The Border of Wickedness and the Edomites – Malachi Chapter One

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Bro Hiltibidal

“The Border of Wickedness” and the Edomites

Is what we are seeing in Israel, in its conflict with Gaza and soon other Terrorist nations that border them, the Word of the Lord against Esau/Edomites mentioned in Malachi, Chapter One?
Mal 1:1-5, “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.”

Verse Four in particular is very descriptive of the Edomites or modern day Palestinians. “Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.”

It would appear that God has a perpetual judgment against them for their great sin against Israel. When the Chaldeans were taking Judah captive, they aided them and caused great harm to the Jews, and God removed them from their land that was in the area called Idumea. Isa 34:5, “For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.” Idumea was the area from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, and the land God gave to Esau for his inheritance from Abraham was in this area.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary has this comment about this verse: “When Judah was captive in Babylon, Edom, in every way, insulted over her fallen mistress, killed many of those Jews whom the Chaldeans had left, and hence was held guilty of fratricide by God (Esau, their ancestor, having been brother to Jacob). This was the cause of the denunciations of the prophets against Edom (Isa 63:1; Jer 49:7; Eze 25:12-14; 35:3-15; Joe 3:19; Am 1:11,12; Ob 1:21,21,21; Mal 1:3,4:3,4|). Nebuchadnezzar humbled Idumea accordingly (Jer 25:15-21).

The phrase in Malachi, Verse Four, “They shall build, but I will throw down,” is interesting. No matter how much they try or the rest of the world helps them, everything the Palestinians build up God will in turn tear down. The arrogance of those that oppose God, God will oppose. This applies not only to the Edomites but to all nations, as well as the individuals who oppose God. The Lord stands ready to receive and hold all who will come to Him but to those that oppose Him the same will they receive from Him–judgment where blessings could have been enjoyed.

You might ask why God would tear down all the Edomites build up, and the answer is simple. God calls them “The border of wickedness.” Mathew Henry’s commentary has this comment: “border of wickedness, a sinful nation, incurably so, and therefore the people against whom the Lord has indignation for ever. Since their wickedness is such as will never be reformed, their desolations shall be such as are never to be repaired. Against Israel God was a little displeased (Zec 1:15), but against Edom he has indignation, and will have for ever, for they are the people of His curse (Isa 34:5).”

Will this present conflict bring about the battle prophesied in Psalms 83? Is the rise of the Medes (modern day Kurds), as prophesied in Isaiah 13:17, what we are seeing with the Kurds in controlling a large swath of land between where the ISIS forces have taken control in Iraq and into Iranian territory? Check out Jeremiah 51:11, 28-29 also concerning the rise of the Medes and Babylon/Iraq.

There are too many prophesied events taking place at the same time for this not to be the ending of the days before the tribulation that is surely coming.

You can almost hear the trumpeter about ready to sound out our call to leave!

Christmas Myths

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 14 Comments

CHRISTMAS MYTHS

Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Yes, I know the setting of this text, but not taking the thought of deception out of context we are warned of tradition of men, not tradition based in truth from Scripture as Paul referred to in II Thessalonians 2:15, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”

I am amazed at the large amount of traditions and traditional thoughts surrounding the Christmas story that are not supported by Scripture, archeological evidences, or historical documentations.   As a result, great truths have been unseen, which have great applications and great implications to intended truths. All sorts of ideas exist surrounding almost every aspect of the story, most of them based in personal preconceived ideas with little, if any, validity from supporting data outside of what the writer sees only to reinforce their own idea.

I have come to the understanding that men like to be the authority over Scripture rather than letting Scripture be the authority over them. If the Word of God is silent on an issue, maybe we ought to be silent. So much supposition has become tradition until most fail to be as the Bereans of Paul’s day searching to verify truth (Acts 17:10-11).   If the Scriptures are not clear, then be sure that you say so and add “this is what I believe” or “how I see it though the Scripture is not clear.” Being dogmatic when Scripture is not absolutely clear on your idea makes you the authority over what God said and that is dangerous.

I never cease to be amazed at the authority men, even good men, take over Scripture, and when confronted, they most often defend their idea instead of seeking truth on the subject from any source. Pride is a great sin among Bible teachers and must be guarded against, for the best of Christians can be overcome by the temptations of pride. Remember what the Scripture says concerning pride. Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

 Let me just mention a few traditions in the Christmas story that are simply that, tradition and not fact.

1. The stable where Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus were supposed to have been found by the shepherds.

