Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Tag: New Covenant

  • Utopia

    Utopia – an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

    I have previously written about my conversion to Christianity on my blog entitled “Regarding Wilmer”. A few days after my only son was buried, a Bible study was started at our home and continued every Monday evening, which lasted for two years. Since then, it has become my habit to read the Bible at every opportunity available to me. I must have read the whole Bible five times over and over – from Genesis to Revelation – to the point that I have practically memorized Scripture. I can easily quote Scriptural verses together with their chapter and verse number. Two pastors handled our Bible study, the first for six months, then I was entrusted to his pastor-brother, who mentored me one-on-one, so altogether two years. I must say, the two, of course, coupled with my regular reading of the Bible, were instrumental in my rapid growth in Christianity. I was then encouraged to study in a seminary for further equipping.

    I had doubts about the idea of going to school again, considering my age and time limitation, since I also have to provide for my family, with two daughters still studying. After my conversion to Christianity, I have been so passionate about the faith, and wanting to learn more, so I would eagerly listen and watch every available Christian program, both on radio and television. It was then that I realized that there are a lot of different explanations for a single verse of the Scripture. I knew in my heart that God could not have meant different meanings for His Word, therefore some of the explanations must be erroneous but which one? So I decided to enter seminary study even just for a subject every semester. To make the long story short, I eventually entered full-time study four years later after my initial enrollment as a part-time student.

    I remember the day we first arrived at the seminary premises, my youngest daughter – only nine years old at that time – uttered the word “Heaven”. She seemed to have a sense of euphoria knowing that we would be residing in the seminary until my graduation. But the feeling of euphoria was short-lived. We soon realized that’s not true. Looking back, I thank God my family didn’t backslide on their faith, though I don’t mean to say we had a totally bad experience in the seminary. Just as I have said in my previous blog, most of my professors and seminary staff have been kind and a blessing to us.

    God truly is amazing. Our experience in the seminary prepared us for our next journey – my pastorate work. But this time, I was armed with my experience and reminded by the Words of Jesus, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).”

    I have been out of the organized Christian congregation and organizations for more than six years now. Together with my wife and the support of my two daughters, we have been joyfully doing Bible studies in our own small and little way. Gone are the hurts and sad experiences of yesteryears. But as you can see from our about me webpage, we have gone independent and our ministry would primarily focus on Unlearning Tradition and Relearning Scripture. And we know that in doing so, we may have unintentionally stepped on the feet of other Christian ministries. Let us assure you that that was never our intention. Consider us your partner in further learning the truth of the Scripture.

    Anyway, as I had said before, eschatology – the study of the last things (click here for a better understanding of eschatology) – has been my favorite. Having lost a son, I certainly want to know for sure what the Bible says on the topic of death. However, in the course of my study on the topic, both in the seminary and later on, the study of Jesus’ Second Coming came head-to-head with the supposed teaching on the final destination of the Christian death.

    And on the topic of the Second Coming, it is common for Christians to have an idea of euphoria – it’s more of a utopia once Jesus Christ has returned. Here is the explanation of Got.Questions.Org

    The second coming of Jesus Christ is the hope of believers that God is in control of all things, and is faithful to the promises and prophecies in His Word. In His first coming, Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, just as prophesied. Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. However, there are some prophecies regarding the Messiah that Jesus has not yet fulfilled. The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill these remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In His second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

    The Old Testament prophets did not make clearly this distinction between the two comings. This can be seen in Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7 and Zechariah 14:4. As a result of the prophecies seeming to speak of two individuals, many Jewish scholars believed there would be both a suffering Messiah and a conquering Messiah. What they failed to understand is that there is only one Messiah and He would fulfill both roles. Jesus fulfilled the role of the suffering servant (Isaiah chapter 53) in His first coming. Jesus will fulfill the role of Israel’s deliverer and King in His second coming. Zechariah 12:10 and Revelation 1:7, describing the second coming, look back to Jesus being pierced. Israel, and the whole world, will mourn for not having accepted the Messiah the first time He came.

