Lying Lips and The Apocalypse :: By Steve Schmutzer

The Antichrist Approaches
I’m in no mood to mince words here, nor is there good reason to. The truth about our nation’s political and cultural upheavals needs to be plainly stated, so I’ll start with the burner on low and turn up the heat as I go.

There are various ways to approach these issues, but I want to look at “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” With my nod to Clint Eastwood, that’s an easy outline to follow. First – the “good.”

President Trump has achieved an amazing feat with our nation’s economy, and even the Washington Compost, The Associated Depress, and The New York Slimes reluctantly admit this. The President’s brand new NAFTA deal is the latest of his promises he’s performed on, and it remedies a massive $500 billion trade deficit that has burdened America’s manufacturers. It infuses fresh oxygen into an economy that’s already roaring back under his leadership.

The unemployment rates for African Americans and Hispanics have fallen to their lowest levels on record, and our nation’s overall unemployment rate is at a 50-year low. Consequently, consumer sentiments are at their most favorable levels in 18 years, and U.S. small business optimism has just hit its highest point in history.

The United States economy grew at a rate of 4.2 percent in the second quarter of 2018, and the stock market has jumped 27 percent since President Trump began slashing regulations, implementing sensible tariff policies, and cutting taxes. Various environmental and economic policies that President Obama put in place to hamstring this country have been repealed, and now all the right arrows are going up.

The good news permeates other fronts in our nation’s affairs too. Kim Jong “Goon” hasn’t fired any more missiles over Japan since President Trump told him whose red button was bigger and better. Instead, America received back the remains of its Korean War heroes without airlifting pallets of illegal cash in a covert nighttime operation. “Little rocket man” has pledged to disarm his atomic arsenal in North Korea, and the Iranian Nuclear Accord has been exposed for being the shameful house of cards it always was.

President Trump has also unshackled his military leaders so they can do their job. They no longer have to get permission to “shoot back.” The result is ISIS has been crushed in Iraq and Syria and they are in full retreat. President Trump has actually followed through on his “red line” promises. He has dropped massive bombs on terrorist hideouts, unleashed cruise missiles on chemical warfare perpetrators, and required our NATO allies to pay their fair share of the defense account.

In the 20 months or so since the world’s most recognized comb-over has rebranded The White House, many young conservative judges have been appointed to the federal appeals courts, and constitutional judges have been appointed to The Supreme Court. President Trump’s greatest legacy may end up being his forward-thinking stamp on the U.S. judicial system. The benefits are likely to be felt for decades to come.

Under President Trump’s leadership, it’s OK again to say “Merry Christmas” and to claim we are “one nation under God.” We may not be a truly “Christian” nation at this point in time, but at least we now have a President who is supporting the basic expressions of our faith.

The obvious truth that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital is finally official, and relations between Israel and America have never been better. It’s also proper now to screen folks coming into the US from countries which have openly pledged to harm American citizens. It always was proper to do this, but President Trump had to contend with lawless ideals in order to make common sense a rule.

Much more could be said here that qualifies as “good,” but the bottom line is President Trump has made our nation stronger and safer. By rejecting a fanatical socialist-globalist agenda, he has pointed our country back towards sanity.

Enter Maxine “Mad Max” Waters. Like a pull-string doll in a rumpled James Brown wig, her reaction to all this good news is, “Impeach! Impeach! Impeach!” Her talking points are mostly two-syllable squawks that contribute as much to a productive discussion as a trained parrot.

“Maxine, what do you think of the historically-low unemployment figures within the African- American community?”

“Impeach!!!”

“Maxine, how do you feel about getting proven constitutionalists on the judiciary instead of activist judges that want to change the laws?”

“Impeach!!!”

“Maxine, isn’t it great that we’ve managed to beat back ISIS?”

“Impeach!!!”

“Maxine, have you….”

“IMPEACH!!!”

It’s obvious by now I’ve shifted over to the “bad” point of my outline, but I wouldn’t be writing this article if the rabid rantings of “Mad Max” were isolated to her. They’re not. She’s just one of the most transparent individuals about her party’s real intentions.

We hear that the left is “unhinged” in their reactions to President Trump and his supporters, but that description hardly comes close to telling the truth.

Although the right was deeply distraught with the election of President Obama, and with his “Make America Weak” policies, they never rioted in the streets, torched cars, beat up bystanders, threatened to kill electors, shot cops, formed filthy communes in public places, encouraged assassinations, promoted anarchy, planned hit squads against homes, bankrolled mobs, shut down free speech, nor asked for safe rooms, teddy bears, pet therapy, and Play-Doh.

When conservatives disagree with the liberal-socialist agenda, they don’t flood Twitter with murder threats or roundhouse kick peaceful protesters. They don’t menace the left with threats of rape, and they don’t shoot Democrat lawmakers at baseball games.

