Revelation 22

22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life – water as clear as crystal – pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

The New Jerusalem will contain a river that winds throughout the city.

22:2 flowing down the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

The tree of life was originally in the Garden of Eden. However, after Adam and Eve sinned and fell, they were forbidden to enter the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden was later destroyed by the Noahic Flood.

The tree of life will be reestablished during the Eternal Order. It will be very different from the trees of today's dispensation, as it will produce twelve different fruits, one different fruit for each month of the year. Notice that there will be some measure of time in eternity. It is possible that the tree of life, instead of the sun or moon, might dictate the measure of time.

The leaves will be for the healings of the nations. There will be no disease or sickness during eternity. God will choose the means on how this world of no sickness and disease will occur. His choice of method is by eating from this tree of life.

The Greek word for "nations" is ἔθνος (ethos), which means Gentiles. There still will be a distinction between Jews and Gentiles during the Eternal Order.

22:3 And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him,

There will be no more curse in eternity. The curse, sin, and death still occurred in the Millennial Kingdom. Satan was able to convince many nations to join him and fight against Christ at the end of the Kingdom age.

God will live in the New Jerusalem with His people. There will no longer be a heaven and earth that separates God from man.

22:4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

The citizens of the New Jerusalem will see the face of God and not die. The name of God will be sealed upon their foreheads. This means that these citizens belong to God.

22:5 Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.

There will be no nighttime in the Eternal Order. There will be no need for the sun or moon, because the Shekinah Glory's light will reflect off of the precious stones of the city. The Eternal Order will continue into eternity.

Besides these passages in Revelation 21-22, there is little other revelation given about the Eternal Order. There are some hints given in some other New Testament passages.

Eternity will be living a life of fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 13). There will be a life of rest (Revelation 14). There will be a life of full knowledge. However, this will be a fullness of creature knowledge, not deity knowledge. If a creature possessed deity knowledge, then he would be omniscient and equal to God.

Believers will receive instruction during the eternal order. They will be able to understand how all things work out for good for those who love God (Romans 8). They may not be able to understand the many events that have happened in their life when they possessed limited knowledge on earth, but they will be able to recognize the purpose of all things during eternity.

The believer will live a life of holiness (Revelation 21). The believer will live a life of joy (Revelation 21). The believer will live a life of service (Revelations 22). The believer will live a life of abundance (Revelation 21). The believer will live a life of glory (2 Corinthians 2:4). The believer will live a life of worship (Revelation 19).

A Final Reminder

22:6 Then the angel said to me, “These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.”

Verses 6-21 record the conclusion of this book. God authenticated that this message given by John is reliable and true. God raised up prophets to teach and record these events to the people throughout history. God sent an angel to John to show him the events of the future.

22:7 (Look! I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.)

God again offered a special blessing to those who study this book and keep it. It is wrong for churches to forbid the teaching of this book in their church. They are keeping their congregation from the opportunity of receiving a direct blessing from God.

22:8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them, I threw myself down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me.

The angel authenticated that John wrote down accurately all of the words of this vision. John attempted to worship the angel.

22:9 But he said to me, “Do not do this! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey the words of this book. Worship God!”

This angel from God would not allow John to worship him. Satan is a created angel who demands that others worship him. The angels of God were often worshipped by humans, but these good angels forbid others to do so.

22:10 Then he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this book, because the time is near.

John will now receive six declarations. The first declaration was that he is not to seal up the contents of this book. People are to study it. Churches are not to forbid its teaching. This is the very opposite of what the angel told Daniel. Daniel was told to seal the book, because it would not have been understood in Daniel's day. It could not be understood until John revealed the contents of this book. After the Book of Revelation was written, the Book of Daniel can be comprehended.

22:11 The evildoer must continue to do evil, and the one who is morally filthy must continue to be filthy. The one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy.”

The second declaration is that until Christ returns, evil men will commit evil deeds and righteous men will commit righteous deeds. One can tell them by their fruits.

22:12 (Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done!

The third declaration is that the Lord will be returning soon with rewards. He will return at the Rapture to reward the believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ. He will return at the Second Coming to reward the unbelievers with eternal punishment.

22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!)

The fourth declaration is that the Lord Jesus Christ possesses the same name as Jehovah. He is the Alpha and Omega, just as Jehovah is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the first and the last, just as Jehovah is the first and the last. He is the beginning and the end, just as Jehovah is the beginning and the end. Jesus has already fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies of His first coming. He will also fulfill all of the prophecies of His second coming.

22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates.

The fifth declaration is that there will be a special blessing for all of those who are redeemed.

22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood!

The sixth declaration is that outside of the City of Jerusalem, there will be a Lake of Fire which will detain all of the Christ-rejecters who wish to harm and kill all of the saints of God.

The Greek word for "dogs" is κύων (known), meaning a spiritual scavenger who feeds on others. They will not be around in eternity.

The Greek word for "sorcerers" is φάρμακος (pharmakos), which is the origin of the English word pharmacy. Sorcerers are those who use drugs to contact demons in the spiritual world. When one is under the influence of drugs, then he does not have total control of his mind. When the addict is in this state, it is easier for demons to influence or control him. Most of the young people of today have no idea that they are getting involved in the occult when they take their first drag.

The Greek word for "sexually immoral" is πόρνος (pornos), meaning a male-prostitute. There will be no homosexuals, lesbians, fornicators, adulterers, pedophiles, or those who have sex with animals in eternity.

The Greek word for "murderers" is φονεύς (phones), meaning those who commit unjustified and planned homicide. Liberals like to use this verse to condemn war, but the Greek does not warrant their interpretation. There will be no homicides during eternity. There will be no need for policeman, because crime will not exist.

The Greek word for "idolaters" is εἰδωλολάτρης (eidolalatrais), meaning those who worship an image. Those who do not know God will worship the creation rather than the Creator. There will be no false cults and isms around during eternity.