    After Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels declared to the apostles, “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:11). Zechariah 14:4 identifies the location of the second coming as the Mount of Olives. Matthew 24:30 declares, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” Titus 2:13 describes the second coming as a “glorious appearing.”

    The second coming is spoken of in greatest detail in Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

    Merriam-Webster Dictionary defined “utopia” as a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions. That is exactly the expectation and understanding of Christians once the Second Coming was fulfilled. So that explains why even well-known Christian writers and scholars would suggest that Jesus was hallucinating when He told His immediate disciples that He would be coming in their generation. See a statement made by famed Christian theologian C.S. Lewis.

    Famed Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, said this about this passage:

    “Say what you like,” we shall be told, “the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else. It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible.” (C.S. Lewis, The World’s Last Night: And Other Essays, p.97)

    Excerpt taken from “Liar, Lunatic or Lord?”

    As you can see, C.S. Lewis, in his book entitled “The World’s Last Night: And Other Essays” on pages 97-98 made that statement. Click here to read a free PDF copy of the said book. Herein are the passages that they denied as infallible – without error:

    In Matthew 24:34, Jesus Christ assured His disciples – Peter, James, John, and the others – telling them the certainty of the destruction of Jerusalem together with the temple – the sign of His return in their generation. See Matthew 24:2,15-31, saying “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

    In Matthew 16:27-28, Jesus Christ told His disciples that He would build His church (Matt. 16:18-19), and about His impending death and resurrection (Matt. 16:21), then assuring the twelve that His return would be within their lifetime, saying, “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what He has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

    In Matthew 10:23, Jesus Christ sent out the twelve to preach about the arrival of God’s kingdom (Matt. 10:5-6), telling them about the dangers and importance of their message, saying, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

    Do you understand the implication of isolating some of Jesus’ promises, making it appear it’s not true or He was wrong, simply because it does not conform to the idea of utopia once Jesus Christ had returned? In effect, C.S. Lewis and the likes have put the Words of Christ to the test. In Matthew 4:7, at the temptation of Jesus Christ, He told the devil, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

    Are we free to pick and choose which promises of the Scripture are true or not, simply because it does not agree with our ideas? Don’t we understand that was precisely the temptation of Adam and Eve when the Serpent put the Word of God to a test?

    The popular and prevailing understanding of Jesus’ Second Coming, without a doubt, is difficult to unlearn. But an in-depth study of the Scripture would certainly liberate us from the trap. Let us first take a second look at the statement of Got.Questions.Org on the topic of the Second Coming:

    First, about GotQuestions.Org’s explainer on the topic of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, “The Old Testament prophets did not make clearly this distinction between the two comings.”

    What distinction?

    The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill these remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In His second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

    GotQuestions.Org, Second Coming.

    That was a correct observation, but it does not mean the First and Second Comings would be separated by millennia and ongoing. The First and Second Comings actually refers to the fulfillment of Leviticus 23 Seven Jewish Festivals, which could be simplified as two Jewish Harvest Festivals – the Spring and Fall Festivals.

    The Spring harvest festival began with both the Passover and Unleavened Bread feasts; next, the Feast of Firstfruit; and lastly, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. All four festivals had been fulfilled with the supposed “First Coming of Jesus Christ”.

    For the Passover and unleavened bread, see 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.

    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

    For the Feast of Firstfruit, 1 Corinthians 15:20.

    But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

    And for the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4,12-21,38-41.

    When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

    And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:12-21)

    And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-41)

    The second half of the Seven Jewish Feasts refers to the Fall Harvest Festival – namely, the Feast of Trumpets; the Day of Atonement; and lastly, the Feast of Booths, covering the supposed Second Coming of Jesus Christ. To read more about the Fall Harvest Festival, go to my blog “Let The Reader Understand”

    Hence, Jesus in Matthew 24:29-35 said:

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

    Here goes the most embarrassing verse, according to C.S. Lewis. Jesus Christ told His disciples that His return would be upon “this generation” – the generation that would see all that He had spoken, mainly the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. It happened in 70 A.D., therefore it was indeed witnessed by the first generation of Christians, possibly including John, a witness in the tribulation. See Revelation 1:9.

