Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
(Galatians 6:7)
Are the deceased still among us? How does one deal with living in haunted houses? What does God's word say about ghost busting? All of these questions are scripturally answered in this easy to read booklet.
The articles/teachings free available on this site are an example of the in-depth biblical investigation that goes into every booklet we release.
Test your comprehension with questionnaires, and use as a Bible study for Sunday school, sermons, and small groups. Price: $2.99 (any tax and shipping/handling included). Orders usually ship within 48 hours.
Article Excerpts
Mark 6:5-6 says: And he (Jesus) could do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. Mark 10:27 says: With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. In light of these scriptures, is it logical to conclude that since Jesus could not perform mighty works in his own land, he must not have truly been God or else mighty works would not have been impossible for him. When Jesus Could Not Perform A Miracle.
And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace...
(Romans 10:15)
What is the gospel of peace? It is the good news that through faith in (obedience to) Christ Jesus, man can again be at peace with God.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Romans 5:1)
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh (close) by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace...
(Ephesians 2:13-14)
The peacemakers (preachers of the gospel of peace) do not preach that there will be peace if such and such nation will cease to attack such and such other nation. We do not work to eradicate war in the earth as a means of obtaining peace, knowing that world peace will never be until the peaceable kingdom of God is established in the new earth. We preach that Jesus was our peace, as well as our sin and tresspass offering at Calvary and that those who accept him as Lord and Savior enter into peace with God.
Peace with God is peace given to the heart of the believer, not to the world. Many Christians around the world suffer extreme persecution, are tortured and murdered for their faith in Jesus. This is the spiritual sword that was sent in the earth at the first coming of Jesus.
The world hates Jesus and therefore persecutes his disciples (St John 15:18-25). Satan is the god of this present world (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Matthew 4:8-9). This does not mean that God is not in control of the universe but rather, the world systems (governments) and ways of doing things tend to be contrary to God's government (the kingdom of heaven). He is always in absolute control. Consider the fact that the most powerful and evil ruler this world will ever know, the Antichrist (son of perdition) cannot even come on the scene and take power until God allows him (2 Thessalonians 2:3-6). The Christian does not live in obedience to the god of the present world, Satan. Instead, he is loyal to another King, the King of kings, Jesus. Imagine if you had to live in one country and yet your loyalty was not to that country's ruler but rather to the ruler of another; you would find yourself in serious and constant conflict.
The number of Christians who have met their death at the hands of their family members is growing. Satan's hatred for God is that strong.
Jesus said:
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance (war) against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes (enemies) shall be they of his own household.
(Matthew 10:34-36)
This reality is not new to the New Testament. Such spiritual warfare was also seen in the Old Testament. The difference is that this spiritual sword was primarily seen in Israel and not among the Gentiles. Therefore, this should not be viewed as a strange new truth to followers of Judaism. In the Old Testament we read:
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay (kill) every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
(Exodus 32:26-28)
Although we now understand that Jesus' first coming was not to send peace on earth, why then do we read the following in Luke 2:14?
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
A fairly popular and I believe, incomplete teaching on the above scripture maintains that Luke 2:14 is simply saying that God is to receive the glory for sending our peace with him, his Son Jesus to earth, thereby showing his goodwill to mankind. Jesus, our peace with God indeed was sent to earth which was the ultimate display of God's goodwill toward man (Romans 5:8).
However, there is a peace on earth that has been made possible and has taken place because of the work of Christ. Men can now have peace with their fellow inhabitants of earth when they are true disciples of Christ. I repeat, when they are true disciples of Christ. There are many things and issues that for thousands of years, have kept people divided among themselves and at awar with one another.
We'll focus on what I believe is the greatest peace on this present earth that Jesus' work on the cross accomplished. I consider this the greatest peace to be seen in the present earth because it is the one that the Bible specifically associates with the redemptive work of Jesus at Calvary.
This is the peace and indestructable unity that he brought between natural Israel (the actual descendents of Abraham) and the Gentiles (all other peoples of the earth).
The separation between Jew and Gentile is first seen in the Old Testament. They did not eat together (Genesis 43:32) as God had given Israel strict dietary laws to follow (Leviticus 3:17, 7:26-27, Deuteronomy 14:3-21) while the Gentiles continued in the consumption of unclean animals and blood as evidenced in Acts 15:19-20. To eat together is to enjoy communion with someone. This is why holy communion is observed, in the natural, by believers gathering together to eat the holy supper (1 Corinthians 11:33). Instruction on the separation between Jew and Gentile is also seen in Deuteronomy 7:1-6.
This is why Peter said:
...Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation...
(Acts 10:28)
Note, the Old Testament does not teach that God shunned the Gentiles (also referred to as the nations, foreigners, Greeks, heathen or strangers) so that they would not enjoy communion with him. If this were true, we would not have the Old Testament scriptures that tell us that any Gentile (stranger) who wanted to celebrate Passover, just as Israel, was welcome to do so. After circumcision, a Gentile (stranger) was allowed to fully participate in the Jewish customs. God said that he was to be considered as though he had been born a descendent of Abraham (Exodos 12:43-50). In fact, even a natural-born member of Israel was not considered a Jew until he had been circumcised (Exodos 12:48).
