WARNING - THE DEVIL WANTS YOUR SOUL

This week's Bible study will be part two of Luke chapter 9

Who Do You Say That I Am?

[Luke chapter 9, verses 18-36 (part 2 of 4)]

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For this week's study we'll be moving on to part 2 of the gospel of Luke chapter 9. When we left off last week, Jesus and the apostles had fed the 5,000 men (not counting all the women and children) using only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and had just finished collecting 12 baskets full of scraps. I'm sure those were some mighty fine fish sandwiches, considering they were served by none other than the 12 apostles! But for today's study, the time is just a few days after this had occurred, followed by another 8 days after that. Let's go to the starting point of today's lesson, beginning at verse 18.

“Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, 'Who do the crowds say I am?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets from long ago has come back to life.' 'But what about you?', he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'The Christ of God'. Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.' Then he said to them all, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.'” (Luke 9, verses 18-27)

So Jesus asked the apostles directly, “'Who do the crowds say I am?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets from long ago has come back to life.' 'But what about you?', he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'The Christ of God'.” This is the third confirmation in Luke's gospel of the true identity of Christ, with the first being Jesus' baptism in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, and the second being when he calmed the storm in chapter 8. But my New International version has what I think is a somewhat lackluster translation of Peter's reply to Jesus in verse 20; “Peter answered, 'The Christ of God.” My New Living Translation does a better job; “You are the Messiah sent from God.” That's about as crystal-clear as can be, so if any of you hear anyone expressing doubt that Jesus was the Son of God, simply point them to this verse and help win another soul for Jesus!

“Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.'” Here we have some real insight into the character of Jesus. He didn't want the apostles to tell anyone who he was, which is quite the reverse of what would normally happen with any start-up, whether or not it's a business or a church. In our world of today, we use social media, marketing and as much advertising as we can afford when we want to get the word out about a new enterprise or even a nonprofit. Jesus did exactly the opposite, warning the Twelve not to tell anyone who he really was. He relied on the Holy Spirit that was living inside of him, and which had been since his birth. By using the Holy Spirit instead of the religious establishment of that time to convey his true identity, Jesus never relied on himself alone to perform his ministry, always relying on his heavenly Father for his strength and willpower, not to mention his insurmountable faith! Jesus could strip the elders of the synagogues, the chief priests of the Temple at Jerusalem, and the teachers of the Law (the equivalent of modern-day seminary professors) of their authority just by walking into the Temple court, or any other room for that matter. This infuriated the religious establishment of Jesus' time, and that's why he was ultimately crucified. The religious establishment saw him as a threat.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” There is no such thing as a part-time Christian! They don't exist, or at least not in real life! Christ followers are deniers of self, not as a means to show off, but as a means to bring themselves closer to Christ, and to make him the center of their lives instead of themselves and all their stuff (or the lack thereof in some cases). The King James Bible reads, “What does it benefit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul?” The human individual is sovereign, even from the God who created him or her, because God made us all with a free will. We are all irreplaceable, and if only we would all start treating each other as if we were, all the fighting, killing and bullying would stop all over the world all at once!

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” I am not ashamed to be a proponent of the Gospel! I am glad to be a servant of the Lord and an ambassador for Christ! If I will not acknowledge Christ, how can I expect him to acknowledge me? And if Jesus won't acknowledge me, how will I ever live eternally with him? The answer is that I can't, just as the Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” The following verse is a little more controversial: “some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” Since Jesus was talking primarily with his apostles, and all but two were martyred for their faith (one was Judas; only the apostle John died of old age, by all accounts in his 90's), it could be argued that they all “tasted death” before they went home to be with the Lord. My own theory about this is that since at least several of the apostles were beheaded for their faith and ministries (and I'm pretty sure it was more than a few), those that were would have died instantly since the spinal cord gets severed at the base of the skull when one is beheaded. Consequently, the victim feels no pain and death occurs instantaneously. If anyone knows a better reason, please leave a comment at the end of this article. Meanwhile, let's move on to the second half of today's lesson, beginning at verse 28.

“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing there with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, 'Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah' (he did not know what he was saying). As he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.' When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.” (Luke 9, verses 28-36)

Although the mountain most commonly named as the site for the transfiguration – as this part of the Gospel is called – is Mt. Tabor just outside Jerusalem, no one is 100% certain of the exact location of this particular occurrence since the Bible does not name the location. But Jesus is transfigured into what is apparently a higher form of life while simultaneously Moses and Elijah appear in the same way before Peter, James and John. So we can conclude from these happenings that Jesus, along with all who have come home to him in the presence of the Father including Moses and Elijah, originate from beyond space and time as we currently understand it. They are not physical beings like ourselves, they are spiritual in nature. In my NLT Bible, the next verse reads, “And they were speaking how he was about to fulfill God's plan by dying in Jerusalem.” So right here we have sufficient proof that everything that was going on was and is all a part of God's grand master plan for all of humankind. Everything happens for a reason, as it is written: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1)

As the apostles woke up, they were confronted by what they saw and, based on Peter's reaction, had no idea how to interpret what they are looking at. Peter manages to make himself look silly with his babbling response. Just as he was doing this, Luke wrote, “As he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.” My NLT describes it this way: “But even as he was saying this, a cloud came over them; and terror gripped them as it covered them.” Suffice it to say the apostles were completely unnerved by what they were seeing and experiencing! The next thing that happened unnerved them even more. “A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.' When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves.....” As soon as the voice, which obviously was that of the Father, had said what needed to be said, everything vanished right before the apostles' eyes and things returned to 'normal' for them. God certainly didn't waste any time conveying his message! He didn't stick around for coffee or tea afterwards, either. And the disciples said nothing about this to anyone, including the other apostles, for a long time afterwards – possibly as late as after the resurrection of Christ. On that note, I think we've found a comfortable place to close for now. And next week we'll move on to part 3 of Luke chapter 9.

