. Muchas gracias.

As you may have guessed, I just might be making an analogy here. I am talking about hiking in a wooded park, but what I really want you to consider is how someone studies the B-I-B-L-E. Studying the Bible can be similar to hiking along winding paths in an unfamiliar wooded park. Studying the Bible can be made a lot easier and more understandable if someone has gone before you, done some hard work, and put up well-placed maps and periodic trail posts.

In general, someone has. The good news is that “the county park personnel” have done just that for you and me. Although the park may be unfamiliar to you, the county park personnel have years of extensive experience. They know it very well. And they have left maps and signposts for you and for everyone who subsequently follows. Hooray for our helpful heroes.

But there’s a problem with my analogy; isn’t there? It would be nice if all “the county park personnel” were helpful heroes, who prove reliable and good at what they do. But some aren’t. Some of the county park personnel are unreliable. Some of them are lousy at what they do. Some of them are even deceptive. Intentionally or unintentionally, they have put up maps that mislead the visitors. They have left signposts that are actually the wrong color. If you naively trust them, you will end up thoroughly lost. It’s sad; but too often, it’s true.

Since unreliable and lousy county park personnel exist, a lot of park visitors do not bother with any of the park maps or signposts. Basically, they still want to hike the trails, but have lost all confidence in anyone who has ever served as county park personnel. That’s a shame and a pity, because there have been and currently are some really good and reliable county park personnel on the job. You just have to diligently work hard to find them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you reject the work of all the county park personnel that ever tried to survey, map, mark, and maintain the park, you then have to attempt to do it all for yourself. Are you really sure that you will do a better job than everyone who went before you? It is a big park, after all. Maybe some county park personnel actually did their work well. Maybe you can save yourself a lot of frustration if you figure out who the good personnel are.

A worse temptation, though, is to give up on the park altogether. A lot of would-be visitors do just that. They have heard and read about the unreliable and lousy county park personnel, so they just don’t bother with the park at all. Once upon a time, it may have seemed worth a visit; but what they’ve heard about the county park personnel has scared them off. They wrongly conclude that the park is a probably big waste of their time. Such scared-off visitors do err. They seriously err when they deem the park a wasted trip. In spite of some lousy county park personnel, the park is still worth an extended visit. In fact, the paths through the park are well worth a lifetime of daily visits. And the main path is worth a lifetime of investment. That main path is golden.

In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns his listeners about false prophets. He memorably refers to them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They may look good and sound good, but their character ultimately betrays them. We should not be surprised at unreliable and lousy county park personnel. Ministry can be a means to a selfish end. People in ministry sometimes fail. But that does not invalidate ministry. It just means that we need to keep a watchful eye on the message and the moral character of the messenger.

Severe Weather + Mr. Miyagi

Friday, June 12th, 2020

Severe Weather + Mr. Miyagi, Audio Version

In this blog post, I wish to take you to the Nile delta, where I invite you close your eyes and imagine some extremely severe weather. Picture a severe and intense thunder storm, with lots of rumbling, tremendous explosive cracks, and frequent, intense flashes of lightning. Now add some sustained heavy hail — extremely heavy hail, pummeling your rooftop for a prolonged period of time. The sound of the thunder and the hail terrifies everyone, especially the crying children. The hail is coming down so hard that you wonder if your roof can withstand the intensity of the bombardment, not to mention the weight of the accumulating hailstones. If you briefly consider whether to run outside to bring your animals to shelter, you immediately banish the thought. It is far too dangerous. You realize that you simply cannot go out there, because the bodily risk to yourself is too great. The surprising size and sheer speed of the hailstones could severely injure or even kill you. Sadly, neither the animals nor the maturing crops will survive out there; nor would you, should you foolishly go out there. You have no choice but to cower in fear as you shelter in place, until this ferocious and fearsome storm finally passes.

What you might not know is that your national leaders were actually forewarned about it. They had been told in advance that this destructive storm was going to occur. They had a heads-up. They had been given a very accurate weather forecast. Not only were they told that the storm was coming, they were advised to tell the populace to protect themselves, their families, their animals, and their neighbors. Some of your leaders took heed of the forewarning and spread the word. But many of them scoffed and chose to ignore it. They chose to ignore it because they did not like the messenger. They held him and his unknown god in disdain.