Conservatives clean up after themselves at their own (peaceful) rallies, and they don’t chase administration staff from restaurants. They don’t talk about blowing up the White House, and they don’t pose with severed heads of the President. Conservatives are not out there shouting at folks in elevators, stabbing opposition candidates, encouraging supporters to harass liberal lawmakers wherever they find them, or burning the left’s campaign headquarters to the ground.

The right has not compared Obama’s supporters to segregationists or Nazis, and they have not claimed that a Democrat President is worse than the 9/11 terrorists. Conservatives don’t scream that the left has placed a madman in The White House, and they don’t publicly appeal for drastic action and violence in the streets. Conservatives don’t attack and berate Christians for their beliefs and values at the same time as they are protecting and aiding Islam’s Sharia law.

Conservatives don’t call for impeachment just because they don’t like someone, and they don’t protect a two-tiered system of justice at all costs. They don’t turn venerated proceedings for Supreme Court picks into chaotic protest rallies, and they don’t stonewall cabinet nominees for over a year. The right does not register illegal immigrants in a dishonest effort to create sympathetic voters, and conservatives do not go on national television to protect criminals from that group over the rights of their unfortunate – and legal – victims!

Sure, the right is imperfect. Nobody is going to argue with that one, and I’ll be first to say I’m very unhappy with many of the “reds.” No one disagrees that far too many Republicans are really “Republicrats” under their tailored suits. The “never-Trumpers” behave like “blues,” and we can look at who the Bush family voted for as a case in point.

All those things said, we have much bigger problems here. The conduct of the left is now commonly unlawful, routinely deceptive, habitually self-serving, frankly phony, and – on so many points – outrageously wrong!

It’s not that the left doesn’t understand the virtues of common sense, law, due process, and faith – but rather, they don’t want them! This is why committed liberals are engaged in a war against all things reasonable, righteous, and respectable. Their actions prove they’re agents of hate.

All that leads me to “ugly,” and maybe it feels like we’re already there. We naturally wonder, “Can it get any worse?” Unfortunately, it will.

I’m becoming more and more convinced that these rapidly eroding cultural and political trends we see within our nation represent a prototype that will reach full expression in the Tribulation. If the Lord returns soon, many hardened liberals will be the antichrist’s strongest allies.

“GASP! Whaaaaat?! How can you say that? That’s so intolerant, so racist, so totally, uh….white male! You’re creating division!  You are not promoting healing. Shame on you!”

Whatever.

The left doesn’t want healing! They want their way – and they’re playing by whatever rules they need to play by to get it. They govern by mob rule, and if they can smear and move the goalposts in the process, that’s just fine. Disruptions and crises are useful to them. It’s patently obvious.

Think about it. My points are not an issue of partisan labels, but rather an assessment of the plain facts. Those who most despise God, His gospel, His values, His followers, and His systems of law and order which are based on His Word – are those who are most likely to be left behind in the Rapture. It’s these hateful postures that routinely marinate the passions of the left.

In the past ten years, we’ve seen many examples of liberals ignoring the laws to advance their agenda, and that’s because they could care less about laws. Laws remind responsible people how to color inside the lines, and so laws are an inconvenient factor for the left. If laws are in their way, the left ignores or attacks them.

None of their behaviors are about making a cogent case; the left will elevate the absurd to achieve their goals. Over and over we’ve seen the left praise anything which calls sound reason into question. It’s why liberals are the ones to most exalt the senseless premise of climate change, and it’s why they celebrate economic policies which are not supported by third grade math.

It’s predominately the left that attacks national boundaries, pushes for government dependence, expands welfare, riots against free speech, hates Israel, promotes violence as a means of expression, plots lies to gain an advantage, puts down Christians, and believes in redistribution of wealth. None of these positions hold water, but they are the left’s identity.

So again, let me be blunt. The kind of folks that are going to rally behind the antichrist and his depraved policies are exactly the kind of people the progressive-liberal-socialists are today.

For any of my readers who are offended by my assertions, take a deep breath. Let’s all be honest here – politics have changed!

The Democrats today are not the party of your mother or your grandmother! The left is not the party of John F. Kennedy anymore. His past speeches ring with more conservative fervor than an entire apple-pie-eating Republican congress can muster today. The left of our times has morphed into an anarchist movement that wants to constrain freedom, create chaos, control power, and change the responsible order of things. Like it or not, that’s the plain truth.

Let’s assess my conclusions from another point of view. Let’s see what the Bible says about the antichrist and his style of leadership. I believe that will help us imagine the sort of people his supporters will be like.

A pithy portion of Scripture that lays out a series of bullet points about these matters is found in Daniel 8:23-25. Here, Gabriel explains some details about the antichrist to Daniel, and the picture that emerges is a telling one.

He throws truth to the ground. This is an over-arching condition that is stated back in Daniel 8:12, and it reinforces that the end times will be upside down.

Lying lips will be the foundation of the apocalypse. Good will be bad, and bad will be good. Right will be wrong, and wrong will be right. Gabriel elaborates on this matter more in Daniel 8:25 where he says of the antichrist, “He will cause deceit to prosper.”