This week's Bible study will be part 1 of Luke chapter 9

The Apostles Commissioned As 5,000 Are Fed

[Luke chapter 9, verses 1-17]

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For this week's Bible study and analysis we'll be moving on to chapter 9 of the apostle Luke's portrayal of the life, ministry and legacy of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. As you recall from last time, Jesus had raised a young girl from the dead, much to the astonishment of her parents and all the others present in the room, which included 3 of the apostles. Today as we begin this week's study, we find Jesus choosing the remaining men as apostles who were not yet chosen before the time Jesus raised up the young girl. So we can safely conclude by this that the Twelve, as they were called and are still called to this day, were not yet chosen by Christ until after this miracle had been performed by him. So let's hold that thought as we apply it to today's text, beginning at verse one.

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: 'Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.' So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah appeared, and still others that one of the prophets from long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, 'I beheaded John. Who, then, is this who I hear such things about?' And he tried to see him.” (Luke 9, verses 1-9)

As you can clearly see, Jesus had a management style that had some similarities to today's corporate and business managers. Businesses and governments are run in a hierarchical management style, from the top down, just like they have been for centuries. Jesus, on the other hand, delegated his authority equally to the apostles. None was considered greater than the other. Instead of being handed down from the upper echelons like people are in the habit of doing – including those who tolerate such abuse, or who are afraid to make waves, or who are being bullied – Jesus delegated his authority laterally to his apostles. That did not begin to change until the 1990's, when the Internet started to grow really fast. Within another 10 or 20 years, everyone on the earth who wants to be will be connected digitally, the ultimate outcome of lateral organization.

There is another thing that Jesus did differently than modern companies and governments do – he gave the apostle no material resources of their own. Jesus was the only resource the apostles would need, just as he told them : “Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” 'There will be no need for any of you to rely solely on yourselves', Jesus was telling the apostles here. 'I will be the only resource you will need from now on.' I'm sure that the reason for the apostles' success in their new ministries was their obedience to Jesus' commands. “So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.” That healing continues to this day. I'm a living example, and that story is available in book form for anyone who is interested. The title is “Sole Survivor”, and it's available from this link (scroll down).

“Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead....”. A 'tetrarch' is defined by Webster's dictionary as (1): a governor of the fourth part of a province, and (2): a subordinate prince. If you're wondering why King Herod was so “perplexed” at the news that Jesus was the reincarnation of John the Baptist, it's because Herod had just ordered his execution a short time before, probably only a matter of days or possibly a few weeks at the most. The word 'perplexed' is from the New International version, the King James is nearly identical, but my New Living Translation is only slightly different – it reads, “He was worried and puzzled”. So, no matter how you translate it, one thing is for certain right here – King Herod the tetrarch was totally freaked out by eyewitness accounts of John the Baptist being raised from the dead, presumably by Jesus himself! Let's not forget that it was his father, whose name was also Herod (Herod senior, I suppose), who had ordered the execution of all the male babies born within the previous 2 years from around the time of our Savior's birth. (see Matt. 2, verses 13-18)

“But Herod said, 'I beheaded John. Who, then, is this who I hear such things about?' And he tried to see him.” Right here goes your proof for what I just wrote. 'I beheaded John', Herod said, 'so who is this guy? I guess I'll have to stop him too, just like I did his cousin John.' So Herod tried to arrange a meeting between himself and Jesus, presumably to entrap him and carry him off to prison. But King Herod never got his chance, just like his father before him. Jesus wisely decided not to meet with him. What a family of losers! Now let's move on to the second half of today's study, beginning at verse 10.

“When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned of it and followed them. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, 'Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.' He replied, 'You give them something to eat.' They answered, 'We have only five loaves of bread and two fish – unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.' (About 5,000 men were there.) But he said to his disciples, 'Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each'. The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 baskets full of broken pieces that were left over.” (Luke 9, verses 10-17)

Jesus and the apostles withdrew to Bethsaida because they needed the rest, and so that Jesus could take time for some additional teaching. Unlike the corporate managers I wrote about near the beginning of today's study, Jesus knew when to take a break. He had what we would call an easygoing management style today. Moreover, the apostles were in need of some down time because of the long hours they must have been working as they assisted our Lord and Savior. The next thing they know, a throng of admirers, the chronically ill, the lame and crippled, interspersed with a few spies from the Temple Ruling Council at Jerusalem, show up unannounced. Did Jesus or the apostles complain? On the contrary: “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.” Jesus may have known when to take a break, but he never let 'burn-out' get the best of him, either! Whenever the people called for him or came to see him, Jesus didn't turn away a single one. He still doesn't turn anyone away, not even to this day! Simply ask for him, and he will be there! I should know – he did it for me.

Also, as before, Jesus and the Twelve needed no external resources to meet the needs of the people. Jesus himself was and still is the source, the only source we need, as it is written: “Taking the five loves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 baskets full of broken pieces that were left over.” The apostles did nothing to create enough 'fish sandwiches' to feed a crowd of 5,000 men (plus women and children), nor did anyone in the crowd do anything to deserve a free meal. Jesus supplies all our needs, and his timing is always perfect! This is what faith does, and faith enables the grace of God, which in turn yields all the results we ever need. There will be some extra left over, too, for those who faithfully follow Christ. What better motivation to stay on track for Jesus!

