Revelation 17:7–18: The woman sitting on the scarlet-colored beast was a spectacle to behold. John marveled at her ostentatious dress, idolatrous practices, murder of defenseless saints, and alliance with pagan Rome. Understanding John’s great wonderment…
Revelation 17:1–7: Lying silently in the shifting sands of time, Babylon is destined to rise from the ashes of the past to play a major role in end-time events. The name Babylon brings to mind incredible images of a wicked city-state with an abominable…
In Chapter 15, John was given a detailed introduction to the bowl judgments. He saw seven angels proceeding from God’s heavenly Temple with seven bowls in hand, ready to pour out God’s wrath upon the earth.
Two Old Testament passages that did this will be noted. Isaiah 9:6 assigned the names “The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father” to the Messiah. Ancient Judaism recognized that this referred to the Messiah.
People have it all wrong these days. Repeatedly we hear men and women talk calmly about their “near death” experiences, about seeing that inviting, great white light at the end of the tunnel.
Many successful businesses engage their employees in an annual ritual known as the “year-end formal performance review.” On those occasions, a manager sits down with an employee, report in hand, and surveys…
The recurrent hatred of Jewry throughout its existence is an enigma—a people so small in number yet so central on the pages of world history. The benefits of the Jewish people to the masses…
As long as I don’t hurt anyone, whatever I do is just fine.” Such proverbs abound in our day. Morality is defined by personal opinions. Courts pass laws based on majority vote or popular consensus.
Revelation 15, although short in length, is not short in significance or importance. It provides a needed introduction to the final phase of God’s wrath. In this chapter John was given two glorious visions from…
The subject of Christ’s eternality deals with the fact that He has always existed as a person from eternity past, with no beginning and no end. The Scriptures give at least three lines of evidence…
A number of years ago I had in my library a book titled Great Chapters of the Bible. The author was the late Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, a renowned British biblical scholar and pastor.
Of the many imaginative discourses offered by the Talmudic rabbis is one based on Genesis 28:12.
Ezekiel 36:8–15 Israel is the key in God’s prophetic program among the nations of the world, for it was chosen to be His means of bringing blessing to the world.
Ezekiel 36:16–24 A few years ago a survey was taken to determine which events cause the greatest stress on a family. It was discovered that, next to the death of a spouse…
Ezekiel 36:22–38 In the beginning, God planned a beautiful creation. He created seas and a place of lush vegetation. He made creatures to inhabit the seas and the dry land.
The conflict between good and evil is vividly described in Revelation 13 and 14. In chapter 13 the two beasts reap a harvest of souls through deception and persecution…
Jesus predicted that many false Christs and prophets would appear in the last days. The two beasts mentioned in Revelation 13 are the final unveiling of Jesus’ prophecy that will take place during the Great
Attempts to identify the beast of Revelation have been numerous. Throughout church history, suggested candidates have been Judas, Nero, the Pope, Hitler, Mussolini, Kennedy, Kissinger, and many others.
The recently divulged discovery of life on Mars captivated the attention of much of the world. With the first announcement, there was a rush of anticipation fueled by visions of little green men careening…
Christmas has never been a time of rejoicing for Jewish people. The hubbub and festivities that effervesce around the holiday seem to many Jews more like a big ball of excitement that rolls…
There are many misconceptions about the magi who visited Jesus. The beloved Christmas carol begins, “We three kings of Orient are,” but already it has made at least three errors.
Satan’s attempts to annihilate the Jewish people throughout the centuries are well documented in biblical and secular history. Demonically inspired despots like Haman and Hitler, filled with fanatical hatred, have attempted genocide of Jewish people…
The long interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is continued from chapter 10. In the last verse of that chapter, John was instructed that he must prophesy again about many peoples, tongues, and nations.
There are a number of interludes throughout the judgment portions of Revelation. One is presented between the sixth and seventh seals in Revelation 7, and a second is presented between the sixth and seventh trumpets…
When John “opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (v. 1). This seventh seal contains the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments.
In case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a great many things to be depressed about these days. The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin sent the nation into a state of national…
The expression the imminency of Christ’s return means that Christ could return at any moment. Nothing else has to happen before His return.
Revelation chapter 7 opens with the phrase, “And after these things” (v. 1), indicating that John was about to receive a new vision. This vision is an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals and
Titillating words, these. Mankind, in the infancy of its innocence, was led to believe that being liberated from obedience to the Creator could be equated with becoming God-like. The delusion was but an extension…
Never in all history have men spoken so much of the end-times, yet been so shrouded in ignorance of God’s impending doomsday,” said Carl F. H. Henry.
In his essay, “The Messianic Idea in Israel,” the renowned scholar, Gershom Scholem, contrasted the Jewish and Christian concepts of the Messianic redemption. While Christianity conceives of redemption as an event in the spiritual…
In Revelation 4, John presented a description of what he saw and heard in his heavenly vision. He saw God the Father seated on His throne and heard the host of heaven offering Him continual…
Was Ezekiel a paranoid schizophrenic? If not, he must, according to some writers, at least have had an abnormal personality. To lovers of the Bible, such a diagnosis of a biblical prophet is nothing short…
A few short months ago, a bill was introduced in the Congress of the United States to recognize city of Jerusalem as Israel’s national capital and move the U.S. Embassy to the city by 1999.
