581: Gog and Magog and Israel, Gaza, and Hamas

581: Gog and Magog and Israel, Gaza, and Hamas

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A Look at Our Current Situation

There is so much bloodshed and brutality taking place between Israel and Hamas, that many have been looking for comparisons between what’s happening today and the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel found in Ezekiel 38 and 39.  And the similarities are striking.

Ezekiel foretells an end-times invasion of Israel led by Gog, ruler of Magog, along with Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and other nations.  It also reveals that God providentially brings this vast alliance down to invade Israel, only to judge them harshly.  And I mean, really harshly.  Sodom and Gomorrah harshly.

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.  I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops— many people are with you” (Ezekiel 38:1-6).

And when you identify the people groups involved with their related nations today, it’s like a primer on the beginning of World War 3.

•   Gog – Leader (Demonic)
•   Land of Magog (Scythians) – Central Asia, the countries that made up the former Soviet Union (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan)
•   The Prince of Rosh – Russia
•   Meshech and Tubal – Modern Turkey
•   Persia – Iran
•   Ethiopia (Cush) – Modern Sudan, nations south of Egypt
•   Libya (Put or Phut) – Modern Libya, possibly as far as Algeria and Tunisia, those west of Egypt
•   Gomer (Cimmerians) – Central Turkey
•   House of Togarmah – Modern Turkey, North of Israel


Arab Nations Against God’s People

Let’s look at Ezekiel 38:1-6 again, only with the current nations included.

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog (Central Asia, the countries that made up the former Soviet Union), the prince of Rosh (Russia), Meshech, and Tubal (modern Turkey) and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.  I (God’s actions) will turn you (Gog from Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal) around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out (again, God’s actions), with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.  Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (modern Sudan), and Libya (modern Libya, including Algeria and Tunisia) are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer (central Turkey) and all its troops; the house of Togarmah (modern Turkey, north of Israel) from the far north and all its troops— many people are with you” (Ezekiel 38:1-6).

Can you see the chess pieces being sovereignly moved into place for this prophecy to be fulfilled before our very eyes?  I sure can.  So join us as we look deeper into the Gog and Magog conflict, which is a key indicator the end is near.

And keep looking up, for our redemption draws near (Luke 21:28).


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After Ohio – Abortion is the Sacrament of Trashworld

After Ohio – Abortion is the Sacrament of Trashworld

The Handwriting on the Wall

As you know, on Tuesday, the state of Ohio, which Trump won in 2020, voted to enshrine abortion in their constitution.  The text of the amendment states:

“Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on (1) contraception; (2) fertility treatment; (3) continuing one’s own pregnancy; (4) miscarriage care; and (5) abortion.”

And again, we’re not talking about California or New York, but Ohio, that Trump will probably win again in 2024.  How is that possible?  And how can we move forward as a nation, and as His church, seeing the tide shift so suddenly?

I don’t have the answer, but I do like what Andrew Isker has to say (he wrote the Boniface Option).  I have posted below his assessment of where we are and how to move forward and, as usual, he doesn’t mince words.

I hope you will be encouraged and enlightened to what he has to say and how we, and God’s children, salt and light in a decaying world, need to respond.



Abortion is the Sacrament of Trashworld

By Andew Isker

This week the State of Ohio voted by a nearly ten-point margin to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. Ohio is not a far-left blue state like California or New York, it is a conservative red state that Donald Trump won by almost the same margin in 2020. The results of this ballot amendment have shocked many in the pro-life movement.

It should not.

For decades Pro-Life, Inc. and most of conservative evangelicalism has pushed this single issue in isolation from all the rest of modern American life. They have operated as though everything else in American life can remain the same so long as we stop murdering babies. This has always been nonsense.

All of our modern way of life is structured around the murder of tiny children. Consumerist, managerial, liberal society requires all of humanity to be deracinated, stripped of particular, historic ways of life, and every single person reduced to bare individuals. The order that God created for humanity, to have marriage, family, and children, the very necessities for a civilization to function and perpetuate itself is now a consumer lifestyle choice, among a myriad of others. There is no marriage as nearly all of human existence has known it. Now it is merely a legal compact for two adults to live and share property together, to be dissolved whenever there is no longer mutual consent.