We should never doubt as the apostles did early on, when they pointed out there was not nearly enough food as far as they could tell. That's why Jesus tested them when he said, “You give them something to eat.' They answered, 'We have only five loaves of bread and two fish – unless we go and buy food for all this crowd'.” Then and only then did Jesus bless and pray over the food. Jesus wasn't just feeding people, he was teaching the apostles a lesson about faith – to never judge things, people or situations by their appearances. As it was with them, so it is with us. We are to never rely solely on our own judgment, but we must put our faith in the unlimited abilities of Christ. So let's all be sure and put this into practice, starting today and from now on, so that we may all have a closer walk with the Lord. And next week we'll move on to part 2 of Luke chapter 9.

Of Governance and Truthfulness

The 7 Biggest Lies of the Conservatives and the G.O.P.

By Pastor Paul J. Bern

One of the Ten Commandments is, “You shall not lie”. (Exodus 20, verse 16) It says still more about dishonesty in government in chapter 23, verse 8 of that same book of the Bible: “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.” While I'm not about to accuse anyone in the new US presidential administration of accepting bribes, I am dismayed at the barrage of confusing signals coming from the Trump administration. First, we were going to have a travel ban on Muslims because president Trump made it a campaign promise. Predictably, the courts have shot it down. The travel ban was unconstitutional right from the start. President Trump should have known that. The US Constitution has a system of checks and balances written into it so that none of America's 3 branches of government will gain too much authority over the other two. I think it is highly commendable that our system of government still works so well, even after all these years.

The debacle of president Trump's travel ban, combined with the large public protests against his administration, is morphing into a new Occupy or “We are the 99%” movement. The beginning of the end of the American political machine, the Republican-Democrat paradigm, has already begun. The Occupiers on Wall Street, at Standing Rock, South Dakota and elsewhere, combined with the various anti-government and antiwar protesters, can’t become a national movement for a more equitable society unless more Americans know the truth about the economy. Everything revolves around the economy because we all need money to survive. America's trade imbalance, social, environmental and economic issues all revolve around a debt-based economy. This economic paradigm is coming to an end, and I'm going to list 7 reasons why.

1.) Tax cuts for the rich trickle down to everyone else. In actuality, quite the reverse is true. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both sliced taxes on the rich and what happened? Most Americans’ wages (measured by the real median wage) began flattening under Reagan and has been dropping since George W. Bush. Trickle-down economics is a cruel joke. In reality, “trickle down” means “piss on” the poor, minorities and people of color, the disabled and the elderly.

2.) Higher taxes on the rich would hurt the economy and slow job growth. False. From the end of World War II until 1981, the richest Americans faced a top marginal tax rate of 70 percent or above. Under Dwight Eisenhower it was 91 percent. Even after all deductions and credits, the top taxes on the very rich were far higher than they’ve been since. Yet the economy grew faster during those years than it has since. Why are the country's wealthiest families being allowed to skate on by the IRS while the rest of the country gets hammered by falling wages?

3.) Shrinking government generates more jobs. Wrong again. It means fewer government workers – everyone from teachers, fire fighters, police officers, and social workers at the state and local levels to safety inspectors and military personnel at the federal. And, fewer government contractors would employ fewer private-sector workers. On the contrary; to create more jobs and economic prosperity, raise the minimum wage to a realistic level! More money in people's pockets equals more spending, which generates more economic activity, which creates more jobs and business start-ups. Plus, the additional spending and jobs create more tax revenue that ultimately makes its way back into the communities it serves.

4.) Cutting the budget deficit now is more important than boosting the economy. Whose lame-brained idea was this? Probably someone from within the Federal Reserve, since the Federal Reserve owns America's budget deficit. Every time America makes a payment on our “national debt”, the money goes to the Federal Reserve! With so many Americans out of work or working part time instead of full time, additional budget cuts now will shrink the US economy even further. They’ll increase unemployment and reduce tax revenues. That will worsen the ratio of the debt to the total economy. The first priority must be getting jobs and growth back by boosting the economy. Only then, when jobs and growth are returning vigorously, should we turn to cutting the deficit.

5.) Medicare and Medicaid are the major drivers of budget deficits. Wrong. Medicare and Medicaid spending is rising quickly, to be sure. But that’s because the nation’s health-care costs are rising so fast. One of the best ways of slowing these costs is to use Medicare and Medicaid’s bargaining power over drug companies and hospitals to reduce costs, and to move from a fee-for-service system to a fee-for-healthy outcomes system. And since Medicare has far lower administrative costs than private health insurers, we should make Medicare available to everyone. All America has to do is take everyone who is signed up for Obama-care, Medicaid, the VA hospital system, plus all government employees, and roll them over into Medicare. Then we'll just eliminate Obama-care and Medicaid by de-funding them both, saving over $1 trillion in the first year alone.

6.) Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. No way! Social Security is solvent for the next 26 years just as it is. It could be solvent for the next century or more if we raised the ceiling on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax. That ceiling is now $106,800. Raising that amount to $250,000 will do the job very nicely! All it takes is a little common sense, something that seems to be in short supply inside the Beltway these days.

