When Do I Stop Being An Immigrant?

I keep hearing people referring to all of us as immigrants. What I would like to know is how many generations are required before someone in no longer classed as an immigrant? My 12th grandfather George Truitt came to this country in 1640, my family has been in America for 377 years, would this mean I can say I am not an immigrant?

It is my understanding an immigrant is a person who comes from another country to take up permanent residence. My grandfather George was an immigrant from England and took up permanent residence in Virginia in 1640. His children were native citizens of America, making his descendants native born citizens and not immigrants.

I hear that the only people who are native Americans are the American Indians. Here is an interesting fact. In a very recent study (February 2014) of the genome of a little boy, known as Anzick-1 who was buried in Montana belonging to the Clovis culture. His genome is the first ancient American genome to be sequenced fully. The data indicates that he, as well as all South American and north American native populations, descended from Siberian populations that crossed the Bering Strait when it was a land bridge. So, the native American Indian are not native but also immigrated to North America.

With this small amount of knowledge, any one coming into this country now from another country is an immigrant. If they were not born here, they are not native. Immigrants are here by invitation only. Our government sets the number of immigrants who can come into this country by a process that protect the native citizens of this country. When we allow those, who hate our culture and values and disrespect our form of government to come into our country, we endanger the native citizens.

I am tired of having people putting me on a guilt trip by talking about women and children who need our protection. My problem as I see it is the reality of young men who should be protecting the safety of their own country and fighting for their freedom and liberty coming to America as “refugees.” They are here while we are sending our own sons and daughters to protect their country at taxpayer expense. We are allowing some of the very people who are killing our sons and daughter in their country to come to our country under the guise of a “refugee” and supporting them with taxpayer money. These “refugees” are taking benefits that could go to support Americans. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates in the first five years each refugee from the Middle East cost taxpayers $64,370. That is 12 times what it cost to care for one refugee in a neighboring Middle Eastern country. A staggering 91 percent receive food stamps, and 68 percent receive cash assistance. Given the high cost, it would be better if we paid neighboring countries in the Middle East to take these refugees.

The Middle Eastern countries have the money and space for them. This is where they should go; their culture is welcome there. Americans have a different culture. We are approaching the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ how many Muslims will we be offended by our celebration that Jesus Christ is the resurrected LORD? What type of protest will be made that we are offending their “religion”?

Our president is right to protect the interest of the American people. No one should be allowed in this country until they have followed the proper process. America is a sovereign nation with borders that are put there to protect and secure the nation, and anyone who comes to this country should only be allow in by invitation and vetting.

The Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ

Course Objective:   At the completion of this study the participant will have a greater understanding of the end times as given by Jesus Christ through his disciple John.  The study will be based on the number of (7) seven and how John groups the various visions into sevens.  Each of the 12 figurative prophecies in Revelation spans the Christian Era and will be studied in detail. 

Purpose: The purpose is to show Jesus Christ as the theme of the book and to reveal His place in the fulfillment of the end time prophecies.

Lesson Outline:

Outline of Revelation

 Session 1:  How To Read and Understand Revelation. – (Chapter 1)

Session 2:  Seven Churches a (chaps. 2-5)

Session 3:  Seven Seals – Christ’s People Preserved (chaps. 6:1-8:1)

Session 4:  Seven Trumpets – Christ’s People Witness (chaps. 8-11) .

Session 5:  Interlude – Christ’s People Victorious over Evil (chaps. 12-14)

Session 6:  Seven Bowls and the Last Judgments – The Cosmic Exodus (chaps. 15-19)

Session 7:  The Kingdom of Christ and Satan’s Doom (chap. 20)

Session 8:  The New Heaven and Earth (chaps. 21-22)

This Bible study is designed to highlight the significant points of Revelation. I encourage you, the participant, to maximize your learning by working through the study questions for each week prior to coming to class. These questions are not designed as a test of your knowledge and should not be treated as such. Instead, they are provided to help you begin to ask essential questions about the interpretation and contents of Revelation. We will focus on each of these questions when we gather together.

I encourage you to bring your insights and questions to class to share with others. Those doing this Bible study online send your questions and insight, so we can share them with others.

There is perhaps no more misunderstood book of the Bible than Revelation. Yet it has a clear message for all who would devote themselves to its pages. May God bless our study of His Word! 