    I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

    John cannot be talking about any other tribulation because Jesus Christ said:

    For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (Matthew 24:21)

    Here is an excerpt from Got.Questions.Org regarding Jerusalem Temple:

    Cline states that the city was completely destroyed at least twice, once by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8-10) and again by the Romans under Titus in AD 70.

    Source: GotQuestions.Org, How many times has Jerusalem been destroyed?

    For more information about Matthew 24, again you may want to read my blog “Let The Reader Understand”.

    The coming of Jesus Christ was the inauguration of the New Covenant, promised in the Old Testament Scripture, which will be completed upon His return. See first Jeremiah 31:27-34.

    Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the LORD. In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

    Next, in Hebrews 12:22-26, the author of Hebrews speaking to believers awaiting the return of Christ Jesus said:

    But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven. At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”

    So indeed, the coming of Jesus Christ was the arrival or commencing of the New Covenant. And it also said, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” In other words, the shaking of the heavens and earth had occurred before, it’s not a happening only at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Since we adhere that the Bible is infallible, without error, then it demands that the statement is a truthful and factual.

    In that case, if we follow the ideas concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, then why are we still here? There seems to be no utopia after all.

    You know what, it was because those were Hebrew covenant language. Yes, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1)“ was/is a covenant language.

    Now see Isaiah 64:1-12. Isaiah, knowing that God’s judgment was upon Israel, the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Babylonian and the Jewish exile, pleaded for God’s mercy said:

    Oh that You [the LORD God] would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at Your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make Your name known to Your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things that we did not look for, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we [Israel] sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls upon Your name, who rouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all Your people. Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins. Will you restrain yourself at these things, O LORD? Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?

    GotQuestions.Org said:

    In biblical history, Nebuchadnezzar is most famous for the conquering of Judah and the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem in 586 BC

    The first destruction of Jerusalem and its temple was God’s rejection of His people, Israel. Isaiah said, that at His (first) judgment in 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem (Isaiah 64:10-11), God came down (Isaiah 64:3), and the mountains quaked at His presence.

    If we take the Hebrew language literally and follow the ideas of the traditional teaching on the Second Coming, God came down in 586 BC, so utopia follows – the history of mankind should have ceased right then and there. Don’t you think we truly need to Unlearn Tradition and Relearn Scripture?

    The Son of Man coming in the cloud was a Hebrew metaphor for the coming final judgment of God against Old Covenant Israel. See Daniel 7:9-14.

    As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before Him; a thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

    The “Son of Man” is Jesus Christ. See Matthew 10:23.

    When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

    See also Matthew 16:13-16,24-28.

    Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” … Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

    Lastly, Matthew 24:27-35.

    For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

    For explanation to Matthew 24:30, see my blog “Dating of Revelation”.

    A lot of people who deny the Words of Christ, that He was coming in the lifetime of Peter, James, and John, do not realize that without the return of Jesus Christ, “salvation remains to be a promise, not yet a reality”. See Hebrews 9:28

    So also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

    See also Revelation 14:12-20.

    Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a Son of Man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

    Do you realize what you have just read? Christians who have died have finally found rest, only after God’s final judgment on the city of Old Covenant Jerusalem. That is why, before Christ’s Second Coming and final judgment, Revelation 6:9-11 said:

    When He [Jesus Christ] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

    That is exactly what I have been explaining before the denial of Christ’s return has created an eschatological divide with the doctrine of Christian death. To understand further, go to my blog “The Eschatological Divide”.