In addition, we read in Esther 8:17 that many (Gentiles) became Jews. To be a Jew in God's eyes, goes so much farther than being a natural descendent of Abraham (Romans 2:28-29, 9:6-7, St John 8:37-44). Only by our decision to make the God of Israel our personal Lord will we truly become a Jew (Ruth 1:16).
Many Gentiles refused to accept the only true Lord, the God of Israel as their God. Likewise, many in Israel refused to obey the Lord, their God. Throughout the scriptures we read how the Gentiles were often the instruments that God used to punish Israel by enslaving, mistreating, and oppressing them with extreme cruelty.
The separation between Jew and Gentile in Old Testament times as well as the fierce oppression of Israel at the hands of Gentiles, has been greatly misunderstood universally and has, on both sides, given rise to bitterness, distrust, and dislike for each other and God.
However, because of the the work of Christ, God has abolished this wall of separation which stood in the way of the possibility of peace on earth among the children of Israel and the rest of the world.
Let us read carefully about this peace on earth that Jesus secured for all mankind. After all, all of mankind used to belong to only one of two groups. He was either a Jew or a Gentile. There was nothing in between.
But now in Christ Jesus ye (Gentiles) who sometimes (in Old Testament times) were far off are made nigh (brought close) by the blood of Christ. FOR HE IS OUR PEACE, WHO HATH MADE BOTH ONE, AND HATH BROKEN DOWN THE MIDDLE WALL OF PARTITION (separation) BETWEEN US. HAVING ABOLISHED IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain (two) one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off (Gentiles), and to them that were nigh (Israel). For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
(Ephesians 13-19)
There is no more Jew or Gentile (Greek, stranger, heathen or foreigner) because both are now one in Christ (Galations 3:26, 3:28-29).
This great peace on earth which Jesus brought will never be seen internationaly in this world because, many, both Jew and Gentile, reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The sword that Jesus sent in the earth is the persecution of spiritual Israel, comprised of both natural Jews and Gentiles at the hands of spiritual Gentiles, again comprised of both natural Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus said to the Jews:
They shall put you out of the synagogues.
(St. John 16:2)
Jews worship in synagogues. We have the case of Jews putting other Jews out of the synagogue. Jesus, in the same scripture, goes on to say:
...Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever (anyone) killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
We read:
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.
(1 Thessalonians 2:14)
Both Jews and Gentiles killed Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:15, Matthew 20:18-19). The Jewish prophets were persecuted and killed by Jews (1 Thessalonians 2:14-15) and those who were once Gentiles but are now in Christ, are persecuted and killed by their own countrymen. Christians are violently persecuted in China, North Korea, Pakistan, the Sudan, etc. The apostle Paul wrote:
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes (beatings) save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen...
(2 Corinthians 11:24-26)
Under grace and the New Testament, Israel is now comprised of both natural Jews and Gentiles who are true followers of the Lord Jesus because to be a Jew denotes the condition of a circumcised (repentant/clean) heart towards God. Likewise, to be a Gentile denotes the condition of an uncircumcised (unrepentant/unclean) heart towards God, whether the person be Jew or Gentile in the flesh. Under the New Covenant, Gentiles in the flesh, who are true servants of the Lord Jesus, are Jews in the spirit and Jews in the flesh, who willfully refuse to obey the Lord, are Gentiles in the spirit (Romans 2:28-29).
We have one more problematic question concerning what the Bible says about living in peace on earth. In 1 Timothy 2:1-3 we read:
I exhort (urge) therefore, that, first of all, supplications (requests), prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and aceptable in the sight of God our Savior.
The word 'kings' refers to the world's rulers, whether they be call president, czar, chancellor, emperor, etc. The phrase "For all that are in authority" refers to those with positions in government that make laws and decisions that affect our daily lives.
We then understand that 1 Timothy 2:1-3 is commanding us to remember to pray for such people, for their salvation for two very important reasons. The first and most important is for their salvation because God wants all men to be saved and receive the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). Second, we pray for them and their salvation because our lives can be most miserable and even horrific under the rulership of wicked leaders in government who do not fear God.
Let's now look at the following scriptures which when considered in conjunction with 1 Timothy 2:1-3, may cause us to lose hope for ever living in any peace under the rulership of the present world's leaders. They may also leave us in confusion.
...Beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge (beat/whip) you in their synagogues, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parent, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake...
(Matthew 10:17-18, 21-22)
And we read:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
(2 Timothy 3:12)
Let's consider the final scripture we'll present:
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
(Revelation 6:4)
When the above scriptures which fortell of persecution of Christians are considered in conjunction with 1 Timothy 2:1-3 which speak of our living quiet and peaceable lives, we may be left very perplexed. Why pray for our government official so that we can lead a quiet and peaceable life when scripture has already predicted our persecution? How can we live a quiet and peaceable life and be persecuted at the same time?
The answer is a simple one. We'll first give it and then we will see if it is biblical. We have heard people say that we must take the bitter with the sweet in this life. Life in this present world cannot and will not be all sweet all of the time. However, it is not God's will for it to be all bitter all of the time either.
Likewise, let every Christian know that in this present world, he must take the persecution, the bitter, with the blessing of God, the sweet. God lets us know that if we will love godly, we will suffer persecution in one form or another. He also lets us know that, nevertheless, it is not his will for his servants to be persecuted without rest, without deliverance, all the days of their lives on this earth, regardless of what land they inhabit. Is this what the Bible says or is this an opinion? We will boldly say that this is what the Bible teaches as evidenced in the following scriptures.
