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Sermon Wednesday – A Mighty Fortress

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Welcome back!  This week, we present to you another sermon in the “Singing with Understanding” series.  We are looking at the words of songs that we sing, and showing the biblical ideas behind them so we can truly understand what we’re singing.  In case you missed the previous lesson (God’s Family), you can read it here.

Introduction

The name of Martin Luther is familiar to most people.  He is the founder of the Lutheran Church.  He was one of the catalysts in the Reformation Movement back in the 1500s.  He was a former Catholic priest who nailed a list of 95 things that the Catholics were doing that he believed were opposed to the Bible.

He famously declared that the Pope was the “man of sin” described in II Thessalonians 2.  The Catholics afterwards declared that Martin Luther was the “man of sin” described in that chapter.

But one thing you might not know about him is that he also wrote hymns—and we still sing one of them occasionally today.

The song is called “A Mighty Fortress.”

There are different stories about the first time this song was sung publicly.  But all are agreed that the idea was taken from Psalm 46.

  • Some have said that it was sung by Martin Luther and others as they were entering the room where they were to be examined by a Catholic inquiry against them.
  • Others have said that it was a song written for armies to sing as they battled the Ottoman (Muslim) Turks.

Whichever it was, the point of the song was to encourage the singers to rely on God for strength.

Today, our lesson will come from the biblical truths expressed in this song.

Verse 1 – The combatants in the great war.
Verse 2 – Our strength in the war.
Verse 3 –The war continues

Verse 1 – The Combatants in the Great War.

God is the first Combatant in this war.

A Mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.

There is safety and security in God.  He’s like a strong, fortified castle that cannot be breached.  You are completely safe from death inside His walls.  A “bulwark” is a defensive wall, a means of protection—and God’s protection never fails!

Romans 8:38-39 – No outside force has the power to separate us from the love of God which is IN Christ Jesus.

Our helper He amidst the flood of mortal ills prevailing.

If we were to rearrange the words to our normal usage, it would be He is our helper, prevailing in the midst of the things which have the power to kill (aka, sin).

In James 1, Christians are told to rejoice in the midst of trials and temptations; they are told to go to God for help in the midst of temptation.  So, in the midst of a world of sin and surrounded by temptation, God is our helper—He can help us overcome the enemy!

But who is the enemy?

Satan is the other combatant in the war. 

He’s still fighting against us.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.

Or, Our ancient foe is still seeking to harm us.  Satan is not some new enemy; he’s our ancient foe.  Satan is the originator of all things evil, for he has been evil from the beginning (John 8:44).  He is always described in the Bible as evil—thus he has always been opposed to God.  And he is continually trying to destroy us.

Our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).  He is constantly firing flaming arrows at us (Ephesians 6:16).  He is indeed a very powerful enemy.

His craft and power are great

His methods (craft) are strong and effective.  After all, everyone who’s ever lived has fallen prey to his methods (Romans 3:23).  All, that is, except one—Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:20-21).

His power is great.  He is a strong enemy—defeating him isn’t easy.  Just try to go a week without losing at least one battle against him.

and armed with cruel hate.

Unlike the United States has historically been, Satan views the enemy with hatred.  The US, as a general rule, treats their enemies with respect and kindness (see the general treatment of prisoners of war, or even terrorists).

Satan is fueled by hatred, and doesn’t just want victory—he wants to destroy us completely!  He is “seeking whom he may devour.”

on earth is not his equal.

No one on earth can stand against Satan on his own.

 

This thought leads us into the second verse.

Verse 2 – Our strength in the War.

We touched on the two combatants in the war, but something that needs to be remembered is that we are in this war as well.

Remember Job?  There was a war between God and Satan, and the battlefield to determine the winner was Job himself.  Satan is not just God’s adversary, but OURS as well (I Peter 5:8).

Since there is no one on earth equal to Satan’s power, we cannot defeat him on our own.

Did we, in our own strength, confide, our striving would be losing.

Satan is too powerful for us to defeat on our own.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  Every person is a slave to sin if he is on his own.

There is good news, however: we don’t have to fight Satan alone—God has sent one to defeat Satan for us!

Our striving would be losing were not the right One on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.

God so loved the world that He sent someone save people from perishing (John 3:16).  Our strength in the battle—our ability to overcome Satan—is found in one Man.

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He.

  • It is Jesus Christ who has fought for us.
  • It is Jesus Christ who has already won the victory (Hebrews 2:14, Revelation 12:7-11).
  • It is in Jesus Christ that we win the victory as well (I John 2:13).
  • The One who fights with us is more powerful than the one who fights against us (I John 4:4)!

Lord Sabaoth is His name.

The word Sabaoth means armies.  Christ is the captain of the armies of God (Joshua 5:13-15).  Christ is called “the captain of our salvation” (Hebrews 2:10).  In Revelation, He is described as the leader of the army of God (12:7-11).

From age to age the same.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  He is eternal—He is God (John 1:1).  If God (Christ) be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

And He must win the battle.

The outcome of the war has already been determined, for Christ has won!  Now, all that we have to do is choose which side we are on!

Verse 3 – The war continues.

Even though Christ has won the victory for us, we must still continue with the battle here on earth.

And though this world, with evil filled, should threaten to undo us

Just because Jesus has won the victory, that doesn’t mean we can rest.  We must be vigilant because Satan is still on the attack (I Peter 5:8).  Christians cannot get the idea that we can sit back and relax!

We will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.

Christians have need to fight, but they have no need to fear, for God has given us a spirit of power, not of fear (II Timothy 1:7).  God has already determined that His truth will endure; His truth will triumph; and that victory is through US!

  • WE—the church—are the pillar and ground of the truth (that which hold up the truth).
  • WE—the church—are the ones who have been entrusted with the faith (Jude 3).

God’s word will stand forever, and we are the ones who are supposed to carry it to others so that we can conquer hearts!  In order for us to be victors in the war, we have to stay focused on heaven!

Let goods and kindred go.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).  Don’t be like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:29-30).  We can’t let the things of this world take our eyes off the prize: eternal life in heaven with God!

This mortal life also; the body they may kill.

When this song was written, the Catholic Church had threatened to take property of those who fought against it.  You could be tried and executed for heresy if you left the Catholic Church.  So when this song was written, they had a great fear of being killed for their faith.

In the first century, it was much the same—the Jews killed many Christians.  But the point is that even though they may be faced with death, they must remain faithful (Revelation 2:10).

God’s word abideth still, His kingdom is forever.

Regardless what happens to us, God’s word still stands.  Even if thousands—millions—of Christians fall away, God’s word still says what it says.

God’s kingdom will never fall.  It is eternally victorious—and those who are part of that kingdom have eternal life in heaven awaiting them (Matthew 25:34).

Conclusion:

Let us never forget that we are in the greatest war in history!  The two greatest enemies of all (God and Satan) are fighting on the biggest battlefield of all—the human race!  And WE are in that war!

We have a promise of protection and help from one side if we join Him.  We have a promise of being destroyed if we join the other side.

Which side are you on?  God never fails.  We cannot win the battle on our own; we can only win it through Jesus Christ.  But that victory is guaranteed if we stay on God’s side.

Whose side are you on?

-Bradley S. Cobb

Articles

Good Works

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The letter to Titus was written from a Christian to a Christian. True, they were both preachers, but more importantly they were both Christians. There are teachings contained in this epistle which apply to all Christians. In the three chapters of this short book are instructions to young men, older men, older women, slaves, elders, and preachers. But throughout, there is one theme: do good works.

