Hosea 2:2–23: Today in America, the divorce rate is at an all-time high. Most people view fidelity, chastity, and commitment differently than they did a generation ago. In the past, those who entered matrimony dedicated themselves…
Hosea 1:2—2:1: Hosea’s marriage to Gomer and the birth of their children become the texts of God’s message to Israel. Israel’s unfaithfulness is portrayed in Gomer’s infidelity, and the removal of God’s covenant relationship…
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,” wrote Charles Dickens…
Revelation 22:6–21: All the purposes of God, from the inception of creation to the close of human history, have been completed. Christ has assumed His sovereign rule and reign over creation and has restored creation to the original…
Prospective pilots for major airlines are trained on flight simulators, which are designed to present them with a variety of problems they might encounter while flying. The candidates are first tested with simple challenges and are eventually…
Revelation 21:9—22:5: To most people, the thought of home brings a feeling of warmth and comfort, a sense of security. It is a place where one can shut out the cares of this world and find a refuge for the soul during the pilgrimage…
Revelation 21:1–8: The subject of eternity piques people’s interest as no other theme in Scripture. People intuitively know that there is a more fulfilling existence beyond this life because the transitory events on earth do not satisfy. But…
Revelation 20:11–15: On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards held the manuscript so close to his face that the congregation was unable to see his expression as…
Revelation 20:1–10: Mr. U Thant, former Secretary General of the United Nations, addressed 67 scholars and statesmen on the requirements for world peace. He asked these questions: “What element is lacking so that with all our skill and all our knowledge…
Revelation 19:11–21: Christ’s Second Coming is a major doctrine throughout the Bible. It is the most dominant theme in the New Testament, next to the subject of faith. Christ’s return, put simply, is the personal, physical, visible return of…
The Servant of the Lord is a major theme in the Book of Isaiah. An understanding of this term is germane in grasping the meaning of God’s redemptive program for Israel. The book identifies men such as Isaiah himself, Eliakim, and David…
Revelation 19:1–10: On March 23, 1743, The Messiah was performed for the first time in London, England. In attendance was the King of England. He was deeply moved as the “Hallelujah Chorus” was being sung, and at the words…
Revelation 18: In the 1980s, Saddam Hussein started to rebuild portions of the ancient city of Babylon. Christians began to ask if Hussein’s project had anything to do with Bible prophecy. This in turn rekindled the often-asked question…
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.
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 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.
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…
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
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 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…
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.
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.
A new Decalogue has been adopted by the neo-Christians of our day, ‘Thou shalt not disagree,’ and a new set of Beatitudes too, ‘Blessed are they that tolerate everything, for they shall not be made…
“Churches are like people. No two are alike. Each has its own personality … size and shape … strength and weakness,” wrote Steven Lawson.* This is evident when reading Christ’s letters to the seven churches…
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.
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…
VANCE HAVNER once said, “Contending for the faith is not easy. It is not pleasant business. It has many perils. It is a thankless job, and it is highly unpopular in an age of moral…
“Through every believer has the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit does not have every believer,” wrote A. W. Tozer. Many Christians find it easy to talk about being Spirit-filled but show little evidence of it…
“How Should We Then Live?” asked Dr. Francis A. Shaeffer in his best-selling book by that title. His question centered on how Christians should live in the midst of a declining Western culture in which…
Patrick Henry wrote, “Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but…
The joys of giving birth are great, but so can be the agony in guiding that child to maturity. What is true in the physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm.
“During the second half of the fourteenth century, anti-Jewish hatred reached such a peak that we can confidently date from this period the crystallization of anti-Semitism in its classic form…
This chart, although extensive, is not meant to be complete. Many other instances of anti-Semitism in South America, North America, Asia, Europe, and Africa could be cited.
“Membership has its privileges” was a slogan popularized by a major American corporation a few years back. The meaning is self evident: Members of the group are accorded privileges not extended to others.
Earlier in Galatians chapter 3, Paul demonstrated that Abraham was justified by faith centuries before the Law was given. In like manner, all who follow in the faith of Abraham—Jew or Gentile—are declared justified without…
Dr. William Culbertson, former President of Moody Bible Institute, often concluded his prayers with the words, “Lord, I pray that we will finish well.” He realized that many people begin their Christian walk well but…
Confronting a brother face to face concerning compromise is never easy or pleasant, especially if that brother is a co-worker, of sterling reputation and character, and a highly respected church leader.