In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus speaks of the things that one may have to give up in order to follow him. However, he immediately afterwards speaks of the blessings to be expected to follow, and then again reminds us that in the midst of the blessings will be persecutions. Is this not taking the bitter (persecutions) with the sweet (blessings)?
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, WITH PERSECUTIONS; and in the world to come eternal life.
(Mark 10:29-30)
The apostle Paul, who suffered much persecution, was not left undelivered from his sufferings, and he knew that he never would be until it came time for the persecution that was set to take his life at the time appointed by God (2 Timothy 4:6). But until that time, Paul said:
...I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom...
(2 Timothy 4:17-18)
The Bible gives us to know that God wants us to have good things, to have some joy in this present life, to enjoy good health, to be protected and to be prosperous. The scriptures say:
For the Lord God is a sun and a shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
(Psalm 84:11)
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperth.
(3 John 1:2)
Jesus said:
...Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
(St John 16:23-24)
A desire to know God only in the blessings we enjoy in Jesus is an imbalanced mentality. Paul wrote:
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection (blessing), AND the fellowship of his sufferings...
(Philippians 3:10)
Let's take a look at the life of Joseph. He enjoyed a quiet and peaceable life, was loved by his father, Jacob, above the rest of his brothers. He had plenty of food to eat and we do not read of him having any health problems (Genesis chapter 37). He was then mistreated by his siblings and sold into Egypt, but again, he received good things from God who caused all that he put his hands to to prosper (Genesis 39:1-3). God exalted him to the position of overseer of the house of his master the Egyptian (Genesis 39:4-5). Joseph enjoyed the blessing of God. Soon afterward, he would face persecution for his righteousness. Joseph went to prison as an innocent man. Joseph refused to break God's law in lying with his master's wife. This obedience to God, landed him persecution (Genesis 39:7-20). Nevertheless, God was with Joseph in prison, to ease his persecution that he had to face. We read:
But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison,; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
(Genesis 39:21-23)
Later we read that God blessed and exalted Joseph to a position of being ruler over the land of Egypt. His position was inferior only to the Pharaoh's throne (Genesis 41:39-41).
Later, in the book of Psalms, we learn that Joseph's persecution had been set by God to last a specific period of time. The Bible says:
He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him (tested his faith) The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance.
(Psalm 105:17-21)
The phrase "Until the time that his word came" refers to the interpretations that God gave Joseph for the dreams of Pharaoh's chief of the butlers and that of his bakers came to pass. This later lead to the Pharaoh consulting Joseph for the interpretation of his own dream for which God again gave interpretation (Genesis 40th chapter and verses 1-45 of chapter 41). It is the word of the Lord (God's revelations of the dreams given to Joseph for him to tell) that delivered Joseph whose trial of faith was then complete. God's word washed away the marred reputation and persecution that Joseph had suffered. The pharaoh would not believe that God would give so great a wisdom and power to foretell dreams to a sinful, wicked man, but rather to one who was righteous in his eyes (Genesis 41:38-39).
Again, it was not God's will for Joseph to be persecuted relentlessly, with no rest, throughout all of his life because of his righteousness.
Are we to consider the life of Joseph since he lived during Old Testament times? Of course we are. We have presented ample New Testament scripture which are in perfect agreement with what we see and learn in the life of Joseph.
But we have even further confirmation that our persecution is set to occurr only for a predetermined by God period of time. Understand that the period of time may be short or long, stretching into some years. Our persecution times may be scattered throughout our lives, or may only occur at the beginning, middle or end of life. It may involve the maring of our reputation (Matthew 5:11, 1 Peter 4:13-14), beatings and imprisonment (Acts 16:16-24), torture (Hebrews 11:35), death/martyrdom (Revelation 6:9-11) or any combination of these. But none of these will exceed the time established by God for the trial of faith. Our Lord said:
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried (tested); and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
(Revelation 2:10)
'Ten days' does not refer to a literal ten days, but rather symbolizes that the persecution, the trying of your faith will not occur beyond the ten days set by God for you.
Finally, as you study this lesson, please note that it centers on the persecution of the saints of God because of their righteousness, their obedience to the Lord. This suffering is not to be confused with suffering under God's chastisement (punishment) nor with suffering which is our reaping for what we have sown. These will be covered in another lesson specific to the subject.
We must understand that although we can't avert the foretold great persecution that the Antichrist will usher in with his government, we must continue to fight until God has allowed him to take his position of power.
Emphasis is on God's allowance because it is a powerful reminder of who is actually in control at all times no matter what the situation looks like. The unholy trinity will one day display such power that many will say: "Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4). We pray that these words will never come from you as they are a form of worship of the beast (Revelation 13:4) for which God will pour out his wrath upon those who do this (Revelation 16:1-2). Nevertheless, the Antichrist (son of perdition), cannot enter the world scene (manifest himself) before the time the Lord has set (2 Thessalonians 2:3-6).
Satan searches the earth for any and everyone he may destroy (1 Peter 5:8). There is no logical reason to believe that he, knowing his time is short (Revelation 12:12), would not have manifested himself and set up his kingdom many years ago, had he not been restricted. Someone who will not break free does not need to be detained.