Paul first instructs Titus regarding false teachers that “profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). These were people who claimed that they were in a relationship with God, but their works said otherwise. They were hypocrites who were reprobate (worthless) when it came to doing good works, meaning they did not do any. Paul called such people “unruly and vain talkers and deceivers” (Titus 1:10). Paul basically tells Titus that if a person is not doing the works that go along with the profession of Christ, they are abominable and disobedient.

Paul later commands Titus that “in all things” he is to show himself as “a pattern of good works” (Titus 2:7). Since Titus was to be an example, that means Christians are supposed to look to him and follow that example. That pattern of good works was to be shown in four ways: (!) uncorrupted doctrine, (2) gravity (seriousness), (3) sincerity, and (4) sound speech (Titus 2:7-8).  Christians are supposed to follow that example by abiding in the uncorrupted doctrine of Christ (II John 1:9). Christians should be serious about their Christianity, for it is not a joking matter. All Christians are commanded to follow the pattern of sincerity (I Timothy 1:5). Finally, all Christians are required to follow the pattern of sound speech (Ephesians 4:29). These are all to be done so that no one can accuse you of evil (Titus 2:8).

Jesus Christ “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, states that Jesus Christ died so that he could purify (cleanse) those who follow Him. Those who have been purified are those who are “zealous of good works.” To be zealous of something is to be actively enthusiastic. So, Christ’s purified people must be enthusiastic about doing good works.

Titus is later exhorted to “affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works” (Titus 3:8). Paul calls this a “faithful saying,” which means that it is one that is always true and should be relied upon and taught. The command is to affirm this truth. To affirm is “to confirm something as binding and valid” (Encarta Dictionary). He is told to constantly confirm that good works must be maintained. This is not a one-time thing. Christians need to be reminded that they do good works. The reason for continuing in doing good works is because “these things are good and profitable unto men.”

At the end of the letter, Paul states that Christians need to “learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:14). Christians must learn to do good works to help with honest needs that arise. One translation says “busy themselves in good works for pressing needs” (McCord). There are always needs that arise in life, and the Christian who is doing good works will be prepared and willing to help with those needs. In doing so, they will be fruitful.

Throughout the book of Titus, “good works” are evidence of true Christianity. A lack of good works shows you’re a hypocrite. Good works are to be done as a pattern and example to others so that they may live righteously in doctrine, seriousness, sincerity, and sound speech. Christians must be enthusiastically doing these good works constantly. These good works are profitable to the ones doing them, but also to others who receive the benefit of the good that Christians do.

Paul is often viewed as the apostle of faith and grace, but throughout the book of Titus, it is abundantly clear that Paul is also the apostle of works.

-Bradley Cobb

Articles, Bible Questions

Bible Q&A – Why Did God Create Us If He Knew We Were Going To Sin?

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Question: If God knew we were going to sin before He ever created us, why did He even bother? He could have spared Jesus’ life by just not creating us in the first place. –M.P.

I read something recently that a preacher wrote on this topic, and it—well, frankly it irritated me. He basically said “It doesn’t matter why He did it. He just did it, so accept it and move on.” Like many other people in the world, I don’t just want to know what is or isn’t true, I want to know why it is true.

Obviously, there are some things that we will never know or understand this side of eternity. And it is also true that there are some things that God did not see fit to reveal to us (Deuteronomy 29:29).

But does God really leave the question of why we were created unanswered? This is one of the biggest, most important questions that can be asked. Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? These are just different ways of asking the same question: why did God create us?

And God did not leave this all-encompassing question unanswered.

But before we attempt to answer this question, let’s establish a couple points.

God knew mankind would sin before He created Adam.

Jehovah once staked His entire claim to being God on His ability to accurately know and foretell things which were in the future (Isaiah 41:22-24). If He did not know in advance that mankind would sin, then Jehovah is not God.

The necessity of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was known by God before He created the universe (I Peter 1:21). God had already decided on His plan of salvation and who would be saved before He created the universe (Ephesians 1:4).

So, without a doubt, before creation, God knew that mankind would sin.

But He created man anyway.

Everything God does has a purpose.

Every animal of the field, every plant, every star, every cloud, even the very molecules that we are made with all have a purpose. Every command of God has a purpose—none of them are arbitrary. Every verse of the Bible has a purpose—none of them are there just for the fun of it.

When God blesses His people, it has a purpose. When God punishes His people, it has a purpose.

And when God created mankind, He had a purpose in mind for it.

Why did God create us, since He knew we would sin?

The Bible gives us some very important pieces of information, as well as a very clear-cut statement that answers this question for us.

There is a war going on between God and Satan. You see it from Genesis all the way through Revelation. And it’s played out on the battlefield of humanity. With each moment, with each choice, individuals choose the winner in their own lives. When we choose to do righteousness, God is victorious. When we choose to do evil, we have given Satan the victory in that battle.

Nowhere perhaps is this shown more clearly than in the first two chapters of the book of Job. God and Satan are at odds with each other, with Satan claiming victory—he has influence even on God’s people, and basically claims he goes anywhere he wants whenever he wants to (1:6-7). God stops Satan and says, “have you considered my servant Job? There is none like him in the earth: a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God and eschews [avoids] evil” (Job 1:8).

And from there, the battle gets fiercer as Satan destroys Job’s riches, his servants, and his family in an effort to get him to turn against God. Everything that happened to Job was a result of the battle between God and Satan. In this battle, Job chose to serve God—and Satan lost.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Outside of those who are mentally incapable of making a decision between good and evil, every person on earth has chosen to give Satan the victory in at least one battle. Even if that person repents and lives a life of faithfulness, the fact remains that it was still not a complete victory for God, since that person chose to sin at various points in his life.

All have sinned—except for one: Jesus the Christ. The Scriptures repeatedly state that Jesus “knew no sin” (II Corinthians 5:21), or “did no sin” (I Peter 2:22). He lived a perfect life—one that gave God a complete victory over Satan. When Jesus died on the cross, it sealed the greatest victory possible (Hebrews 2:14-15). Satan’s claim to power had been proven wrong because Jesus Christ did not sin.

Jesus was made to die the most horrible, agonizing death known to mankind after undergoing a severe beating—yet through all of this, he still did not sin. Satan pulled out all the stops to try to get Jesus to relent, to sin just once, but it didn’t work.

Let’s hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The Bible tells us that the meaning of life—the meaning of our very existence—is to fear God and keep His commandments. That is what life is all about. This is what we were created for!

As each of us makes the choice to follow God in our lives, we give Him another victory. As we choose to sin, we give Satan the upper hand in this battle. We determine the outcome in the individual battle between God and Satan in our lives.

Since we were created for the purpose of serving God and obeying Him, what do we deserve when disobey? If you had a tool, designed to do a specific job, and that tool wouldn’t do what it was designed for, what would you do? After a while, you’d probably throw it away. Now imagine that tool has a mind of its own and though it can do the job it’s designed for, it refuses to do it. So, you try to encourage it and coax it. It works for a little while, but then refuses again. So you coax it some more, but it still won’t listen. So you give it a warning, still little changes. You punish it to try to get it to work, but that only works for a little while (if at all). This tool is stubborn and refuses to work. Finally, your patience is at an end and you burn it.

We are that tool. We were designed for a specific job: fear God and keep His commandments. As we do what we’re designed for, God gets the glory. But what’s so amazing about God is this: when we do what we’re designed to do—serving Him—we will get to share in His glory. We will be partakers of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4). We will be able to spend eternity in the presence of God Himself. We will be victorious soldiers shouting victory forever with our King, Jesus the Christ!

So, why did God create us, knowing ahead of time that we would sin?