7.) It’s unfair that lower-income Americans don’t pay income tax. This is patently ridiculous. In a worst case, it criminalizes the poor. In truth, there’s nothing unfair about it. Lower-income Americans pay out a larger share of their paychecks in payroll taxes, sales taxes, user fees, and tolls than everyone else especially when compared to the top 1%.

Demagogues through history have known that big lies, repeated often enough, start being believed — unless they’re rebutted. These seven economic deceptions are just plain wrong. Make sure you know the truth – and spread it around to everyone you meet!

Of Refugees, Presidents and Scriptures

Immigration Issues, Progressive Christianity And The Golden Rule

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

After watching or hearing about all the back-and-forth from the Oval Office about president Trump's 90-day immigration ban and subsequent court order temporarily suspending it this past week, I would first like to say that I have had a belly full of those who are ranting and raving about the flood of Muslim refugees who are entering Europe and America. I don't talk, dress or worship as Muslims do either, but that does not give me license to hate them universally! In the first place, since I'm a Web minister and Christ follower it is impossible for me to hate, but I do not hesitate to voice strong disapproval of those who do. Those persons whose battle cry is, “GTHO” have forgotten – or chosen to ignore – that the United States is an entire nation of immigrants. Our country is a great melting pot for people of all nations, races, nationalities and faiths. It's not like we're being invaded by an army, although there are unquestionably some undesirable elements that must be rooted out. But we have law enforcement and intelligence agencies that take care of all that (plus a whole lot of vigilance on our part). So it's time to get over our fear. What we actually have is a humanitarian crisis of colossal proportions. If a family dressed in Muslim attire came to your door asking for food, would you give it to them? Let's not forget what it says on the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free....”. Let's also not forget what has been taught by Jesus Christ, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. The entire concept of unconditional love and acceptance while living in peace and harmony escapes those who are hateful, bigoted, prejudiced and intolerant, but children understand it completely – just ask one. Better yet, go and ask one of the so-called “illegal” children and teens crossing America's borders. They come in search of peace and harmony because they have all escaped from the war zones down in southern Mexico and Central America.

The Bible has something to say about this, if only we will take a minute to look it up. “Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt”. (Exodus 22: 21) This verse of scripture dates back to when Moses was at Mt. Sinai, well over 3,000 years ago, and its meaning remains unchanged over the centuries. And the apostle Paul wrote, “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call upon his name, for 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'.” (Romans 10: 12-13) It looks to me like if there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, then by extension the same goes for Arabs and Americans or Arabs and Europeans. Granted, there have been terror attacks that have taken lives, a lot of lives, and these attacks demand a response that is even harder and meaner than the attacker(s). I'm all in favor of that, and if I were a younger man I might consider arming myself against the Islamic terrorists here on the home front and joining the fight. But we as Christians – and this goes for the nonreligious too, so all you secular readers please stay with me – can use the influx of Muslim refugees as an opportunity to sow the seeds of generational peace.

The majority of the Muslim refugees have a negative view of our country. The US military has bombed half of the Middle East back to the stone age, and they have enraged a multitude of people because of that. Well then, instead of killing them with our bullets and bombs, why not try killing them with kindness? We need to let these people know that there are many Americans who vehemently disagree with the New World Order and the Pentagon's global militarism. Let's be sure and remember what Jesus said about this: “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy'. But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you....” (Matt. 5: 44). This commandment from Christ, in and of itself, is one that is completely contrary to what is considered “normal” human though processes. Only he, the Son of God, could consistently do this repeatedly throughout his life. No one can duplicate this on a consistent basis – absolutely nobody! That is, in large part, the entire point of Jesus' ministry, and it's why he sacrificed himself for each of us.

But the most famous and timely quote from Christ regarding this entire issue can be summed up in one short paragraph. “The King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothed you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'.” (Matt. 25, verses 34-40) The righteous who did all these things during their physical lives will reap an eternal reward, but those who thought only of themselves will receive eternal condemnation.

We all know, or at least have heard of, the story of the Good Samaritan as told to us by Jesus Christ. I won't quote the entire parable verbatim because my posting today is about how it applies to the subject of so-called “illegal immigration”. If I put the story into modern terms I can cite two different examples, one of how this could work out and the other as it actually did. A certain traveler from a foreign country was making their way through the US seeking to find suitable work and re-establish themselves in their newly adopted country. While on their journey, this hapless foreign national gets jacked up, beat up, and left semi-conscious and bleeding on the side of the road. A short while later a religious leader and church pastor who are passing by see the beaten and now-penniless victim, pause for a moment and say a quick prayer, and continue on their way. A few minutes after that, a well-paid IRS agent passes by the man and doesn't even bother to stop and help even though he/she could have easily afforded to do so. An hour or two later, after this crime victim has been lying bleeding, severely injured and baking in the hot sun, a homeless man happens upon this person. This street person from the impoverished inner city (fill in the blank with the city of your choice) cleans up the victim's wounds as best as he can, dials 911 on his/her prepaid flip phone, summons medical assistance to that location, and waits for the ambulance to arrive while protecting this luckless individual from further injury and harm. Once the ambulance has picked the injured person up and taken them to the nearest ER, the homeless person who helped the injured traveler goes on their way, enjoying a quiet satisfaction within themselves at the good deed they have done. But they say nothing to anyone about it, not wanting accolades or applause from anyone, but only to do good and to be merciful towards all God's children. “Blessed are the merciful”, Jesus said, “for they will be shown mercy”. When the Last Trumpet sounds, guess who will be allowed in first?