The Book of Exodus says that this historically unprecedented hailstorm actually pummeled the property of the polytheistic Egyptians. This plague was the seventh of the ten plagues visited upon the Egyptians and their obstinate Pharaoh.

Exodus 9:20-21 says this: “Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses; but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field.”

Everything hinged on how the servants of Pharaoh responded to the word of the LORD. Did they fear the word of the LORD or not? Did they consider the word of the LORD credible or not? Were they humble enough to accept what they heard and act upon it? Some of them were, some were not.

Consider that. Put yourself in their sandals. It is sobering.

Enough said? I could end this blog post right here. If I say nothing more, I have given you enough to consider for today. But I want to connect this to my over-arching objective. If you have followed my previous posts, you know I have one over-arching objective, which is to interpret the timely and pertinent Book of Revelation.

Do you remember the character Mr. Miyagi from the movie Karate Kid? The movie came out when I was a teenager. Karate was a popular martial-art back in the 80s. Near the beginning of the movie, a would-be martial arts student played by Ralph Macchio asks Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate. Mr. Miyagi agrees, but first asks his eager teenage student to paint his fence and wax his car. Mr. Miyagi insists that Ralph paint his fence in a very exact and somewhat strange way, using a particular up-down vertical form. Mr. Miyagi also insisted that Ralph wax his car in a very exact and somewhat strange way, using a particular clockwise/counter-clockwise circular form. What Mr. Miyagi did not explain up front was that Ralph would actually be learning karate moves by painting as instructed and by waxing as instructed. Ralph was learning proper karate techniques without even realizing it. Painting a particular way was a karate technique. Waxing a particular way was another karate technique. Ralph nearly gave in to impatience and gave up on Mr. Miyagi before everything was explained. There was a method to Mr. Miyagi’s madness.

There is a method to my historical madness. Through many of the historical accounts I portray, I am walking my readers or listeners through the events that I believe are subtly referenced in the Book of Revelation. Sometimes I talk about other historical events, simply because I enjoy doing so; I was a history major, after all. But more often than not, I focus on the events to which the Book of Revelation refers or alludes. The seventh plague on Egypt is one such allusion. In context of the whole plague-filled chapter, Revelation 8:7 seems to subtly point back to the hailstorm of Exodus chapter nine. If so, why? Why does Revelation 8:7 point back to seventh plague on Egypt? I want to suggest that the answer may have something to do with how someone hears and responds to the word of the LORD. Does that person fear and heed the word of the LORD? Or does that person scoff at the word of the LORD and reject it?

If my reading is right, then the hail represents the judgment of God. Those who heed the word of the LORD are protected when judgment passes through. Those who do not heed the word of the LORD are pummeled and suffer loss.

Take heed to the weather forecast. Take heed to the word of the LORD.

Deviant Preachers

Thursday, June 10th, 2020

Deviant Preachers, Audio Version

In the event of an emergency, preachers may deviate from a previously intended message. Sometimes they set aside whatever they had originally planned to say, and instead will speak to their audience about the event or occasion that preoccupies everyone. To make such an adjustment in subject is usually a prudent move, if done well. That is because an emergency can prove to be a gift in disguise. An emergency gives a preacher a unique opportunity to really, truly be heard. In such moments, the preacher can say something particularly poignant, forever memorable, and especially impactful. The preacher’s message might even challenge a listener’s perspective or long-held position. People are particularly open and unusually attentive during and immediately after an emergency. They are looking for meaning, guidance, and hope. Thus the preacher’s words pack more punch during an emergency.

At the very least, then, an emergency holds redemptive potential. Timely words can turn a seemingly-bleak situation into something transformative. Minds and lives can be dramatically altered, perhaps even permanently. Souls may even be saved. And that is probably the best possible outcome. We do well to pray that salvation emerges out of emergencies.

At their worst, emergencies merely wreck havoc. There is no upside, no silver lining. They bring destruction, devastation, death, and nothing else. Some emergencies are wholly destructive. If a what-might-have-been moment does come, it comes ever-so briefly, is overlooked or even scorned, and then slips into oblivion. Instead of any change for the better, the emergency just brings devastation. Towers topple. Things disintegrate into ash. Children are orphaned.