Abortion allows women to be unshackled from their telos, their divinely-ordained, unique purpose— to bear and rear children. Now, they can be bare economic units consuming whatever they produce, and free to pursue whatever way of life they desire, even to become “men.” The basis of our entire society is the freedom to become whatever you want, created realities be damned. You don’t want to be uniquely bestowed with the power to bring new human life into the world? Then we can kill that life whenever it is created in your body.

Abortion is the sacrament of this total freedom and atomized individualism. It is the barbaric ritual-killing, blood must be shed so you can be free to enjoy brunch and swiping right. The entirety of American society, and especially what the American views as its highest good, requires abortion be held sacrosanct.

The mainstream evangelical Christian, the bulwark that gives the Pro-Life movement its energy and foot soldiers does not view American society this way at all. It believes that the consumerist, liberal paradise is just fine, so long as we don’t chop up babies. They believe we can still have our feminism, our “strong, independent women,” and a country that is reduced to an economic zone, so long as abortion is banned.

The end of Roe v. Wade has revealed what folly this is. The rot within American society is deep. Much, much deeper than most are willing to understand. You could see this even as early as 2015, when Donald Trump was asked about criminalizing abortion and punishing women who sought to murder their children. Every major figure within Pro-Life, Inc. raced to condemn Trump as quickly as possible. Their entire strategy was built around the comical fantasy that women who seek to have their child dismembered in the womb were victims who had no idea what they were doing.

They embraced the feminist frame, blaming all abortion squarely upon men. Whatever they did, they would not confront feminism or the underlying economic and social conditions that require the industrial-scale slaughter of babies. No, they dare not touch these things, because they are the idols that we tolerate within the church. We have bought the lie that women and men are exactly the same except for a few bits of hardware. We are terrified of saying that most women should be wives and mothers and not pursue careers. That would limit freedom, and well, we cannot have that.

But until Christians are willing to confront the revolutionary restructuring of human society over the last hundred years, industrialized infanticide is here to stay. You can put up as many billboards of beautiful smiling infants that say “choose life” as you want, but the social, economic, and spiritual forces that drive the slaughter of millions of babies are not going to go away. Only when feminism and radical individualism are seen as satanic ideologies will we ever gain any ground.

But our current way of life, which I have called “trashworld” in The Boniface Option, is both doomed for destruction and must be destroyed. No civilization can exist like this forever. Not in the temporal sense nor the spiritual. God has created a world with order, just as He created a world with gravity. Nearly all of mankind throughout history could not live the way we do, even if they wanted to, because they lacked the hyper-efficient global economy that produces the unfathomable wealth and standard of living we currently enjoy. This affluence— which we foolishly believe is the baseline for human existence— is what allows us to indulge in civilization-destroying monstrosity. The natural order still exists. Gravity still exists. And the wealth we enjoy allows us to stand over the edge of the cliff like Wile E. Coyote, suspended in mid-air safe so long as we do not look down.

Looking down, however, is inevitable.

And a society like ours will not continue on forever. There will be judgment.

The question is whether the beginning of the unraveling of a great civilization like ours will provoke repentance, first in evangelical pulpits and churches, and then throughout the nation, or if God will allow what we deserve to befall us.

Our hope should be in the grace of God, that He will move powerfully to fundamentally transform our entire way of life. It should not be in “one, weird legislative trick” to keep Trashworld going but just without baby murder. The ax must go to the root and not glance about the edges. If the revolutionary change to our way of life that has occurred in the last hundred years is to be turned back, it must be by an equally powerful counter-revolution, a counter-revolution led by the people of God.

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575:  Why Did Jesus Pray for His Church to be One?

575: Why Did Jesus Pray for His Church to be One?

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Church:  The Hatfields and McCoys

We live in a world that is totally at war with itself.  Our nation is being torn apart by division – racial, socioeconomic, political – you name it, and we’ve experienced it.  But that’s not how Christ designed His church to be.  In fact, Jesus said in John 17 that when we love each other more than we love ourselves, the lost world will come to believe God sent Jesus and He is truly the Son of God.  In other words, our unity and oneness with each other will be the strongest evangelical draw we have to bring others to Christ.