We are, after all, a Christian nation, are we not? I know former president Obama said we weren't, but I have never agreed with that. If we're going to be a Christian or even a humanitarian nation, then I think it's high time we started acting as if it were true! Didn't Jesus heal the sick? Then we should be doing likewise, and the same goes for helping the less fortunate whenever and wherever we can. Anyone who disagrees with me on this point has forgotten their Christian heritage, lost touch with their humanity, or both. When I was a kid, I was taught that kindness wasn't a choice, it was a command. It wasn't something you considered doing; it was an automatic reaction that came straight from the heart. We just did it because that's what Jesus would have us do. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This includes all immigrants, whether they are here legally or not!

Let me be absolutely clear about what I regard as the crux of the immigration issue. Immigrants, whether they are here legally or not, are not invaders from another country. They are economic and war refugees! I will use Mexico as an illustration. As you may know, the southern part of Mexico is a war zone between the drug cartels. But it's worse than that. The average blue-collar worker in Mexico has a take-home pay in Pesos that is equal to about $50.00 a month in US dollars. When any given migrant worker comes to the US and takes a job at the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, that works out to a net pay after taxes of about $740.00 per month for a single person, more than a fifteen-fold increase over what they used to make. Now, let us ask ourselves this basic question: if we were offered a job in our profession in Canada, for example, at fifteen times our current pay rate, any one of us would naturally be eager for the chance, is that not correct? Of course you would! Now you know why so many economic refugees from the third world are coming here, and it's not just from Mexico. They seek economic opportunity just like anyone else would, and it is a level of opportunity available in few places elsewhere. So if the American people want our government to do something about the influx of economic refugees from Mexico and Central America, we as a united people need to tell our leaders to change the economic conditions that is causing our borders (yes, it's both – the Canadian border is just as porous as it is down south) to be overrun in the first place! How do we do that? One way would be a global minimum wage. Another would be direct economic aid to those affected countries by the federal government.

So why does this issue upset so many people? America is and always has been a nation of immigrants. There has never been a time in American history when this was not so. Every time we welcome one more immigrant into America, we take on the role of the Good Samaritan all over again. And that is a role we should all continue to emulate everywhere we go. Because at the end of the day, if we fail to do these things, we are discriminating. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity or religion is banned in the Constitution as well as the laws of our land (see the 14^th amendment section 1, our nation's civil rights legislation of the 1960's and 70's, et. al.). The apostle James also had something to say about this when he wrote: “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against their brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?”. (James 4, verses 11-12) Why does this still apply today? Because the world has shrunk to a tiny fraction of its seemingly enormous size back then. Our neighbors are not just down the street or in our town any more. The Internet has connected everyone who wants to be connected, and more new people continue to log on each day. Meaning, everybody is now our neighbor, even if they're on the other side of the world. Isn't it time we started acting like it?

Bible study this week is part 2 of Luke chapter 8

Jesus Exercises His Authority

[Luke chapter 8, verses 22-39 (part 2 of 3)]

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Today as we continue our ongoing series on the writings of the apostle Luke, we move on to the middle part of chapter 8 of his account of the Gospel. As you recall from last week's study, Jesus had just stated to those whom his family had sent that his “mother and brothers” were anyone who “hears God's Word and puts it into practice”. As Luke's gospel moves on from that account, today we find ourselves at the story of Jesus calming the storm. I have heard a fair number of sermons already on this story, and I'm sure you have too, which is why I'm going to tell this story a little differently in order to apply it to modern life. So open your Bibles or navigate on your portable devices of choice to Luke's gospel chapter 8, beginning at verse 22.

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let's go over to the other side of the lake'. So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown'! He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?', he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him'.” (Luke 8, verses 22-25)

Verse 22 and the first part of 23 bear a stark contrast between our Savior's management style and that of the corporate world here in the early 21^st century. Today's workplace has the worker practically married to their jobs. Workers are routinely on call 24/7, but without any additional compensation beyond work-related expense reimbursement. They carry their 'smart phones', tablets and portable PC's with them everywhere they go. Many have their digital devices in the bedroom with them when they sleep, and I wouldn't be surprised if some people actually have their devices in bed with them. Contrast all this with Christ, the leader of the 12 apostles and the founder of Christianity who, during the height of the storm in the middle of the day, was asleep! Any modern-day corporate manager would have viewed that situation as Jesus being asleep on the job, and would have fired Jesus on the spot! President Donald Trump would have, too!

“He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?', he asked his disciples.” To say this in modern terms, 'What's wrong, are you afraid of a little storm?', Jesus was saying to his disciples. 'All you guys had to do was to awaken me and inform me of the situation, and I would have handled it', he was saying to his undoubtedly stunned apostles. 'Next time, awaken me sooner until waiting until the last moment!', Jesus probably said to them, and with a little exasperation at that. “In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Who is this indeed! Jesus exercises his authority over the storm because it had been delegated to him by his heavenly Father. That is why Jesus rebuked the apostles the way he did! It was because they did not yet recognize that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God! Having finished pointing those things out, let's move on to part 2 of our study, beginning at verse 26.