Introduction

Dragons, bizarre creatures, epic battles, and an intimate love story laced with malicious treachery. This could be the tag line of a blockbuster movie, but instead, it is a thumbnail sketch of the end times.  During the past nearly two thousand years millions of people have had the chance to read the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Many have wondered if Revelation will show them in advance what will happen in the future. Some churches have used it to support their interpretation of current world events. Influential Christian teachers and even whole denominations have primarily considered it to be "off limits," a book whose message is so cryptic that it is of little value, or even dangerous. It is no wonder that most of the readers have come away scratching their heads and wondering, "what was that all about?

It is the only book of the Bible that does not have a consensus by theologians as to its theme, its structure, the outline of its main sections and the meaning of the significant symbols. It is a book that requires in-depth study, with the insight of the Holy Spirit, and it deserves much more than a quick glance to see what the mark of the beast is, or who is the Antichrist, and if there is anything that relates to the current headline news. A study of Revelation requires slow, thorough and repeated reading, looking up texts and wrestling with scriptural comparisons to uncover the mysteries that are there. But it is worth the effort—"Blessed is he who reads…this prophecy and keeps those things which are written therein."(Rev. 1:3)

As we start this study in the book of Revelation we first need to understand the division of the book.  Just like Daniel, Revelation is divided in to two sections.  The same bifid and chiasmic form found in the book of Daniel appears in Revelation. Revelation is a series of parallel prophecies about the Christian Era. Here is the 1st Chiasm:

 A: ch 2-3 The Seven churches     (The Church)

 B: ch 6  The Seven Seals     (World Judged)

 C: ch 7:1-8 The 144,000     (Jewish People) 

 C: ch 7:9-14 The Great Multitude     (NT Saints)

 B: ch 8-9 The Seven Trumpets     (World Judged)

 A: ch 11: The Two Witnesses     (The Church)

 As was true in Daniel, Revelation also has a message within the chiasm,

 During the Christian Era, there will be seven church periods and seven different kinds of churches. The Jews and the Church will be God’s Two Witnesses on Earth.

The second chiasmic:

The 2nd half of Revelation is NOT about the Antichrist.  Though much more complicated than the first Chiasm, here is Revelation's 2nd Chiasm:

A.  ch 12  -- Woman with 12 Stars     (All of Israel, OT, and NT)

B.  ch 13-14  -- Leopard-Lion-Bear Beast     (Satanic Kingdom)

 Ba (14) the Jews & the Church during the reign of that beast. 

C.  ch 15 -- Song of Moses and Lamb     (Victory for the Redeemed)

C.  ch 16 --  Bowls of Wrath     (Wrath for the wicked) 

B.   ch 17-19 -- Seven-Headed Beast     (Satanic kingdoms) 

Ba (18) Babylon and all the lost during the Scarlet Beast's reign

Bb (19) King of kings, Destruction of the wicked, the end of Scarlet beast

A.  ch 20 -- The "thousand" years    (the Church

John has grouped many things into sevens. But how many times does the number “seven” occur?  Looking at the number of areas John writes about and not counting repeated sevens of things in the same verse, the number obtained is seven times seven, or 49.

1.     Churches 1:4; 1:11; 1:20 (2)

2.     Spirits1:4 ; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6

3.     Candlesticks 1:12; 1:13; 1:20 (2); 2:1

4.     Stars 1:16; 1:20 (2); 2:1; 3:1

5.     Lamps 4:5

6.     Seals 5:1; 5:5

7.     Horns 5:6

8.     Eyes 5:6

9.     Angels 8:2; 8:6; 15:1; 15:6; 15:7; 15:8; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9

10.Trumpets 8:2; 8:6

11.Thunders 10:3; 10:4 (2)

12.Thousand men 11:13

13.Heads 12:3; 13:1; 17:3; 17:7; 17:9

14.Crowns 12:3

15.Plagues 15:1; 15:6; 15:8; 21:9

16.Vials 15:7; 17:1; 21:9

17.Mountains 17:9

18.Kings 17:10

The Book of Revelation is not just a collection of interesting symbols and metaphors or even a grouping of the number seven, it reveals in symbolic language Jesus and His great enemy who are engaged in a very real spiritual battle between good and evil that has been raging since “Lucifer, son of the morning… said in [his] heart… I will be like the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:12-14).