2. The inn keeper that turned them away or the one that would let a pregnant mother stay in a makeshift hut out back with the livestock.

3. That the shepherds were of no special distinction, just lowly, uneducated, backwards, run of the mill poor shepherds.

4. The three wise men as so often seen in a nativity scene.

5. The magi thought to be religious men.

6. The star that led the wise men to them.

There is no inn keeper found in the Bible. Catholic writers from early centuries made this story up, and then it was retold by protestant writers down through the years.   An inn from the earliest days in Israel was the place that every family had on their property, where they trashed out grain and stored it until finished. Then it was taken to their tower or to the market. That is what Boaz was doing in the book of Ruth, Chapter Three, when she slipped in after midnight to lay at his feet. The storage inn was at the side of the trashing floor. All over the hillsides of Israel is seen yet today little holes, and most that visit the land of Israel fail to see them, for they were the family inns for storing grain as gathered at harvest.

Could it be that the article “the” is in the Bible instead of “an” before the word inn for a purpose? (See Luke 2:7.) Could they have been at the family plot of land and the inn was occupied since there were so many of David’s posterity camped out there to pay the tax like Joseph and Mary? This land was on the hillside overlooking the valley of Ephrata. When Scripture is taken at face value, you realize the shepherds didn’t run all over Bethlehem. Luke 2:16, “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

They were not some run of the mill, so to speak, shepherds but were a part of the priestly order who were sanctified shepherds, who had the responsibility over the flock from which the Paschal lambs for sacrifice came. They used both the swaddling clothes and the manger in their responsibilities with the sacrificial lambs in the Tower of the Flock.   So when the angels said in Luke 2:12, “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger,” they knew where to go, after all this is where God had prophesied the first coming of Jesus would be. Micah 4:8, “And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.”

At the Tower of the Flock the new born lambs were caught at birth and wiped off with swaddling clothes and then taken to the manger where the chief priest/shepherd would inspect them for spots or blemishes. Each limb and body to the face would be wrapped in swaddling clothes and set aside for the prescribed time, then re-inspected before sent to the temple for sacrifice.

They knew where to go for the angels all but called the name of the place. Our Saviour was born in the same place and wrapped in the same clothes and laid in the same manger as the lambs of sacrifice that had represented him for over 1000 years had been born. John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”   This should not be any surprise for we find this in Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This had been the plan of God all along

***************

 Concerning those wise men, there were three gifts not three magi, who were not religious men but representatives of the nations on the east of the Roman Empire, coming to pay homage to the new born King, not the Saviour of the world. The gift was one that represented submission to the kingdom that the future king would have and their nations would not need subjugated. It represented that they thought He was God on earth not in the sense of Immanuel, as He was, but from the political standpoint as all world leaders of empires was supposed, in paganism, to have been.

The gift was one that had been given on other occasions, starting with Ramses of Egypt after 20 years of war with Babylon and represented that he was seen as the God in manhood as the greatest ruler of his time.   It was called the gift of Ramses for that very reason. History records several men after that receiving the same gift in recognition of the same.

Daniel was a great teacher of religion and philosophy as well as science. His students spread across the eastern countries and were looking for the prophesied coming God/Ruler He had spoken of in Daniel 7:7-14.   From historical documents from four historians, one of them riding with the camel train, and from court transcripts of the trial of Herod before the Roman Senate, there were as many as 1000 camels traveling with all the supporting personal, including military protection. They came almost two years after the birth and not to any stable with a baby but a young child in the house. Matthew 2:11, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

There are so many truths from the Christmas story that have been missed due to tradition. Let us beware for they are, no doubt, on purpose by the master of deception, since the foundational truth of the virgin birth is of the upmost importance to our eternal destiny as Christians.   Many other truths are there for the finding, and they will thrill your heart as you see so many shadows of the redemption process fulfilled or brought to light by those truths.

The Word of God is so stirring and accurate, and even when you cannot fully comprehend what is before your eyes, it doesn’t change the fact that if God said it then it will be fulfilled to the minute detail.   Gods Word says this in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” God moved in the affairs of the entire Roman Empire and the federated nations to the east to fulfill prophecy concerning the birth of our Saviour. The movements of the stars, the taxation of Rome and many other truths concerning the Christmas story are there to be found all bringing a new and greater appreciation to the truth of this special birth.

You may contact us for further truths concerning the Christmas story.

Romans One Syndrome

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 50 Comments

The Romans One Syndrome Romans 1:21-32

(excerpts from the chapter by this title in my new book ”Edge of Dawn”)

We certainly are living in times that fit the description given to us in these verses.  The saddest part of this is that it is not only the lost heathen crowd that fit the description but all too many that claim the name of Christ.