    Therefore, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ halted the Old Covenant, while the New Covenant was completed. So it’s not the utopia that follows but the fullness of the New Covenant, for we are now in the Christian age, and the Eternal Gospel must be proclaimed to all. And Scripture spoke of no end for the New Covenant or the Christian Age.

    See 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Here is an “already but not yet” statement from Paul. He asked the believers to focus on what’s about to completed, not on what’s passing away.

    From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh [circumcision]. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

    See Revelation 14:6-8.

    Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

    Old Covenant Jerusalem was Babylon the Great, not Rome, as it was traditionally taught and believed. See Revelation 17:3-5. Babylon the Great was the woman seated on a scarlet beast, which had seven heads and ten horns.

    As you can see, if your compass is defective, you would never locate the right direction. The same may be said of Scripture. If you misidentify a biblical reference, off you go with your imagination.

    The “seven heads” are seven mountains (or hills in Greek) on which the woman was seated. Revelation 17:9-10 says “The seven heads also are seven kings, five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain only a little while.”

    Rome is always known (click here) as the city on seven hills. The Seven heads were the Seven Kings or Emperors of Rome – namely: 1st, Julius Caesar (44 BC); 2nd, Augustus Caesar (27BC – 14AD); 3rd, Tiberius Caesar (14-37 AD); 4th, Caligula Caesar (37-41 AD); 5th, Claudius Caesar (41-54 AD); and finally, 6th, Nero Caesar (54-68 AD). Source: click here.

    Note: Jews have always considered Julius Caesar as the first of Rome’s emperors. They are more inclined to call him king. See John 19:15 – “We have no king but Caesar.” It was said that under Julius Caesar, Judaism was officially recognized as a legal religion, a policy followed by the first Roman emperor, Augustus. Source: click here.

    “Five have fallen, one is” – that was Nero Caesar. Therefore, the Book of Revelation was written by John during Nero’s reign, not in the late 90s as suggested again based on tradition.

    The “woman,” “Babylon the Great”, also was the “great city”. See Revelation 17:18, where John revealed that it was the great city where Jesus Christ was crucified (Revelation 11:8); therefore it was Old Covenant Jerusalem. Isn’t it clear that all prophecies of Scripture had been fulfilled?

    So what now? The apostle John in Revelation 22:7-20 has these remaining important last words from the Lord Jesus Christ.

    And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. (Revelation 22:7-10)

    Note: Unlike Daniel who was told to seal the book, for the things he wrote refers to the time of the end (it’s the time of the end, not end times; see Daniel 12:9), John was told not to seal this book of the prophecy – meaning, it’s a revelation – for the time is near (see Revelation 22:10). It’s near to John and his audience, not to us who are millennia away from the time of Christ’s revelation. Next …

    Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:11-15)

    Note: See the urgency and certainty of Christ’s warning: “Behold, I am coming soon”. “Soon” by any means cannot be two thousand years ago and ongoing. It is also significant to understand that it was only upon His return that believers or Christians may have the right to the tree of life (eternal life) as well as to enter the city by the gates – the true Holy City, the New Jerusalem. See Revelation 21:2. And upon His return, outside the city are “the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Revelation 22:15). I don’t see any earth-ending scenario here but the separation of God’s people and those who love falsehood. Don’t you think it makes sense that the Eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ should still be preached even after God’s Final Judgment and the fall of Babylon the Great – again, Old Covenant Jerusalem? See Revelation 14:6-8.

    Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

    Hence, Habakkuk 2:14 said:

    Woe to him [Old Covenant Jerusalem] who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

    Habakkuk was referring to the eternal preaching of the Gospel spoken in Revelation 14:6. So we see despite attempts in history to silence the Bible and suppress the truth, the Word of God would always be proclaimed at any time, and any place. Next …

    “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you [John] about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

    Note: Can you see, underlined, the invitation for eternal life remains open? And the assurance and certainty of things written by John was attested by Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, despite the lousyness of modern-day Christianity, let it not be a reason for anyone to reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us discern carefully what we have heard, by checking every declaration and statement vis-a-vis with the Word of God.