Because it is through mankind that God wins the victory over Satan. Without a human living a perfect life, there was no true victory. In our lives, it’s like a boxing match that goes twelve rounds with each side winning some rounds and losing others. One side won at the end, but it wasn’t the complete victory. In Jesus’ life, it was a first-round knock-out.

But in order to have that complete victory which destroyed Satan’s power, it had to be a human who lived sinless. Mankind was created because it was through mankind (specifically Jesus Christ) that God won the ultimate victory over Satan.

-Bradley Cobb

Articles, Sermons

Sermon Wednesday – God’s Family

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This week, we continue our theme of “Singing with the Understanding.”  We will be looking at different songs in our songbooks, and looking at the biblical ideas behind them.  When we do this, then we can truly “sing with the understanding also” (I Corinthians 14:15).

Our introductory lesson can be found here.

Introduction:

Some of the most memorable lessons we can learn come in the form of songs—if we are willing to learn from them.  How did you learn the alphabet?—I’m willing to guess that you learned it from the song.  How about the books of the New Testament?—I’d guess that you learned it the same way.

Open your songbook to the song “God’s Family.”

This song teaches some of the most basic doctrines of the Bible.  It teaches of the family of God, the church, the saved people.

Today we will look at the lessons we can learn from this song.

  • Verse 1 – Becoming part of God’s Family.
  • Verse 2 – Life in God’s Family.
  • Verse 3 – Destiny of God’s Family.

Verse 1 – Becoming part of God’s Family.

You don’t just instantly become part of someone else’s family.  You have to join it in some way—through birth, through adoption, or through marriage (interestingly, the Bible describes joining God’s family in all three ways).

The Bible says that we are children of God by the faith, in Christ Jesus, because as many of us as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).  Jesus says that unless a man is born again, he cannot enter into heaven (John 3:3-5).  This “new birth” is the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6), being raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).

We become part of God’s family by being baptized.

“We’re part of the family that’s been born again…”

A family shares a common bond.  When someone becomes part of your family, you love them, right? (with the possible exception of some in-laws—haha).  You’d do anything to help and save your family, right?  What would you call that bond?

“Love one another, for those who love one another are the ones born of God” (I John 4:7)

“We’re part of the family whose love knows no end.”

A family shares a common relation.  At a family reunion, people may have different last names, but they’re all related to each other through a common relative.

The family of God is composed of those who are saved by the blood of Christ.  The family of God is composed of those who “saved themselves” by obeying the command to be baptized (Acts 2:38, 40-41).

“Cause Jesus has saved us, and made us His own.”

God’s family shares a common journey.  The members of God’s family are to be walking in the light (I John 1:7).  The members of God’s family are on a journey—looking for the heavenly dwelling promised by Christ (John 14:2—mansions).

The members of God’s family know that this world is not our home, we’re just a-passing through.

“Now we’re part of the family that’s on its way home.”

Verse 2 – Living in God’s Family.

Families should be support groups.  When one member is going through a hard time, he should be able to share that struggle with others in the family and receive comfort and support.

The same thing is true in God’s family.  If you are going through struggles—physical, emotional, or spiritual—you should feel like you can go to your spiritual family and lean on them for support.

In the same vein, brothers and sisters in Christ should feel their pain and share their grief (Romans 12:15).

“When a brother meets sorrow, we all feel his grief.”

Families should rejoice together.  When someone successfully comes through surgery, the family rejoices with the one who needed it.  When someone finally finds a job after a long time of searching, the family rejoices with him.  When a Christian (part of God’s family) makes it through a difficult time, we should all rejoice with them.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15).

“When he’s passed through the valley, we all feel relief.”

Families stick together through good or bad. A villain in a movie recently said, “I have no problem destroying people to take over the world…but nobody messes with my family.”

When times are great, you should be able to rejoice with family—the ones who know you best and are sincerely excited for you.  When times are bad, you should be able to lean on your family for help and strength—because they need you and you need them.  God’s family must stick together (Hebrews 10:24).

The armor of God in Ephesians 6 doesn’t have anything to cover your back—but don’t worry, because your family has got your back covered for you.

When God’s family sticks together, they gain the victory!

“Together in sunshine, together in rain, together in victory through His precious name.”

Verse 3 – God’s family reunion.

Sometimes family gets separated, but they look forward to the reunion.  

Many families have annual family reunions.  The family members haven’t seen each other in months—sometimes years—but they look forward to that family reunion to renew their relationships.

We look forward to gatherings like that, don’t we?  Times when you get to see friends you have lost touch with?

Some folks get there earlier than others.  My aunt Earline was always the first one to show up at family events (I thought her name was “early” for the longest time because of this).

God has a family reunion scheduled.

Some may have left to get there before others, but all of God’s faithful family will be there.  And in that reunion, all the saints will be gathered together—a joyful family reunion.  I Thessalonians 4:13-18, II Timothy 4:7-8.

“And though some go before us, we’ll all meet again.”

The family reunion is held at a specific location.

Could you imagine getting an invitation to a family reunion, but it never says where it was going to be held?  You’d probably think someone didn’t really want you coming!

All reunions take place at a certain location.  Some take place at the park, others at someone’s house.  My mother’s family has an annual reunion at the cemetery—no joke.

The location must be suitable for the purposes.  There must be plenty of room.  It must be a location that can be accessed (you wouldn’t be able to have a reunion at the bottom of the sea).

It must be suitable for the people who will be attending.  You wouldn’t choose a place that had no seating or shelter.

God’s family reunion is held in a specific location: heaven!  It is the place prepared by Jesus Christ for our reunion (John 14:2-3).  It has plenty of room for all of God’s family.  It is the heavenly city

“Just inside the city, as we enter in.”

Family reunions must end.

As fun and enjoyable as family reunions might be, they do have to end at some point.  And as each year comes and goes, there are some people who won’t make it back to the reunions.  Perhaps they’re busy.  Perhaps they’re too frail to make the trip.  Perhaps they’ve passed away.

But God’s family reunion is different.  It is a PERMANENT reunion.  All the faithful family will be there, never to die, never to part again.  It is a joyful, forever reunion!

“They’ll be no more parting, with Jesus we’ll be, together forever, God’s family.”

Conclusion:

Take the time right now to think about the family reunion that will take place in heaven.  Who is it that you’ll be looking forward to seeing again? (names___)  And now realize that once you get to see them again, they’ll never be taken away from you anymore.  You will get to always be with them in heaven.

But here’s the catch—this reunion is only for those who are in God’s family.  If you’re not a Christian, you can’t come to the reunion.

Articles, Bible Questions

Bible Q&A – What About the Thousand-Year Reign?

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Question: A man was talking to me today about the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth, and he said that some people don’t believe it will happen. Why would people ignore such a clear Bible doctrine?—Jack T., Oklahoma.

The main reason some people (like myself) deny the doctrine of a thousand-year reign of Jesus on earth is because it’s not in the Bible.

I’ll wait a second for you to calm back down before I continue. 🙂

There are several problems with the idea of a “1,000-year reign,” and we’ll only be able to deal with them briefly. The primary issue with each of them is that people have started assuming things that aren’t actually in the text, and then they’ve made them into doctrine.

The only place that mentions a thousand-year reign is in Revelation 20, and so it is to there we must go for our answers.

1. Jesus isn’t the one reigning for 1,000 years.

Let’s look at the text:

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

The subject of this verse is not Jesus. The subjects of this verse are those who had been martyred for the cause of Christ. It is they, not Jesus, who are said to reign a thousand years.

I’m sure that right now, you think I’m grasping at straws here, but let’s prove this assertion by way of an illustration.

Imagine you have lost your job and you need a place to live. So, I invite you to come live in my house. Now, let’s say you live there for almost three years (let’s say 1,000 days). I would say that you lived with me in my house for 1,000 days. Does this information tell you how long I lived in my house? No, it doesn’t. It only tells you how long you lived in my house with me.