The moral denigration taking place in the world today is not limited to the pagans and heathens only but to the religious movements as well.

A Failure to Recognize God in All Things

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” vs 21 All one need do is look around at the present world to see its description is of our times.

All ages have had a great deal of this diluted thinking and living, but as time for the Church Age runs out and the less effect Christianity has on the world, the more this type of culture will grow. The overall religious movements that were under the umbrella of Christianity have for centuries stood in opposition to the ungodliness described in these verses, but that has abruptly changed.

With the apostatizing of the church has come an acceptance of a wicked lifestyle both without and within the church.  God’s people once were known for their separated living but no longer. Materialism has eaten up humanity until our own lives and our churches have become acceptable of the changes in culture and society as a whole.

The humanism of the Babylonian world system has now come into far too many churches until the Romans One Syndrome has become a part of it along with the world.

Vain in their imaginations and foolish in their heart well describes both the world and most of Christianity in our times.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”  We have become so wise in our own understanding that we have come up with new and better ways to do church than God ever thought of.   New music, new methods, new programs, new Bibles, new you name it, and wonder why the influence of modern day Christianity has little to no effect on culture.

Could it be we have allowed culture to affect us until we are irrelevant to both the world and our God?

“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” As a result, society has been turned over “to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts” and all forms of immorality has become accepted in today’s culture “to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.”

This has brought us to the next phase.  “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

Is this not the society we now live in and we who would dare speak against such sin are the outcast and condemned!  “Who changed the truth of God into a lie”.  This is to be expected of the heathen pagans of the world, but this has become the norm for so called “Christianity.”  From main line churches to the emergent crowd and even those that would go by the name Baptist are in this category.

From “uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, unto vile affections, then to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”  We now live in the final stage where it says “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Mt 24:37-38 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

We are living in these last days where we see the world and what is perceived as church living just as these verses speak of. Surely we are coming near the end of this age for once these dead lines are crossed and God finally turns the world over to a completely reprobate mind only the Judgment of God, the tribulation, is left.

We need to heed James’ admonition realizing his words are but those of God as seen in Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Ever more as we see the day approaching we need to purpose withal our hearts to walk with our Lord daily in his Word and serious prayer. It is possible to have an Enoch’s walk in a Lamech’s world.

Spend what time we have left in true service to our Saviour.  Our world is certainly caught up in the Romans One syndrome but we do not have to be!

The Middle East in Turmoil or Prophecy?

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 230 Comments 

The Middle East in Turmoil or Prophecy?

Zechariah. 12:3, “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”

There is not a day that passes that the news is not filled with the affairs of the Middle East and in particular Israel and its neighbors.  From the world’s standpoint, Israel is the problem.  If they had not taken the land away from those poor Palestinians, there would be no problem.

Of course, those poor people are not wanted by their Arab relatives and make for a great tool to use against Israel in the court of world opinion to cover their own deep seated hatred of Isaac’s seed as opposed to Ismael’s seed from which most of these come.

It appears evident, at least to me, that the stage is well set for a major battle to erupt as the civil war, or so it is made to look, is about to spill over into the Golan Heights into Israel.

Let me list just a few of the news stories reported in a single day.

*     Golan Heights villages brace for war as tensions rise between Syria and Israel.

*     Israel ‘the most threatened state in the world,’ says PM

“We are deep in the era of missiles that are aimed at civilian population areas,” Netanyahu said during a meeting of the Emergency Economy Committee.  “We must prepare defensively and offensively for the new era of warfare.”

*    Russian manufacturer to sell 10 MiGs to Syria.

*    Assad: Arab world ready to join fight against Israel

Syrian President Bashar Assad told Al-Manar TV on Thursday that “there is pressure by the people to open a new front on the Golan.” “Even among the Arab world there is a clear readiness to join the fight against Israel,” he added in his interview with the Hezbollah TV station.

*    Syria’s Assad warns Israel on air strikes and Golan

These are but a few and every day it is the same.  The world sees it as turmoil, but for Bible believing Christians that know but a little about the endtimes, they see it as prophecy being fulfilled.  The Word of God tells us that these things will take place so we should not be perplexed or burdened by it, but yet many Christians are as worried about this as the world is.