    On the other hand, Jesus Christ also has warned against diversions or extractions of His Word, the Book of Revelation. Anyone who does so, judgment and forfeiture of eternal life would be the consequence. Surely, that is a scary end, so I embarked on studying the Scripture in-depth to know the truth and be assured of entrance to God’s kingdom.

    I know my detractors would also be claiming they speak the truth, so it should be a prudent thing to listen to both sides of the argument and reflect on Scripture to see which one is the truth. Most of you have heard their side of the argument, so perhaps you can give my exposition of the Scripture a chance. At the end of the day, it’s about faith, our salvation, and eternity.

    There was no utopia after all, but a New Covenant. But if you mean utopia as in Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings, make no mistake He was/is victorious (Revelation 17:14; Revelation 5:5), and He reigns now and forevermore (Revelation 19:6). Therefore, in Christ Jesus, we have eternal blessedness, now and beyond this present existence, indeed we are having it now.

    Blessings!

    If you want to follow our journey of unlearning tradition and relearning Scripture, you can stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox.

  • Scripture vs. Tradition

    It is traditionally believed that Jesus Christ’s Second Coming is yet to happen. Many claim the fulfillment of the Savior’s return is imminent – about to happen. Not surprising, for Jesus Christ did say, “I am coming soon,” four times actually in the Book of Revelation.

    See Revelation 3:11; “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”

    Also Revelation 22:7; “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

    Again Revelation 22:12; “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay each one for what he has done.“

    Finally, Revelation 22:20; “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

    Actually that’s not all, the Book of Revelation overwhelmingly declared the soon coming or return of Jesus Christ. Let me make clear, though, “it’s soon to the audience of John, not to us,” the introductory and closing remarks of John in Revelation declared it clearly that “the time is near.”

    See Revelation 1:1-3

    The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to his servants [John] the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending His angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

    Next, Revelation 22:10-20

    And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

    In Revelation 22:18-19, what was/is the point of Jesus’ warning “not to add nor take away from the words of the book of this prophecy”? The Book of Revelation clearly speaks about the imminency of Christ’s return, which was the hope of the early church. So the warning has to do with false prophecy concerning His soon return. Do we see evidence of such danger on prevailing letters with that of Revelation? See 2 Timothy 2:15-19.

    Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

    The biblical concept for resurrection and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are synonymous events. 2 Timothy most clearly was the last of Paul’s letters. He spoke about his soon departure and the soon Return of Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:6-8). By departure, Paul was talking about his martyrdom for the faith.

    For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    Clearly Paul was anticipating the imminency of his death, and he was looking forward to the yet coming Judgment Day of Jesus. In 2 Timothy 2:17-18, Paul made clear that the claim of Hymenaeus and Philetus were false; the resurrection had not yet occur because the Judgment Day had yet to come. The resurrection spoken by both Hymenaeus and Philetus denied the resurrection foretold in Daniel 12:1-4.

    At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people [Jews]. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people [Jews] shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 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.

    But how could the resurrection of the last day have occurred if the Jewish Temple was still standing at the time Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy? Paul obviously was still looking forward to that Day; see 2 Timothy 4:8.

    Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    Daniel 12:2 actually provided a clue when it would occur saying, “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time,” which was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 24 when He spoke about the destruction of the temple. See Matthew 24:15-28.

    So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be [Matthew 24:21 cf. Daniel 12:2]. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

    Bear in mind the context for Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15-28 was from Matthew 24:1-3.

    Jesus left the temple and was going away, when His disciples came to point out to Him the buildings of the temple. But He answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

    I have said this in my other blogpost, but let me reiterate it again. The disciples of Jesus clearly understood with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple then it’s the Coming of the Christ. They understood it because Isaiah prophesied about the final destruction of the Jewish Temple. Read Isaiah 24-27; it’s simply too long to include here. Perhaps I can write about the passage sometime soon. I hope it’s soon.