Therefore, I believe that Satan, knowing his time is short, works to put into practice as many aspects of his coming government, his manifestation, ahead of God's schedule. One need only look at the many governments that allow and even encourage persecution of Christians. We must continue to pray fervently according to the instructions of 1 Timothy 2:1-3 and to reproove (speak and act against) the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11) that we not be found guilty before God concerning the salvation of men's souls or suffer persecution that God would have averted through our prayers and supplications before him according to 1 Timothy 2:1-3.
Coming soon, we will study historical and modern-day testimonies of God's intervention into government when his people follow his instructions for prayer and supplications before his throne.
In conclusion, note that God commands us to pray for our political leaders, first, because he wants them to be saved, second, it is not his will for his servants to be relentlessly persecuted without deliverance or rest, under their rulership. You might wonder how God can intervene in government when he does not force salvation on anyone. Remember that God controls both the saved and the unsaved for his pursposes. Proverbs 16:4 says:
The Lord hath made all things (including people) for himself (his own purposes)...
Does the Bible say that the Pharaoh that exalted Joseph to ruler over Egypt was saved? No, it does not. Nevertheless, the poeple enjoyed a quiet and peaceable life because of this intervention of God. Does the Bible say that the keeper of the prison where Joseph was, accepted salvation? No, it doesn't. Nevertheless, God used him, giving Joseph favor in his eyes which made life so much better for him. When we pray for our political leaders and those in authority, we can look to see some come to salvation, others to be removed from their positions and others powerfully influenced by God to carry out an action that is for the good of the lives of Christians.
In the book of Esther we read how God caused king Ahasuerus to not be able to sleep one night and in his restlessness, to have his servants bring the records of the chronicles to be read to him. It was found written that a man named Mordecai had told of two of the kings keepers of the door who sought to kill him. The king then asked what honor and dignity had Mordecai received for his deed. They responded that he had not been honored at all. At this time, a man named Haman, one of the king's high officials, sought to have Mordecai killed by hanging; and not only this, but also the destruction of the entire Jewish people (Esther 3:1-10). Haman was then mandated to carry out the king's order for Mordecai to be greatly honored. Queen Esther who became queen through God's intervention into government (Esther 2:17), attended a banquet with him and Haman. During the banquet, Esther appeals to the king for his intervention into a plot to destroy her people. The king, attentive to her plea, asks her to reveal the one who was behind such a deed. She exposes Haman's wicked plot to him (Esther 7:2-6). The scriptures then tell us:
And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman, stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
(Esther 7:7-10)
God's servants, an entire nation, was spared a great persecution because of the Lord's intervention into the heathen government under which they lived. We do not read of the king's conversion in the book of Esther. But we do see the Lord's control over his throne for the good of his people.
Send us your comments/rebuttal to this article
COMMENT: The article begins by attempting to explain why peacemakers are blessed. Then it addresses the subject of biblical peace. Jesus did not come to put the world at peace nor was he directly political (Matt 22:11). Biblical peace is peace found between the individual and God (Romans3). The writer speaks of persecution that did and does occur literally, yet interprets passages in the Old Testament as spiritual warfare. The writer also stated that the greatest peace is the spiritual unity between Gentiles and Jews in Christ. Even in Old Testament times, strangers were allowed to become part of the Jewish community (Ex 12:48). Rather, the unity in Christ occurred because the entire world was blessed through Israel, and now all who believe are part of His chosen people.
OUR RESPONSE: The above comment states that the article interprets Old Testament scripture as spiritual warfare. The Old Testament passage that was pointed out was one that spoke of the people choosing which side they would be on, the Lord's or the Enemy's. It was a real choice made in that day and it was a choice of the spirit as it still is today. When has the flesh ever been able to choose God? (St. John 15:16). Never, not in the Old Testament and not now.
It is then stated that the article says that the greatest peace is the unity between Jews and Gentiles in Christ. The article could not be any clearer in pointing out that the great peace is peace with God through faith in Jesus. A thorough reading of the article will provide understanding that unity between Jews and Gentiles in Christ is the greatest visible example and "shadow" of peace that can be seen in this present world which shadows the peaceable kingdom to come in which all inhabitants will be seen in the eyes of God, as the nation of Israel. Ample scripture which says the same was referenced. The rebuttal also states that such unity between Jew and Gentile is not really "new" as Gentiles were always welcomed into the congregation of Israel since Old Testament times. Although this is true, we have ample scripture, from both the Old and New testaments that speak of the great strife between Jew and Gentile. The Bible explicity shows us that there was a WALL OF SEPARATION between Jew and Gentile. If no such division existed why then do we have passages such as the one we are about to cite here below? This is only one of many which prove there were major problems, division, and strife between Jew and Gentile in the old Testament.
In the Bible we read:
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision (Israel) contended (argued) with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised (Gentiles), and didst eat with them. But Peter rehearsed (retold) the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision. A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners: and it came even to me: Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, "Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common (unclean). And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting (because they were Gentiles). Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
(Acts 11:1-18)
Again, the examples of the formation of unity between Jew and Gentile in Christ in the New Testament are numerous. If such a unity already existed in Old Testament times, it would not be stressed so plainly in the New Testament. Salvation and people getting along with each other are two different things. How could they be confused?