At the dawn of creation “that ancient serpent” succeeded in bringing the battlefield to earth. This is a battle to the death that has no neutral ground, even though most of the world’s people know nothing about it. A Revelation of Jesus unmasks the great deceiver and exposes his deadly traps, tricks, and agents. But, the Book of Revelation is not about Satan— it is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Jesus is the hero and His complete victory, and the eradication of evil is the great theme. The purpose of this study is to present Jesus as He is revealed in the Book of Revelation, so that in seeing Him more clearly, we may fall in love with Him more than ever before.

DISCLAIMER

This study does not reflect the official teaching of the Friends Church (Quaker) and does not have any denominational endorsement, but represents the research and study of over forty years.  I do not consider myself an expert in Bible prophecy and only share what I have learned over the years.  I am not trying to convince you, or cause you to change your present beliefs about the book of Revelation; I only wish to challenge you to search the scriptures.

With that said, we will start the first lesson on April 18, 2018.  If you are interested in being part of this study send an email to ltruitt1044@gmail.com

Ezra- Christ Through the Bible

Text “For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” (Ezr 9:9)

After 70 years in exile, the people of Israel were coming back home. The new Persian emperor Cyrus had decreed that they return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of their God—which had lain in ruins the whole time (Ezr 1:1–4).

Zerubbabel and Jeshua, descendants of King David and Aaron the priest, answer the call to rebuild the house of God.

But the temple wasn’t the only thing in need, the Hebrews had forgotten God’s laws—and were disregarding them. Many of the returning people needed to remember the covenant they’d made with God. They needed to remember why they were in their situation: why they had to go to Babylon (which you can read about in Kings and Chronicles), and why they’d been allowed to come back. The temple needed a new foundation, but the people needed to return to the foundations of their faith, too.

Ezra, the scribe, answers the call to teach Israel the ways of God again (Ezr 7:10).

Ezra is also traditionally credited with writing the books of First and Second Chronicles. If this is true, then Ezra is the second most prolific author of the Bible (after Moses).

Ezra was a man of the Word and prayer. He was passionate for the purity of God’s people, seeking to praise God’s name, to bring in God’s Kingdom and to do God’s will on earth as in heaven.

The book of Ezra chronicles both stories: rebuilding the temple and remembering the law. This account weaves together several categories of written works.

• Historical narrative—events surrounding Israel’s return, temple reconstruction, and revival
• Official documents—letters and decrees sent to and from the Persian emperors during this time period
• Jewish records—names of individuals and families who returned to Israel
• Ezra’s autobiographical texts—prayers, reflections, and actions from Ezra’s point of view

These pieces come together to tell us how God began restoring Israel.

Ezra’s role in the Bible

Ezra begins a new beginning in Israel’s history:

• From Genesis to Deuteronomy, God calls out Israel as a particular nation and teaches them His laws.
• From Joshua to 2 Chronicles, God gives Israel a land and a king, but Israel loses both when they consistently disobey God.
• From Ezra to Esther, God restores Israel from exile in their own land again.

Ezra and Nehemiah (the next book of the Bible) were initially considered two parts of one book. Ezra focuses on rebuilding the temple; Nehemiah focuses on rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. Both form the story of how God reestablishes Israel in the land He promised to her. The book of Ezra also references other biblical prophets, namely Haggai and Zechariah, whose messages stirred up the people to finish building the temple (Ezr 5:1).

When God needed a man of pure character and firm conviction, He chose Ezra. Ezra means “help,” as in helping to restore and reform Judah. His example can be encouraging to any who desire to be faithful to God.

Ezra was a direct descendant of the priestly family of Aaron (Ezra 7:1-5). He was “a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6) and an “expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel” (Ezra 7:11). In a testimony to his convictions, we read that “Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).

While in Babylon, Ezra gained the favor of King Artaxerxes, who granted him a commission to return to Jerusalem (this was the second return). The king invited all who wanted to go—Jews, Israelites, priests, and Levites—to accompany Ezra to Jerusalem. However, only 1,754 chose to make the journey, compared with 49,897 who had returned with Zerubbabel 79 years earlier.

The purpose of Ezra’s teaching, however, was not merely to reestablish the theocracy in Judah after returning from Babylon as some historians argue. The book’s emphasis is not on suppressing the previously mentioned prophetic hopes. In fact, a close reading of the text demonstrates that Ezra does not merely look back to the glory of Solomon’s kingdom but also points forward.