The Greek word for "falsehood" is ψεῦδος (pseudos), meaning false religions. There will be no false religions taught during eternity.

22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!”

Jesus sent the angel to bring this vision to John. Jesus is the descendant of David, meaning that He will continue the eternal dynasty that was promised to David in 2 Samuel 7. Jesus is the bright and morning star, a name that Lucifer attempted to steal for himself.

22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge.

The Holy Spirit and the church offer an invitation to the world. They ask all of the individuals living in the world to dwell in the New Jerusalem forever. If they are thirsty for God, then they can drink from the water of life free of charge.

Notice that the Holy Spirit calls the elect but the church takes the message to the elect. God uses the foolishness of preaching the gospel in order to bring other believers into the Kingdom of God. The foolishness of God is better than the wisdom of man.

22:18 I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

The Lord Jesus Christ issued a warning to all who hear the words of this book. If anyone adds to the Book of Revelation, then he will lose his eternal life. Cults, isms, and charismatics add to the Word of God.

22:19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

If anyone takes away from the Book of Revelation, then he will lose his eternal life. Liberals take away from the Word of God.

The cults, isms, and liberals add and take away from this book, because they do not believe all of the words in this book. Therefore, as unbelievers, they will burn in the Lake of Fire forever.

22:20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

This is the last audible statement of Jesus to the church. He will not speak to the church again until He speaks with a loud shout at the Rapture.

22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

The Bible ends with the grace of the Lord Jesus. No one would even know Jesus if it was not for His grace. Therefore, believers should study the Word of God at the deepest level until He returns. There is nothing more important than studying and applying Bible doctrine. It is the only way to learn the mind of Christ. Therefore, believers should make everything else in their life secondary. The primary goal of very believer should be to know the mind of God at the deepest level.

In conclusion, know God and make Him known!

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Appendix

Church History

1. Church history must be studied from divine viewpoint.

2. Before studying church history, divine viewpoint from Genesis-Revelation must be mastered hermeneutically and at the deepest level from the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek).

3. To understand church history, pagan world history must be mastered from a biblical point of view.

4. According to the Hebrew waw-disjunction in Genesis 1:2, the age of the earth cannot be determined.

5. Many of the secular timing devices are inaccurate.

Abortion

When does life begin?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Contrary to the depraved and evil opinion of human abortionists who murder innocent babies for profit, Jeremiah was known by God before he was conceived in the womb. Jeremiah was even formed by God in the womb, meaning that the human embryo is fully human at the moment of conception.

What does the Bible say about abortion?

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1:41)

The Bible, not man or pope or religious leader or any other religous book, is our final authority. Therefore, when a man and woman have an illicit sexual affair, then it is a sin called fornification. When a man and woman have sex outside of marriage, then it is a sin called adultery. If one of these sinful couples decides to abort their baby, then it is a sin called murder. When a nation allows its citizens to commit fornification, adultery, and then to abort an innocent life because of their sin, then God will judge that nation.

America is so far from the Word of God that it actually believes that fornification, adultery, and abortion are good things, while pro-life is a bad thing. It is evil for liberal politicians to vote for the murder of innocents and to place Justices on the Supreme Court FOR LIFE who agree with their unbiblical view. Our country was formed on the foundation of one nation under God. We need to pray and elect god-fearing politicians who share this view.

Is this the kind of change that we want?

Abortion is murder. It is evil. It is an abomination to God.

A child is a gift from God. When a couple commits adultery, then it is evil for them to cover their sin by murdering their innocent child. Instead of killing the baby, the man should step up and become a husband and a father. The woman should do what is right and raise up the child in the way of the Lord.

It is arrogant for governmental leaders to call a baby a "mistake". It is evil for our leaders to support legislation that allows for murder of the innocent. The Bible, not our political leaders, is our final authority on this matter.

If a liberal President is elected, then he will place Supreme Court Justices on the court who share his view. These Supreme Court Justices will take away our liberties and continue to murder the innocent.

God judges nations and individuals for these kinds of abominations. It is time for America to repent, pray, and return to the Word of God.

Is this the kind of change that we want?

Age of Accountability

Will children be raptured?

"Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs." (Exodus 12:7)

Before the First Passover, the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians. Yahweh commanded the people to place blood on the "sides and the tops of the doorframes." Now let's look at the picture that Yahweh painted for us.

The children enslaved by Egypt is a picture of the believer being ensnared by the sin of the world (Pharaoh = Satan). The blood of the Lamb represents Christ as the Deliverer from sin. Notice that there was only one door, just as there is only one way to God. Notice also that the blood of the Lamb on "the sides of the doorframes "was placed exactly where the nails drove through the hands of Christ. Also notice that the blood on the "tops of the doorframe" was placed exactly where the crown of thorns tore through the head of Christ.

The mother and father understood that they were saved from the death angel by "the blood of the Lamb." But what about children who were to young too understand these things? Were they saved?

The answer is YES. The children ate the Passover supper, went through a teaching on the meaning of the ritual, and they were all saved even if they could not understand the extended meaning of the ritual.

This historical incident shows that Yahweh has a plan for children, and they will not be left behind at the Rapture.

Is "Make love, not war" biblical?

"Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one." (Numbers 1:2)

During the Exodus, the Israelites did not have to fight. Yahweh did all of the fighting for them via the ten plagues. But after the Exodus, Yahweh commanded them to take a census and form an army.

Here the critic yells "unfair, why worship such a bloody God of war!" However, the critic does not understand that the Israelites were entering a hostile pagan world full of violence and sin. The tribes of this world were evil and sinful, and they practiced satanic religious cults of violence and sexual pleasure. Smaller tribes were engulfed by larger tribes. Women were raped, children were sacrificed to demonic gods, and men were enslaved to menial labor—a fate worse than death. The Israelites would be the next victims unless they were able to defend themselves.