There are those in Christianity that believe and have taught many that prophecy has been fulfilled in the past and that the current Israel is not even considered God’s people.  All sorts of ideas unsubstantiated by the Bible, in my view, are sold to people who have little biblical discernment or desire to understand truth from a literal Biblical interpretation.  We are living in the days spoken of by Paul in II Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Personally I believe we are seeing the foreshadows of the battle of Psalms 83.  The nations mentioned there are the ones that Syria’s president is speaking about that are ready to join the fight against Israel.  For those that have held to the idea that present day Israel is not the one spoken of in Bible prophecy, then answer me this.

When in history has this ever been fulfilled?  Is not the present situation exactly what God prophesied in Psalms 83?  What about the many other prophecies concerning the endtimes that are being seen either as being fulfilled or the stage being set for them to be fulfilled, Iran’s role, Russia’s involvement, Egypt’s readiness, and on it goes?

The present situation in Israel is certainly that which is described in Psalms 83.  As to whether this present threat will be the trigger that starts it, or if there will be cooler heads prevail at the present, is yet to be seen, but at some time it will erupt into a full blown war and from the Scriptures the outcome is already told.

Here is a list of the Psalm 83 coalition that is going to come against Israel and see what you think.

     Tabernacles or Tents of Edom – [decedents of Esau] Palestinian Refugees and Southern Jordanians

     Ishmaelites – Saudi Arabians

     Moab – Palestinian Refugees and Central Jordanians

     Hagrites – Egyptians

     Gebal – Northern Lebanese

    Ammon – Palestinian Refugees and Northern Jordanians

     Amalek – Arabs South of Israel

     Philista – Palestinian Refugees and Hamas of Gaza Strip

    Inhabitants of Tyre – Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese

     Assyria – Syrians and perhaps Northern Iraqis included

    Children of Lot – Moab and Ammon

When it is over, Israel will enlarge its borders greatly.  Obadiah 1:19, “And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau [Southern Jordan]; and they of the plain the Philistines [Gaza Strip]: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria [West Bank]: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead [West bank & Golan Hights].”

Islam will suffer a great set back.  Ezekiel 25:13-14, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan [Sadi Arabia] shall fall by the sword.   And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel [Israeli Defense Force IDF]: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD.”  The scriptures are numerous concerning the results of this battle.

The nations with vested interest in these Arab nations will suffer a set back the world will be awestruck. Isaiah puts it like this in Isa 17:12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!  The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

This will provide a semblance of peace that may be what is described as the setting for the battle of Ezekiel 38-39.

Certainly if Syria falls, Russia will be ready to react.  If  Iran’s surrogates  Hezbollah and Hamas are neutralized, and Islam is set on its heels, the federation of nations as seen as an outer ring of Islamic Non-Arab nations with Russia mentioned in the Gog-Magog war will be ready to invade Israel.  As Israel will be drastically depleted from the Psalms 83 battle, God will intervene and destroy this federation as they come into the land against Israel.

The stage is set, and we are no doubt living in the endtimes.  Let us take every opportunity to invest our lives in service to our Lord and convert earthly things into eternal investments while there is yet time, for at any moment the trump of God could sound and the voice of the archangel’s shout out come up hither could be heard.

-Additional Thought to the Original Post- (4-16-14)

Is what we are seeing in the news concerning the Middle East peace process headed more towards war than peace?  I believe that what we are seeing is the final preparations for the conflict discussed previously.

 The Palestinians are now requesting UN recognition towards statehood while flatly rejecting to recognize Israel as a state or nation.  Only those deceived by their own blind ambition would ever expect that they would acknowledge Israel in any positive way.

 The counter to this move by the PA is to stop the freeing of criminals and terrorists by the Israelis.  No matter how hard the US may try to force Israel, there is no doubt a line they refuse to cross.  (Good for them I say.)

 The idea of canceling the OSLO Accord is being seriously considered as the Islamic crowd speaks of a return to previous political and terrorist activities.  The Islamic council of the Arab nations just unanimously stated their flat rejection of the recognition of Israel and place all the Middle East blame on the Israelis.   Talk about a deceived and deluded people–no better example could there be.

 The supposed Christians from predominantly main line or Protestant churches that side with the PA and oppose Israel are just as blind, but wait.  I think I read something like that in the Bible.  Luke 6:39, “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?”

 Why do so many that call themselves Christians live in such blindness?  This Christianity at the checkpoint movement is led by those blinded by their improper view of Scripture.  These are made up primarily of those with the “Replacement Theology” view in which they do not perceive present day Israel as that of the Bible endtimes.

Their view is historically Catholic in nature, and since they are rooted out of that, they have the same view–that the promises of God that were made to Israel have been transferred to the church.