But if you look around, all we see within the church is division.  Some churches believe in the sovereignty of God, while others deify man and his free will choices.  Some churches see homosexuality as a sin, while others have drag queens teaching the children on Sunday mornings.  The church has a history of dividing on trivial matters such as the mode of baptism or our posture in prayer rather than uniting around the “faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

But what did the Lord have in mind when He created His church?  And does it look anything like what we’ve turned it into today?  Let’s take a few moments and do a brief survey on what the Lord said about His church.


It’s Unity Above Almost Everything Else

As we’ve shared already, the early church was built on devoting themselves to the four disciplines found in Acts 2:42.  And as you can see, two of the four deal with building our family relationships with each other in unity (fellowship and the Love Feast, or the breaking of bread).

And they continued steadfastly in (were devoted to) (1) the apostles’ doctrine and (2) fellowship, in the (3) breaking of bread, and (4) in prayers – Acts 2:42.

Then we have the prayer of Jesus before His death on the cross.  And what was the content of His prayer?  Our unity in Him and each other.

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us (why) that the world may believe that You sent Me” – John 17:21.

Notice how many times Paul encouraged the church (and the individual believers) to humble themselves in unity with others like our Lord did.  It seems that being one together in Him was continually on Paul’s mind.

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be (what) like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, (why) that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 15:5-6.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (what) you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment – 1 Corinthians 1:10.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to (what) walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (how) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all – Ephesians 4:1-6.

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others – Philippians 2:1-4.


Ugh, Enough Already

I know, too many passages all saying the same thing lose their power over time.  Maybe.  Or maybe several passages all saying the same thing might convict us of our sins and move us to make the changes internally we need to in order to become one with other believers.   Maybe we will realize Jesus was serious about unity in His church, and Paul just piled it on even more after Him.

And maybe, just maybe, this will move us to change how we view church and each other in order to make His name known to those who live in sin, skepticism, and denial.  And maybe when we are one in Him, our loved ones will see the incredible power of Christ and come to faith in Him.

And if so, all He is waiting for is us to obey His commands.  Are you ready?  I sure hope so.


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574:  Turning Church from an Institution into a Family

574: Turning Church from an Institution into a Family

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Fellowship is More Than a Pot-Luck Dinner

If you look at the book of Acts, you’ll find the amazing story of how the church was born and grew to 3,000 people after one 297-word sermon preached by an impetuous, former fisherman named Peter.  It’s one of the most transforming passages in all the New Testament.  But what we fail to look at is the fact that now the church had a serious logistic issue.  Like, “What are we going to do with all these people?  How are we going to feed them?  Many of them don’t even speak the same language we speak.  We don’t have training materials, a church structure, or places for them to sleep.  And we don’t even know if we like them?  All we know is they have now received the same Spirit we received, and they consider us family, and we should start acting like family.”

This was a difficult problem for the infant church, which was only hours old.  I can imagine Peter and the rest of the disciples fretting over the fact this problem was way above their pay grade.  This was something Jesus needed to figure out before He ascended into heaven just ten days ago.  But He didn’t.  He just left them His Spirit and trusted them to follow His will.

I can imagine their prayers went something like, “Lord, show us what to do.  These are Your people, called by Your name, and filled with Your Spirit, just like we are.  So please, show us what to do.”

And that is exactly what the Lord did.


They Continued Steadfastly in Four Things

As you can see from Scripture, they “continued steadfastly” or “endured to the point of devotion” to four vital disciplines that allowed them to grow from a gang of strangers into His church (Acts 4:42).  Not three.  And not five.  Just four.  But these four were essential to their growth and devotion to the Lord and to each other.

And they continued steadfastly in (1) the apostles’ doctrine and (2) fellowship, in (3) the breaking of bread, and (4) in prayers – Acts 2:42.

Note what they were devoted to and the order they are listed.