No, I am not merely thinking about our current national crisis. Of course, I do mean that; but I have other historical emergencies in mind, as well. I am also referring to a couple of biblical emergencies, one in Ancient Egypt, the other in first century Judea.

The last two weekends have given our preachers an opportunity. Since the arrest and slow, open-air strangling of George Floyd, the country has been on edge. Many people are angry, frustrated. Street protests are frequent. Cities brace for yet more disturbances, riots, and vandalism. Our preachers witness all the unrest and recognize the need for wise and timely words. Something needs to be said. People are looking for meaning, guidance, and hope.

But what exactly should the preacher say? What does the occasion call for? What does God want people to hear in the midst of the tumult today? The audience awaits. What will the message be? What is the Spirit saying to the churches?

What are you saying, Lord?

Like everyone else who aspires to preach and proclaim the word of the Lord, I have been asking that question. I hope to faithfully discern and convey what the Spirit is saying to us.

Coincidence always intrigues me. On the assumption that God is truly sovereign over historical events, including exactly when they occur, I will not immediately dismiss a clear coincidence as insignificant or irrelevant. Therefore, I wonder if and suggest that we should take a cue from the Church calendar. A clear calendar coincidence occurred. All the recent civil unrest first erupted on Pentecost eve. The pandemonium amidst a pandemic coincided with Pentecost. We might ask what that may portend or mean. Does the coincidence have any significance?

The original Pentecost Sunday morning sermon was also a fiery occasion. At least, it followed immediately on the heels of a fiery supernatural display. The Spirit descended and dispersed as fire. In Scripture, fire often symbolizes the fearsome holiness of God. God’s Spirit is holy.

Under the inspiration of the fiery Holy Spirit, Peter, the former coward, stood up in front of a potentially hostile crowd and preached an accusatory, “turn-or-burn” sermon. Weeks before Peter had cravenly denied any association with Jesus. But everything changed that morning. The fiery Promised Holy Spirit descended, entered, and emboldened Peter. Now the former coward fearlessly proclaimed the name of Jesus to the very people who had crucified Jesus only fifty two days earlier. The fiery Promised Holy Spirit came and changed everything.

“Therefore, let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” That is Acts 2:36, and the climatic conclusion of Peter’s Pentecost sermon. His message shook and scared the crowd. Many of them repented.

Here is my paraphrase of the conclusion to Peter’s sermon: Therefore, know exactly who it is whom you just crucified. Yes, you all messed up badly. Yes, you do find yourselves in a very precarious position. Yes, you better admit your personal guilt. It is indeed your only hope.

The point of Pentecost and a primary purpose of the Promised Spirit is proclamation. The Holy Spirit was given then and is given now to make ready preachers out of each and any of us. Like the disciples back then, we are supposed to seek the Spirit’s empowerment, guidance, and inspiration so that we can boldly proclaim the name of Jesus to those in need. And among the needy are those who have an urgent need to face the guilt of their sin and submit to Jesus as Lord. In fact, the greatest need anyone has is the need for salvation through Christ Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

So what is the Spirit saying to you today? To whom should you preach?

In our next episode of the Dekrakenator Daily, I will take you back to Egypt at the time of the Exodus, because somehow all this has something to do with the Book of Revelation. Please stay tuned.

A Peculiar Person

Saturday, June 6th, 2020

A Peculiar Person, Audio Version

In Acts 1:15, Luke mentions that about 120 disciples were gathered in Jerusalem. They were waiting for what was to come. Before he left, Jesus had given them clear instructions. He had told them to say put in Jerusalem and wait for it. Stay and wait. Wait for the capital-P promise. Wait for the Promise to arrive. So they stayed. And they waited. They waited for days and days. They waited patiently for the Promise. Like children eager for Christmas morning, they waited until the Day of Pentecost for the Promise.

On the morning of Pentecost the Promise arrived, in person. A person arrived dramatically that morning, the Promised Person. The Promise was and is a person. The Promise is a particular person, but a person unlike any other you’ve ever encountered. The Promise is a peculiar person.