Like it or not, we all live in a dangerous satanic world system. Man chose sin and now we must reap the results. Sin has marred this world, causing evil men to exploit others in the name of the almighty dollar.

At the end of His ministry, Jesus said, "If you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." You see, Christ was about to leave this earth. He knew the evil character of man.

Since the Hippie movement of the sixties, men have been saying "make love, not war." However, because of sin, man will never see this day until Christ returns his Second time to set up His Millennial Kingdom. Until then, we should carry the sword of God, because the dangers of the world may engulf us at any time. Always turn to the Lord when in need!

What is the age of accountability?

"You and Aaron are to number by their divisions all the men in Israel twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army." (Numbers 1:3)

How old is the age of accountability? The Bible is silent on the matter, but it does give us several insights.

For example, when Yahweh commanded the Israelites to form a census for an army, the cutoff age for "men" was twenty years old. A Levite had to be 25 to serve in the tabernacle (Numbers 8:24-25) and "thirty to fifty years old" to serve as a priest (Numbers 4). When the Israelites were cut off from entering the Promised land for UNBELIEF, the cutoff age was twenty. All older than 20 died, but those less than twenty entered into the Promised Land. (Numbers 14:29)

Does that mean the age of accountability is 20? 25? Maybe even 30? We do not know exactly, but by God's grace, it is probably much more older than we think and different for each person, depending upon his maturity level. The point is that we should instruct our children to come to the Lord as early as possible.

How old were the children who entered the Promised Land?

"And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad--they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it." (Deuteronomy 1:39)

Before the new generation of Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses gave them a history lesson of their forty-year walk through the wilderness. This "history lesson" was given verse by verse in Deuteronomy. In fact, it is the Book of Deuteronomy.

At Kadesh-Barnea, the older generation told God that they did not want to enter the Promised Land, because they feared for their children's safety. Of course, they were really fearing for their own lives and insulting God's ability to take care of them.

God's answer was that all of the parents would die, but all of the CHILDREN would enter, and in fact this is exactly what happened. The age of the children was "less than twenty." Notice that these children "do not yet know good from bad."

In a world where there is a rush for children to grow up, we must remember God's example and give them time to learn and grow, and as adults mature within God's word too.

How old was Samuel?

"Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him." (1 Samuel 3:7)

How old was Samuel? In verse one, it says that he was a "child". In the first century A.D., the Jewish historian Josephus recorded that Samuel was twelve years old. Other theologians suggest that he was probably a teenager or even a young man.

Notice that Samuel did not know Yahweh, but Yahweh knew him and called him. What was the age of accountability for Samuel? Whatever it was, Samuel had reached it for himself and Yahweh called him.

There is a time that God will call. Will you answer when He knocks upon your door?

Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them fromcoming to me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."(Matthew 19:13) He also said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

What happens to children when they die?

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:10)

Since the beginning of sin and up to the time of the Roman world, children were treated like chattel. They were exploited for pleasure and profit. At seven years old, Spartans trained their children to become murderous warriors. Boys were not allowed to eat until they had won a wrestling match. As teenagers, beautiful girls were sent to serve in prostitution temples while teenage boys were used as sexual playmates for older men. Rome copied these Spartan principles, and created legions of young soldiers to help them control the rest of the Mediterranean world.

However, a Jewish Carpenter stepped into this darkest time of history and changed the status of children. As God of the universe, Jesus informed the world that heaven was full of children and their spirits "always see the face of my Father in heaven."

Since then, the teachings of Christ has persuaded many to stamp out child exploitation. Children orphanages, hospitals, child abuse centers, etc. originated from these teachings.

However, the important spiritual truth that Jesus confirmed is that children have an eternal soul, kept with Christ before the age of accountability. When they die, they belong to Christ and thus have a place in Heaven.

How has the world been selling its children's blood for profit?

When children were brought to Jesus, he said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:13)

Many historians assert that there have been more children that have died before the age of nine than all of the rest of the world's population that has ever lived. If we expand this age to twenty, then heaven is full of children who have died from early childbirths, diseases, wars, and many other tragedies.

Throughout world history, culture after culture has refused to train their children in the way of the Lord. The result has been a 6000- year-old series of violent wars where young people were drafted and sent to die on battlefields. Even more distressing is the fact that many wars were fought over the greed and profit of a select few, and thus many causalities were in vain.

An example of this happened during the Middle Ages, as European countries drafted their youth to fight for the Pope. Reformation leader Ulrich Zwingli commented that Switzerland "was selling their young men's blood for profit."

Although greedy man has failed to teach his children the way of God, and even though man has created various evil systems of war for profit, God still finds a way to bring his children home. Indeed, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children such as these.

What if someone has lost a child?

He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). (Mark 5:41)

During his lifetime on earth, Jesus proved that he was God by raising three people from the dead. He raised the old man Lazarus, the young man of the widow's son at Nain, and then he raised a little girl.

It is important to note that the little girl probably died before the age of accountability. By this resurrection, Jesus showed the Roman world and all of the readers afterward that there is a resurrection for children.

He spoke the words to her, "Little Lamb, Wake up!" If you've lost a little one, then please know that they are in a better place than us and we will see them again!

Why did God send bears to attack and maul children?

"He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths." (2 Kings 2:24)

Elijah was being challenged by the street gangs of a large satanic cult. He was outnumbered (forty-two to one) and his only weapon was his faith in the Lord. If the cult gangs won, then God's only mouthpiece to the people would be silenced. God could raise another prophet, but the cult gangs would just come after each prophet again and again.

Yahweh answered the prayer of his messenger, as He sent two bears to maul the street gang. Skeptics like to call "unfair" at this point, but was Yahweh unfair?

Does God send babies to hell?