And they continued steadfastly in
(1)  the apostles’ doctrineor preaching and the study of the Word of God.
(2)  and fellowshipwhich is koinōnía and means a partnership, communion, or joint participation.  This is something more than sharing a chicken dinner on Sunday.
(3) in the breaking of breadthis is more than communion or the Lord’s Supper.  It is a shared communal meal, much like a family reunion, that was part of their worship service.
(4) and in prayersboth corporate and individual.

As you can see, there is much we are missing today that the early church deemed essential when they came together as the family of God to worship the Father.  I believe there is much we can learn from them.  But the key discipline that changes them, and can change us, from an institution to a family is in the “breaking of bread” or the Love Feast.  And it is this forgotten love feast we will explore in this message.


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573:  The Deconstruction of Your Faith Equals Apostasy

573: The Deconstruction of Your Faith Equals Apostasy

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First Sign of the End-Times:  Deception

Jesus said one of the telling signs of the end times is the expositional growth of deception worldwide, especially within the ranks of those who call themselves Christians.  When asked about the signs of His coming and the end of the age, Jesus said, “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matt. 24:4-5).  He then reiterates the same truth about deception regarding false prophets in verse 11, and then  expands on the depth of the coming deception in Matthew 24:23-24.  Notice how powerful the final great deception will be.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Did you catch that?  Jesus said the deception at the end would be so powerful that if it were possible to deceive the elect, God’s chosen, then they would also be deceived into believing a false Christ or the antichrist.  It is that serious.  And it is accompanied by false signs and miracles.  It’s like Moses in the court of Pharoah 2.0.


Second Sign of the End-Times: Apostasy

In Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica, he tells them what signs to look for before the coming of the Lord and the appearance of the antichrist, the “man of sin” or “son of perdition” (2 Thes. 2:3).  And he said there would be a great “falling away” or apostasy – where true believers abandon the faith for some deceiving spirit or false god.

So let’s put this all into focus:  First, great deception and false christs will proliferate worldwide throughout the culture and the church.  And then, second, those who claim to be believers will abandon the faith, fall away, and reject the true Christ for one made in the image of man and empowered by Satan, namely, the antichrist.  But what will this falling away look like?  Will elders in a church one day stand and proclaim they no longer believe in Jesus?  Or will pastors start preaching a fourth person in the Trinity – Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and their cousin Billy Bob?   Will there be an open renunciation of the Christian faith by those who claim to love Jesus?  Well, yes and no.  All of this will happen, but not as you would think.


Deconstruction:  Just Another Name for Apostasy

Notice again what Jesus said about the false christs in the end times:

“Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matt. 24:4-5).

When they come in the name of Christ, as a false christ, they are not saying, “Hey, follow me, I am Jesus.”  Instead, they are saying, “I come in the name of Christ.  I know what He is like.  And I know what it means to follow Christ.  So follow me, and I will show you the real Jesus and not the false Jesus you have been following.”  And this is where the deception gets sinister.  Because the false Jesus they are promoting is not the Biblical Jesus, but a Jesus of their making, a Jesus acceptable to our culture, and a Jesus that thinks just like we do, as sad as that sounds.

And the method of converting from the Jesus of the Bible to the false Jesus we have been warned about is called deconstruction.  The great, prophesied, end-time apostasy has been rebranded into a positive light where we are deconstructing the Christian faith by removing from it anything we find unacceptable, such as sin, judgment, righteousness, and sanctification.  And we replace it with whatever we want, whatever our culture deems acceptable, and whatever makes us feel good.

It is truly creating and worshipping the golden calf and not the Lord on Mt. Sinai.  And we see it happening all around us today.


But We Have Been Warned

Yes, we have been warned and should not be surprised by this great falling away.  Remember Paul’s warning to Timothy:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in (when) latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron – 1 Timothy 4:1-2.

But there is more.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables (the word we get myths from) – 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

The Holy Spirit has warned us in advance.  Are you prepared to face the onslaught of false doctrines, false christs, false signs and miracles, and a false understanding of the Christian faith?  If so, the name of that great apostasy is called deconstruction.  And the best way to confront the counterfeit is to know perfectly what the authentic looks like.

I hope you are ready.  For ready or not, deconstruction is coming our way.  In fact, it’s already here.


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