    Anyway, centuries after the destruction of the Jewish Temple, Julian the apostate, a Roman Emperor years after Constantine, tried but failed to rebuild the Jewish Temple. You have to understand Rome was still the empire in power during those time, yet despite Julian’s approval and support, the Jews fail to rebuild it – simply because in Isaiah 25:2, Scripture said, “For you have made the city [Jerusalem] a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners’ palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.”

    Oh yes, Jerusalem is back in the map of Israel since 1948, but until today, despite attempts, the Temple has not been rebuilt. In fact, the Dome of Rock, an Islamic Mosque, stands on the ground of the old Jerusalem Temple. War surely would erupt, and the Jews must win the fight, before the mosque may be destroyed then the rebuilding of the temple perhaps may commence. If God’s word said, “it wouldn’t be rebuilt,” then what would proponents for a rebuilt Jewish temple be? Pro or against God’s Word?

    The idea of the Tabernacle was first mentioned in Scripture after the confirmation of God’s covenant made with Israel at Exodus (Exodus 19-24); see Exodus 25:1-9.

    The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for Me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

    At the time of David and Solomon, the tent of tabernacle was made into a temple, which God approved upon the wishes of David, who desired a better dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 7:1-2). The temple therefore was the sign of God’s presence with Israel. Without the temple, then God’s presence was no longer with Israel. So even if Jews are back in Palestine, without the temple Jerusalem ceases to be the city of God. Israel of today is no longer the Israel of the Bible. Isaiah 25:2 had been fulfilled saying “For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin, the foreigner’s palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.”

    A pastor friend believing in the concept of a rebuilt Jewish Temple followed by the Second Coming of Jesus once said, “Don’t be too sure that it would not be rebuilt, it may happen before you know it.” My answer to him is simply to read Deuteronomy 18:18-22, for Scripture say it would never be rebuilt, but religious people say it will.

    I will raise up for them a Prophet [Jesus] like you from among their brothers. And I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And whoever will not listen to My words that He shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

    It has been almost two thousand years since the final destruction of the Jewish Temple. Claims upon claims have been made, but the temple remains in ruin, just as Jesus told His disciples (Matthew 24:2). Everyone is free whatever he/she chooses to believe, but I will always choose to believe Jesus Christ, His Word, the Scripture.

    So back to our discussion about Daniel 12 and Matthew 24, Jesus clearly warned about talks on the fulfillment of His Return before and after the destruction of the temple. That was exactly the error of Hymenaeus and Philetus; they spoke of the occurrence of the resurrection while the temple was still standing. It is silly then that some claiming to know Scripture used 2 Timothy 2:17-19 to refute the idea that Jesus had already return. To think that two verses before, Paul wrote, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the truth (2 Timothy 2:15).” Without a doubt, the destruction of the Jewish Temple, as understood by Jesus’ disciples, was the Return of Christ Jesus and the time of the resurrection (Matthew 24:1-3). It’s the completion of Jesus’ New Covenant and the passing of the Old Covenant (Hebrews 12:22-29).

    The Return of Christ also signaled the completion of God’s Kingdom here on earth. See Matthew 6:9-10; Jesus, teaching His disciples about prayer, said:

    Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

    See also Matthew 5:1-5

    Seeing the crowds, He [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    In the Beatitude of Jesus, the blessedness of the meek is that they shall inherit the earth. How then could Jesus destroy the earth with fire as taught by tradition if it is part of the inheritance of the blessed people of God? Don’t you find that ridiculous?

    The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples was for God’s kingdom to come on earth. Why then would Jesus destroy earth?