_______________END______________________________
In Isaiah 40:22 we read: It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.
Apologetics often cite Isaiah 40:22 as proof of the Bible's divine inspiration considering that the prophet spoke of the earth being round at a time when many thought it was flat. However, those who refute the use of the scripture of Isaiah 40:22 as proof of the Bible's affirmation of the spherical shape of planet earth, argue that the word "circle" could perhaps be referring to a FLAT circle, not a sphere. Therefore there is no proof of divine inspiration. Does the Bible leave the answer to this question ambiguous? Can we, as Christians, stand firm on the truth that the Bible is flawless and specific on its scientific teachings? Yes, we can.
Sphericity Proven
Jesus taught that his return would be in an instant, and that every person alive would see this event (Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24). He also referred to three time zones being in effect when he comes back - daytime, evening and night (Matthew 24:40-41, Luke 17:34-36). This is only possible if the earth rotates. When it is day in one time zone, it is night in another. If the earth was flat, sunlight would never be blocked out. Only on a sphere could the sun be blocked on the different sides of the planet, thus causing day on one side and night on the other. However, on a flat surface, light would shine freely across the entire surface; and we know that is not how it is. Again, biblical evidence proves that "circle" is referring to a sphere.
The Four Corners
Isaiah 11:12 says that God will gather Israel and Judah from the four corners of the earth. Revelation 7:1 speaks of four angels standing on the four corners of the earth and Matthew 4:8 speaks of Jesus and Satan viewing the entire earth from a tall mountain. Many who scoff at the authority of the Bible argue that if the Bible was reliable, it would not speak of the earth having corners; an impossibility if Earth is truly a sphere. They also argue that were Earth round, Jesus and Satan would not have been able to view the kingdoms of the world from the top of even the tallest mountain. What are the Bible's answers to these legitimate questions?
First, when the Bible speaks about land, and uses the word 'corners', 'corners' has nothing at all to do with shape! In the Bible we read: Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners so they possessed (inhabited) the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og, king of Bashan' (Nehemiah 9:22). Obviously the corners are the lands mentioned in scripture. Anyone can see here that 'corners' is referring to land, not to shape. We also read: ...There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17). Moab was a land (Num. 21:20) Again, the corner of Moab means the 'land' of Moab which was not square or rectangular or triangular. Again, shape has NOTHING to do with corner when referring to a land. In the Bible again we read: ...he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 28:24). Again, so obvious that corner is simply referring to the land of Jerusalem, every part of the land of Jerusalem which says nothing of the city's shape. Jerusalem is NOT square, rectangular or triangular. Neither ancient nor modern maps depict it as such and we know that our maps are not wrong! Even in the very same passage of Isaiah 7:12, which was the scripture used to refute the spherical shape of the earth, such an erroneous use is defeated. Right above this same scripture (Isa. 11:11) we read: 'And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.' Isa. 11:12 says the remnant is gathered from the 4 corners. Remember that just above in verse 11, we plainly saw listed the corners from which they are gathered. They are Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cust, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea. These are NOT shapes! These are lands. It cannot be any plainer that 'corners', when land is being spoken of, refers to literal lands and not shapes. Trying to force a twisted meaning like this into the scripture would mean that the people didn't live in the middle parts of the land at all, but rather that they were all packed into some literal corners since scripture says they came from the corners...nonsense! The four corners of the earth refers to all the LANDS of the earth!
We now take a look at the second scripture presented with intention to refute. It is Revelation 7:1 which says: And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth... Where are these four corners of the earth upon which the four angels are standing? To answer this question, we need to know how God divided up the entire earth. He tells us this in Genesis 28:14. We read: And thy seed (descendents) shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall ALL the families of the earth be blessed. 'ALL' refers to everyone, to every nation upon the face of the earth, therefore, Gen. is talking about the entire earth, which right here, we see is divided, in God's eyes, into four points/directions/lands. They are NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, and WEST. Notice the reason why the angels are standing there; they are there to hold back the winds. These angels are standing in the north, south, east, and west of the entire earth. Yes, the Bible tells us that there are four winds. There is what the Bible calls the wind from the north/the north wind (Proverbs 25:23), from the south/south wind (Psalm 78:26, Acts 28:13, etc.), from the east/east wind (Psalm 78:26, Job 38:24, Ezekiel 17:10, 19:12, etc.), and from the west/west wind (Exodus 10:19). Does the earth not have poles? Have we not heard of these ends/corners/parts of the earth as the north pole, the south pole, the FAR east, and the Western hemisphere? Of course, we have, or, at least we should have. Again, there is no allusion, hint, or mention being made about earth's shape which has already been biblically established as being spherical and God does not contradict his own word.