For example, observe the edict in Ezra 7:12 ff. as a starting point. The language concerns the house or dwelling of God which is in Jerusalem. Here is the desire for pure and effective worship among the Jewish people over and against the worship of foreign gods. There is a return to the religion of old, but there is something more. For example, holiness is no longer merely restricted to some particular place such as the temple; instead, holiness is expanded and extends beyond the temple itself. (2) This anticipates something more significant to come (e.g., Jn 4:21; Eph 2:19-22).

Ezra was a man of prayer.  In his prayers, there is a reflection on the past but also a looking forward to what God has promised.  He acknowledged the relief from bondage from Babylon and a secure place to dwell.  The reference to a “a secure place,” (literally “a tent peg”) is meant to imply a firm anchor of stability for the community; however, the notion also alludes to something that is transient since it probably refers to the nomadic practice of staking a tent. There is no final satisfaction here that these Israelite travelers have indeed arrived at their final destination, for this rebuilt temple is not the final temple. Rather, there is in the book of Ezra the recognition that believers are aliens and strangers here on earth: pilgrims pressing towards a heavenly city “whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:10).

Ezra has set forth some excellent points for ministers and teachers in the days to come.

Ezra has set the right priorities of duties:

1.     first study,

2.     then practice, and then—and only then—

3.     teaching it to others.

The book of Ezra also reminds us that he respected the forward-looking nature of God’s plan. In other words, the Scriptures look forward to another place, another time, and especially another man.

You know that Ezra was only a man. Yet, there was another man, not a mere man, that Ezra’s life and theology ultimately points forward to. He is Christ. This Christ is a man, unlike the Pharisees. This is one, who when he taught, caused the people to marvel at his teaching and say, “Here is one who teaches with authority, not like the other Scribes and Pharisees.”

Look at the life of Christ.”

1.     He practiced what he preached.

2.     He spoke only truth

3.     He not only knew the Scripture He was the WORD.

As the Apostle says, “Who is sufficient for these things?”. Not us. Only Christ. However, may God grant as ministers of the Gospel, the ability to trust in and depend upon this Divine-human teacher, in whom all of our shortcomings in our own study, practice, and teaching are washed away. Christ is our penalty payer and our probation keeper. May God grant to us the grace to continually lay hold of that alien righteousness, which Ezra merely shadows and points forward to, which alone can cover all of their deficits and demerits.

May God grant us this grace so that they may proclaim with the apostle Paul, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Col 1:28, NIV).

 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”  – 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

Restoration of the people

Although the second return numbered fewer than 2,000 people, we must consider that five decades had passed since the completion of the temple in Jerusalem.  Much can happen in two generations. The temple was complete and in use, but something was missing: a right attitude toward Almighty God. The people still lacked understanding. They were not obedient to God.

God works in a systematic and orderly way. Through the Persian king, Cyrus, He fulfilled His promise that the Jews could return to their homeland after 70 years in captivity. Next God provided Zerubbabel to rebuild the literal temple. Finally, God set His hand to begin to restore the spiritual temple, a remnant of Judah. He used Ezra to accomplish this. Jesus told the woman at the well that the spiritual temple was more important that the physical temple.  The worship of God would be in spirit and truth.

Ezra took a census of those who volunteered to return to Judah and Jerusalem with him. An important and practical reason for the census was to determine the needs for the temple services.

Ezra was surprised—as he considered who could serve in what capacity—that no Levites were present. “And I looked among the people and the priests and found none of the sons of Levi there” (Ezra 8:15). So, he directed leaders of his countrymen to “bring us servants for the house of our God” (Ezra 8:17). The leaders then made sure some Levites would return with Ezra for the service of the temple.  Jesus said to go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.

Next Ezra needed protection for “us and our little ones and all our possessions” on the long journey back to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:21). He was ashamed to ask the king to supply an escort of soldiers for defense against any enemies they might encounter. So, he proclaimed a fast, and he and the people humbled themselves before God, asking Him to safeguard them on this dangerous trek. “So, we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer” (Ezra 8:23).

The journey was safe and uneventful. “So, we came to Jerusalem and stayed there three days” (Ezra 8:32). Then they gave offerings to God.  In the High Priestly prayer of Jesus in the 17^th chapter of John Jesus prays for our safety.