Opposition to Paul and his ministry was vicious. Judaizers had sown seeds of contention throughout Galatia. They had questioned Paul’s commission as an apostle, compromised the gospel by mixing law and grace, and corrupted local…
In December 1942 The Friends of Israel gave birth to a quarterly periodical, affectionately named Israel My Glory. The name was taken from Isaiah 46:13: “I will place salvation in Zion for ISRAEL, MY GLORY.”
Judaizers had infiltrated the churches of Galatia and were sowing seeds of dissension. They had tried to discredit Paul’s apostleship by claiming he was a man pleaser—teaching circumcision when with the Jews (1 Cor. 9:20)…
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…
Paul had presented the gospel on three consecutive Sabbaths in the synagogue at Thessalonica. The Spirit of God had convicted the congregants, resulting in many Jews and a great multitude of Gentiles coming to faith…
The 19th century witnessed thousands of European Jews pouring through Ellis Island to their new home in America. They were greeted by words penned by a Jewess, Emma Lazarus, and mounted in bronze…
In the past 30 years there has been a proliferation of “new gospels” in the United States. Some are rooted in eastern philosophical religions, such as Hinduism. Others are based on pop-psychologies, which promise health…
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…
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.”…
When Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait, world tensions were ignited. Hussein is a proven despot who envisions himself as a modern-day Nebuchadnezzar and aspires to become the leader of the Arab world.
On June 22, 1990, a massive earthquake rocked northern Iran just after midnight. Iranian radio estimated the death toll to be approximately 45,000, with as many as 130,000 injured. Entire villages were either reduced…
Zephaniah’s name means Jehovah hides or Jehovah protects. For this reason, some have conjectured that he was born in the latter part of Manasseh’s reign (686–642 B.C.; cp. 2 Ki. 21:16).
The 1990s will be a decade of unprecedented changes worldwide. Eastern Europe is swiftly evolving into a Western-style society. Western Europe will be sporting a new look known as the European Economic Community by 1992.
Israel is an enigma to the world. She was miraculously created from the loins of a couple long past the age of childbearing. She was endowed with divine privileges and covenant promises…
In winter it is trendy to give friends a large basket of fresh fruit wrapped in cellophane and tied at the top with a red bow. The fruit is beautiful to behold…
Welcome to the decade of the 90s! Countdown to the year 2000 has already begun. The futurist is busy forecasting sweeping global changes, precipitated by perestroika and glasnost, which he believes will bring worldwide peace…
Amos 6:1–14: John Wesley’s statement concerning the use of wealth was sensible: “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can!”* Wesley was calling the Christian to a scriptural balance in the use of his finances.
Israel looked like the picture of health. Religious zeal was at an all-time high. Israelis were enjoying unprecedented prosperity. Political order ruled the day. Peace permeated the nation’s borders.
Israel had expanded her borders, taken control of major trade routes, and grown extremely prosperous during the reign of Jeroboam II. An upper-class society had emerged and clothed itself in opulence at the expense of the poor.
Israel has a special relationship with God. Like a father to his son, God heaped upon Israel every provision for a life of purity and prosperity. Sadly, Israel turned out to be a prodigal son…
Buzz words concerning political and social justice fill the air. The Soviets are talking about “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (reconstruction) in hope of producing greater understanding and defusing tensions with the west.
In 1897 Wilhelm Marr coined the term “anti-Semitism” to explain the European prejudice and persecution against the Jew. Such bigotry was not new; it has stalked the Jew from the brickyards of Egypt to the death camps of Europe.
History is replete with small nations who strut across the world stage, proudly flex their political muscles, then vanish into obscurity. Edom was such a nation. Her story is graphically detailed by Obadiah in the short book that bears his name.
Haggai’s message had stirred Judah from idleness. The sound of workmen removing sixty years of rubble, refacing stones and beginning to build on the foundation laid sixteen years earlier filled Jerusalem.
The country is in a building boom. Houses are springing up like mushrooms, dotting major expressways and rolling farmland, with price tags unimaginable to past generations.
The winds of apostasy are raging worldwide. Such news is not new or startling, for the Bible predicted that in the last days apostates would flood into the church with their heretical teachings.