A skeptic writes:

I'm going to play devil's advocate here for a second. I have Christian FUN friends who have tried to explain it to me. The idea is God is perfectly holy and being perfectly holy he is inherently absolutely just, therefore ANY sin must be punished or he wouldn't be just anymore...If he let little things go then it doesn't work. Then Jesus died blah blah blah and now if you accept Jesus then you can still go to heaven. It also says that, even young (very young) are not excluded because of the original sin theory. I really don't like that idea because if a baby is killed it will go to hell because of original sin and because it hasn't accepted Jesus yet.

Dr. Foster answers:

Sometimes skeptics unfairly accuse God of sending babies to hell. David cleared up this question for us after the death of his baby. He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he has died; why should I fast?Can I bring him back again? I SHALL GO TO HIM, but he will not return to me." (2 Samuel 12:22-23)

It also seems that God has an "age of accountability" for children in the Bible. Although we cannot be dogmatic about the exact age, it does seem that the age is around 20 years of age, since God valued men as "a male between twenty years even to sixty years old." (Leviticus 27:3) God also did not permit teenagers to go to war, counting only males "from twenty years old and upward." (Numbers 1:3)

Not to be grim, but if you look at the earth today, it is simply one big graveyard full of people who have died throughout history. Some historians assert that more children have died before the age of nine years old than all of the others who have ever lived.

The pre-flood people hated God, and their entire godless culture refused to evangelize their children. Instead, they replaced "knowledge of God" with violence, sexual immorality, and the occult. This meant that the children would grow into adults without knowledge of God, and they in turn would keep spinning the same vicious cycle into the next generation of children. God drowned this entire godless civilization, but in the process, He saved the children's eternal soul.

All of the nations after the Tower of Babel did the same. Their pagan rituals set up prostitution temples where they worshipped Venus, Aphrodite, and Astarte. These were not goddesses of love, but goddesses of sex. Men would keep three or four wives to run the house, but their worship became a sexual ritual with the vestal virgins, which were nothing but prostitutes. The Egyptians, the Caanites, and all the other tribes all over the earth did the same. They worshipped through the sexual rituals, and they sacrificed the blood of their children to demonic gods, all in the worship of sex.

Is our world today any different? Not really. We too are killing our children through abortion for the benefits of sex, pleasure, and profit. Maybe since we are getting away from the Word of God, this is the only way that God can save our children eternally?

American History

How is America being destroyed?

"My people are being destroyed for a lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)

What was true for Israel has application for America today.

It is interesting to note that liberals are now the bigots of our modern day anti-biblical society. They ask for toleration, but they are only tolerant as long as their view is the only one being taught. For example, liberals have already censored the conservative teaching of the Bible, creation, abortion, and even the truth of history in our schools.

Education is supposed to be the seeking of truth and knowledge. However, the liberals have transformed education into a propoganda machine to expouse their belief systems. In the America that our founding fathers set up, there was freedom of speech in all sectors of life, especially in the area of education.

Debates between evolutionists and creationists, protestants and catholics, atheists and religionists, democrats and republicans, etc. should be welcomed in our education system, and not censored. Let all groups have the freedom of speech to bring their best arguments to the table, and then let the students research and decide for themselves what is the truth and what is the lie. Let students debate and express their view, just as we are doing now on this website.

Free speech in America is being censored, but America is so asleep, that she does not even know that her liberties are slowly eroding away. Very soon, the weeds of liberalism will choke out this nation,

and we will find ourselves in a socialist country similar to that of the old Soviet Union. The socialists of Russia did indeed spread the wealth around, and everybody was equally poor, except for the leaders

in Moscow, of course!

Americans want change, so Animal Farm is coming to America. This book was censored in Russia, just as the Bible and free speech are being censored in our public schools today. Wake up, America, and return to the Word of God! What is a soft dictatorship today may become Big Brother tomorrow!

New Year's Resolution

Many people often neglect the setting of spiritual goals when making their new years resolutions. Here are some good new years resolutions for the upcoming year. (from easy to challenging)

1. Start each day with the Lord by prayer and BIble study.

2. Read a one year study Bible or read 4 chapters of the Bible each day and finish in a year. 2 Old Tstament chapters, 1 New Testament chapter, and 1 chapter of Psalms/Proverbs will finish you in about a year. It takes about 10-15 minutes per day, depending upon your reading skill.

3. Read an apologetics book. My favorites are:

1. Why I Believe (James Kennedy)

2. More than a Carpenter (Josh McDowell)

3. Evidence that Demands a Verdict (Josh McDowell)

3. Read four chapters of a commentary per day and finish in a year. My favorites (in order) are:

1. Thru the Bible (J. Vernon McGee)

2. Defender's Study Bible (Henry Morris)

3. Annotated Study Bible (Arno Gaebelin)

4. Bible Knowledge Commentary (Edited by John Walvoord)

5. Unger's Bible Commentary (Merril Unger)

6. Wilmington's Guide to the Bible (Harold Wilmington)

4. Read a theological book. My favorites are:

1. Footsteps of the Messih (Arnold Fructenbaum)

2. Israelology (Arnold Fruchtenbaum)

3. The Book of Genesis (Arnold Fruchtenbuam)

4. The Genesis Record (Henry Morris)

5. Dispensational Theology (Clarence Larkin)

6. Systematic Theology (Lewis Sperry Chafer)

5. Read Biblical novels to get a feel of the times. My favorites are:

1. Quo Vadis (Harold Steinwitcz)

2. Magdalene (Ellen Gunderson Traylor)

3. Rahab (Gloria Howe Bremkamp)

4. Abraham (Ellen Gunderson Traylor)

5. Hagar (Lois Henderson)

6. Luke (Ellen Gunderson Traylor)

5. Memorize a book of the BIble by memorizing one or two verses a day.

6. Enroll in seminary classes.

7. Learn Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.

July 4

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay,and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year, he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble rousing ruffians. They were soft- spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.