Revelation 20:4 says nothing about how long Christ reigns. It only tells how long the martyred saints reigned with Him. The fact is, The Bible states that Jesus began reigning in the first century (Acts 2:32-33; Revelation 1:9; Colossians 1:13).

2. This verse is not literal.

How can you say that? Of course it’s literal! There’s nothing in the verse to make us think otherwise!!!

If this verse is to be taken literally (as is claimed by many well-meaning believers), then you have a really sticky problem:

Jesus has to die again.

Most people focus on the reigning part of this verse, and tend to ignore the living part. If the thousand years is literal, then that means Christ ceases to reign at the end of the thousand years—but more than that, Christ must also cease living.

Let’s also look at another problem this verse presents, if we are to take it literally. The only ones who are allowed to live and reign with Christ are the ones who have no head, and who were killed for the faith. That means that if you died a natural death, you can’t live or reign with Christ. This also means that if you were killed for the faith, but by some way other than beheading, you cannot live or reign with Christ.

And one more problem presented by taking this verse literally: the only ones allowed to live and reign with Christ are the ones who had already been beheaded for the faith when John wrote this down. This is written in past tense, speaking of something that had already happened.

So, if we take this verse literally, no one today (or for the past 1900 years) has any hope of living and reigning with Christ—and Christ has to die again. These conclusions are demanded if we take this verse literally. And these conclusions contradict other passages of the New Testament.

Therefore this verse is not meant to be taken literally.

3. This reigning is not on earth.

Go ahead and read all of chapter twenty. Nowhere in that chapter does it place Jesus Christ on earth, let alone Jerusalem. With so many doctrines existing about Jesus reigning on a literal throne in literal Jerusalem on the literal earth, you’d think those items would be mentioned here—but they’re not.

The kingdom of Jesus Christ existed during the first century. The apostle John said he was a part of it while he was alive in the first century (Revelation 1:9). The apostle Paul said that Christians had been (past tense) translated into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). There can be no kingdom without a king. Since Jesus’ kingdom existed in the first century, Jesus was already a king in the first century.

Since Jesus was already a king 2,000 years ago, that means He’s been reigning over His kingdom for close to 2,000 years already. And He’s been doing it from the throne in heaven (Acts 2:32-33).

4. Revelation isn’t about things which haven’t happened.

The most common assertion about Revelation is that it is describing something that hasn’t happened yet. But that view contradicts what the Bible says about the book of Revelation.

God makes it extremely obvious that the things which are in Revelation are things that were “at hand” and “shortly come to pass” when John wrote it—in the first century! The book opens with those statements (1:1, 3). The book closes with those statements (22:6, 10). It is the bold man indeed who calls God a liar by saying the things in Revelation are about things that were 2,000+ years away from the lifetime of the original readers.

Conclusion:

Jack, I do hope this helps you understand the topic better. The reason why some people (including myself) deny that there will be a literal reign of Jesus Christ on earth for a literal thousand years is that the Bible doesn’t teach it. Christ has been reigning from His throne in heaven for almost 2,000 years already. And the verses that people go to in order to “prove” the thousand-year reign don’t actually say what they claim.

-Bradley S. Cobb

Articles, Sermons

Sermon Wednesday – Singing With Understanding

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For the next several weeks, our “Sermon Wednesday” feature will focus on Singing with Understanding (I Corinthians 14:15).  We will take the time to examine the words of some of the songs we sing, and look at the Biblical ideas expressed in them so that when we sing them, we will truly “sing with the understanding also.”

Introduction:

In the church, most of the sermons you hear regarding singing are either about the use of instrumental music, or about singing unscriptural songs.  I have preached on those topics, and they absolutely need to be preached on.

However, it has been my experience that far fewer sermons are preached on the positive aspects of proper singing.  I’ve not heard many lessons on the importance of trying to improve the quality of your singing.

I know a man named Jay Rix who made it a point almost every time he lead singing to tell people to lift their songbooks up in front of them so that their voices could be heard (instead of it being sung to the floor).

I’ve not heard many lessons on the importance of trying to understand the notes and beats in our songbooks.  Have you ever been completely thrown off-track when singing a song because the song leader is singing it one way, and no one is singing the same notes or the same speed, or in the same key?

I’ve been places before where the song leader didn’t lead very loudly, and so there were three or four people in the congregation who tried to take over the lead from their pews—all at the same time, and all in different keys.  And you can picture the scene, each one sings progressively louder and louder, trying to drown out the others and make them change to the key HE (and sometimes SHE) singing in.

This inhibits proper worship—because it keeps people from focusing on WHAT they are singing.

It has happened to me more times in my life than I’d like to admit that the singing was so out of unison that I couldn’t concentrate at all on the words I was singing.  It would be beneficial if we all could take a little time now and then and learn a bit more about the music and how notes work.  After all, bad singing can be a distraction to proper worship.

In Midway, KY, back in the 1800’s, it is said that the singing in the Lord’s church there was so bad that it was called audio warfare.  It was so bad that they brought in an organ—not to help the congregation learn the notes better, but to drown them out.

I’ve not heard many sermons about the importance of “singing with the understanding.”  Of all the things involved with our singing of praises to God, this is the most important.  Paul says, “what is it then? I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also” (I Corinthians 14:15).  This is the idea of singing with the proper attitude, and knowing what you’re singing—and why you’re singing it.

Today we will be looking at what is involved in proper singing as worship to God.

Proper singing involves:

  • The proper songs (psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs)
  • The proper attitude (I will sing with the spirit)
  • The proper understanding (I will sing with the understanding also).

The proper songs (Ephesians 5:19).

The only songs authorized in praise and worship to God are: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Psalms – possibly a reference to the Old Testament book of Psalms, but it would also include any inspired song of praise to God (see I Corinthians 14:26).  For example, The Lord’s My Shepherd (there are three different versions of this song in some songbooks).

Hymns – This word is also translated “sing praise” in Hebrews 2:12, and basically just means a song of praise. Some of the Psalms fit this category.  For example,  Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah!

Spiritual Songs – These are songs sung for the uplifting and edification of the members.  For example,  Are You Coming to Jesus Tonight?

Some songs can fit into more than one category.

There are songs in some songbooks that do not fit the description of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Precious Memories—though I like the song, it is a song about memories of your mother and father from when you were a child—not about God, Christ, the Bible, salvation, or heaven.

America the Beautiful is in more brotherhood songbooks then you might realize.

The Star-Spangled Banner is even in some of the songbooks.

As nice as these songs are, they have no business being sung during worship to God, because they are not what God has authorized in His word.

The songs we sing must be Scriptural.

These songs are supposed to be used to teach each other (Colossians 3:16).  If the songs aren’t Scriptural, then by definition we are teaching unscriptural things when we sing them!

The most popular example of this is the song Jesus is Coming Soon.  It has a great melody and a really fun bass-line to sing, but it’s not teaching the truth.  It was written in 1942, and people have been singing it for over 70 years—yet Jesus still hasn’t come.  It speaks of signs that will come to pass (the “troublesome times” from verse one) before the end comes—but Jesus said that there would be no signs before the end comes (Matthew 24:35-39).  We could say “we need to live as though Jesus could come at any moment,” but that’s not what the song says.

Our singing must also involve…

The Proper Attitude (I Corinthians 14:15)

I will sing with the spirit (the proper attitude).

Some say that this is speaking of miraculous songs (songs directly inspired by the Holy Spirit), and that is possible in the context.  But at the same time, we are commanded to worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) and that applies long after the miracles ended in the first century.