    Despite the numerous mentions of imminency of Jesus’ return, the traditional Christian teaching continues to deny and declare that Jesus Christ is yet to come. We have to remember that the revelation of Christ, revealed none other but by God the Father to Jesus (See Revelation 1:1; “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants the things that must soon take place”), which was written down by John (the apostle) through the revelation of the Returning King, was announced almost two millennia ago, to real people and audience – the first century church. It made no sense to them (the first-century church) to believe the message of imminency if it would occur beyond their lifetime, and it makes no sense to us that Christ Jesus promised to return soon yet it has been two thousand years now. Obviously if we are sincerely seeking the Word of Truth, we need to recalibrate the traditional presupposition concerning the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming.

    The Gospel of Matthew spoke on the theme of the “Kingdom of Heaven” repeatedly – 32 verses altogether. The Book of Daniel revealed to us that Four Gentile kingdoms would rule over Israel before the appearance of God’s Kingdom. See Daniel 2:36-45.

    This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king [Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon], the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand He has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom [Mede and Persia] inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom [Greece] of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom [Rome], strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom [Fourth kingdom] shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings [iron & clay] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

    According to the prophecy, the kingdom of heaven would appear during the time of the Fourth Gentile kingdom – Rome. Remarkably, Jesus Christ came announcing the imminent coming of God’s kingdom. See Matthew 4:17.

    From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

    The apostle Paul in turn clearly explained that the Kingdom of Heaven would fully be realized at the Return of Jesus Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:22-26.

    For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

    Incidentally, Paul was not talking about a physical resurrection. Look at 1 Corinthians 15:22 again: “For as in Adam all die.” Back in the Garden of Eden, God warned Adam and Eve that the moment they ate the forbidden fruit, they would surely die. Did they die? They lived on and had numerous children later. Certainly God’s Word cannot be thwarted, neither does it change. Then, a death must have occurred. Yes, of course, but it was a spiritual death – the breaking of God’s Covenant. Consequently, the resurrection must also be spiritual – Jesus’ offer of a New Covenant. Again, continuing with 1 Corinthians 15:22, “So also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Just as it was a spiritual resurrection, so God’s kingdom on earth is spiritual as well. See John 4:21-24.

    Jesus said to her [Samaritan woman], “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

    Without a doubt, Scripture has a unified declaration concerning Jesus’ Second Coming. Several times, John, in Revelation, said, “The time is near.” Jesus, on the other hand, repeatedly said, “I am coming soon.” Everyone who insists and says otherwise, here is the question for you: “What is the meaning of ‘soon’ for you?”

    Scripture versus tradition – why believe tradition over the Word of God? To have more insights on the topic of tradition, you may want to read my previous blogpost entitled “The Dilemma of Tradition”.

    May God grant everyone the discernment to differentiate truth from error.

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  • Death Is Not the End

    One undeniable truth about life is that our physical existence has an end. Nobody should be surprised by it. It’s a known fact since the beginning of humanity. Perhaps we may say medical science has progress so much that the years of life have been prolonged. But I rather believe that medical science has helped improve the quality of life at the onset of diseases. It could also be argued that medical science might sometimes have unknowingly been prolonging the suffering of a terminally ill person. So it could be a matter of perspective.

    Mankind has forever been trying to solve the problem of aging in the hope of addressing the reality of death. Death is a reality declared in the Bible. And Scripture did provide the solution to death.

    In Genesis, God declared the punishment of death once the first humans broke His commandment – that they should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gave mankind everything they needed for life, just one command, and yet they chose to break it so death occured.

    But wait, what exactly did God say to Adam? See Genesis 2:16 -17.

    And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, FOR IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT OF IT YOU SHALL SURELY DIE.”

    Fast forward to Genesis 3:6-8.

    So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

    No physical death occured immediately after mankind violated God’s commandment. The excuse that death came later cannot be acceptable if we take God’s Word accordingly. Reading from the text of Genesis 3:6-8, two things immediatly occured – mankind saw themselves naked and they became alienated from God – so spiritual death occured immediately after they broke God’s covenant. See Genesis 3:10.