He was born near Lynn, Indiana, on May 13,1931. At the age of twenty-one, he became pastor of his first church. He preached a fundamental Christianity early in his ministry, but his message radically changed…
Apostasy is like a subtle viper that snares its victim and slowly squeezes the life out of it. For this reason, Jude reached back into the Old Testament and picked three lucid illustrations that would impact the Christian…
The emergence of heretical religions in recent years has been phenomenal. An estimated 2,000 man-made eastern philosophical religious systems have sprung up throughout America.
Lina Sandell Berg was no stranger to affliction. At the tender age of twelve, she lay stricken with a paralysis that confined her to bed. Although physicians had all but given up on her…
Judah had asked, “Where is the God of justice?” With sarcastic skepticism, the nation had questioned whether God was even available to take just action against the wicked and provide justice for the righteous.
A deceitful person is called two-faced or a hypocrite. This was a word used in the Greek theater to describe actors who put large painted masks in front of their faces to denote the characters they were playing…
With the exception of organized crime, robbery is the most prevalent and costly crime in America. Many are surprised to find that shoplifting and employee theft rank together as the number one type of robbery.
When Judah returned to her land, she expected to experience prosperity and glory as in the days of Solomon. But such was not the case! In fact, the opposite was true. Their wicked enemies lived in prosperity while Judah suffered privation.
The United States has the highest divorce rate in the world at almost fifty percent. Many more who are emotionally divorced from each other would like to terminate their marriages, but they stay together because…
What was the highest office in Israel? The king? Not so! The highest office was to serve as a priest, for the priest was a mediator between God and man, the highest calling in life.
What child has not heard the stern voice of his father, “Son, you must be disciplined for what you did!” The word discipline struck fear in the son’s heart as big tears poured from his eyes, for he knew the punishment that awaited.
Malachi was the last Old Testament book to be penned, about one hundred years after Cyrus decreed that Judah could return to their land (538 B.C.). During this time the Jewish faith was reformed under Ezra and Nehemiah…
Memory is a wonderful gift from God, but it can be a burden or a blessing. A burden it was when Habakkuk recalled the injustice taking place in Judah and God’s seeming complacency to judge it.
While going through a trying circumstance one will often hear, “Just pray about it, for you know prayer changes things!” One is left with the impression that God will alter the circumstances for good when prayer is offered in faith.
History is punctuated by nations who spread themselves like a green bay tree, and with imperial precision subjugate the world under their feet.
“Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom found in a woman and never in a man,” wrote a perceptive person. There are those who would disagree, especially that women are somewhat patient and men never are.
Perplexed had to be the feeling of Habakkuk when God answered his cry for justice in Judah. Most likely he sat in stunned silence contemplating the unexpected revelation from God.
God, where is justice? Why are You insensitive, indifferent, and inactive to the cry of the righteous? How long will You remain silent? cried Habakkuk, as he sat overwhelmed by the social and moral corruption flooding the land.
Sick society is a phrase often heard to describe the moral degeneracy seen in American culture. Analyses warn that the tidal wave of moral changes sweeping this country could mean the demise of its social order.
Towering some fifty-eight feet high is the beige limestone Wailing Wall. Standing at the wall is the stooped, five foot figure of an Orthodox Jew. Daily he comes to pray: head covered, shoulders draped in a tallith…
A number of months ago an estimated 100 million Americans watched ABCs special, “The Day After.” The nation saw Lawrence, Kansas atomized before their eyes. Young and old were impacted by the television special…
The struggles and sufferings of Israel are well documented from Egyptian slavery to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Like an echo, the Diaspora Jew would face nineteen more centuries of anguish as the shadow…
The cry of this age is peace, peace, peace! Men are looking for peace and security. They want job security, health security. and life security — a time when war will cease and universal peace will prevail forever.
Will God? What saith the prophet? Jeremiah said to Judah, “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I [God] will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” (18:8).
Judah was on the verge of expiring! Her spiritual chart read: head sick, heart faint, body full of wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores. From head to toe there was no soundness in her, cried isaiah (Isa. 1:6).
Like the keen-eyed Ezekiel, Joel was a watchman over the nation of Judah, The word of warning burned within him as a Jeremiah ready to come forth in prophetic proclamation concerning God’s wrath.
The twentieth century man can sit comfortably in his home and watch the devastation which war leaves in its wake – via television documentaries. He watches masses of humanity slaughtered and made refugees, buildings leveled…
On a Jerusalem hillside a huge crowd had gathered to witness an event which would change the destiny of mankind. Darkness had filled the whole earth at noon, and it was drawing near 3:00 p.m.