When we sing, what kind of attitude are we showing?

Some people sing because they want to be heard—to show off their singing voice.  They are sometimes loud, sometimes they intentionally add notes to their singing, and their purpose in doing so is to get attention for themselves.  But where should the focus be?

Some people sing in a mumble, just doing enough so that they can say they were singing.  Others sing half-heatedly, occupying themselves with their phone or something else.  And still others sing loud and clear—but without giving a thought to the words they’re singing.

If you don’t think this can happen, I ask: have you ever sung along with the radio?  Did you give much thought to the words of the song you were singing, or were you just singing with it because you like the tune and have heard it enough times that you have it memorized?

So many songs on the radio (and it’s been this way for decades) are about drinking and sex—yet often Christians are guilty of singing along with them, not even thinking about what the words are actually saying.

We can rattle off things that we’ve memorized without difficulty, but does that make us mean it?

We need to be giving thought to the words that we are singing.  If you wrote a song for your one true love, and you then sang it to her, would you sing it with meaning? With feeling? With understanding?

When you sing a song to God, shouldn’t you sing it with meaning? With feeling? With understanding?

The Proper Understanding (I Corinthians 14:15).

I will sing with the understanding.

The Ethiopian Eunuch was reading the Bible—a great and noble thing to be doing—but Philip came up to him and asked, “do you understand what you’re reading?” (Acts 8:30).  If Philip came into our worship service sometime, he might go up to one of us and ask “do you understand what you’re singing?”

Do you understand the words you’re singing?

Richie Valens was a famous singer from the late ’50’s whose biggest hit was a song he sung in Spanish, called La Bamba.  The only problem? Richie Valens didn’t know Spanish.  He sat and listened to the song being sung over and over until he memorized the words—the syllables—even though he didn’t know at all what the words meant.  And I’d be willing to guess that more than a few of you have sung along with that song as well, having no idea what the words mean.

There are some great poets who have written songs…but many times those poets use words and phrases that make no sense to us.  For example:

  • “Night with ebon pinion, brooded o’er the vale.“
  • “the panoply of God“

We’ve sung these phrases for years, but if a visitor came in and asked you, “what does that mean?” could you answer them? And if you can’t explain what it means, doesn’t that mean you aren’t “singing with the understanding”?

There are some songs that are steeped in Bible references, but some of them are unfamiliar.  And the best example of this is O Thou Fount of Every Blessing, which says…

“Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’ve come”

What is an Ebenezer? Isn’t that the Scrooge guy from Charles Dickens’ book?  I Samuel 7:12 says that after God had secured the victory for the Israelites, Samuel raised up a stone (made a monument) and called it Ebenezer, which means “The stone of the help” or “the stone to remind us of God’s help.”

So when we sing “Here I raise my Ebenezer,” we are saying “God has helped me, and I am setting up a monument in my mind to remind me of the one who has brought me this far.”

How do we make sure we are singing with the understanding?

Part of that falls on the song-leader, because he is the one who chooses the songs.  He needs to make sure that the songs he leads are either easily understandable or that he explains the possibly confusing parts.  Sometimes a song can be given a wealth of meaning and the congregation can focus on the words so much more with just a few words of explanation before the song begins.

One person said, “any time we sing this song about heaven, I think of _______ who lived her life always looking forward to her home up there.”

Another person said (about a closing song) “remember that this song is the one we’ll sing together to get us through the rest of the week” (it was “God be with you till we meet again”).

One song-leader would occasionally announce that the closing song was actually a prayer, and so that would also serve as our closing prayer.  When he did that, it caused me to look more at the words and I came to realize that it really was a prayer.  And then I had to focus on what was being said, because it was a prayer that I was saying to God!

Part of singing with the understanding falls on the one singing.  If you don’t understand what the song is saying, then you need to do some asking or some investigating on your own.  My kids have asked me on more than one occasion what something means in a song (“panoply” being the most recent one).

There’s no shame in asking someone “what does this mean?”  It wasn’t until someone explained it to me that I finally figured out what “be of sin the double cure” was referencing (in Rock of Ages).

Conclusion:

Let’s take the opportunity to put more thought and feeling into our singing.  Let’s remember that proper singing involves the proper attitude and mindset—stop singing on auto-pilot.  Let’s remember that proper singing involves the need to understand what you’re singing.

-Bradley Cobb

Articles

Don’t Quit!

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In his second letter to the young preacher, Timothy, Paul gives final instructions on what he wants his “son in the faith” to do. Paul knows his time is almost through on this earth, so he spends this letter reminding Timothy of the things he thought were most important. He reminds the evangelist to be bold and stand for the truth (chapter 1), to endure hardships and have the right attitude (chapter 2), and about false teachers (chapter 3). All of this is encapsulated in II Timothy 4:5 – But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Keep Watching

Paul warns Timothy (and by extension all of us) to watch in all things. We are to be watching out for false teachers and false doctrines. Immediately before telling Timothy to be watchful, Paul states the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but…shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears…and shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables (II Timothy 4:3-4). All Christians must be aware of the importance of this command of God. There will indeed be false teachers, and they will lead people away from Christ (I Timothy 4:1)! There are too many Christians who want to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that problems don’t exist. The Holy Spirit, through Paul’s letter, warns us all to keep our eyes open so we can combat false teaching.

Keep Enduring

The apostle encourages Timothy to keep going forward, even though afflictions would be continuous. Christians are to expect persecutions. Satan does not want the message of Christ taught. As such, we will face opposition. But as followers of Christ, we must endure these afflictions and continue to press on. These afflictions can be from outside of the church, but as shown earlier, they can come from those within the church as well. False teachers and those unwilling to endure sound doctrine can also afflict the faithful. The Holy Spirit encourages us to continue to endure these afflictions.

Keep Preaching

In addition to watching and enduring, the faithful Christian will continue to teach others the gospel. Paul earlier specified exactly what Timothy was to do: preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (II Timothy 4:2). The most important job we’ve been given on this earth is to teach others the gospel. God loves every soul and we must as well. The vast majority of people will not read their Bible and lead themselves to obeying the gospel. We have to teach them, for how will they hear without someone teaching them (Romans 10:14)? The Holy Spirit instructs us to spread the gospel.

Keep Showing

Paul tells Timothy to make full proof of thy ministry. He is instructing this faithful Christian to keep living right. His life is to be a proof that he not only “talks the talk” but “walks the walk.” He is to keep showing himself as an example to others. In the same way, we are encouraged to follow the example of faithful brethren. Paul said Be followers of me, even as I am of Christ (I Corinthians 11:1). He also exhorted Christians to follow the example of other faithful Christians (Philippians 3:17). He did his best to be an example to others. He, by inspiration, told Timothy to live as an example. Therefore, we are commanded by God to live as an example for others to follow.

Paul was nearing death, and he thought these were the most important things of which to remind a faithful Christian and preacher. Let us take his words to heart. If we are to truly be the best Christian we can be, we must watch out for false doctrine, endure affliction, spread the gospel, and be an example to others. When we do that, we will be truly doing what we were designed to do: fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

-Bradley Cobb

Articles, Bible Questions

Bible Q&A – Why Are Some Congregations Doing Away With Deacons?

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Question: I am a member of the church and I’m starting to see where many in the brotherhood are doing away with the role of Deacon. I know that other than the qualification of Deacon, deacon/deaconess is not mentioned much in the Bible. I would love your thoughts on this. I think the role of deacon needs to stay in the church and I’m not liking what I’m seeing or hearing. Thanks, Mark D.

Thanks for writing. I, too, have seen this trend taking place in some congregations across the country. There’s really several points to consider when looking at this topic. Let’s look at some possibilities (some valid, some not).