Standing talk straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary war. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July Holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: Freedom is never free!

A Letter to England

The Declaration of Independance was actually a letter to England from Puritans who had left England to practice their religion in the 13 American colonies. It was originally written on July 4, 1776. If it was written today, it would most likely sound something like this:

Dear England,

We left your shores because we needed to practice our own religion. We do not believe that the English King is the head of church and state. That honor belongs to no king or pope, but only to Jesus Christ alone. The Bible, not the king or pope, is our final authority.

We believe that the Bible should be translated into English so that everyone can read it for themselves. At one time in our history, your laws were burning our forefathers for teaching our children the Lord's prayer in English. Your laws also burnt William Tyndale at the stake simply because he wanted to translate the Greek Bible into English so that everyone, even the poorest plough-boy, could read it.

We want to set up public schools where we can teach our chldren to read the Bible for themselves. With this knowledge, we can create a Christian government based upon biblical concepts in order to run our nation with honor and integrity.

We tried to purify the Church of England, but we were persecuted for our efforts. Many of our forefathers lost their lives, their freedom, and their property for their sincere and gallant afforts. We were forced to move across the ocean into a new land with hostile Indians. Now, many of these "hostile Indians" have become not only our "brothers in Christ", but our friends as well!

We know that you are a mighty imperialist nation supported by colonies all over the world. You could crush us easily, unless God prohibits you from doing so. However, we do not believe that a small family living on a small island all the way across the ocean should be telling us what to do, how to worship, how to pray, and this family should not tax our property without giving us any say in the government.

For this reason, all of the people of the 13 colonies are banning together in the name of Jesus Christ, and we are declaring ourselves to be independent from Great Britain, in order to set up a nation built upon Christian concepts, consisting of all Christian denominations, but ruled by no one denomination. This separation of church and state hopefully will allow all Christian (and only Christian) denominations to practice freely in America without government interference.

We pray that Jesus Christ will protect us from your wrath,

Signed this 4th day of July, 1776,

The People of the United States of America

Apologetics

Have you read the #1 best selling book?

God's Word to man!

Did you know that the Bible is the #1 best selling book of all time, but it is the least read? Many people accept the gospel of Hollywood, the gospel of the media, the gospel of macro-evolution, the gospel of false religion, or the gospel of materialism, but they reject the Bible, even though they have seldom or never even read it. Hasn't history taught us that ignorance of the Bible has destroyed many nations and individuals? (Hoses 4:6) If Jesus Christ, the God who became man (John 1:1, 16), the One who was resurrected from the dead to prove his deity (1 Corinthians 1:18), the one who claims that He is the only way to salvation (John 14:6), if He claimed the Bible to be all truth (Matthew 5:18), then shouldn't we believe Him instead of some other finite, sinful man who comes around 2000 years later and thinks that he knows more than Jesus? (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

Let's take a look at this book that the skeptics have rejected? It was written over a 1500 year time period, by over 40 different authors, on three different continents, and in three different languages. It has no mistakes or contradictions. It contains over 2000 prophecies that have been fulfilled without error, and it gives only one message. (John 5:39)

There are no inerrant prophecies (Deuteronomy 18:22) in the writings of Buddha, Confucius, Lao-tse, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, the Vedas, the Book of Mormon, or any other religious or secular book in the world. (Isaiah 46:9-10) All religions also attack the deity of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12) and teach a salvation by works. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Amazing Bible Prophecies!

Before Israel even became a nation, Moses predicted that Israel would become a great nation, would rebel against God, and would be scattered over the ENTIRE earth, and be brought back into the land before the second coming of their Messiah. (Deu 28) In 1948, 3000 years later, it happened!

The Egyptians, Caanites, Phoenecians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Spainards, Turks, Germans, English, and the combined Arab world have tried to eliminate Israel, but the Bible prophesied that Israel would exist forever. (Jer 31:35-37)

The Bible predicted that Egypt (like Israel) would exist throughout history, but only as a very poor nation. All other Biblical nations have disappeared. (Exodus 29:1-2, 15)

The Bible prophesied that Tyre's (1) walls and towers would be destroyed, (2) her stones and timbers would be thrown into the sea, (3) her foundation would be scraped clean, (4) she would never be rebuilt, and (5) that fishermen would place their nets upon her. These prophecies were fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city by tearing down the walls and towers. The city was then rebuilt on an island to escape any future enemy sieges. Alexander the Great came 250 years later, and scraped the original foundations clean of stones and timbers. He threw the debris into the water to form a bridge. His army crossed the bridge, destroyed the city, and it has never been rebuilt to this day. Today, the original foundation of the city is a bare rock where fishermen lay their nets. (Ezekiel 26:4-14)

The Bible also predicted that Babylon would not be rebuilt until the latter days. Alexander the Great conquered the existing world by the age of 33 years old, but he died of a fever in 333 B.C., after he attempted to rebuild the city of Babylon. Saddam Hussein also tried to rebuild Babylon, and a one world United Nations army wiped out his country. (Jeremiah 51:58,62)

Daniel 2 and 7, also found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, predicted the four world powers to come.

Messianic Prophecies!