Ezekiel 38–39 foretells a massive future invasion “of Israel by the armed forces of six nations. Five of those nations are identified in 38:5–6 with the names they bore in Ezekiel’s time.
Dr. Showers’ article confirms the identification of a number of military contingents who will join Russia in the invasion of Israel described in Ezekiel 33 and 39.
Soon after the Lord delivered the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, He gave Moses instructions to build the Tabernacle. The work was done according to God’s plan, and when it was completed…
Questions about heaven are always at the center of a believer’s thinking, especially questions dealing with the appearance of and activities in heaven. Through the eyes of John, believers are permitted a gaze…
The city of Laodicea was located in a fertile valley overlooking the Lycus River about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia and 11 miles from Colosse. Laodicea was established by Antiochus II (264–261 B.C.). Named in honor of his wife Laodice, it was destined to become the capital of ancient Phrygia.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2, Paul and his companions asked the Thessalonian saints to avoid doing two things. First, they were not to be “soon shaken in mind.”
The beginning of 2 Thessalonians 2 makes it clear that at least two events will precede the advent of the Day of the Lord: the arrival of the great apostasy and the unveiling of the…
It has been said that many churches begin with a man, reach out with a mission, become a movement, and eventually end up a monument. Often this is true, but not for every church.
In August of each year, the synagogue Scripture reading from the prophets is taken from the Book of Isaiah. Around the third Sabbath in August, the reading ends at Isaiah 52:12…
One of my treasured childhood memories is of trips taken to the farm home of my grandparents in upper Michigan. Old barns smelling of leather harnesses and farm animals are a great source of fascination…
Lord Byron, in “The Destruction of Sennacherib,” caught in vivid poetic form not only the essence of a battle long gone, but the final convulsions of the “times of the Gentiles.” Thus, human observation confirms…
In Luke 21:24 Jesus Christ referred to “the times of the Gentiles,” when the Gentiles would be the dominant power in the world and Israel would be at the mercy of or dependent upon…
The solace of blissful sleep was violently shattered with dreadful visions of hideous creatures. So disturbing was the dream that the usually composed Prophet Daniel was greatly troubled in mind and body.
To understand the end-times revival of the Roman Empire, we must first understand the term the times of the Gentiles. Jesus said, “And they [the Jewish people] shall fall by the edge of the sword…
What did Jesus look like in the flesh? Artists have tried to paint Him and authors have tried to describe Him. Nowhere does Scripture relate the physical appearance of Jesus during His earthly life.
Futurists are inundating the country with articles, books and videos on what to expect by the year 2000 and beyond. This has rekindled an interest in the study of biblical prophecy.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Torrents of tribulation have been part and parcel of the human experience since Adam decided to take a bite out of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Until this day, with increasing frequency…
Towering over the efforts of mankind, the marvelous inventions that have made life comfortable, the grandiose plans of politicians, and any dreams we may have is the fact that Jesus Christ will come to the…
A number of fine Christians believe that Christ used the fig tree to represent the nation of Israel, that the time when the tree’s branch is tender and it puts forth leaves refers to Israel’s…
Christ’s Second Coming is one of the dominant themes in the Olivet Discourse. His coming will be sudden, unexpected, visible, personal, powerful, glorious, and triumphant. When the Lord comes, He will judge the nations…
Something within human beings compels them to look for something new—a better way, better quality, better fashion. “Build a better mousetrap,” youngsters of another generation were told…
When writing to his Jewish readers of the apostolic age, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wanted to demonstrate the superiority of the divine revelation that gave birth to Christianity over the divine…
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read your newspaper at night without the convenience of a light bulb? Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Yet this luxury is only 100 years old.
To understand the Book of Hebrews, we must have some understanding of the Levitical system—its orders, law, administration, and sacrifices. This article considers only two areas of that Levitical system, the high priest…
“Now consider how great this man was … ” Such was the high opinion of the inspired penman regarding Melchizedek in Hebrews 7:4. The greatness of this unique individual is matched only by the mystery…
A brief look at world conditions clearly indicates that many international disputes concern land ownership, particularly in the Middle East. The so-called occupied territories—the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights—are familiar to anyone who…
Second Samuel 7:8–16 records a covenant established by God with David, wherein God made three major promises to David. First, God promised that David’s “house” (his physical line of descent) would endure forever (v. 16;
In the Scriptures, a covenant is a legally binding obligation of God for man’s redemption. It is God’s solemn pledge to fulfill His promises to those included in the covenant.
The world is careening toward a new order that does not bode well for the inhabitants of this planet. Quarrelsome nations are attempting to stem the tide of deterioration by creating a patchwork of alliances…
The Bible foretells that there will be a revived form of the Roman Empire in existence as a major world power during the future Tribulation period. Daniel 7 records a prophetic dream or vision given…
When the average Christian studies the millennial reign of Christ, it is usually from the perspective of the literal person of the Messiah ruling over the earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.