The antichrist’s political system and the people he will set up to advance his globalist agenda will actively promote deception. His efforts will be strategic, ruthless, and unapologetic.

Lies of all kinds will infuse the antichrist’s brand, and his supporters will approve of his ruses the same way those tactics are defended by the ranks of the left today. For unprincipled liberal-socialist-globalists then and now, “the end justifies the means.”

Various other translations state the antichrist’s deceit will come by way of his “cunning” and “policies.” This is simple to understand. He’s intentional about his shams. If someone wants to advance law and order, promote accountability, and fight for justice during the antichrist’s rise to power, they’re not going to be welcome. He’ll see to that.

Deception is key to the end times at every turn and level. The antichrist’s agenda will promote “hope and change,” but that’s part of his deception. His real goal is a godless one-world government with himself at the top. He wants to be seen as God, and he wants to be worshipped as God (2 Thess. 2:3-4), and to achieve this he must control the minds of the masses. His supporters will believe things that are not true, and they will be this way because he has “….caused deceit to prosper.”

He destroys mighty men and the holy ones. This phrase closes out Daniel 8:24, and it emphasizes the theme of destruction which marks the antichrist throughout the Scriptures. But here, every translation states he will destroy two specific groups of people, and I think there are details we should take note of.

“Mighty men” is the most commonly used term for the first group, but other translations call them “powerful leaders” or “powerful people.” These are folks with resources and networks, and they are probably wealthy. They are powerful, prominent, and privileged. In other words, they have the potential to resist the antichrist and to influence others.

Despots throughout human history have always destroyed this class of people in their own rise to power. Rich people, scientists, scholars, politicians, and businesspeople have always been a threat to narcissistic dictators, and so they are eliminated. The antichrist will do the same thing.

Many of these “mighty men” in Daniel 8:24 will be self-made. Many of them will be independent – not in the political sense, but in terms of shaping their destinies. They are likely to be suspicious of the antichrist’s plans, and they’ll hesitate to give up what they’ve worked hard to achieve.

These “powerful people” missed the Rapture so we can assume most of them by this point will still be godless – but like many of their classic type, they will be self-reliant. They will “march to the beat of their own drummer,” and this will mark these non-conformists as a lingering threat to the antichrist’s agenda. The Bible says he will eliminate them when they least expect it (Daniel 8:25).

Believe me – the antichrist will find strong support for destroying this influential group. We already see the basis of this argument today. Millennials form the bedrock of the liberal activists and mobs. They constitute the majority population of “Occupy Wall Street,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “Antifa.” Millennials are proving you only need two things to succeed: ignorance and confidence.

Because they fail to understand basic economic principles, and because they lack a strong work ethic, Millennials distrust capitalism and they deeply resent those who are successful. They constantly demand entitlements, even if it means others need to give up what they’ve legitimately earned and acquired. Newsweek called the Millennials “The Me Me Me” generation in 2013, and it’s one of the few times this publication has stated the truth.

I’m painting with a broad brush here, but if many Millennials’ brains were taxed, they’d get a refund. Several studies reiterate that most Millennials want socialism, which proves this group has learned nothing from history. Modern political and economic failures like Venezuela, South Africa, and most of the European continent are shrugged off. Millennials still want everything for nothing.

In defense of the Millennials, it’s impossible to be informed when your news source is SNL and The Comedy Network. It’s hard to find the truth when CNN admits they’re pushing lies, but they push them anyways. It’s challenging to gain a responsible perspective of the world when you’re still supported by your parents as an adult.

This entire state-of-affairs is a convenient situation for the globalists! At a recent campaign-style rally in Las Vegas, Michelle Obama encouraged folks who “know nothing about nothing” to get out and vote. It is the “low information voter-type” that will endorse the antichrist’s destruction of “powerful people.” This plan will appeal to their ignorance, to their progressive-socialist ideals, and to their warped sense of justice.

There’s a second group the antichrist will target, and it’s also going to suffer more of the same biases we already see from the ranks of the left today. The antichrist, in Daniel 8:24, will also destroy the “holy people.” Other translations call them “God’s people,” “saints,” and “Holy ones.”

These are folks who have come to saving faith after the Rapture. They didn’t have a right relationship with God before that point, but they do now! “Seeing is believing” I guess.

But these people are the real deal! Revelation defines them as those who will be killed “….for the Word of God and the testimony they had maintained” (Rev. 6:9; 12:11). It’s pretty clear from Revelation and related passages that the antichrist does all he can to get rid of them.

This is also the point of Daniel 8:24. The followers of God during the antichrist’s reign share something in common with the “powerful people,” though they may differ in most other ways. This second group also resists the antichrist and his system. They are also a threat to his plans.

Now, the motives of “God’s people” will be much different than the motives of the “powerful people.” Since the saints are marked by a right relationship with God, their stance is a righteous one. But it’s the same net end result for the antichrist.