There are at least 300 prophecies that deal with Jesus as the Messiah, all written at least 400 years before He came. Liberal scholars denied these prophecies, claiming that the Bible record was inaccurate or that it could have been changed or rewritten. However, the Dead Sea Scrolls silenced the critics when a complete Book of ONE Isaiah (Matthew 15, Luke 4) was found without a single change or discrepancy! This amazing Book of Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would (1) be virgin born (7:14), (2) have a forerunner--John the Baptist (40:3-5), (3) be worshipped by wise men with gifts (60:3),(4) be called a Nazarene (11:1), (5) be filled with God's Spirit (11:2), (6) be a minister to the Gentiles (9:1-2; 42:1-3), (7) be a healer of multitudes (51:4), (8) speaks in parables (6:9-10), (9) His miracles would not be believed (53:10), (10) be rejected by His own nation (53:3), (11) be scourged and spit upon (50:6), (12) be crucified between two thieves (53:12), (13) be buried with the rich (53:9),and (14) be given the eternal throne of David. (9:6-7)

The Hebrew Old Testament and its prophecies were all written at least 400-1500 years before Jesus was born. Alexander the Great conquered the whole world in 332 B.C. He "hellenized" the entire known world into the Greek culture and language. Around 250 B.C., the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into the Greek language. The Hebrew Old Testament, and its Greek translation, the Septuagint, both contain over 300 prophecies of the Messiah. There is not a liberal scholar alive who can deny that these prophecies were not all written at least 250 years before Christ was born!

Many skeptics claim that these prophecies are not very "specific." However, these prophecies predicted the entire life and ministry of Jesus Christ--from His virgin birth to His resurrection. For example, they predicted that Christ would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) from the seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), at approximately the close of the sixty-nine sevens of years (Daniel 9:25). They prophesied that wise men would adore Him (Psalm 72:10), that all the infants in Bethlehem would be massacred (Jeremiah 31:15), and that baby Jesus would return to Egypt (Hosea 11:1). They foretold that He was to be introduced by a messenger--John the Baptist (Malachi 3:1), His ministry would be in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1), and that He was to be a worker of miracles (Isaiah 35:5). They predicted that He was to ride into Jerusalem on a colt (Zechariah 9:9), be rejected (Isaiah 53:3), be betrayed for the exact price of 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12), and the money was to be thrown into the potter's field. (Zechariah 11:13). He was to be beaten (Micah 5:1), spit upon and scourged (Isaiah 50:6), nailed to the cross (Psalm 22:16), mocked (Psalm 22:7-8), and given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21). They predicted His intercession for His murderers (Isaiah 53:12), yet he was to be patient and silent during His suffering (Isaiah 53:7). Psalm 22:1 predicted His exact words on the cross 400 years before crucifixion was even invented. Other predictions were that His garments would be parted and that soldiers would cast lots for them. (Psalm 22:18). He was to be numbered with his transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), to die (Isaiah 53:12), and His bones were not to be broken (Psalm 34:20). He was to be pierced in His side (Zechariah 12:10), to be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9), resurrected (Psalm 16:10), and to ascend (Psalm 68:18) to the right hand of God. (Psalm 110:1) to exercise His priestly office in heaven (Zechariah 6:13)

Science and the Bible!
Are Science and the Bible natural enemies? Let's find out.

Christopher Columbus discovered that the earth was round in 1492, but the Jewish prophet Isaiah recorded this fact 2500 years earlier. (Isaiah 40:22; Proverbs 8:27)

Astronomer Johannes Kepler counted 1005 stars in 1571 A.D., but Moses mentioned that the stars were innumerable and uncountable at least 3000 years earlier. (Genesis 22:17)

William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood in 1616, but Moses mentioned it 3000 years earlier. (Leviticus 17:11)

Geologist Alfred Wegner proposed the continental drift theory in 1912, but Moses mentioned it 3000 years earlier. (Genesis 1:9; 10:25)

Job mentioned the earth was suspended 3000 years before any scientist knew about gravity. (Job 26:7)

The science of hydrology has only been around for a few centuries, but Job mentioned it 3000 years ago. (Job 36:27-29)

A Hebrew Psalmist recorded the circular path of the sun throughout the Milky Way, a theory not discovered until this century. (Psalm 19)

Science still doesn't know what is holding the atom together, but the Bible does! (Hebrews 1; Colossians 1:17)

Everything in the universe is a tri-universe, or a trinity of trinities--(1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one God, but three divine personalities. (2) man consists of body, soul, and spirit, but is one being. (3) every unity in the universe consists of space (height x width x depth) x time (past x present x future) x matter (electrons x neutrons x electrons). Not 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, but 1 x 1 x 1 = 1. (4) All colors consist of the three primary colors--yellow (Father's holiness), red (Christ's blood), and blue (Spirit's truth), but together they equal one white light, which is Christ. (5) Each sound consists of pitch, frequency, and amplitude, but it makes one sound. (Galatians 1:1; John 5:18-19; Acts 5:4; 1 Timothy 2:5)

How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?

How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God? Simple. God loves us so much that He left His creation a test so that we could know, without a doubt, that the Bible is really the actual words of the Creator Himself.

God's test is prophecy. There are some people today who claim to have the gift of prophecy. However, they all make mistakes. Their prophecy does not come true every single time. God's standard for

prophecy is that if the message "does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken"(Deu 18:22). In other words, the Jewish prophets had to be correct 100% of the time or they were stoned for being a false prophet!

On the other hand, the Bible contains over 2000 written prophecies that have been fulfilled without error. These prophecies did not come from finite men, but "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:21). Also, only God can "make known the end from the beginning" Isa 46:9). No other religion in the world can make this claim. For example, there are no inerrant written prophecies in the writings of Buddha, Confucius, Lao-tse, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, the Vedas, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, or any other religious or secular book in the world. It is also interesting to note that all these writings also attack the deity of Christ and teach a salvation by works.

Is the Bible reliable?

Do you believe that Julius Caesar existed? How about Alexander the Great or Socrates? If you do, then you must also remember that there is more evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for any other historical event in ancient history. There are 27 different historical documents written by first century eyewitnesses who recorded that Jesus really died on the cross and actually rose bodily from the grave.

more manuscripts. It is not uncommon for great classics to survive on only a handful of manuscripts. According to the noted Manchester scholar, F.F. Bruce, we have about nine or ten good copies of Caesar's Gallic Wars, twenty copies of Livy's Roman History, two copies of Tacitus' Annals, eight copies of Thucydides' History. The most documented secular work from the ancient world is Homer's Iliad -- surviving on 643 manuscript copies. By contrast, there are over 5,366 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, most of which include the Gospels. The New Testament is the most highly documented book from the ancient world."