 This is why they do not side with modern Israel but with its adversaries.  They usually hold to either a historist view of Scripture or the ah-millennialist view.  It will only be the pre-millennialist that will see Scripture prophetically and current Israel as the one that will be at the center of God’s final seven years of prophecy that was given to us by the inspiration of God through the pen of Daniel.

 The stage is well set with all but a few truly born again believers in opposition to Israel.  All religions and governments, as well as the powers behind them, are ready to see the end of Israel, believing this will bring peace to the Middle East and the world.

 Only when Israel is all alone and in its darkest hour in all of its history will the King of Glory ride in, and peace will come only because judgment will have been meted out to all the enemies of God’s chosen people.  Then and only then will peace come and not only to the Middle East but to the world.  (Check Zechariah, Chapter 14.)

 Revelation 19:11-16, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Foolish Conjecture

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 11 Comments

Foolish Conjecture and the Future Temple

We live in times where speculation is more often the basis of people’s reasoning instead of known facts or truths.  I never cease to be amazed at the comments and conclusions people make based in speculation rather than facts.

Everyone wants to be the expert and final authority in matters they have only speculation or some supposed inspirational feeling about.  Such is the subject of the third temple for the Jews.  You hear those that will try to convince you that it will be built at Shiloh and not Jerusalem.  This way there would be no conflict with the Islamic religion and the temple mount.

Oh, they provide other reasons and all based in speculation or personal interpretation of some portion of Scripture.  Peter helps us in this matter when he says this in 2 Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”  Simply any interpretation that is not supported by the whole of Scripture is an incorrect interpretation.  No Scripture stands alone apart from the rest.

Many a false doctrine and cult or religious movement has been concocted by this method.  The current trend of progressive interpretation has moved away from traditional principles.  They take verses or phrases out of their context and apply it as they please.  They change the meaning of words to prove their preconceived ideas and on and on.  This has resulted in a continual progression of rewriting the Word of God.

Recently another speculative process is resulting in a movie concerning the future temple in Jerusalem.  Ken Klein, a former NFL player turned author and filmmaker, has come up with “evidence,” at least in his mind, that the temple never sat where everyone thought.  (Maybe he needs to stick to football)

Try to tell that to the orthodox Jews who have already prepared the instruments, vestments and training of priests preparing for the temple to come.  Try to convince those drafting the plans of a future temple compound.

The articles for the temple, the training of priests who pass DNA testing , the actual participation on paschal sacrifice, the red heifer is present, the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin, everything but the physical temple is ready to go.  The signs of the endtimes are everywhere.

Speculation is not a firm footing to place your spiritual thought process on for the end result will prove a disaster.  Multitudes have placed their future hope of eternity in heaven on speculation and in the words of Jesus will be forever disappointed.   “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The dome of the rock is a point of contention and debate abounds concerning the actual site of the temple.  If it is at the place of the Islamic center when the time to rebuild comes, it will have been removed by what means would be speculation and conjecture.  It is thought a bomb might remove it in one of the wars to come, others say an earthquake, again speculation.

We do know that the first temple built by Solomon with the material gathered by David was built on the threshing floor David purchased from Ornan or Araunah, thought to be the same area where Abraham built the altar to sacrifice Isaac on mount Moriah.  “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (2 Chronicles 3:1).

From archeological discoveries, the position of the original altar for sacrifice is on the temple mount a distance from the dome of the rock.  Facts, not speculation, may not be sensational or intriguing and may not bring attention to self, but you cannot change truth no matter how important you may think your ideas or speculation to be.

We need to stick to the Book; it is the truth, and if our ideas are not in alignment with it, then we are wrong and not God.  “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalms 119:89).

This Generation

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal

This Generation

“Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:34).  This verse at the ending of the Olivet Discourse has been discussed by preachers, Bible teachers, and serious theologians for nearly two millennia.  It is recorded in all three accounts in the gospels–Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30-31, and Luke 21:32-33.

I do not consider myself to be any kind of expert for I certainly know I have little understanding compared to many great Bible expositors of the past or present.  I would not disqualify the great commentaries and works of past generations for they are invaluable tools to the students of the Word.

I do, however, understand that the greatest majority of accepted commentaries were written before the Olivet Discourse began to be fulfilled.  They were all written before the prophecy of Ezekiel 37 began to be fulfilled with the returning of Israel to her land early in the last century.

Many commentaries are written with a universal church basis as well as a replacement theology view.  Not all, mind you, but most were men with a protestant heritage and these roots formed much of their theology.