This second group will not conform to the antichrist’s godless, deceptive, and self-serving ideals because these things are in violation of a Holy God and His standards. They will not yield to the antichrist’s economic policies and his corrupt governance. In fact, we know the saints will speak out against all of this. Again, Revelation makes that clear.

This second group will be reviled, attacked, persecuted, and killed for placing their faith in Jesus Christ and for living according to God’s Word. They will refuse to conform to the sham of a one-world system. Put another way, “God’s people” of Daniel 8:24 will be square pegs in a new world order where all the holes are round.

It’s that way for “God’s people” right now, so it’s easy to see this dynamic becoming much worse. The seeds of hate against “God’s people” are already flourishing in the left today, and nobody set that prejudice in motion more effectively than our nation’s first Muslim President, Barack Hussein Obama.

It was B.O. who showed up at the National Prayer Breakfast to remind attendees about the terrible deeds done in the name of Christ. He was the one who mocked folks for “clinging to God.” His White House asked Georgetown University to cover a symbol of Jesus’ name before he spoke there. He tried to implement a non-religious Christmas. It was President Obama who said in 2006, “….we are no longer a Christian nation,” and it was him who said it again to his Turkish buddies in 2009. Finally, it was President Obama who decided against recognizing the National Day of Prayer, but who chose to host a Ramadan dinner instead.

This is just a sampling of all the ways President Barak Hussein Obama rejected Christians and their faith during his eight years in office. Under his carnal leadership, the left found energy and justification for disparaging Christians, and their bigotries have only grown since.

We’ve truly reached a point where the left is anti-God. The Democrat Party has veered so far in the pro-choice, anti-family, pro-gay, anti-Israel, pro-transgender, anti-prayer (etc.) directions that former 2013 nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, E. W. Jackson, stated, “Christians should leave it.” He added in a radio interview that he thinks believing in God and voting Democratic are fundamentally incompatible. I think he’s much more right than he is wrong.

The “demon-crats” today attack the tenets of Christian faith with a venom that is truly other-worldly. Their angst against the Bible and against those that rightly believe it is the inspired Word of God boils down to one basic reason: liberals are anti-God!

Pick your poison – call them what you will: “liberals,” “the left,” “Democrats,” “progressives,” “socialists,” “globalists,” “fascists,” – define them anyway you choose. It’s clear the lines between these terms are heavily blurred.

All these groups despise conservatives, Christians, and constitutionalists, and they all hate God. Members of one group are active in the next. Labels mean very little when the depraved behaviors are the same across the spectrum.

Because liberals are anti-God, they are an intellectually dishonest and unprincipled people. They’ve checked their brains at the door because they are always in search of a world without moral consequences; and that’s not the way God designed things. This situation renders the left as “fools” because they refuse to admit the obvious facts and to “give God glory” (Rom. 1:21-22).

The truth about God is an unrelenting accountability to the left’s corrupt desires (Rom. 1:18-19). Liberals don’t want the Gospel because that implies their choices are wrong. A liberal cannot stand the fact that their own conscience is supernaturally wired to remind them of their sin. This is a key reason why so many liberals are angry people. They are constantly at war within themselves against their own need for God’s grace.

It is also a key reason why the left makes “the State” their god. Liberals worship “the State” and the one-world community they desperately want it to become. The left attempts to use their god (big government and absolute control) to achieve their globalist ideals and to eliminate all consequences for their immoral behavior.

This is why the left despises Christians now, and it’s why liberals make every effort to shut down all expressions and standards of the Christian faith. It’s why liberals scream bloody murder against any warnings about the true Islamic agenda while they turn a blind eye and deaf ear to those who persecute Christians and mock The One True God. Their double standard is evident to all.

The Tribulation Scriptures plainly lay out the loathsome behaviors directed against God and His followers by those who support the antichrist. A number of passages provide startling parallels between the vile behaviors that are prominent in liberals today and the abhorrent deeds that qualify the globalists during the end times.

For example, the antichrist will oversee and orchestrate the relentless persecution and killing of the Tribulation saints (Daniel 7:21, 25; Dan. 11:33; Rev. 12:11; 20:4; et. al.).  He cannot tolerate their resistance, but more importantly, he absolutely hates God.

In exact imitation of the antichrist’s hatred of God’s followers, his supporters will rage en masse against God’s truth and against those who dare to speak it. The mobs will react in unspeakable ways as a result. A particularly grotesque example of this is when the two witnesses of God are killed in Jerusalem (Rev. 11:5-10).

This text says the world will applaud the death of these two witnesses and will refuse their burial. They will even “send each other gifts” to celebrate this occasion. It’ll be party time for the real “deplorables.”

This occasion will be a big deal to the unsaved world because these two witnesses will have had a strong “testimony” (vs. 7) and they will have backed up their words with evidence of God’s power (vss. 5-6). The world that will reject Christ at that time will want no reminders of who they have rejected – in the very same way the world that has rejected Christ today is obsessed with ridding our culture of His values.