Dr. J. Harold Greenlee adds the fact that the quotations from the early Christians writers "are so extensive that the New Testament could virtually be constructed from them without the use of New Testament manuscripts." (Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 51)

Sir David Dalrymple gives even more detail, "Suppose that the New Testament had been destroyed, and every copy of it lost by the end of the third century, could it have been collected together again from the writings of the Fathers of the second and third centuries?

Look at those books. You remember the question about the New Testament and the Fathers? That questions roused my curiosity, and as I possessed all the existing works of the Fathers of the second and third centuries, I continued to search, and up to this time, I have found the entire New Testament, except for eleven verses." (Evidence That Demands a Verdict, p. 51)

In conclusion, if you doubt the historocity of the resurrection, then you would also have to doubt the history of every single event in ancient history. According to the documents of history, Jesus rose from the dead, and the speculations of modern johnny-come-lately skeptics cannot keep Him in His grave.

Is Christianity blind faith?

If a skeptic tells you that Christianity is blind faith without facts, then here are ten facts to disprove his claim.

The first fact is that Isaiah 53 was written 700 years before Christ esd born, it was translated in the Greek Septuagint in 280 B.C., it was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls and carbon-dated at 100 B.C., and it predicted that the Messiah would be rejected, pierced for the sins of Israel, killed, and resurrected.

The second fact is that there are 27 historical documents written by first century eyewitnesses who saw and recorded these events predicted in Isaiah 53.

The third fact is that the Oracles of Papias (125-140) mentioend that the apostle Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew and that Mark the associate of Peter wrote the Gospel of Mark shortly after the middle of the first century.

The fourth fact is that in A.D. 95, Clement of Rome cited the Gospels.

The fifth fact is that around A.D. 110, Ignatius quoted Luke 24:39 (a crucial text on the resurrection of Christ).

The sixth fact is that Polycarp, a disciple of John the apostle, cited the synoptic gospels as authentic.

The seventh fact is that the Epistle of Barnabas (135) quoted Matthew.

The eight fact is that Papias (125 and following) spoke of Matthew, Mark, and John writing Gospels, saying three times that Mark made no errors.

The ninth fact is that every verse of the New Testament (except for eleven verses) can be found in the surrounding literature of the 2nd and 3rd century.

The tenth fact is that skeptics come around 1900 years later without a shred of historical documentation and claim that it did not happen this way, and ask you to believe them rather than the historical documents from history. It takes a lot of faith to believe that!

Should the Scriptures be taken literally?

Yes, we should take all Scripture literally. unless that context does not make sense. The Bible, like other great literature, often uses similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech in order to express a "literal" concept. If a teacher does not take the Scriptures literally, then you have given him the authority to spiritualize the Word of God and make it say anything he wants instead of what God wants. This is dangerous! Finite sinful men do not have the authority to spiritualize God's inspired and inerrant Word.

Was the Pentateuch written by Moses?

According to the inspired and inerrant Bible, the first five books of the Bible were all written by Moses and each was confirmed by Jesus Himself. In Genesis, Jesus referred to Adam and Eve as the first literal male and female (Mt 19:4). In Exodus, Jesus quoted from Exodus 20:12 using the introduction "for Moses said." (Mk 7:10) In Numbers, our Lord quoted and verified that it was Moses who lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. (Jn 3:14) In Deuteronomy, Jesus directly attributed the writings to the hand of Moses when He said, "Moses wrote." (Lk 20:28) If anyone claims that the first five books of the Bible were written by four different authors JEPD (Jehovist, Elohimist, Priestly, and Deuteronomist priests), then he is disagreeing with Jesus, all of church history, and the Word of God itself which states "these are the words of Moses." (Ex 24:4; etc.)

What is the Talmud?

The Talmud is a Jewish commentary of the Old Testament. It is not inspired.

Was the Book of Isaiah written by two different authors?

Many moderate and liberal critics claim that the Book of Isaiah was written by two Isaiahs. Liberals do this on the assumption that there is no such thing as predictive prophecy. These liberal scholars claim that the prophecies in chapters 40-55 concerning Cyrus must have been written after Cyrus ruled Persia. This view denies the supernatural prophetic realm of the Bible and tries to explain these sections as history rather than prophecy.

There are several reasons why you should reject this kind of teaching.

(1) Since God knows “the end from the beginning” (Isa 46:10), then we do not need some liberal scholar to come round 2500 years later and tell us that God is wrong. Isaiah used chapters 1-39 to show the historical events which led to Israel’s spiritual decline. These chapters were written to prepare the people so that Isaiah could now reveal the prophetic events that would cause the fall of Jerusalem.

(2) Liberals also use a “weak argument” to show that the writing styles are different. However, these difficulties are not as great as they claim, and the differences that do exist can be explained by differences in subject matter and/or emphasis.

(3) Jesus “was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.” (Lk 4:17) Notice that the historical document of Luke mentioned only one book. Like Jesus, the New Testament scribes also accepted Isaiah authorship in Isaiah 40-66. (Jn 12:38; Mt 3:3; Mk 1:2-3;etc.)

(4) A complete copy of one Isaiah was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

How can skeptics disprove the Bible?

"At that time, Joshua pronouned this solemn oath: 'Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to build this city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates.'" (Joshua 6:26)

Here is an easy way for a skeptic to disprove the Bible. All he has to do is rebuild the city of Jericho. However, one must warn the skeptic that this has already been tried. Five hundred years after Joshua utterred this prophecy, a man by the name of Hiel tried to rebuild the city. He lost both of his sons, and the city of Jericho has never been rebuilt to this very day!

How does God handle skeptics?