Although the Bible deals primarily with Israel and the Messiah, it is surprising to realize how much the Scriptures teach about the Gentile nations and their future role in God’s prophetic plan.
With the shadow of the cross shading their minds, two of Christ’s disciples left Jerusalem. They were headed for Emmaus, a village seven miles from the city.
The Law is known in Hebrew as the Torah, the first of the three traditional divisions of the Hebrew Bible. The other two divisions are the Prophets and the Writings.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, the 150 Psalms are divided into five books. These poems of prayer and praise cover many themes and are often stated in terms of human experience.
Messiah would come to crush all the Gentile nations gathered against Israel and Jerusalem, save the repentant remnant of Israel, and provide security for Israel (Isa. 59:18–21; 63:1–6; Joel 3; Mic. 5:4–9; Zech. 14:12).
A previous article demonstrated that the broad Day of the Lord will begin with a phase of divine judgment. What will be the duration of this judgment phase? What time span will it cover?
The Bible teaches that the future Day of the Lord has two phases. First, there is the broad phase, which refers to an extended period of time involving divine interventions in the 70th week…
The future of the city of Jerusalem is of vital concern to the three main monotheistic religions of the world—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each has an historical claim to and a compelling interest in this city.
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from their birth, who are carried from the womb;
In the Scriptures, the expression the Day of the Lord (together with other synonymous expressions, such as that day and the day of God) is strongly related to God’s rule of the earth and therefore…
No portion of the Word of God speaks to contemporary churches with more clarity than the messages Jesus Christ gave to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Comfort, advice, exhortation, warning and threatening…
The church of Ephesus was the first to be seen entering a crisis condition. Although commended for a number of things, this church had left its “first love.”
Smyrna was a major commercial center in the first century, giving it fame as the pride of all Asia. Although it was a free city, it gave total allegiance to the Roman Empire as supreme.
Pergamum was noted for its pagan religions and many heathen temples. Among others, they worshiped Dionysus, the god of vegetation, and Aesculapius, the god of healing. A medical school was attached to this pagan cult…
Church discipline is almost unknown in our day. If and when a church does decide to exercise discipline over backsliding members, the individuals involved often leave the church and go to another one nearby.
We have all attended funeral services at one time or another. In many cases, beautiful flowers are banked along an entire wall or occasionally cover all the walls of the room.
Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia, located in the province of Asia Minor, has always been my favorite among those found in Revelation 2 and 3 for three reasons: (1) Philadelphia was the ancient…
Christ addressed His final letter to the church of Laodicea, which was located in the Lycus Valley of southern Phrygia, midway between Philadelphia and Colosse. It was a significant commercial and banking center and was…
Comfort is the operative word Paul gave to the suffering saints at Thessalonica. As was often true for first-century Christians, this church was born in affliction and immediately immersed in the caldron of persecution.
The major subject of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 is the future Day of the Lord, which refers to God’s future intervention into world events to accomplish His purpose in history—to glorify Himself by demonstrating the fact…
Israel’s great fall feasts were celebrations that witnessed a pendulum swing of national emotions sweeping from trepidation to exhilaration. These spectacular festivals, around which all national life revolved, were seasons of intense personal interaction…
Revelation 19–21 moves history into its glorious Hallelujah phase. In the first six verses of chapter 19, four resounding Hallelujahs (praise the Lord) are raised—the only place in the New Testament where this word…
We don’t hear much about Heaven these days. The reason is quite simple. For a generation now, we have been occupied with being well-adjusted people in the here and now and enjoying our affluence…
Where will the Church be during the 70th week of Daniel 9 (the last seven years prior to the Second Coming of Christ, which has been popularly called the Tribulation period)?
President Bush has coined the phrase a new world order. It is being used to describe the abrupt changes taking place internationally brought about, in part, by perestroika in the Soviet Union and the new…
Revelation 20 is one of the great chapters of the Bible. It presents the tremendous events that relate to the reign of Christ on earth. Before we begin our examination of the chapter…
Have you ever taken an extended trip? While you may have enjoyed every moment of your adventure, it eventually became tiring. The food was not to your liking, the monotonous miles took their toll physically…
Just one short year ago, hope ran high that the decade of the 1990s would usher in world peace. The buzz words of the day were “Peace in our time.”…
One of the most debated questions of our day is whether or not present-day Israel is the Israel of the Bible. Menachem Begin, when he was Prime Minister of Israel, ran his government…
Christian Reconstructionism (the teaching of which has been examined in survey fashion in two previous articles) has some commendable features. For example, it has done excellent work in evaluating the devastating effects of secular humanism…
With His talk of crucifixion at Jerusalem, Jesus’ disciples were struck dumb with consternation. Their anticipation and preparation had been geared for the coming Kingdom—a literal, one-thousand-year era during which the Messiah/King Himself would take…
Perhaps no city on earth is more loved than Jerusalem. The psalmist has well written, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion … the city of the great King”…
Our previous article noted that the heart of Christian Reconstructionism (also known as Dominion Theology and Theonomy) is a postmillennial view of history. According to this view, at the time of creation God gave man…
A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. We have all had promises made to us that we knew would never be fulfilled. Conversely, other promises have been made…