One of the clearest displays in The Tribulation of behaviors we see in the left today is the way the followers of the antichrist will choose to remain in their sin. Their depravity will persist even when they are presented with the truth and when they face consequences for it (Rev. 9:20-21). All around them, the evil ranks of humanity will have been killed by God’s judgments. There will be constant evidence of God’s sovereignty, power, and truth. It will all be on plain display like no other time in history.

It seems none of this will matter to the antichrist’s followers. They will choose to remain in their sin, and they will curse God instead of repenting (Rev. 16:9). They will do whatever it takes to protect and continue in their depravity the same way the left today does whatever it takes to protect their wicked ideals.

One only needs to look at the violent behaviors of liberals today who defend abortion and gay rights to see this egg has been let out of the shell – and it’s not going back in. There is no doubt the unsaved masses today have chosen darkness rather than light (John 3:19).

The antichrist will be the ultimate socialist. One of the hallmark qualities of the left today is their desire to control the flow of money, to redistribute wealth, and to implement a global system of economics. This highly regulated situation defines the socialists’ utopia, and the antichrist will succeed at accomplishing what others before him have been unable to do.

I believe it may all start matter-of-factly enough. The Rapture will take out millions of people, and this will result in abandoned properties and resources being left for everyone who remains.  There will be plenty of money and other “goodies” to redistribute for a while, and this will further cement within the future masses the socialist ideals they are already conditioned to want.

Eventually, these resources will run slim. There will be too many takers and not enough givers to keep the corrupt process going. The practical bottom line is socialism never works. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” This dilemma will inevitably arise in The Tribulation as it has with every socialist experiment before it.

There’s no doubt that the “mark of the beast” (Rev. 13:16-17) is strategically designed to cause further persecution of the Jews and Christians during The Tribulation. It is also designed to promote worship of “the beast.” But – given that the antichrist is also the maximum expression of a socialist dictator, it is no surprise his mark is also a tool to institute global economic control.

Quite simply, this worldwide fiscal rule is the ultimate objective of liberal-socialist-progressives today. If they can control the flow of money and resources and place themselves at the top of the food chain, then they can acquire everything else they most covet. It all follows from there.

Other facets of the antichrist’s socialist constitution emerge elsewhere in the Scriptures. He redistributes land and wealth (Dan. 11:39), his policies become the economic ruin of many (Dan. 8:25), he accumulates vast amounts of resources for himself (Dan. 11:43), and he will speak out against God throughout the entire process (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:5-6).

Stride for stride, these things are the hallmarks of every socialist despot in human history, and sadly – they are also the passionate bent of the left today. The antichrist will emerge to become the ultimate “show and tell” of the left’s agenda, and the entire world will suffer unfathomable traumas as a result.

In closing, the title of this article is one which focuses on end times’ deception. It is blatant deception the antichrist will employ to achieve his goals, and it is lies of every sort that the left advances in our times to achieve theirs.

The socialist ideals of liberals cannot succeed where truth is given priority and virtue is encouraged. And so it will be during The Tribulation as it is now – an atmosphere of crisis and a thick stew of lies will be fostered by the depraved world to justify a collectivist oppression.

We see many examples in our time of the left calling evil “good” and calling good “evil.” Daily, we see law and order being rejected by the violent and ignorant masses. Every evening we are saturated with news stories that feature the blatant corruption and injustice of those who have rejected God’s standards. We see the mounting hatred of God and His people. We see physical attacks and calls for assassination against people just for their political views.

There are so many examples like these – even 15 years ago we would have marveled to think we’d be where we are now… but it has happened! The world is preparing itself for their false Messiah, the antichrist, and he’ll find favor from many people the likes of many around us today.

There is no remedy for this grievous situation except the Gospel. That is true now and it will be then too. Those who are truly in Christ do not need to be afraid. Jesus knows what we are facing now, and He knows what is coming. In John 14:27-31 He reminds us of this:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now, let us leave.”

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© Steve Schmutzer 2018. All Rights Reserved

Does God Let You Down? :: By Steve Schmutzer

 Does God ever let you down?

Wait. Before you answer, I’m not interested in cliché replies. You know, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him,” or, “God’s plans are to give me a hope and a future.” I don’t want to hear that old standby, “He knows what’s best for me.”

Those responses are Biblically-based, and so they’re true when they’re properly applied with the right heart to the right situation. But in my experience, too many Christians say this kind of stuff when their faith has reached its limits. They are barely able to endure their pain, describe their confusion, or contain their rage.

Just because we can force certain words out of our mouth does not mean we are saying what we are truly feeling. Just because we can’t admit what’s really going on does not mean it isn’t.

Let’s be totally honest here – have you ever been mad at God? Did you ever bargain with Him in your heart, and now you’re upset He didn’t keep up His end of the arrangement? Are you still “fighting the good fight,” but you’re exhausted and despaired? Did you take the high road – but you got the raw end of the deal?