The 3rd and final scriptue presented to refute is that of Matthew 4:8 which says: 'Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;' How can Jesus see all of the kingdoms of the world if the world is round, no matter how high the mountain? Let's ask some very common sense questions. First, remembering that Jesus was God incarnate, we have Jesus who is both Lord and yet fully man. Now then, the 'glory' of these worldly kingdoms refers to their splendor, their beauty such as the hanging gardens of the empire/kingdom of Babylon which figured among the seven wonders of the ancient world. If we were to even go up to a hill, things on the ground began to become a blur, from a mountain, things would look like specs, from a plane, they would practically be invisible. How could Jesus the man have been able, with the naked eye, to see beauty and splendor in detail from an 'exceeding high mountain'. Could any man's eye do this. Of course not! Since we don't read anywhere in scripture that Jesus had bionic eyes, we can't make up that theory with no scripture upon which to base it. What was going on that Jesus was indeed able to see these kingdoms? Jesus' experience was NOT physical. It was SPIRITUAL! A temptation is not a tangible thing. The thing that we do AFTER having been tempted is tangible, but the temptation itself cannot be touched. Is this 'my' interpretation? If it is, it is also the same interpretion that comes from scripture. Matthew 4:1 says: 'Then was Jesus led up of the SPIRIT into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.' We know this was a spiritual experience, real, but nevertheless, spiritual, because the Bible says that Jesus never left the wilderness during the entire temptation! Mark 1:13 says: 'And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts;...' Now, how is a man (Jesus the man) going to be in two places at once? He is taken up to a pinnacle of the temple of the holy city of Jerusalem (Matthew 4:5), and yet Mark 1:13 has him in the wilderness at the same time. He is taken to an 'exceeding high mountain' (Matthew 4:8), and yet Mark 1:13 affirms that he was in the wilderness for the full forty days of his temptation. Remember that scripture says that he was led there (to the wilderness) by the SPIRIT (Mat. 4:1). There are numerous passages in the Bible that speak of such spiritual experiences in which the physical body remains in one place while the Spirit of God takes the person's spirit to another location for a purpose. In this case, according to scripture, the purpose is for Jesus to endure temptation. It is not uncommon for that person's spirit body to visit, while in his/her vision, a mountain. We read just such a thing in Revelation: And he carried me away in the SPIRIT to a great and HIGH MOUNTAIN, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. (Revelation 21:10)
There are no mistakes, no errors, no discrepancies, no contradictions in the unchanged Word of God. Hundreds have been claimed, most have been very poorly answered, but the fact remains that they do not exist, no matter what it looks like. If we continue to seek, God will give us his answer from his Word, the real answer, instead of a poor, misinformed one that's desperately used to defend the Gospel, which is capable of defending itself. God does not require us to know ancient languages, Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or any of that. These attempts don't usually help anyone because how many people know ancient or modern Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic? How will they trust that what you are telling them is correct? One of the best lessons I learned was to remember that the Bible teaches itself. It is literally a commentary on itself! One more amazing fact about the Bible; did you know that For more than 2,000 years, the Bible has been amazingly and supernaturally preserved? The book of Isaiah (of the Old Testament) was one of the books found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is awesome to read these scrolls which are 2000 years old, in comparison with a modern King James Bible. Only two words have been changed after 2000 years! We can trust the Bible when it says: Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life (1 John 5:20) and Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist...(1 John 2:22).
______________END_________________
Followers of Judaism often argue that the scripture of Isaiah 7:14 is misued by Christians in what they deem our attempt to make the birth of Jesus be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy. It is argued that the Hebrew word used in Isaiah 7:14 not only translates to 'virgin', but also simply to 'young girl'. Therefore, with this knowledge, it is stated that Christians cannot prove that Isaiah's prophecy spoke of Jesus' mother, Mary, being a virgin, but rather simply, a young woman. Is this argument valid? Have Christians, with no knowledge of Hebrew, made a mistake in their interpretation of prophecy? Let's find out. We read:
...The Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive and bare a son and shall call his name IMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14).
Later in the New Testament, we read:
And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife: and he knew her not till she had brought forth her first born son and he called his name Jesus (Matthew 1:21-25).
Again, it is argued that the Hebrew word used in Isaiah 7:14 does not only mean ‘virgin’ but also ‘young girl’. This fact has been used to dispute the virgin birth of Jesus. It is contended that Mary was not a virgin at all but rather simply a young woman. Let me explain that it is by divine providence that such a word, truly with both meanings, would be used. I will then state how plainly these scriptures teach us, even if we have absolutely no knowledge of Hebrew. God does not require knowledge of Hebrew to be able to understand His word. It is enlightening to those that seek truth, it is confounding to those that seek arguments against the truth no matter what language you speak.
Indeed, it was very necessary that the scripture of Isaiah 7:14 used a Hebrew word with both meanings, one being ‘virgin’, the other being ‘young girl’. This is because God is speaking about the birth of two different boys. Let me repeat. Isaiah foretold the birth of not ONE but TWO completely different babies. They have different names. They are born at different times. They are born for different reasons and yet they are spoken of in one single prophecy. One is born of a virgin, the other is not. Therefore a single word meaning ‘virgin’ only cannot be used! A word meaning ‘young girl’ only would not be used either. The word with both meanings was chosen to be able to intertwine two prophecies concerning the births of two different sons. One of them is the birth of the son of Isaiah who was NOT born of a virgin but rather a young woman, and the other baby is the Son of God, who was born of a true virgin. Isaiah lets us know that his own son’s birth is definitely not a virgin one because he wrote:
And I went unto the prophetess and she conceived and bare a son... (Isaish 8:3).
Isaiah can’t tell us in any plainer language that he is the natural father of one of these sons and therefore a young woman gave birth instead of a virgin.
Remember also that Isaiah was never told to call his son’s name Immanuel but rather the Lord gave him another name for his son.