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.   As thou hast sent me into the world, even so, have I also sent them into the world.   And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.   Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Removing sin

After their offerings, the leaders came to Ezra worried about a significant problem: Men of the remnant of Judah and a few from Israel had taken wives from neighboring gentile nations. This God had expressly forbidden them to do since such marriages would weaken their resolve to honor God, who had explicitly chosen and selected Judah and Israel to represent Him.

Note Ezra’s words in this regard: “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites” (Ezra 9:1).

These heathen nations worshiped false gods. Were the Israelite men to remain married to their foreign wives, the prospect of false religion again enticing and seducing God’s people was a real and dangerous problem. This, God had earlier warned, was precisely one of the reasons His people would be taken into national captivity unless they repented.

God had sent Ezra to teach His people His way of life, to reveal to them their sins and exhort them to heartfelt repentance. “Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, ‘We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this’ ” (Ezra 10:1-2).

Shechaniah encouraged Ezra to take the responsibility and make a decree that Jewish men separate themselves from their gentile wives. “Then Ezra arose and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear an oath that they would do according to this word. So, they swore an oath” (Ezra 10:5).

Ezra issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to the descendants of the captivity, directing them to gather in Jerusalem (Ezra 10:7). The men of Judah and Benjamin came as directed and sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of importance of the business at hand and because of heavy rain. (This took place in the time of year we would call December.)

Ezra led a confession to God, admonishing the gathered Benjaminites and Judahites and some Israelites to put away their pagan wives. Most of them agreed to do so and obeyed God’s command through Ezra. After several months “they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives” (Ezra 10:17). God, through His faithful priest Ezra, had removed a significant source of sin from the people. God recognized that His people need to be united spiritually in their worship of Him (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and free us from the bondage of sin.

Although faithful Ezra had helped the remnant of Judah to return to God, they did not remain faithful. Neither had Israel repented and turned to God after Assyria removed its people from their northern kingdom almost three centuries earlier (721-718).

In chapter 9, Ezra responded to the disobedience and rebellion of God’s people by weeping over Jerusalem, just as Jesus would weep over Jerusalem’s refusal to receive and welcome Him.

Just as in the life of Ezra, Christ loves His people, He wants to bless them but is saddened by rebellion and disobedience.

Ezra was also a priest and a scribe devoted to the law of Moses. Jesus came as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and he countered temptation and those who challenges him in debate with appeals to Scripture.

Paul like Ezra knew the importance of laying the foundation in Jesus Christ.

 “According to the grace of God given me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Another priest to gather Israel

God promised the people of Judah He would return them to Jerusalem, after their 70-year Babylonian captivity, to rebuild the temple and restore proper worship. God similarly pledges to return Judah and Israel to their ancestral homeland. Many prophecies show that at Jesus Christ’s second coming He will gather the descendants of Israel and Judah from the ends of the earth (Isaiah 11:10-12; Jeremiah 23:3-8; Ezekiel 36:1-38; Ezekiel 39:25-29).

“ ‘Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 39:28-29).

God promised: He would gather Israel back to her land after He had punished her (Dt 30:3). The book of Ezra shows us how God kept that promise.

The LORD is coming back.  Just as He kept His promise to Israel to bring Judah out of Babylonian captivity.  He has kept His promise to free us from the bondage and captivity of sin.  He offers to you today that freedom.  If you have not accepted Him don’t wait until it is to late, time is running out, and you do not want to miss the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation.  Don’t be like those who stayed in Babylon and missed out on the freedom of that the LORD gives to those who follow Him.  Jesus is ready to forgive your sins and free you from the bondage of sin.

Children, Guns and Mass Shootings

 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Isa. 3:12 KJV

This past week the shooting of 17 people has dominated the news in America.  Every time a school shooting takes place or a mass shooting there is a rush to blame the gun.  First let me say, I do not own a gun, I am not a member of the NRA, but I do support gun ownership and the Second Amendment.  I have a life gun permit because it is my Constitutional right. I believe that an individual has the right to protect themselves, their family and property.  As a minister, I believe the church has the right to defend those who worship with whatever force is needed to save lives.  As a retired teacher, I believe schools should not be allowed to become soft targets but protect students with armed security and the use of deadly force.  With all that said, I have a few observations that I would like to share.

Isaiah told us what would happen when we turn away from the LORD.  There would be judgment brought upon the nation.  This judgment would be identified by children becoming oppressors and women ruling over them.  The leaders of this country have lead us down the path of destruction and have turn our nation away from the LORD.

