By Pastor Gary Fox
Author of Semper Reformanda:
We have turned our attention here on Semper Reformanda to the topic of the Second Advent of Christ. As we said last time, we are going to focus not on the sensational, the conspiracy or the conjecture…just the facts…which are deep and rich, exciting and frightening.
Frightening? Indeed. Startling, astonishing, surprising, shocking, astounding and upsetting are all words that can be used to describe the images set forth about this topic in the Bible. The Second Advent of Christ will be a day of wrath, violence, death and conquest. When read in context and really pondered upon the Second Advent of Christ is truly stunning in its scope.
The reason of course that we are so stunned by these images is because we generally lack an appreciation or understanding that God has hatred. God hates. Did you know that? It’s true.
“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity.” Isaiah 61:8 niv
“You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.” Psalm 5:4-6 niv
Yikes.
In 1741, the great reformed preacher Jonathan Edwards preached a message that sent shock waves across this country and ultimately the world. So thoroughly shaken was the congregation when he first preached this sermon that there broke out screaming and wailing…in a reformed church! The people began clinging to the building columns and chair rails…anything solid…because the congregation suddenly fell into a state of panic and paranoia…fearing that the floor they stood on would at any time open up and swallow them into the pits of hell! The sermon was titled: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Here is an excerpt… “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God… Hell, the very expression of divine wrath, is prepared; the fire is made ready; the furnace is hot now; the flames do now rage and glow… unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen.''
Needless to say…this kind of preaching is basically unheard of today. Do you want to know what else is unheard of today? Wide spread revival. And of those rare pockets where such proclamation is made…it will be seldom proclaimed in a culturally relevant way. In Edwards’s day, his message was both bold and delivered in a relevant way…and revival broke out….hmmm…a bold and confrontational message delivered in a relevant way…hmmm…
Obviously since we hear so little about the wrath of God upon the unconverted and unrepentant it is no real surprise that we have lost almost the entire concept that Christ is furious with “the nations” and that He is going to return to earth and destroy them, physically, utterly and violently.
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Revelation 19:19-21 niv
Let me attempt to tie all this together. Why is it that we water down our message and proclamation? So many preachers and teachers do all that they can do to remove the teeth from the message! How foolish it is of us to think that we can tweak the message and make it more palpable! How foolish! Look here in Revelation 19…when the kings of the earth and their armies see Christ, physically and with their own eyes…they will not fall down and repent, they will not call out for mercy…they will not see the error of their ways and suddenly realize that they have been wrong all along! No! They will raise their weapons skyward! They will, in one ultimate act of defiance and rebellion, attempt to “make war” against Christ and His kingdom! Ponder that! The world hates our message because the world hates Christ! Our manipulation of the message can not and will not change that my friend!
The nations hate Christ. The nations have always hated Christ. The nations will continue to hate Christ until the great and terrible day of the Lord…on that day…there will be no more unbelievers...just unbridled Christ haters.
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Friday, February 9, 2007
Charts of the possible order of End Time events
Charts of the possible order of End Time events:
Click above for full size!
Click above for full size!
Click above for full size!
Click above for full size!
The subject of today is the End Times
James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
If this is true, which we know it is, then we need to devote our short life on Earth to seeking God, trusting in Jesus as the only way of salvation (that He provided freely for us), repenting of our sins (turning from them), obeying God like never before, and loving our spouse, our children, our family's, our friends, our enemies, and one another in a Biblical way! Remember, our time left is but a vapor!
Just as Anna Nicole Smith did not know her time was up, and she was about to be face to face in Judgment with God the Creator, so we too do not know when our time will be up! You may not finish reading this before you are swept away into eternity of Heaven or Hell! You may finish reading this and live for yet a little while, but take warning not to get caught up in worldly things, and lose focus of the only hope of eternal life we have...that which is only found in our Lord and Savior, and the price of our sin He paid, which allows us to be forgiven! Thank You Jesus!
The subject of today is the End Times
by Pastor Gary Fox:
Author of Semper Reformanda:
“I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64
With all the discussion about end times theology and teaching have we lost the power and impact of this promise? Here is Jesus… arrested… beaten… scorned… mocked… humiliated… called by the High Priest Caiaphas to reply under oath of what His identity actually is. We can only guess at the atmosphere of this moment, but in my mind, I have a feeling that everyone shut up and all who could hear Jesus swallowed nervously. I have a feeling that He did not mumble or slur…that suddenly He was filled with the Holy Spirit and His mind was clear…I just have this feeling that there was a regal, powerful and undeniable strength in His voice when He made it plain, “you will see the Son of Man…coming on the clouds of heaven…”
I’d like to consider the Second Advent for the next several posts on Semper Reformanda. I’m not interested in theories on Raptures or bar codes or the European Economic Union…I’d just like to center our attention on the promise of His return.
By means of introduction…without commentary, let’s just read some scripture and let God speak for Himself regarding the Second Advent of Christ…
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of the LORD is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. Isaiah 13:6-9 niv
For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near—a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. Ezekiel 30:3 niv
“The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head." Obadiah 1:15 niv
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 niv
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:26-27 niv
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27 niv
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:26 niv
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Revelation 19:11-21 niv
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20 niv
Click here to view Semper Reformanda...
If this is true, which we know it is, then we need to devote our short life on Earth to seeking God, trusting in Jesus as the only way of salvation (that He provided freely for us), repenting of our sins (turning from them), obeying God like never before, and loving our spouse, our children, our family's, our friends, our enemies, and one another in a Biblical way! Remember, our time left is but a vapor!
Just as Anna Nicole Smith did not know her time was up, and she was about to be face to face in Judgment with God the Creator, so we too do not know when our time will be up! You may not finish reading this before you are swept away into eternity of Heaven or Hell! You may finish reading this and live for yet a little while, but take warning not to get caught up in worldly things, and lose focus of the only hope of eternal life we have...that which is only found in our Lord and Savior, and the price of our sin He paid, which allows us to be forgiven! Thank You Jesus!
The subject of today is the End Times
by Pastor Gary Fox:
Author of Semper Reformanda:
“I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64
With all the discussion about end times theology and teaching have we lost the power and impact of this promise? Here is Jesus… arrested… beaten… scorned… mocked… humiliated… called by the High Priest Caiaphas to reply under oath of what His identity actually is. We can only guess at the atmosphere of this moment, but in my mind, I have a feeling that everyone shut up and all who could hear Jesus swallowed nervously. I have a feeling that He did not mumble or slur…that suddenly He was filled with the Holy Spirit and His mind was clear…I just have this feeling that there was a regal, powerful and undeniable strength in His voice when He made it plain, “you will see the Son of Man…coming on the clouds of heaven…”
I’d like to consider the Second Advent for the next several posts on Semper Reformanda. I’m not interested in theories on Raptures or bar codes or the European Economic Union…I’d just like to center our attention on the promise of His return.
By means of introduction…without commentary, let’s just read some scripture and let God speak for Himself regarding the Second Advent of Christ…
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of the LORD is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. Isaiah 13:6-9 niv
For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near—a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. Ezekiel 30:3 niv
“The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head." Obadiah 1:15 niv
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 niv
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:26-27 niv
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:27 niv
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:26 niv
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Revelation 19:11-21 niv
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20 niv
Click here to view Semper Reformanda...
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