And I went unto the prophetess and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, call his name MAHERSHALALHASHBAZ (Isaiah 8:3).
The birth of Isaiah’s son named Mahershalalhashbaz was a sign from God to the king and people of the land of Judah that the evil council that Syria and Ephraim had taken against them would not stand (Isaiah 7:5-11).
The people were supposed to watch for when Isaiah’s son was old enough to know to refuse the evil and choose the good. The age of Isaiah’s son was God’s sign to the people that the lands of Syria and Ephraim (Judah’s enemies) would be abandoned and broken (Isaiah 7:16).
It is very obvious that the name for Isaiah’s son was not Immanuel but rather Mahershalalhashbaz. He was the first baby born and his birth served as a sign of the Lord’s salvation for the people of Judah of that time period.
Now then, Isaiah speaks of another son to be born whose name is Immanuel. This other son is NOT born to him. Immanuel is the second baby who was not to be born for many years to come. Immanuel is the baby that is to be born to a virgin mother unlike Mahershalalhashbaz whose mother was a young woman but not a virgin at the time of his birth.
In Isaiah there are TWO prophecies intertwined. The first concerns the non virgin birth of Isaiah’s son named Mahershalalhashbaz as a sign to the people. The second concerns the true, literal virgin birth of God’s Son, Immanuel. This was common among the prophets. God would give them a short-term and a long-term prophecy. If the short term one came to pass, the people knew they would do well to believe the long term one also. The short-term prophecy of the birth of Isaiah’s son came to pass. Why reject Isaiah’s long-term prophecy of the birth of God’s Son, Immanuel?
And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow now, nor come to pass, that is the things which the Lord hath not spoken but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously... (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
Matthew 1:21-25 speaks of the fulfillment of the long-term prophecy of the birth of Emmanuel, explaining that Jesus is Emmanuel. Indeed, Jesus was called Emmanuel. He was called “God with us.”
Now when the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were don, they feared greatly saying, truly this was the son of God (God with us) (Matthew 27:54).
And Thomas answered and said unto him (JESUS), my Lord and my GOD (St. John 20:28).
Again, it was by divine inspiration that the Hebrew word meaning both 'virgin', and 'young woman' be used in Isaiah 7:14. The two meanings are necessary to speak of the two prophecies, the two different sons, and the two differnt conditions of the mothers of these boys, one born to a young woman, the other to a virgin. What appears to be a mistake in God's word only serves to further prove the extreme accuracy of the Bible and the prophecy.
You may send us your comments and rebuttals to the above article. Due to the amount of feedback we receive, we cannot respond directly to individuals. Only the most common rebuttals are chosen to receive response from us which we post here below in a thread of both comments and rebuttals and our response to the comments and rebuttals. Please note that in order for your rebuttal to be considered for posting, it must remain focused on the specific subject of the article without any diversion to other topics. It must NOT contain any direct or implied threat, profanity or unfocused babbling. All comments must be in English or Spanish and must be sent to us via our contact form. Please check to see if your comment/rebuttal has already been addressed in the thread before you write to us.
We sincerely thank those who have taken the time to express their gratitude for the article. Again, we can neither respond to nor print every comment. In respect for your privacy, we print only the comment unless you request that your name and state appear with your comment. This does not apply to rebuttals since we choose the most common, combine them, paraphrase, and streamline responses.
__________________END___________________
Jesus prophesied when he said: For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert; go not forth, behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightening cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 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. Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. (Matthew 24:24-34)
It is claimed by some that Jesus’ prophecy was not fulfilled because, as they explain, he lived over 2,000 years ago and therefore spoke to the generation of that time, informing them that they would not pass away without seeing all of the signs of his second coming and of the end. We know that Jesus’ second coming has not yet taken place but the generation of his time, the people to which he spoke over 2,000 years ago have all passed away without seeing the signs of which he spoke in the above scripture.
We are about to see how a single misinterpreted word in the Bible can lead to genuine confusion as well as become a tool to deceive through what only appears to be logic. What is also amazing is that one does not need a knowledge of ancient or modern Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic because the Bible is literally a commentary on itself and dictionary offering the various meaning of it’s words as we are about to demonstrate.