There is a generation in America today that has no regards for human life.  It is not the evil of the gun that has taken so many lives but the darkness in the hearts of the people.  What I found interesting was when Dana Loesch, spokeswoman for the NRA was confronted by the parents of Parkland victims, they displayed the same anger Nikolas Cruz had when he killed his seventeen victims.  The people who rushed the stage and were screaming “burn her” to Dana Loesch, were no different from Nikolas Cruz.  They want to ban guns but are willing to use firebrands to burn her to death. 

Not long after Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden, GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. (Gen. 6:5-6).  How much longer will evil continue before the wrath of God is poured out on mankind?

Paul, in writing to the Church at Rome describes today’s generation, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and hatred. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.… (Rom.1:29)

It is this generation that is demanding to be heard, children who are disobedient to authority of any type, lack respect for human life, feel they are entitled to whatever they demand.  This is the generation that does not know God.

How did we get to the place we are as a society today?  We rejected the LORD.

I was a junior in high school in 1966 when I became aware of the depth of evil in our country. Mass murder would become a common event over the next fifty some years. Some of these murders would make a lasting impression on me. The pictures of the eight nurses from South Chicago Community Hospital murdered by Richard Speck to the clock tower at the University of Texas campus in Austin where Charles Whitman, kills 15 people and wounds another 32 before being shot dead by police. That was in 1966. I have never forgotten the picture of the clock tower or the bodies scattered on the ground or the images of the eight nurses.  Evil hearts have a bloody face.

Over the years, I have also often asked myself this question, “What has changed in America that can explain the increase in evil by individuals?” After fifty years in the ministry and almost thirty years as a teacher what has changed is that there is far less religious influence today. When I first started teaching in public school, I was amazed at the number of students who had never attended a church service, and that includes funerals and weddings. So, it is not surprising they would not know “Thou shall not commit murder.” 

That brings to mind the next question, where does the idea for these horrible evil crimes originate? Violent movies? Violent video games? Political warfare language?  Or could it be the mind-altering antidepressants which are associated with violence? Are, these factors contributing to the increase in mass murders?

Not to sound arrogant but I do have the answer, as the Shadow would say, “It is the evil that lurks in the hearts of men.” The prophet Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Murder starts in the heart, not with a gun. It is a spiritual condition. I know the progressive socialist won’t accept this. They will look everywhere for an explanation except where the answer lies---in the heart. To stop these violent acts the heart needs to be changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

                                                                                                                                           

Much of popular culture minimizes religion, glorifies foolishness, wallows in corruption, and revels in cruelty, mayhem, blood, gore, and sadism. All these feeds the evil heart. Will it ever stop? History would tell us, NO!  Not until we change the heart, and this can only be done by the transforming power of Jesus Christ. 

It is no the government’s responsibility to teach right from wrong.  It is not the school’s responsibility to teach to teach right from wrong.  It is the parent’s responsibility to train their children in the right way.  It is the churches responsibility to help train and support the parents in teaching their children right from wrong.  However, churches cannot help parents if they fail to see the importance of religious training.  

Parental involvement is extremely crucial to a child’s life; parents‟ involvement, or lack thereof, both in the school, home and at church, will automatically influence the future of our children. It is up to the parents to have the will to be present, both physically, mentally, and spiritually and available to their children.

Parents have a huge role in a child’s life.  They are the determining factor in a child’s success or failure: academically, socially, spiritually and financially. Furthermore, an extreme abundance of parents in our 21st Century are divorcing and spending less valuable time with their children. The family is broken.  Single mothers are left to raise their children without the support of the father.  Parents have become too busy with their jobs, marriage issues, financial needs, and social life. Many must work two or more jobs to sustain the family’s basic needs and to provide their children with the most they can to be well-educated and achieve the most in life, while others face multiple problems with husbands or wives, not even to mention the issues outside of home with jobs, government rules, and other fundamental life issues. Consequently, they lack involvement in the child’s life. Most of the reasons why children do not care about school are not motivated to learn, start drinking and smoking, become parents at an early age, cause accidents, are placed in jail, and even die early are because of the lack of parental involvement. However, a child’s life can completely turnaround from failure to success if a parent decides to address the spiritual needs of their child and their own life.

 Finally, the lack of parental involvement has become, and will continue to be, a severe issue in our society, unless parents start to make a real “change.”   That change cannot happen by moving away from the influence of a godly home based on the principles of God’s word.  Until we address the real issue, we will continue to see an increase in violence and face the judgment of God upon our nation.

