There is much debate about Bible Prophecy within the broad realm of those who claim to be Christians. Everything from subtle nuances related to specific prophetic events, to whether there are any further prophecies that await any future fulfillment at all.

There are those who believe that events foretold in the Bible should be taken literally, and there are still others who believe that most prophetic events foretold in the Bible are figurative, symbolic, or allegorical in nature.

For instance, there are those who believe in a literal future 1,000-year kingdom known as the Millennium, or the Millennial Reign of Christ, and yet there are others who believe the 1,000 years are not 1,000 literal years, but instead they are “figurative,” representing the here and now.

Those who reject the Millennium as a literal 1,000-year period when Christ will return to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, are saying that the Bible doesn’t mean what it actually says. God’s Word clearly states that there will indeed be a period of 1,000 literal years when all things in heaven and on earth will be summed up in Christ:

“And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 19:16, 20:4b).

“That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:10).

It is a mystery how anyone can rationally conclude that all things on earth are currently gathered together in Christ, when taking into account the absolutely depraved evil currently spreading around the globe like a poison gas.

It is not being outside a particular denomination or church that causes misinterpretation and blindness; it is being outside of the teaching of the Holy Spirit that leads to prophetic apathy:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

“These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:26-27).

John means that the true Christian does not need any teaching apart from what is found in the Word of God. Faithful teachers will only teach what is found in the Word of God. In John’s day, the Gnostics professed to have additional truth which gave rise to additional teachings. However, John says that there is no need for additional truth outside of the Word of God in our heads, and the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Be wary of anyone or any group that would rather quote the words of men in regard to biblical truths as opposed to reading the words of God Himself. Quoting the Bible should always take precedence over quoting the “blessed” (orthodox, catholic, etc.) church fathers or councils.

Theology based upon verses taken out of context is a misinterpretation and a misrepresentation of the Bible. For instance, to quote 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood….” in order to teach that believers are currently reigning on earth with Christ right now, is to ignore the entire context of Peter’s teaching.

Just a few verses later, Peter shows that he agrees with Paul when Paul taught that “our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme…” (1 Peter 2:13).

As it is God’s desire that children progress in their knowledge of the world they experience around them as they grow older, so it is also His desire that the generations of mankind should grow in their understanding of His plan for humanity, as the time of the end draws near.

“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27).

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

Unfortunately, due to human nature, we stunt our own growth in the knowledge of the Lord’s plan for us through pride:

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

God prophesied through Daniel that knowledge about God’s plan for the generations will increase when the time for its final fulfillment is near:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4).

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

God clearly teaches that it is His will to unveil more knowledge of His plan for mankind according to His timing and authority:

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you’” (Acts 1:6-8a).

“Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:9-10).

The Lord Jesus Himself said that there are still more prophets to come:

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist” (Matthew 17:11-13).

The Lord’s disciples asked Him about Elijah because Malachi had prophesied to Israel that Elijah must come prior to the Messiah’s advent:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Malachi 4:5).

The Lord agreed that Elijah indeed had to come first as a prophet announcing a change in God’s provision for salvation. When Jesus explained that Elijah had already come through the ministry of John the Baptist, “then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist” (Matthew 17:13).

John the Baptist was not Elijah but he had come “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). If Israel had accepted John the Baptist and his message, then he would have fulfilled the prophesied role of Elijah:

“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:13-14).

However, according to the foreknowledge of the Lord, the nation of Israel did not receive and recognize the significance of the ministry of John the Baptist. Instead, they rejected him as they would also reject the true King.

There is every reason to believe that before Christ’s Second Advent, a prophet will arise to prepare Israel for the coming King. Whether it will be Elijah personally or someone with a similar ministry is nearly impossible to say at this point.

In relation to Bible Prophecy, the Word of God has either been twisted to mean something entirely different than what it actually says, or the signs that have been revealed to those of us living in the last days are ignored as being not originally taught in the early church.