    And he [Adam] said, “I heard the sound of You [God] in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

    Yes, God made a Covenant with Adam the moment He put him in the garden of Eden. The condition of God’s covenant was clearly stipulated in Genesis 2:16-17. Adam did not simply violate God’s commandment, he broke God’s Covenant with him. See Hosea 6:7, God said: “But like Adam they transgressed the Covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with Me.”

    The Scripture in Job 1:21 said: And he [Job] said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

    Physical nakedness cannot be the problem. Adam and Eve were created naked (Genesis 2:25). No human was born dressed. It’s quite obvious from the narrative of Genesis that God didn’t saw nakedness as a problem, mankind did. See Genesis 3:10-11.

    And he [Adam] said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He [God] said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

    Also see Genesis 2:25 “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Both Adam and Eve were naked when they were created and there seemed to be no problem with it. But when Adam told God he was afraid because he was naked so he hid himself, the LORD replied, “Who told you that you were naked?” Then He asked Adam, “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (Genesis 3:10-11).

    Do you understand God’s question to Adam? God actually was asking Adam, “Did you broke the covenant that I have made with you?

    Clearly nakedness as implied by Adam equates to his breaking of God’s covenant. And since God’s condition for mankind to remain inside the Garden of Eden was broken, Adam and Eve needed to be banished from the garden. See Genesis 3:22-24

    Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever-“ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

    Before Adam and Eve broke God’s Covenant, mankind was in a state of innocence because they knew no evil, only goodness. Now that humanity had committed an evil deed breaking God’s covenant with them; hence, they now knew good and evil. Yet despite mankind’s sin, God clothed them to cover their shame – clearly an act of God’s kindness toward His creation. See Genesis 3:21.

    And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

    God simply provided a temporary remedy for mankind; it looks forward to the calling of Abraham and the covenant making at Mount Sinai to the coming and return of Jesus Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:2-4.

    For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened-not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

    By “tent”, the apostle Paul here spoke of the Mosaic covenant, of which Paul said they groan longing to be further clothed by the New Covenant of Christ Jesus, then mortality may be swallowed up by life.

    Spiritual death then means to be out of God’s Covenant. And without God’s Covenant mankind could forever be outside the Garden of Eden, where the TREE OF LIFE is.

    It is quite obvious that mankind remains to be living even after Adam and Eve had broken God’s covenant and banished from the garden. In fact, they even multiplied by having children. But henceforth, every human would be born outside of the Garden of Eden and apart from God’s Creation Covenant.

    The immediate consequence of mankind’s banishment from the Garden of Eden then demands as stipulated in Genesis 3:19 saying,

    By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

    Consequently, apart from God’s Covenant, physical birth and death became the natural cycle of humanity, and there is no way out of it. Mankind being of dust also is susceptible to degeneration, hence aging and death. The dilemma of death was the making of Adam, the representation of all humanity before God, with whom the LORD first made a covenant.

    We can’t make any complaint or demands with God. The life that we have now still originated from God. See Genesis 2:7.

    Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

    See also Ecclesiastes 12:7; Scripture said: “And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” By “spirit”, the Bible refers to the “breath of life” which made man a living being. See also Genesis 6:3.

    Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

    Our present existence or life is truly a gift from God. Eternity is not part of the original equation in creation due to Adam’s fall to sin. Rather, eternity is God’s gift for everyone whom will embrace His New Covenant. See Matthew 26:27-29.

    And He [Jesus Christ] took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them [the disciples] saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

    See also Hebrews 8:6.

    But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

    Jesus Christ alone is the solution to the humanities problem of death. The apostle Paul on his letter to the church of Ephesus said:

    And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved– and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus …

    The journey of faith sometimes is long and tedious. But the transition from unbelief and faith in Christ Jesus is made once and should be real and true. God’s covenant with Adam demands obedience. Similarly the New Covenant of Jesus Christ also requires faith and obedience. See John 3:35-36.

    The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

    It is a delusion to claim faith in Jesus Christ yet be without obedience. Consequently, the apostle James said, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17).

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