1 & 2 Kings- Christ Through the Bible- The Reigning King

Seen in the life of Solomon

Solomon was the King of Israel. “Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.” 1 Kings 2:12

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings. “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Rev. 19:16

The Reign begins with Judgement

1 Kings 2:25-26 ‘So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah, and he died. To Abiathar, the priest, the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”

1 Kings 2:32-34 ‘The LORD will repay him for the blood he shed because without the knowledge of my father David he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him.’

1 Kings 2:44-46 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father, David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and killed him.

The first thing that we should notice is that the reign of Solomon began with judgement. Men who had lived through the entire reign of David and had got away with many hideous crimes now got their fair punishment. Is this not the same as the start of Jesus’ reign on earth? People in our age commit great sins against both God and man and for the time being, do not seem to be judged for their actions. God in His mercy and patience allows them time to repent, but He has set aside a day when he will judge the world. When Solomon’s reign began, judgement was pronounced upon these wicked men. So, it is with the return and reign of Jesus – it starts with judgment.

Matt 25:31,32 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.’

1 Cor 4:5 ‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.’

Thus Solomon’s kingdom was established when he put away his mortal enemies. Likewise, when we acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ, we put him first. There is nothing we want more. We seek His kingdom first.“ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Christ also ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of Majesty on high, having destroyed the power of the grave and hell forever.

 “ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’[The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:55-57

“For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15:25,26

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold; I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Rev. 1:18

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Heb. 2:14,15

By destroying his enemies, Solomon did not tolerate threats to his reign or false claims to his throne. Likewise, Our God is a jealous God, and He will not give His glory to another. He is the Only One worthy to sit on the throne and judge the nations.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ’Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” Rev.5:12,13

The Wisdom of God Manifested

1 Kings 3:5-13 ‘At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “…Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So, give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So, God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’

God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He said to him ‘I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’ Except one that is! The one in whom Solomon’s reign was just a mere shadow. Of all the men that had lived, Solomon was the wisest there had ever been. He judged righteously, and many came from far away just to listen to his wisdom. But even Solomon cannot compare with the soon coming rule of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

Isa 11:1-5 ‘A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness, he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth . He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips, he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.’

Wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel are essential characteristics of the rule of Christ. In this age we struggle to discern correctly, not knowing others, hearts. Not so when Jesus reigns. Real justice will be applied in every situation as nothing can escape the limitless understanding of the God-Man!

1 Kings 4:29-34 ‘God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’

The last line of this quote says ‘Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’ How true this is of Jesus’ reign. We know from prophecy that

Isaiah 2:1-5 ‘In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways , so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples .

How awesome this is going to be! Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

The Prince of Peace

1 Chron 22:6-9 ‘Then David called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.’

According to this verse, one of the leading characteristics of Solomon’s reign was peace. King David had not been allowed to build the temple because of the wars and bloodshed he had been involved with. Instead, this was granted to his son Solomon, a man of ‘peace and rest’ whom God would grant ‘rest from all his enemies on every side.’ What better picture of the reign of Jesus is there? The name of Solomon even means ‘peace’! Read and enjoy these verses that speak of the peace in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Isa 2:3,4 ‘The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. ’

Isa 9:6-8 ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. ‘

Isa 11:6-9 ‘The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.’

The Rebuilding of the Temple

1 Kings 6:1,14 ‘In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.  So, Solomon built the temple and completed it.’

Solomon built a magnificent temple, seven years in the making, with many objects made of marble and overlaid with gold. It was one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Jesus Christ has been preparing a place for us in Heaven for 2,000 years! How awesome will that be? We will walk through gates of pearl, stroll on streets of gold, and live in a city whose foundations are made of precious stones.  Rev.21 and 22

“In My Father’s house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2,3

After Solomon finished building the temple, during the dedication, God Himself came to dwell in it. “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:10,11

Likewise, God ‘tabernacled’, or pitched His tent among us, when Christ took on flesh and lived among us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

But even more glorious, will be the day when we will be in the presence of God in Heaven, seeing His face, enjoying unbroken fellowship with Him.“ ”And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God, Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’” Rev. 21:3, 4

Like Solomon, Jesus will build the temple in His Kingdom. This is the temple that has been described in Ezekiel Chapters 40-46 that has not yet been constructed. It has been written in Zechariah that the Messiah will do this.

Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. Zech. 6:13

Zech 6:11-13 ‘Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua, son of Jehozadak. Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘ Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’

The title of the ‘branch’ is a known name given to the Messiah. The crowning of Joshua in this passage foreshadowed the crowning of the Messiah who, at His second coming, would build the temple and unite the offices of King and Priest in one person just as Melchizedek had done. (Gen 14:18-20) Also, in this present age, each member of the church is the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19) – a habitation for God himself to dwell. Jesus has also been the builder of this temple as he declared to Peter -

Matt 16:18 ‘And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’

 

The Ark and the Glory Return

1 Kings 8:6-11 ‘The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim… When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

With the temple completed and the ark of God returned to the Holy of Holies, God showed His pleasure in all that had been done by filling the temple with His presence and glory. The ark of God is a type of Jesus Himself – the manifest presence and power of God. The same glory that filled the temple will one day, in the Kingdom to come, be openly visible for the world to see.

Isaiah 24:23 ‘The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.’

Isaiah 40:5 ‘And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you, and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.’

Israel’s Exaltation

1 Kings 10:4-9 ‘When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth, you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

1 Kings 10:23-27 ‘King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.’

Finally, the last characteristic that marked Solomon’s reign was the exalted position that Israel held among the nations. When the Queen of Sheba came, she was ‘overwhelmed’ and ascribed all that she saw and heard to the ‘LORD’s eternal love for Israel.’ The reign of Solomon marked an incredible influence among the Gentile nations, with many sending representatives to bow and pay homage at the footstool of his throne. Israel was praised among the nations and peace reigned. The millennial kingdom also displays the pre-eminence of Israel as out of her will come the word and glory of the Lord.

Micah 4:2 ‘In the last days…The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Zech 8:20-23 ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’ And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.” This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you.’”

In the age in which we live, the Jew is still bearing the effects of having forsaken God, and for the last 2000 years, they have faced more persecution and trials than any other people group in the world. Yet just as in Solomon’s day when Israel was exalted and her supremacy unchallenged, so is the day coming when God again shall fulfil His promises to His chosen nation and her glory and splendor shall be restored. Gentiles will take the hand of the Jew knowing that ‘God is with you.’ Jesus himself will rule from Jerusalem for it is written that ‘the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, …gloriously.’ Also,

Zech 14:8-9,16 ‘On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name… Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty.’

Solomon was rich, with yearly tax revenue equaling 39,960 pounds of gold. 1 Kings 10:14 (See all of 1 Kings 10 ) $774,117,700,000

He had an opulent palace and many building projects, the pinnacle of which was Solomon’s temple. Read 1 Kings 6:14-22

But Jesus Christ is rich, without taxing His people. “For every beast of the forest is Mine And the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:9-11 Psalm 50:11-13

He is the maker and owner of all things. Thus, says the LORD: Isa. 66:1-3 And He owns the gold and silver in every mine. Hagg. 2:8

Yet, Jesus laid aside His glory and riches for our sake. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor. 8:8-10

In what sense did He become poor? On earth, He was homeless, had only one piece of clothing worth anything, and had no possessions. He owned no property and carried no cash. He even paid His taxes in an unusual way.  “Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Matthew 17:27

When the Queen of Sheba came to investigate the rumors about Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, she exclaimed,  “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes, and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard! 1 Kings 10:6,7” We cannot begin to imagine how amazing Heaven will be.

She said his servants were blessed to see his face and hear his righteous judgments. “Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” 1 Kings 10:8,9

Even more so, the servants of Christ are blessed to read His words and serve Him. God is praised because He delighted in His Son and was pleased to set Him on the throne of the universe, to do justice and righteousness. One day, we will see Him face to face, hear His voice, and serve Him without weariness or sin.  “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Rev.22:3.4

Solomon received wisdom from God so that he could lead Israel. One case, stands out. Read 1 Kings 3:16-28 Two women and one live baby that they both claimed was theirs. Solomon’s decision revealed the true mother.  “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.” 1 Kings 3:28

Jesus teaching was unlike any other. He spoke with “authority. “  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”Matt.7:28,29 He forgave sin. He passed judgment. “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ’Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord. ’And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” Matt. 8:10,11

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and LORD of lords.  He reigns in the hearts of those who believe Him.  Have you accepted Him as your King?