There are many indications that the return of Jesus may be very near:

1. The formation of Israel in 1948 as prophesied in Ezekiel 39:21-29 and Luke 21:29-31. For the first time in many centuries, the Jews have a national existence in their own homeland.
2. The rise of numerous other nations as prophesied in Luke 21:29. Jesus predicted that not only would the fig tree shoot forth, but that all the trees would as well. The demise of historical colonial governments has given rise to many new nations within the last century.
3. The ecumenical movement was prophesied in Revelation 17 and 18, as “Babylon the Great.” A vast religious, political, and commercial system made up of apostate religious bodies that profess to be Christian, is hastily moving toward creating a new world super-church.
4. The great apostasy and falling away from true fundamental biblical faith as prophesied in 1 Timothy 4 and 2 Thessalonians 2, is taking place around the world today.
5. The drastic decline of moral standards as prophesied in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. The truth of this total moral depravity and breakdown cannot go unnoticed in our modern age of 24-hour social media and news.
6. Widespread violence and civil disobedience as prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8. This mystery of lawlessness is working overtime through the spirit of the antichrist.
7. The rise of anti-Christian spiritualism that takes the form of “Christianity” was prophesied in 2 Timothy 3:5-8 and 1 John 2:18. This false Christian spirit is manifested in many false cults which profess to be Christian but deny almost every fundamental doctrine of the true Christian faith. They deceive by intimidation.
8. The current will of nations to align themselves together into groups that either approximate or outright fit the lineup of nations as prophesied in Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc.
9. The rise in frequency of earthquakes, the threat of worldwide famine and disease, and the increasing racial tensions among nations as prophesied by the Lord in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21).
10. And finally, the outright apathetic denial of the impending intervention by the Lord into the affairs of mankind by way of the Rapture, the Tribulation judgment, and the literal 1,000-year Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Render Unto Caesar

As you by now have heard, the House Republicans unveiled new tax legislation in the first week of November. The new tax bill is designed to “lower” taxes on middle-class Americans. However, now that the details of the bill have been made public, one is left to wonder just how a group of Republicans can release such legislation that actually raises taxes on many in so-called middle-class America.

Homeowners face higher taxes because the new tax bill proposes to cap the deduction at $500,000 for new home purchases, a decrease from $1 million in the current tax law. This has the potential effect of discouraging home buying because the bill reduces the number of homeowners who can take advantage of mortgage interest and property tax deductions. Homebuilder stocks are already taking a hit on the news of the bill.

What may be the biggest tax hike on the middle class is the proposal to eliminate the ability to deduct state and local taxes. Those who live in states like New York, New Jersey, etc., which have high state income and property taxes may no longer be able to deduct what they pay in state taxes from what they owe in federal taxes.

Also, the bill proposes to eliminate deductions for student loans and large medical expenses. This has the potential to affect those at lower income levels as well.

Bottom line: The new tax bill appears to raise taxes at some levels of those working hard to own a decent home, hold down a decent job, and raise a family. Does anyone smell a RINO?

Notwithstanding all of the above, the biggest potential danger lurking in the proposed tax bill may be to the Church in America: The repealing of the Johnson Amendment.

The Johnson Amendment is a 1954 amendment that all but prohibits houses of worship and other tax-exempt 501-c-3 organizations from endorsing or opposing any political candidates. Opponents of this law have long held the belief that it has a chilling effect on the 1^st Amendment rights of church leaders and churches as a whole.

The new tax law will allow religious institutions to engage in political activity as long as the speech is in the church’s ordinary course of business and the expenses are minimal.

It is certainly a matter of personal opinion, but one can argue that the Lord Jesus was not only silencing the Pharisees but also issuing guidance to His Church when He gave His famous answer to the question of taxes:

“Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:17-21).

The answer that Jesus gave shows that believers have dual citizenship. We are responsible to obey and financially support earthly government. We are to pray for those in authority. We are also citizens of heaven and we are responsible to obey God. Of course, if a conflict should ever arise between God and man, our first loyalty is to God:

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29).

Was the answer that Jesus gave meant to guide His children as individual taxpayers? Yes. Can His answer also be used to guide a collective group of His children? Maybe…

“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

People are emotional creatures; what they say cannot always be controlled in group settings like speeches or debates. Churches should be careful not to allow apostate politics behind the pulpit.

Is there any doubt as to the unbridled apostasy that is occurring in America today? To what side of the political aisle do you think most churches would lean today? What about tomorrow?

Speaking of Caesar, the political statements of the current Pope show just how damaging and potentially dangerous it can be when apostate politics bleed into the false church.

May the true Church, however weak she may currently be, stay strong until the return of her King:

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name…. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:8, 10).