Now – let’s get down to the brass tacks:

Did you pour yourself into the task of raising your children the right way only to have them disappoint you with their choices?

Are you laboring long and quietly in a ministry while others with less gifting, less commitment, and less maturity are getting the rewards and recognition?

Have you prayed and tried for years for a baby and one still hasn’t come? Meantime, irresponsible parents are popping out feral kids like rabbits?

Did you carefully plan for a simple and responsible retirement – only to see it all evaporate in the wake of unexpected health problems and medical bills?

Have you lost your job and now you are struggling to find work that pays the bills?

Did you find the man or woman of your dreams, but things have changed and now you wish you hadn’t?

So let me ask the question one more time: does God ever let you down?

If you are feeling that way, or are tempted to – you are not alone. Even people that knew Jesus personally might have felt that way….or at least they may have felt they had reason to.

You see, we can talk all day long about our “relationship with God,” but three Biblical characters come to my mind that actually knew Him personally. I mean, they interacted with Jesus, they watched Him, listened to Him, and learned from Him. They knew who Jesus really was!

Their lives are recorded in the New Testament as being part of His life, so the personal connection went both ways. Despite that, I think it could be argued that all three of these people might have felt some disappointment with Jesus. Put another way, they might have admitted they felt let down by God.

But all three characters faced their natural reactions and chose to respond to Jesus in different ways. I think we can learn something from their examples because these are ways we still respond to Jesus Christ today.

The first of these three characters is John the Baptist. He had a key role before Jesus’ ministry. Since he and Jesus were cousins, he probably knew Jesus as they were growing up together. Maybe they even played together as children – this is not an unreasonable assumption.

John the Baptist turned out to be a rough and rugged character – unconventional, certainly. He was a strong man with equally strong convictions. He didn’t think twice about confronting the hypocritical religious leaders and calling them a “brood of vipers” (Matt. 3:7). His straight talk and no-nonsense approach attracted truth-seekers, and he had many followers and disciples.

A time came however when John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry as a “voice in the wilderness” (John 1:23). He did this because he had a right view of Jesus. John said of Him, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), so John the Baptist grasped the proper priorities and how things needed to be.

None of this was an act. John the Baptist was a man of God who had a passion for proclaiming the truth and for living it out. His extraordinary ministry and exemplary character were affirmed when Jesus said of him that there was “….none greater” (Luke 7:28). To be sure, John the Baptist was the real deal.

It is difficult to know how much time John the Baptist actually had with Jesus Christ. There was that special occasion where John had baptized Jesus (Matt. 3:13-17), and John had felt that Jesus should have baptized him instead.

But in their adult years, it seems they had little face-to-face contact. We know John the Baptist publicly confronted Herod Antipas for the king’s sins (Matt. 14:1-13), and this had resulted in John’s arrest and imprisonment – and ultimately his beheading. This happened early in the ministry of Jesus Christ, so there was no opportunity for further contact between the two cousins after that point.

It is after John’s arrest that we learn of his doubts about Jesus Christ. In a desperate situation with his life on the line, John the Baptist faced gnawing questions. Reports of Jesus had found their way into John’s cell, and news of Jesus’ ministry had worked its way into the fabric of John’s deepest frustrations.

Time had passed since that glorious baptism, and Jesus’ ministry was now flourishing while John’s had abated. John’s disciples fed him bits and pieces of information as they were able to, and it’s fair to say these reports reinforced the misgivings John had of Jesus.

You see, the ministries and activities of Jesus and John were very different, and it’s not beyond reason to suggest these differences aroused John’s concerns. John’s choices had set him apart from the crowd while Jesus’ choices had blended in. John the Baptist and his disciples fasted often, but Jesus and his disciples ate and drank with sinners (Matt. 11:18-19). John performed no signs in his earthly ministry (John 10:41), but Jesus – and his disciples – performed miracles of every kind (Matt. 9:35, 10:1). John lived reclusively, but Jesus was a very public person who was often surrounded by enormous crowds of people.

Now John was sitting in prison, captive most of all to his own disappointments. It’s not hard to imagine the questions that may have gone through John’s mind. “If Jesus was really the Messiah as he himself – John – had announced, then why wasn’t Jesus doing more?” “Why was Jesus not getting down to the business of establishing His kingdom and burning up the wicked with unquenchable fire?” (Matt. 3:12). “Was he here in prison because Jesus was powerless to do anything about the situation?”

When John the Baptist could resist his own insecurities no longer, he sent some of his disciples to confront Jesus and to ask Him directly, “Are you the promised Messiah or should we be looking for someone else?” (Matt. 11:2-3).

 

The question is a revealing one because it shows John had expectations of Jesus that were unfulfilled. It also shows that John the Baptist was unsure, doubtful, and delicate – the same way you and I have felt from time to time.