“They sailed to the region of the Gerasines, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I beg you, don't torture me!' For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it seized him, and though he was chained underfoot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven into solitary places. Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' 'Legion', he replied, for many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.” (Luke 8, verses 26-21)

The “region of Gerasines” mentioned in verse 26 is also spelled, “Gadarenes” or “Gergesines” in other Biblical translations, but they are all talking about the same place. So the apostles, who were fishermen by trade and so were right at home in a sailing boat, put the boat ashore and the first person who comes and greets them is a demon-possessed man. This poor individual was clearly in pathetic shape from a medical and psychiatric standpoint, and was often tortured by the combination of demon possession and mental illness that befell him. It was at best an uncomfortable situation for the Twelve, so I can visualize them hanging back to watch and see what Jesus would do about the man, but also to step in and protect him if things got out of hand. Unbeknownst to them, that would not be necessary because Jesus is the Son of God, and we just saw that the apostles did not yet recognize this fact. Jesus was protected by the Holy Spirit and he was covered by divine reinforcement!

“When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I beg you, don't torture me!' For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man.” How did that man know who Jesus was? I have seen and heard a number of different explanations of this, but it basically comes down to the fact that it was the demon inside the man, rather than the man himself, who ascertained Jesus' true identity. The man himself undoubtedly was severely handicapped by limited comprehension, a distorted sense of reality and a broken spirit. “Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' 'Legion', he replied, for many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.” So what is the “Abyss”? What was Luke talking about here? This translates into modern English as hell. This is not the only place in the Bible where hell is mentioned, but this is ample proof to quiet the skeptics who question whether hell really exists or not. Jesus, who is the Son of God, cannot tell a lie! So, if his apostle Luke mentions hell by name, then there really is such a place. Those who refuse to believe in hell – or heaven for that matter – do so at their own risk. Having said that, let's now conclude our study, beginning at verse 32.

“A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank and was drowned. When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom demons had come out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return home and tell them how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8, verses 32-39)

So when the demons went into the pigs, the pigs did the equivalent of committing suicide. But since the herd of pigs was the livelihood of at least some of the town's people, they were really upset with Jesus. Their livelihoods had been destroyed. What's our lesson here? Jesus doesn't care about anybody's economies! It's not that he wants us all to be poor, but he doesn't want us all to be rich, either. It's the same as when churches over-emphasize tithing! Christianity and following Christ are all about our service to others. The money aspects of ministry, while too important to be ignored, are a side-issue and besides the point when it comes to bringing genuine ministry to the people. And what do I mean by genuine ministry? It means to live one's faith as a lifestyle, not merely as a set of beliefs and values. It also means to keep on serving even when the money isn't there. In Christian ministry, the true servants of the Lord press on even without resources.

“When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom demons had come out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were overcome with fear.” So here come the town's people to see the man who had destroyed their herd of pigs. When they see the formerly demon-possessed man seated at Jesus' feet, instead of being inspired and joyful at the sight of his healing, they are gripped with fear. Between the loss of their herd of pigs and the healing of a man they likely used to laugh at and make fun of, it was all too much for their limited minds to handle. They wanted their herd of swine and the income it generated more than they loved the Son of God's healing presence. They loved money and success more than they loved Jesus. No wonder Jesus left them!

But before he did, he gave some final instructions to the man he had just healed. “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return home and tell them how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” Notice here that the first thing the man who Jesus healed wanted to do was become an apostle like the other 12 men who witnessed all this. 'If you want to be an apostle', Jesus told him (I'm paraphrasing here), 'go back and be a witness for me to the people of that town'. I'm sure he did a very convincing job of it too. But there's one last thing that bears mentioning here. Jesus and the apostles left for the other side of the lake looking for people to minister to. All they found was one crazed man, and he was healed. None of the townspeople were healed. Not a single one, and they had all been nearly drowned in a storm on the lake while crossing over to the other side. All that for just one man, but Jesus apparently still considered his journey a success. This tells me that God sees success in entirely different terms than humankind does. With Jesus, success is measured in quality, not quantity. So if we all start measuring our success in those terms, it will by default make us more Christ-like. So let's all begin to be more like Him by seeing things in his terms instead of our own. Because, when we do that, “we have the mind of Christ.”

This week's Bible study will be the 2nd half of Luke chapter 7

Your Sins Are Forgiven

[Luke chapter 7, verses 24-50]

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For this week's study we'll be covering the second half of Luke chapter 7. When we left off last week, John the Baptist had sent 2 of his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the true Messiah, the Anointed One of the Lord. Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” Jesus was telling John's disciples they should be certain about Jesus' true identity by his actions and not his words. Today as we take up where we left off last week, we find out what happens afterwards as Jesus addresses the ever-present crowds of admirers, followers and hangers-on, beginning at verse 24.

“After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? This is the one about whom it is written, 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you'. I tell you, among those who are born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.' (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)” (Luke 7, verses 24-30)

The quote Jesus used from the Old Testament, “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you”, comes from Malachi chapter 3, verse 1. Jesus knew the Bible as it existed back then better than anyone who ever lived, as you can see from this relatively obscure scriptural quotation. “'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?” I can almost hear the nervous laughter rippling through the crowd. “But what did you go out to see? A prophet?” 'You went to see a real prophet, didn't you', Jesus was saying! Our Savior then answers his own question, “I tell you, among those who are born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” To receive a compliment like this from the Lord Christ Jesus was nothing short of superlative from John's standpoint. It sure would be to myself! I'd be happy just to be John the Baptist's maintenance man at his mansion in the sky!