"And they went on stoning Stephen, as he called upon the Lord and said, 'Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit.'” (Acts 7:59)

The good news of the resurrection had not spread much throughout the Roman Empire. Many Jews were beginning to believe that Jesus was the Messiah who had raised Himself from the dead, but many of them kept this news to themselves, staying in the city of Jerusalem. Now it was time to spread this good news all over the Roman Gentile world.

Who would God choose for this job? A skeptic! This skeptic would be a strict Pharisic scholar who was trained not only in the Greek philosophies at the acclaimed university of Tarsus, but also in the Jewish traditions by the Great Rabbon Gamaliel himself. Not only was Paul one of the greatest scholars of all time. but he was also an ENEMY of the gospel and an UNBELIEVER in the Messiahship and deity of Jesus Christ. He had spent the last few years rounding up Christians throughout Judea and putting them to death. He had even held the coats of the executioners who had stoned the first Christian martyr, Stephen.

Stephen's last words must have had a great effect on Paul, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Angry Paul "began ravaging the church," but he always remembered that look of peace upon Stephen's face. Why did the great Rabbi Paul not have this same peace?

Many of the believers had stayed around the city rather comfortably, sharing the good news with those in Jerusalem. Then Paul "began entering house after house, dragging off men and women and putting them in prison." It looked bad for the church, but God wasn't worried. He was still in control, for "those who had been scattered went about preaching the word."

You cannot defeat God, my friend. Paul, the most brilliant skeptic of all time, came against Christ, was converted, and he ended up writing most of the New Testament. God can also use even you! He loves skeptics, and he wants you in his family for eternity.

How is the Bible different from other books?

"But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel, His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity." (NAS, Micah 5:2)

The Bible is different from the many other religious books in the world in the fact that it contains over 2000 fulfilled prophecies without error--history that was written in advance. In this example, the prophet Micah recorded the exact birthplace of Jesus--at least 500 years before He was born!

It is also documented that this prophecy was fully accepted by the Jewish scribes at the time of Christ. (Matthew 2:4-6) Notice that the Messiah was to come from the days of eternity--meaning that He would have the same exact attributes as God (Yahweh) Himself. This prophecy would be impossible, unless God Himself was born as a man--which is exactly what He did!

This baby that was born could have spoken the world out of existence, but instead, He grew up humbly into a man and allowed His creation to mock Him, spit upon Him, beat Him, and crucify Him on a wooden cross. His resurrection and empty tomb are a few of the evidences that He has left for us today. Someday in the near future, Bible prophecy predicts that Jesus will return again as "Lord of Lords and King of Kings", ruling over Israel and all the world.

Will we be ready for Him?

What about those who have intellectual difficulties?

"For the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel, which is the glory of Christ, and the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Some skeptics are such intelligent fools that they think they are just too smart to believe in the Bible. They are nothing more than a human animal who loves to sin, and they are blinded by "the god of this world," which is Satan. Instead of studying the Bible, they prefer to listen more to the cultural gospel of Hollywood, the sinful mass media, and to blasphemous doctrines of athiests. Their ignorance of the spiritual world places a great disadvantage in them, because they sadly fail to realize that they are living in a satanic world system. They live their life day to day in spiritual darkness, doubting the only book which reveals to them how to save their soul. They fail to recognize that Jesus is the one true God who can save them from their sins.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee has a good message for skeptics: "Your problem is not with Jonah. Your problem is not with Noah. Your problem is that you are a sinner and you don’t like what the Word of God says about sinners. Now isn’t that really it? The problem is never with the Word of God. The problem today is with man, and not all this talk about 'I'm having intellectual difficulties.' You are not having intellectual difficulties. Satan has blinded your minds, and it is unbelief that is the sin today--the great sin."

If the Bible is correct and Satan is real, then wouldn’t he use the mass media of the culture to deceive others from knowing their true Savior? Pray about these things. The Bible, not the modern-day culture, should be our only final authority.

How did Jesus handle hard skeptics?

"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell!"

When answering questions about the good news with non-believers who are interested in our Lord Jesus Christ, we should "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks for the hope that we have, but do it with gentleness and respect." Of course, to do this, we have to have a healthy knowledge of the Bible. The biggest sin of Christians today is ignorance of their own book. They believe, but they do not know what they believe. If indeed we are an "ambassador for Christ" on this earth, then we should prepare ourselves by speaking the language of the nation we represent--the Kingdom of Heaven, and studying its textbook--the Bible.

How do we reach those hard line skeptics who attack the Word of God? First, we must pray for their salvation. Prayer turned Paul from a persecuting skeptic to a powerful ambassador of Christ.

Second, if softness doesn’t work, they may need a stronger message. Gentle Jesus flat out told the skeptical Pharisees of His day that they were going to "be condemned to hell." John the Baptist, the martyr Stephen, and the Apostle Paul also delivered hard messages to skeptics. Martin Luther and all of the reformers did the same thing when they stood alone as one man against the corrupt medieval Catholic Church. Dwight Moody’s messages of "fire and brimstone" brought many to Christ in the 1800’s. This doesn't sound like a nice thing to say, but it is the truth, and it might keep them out of the fires of hell.

Third, if softness or harness doesn’t work, then it may be time to keep your pearls to yourself. Jesus said, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls to swine, lest they trample them under their feet and tear you to pieces."

When was the Pentateuch written?

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

Many critics claim that the Pentateuch was written centuries after its actual composition, during the time of the Babylonian Captivity. However, those critics do not have a single shred of documented evidence to back up that claim.

In this verse, Joshua himself wrote that the "Book of the Law" did exist and that the Jewish people meditated on it "day and night", just as God commanded. Now, how could they have read and meditated on a book that did not exist? Here again is evidence of God's truth: the Pentateuch was written exactly when God said it was written!

We can always rely on God's word to be infallible, accurate, and everlasting.

What are ten facts that skeptics cannot answer?