John wanted to know if he’d been misled. Was Jesus their only hope or was somebody else going to come along that was a better fit for the job? Was Jesus Christ really the Messiah, or not?

Jesus sent John’s disciples back to John with an answer, but it was hardly the one John the Baptist was seeking. Jesus challenged John to consider the evidence of His miracles, and he added, “….blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

In other words, Jesus exhorted John to cling to the truth of Old Testament Scripture. He did not give John a simple “yes” or “no” answer, but he left him hanging a bit. Jesus responded to John’s heart instead of his mind because John’s heart was the seat of his faith.

We can say John the Baptist was wrong for the ideas he had about how Jesus needed to operate, but – honestly – we’re not much different. We expect God to work in certain ways too, and if God does not fulfill our expectations, we also get disappointed. We may not like to admit it, but it’s easy for us to think that if our God is really the God He says He is, then we have a right to expect something different from Him.

I feel it’s likely that John died with some of his questions unanswered. That doesn’t mean his faith wasn’t real. It means he was human; and because he was human, his reactions to Jesus Christ were imperfect – the same way yours and mine can be too.

A second character that probably felt let down by Jesus Christ was Judas Iscariot. What do we know of him?

As one of the original 12 disciples, Judas Iscariot basically lived with Jesus for three years. He was given assignments and divine powers by Jesus (Matt. 10:1-4), and he was the official treasurer for the group (John 12:6) – albeit a deceptive and self-serving one.

The bottom line is, Judas saw Jesus perform many miracles, and he heard Jesus teach many times. He learned directly from the King of kings and Lord of lords, and he had the opportunity to grow as few others did. He saw the mistakes and the actions of the other disciples, and he learned from all of this. In other words, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot had the optimal schooling in the Gospel of the kingdom.

But it’s likely that Judas Iscariot was also a Jewish zealot. Many scholars believe his surname, “Iscariot,” was a form of the title sicarii, meaning “dagger-men.” This was a group of zealots who despised the Roman oppression. They were known to carry a knife with them, so they were prepared to assassinate traitors and capitulators.

The Jewish zealots were principally motivated by socio-economic and political considerations. They believed that if they turned their nation back to God and incited a war against the Romans, the Messiah would rise to lead them and establish His Kingdom.

It’s easy to see how all this may have played out in Judas’ mind. Jesus was a righteous Jew and a descendant of King David. He spoke of establishing His kingdom, and he cast out demons, produced abundant food, and controlled the weather. Surely Jesus could lead the Jews to victory over the Romans and usher in God’s Kingdom! In Judas’ activist mind, his own ideas made perfect sense.

But somewhere along the line the situation changed. Judas became disappointed as Jesus let him down. Jesus began to talk about dying, and His descriptions of His coming Kingdom didn’t fit with Judas’ ideals. Judas began to doubt Jesus, and he began to openly chide Jesus for His choices and priorities (John 12:3-6).

We know how this turned out. Judas chose to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Luke 22:3-6; Matt. 27:3-5). Perhaps Judas had come to a point where he felt Jesus was a false Messiah, someone who was not fulfilling the expectations Judas had of a ruler that would lead Israel into her kingdom. We don’t know for sure – but it all seems to fit the larger story.

The bigger issue is the questions that are raised by how things ultimately transpired: “How could Judas live, eat, walk, and talk with Jesus Christ day in and day out for three years and still turn out as he did?”  “How could Judas miss the Messiah when he knew him so well?” “How could Judas hear the Gospel so clearly and miss having the right relationship with Jesus Christ?”

We are left with some element of speculation, but it’s reasonable to assume that Judas resented Jesus and felt justified in his own views (Mark 14:6-16). Ultimately, that triggered his decision to turn Jesus over to the authorities. The greater account of Judas Iscariot suggests he had some underlying anger issues with the whole situation – which may explain why “Satan entered him” (John 13:27). The Bible teaches that our anger always gives Satan an opportunity (Eph. 4:27).

In the end, Judas’ response to Jesus Christ was likely dominated by a selfish desire for political change. Jesus didn’t overthrow the Romans as Judas wanted Him to, and so Judas’ selfish intentions led to profound personal compromise. It fostered resentment, clouded better judgement, and it ultimately destroyed him.

Judas Iscariot wanted things to work out his way – not Jesus’ way. When Jesus didn’t do what Judas most wanted Him to do, Judas was through with Him.

Today, Judas Iscariot’s name is synonymous with betrayal, treachery, and disloyalty. He’s one of the most hated figures in cripture – so it’s not without some hesitation that I suggest his patterns are often our own. To lessen the blow, I’ll speak for myself.

It is easy for me to get focused on one or two goals in my life to the exclusion of all else God is trying to do. In this situation, I can end up ignoring the things God is doing in my life, the lessons He is teaching me, or the way He is working in the life of my church, my friends, my family, and even my country.

Because it’s natural for me to become selfish in my expectations of God, it’s not hard to start compromising here and there and start doing things I once never thought I would.