“... yet the one who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” There is unconditional equality in God's kingdom! The least in God's kingdom to come (and soon!) are still greater than John the Baptist. How can this be? Is this because no one is considered to have any superiority over anyone else, or great authority? That's partly true, but I think the main reason is that no one who made it to God's kingdom did so by their own efforts. Only the shed blood of Christ qualifies any of us to be there in New Jerusalem (heaven) with him. “All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right”. They embraced Jesus' teachings because they had embraced John's, who had told them in advance of Jesus' coming. There's something to be said in favor of faith right here. When these people came to hear Jesus, that was the proof of the pudding as far as they were concerned. This was a confirmation of their faith, and of the teachings and prophecies of John the Baptist. The Pharisees and “experts” in the Old Law rejected Christ, much to their own condemnation. And now let's move on to the second part of our study, starting at verse 31, as Jesus continues to speak.

“'To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry'. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and 'sinners'. But wisdom is proved right by all her children.' Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.” (Luke 7, verses 36-39)

Jesus compared the religious establishment of his day, the Pharisees and Rabbi's, to children playing who, when no one would join in their games, sat around pouting and sulking because they didn't get their way! “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'” John the Baptist lived by himself in the desert, eating locusts and wild honey for his main diet. This gentleman was evidently a hermit of sorts who would go out and preach sporadically but frequently in the desert areas of Judea, in what is now called the West Bank area of Israel. One thing is for sure – John was not a normal, everyday kind of guy. But since the religious establishment didn't understand him or believe what he preached, they said John was some kind of demon-possessed individual. Jesus then told his critics that day, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and 'sinners'. But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” The Pharisees and Rabbi's were so arrogant that they passed judgment against both John the Baptist and Jesus without so much as a second thought. The religious establishment of today hasn't changed a bit, no matter which faith it may be.

Then, the text does a 1^st century version of 'fast forward' as it jumps over to the dinner at the Pharisee's house. As the “sinful woman” weeps at the feet of Jesus, “she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.'” So it's plain to see that the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner was judging this woman, possibly someone involved in the sex trade, and he assumed he could hide his thoughts from our Lord. But he assumed incorrectly, as we will now find out, beginning at verse 40.

“Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' 'Tell me, teacher', he said. Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him 500 denarii, the other one 50. Neither of them had the money to pay them back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?' Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.' 'You have judged correctly', Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.' Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' The other guests began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?' Jesus said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace'.” (Luke 7, verses 40-50)

Here again we find ourselves being confronted by Jesus who granted unconditional equality to everyone no matter who they were. As you can see, our Savior took great exception to anyone who considered themselves better than others, no matter what the reason. He was reprimanding Simon the Pharisee in a diplomatic sort of way. Simon had provided Jesus with a nice dinner in comfortable surroundings, that is true. Did Simon the Pharisee reap an eternal reward for that? I would think so, but Jesus was gently telling him that he shouldn't think so highly of himself. The woman who wept at the feet of Jesus, although described by the apostle Luke as “sinful”, she was evidently shedding some tears of repentance. 'You didn't wash my feet, but she did. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but she has kissed my feet nonstop since I've been here. You didn't anoint me with oil, but she has doused my feet with perfume. Your dinner has been nice, Simon – very nice! But she has done more – much more!' Jesus regarded the acts of the sinful woman as being more noble than all the religiosity that Simon could muster.

“.... her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.' Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' The other guests began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?' Jesus said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace'.” For she loved much? But he who has been forgiven little loves little? Yes, the (previously) sinful woman had been forgiven many sins, so she loved Jesus more than all the others, particularly Simon. Simon loved Jesus the least of everyone at the dinner because he held himself in high regard and probably had a 'holier than thou' attitude to boot. But it's not our own efforts that can save our souls, but faith combined with our acts most definitely can! If that formerly sinful woman's faith saved her, so can ours. Only, let's similarly be formerly sinful like she was after she met Jesus, and let's all do our level best to live the rest of our lives in this way. And next time we meet, well start on part one of Luke chapter eight.

The Seven Trumpets Explained

The Book of Revelation: the Seven Trumpets Explained

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

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I have decided to take time out this week to comment on part of the Book of Revelation that has to do with a series of end time events known as “The Seven Trumpets”. I will be quoting from chapters 8, 9 and 11 as I do my level best to explain the meaning of all these future events as they were written down more than 1,900 years ago. But I'm also going to dispel some myths and refocus some misunderstanding about the Book of Revelation and its meaning. There are widely varied interpretations of Revelation being disseminated by an equally varied spectrum of pastors and teachers, as you well know. Many of these various explanations are very accurate and scriptural, but many others not so much, and a few are downright silly. I will bypass commenting on any of these other interpretations for right now. All I'm going to do is explain the Seven Trumpets as best I can, and I have chosen this part of the Revelation because it is very relevant to the times in which we live. I will begin at chapter 8 and verse 6.

“Then the seven angels who had the 7 trumpets began to sound them. The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.” (Revelation 8, verses 6-9)

Regarding the first trumpet, the majority of clergy and theologians believe this event has not yet occurred, but I disagree. Once before in human history a similar calamity overtook Egypt during the seventh plague (see Exodus 7, verses 14-24). The difference being that the Egyptian calamity was local, but this judgment will be worldwide. It will most certainly be so unusual that mankind will be forced to recognize that it is a divine judgment. As with all the seals, trumpet and bowl judgments, since the results are literal, the judgments will be literal also. The same can be said for the second trumpet, which describes an apparent meteor or comet striking the earth and landing in the ocean.

A word of caution here – this is not a prophecy of a planet colliding with the earth! Unlike what some are saying on You Tube and other social media, this is not a prophecy of “planet X” or “planet nine”, also called Nibiru (Who dreamed up that name? Sounds like a brand of Japanese car). While this planet does exist, its current location is estimated to be somewhere between Neptune and Pluto, the 2 outermost planets in our solar system. Since it takes approximately 165 years for Neptune to orbit the sun, if Planet Nine is that far out it will take at least half that time or longer to reach earth, if it reaches us at all. So you can all stop worrying about “Nibiru” – it is very, very far away and will do us no harm. Let's move along now to the 3^rd trumpet.