Some congregations might be doing away with their deacons because they aren’t qualified.

Sometimes congregations get in a hurry to select elders or deacons and don’t concentrate as much as they should on whether or not the people are qualified. The Bible does indeed give qualifications for a deacon, and if a man doesn’t meet those qualifications, he has no business fulfilling that role.

Deacons likewise must be honorable, not double-tongued, not giving-heed to much wine, not covetous; holding the mystery of the faith in a clean conscience. And also, let these first be proved; then let them minister, if they are irreproachable. Their wives likewise must be honorable, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be husbands of one wife, governing their children and their own houses well. For* those who have ministered well acquire for themselves a good grade and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 3:8-13, Modern Literal Version)

Some congregations might be doing away with the deacons because there is no work for them to do.

The word deacon means a servant, but it stresses his role, work, or function. The root of the word comes from an old Greek word which means “to run an errand.” When there is no specific work for a deacon, you have a servant with no role. Some smaller congregations had a deacon whose role was to take care of the educational material for the children’s classes. But what happens when there are no more children? When something like this is the case, it wouldn’t be wrong for that person to no longer have the title of deacon because he’s no longer got a specific job to fulfill (outside of the roles that are universal to every Christian).

Some congregations are doing away with their deacons because they think deacons are not necessary.

Unlike the first two, this isn’t a valid reason to do away with deacons in a congregation. God divinely ordained that congregations should have deacons (literally, servants or ministers). The apostle Paul wrote to the saints in Phillipi “with the elders and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). He also was inspired by God to give qualifications for deacons—something God wouldn’t have given if deacons are unnecessary.

Some congregations are doing away with their deacons to circumvent the Scriptures.

There are some congregations that have several women “ministers” on staff. At one point, some of these same congregations were pushing for deaconesses—women deacons. But the firestorm of controversy erupted, and most of them backed off. Instead, they just started hiring women staff members and called them things like “children’s education minister” or “senior members’ minister” or something like that. Remember what the word “deacon” actually means? It’s a servant or a minister with a specific job/role/function apart from the normal Christians’ work.

In order to try to stop the controversy, some congregations have dropped the title “deacon” completely from their work. Each person who would normally be called a “deacon” is now called a specialized “minister.” This way, they figure, no one can say that they’ve got female deacons because they don’t have any deacons at all—at least, they don’t use the word deacon. Even though it’s the same thing.

Some congregations have stopped using the word elders, in favor of the word shepherds. There’s nothing wrong with this, just like there’s nothing wrong with using the word ministers instead of deacons. But let’s not do it with the purpose of trying to circumvent God’s word. Having female ministers in the church is the same as having deaconesses in the church—changing the name you use doesn’t somehow make it right in God’s eyes.

Articles, Sermons

Sermon Wednesday – What is Hell Like?

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Today, we continue our series on “Fundamentals of the Faith,” and today’s topic is one that a lot of people really don’t like to think about–Hell.

Introduction:

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take all the uncomfortable parts out of the Bible?  You know, things like be thou faithful unto death?  Things like, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution?  Or what about hell?

What about hell?

Does hell really exist?  If so, does it last forever or is it only temporary?  Would a loving God punish someone eternally for a comparatively short life of sin?  How is hell described in the Bible?

These are questions that people have about hell, and it’s up to us to be ready to show them what the Bible has to say on the matter.

Does Hell Really Exist?

Sadly, the reality of hell–which was once almost universally believed–is being rejected by many people in many religious groups.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses all deny hell exists.  Their doctrine is that all evil people simply cease to exist when they die.  Thus, you can live your life as evil as you want, and when you die there is no punishment at all.

There are even those within the church who deny the existence of hell.  This isn’t limited to liberal or conservative either, as there are those on both sides who hold this view.  We’ll consider some of the arguments they use a bit later in the lesson.

The most important thing we need to remember when discussing any Bible topic is this: it doesn’t matter who believes it or how widespread that belief is; what matters is what the Bible says about it.

Acts 17:11-12a – These were more noble than they of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed…

It is also extremely important that if we believe something, we know why we believe it.

“Because that’s what my preacher said” isn’t good enough.

“Because that’s what mom and dad believed” isn’t good enough.

We need to be able to show from the Bible why we believe what we believe.

So, you may believe there is a hell—but can you prove it from the Bible?

Hell is not always called hell in the Bible.

In fact, if you (like me) use the King James Version, you could get confused pretty quickly, because the word hell in the KJV doesn’t always mean hell.

  • Acts 2:27 (KJV) says that Jesus’ soul went to hell.
  • Revelation 20:14 (KJV) tells us that hell was cast into the lake of fire…which generally speaking is believed to be hell.

So, hell was destroyed in hell?  That makes no sense.

So, we need to make some observations before we get too far into this discussion.

In the Old Testament, the word “hell” is always the Hebrew word Sheol.  Some translations actually just render it Sheol.  It means “the abode of the dead” (Thayer).  Sometimes it refers to a place of torment, other times not.  Without considering the context of each section, we cannot gain much insight on the topic of “hell” from these passages.

In the New Testament, there are two words translated hell.  One is Gehenna (see Matthew 5:22, 29-30).  This word is a reference to a place of fire and torment, as is obvious from the passages mentioned.

The other is Hades (see Matthew 11:23, 16:18).  This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Sheol.  This word simply means the unseen realm, or the abode of the dead, and is used ten times in the New Testament.  Though it can include the idea of a place of torment (Luke 16:23), it also describes where Jesus’ soul went after His crucifixion (Acts 2:27, 31).  It is a general word that includes all the unseen realm—including a place of paradise and a place of torment.

Hell is a place of torment reserved for the wicked after their time on earth.

Though the word hell isn’t always used, the concept of a place of punishment after death is clearly taught in the New Testament.

Luke 16:19-31 tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus.  They both died, and the rich man awoke in torment—conscious torment (16:23).  While in torment, he was conscious, proven by the fact that he was able to hold a conversation.  It was a place of flame (16:24).

“You can’t use that passage, preacher! It’s a parable, not a real story.”

It doesn’t say it’s a parable, and even if it was, Jesus never gave a parable that described things that didn’t actually happen.

“Well, you can’t use that passage because it’s speaking of Hades, not hell.”

I say that the man has obviously been judged because he is now in torment.  But if you want to discard that passage, we’ll just have to go somewhere else.

Matthew 25:41-46 describes the judgment scene.  Jesus calls the ones on his left “cursed” and sends them into “everlasting fire” (24:41).  He doesn’t use the term “hell,” but this is a description of the same place.

Mark 9:43-48 describes hell as a place of punishment for those who sin.  Jesus uses the word “hell” (Gehenna, the place of fiery torment) in verses 43, 45, and 47.  He describes it as a place “where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched” (verses 44, 46, 48).

Revelation 14:11 speaks of some who were condemned, and says of them “the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night…”  This, again, is a description of hell.

Jude 7 describes the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha as “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”  Literally, it means they have suffered and continue to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.

So, the question now is this: does the Bible describe a place of torment for the wicked after their death?

Without a doubt, such a place is described in the Bible.

How long does hell last?

Some people, when faced with the reality of hell, try to soften the impact of it by declaring that it is only temporary.  Some people say that it’s a place of torment until judgment day, and then all those who were in hell will simply be destroyed and cease to exist.

Others say that hell is a place of torment after judgment day, but that each person will be punished for a specific period of time based on their sins, and then they will be put in heaven after they’ve learned their lesson.

The problem with both of these theories is that neither one of them is found in the Bible.