I believe there is a huge principle at stake here. You see, we can be surrounded by believers and ministry and still fall. We can hear the regular teaching of God’s Word and still fail. We can witness God at work and still miss the most important need to be in a right relationship with God.

If we persist in thinking about ourselves first – what we can get out of the situation, what we think the outcomes should be, or how we feel “who” should be doing “what,” – then we completely miss what God most needs to accomplish in our own lives, the very same way Judas missed it. At that point, resentments creep in and we say and do things we ought not to.

And here’s the third and final character: the thief on the cross. By this, I mean the “good” thief (Luke 23:39-43). We don’t even know his name. There were two thieves who died with Jesus; and while both received the penalty for their crimes, the “good” thief gave Jesus the proper respect.

I feel that – for various reasons – the “good” thief is the most remarkable man of the three individuals we have assessed. What do we know of him? Not much, I’m afraid.

We do know that when Jesus was crucified, there was a cross on either side of Him. On His left and right were two criminals. In the Greek language, they are called “kakourgos” which has the straightforward meaning of “criminal,” “evil-doer,” or “one who commits serious crimes.” The “good” thief was a bad man.

Other gospels call him a “robber.” He could have been a bandit – someone that ambushed others, took advantage of them, and left them for dead. It’s very likely that this “good” thief had been the sort of person that Jesus had in mind when He told His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This “good” thief had been a burden, a blight on society – and so he was sentenced to death for his crimes.

But despite his faulty resume, this “good” thief had a right view of God! He asked the other bellicose thief, “Don’t you fear God?” He put the “bad” thief in his place by correcting the latter’s improper assumptions of Jesus Christ.

To put this remarkable situation another way, the “good” thief’s mouth revealed the condition of his heart (Luke 6:45). The Bible teaches that you are what you say; and the “good” thief said to Jesus Christ, “….remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Whoa! By ANY measure, this is an astounding statement! Consider that, by this point, all of Jesus’ disciples had fled the scene, and only John is recorded as being at the cross (John 19:26). These disciples were the men Jesus had personally trained. These were the guys who had seen supernatural evidence of Jesus’ power and authority. These were the guys who had learned from the Messiah Himself – and they were nowhere to be found!

The “good” thief, on the other hand, had had none of that training and experience. He had not spent the same time with Jesus Christ, and he had not seen all the miracles Jesus had done. He knew far less about Jesus than others did. By conventional standards, the “good” thief had missed the boat.

On top of all that, Jesus Christ was now dying. Beaten and bloodied so badly, He was now unrecognizable (Isaiah 52:14). Jesus was breathing His last right there beside the “good” thief; and by all measures of the term, Jesus Christ appeared mortal. Few people at that crucifixion scene were confident in Jesus Christ’s future kingdom.

But faith sees through the way things seem to the way they really are (Heb. 11:1); and so here the “good” thief showed more faith than many upright personalities in the Scriptures. The “good” thief saw Jesus Christ correctly.

He didn’t see a dying man – he saw a living King of kings. He didn’t see someone who had failed and was unable to deliver – he saw someone who was assured of having the final victory. He didn’t see someone who was abused and humiliated by others – he saw someone who had infinite power.

In short, the “good” thief recognized Jesus Christ as the Messiah! He knew Jesus was not an imposter or someone who couldn’t deliver on His promises. The “good” thief looked beyond the limitations of that horrible situation, beyond the natural questions that saturated that awful scene, and he fully understood that Jesus Christ would still receive and set up His everlasting kingdom.

The “good” thief faced personal adversities that exceeded those challenges John the Baptist and Judas Iscariot had faced, and yet – against all human understanding! – he still believed that Jesus was exactly who He said He was. For his astounding demonstration of genuine faith, the “good” thief received way more benefit than he had bargained for.

It’s a weighty question, but I have to ask it. Which one of these three men are you most like right now?

Are you like John the Baptist: insecure, unsure, disappointed, and needing reassurance that God is still able to be the God you most need? Are you asking God to reaffirm Himself to you so that you can be convinced of His promises and plans?

Perhaps you are like Judas Iscariot: angry, resentful, focused on what you most want and what you feel the situation should be. Are you taking in the regular teaching of God’s Word and participating in a ministry – but it’s having little effect on changing who you are and how you’re seeing things?

Or, are you like the “good” thief? You are in a place where the odds are stacked against you – and by all standard assessments there is no clear evidence that God is demonstrating Himself to you the way your desperate situation most needs Him to.

Do you find yourself in a tenuous spot where you cannot see the power of God in the circumstances you are facing—and yet your heart is still bursting with faith?

I cannot answer the tough questions of these last few paragraphs for anyone but myself. However, my prayer for all of us is that our faith rises up and shows itself in the tough and uncertain times just as the faith of the “good” thief did.

The “good” thief didn’t see Jesus Christ as someone who had let him down – he properly saw the only one who gave him hope.

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