January/February 2018

Antique fountain pen on parchment.

From the Editor Jan/Feb 2018

When I was a brand new believer many years ago, a wonderful woman in my church invited me to her home for lunch. I knew nothing about Christian doctrine. All I knew was that I was a sinner, Jesus had died for me…

Inside View Jan/Feb 2018

A friend recently told me, “When I look at all that is happening in this world, I have to believe we’re getting very close to the end.” He was referring to the end of this age when God will begin a new time on Earth that will pave the way for the Messiah.

Silhouette of man speaking.

“And Now We Say, ‘Heil Hitler’”

How would you feel if you discovered your third grader marched to the cafeteria giving the Nazi salute? “The children were standing with their [right] arm[s] out in front of them and the teacher was modeling the position,”…

Map of the Middle East.

Preparing for War

As tensions rise along the Lebanese-Israeli border, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has warned that the next war between Hezbollah and Israel will include Syria. “In anything that transpires, it will be one theater,” he said. Syria and Lebanon together, Hezbollah, the Assad regime and all…

Christian Persecution Jan/Feb 2018

The Chinese government has begun a renewed crackdown on believers attending unregistered churches and Christian parents taking their children with them to church. Chinese law strictly forbids adults to teach children religion and…

Upside Down

Surveying the current geopolitical landscape can give me a headache. The world is embroiled in a spiritual battle. Right is made to look wrong; wrong is made to look right; security threats loom large; and if we don’t keep our eyes on the Lord…

The Rapture

When the word Rapture is mentioned, responses differ. Some people know it refers to Christ coming to take the church to heaven. Others incorrectly associate the rapture with Christ’s Second Coming. Still others have no idea…

Gone?

Rapture, Antichrist, and Tribulation are words Josiah Hesse associates with his apocalyptic upbringing—an upbringing he says was built on “the urgency of avoiding hell.” In his article “Apocalyptic upbringing: how I recovered from…

When Do People Receive Their Resurrected Bodies?

Every person born since the creation of man will receive a resurrected body. Some will enjoy eternal life with God, while others will suffer eternal damnation and judgment in the Lake of Fire. This chart explains the various resurrections.

When Is It?

Christ’s premillennial Second Coming to Earth is evident even from a casual reading of the Scriptures. The Bible, taken at face value, clearly states the Messiah will return to establish His worldwide, earthly Kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem .

Icon of an open Bible. The Berean Box.

Q: What does the phrase Israel of God mean?

Israel of God refers to Jewish people who received Christ as their Savior and consequently belong to the church. It does not refer to the entire church. The phrase appears in Galatians 6: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision…

What We’re Spared

Think of the worst disasters in history. They’re nothing compared to what lies ahead—but not for the bride of Christ. “Husband Charged With Domestic Violence.” It’s an all-too-familiar headline. Sometimes the offender is a celebrity…

Coming for His Bride

Townspeople lined the street as the handsome young bridegroom rode slowly by on a donkey. He looked like a king—dressed all in white, with a gold cloth wrapped around his waist. A white, Bedouin-style cloth covered his head; and he wore sandals (more like slippers) decorated in splendid, ornamental lace.

The Identity of Nimrod

Archaeological excavations in ancient Mesopotamia reveal striking parallels between the Bible’s King Nimrod and the ancient Semitic ruler Sargon the Great, thus confirming the biblical king’s historicity. The Old Testament mentions Nimrod four times, calling him…

A Life That Pleases God

1 Thessalonians 4:9–12: How to live a life that pleases God is the overriding theme of the first 12 verses of 1 Thessalonians 4. Verses 1–8 speak about sexual purity, and verses 9–12 provide practical instruction on how to maintain right relationships with…

Distracted Living

A new year has begun, and new prospects are on the horizon. The Bible challenges us to spend our time wisely and avoid wasting opportunities: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because…

Israel in the News Jan/Feb 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said recently Israel will not accept the new, unified Hamas-Fatah government unless Hamas renounces terrorism and acknowledges Israel’s right to exist. “Israel opposes any reconciliation…

Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2018

One day as I left home, I ran into a few Orthodox men who were trying to sell commentaries. “Do you want to know the true faith?” one asked me. “I know the true faith,” I answered. “It is you who are far away from the truth.”