As we’ve already seen from several passages, hell is a place of “everlasting” torment.  It’s a place where torment lasts “for ever and ever.”  It’s a place where the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:43-48).

If hell ceases to exist at any point, then the Bible has just lied!  You hear me? If hell ceases to exist—ever—then the fires were quenched, and the Bible has lied.

Think about that carefully, and understand what that means.

If you say that hell is a temporary place, then you are calling God a liar.

It is a place that is every bit as eternal and everlasting as heaven itself.

Matthew 25:46 says “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”  The words “everlasting” and “eternal” in that verse are the EXACT SAME WORD in Greek.

So, however long “life eternal” is, that’s the same length of time “everlasting punishment” is.  So, if hell is temporary, then so is heaven.  If hell will have an end, so will heaven.  If heaven is eternal, so is hell.

Hell is a place of unending torment reserved for the wicked.

But a loving God would not punish someone eternally for a short time of sinning!–Right?

That’s the argument, and it’s a very emotional one.

A 20-year old lives a life of fun and pleasure, never giving any thought to religion, and he’s hit and killed by a drunk driver.  Is a loving God really going to torment him eternally for what amounts to only about 10-12 years of sin? (because when he’s a small child, he has no clue what sin is).

A preacher that I know, called me one evening, struggling with this question.  He said, “Brad, I know what we’ve always taught, and what the church believes, but someone hit me with this question, and I’m at a loss.”  He expressed that he was having a very difficult time rectifying the idea of a loving God and eternal punishment.

And I’ll tell you the same thing I told him.

If a loving God will not punish someone eternally for a short life of sin, then a just God will not reward someone eternally for a short life of obedience.

Did you get that?

The logic works both ways.  A just God will not reward someone eternally when they’ve only spent a few years in His service, right?

Do we call the justice system unfair because it punishes someone for the rest of their life for a one-time action?  Someone intentionally shoots an innocent person—something that takes less than a second—yet we punish them for perhaps 60 years!  The punishment is absolutely deserved.

If you go to hell, it’s because you deserve to go there!

Whoa! Isn’t that a bit harsh?  No, it’s not. It’s the Bible.

All of us deserve to go to hell because of our sins.  However, those who take advantage of the blood of Christ can avoid hell and all its terrible torment.

If you don’t take advantage of it, whose fault is it?

But let’s dig a bit deeper into this idea of deserving to go to hell.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”  The whole duty of man. The whole purpose of man. This is the meaning of life.  This is the entire reason man was put on this planet was to fear God and keep His commandments.

When you look at Job 1-2, you see God and Satan at war.  The individual battles are waged in the lives of humans.  In these chapters, Job is the battlefield.

You are the battlefield between God and Satan.  You determine who wins and who loses in your life.  We were designed and put here as the instruments by which God defeats Satan.

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

If you have a tool, designed for a specific purpose, and it won’t do what it’s supposed to do, you get rid of it.  Now, imagine that your tool can talk, and that it says to you, “I know what you want me to do, what I’m designed to do, but I don’t want to, and I’m not going to do it.”

You beg and plead with it, and still it indignantly refuses, and tries to keep other tools from working for you.  Eventually, you’re going to destroy that tool; and it will deserve it.

As humans, whose entire purpose is serving God and keeping His commandments, what do we deserve if we refuse to obey Him?

Yes, we deserve hell.

How is hell described in the Bible?

If we could just for 5 seconds peel back the lid on hell and experience it for just that short amount of time, I am convinced that we would serve God and never look back.

Hell is a place that God has created to torment Satan and his messengers forever (Matthew 25:41).

You know what Satan deserves because of his opposition to God.  Satan deserves the worst possible torment imaginable.

And if you aren’t a faithful Christian, you will be joining him forever.

Hell is a place of fire.

Mark 9:43-48 describes it as the place where the fire is never quenched.  Revelation 20:14-15 calls hell “the lake of fire.”

Ten years ago, a man was clearing out trash that was on the edge of his back yard.  He starts a small burn pile to get rid of the trash and leaves.  And being the guy that he is, he adds more and more, trying to get it done quicker (that, and he likes seeing the fire).

Then came an extremely loud pop!  Something in the fire shoots out and lands on the man’s hand, and he looks on in horror as he sees his skin literally start to melt.  The searing pain rushes through his whole body, and he screams.

He grabs something and as quick as he possibly can, he scrapes the burning material off his hand (causing even more pain in the process).  He grabs his hand, trying to stop the pain, but nothing works—in fact, if anything, it gets worse.

Slowly, he removes his grip and looks at his hand, and at the place that was tormenting his entire body.  The spot of pain was less than half the size of an M&M, but the burning tormented his entire body.

That was me.

But the fires of hell are not confined to one small part of you.  It’s not just a spot on your hand.  It’s not just a finger or a toe.

If you go to hell, you are in the lake of fire.  Imagine yourself in the middle of a lake of water, and you’re drowning, thrashing around trying to stay afloat.

Now, as you have that image in your head, watch as the water turns to flames, and you are completely immersed in fire, thrashing about, trying in vain to escape the pain.  Is it any wonder that john the Baptist promised that Jesus would baptize some people in unquenchable fire? (Matthew 3:10-12)

You know the pain of fire when you get burned on one part of your body.  Now imagine it continually burning every part of you.

Hell is a place of darkness.

To the person trapped in an underground cave with no light, even a small speck of light is a sign of hope.  But with no light, living in complete darkness, there is no way to see what might be around you—what could be trying to attack you.

Paranoia can easily creep in when someone is in complete blackness.  Mentally, being in complete darkness for an extended period of time can actually drive someone insane.

You are thrown into a coffin, the lid shut, and then you are put in the ground and covered in earth…and you’re still alive.  It’s completely black and you’re freaking out, hyperventilating, sweating, and the heat inside the coffin is quickly rising.

Then you find a flashlight and turn it on.  Instantly, things have improved because there is some light—even though your condition hasn’t improved, the light has a somewhat calming effect.

In hell, there is no light.

Hell is called the place of “outer darkness.”

  • Matthew 8:12 – the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  • Matthew 22:13, 25:30 both describe hell in the same way.
  • I Peter 2:9 may have this idea in mind as well, God “hath called you out of darkness” [perhaps, freed you from the punishment of hell].
  • Jude 13 describes the fate of false teachers as “the blackness of darkness forever.”

Hell is not just a place of pain, but of mental anguish as well.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).  There will be anguish because each person in hell will understand that they brought it on themselves.

There will be anguish over lost opportunities to obey the gospel.

There will be anguish over each and every sin committed.

Hell is described as a place with a foul stench.

Worms (literally, we’re talking about maggots) thrive there (“where the worm dieth not”).  Maggots are found around rotted meat–and you probably know that smell well.

It is a place of fire and brimstone.  If you’ve smelled sulphur, you know how nauseating the stench is.

Some experts believe Gehenna (the Greek word for hell) was also the name of a continually burning garbage dump outside Jerusalem.  It would have had dead animals, rancid meat, human waste, and many other foul odors constantly going through the air.

The smells of hell will attack your senses to the point where you can hardly breathe, causing you to hyperventilate, taking quick, shallow breaths in an attempt to keep from being as affected.

And as the smells get through, your stomach is turned and you’re not just fighting the smell, you’re fighting not to throw up.  All of this horrid stench is attacking you, and you can’t see where its coming from because it is completely black.

And there’s no way to get away from it.

And the black flames burn over your entire body, and no matter how you move, you can’t stop the pain even for a moment.

And there’s no getting out of it.

Conclusion:

Today is the day, and now is your chance.  You can avoid the fires of hell by becoming a Christian.  Do it now, before it’s too late!