Okay, I have to get a bit technical here. Hang in there, please. Person can potentially be a misperceived at this point. It can possibly be a misleading pointer. Given your probable preconceptions, the word person could be perplexing. But it is the proper word, nonetheless. It is the word I have to use. The Promise is definitely a person, but is not a human being. The Promise is a person because he is truly an individual entity. He is himself. He is a living, identifiable entity. He has personal integrity. He is a cognizant, relational, identifiable, unique, and peculiar person. But he is not a human being.

As we talk about the Promise, we have to be careful to explain what we mean, even in the use of common words. I need explain what I mean by it and he here. Rather than the pronoun it, I use the pronoun he because I need you to understand that the Promise is actually a person. He is a person, as opposed to an energy field or impersonal force. The English language poses a problem here, though, because it offers us only two gender specific pronouns. The Promise-person really should not be assigned a gender, because “he” has no gender. Some other languages do have pronouns that are not gender specific. It would be easier to meaningfully talk about a genderless person using a pronoun from those languages. But since I am using English here, I will stick with the pronoun he, just to impress the concept of personhood. He is a person.

Yes, I agree. It can be quite confusing to talk about a non-human, non-gendered entity. I readily admit that. What kind of person is this? What kind of entity is this? Is he some kind an extra-terrestrial? Am I talking about ET? Do I need to phone home?

Well, yes, he is an extra-terrestrial. But no, he is not an outer space alien. Yes, he does come from way beyond. But no, he does not travel in a flying saucer. He does not need an exterior mode of transportation. He is able just to arrive and depart on will, wherever and anywhere.

Unlike other persons, this Promise-person is not contained spatially to a body. This Promise-person can repeatedly divide himself, without any damage done, and without any loss of integrity, potency, or personality. Somewhat like water, he can fragment and disperse himself. He can also re-condense himself. He can contract, expand, disperse, and regather at will. He is person, but a peculiar person without a body. He is just not limited, in terms of space and dimension — unless he voluntarily chooses to be limited.

Since these spatial characteristics are so freakishly beyond our usual categories of what it means to be a person, we have no choice but to resort to analogies. If we wish to talk meaningfully about him, we have to use analogies. We must say he is like this thing or like that. Like, like, like — we will use a lots of likes. For example, the Promise is somewhat like water. And the Promise is a lot like fire. We necessarily resort to symbols and analogies when we talk about him. We have no choice but to do so. He is just so peculiar, so different. He is a much different person than us. He is different than what is normal and natural to us. He is a peculiar person. He is incomparable; but we have to use comparisons. He is an incomparable, peculiar, supernatural person. In fact, he’s God.

The fact that we necessarily use symbols to talk about the Promise will be important to keep in mind when I return to my direct discussion of symbolism in the Book of Revelation. Fire is the most frequent symbol for the Promised Holy Spirit in the Book of Revelation. Remember that.

As implied previously, the Promise simply has no physical limitations. He can pass through any physical barrier. He can limit himself to physical space, if he chooses. He can confine himself, disperse himself, concentrate himself, retract himself, expand himself. He can and does operate within physical dimensions. But they pose no problem to him. He is not limited by any physical barrier. This has huge implications for us as Christians.

The Promise voluntarily confines himself to willing human beings. He indwells individuals. If a human being recognizes the truth about who Jesus is, and submits to Jesus’ authority, the Promise takes up residence within him or her. The Promise indwells the Christian. The Christian thereby becomes a temple of sorts. A temple of the Holy Spirit. A supernatural entity dwells here within.

As strange as all this may sound, it is very real. And it is powerful. The same entity— the same Spirit — that raised Christ from the dead indwells you and hangs out within you, 24/7. Consider the implications. Consider the possibilities. Consider both the implications and possibilities, for there are many.

On the condition of your recognition of and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a limitless source of life-giving power available to you, all the time — through the rest of your mortal life, and beyond. Much of the New Testament serves as a users’ handbook for accessing and maximizing the Promise’s power. If you wish to make full use of your resident Promise and his power, go familiarize yourself personally with the handbook, and also join a group of people who are committed to the same. And then go make use of the Promise.