A Generation In God's Eyes
Let it be branded on our brains that the meaning/s that we attach to words may, and often do differ from those that the Bible attaches to them. If we are sincere in our quest to understand the Bible, we must abandon our own narrow-minded definitions of words and accept the ones that the Word of God puts forth. In the average mind, the word generation refers to all of the people born around the same time, a stage in a family history and the average time for a new generation which is about thirty years. Although the Bible also attaches these meanings to generation, there are other very significant meanings that the Good Book assigns to this important word as demonstrated by scripture. Let’s go to the book of Psalms.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the GENERATION of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:3-6)
The above scripture clearly refers to ALL who have clean hands and a pure heart as a single generation. Now, obviously, not all who serve the Lord are born into the same generation. This is why king David spoke so confidently of the generations to be born after him among which there would be those who served Jehovah. He said:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children. (Psalm 78:6)
Notice that Psalm 24:3-6 refers to everyone, although they were not all born within a span of thirty years, as belonging to a single generation. The servants of God belong to many generations spanning thousands of years. Why are they all being referred to as a single generation? It is clear to see that the Bible’s use of the word generation is by no means restricted to referring to people who were born around the same time. The scripture lumps all of the believers, regardless of their time of birth or death, together as one generation. The Bible will use generation in the singular to refer to people of many different generations who share something in common. In this case, all who are of a pure heart and whose hands are clean, share in common their obedience to the Lord. Is this the only case in which we see the Bible using generation in this manner? No, it is not. We read:
His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the GENERATION of the upright shall be blessed. (Psalm 112:2)
We read of the upright in the Bible and see them in our own times. Obviously, there are upright people in every generation that has ever existed, and yet they are all referred to as one single generation. This truth is seen again as we read:
He shall go to the GENERATION of his fathers; they shall never see light. (Psalm 49:19)
In the above scripture, fathers is in the plural. Fathers means ancestors. It should be common knowledge that a person’s fathers make up several generations. Your father, grandfather and great-grandfather are three different generations. Why then does the scripture refer to them all as one generation? Again, the answer is that the Bible will use generation in the singular to refer to people of many different generations who share something in common. All of the fathers in the above scripture are deceased. It doesn’t matter when they died or when they lived, once they passed away, they became part of a single generation of deceased fathers, all lumped together as one.
Further proof of the Bible’s use of generation to refer to people of many generations is seen in the New Testament as well. We go to the book of Luke where we read:
And the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. (Luke 16:8)
The above is taken from a parable of Jesus. The Bible makes plain that the children of the world are the unsaved, and that the children of light are the servants of the Lord Jesus. Notice how the scriptures lump all of the children of the world into one generation. It doesn’t matter that the unsaved represent the very young to the very old. The Bible here is lumping them all together as one generation, just as it had done with the righteous, also lumping them into one generation.
The Bible’s alternative use of the word generation needs no further proof. However, we are going to take what we have learned a step further so as to see how the Word of God crushes to pieces the accusation that Jesus erred in his prophecy. We are going to see that not only does the Bible freely use the word generation to refer to a group of people of many generations, who share something in common; it also uses the word generation to refer to the entire world! Yes, the entire world is called one generation. Now then, we know from the Bible that there have been two worlds. We have the pre-flood world and the post-flood world which is the present world in which we live today. The Bible also informs us that there will be a new Earth. The apostle Peter wrote:
For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:5-7)
Now then, where in the Bible do we see the entire earth being referred to as one generation? Let’s first go to the book of Genesis where we are going to see the normal use of the word generation as well as its use in reference to the entire world and all of its inhabitants. We read:
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And 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. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Genesis 6:1-10)
We have encountered the common usage of the word generation, now let’s continue reading to see its usage in reference to the entire world.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (Genesis 6:11-13)
So far, it is not hard to see that God is speaking of the entire earth and every person that is alive at that time. We continue to chapter seven to read:
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in THIS GENERATION. (Genesis 7:1)
It cannot be any plainer before our eyes that God is referring to the entire world as one single generation! When God said that Noah was seen righteous before him in ‘this generation’, he was not referring to those of Noah’s age group because he had already said that the whole entire earth was corrupt. He did not point out any specific age group as being righteous. The truth that all of the generations alive on earth in Noah’s time is referred to as ‘this generation’ cannot be disputed. It is right before our eyes.
That old world perished, but was replaced by the one that mankind inhabits today, this present earth. Remember that when God spoke of the destruction of the Earth, he called all who lived at that time, one generation. It was for those people, the end of their entire world by the great deluge. Likewise, when the Lord Jesus spoke of the end of this present world, he again chooses to refer to all who lived and lives in post-flood Earth as one single generation. The post-flood earth is this present world of today. Remember that Jesus speaks of the signs that will be seen when the end is near. These signs include the great tribulation, the darkening of the sun, the failure of the moon to give light, the falling of the stars, the powers of heaven being shaken, the mourning of the peoples of the earth at his second coming which shall be a most spectacular event (Revelation 6:12-13, 8:12). Are not these same signs spoken of in Revelation as signs TO COME (Revelation 1:1)? Yes, they are, meaning they have not yet been fulfilled! Jesus never said they would be fulfilled in his time. He said that they would be fulfilled before THIS GENERATION passes. In other words, they would be fulfilled before THIS PRESENT WORLD passes. Those are his words. The fact that someone misinterpreted them, being ignorant of his use of the word generation to refer to the entire post-flood world, does not mean he made a false prophecy. It means that individual made a false accusation.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
You may send us your comments and rebuttals to the above article. Due to the amount of feedback we receive, we cannot respond directly to individuals. Only the most common rebuttals are chosen to receive response from us which we post here below in a thread of both comments and rebuttals and our response to the comments and rebuttals. Please note that in order for your rebuttal to be considered for posting, it must remain focused on the specific subject of the article without any diversion to other topics. It must NOT contain any direct or implied threat, profanity or unfocused babbling. All comments must be in English or Spanish and must be sent to us via our contact form. Please check to see if your comment/rebuttal has already been addressed in the thread before you write to us.
We sincerely thank those who have taken the time to express their gratitude for the article. Again, we can neither respond to nor print every comment. In respect for your privacy, we print only the comment unless you request that your name and state appear with your comment. This does not apply to rebuttals since we choose the most common, combine them, paraphrase, and streamline responses.