“The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water – and the name of the star is wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. As I watched I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice, 'Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!'”. (Revelation 8, verses 10-13)

Contrary to what some are saying on social media like You Tube, etc, this is not a description of a second meteor or comet. It is a description of an event all right, but this is completely different. You will recall the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in Soviet Russia, where a nuclear power plant overheated and exploded, blowing the roof off the facility. As some of you already know, 'Chernobyl' translates into English as 'Wormwood' (read more about that here), although the translation is not the same word-for-word. Since the Asian continent where Russia is located takes up one third of the land mass on earth, the references to “one-third of the rivers and springs of water” makes sense to me. The description of the fourth trumpet is different, however. Something is going to cause 1/3 of the planet to have no sunlight in the daytime, and no stars at night either. The best explanation seems to be a large volcanic eruption big enough to cover a third of the skies with dust, soot, ash and smoke, although I can only speculate about how long this will last because Revelation doesn't say what duration this will be for. But if Revelation says it's going to occur, you had best believe it will! What about the eagle, you ask? It is symbolism, most likely for the United States who emerges as the Cold War victor only several years following the Chernobyl/wormwood disaster. And now let's have a look at the fifth trumpet, beginning at chapter 9 verse 1.

“The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and the sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given the power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of a sting from a scorpion when it strikes a man. During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.” (Revelation 9, verses 1-6)

There is a lot of symbolism here, starting with the 'fallen star', which is Satan or Lucifer. As you know, Lucifer and his band of demons, who were formerly one third of the angels in heaven prior to their insurrection against God and his place of supreme leadership, were kicked out of heaven for their rebellion against God. They were sent to hell or Hades, or the Abyss here in Revelation, to be punished eternally – forever banished from God's presence! When the shaft of the Abyss is unlocked, smoke comes pouring out in prodigious amounts and demons in the form of locusts appear. These locusts are demons that rise with the smoke of spiritual error that ascends from the bottomless pit. As scorpions sting by raising their tails over their heads but do not kill, these exercise power to hurt men spiritually by raising religious tales contrary to faith and elevate false prophets above their rejected Head, Christ the Word. Their stings spiritually paralyze unstable souls with doctrine, which, like the bottomless pit, has no foundation in God's Word. Lost souls become demons, like the 200,000,000 horsemen found in the next trumpet.

“They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” This is a dual reference – first to those who have the “mark of the beast” or seal of the Antichrist on their foreheads (see Revelation 13, verses 16-18), but also to the 144,000 who receive the seal of God upon their foreheads (see Revelation 7, verses 1-8). “They were not given the power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months.... During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.” Clearly, out of all the judgments – handed down in the form of trumpets which symbolize shofar horns, the ones the ancient Israelites used to call people to battle – this one is the most severe. These scorpions will inflict pain so extreme, people will want to die. They may even attempt suicide, but those efforts will be unsuccessful. They will all spend five full months writhing and screaming in agony. They will pump themselves up with opiates to deal with the pain, and most if not all will wind up being addicted as a result. And now let's move on to the sixth of these seven trumpets, starting at verse 13.

“The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice that was coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates'. And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.” (Revelation 9, verses 13-18)

In short, the 6^th trumpet is World War Three. This should not be confused with the war of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39. That is a separate middle eastern war that will occur just prior to WW3, and a topic for a separate discussion for the sake of brevity. The “horns of the golden altar that is before God” is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament (see Exodus 25 for a description of the ark). “'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates'. And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.” There are widely varying opinions on the meaning of this, but I happen to believe that the Bible is ultimate Truth. The fact of the matter is that the only nation in the world capable of raising an army of 200,000,000 is mainland China. And yet the “great river Euphrates” empties into the Arabian sea right on the border between Iraq and Iran. So the Chinese army will march to the west, cross the Euphrates river, and presumably march to the Mediterranean sea. The obvious reason is oil. This will be at a time when oil has become too expensive, too scarce, or both, and we're nearly there now. But as to the exact timing of these series of events, no one knows for sure, and anyone who claims to know should be viewed with suspicion. And now let's close out this week's message with one final passage.

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.' And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for the judging of the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great – and for destroying those who destroy the earth'.” (Revelation 11, verses 15-18)

Hooray! The kingdom of the world has been replaced by the kingdom of God, administered by none other than Jesus Christ himself! No more rich elitist top one-tenth of one per center's, no more brutal dictatorships, no more multinational corporations who are financially raping and pillaging the earth and their employees, no more military and no more pollution either. Now that's what I call an ideal world! But who are the twenty-four elders? They represent the twelve tribes of Israel (the 12 sons of Jacob) plus the twelve apostles, with Judas Iscariot replaced by the apostle Paul. All the wars that will be fought have been fought by this point in time, and it is an era of complete peace throughout the earth. It is time for Judgment Day, beginning with those who destroy the earth through war and pollution, and ending with those who destroy other people – murderers, sex offenders, and other abusers. Even if they believe in Jesus, it will be just as bad for them on that day as it will be for those who don't believe at all! So until next time, let's keep ourselves together for Christ, acknowledging that one day soon, he will rule the earth and we will be his subjects as well as his peers. Enjoy your week, everyone!