 

Announcements, Articles, Books

Habakkuk: An Introduction

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To celebrate the release of our latest book, Wait, Not THEM!  A Study of the Prophecy of Habakkuk, we are going to give you a sneak peak–a just-for-you look at the introduction of the book.

But before we do, let me take just a few seconds to tell you about what’s in the book.

  • Thorough, in-depth, yet easy-to-understand notes on every verse in the book.  It’s even broken down by sections–sometimes by words–so that you know exactly what Habakkuk is talking about.
  • Keeping it in context.  One of the things that we have striven to do with our commentaries is to never take a verse out of context.  We show the explanation of the verse based on how it fits in the book.  If there are New Testament uses of some of the verses, then we point that out and show the greater meaning.
  • Modern-day application.  We make it a point throughout this book (and all of our commentaries) to show what it meant to the original readers, and how those same principles also apply to us today.
  • Offering of different interpretations.  On some passages, words, or phrases, sometimes the exact meaning isn’t completely clear.  When this is the case, we present any possibilities that seem plausible and that also fit the context.  We give the pros and cons of each view, state which one we prefer and why, but leave it to the reader to make their own judgment.

It was written to be helpful to both the new Christian as well as the one who has been involved in Bible study and teaching for decades.

What others have said about this book:

  • Homer Hailey doesn’t have much on this passage in lieu of what you have. –A preacher.
  • I find this intriguing.  You apparently did your research on this. –A preacher and writer from Alabama.
  • I loved it.  So much detail and so much meat! –A Bible teacher in Oklahoma.

If you’re interested in ordering the book (in print or as an eBook), click here.  It’s also available via Amazon.com in print or as a Kindle file.

Now, without further talking, here is the…

Introduction

Habakkuk is among the most overlooked and ignored books of the Bible. Perhaps this is because it’s so short. Perhaps it’s because there really isn’t a clear prophecy of Jesus Christ in the book. Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t have any action or stories in it (like Jonah). Whatever the reasons may be, this book hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. After all, it is Scripture, and all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable (II Timothy 3:16).

Who Wrote It?

The writer is the prophet Habakkuk. The book is described as the “burden” (or prophecy) which Habakkuk saw (1:1). Someone might rightfully ask, “Couldn’t someone else have written it, just describing what Habakkuk saw?” That might be a possibility, except that the writer claims to be the one who received the prophecy. The writer says, “And the LORD answered me…” (2:2). Also, at the end of the book, the writer says “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself…” (3:16). This shows that the author is the one who received the prophecy. He identifies himself as the prophet Habakkuk (1:1).

Who is Habakkuk?

Outside of this book, there is no biblical information about Habakkuk.

Habakkuk’s name comes from a word that means “to embrace.” So, it appears that his name carries the idea of “one who embraces” or “one who clings.” In the end of the book, Habakkuk is still clinging to God even in the face of the impending destruction.

Some have suggested that he was a professional prophet, because he identifies himself as “Habakkuk the prophet” (1:1). There were those who, like Elijah or Samuel, were known to be prophets and who made their living by the offerings of the people (see I Samuel 9:6-9).

Others have also suggested that Habakkuk was a priest of God, a Levite who served in the temple worship. This suggestion is based on the final verse of the book, which says “to the chief singer on my stringed instruments” (3:19). Both of these suggestions are possible, though they cannot be definitively proven.

Because of the content of Habakkuk’s prophecy, we can know for certain that he was a resident of Judea (see 1:2-4). We can know that it was written prior to Babylon’s invasion of Jerusalem in 606 BC (which was prophesied in 1:6-11). Beyond that, there is little we can discern.

There is one noteworthy mention of Habakkuk outside of the Scriptures. In the Apocrypha[1], there are two additional chapters to the book of Daniel. One of these chapters is referred to as Bel and the Dragon. In this story, Daniel (who is in Babylon) is thrown into the lion’s den (chronologically, this would have been immediately after the famous lion’s den episode of Daniel 6). In the lion’s den, Daniel is starving. So, in order to make sure Daniel doesn’t starve to death, the Angel of the LORD goes to Judea and tells Habakkuk to go feed Daniel. Habakkuk had just made some soup, and is told, “Carry the soup to Daniel who is in a lion’s den in Babylon.” Habakkuk replies, “I’ve never been to Babylon, and I don’t know where this den would be.” So, the Angel of the LORD grabs Habakkuk by the hair, and flies him to Babylon so he could feed Daniel. Then he grabs him again by the hair and flies him back to Judea.[2]

As you can hopefully see, that information is ridiculous, and gives us no reliable information about Habakkuk.

When Was it Written?

The only thing we can say about the date with absolute certainty is that it was written prior to the invasion of Judea by the Babylonians in 606 BC. The invasion is prophesied as a future event by God in 1:5-11. In 1:5, God says that it will happen in “your days,” meaning during the days of the people then living.

We can be a bit clearer with the date based on Habakkuk’s reaction to God’s announcement. God announces that the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) were going to attack. Habakkuk was extremely familiar with them (1:12-17). Babylon wasn’t really a world-power until around 615. They took and destroyed Nineveh, the capitol of the Assyrian Empire, in 612 BC. This seems to point to a date of 615-612 BC at the earliest.

We can narrow it down a bit more when we see the spiritual condition of the land. According to 1:2-4, the entire nation was wicked to the point where God’s prophet is calling for divine intervention. Josiah had reformed the nation, bringing them back into compliance with God’s word. However, after Josiah died in 609 BC, the nation went downhill fast. The king, Jechoniah, was ready to kill Jeremiah for prophesying.

Based on this information, it appears that we can date Habakkuk’s writing to be between 609 and 607 BC. This would place Habakkuk as a contemporary with Jeremiah.

Who Was it Written To?

It was written to the Jews as a whole. It was written to let them know what was coming and why it was coming. It was written to the wicked Jews so they would understand exactly what God thinks about their wickedness. It was written to the faithful Jews to let them know that God was not going to stand by and let wickedness reign in His nation.

Why Was it Written?

This prophecy was recorded to prepare the faithful for what was about to happen. It was written to encourage the faithful to remain that way. It was written to condemn the wicked, and show that the upcoming destruction was justified because of their wickedness.

Ted Clarke stated it this way:

The ultimate purpose of Habakkuk’s prophecy was to show the grand truths that the just shall live by faith, and that the wicked will not go unpunished.[3]

Interesting Notes:

Most of chapter two deals with the reasons for Babylon’s eventual destruction, but these reasons also apply to Jerusalem, and show that it deserved destruction as well. Babylon and Jerusalem are equated in that section. They are also equated in the book of Revelation (Jerusalem being the “Babylon” mentioned there).

Outline of Habakkuk:

  1. Habakkuk’s complaint (1:1-4)
  2. God’s reply (1:5-11)
  3. Habakkuk’s response (1:12-2:1)
  4. God’s second reply (2:2-20)
  5. Habakkuk’s prayer (3:1-2)
  6. Habakkuk’s psalm (3:3-19)

Final Note:

This commentary uses the King James Version as its basis, though we have taken the liberty to update the spelling and language slightly (for example: didst is now did) to make it more reader-friendly.

—

[1] These are additional books and chapters accepted as part of the Old Testament by the Catholic Church. They never appear in Hebrew Old Testament manuscripts, but only in Greek copies. The Jews never accepted these books and extra chapters as inspired, and none of these writings were ever referenced by the New Testament writers.

[2] These events can be found in what is referred to as Bel and the Dragon, or Daniel 14:28-38. See Appendix A.

[3] Clarke, Ted, “Habakkuk Notes” The Preaching School Collection, e-Sword edition, available from www.TheCobbSix.com.