For the most part they viewed this as meaning the destruction of Jerusalem, which certainly is a part of the prophecy but only one third of it.  There were three questions from the disciples that Jesus answered in what we call the Olivet Discourse.

(Check out our CD “The Olivet Discourse” in our bookstore.)

May I point out the word “all” is recorded in all three accounts of the Olivet Discourse, and I believe it means all the prophecy and not limited to the first of the three questions asked.  So the generation is not those that were present when he was giving the address or pertaining solely to the destruction of Jerusalem.

For as long as I can remember and for centuries before that, there has been the discussion of how long is a generation.  Much effort and a lot of ink have been used to prove the ideas of many a writer.   I have been guilty of this in the past as well.

Many date setters, which we are warned to avoid, have used these verses only to be foiled in the end.  The ideas are that a generation is 40 years, 70 years, others think it is 100 years, and so forth.

Too often we get dogmatic in our ideas in areas that are not made clear in the Scriptures.  When we do this, we are setting ourselves up as an authority over Scripture.  We might say this is how we view this, or this is what we believe but not be dogmatic and appear as if we know the truth, and if you do not agree, you are wrong.

With this said, let me say this is what I believe a generation is or means in this context.  When trying to understand any portion of Scripture, the first rule of interpretation is to keep it in its context.

In the context, we see a cycle of life referred to as a process that starts and continues until its fulfilled purpose.

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32-33).

The process of producing fruit starts with the bud of the flower.  The botanist will tell you the purpose of the flower is not just for its beauty or fragrance but to produce fruit.

The generation is in reference to the completing of the cycle that began with the beginning of the reconstitution of Israel to the coming of their Messiah.

It is not a matter of counting the years but observing the signs of the process from bud to ripe fruit.  When it will be ripe, God alone knows.  Then he will come and pick it.

Let us join in obedience as was Jesus to His father.  “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

The Hype over Non-Biblical Prophecy

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 34 Comments

The Hype over Non-Biblical Prophecy

It seems that many prophecy-type ministries of our times have become more interested in non-Biblical prophecies than they are of those from the Word of God.  They get so excited about some non-Christian (if the Bible is used to check their doctrinal belief of salvation) who predicted something ages ago.

There has not been a day in recent months without an article in the news’ blogs concerning the new pope of the false Church of Rome, all based in a supposed prophecy of a sixteenth Catholic monk. Just because the Catholic church has placed sainthood on him doesn’t mean a thing concerning God.

I never cease to be amazed at the excitement so many exhibit about such matters as if all heaven is rejoicing, and yet seem to care so little about what heaven does rejoice in.  “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10).

With so many prophecies from the Word of God, why do those that seem to know so much of Scripture run to the pagan world for prophecy to explain their ideas rather than let the Bible reveal itself?

I am no man’s judge but wonder if the books to write, speaking engagements, and revenues from ventures may not fuel some of this passion for extra Biblical prophecies.

It saddens the heart to see some of the most reputable ministries with such a great track record for adherence to the Bible allowing themselves to be drawn into this love affair with those using so many pagan extra Biblical materials to advance their ideas and theories.

These are the same people, for the most part, that would criticize false science that would promote evolution to advance humanism, yet will take predictions from false and pagan prophets and attempt to make a case from a Biblical viewpoint.

We just went through this in 2012 and the Mayan calendar, now this, and the next will be some new sensational topic.  We need to stick to the Book.  “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

I do not want to come off as the final authority, but I do believe that the Word of God is.  Those of us involved in the ministry of discernment, teachers of Biblical prophecy, what every terms you choose to use, need to remember that our supreme purpose is the defense of the gospel and not self-promotion.

Some may simply be enamored by the outward acceptance and growth of the charismatic emergent church-type of prophecy teachings and feel they must get with the trend of the times.  In doing so, they become part of the endtime scenario that the Scriptures predict.  “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

The tendency to be ecumenical in the approach to Biblical matters, so as to not step on anyone’s toes, is the current mode of operation, but this has never been God’s mode of operation.  We need to be more Christian or Christ-like in our approach and ministry and tell the truth whether popular or not.  “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the father” (Romans 15:8).

If Scripture is unclear or silent, let us not become dogmatic on that subject, making ourselves the authority over God’s Word.

The underlying purpose of our ministry should be for the furtherance of the gospel.  Paul, the great apostle of the Lord, recognized his imprisonment and impending death was for this purpose.  “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Romans 13:12).