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Eschatology Issues CXVI

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Question #1:

Hello Bob,

I hope your weekend has been enjoyable.

Am I correct I understanding that the "seven Times" in Nebuchadnezzar's dream prophesing him grazing in the weeds was seven years?

Time, times and half a time along with seven times seem to be quite prominent in scripture. How does Nebuchadnezzar's experience relate to the Tribulation? Also. Do you think Nebuchadnezzar was saved given how he accepted the Lords dominion over all?

Babylon was prophesied to be destroyed but scripture relates Belshazzar to Darius to Cyrus but seems to end there in the chronicle. How did Babylon actually end? Does it matter?

The more I read and understand, the more questions I have, it seems.

Looking at the world situation today, I think I'm beginning to understand Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the statue with feet of clay. I pray we are the iron and they are the clay. But we'll both be destroyed, will we not?

Yours in our Lord,

Response #1:

Good to hear from you, my friend!

"Am I correct I understanding that the "seven Times" in Nebuchadnezzar's dream prophesying him grazing in the weeds was seven years?" Yes. "Times" equals "years" in Daniel also at Dan.7:25 and Dan.12:7.

Yes, the 7 = 3 1/2 times 2 and the 42 months representing the 3 1/2 years are frequently mentioned as such. Here's the list (from CT 3A at the link):

Re: "How does Nebuchadnezzar's experience relate to the Tribulation?" I'm not sure it does have a direct relationship to it (link). His experience was a rough one, no doubt, so there is that, but 1) he had it coming; 2) he was not yet a believer; 3) he survived even so; 4) he was out of his wits the whole time so he couldn't have suffered the way we will suffer in full knowledge of what is going on. But it is another example of "seven years of trouble".

Re: "Do you think Nebuchadnezzar was saved given how he accepted the Lords dominion over all?" While this is apparently controversial (not everyone accepts this), I certainly do. I don't think an unbeliever could express himself in the way he does in scripture after he is restored to his sanity at Daniel 4:34-37.

Re: "How did Babylon actually end?" The Babylonian empire came to an end with a rapid collapse (we also have that from the book of Daniel: Dan.5:30-31). The city thereafter was still extent and substantial in Alexander the Great's day, but never again regained its political importance.

Re: "Does it matter?" This may possibly provide a pattern for mystery Babylon USA: great destruction and depopulation of the countryside but not absolute annihilation forever; more along the lines of Egypt in Ezekiel 29:13: "and there they shall be a lowly kingdom". However, many verses on the subject are pretty demonstrative about the destruction and its totality (Revelation chapter eighteen, just for example; see the link).

Re: "I pray we are the iron and they are the clay." Who's the "we" and who's the "they"? The feet of clay mixed with iron is speaking of antichrist's kingdoms in toto; that is, his worldwide empire in which, like Alexander did, he tries to unify the human race by intermixing it , thus to further an internationalism which cannot be reversed (along the lines of the tower of Babel). But it will not succeed. There are two feet; there are two bases for the beast's command of the world: Babylon and revived Rome.

"The more I read and understand, the more questions I have, it seems." That is a decidedly GOOD thing – and an experience common to us all who are seeking the Lord aggressively.

Hope you're having a nice summer down there, my friend! Already plenty warm up here (set at least one record this week).

Keeping you in my prayers.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #2:

Thanks Bob for the explanation and cites. The feet of iron and clay always mystified me a bit. Your explanation now makes sense and seems to be occurring worldwide. Recent headlines have mentioned Chinese, Romanians and people from all over the world invading both southern and northern borders. For us, it's not just Mexicans or Guatemalans. Given that defending against invasion is one of the few things relegated to the federal government in the constitution and is being ignored suggests to me that the orchestra is in the pit and warming up to start the show.

That was a major light going on for me. Thank you. Thank you for your prayers. You remain in mine as well.

Yours in Jesus,

Response #2:

You're very welcome.

Yes, there are MANY present trends which certainly indicate to me that 1) the US will indeed be the mystery Babylon of the Tribulation (even though we're not there yet; link); and 2) it's hard to see how "all this" can continue too much longer – or how the Lord will allow it to continue this way too much longer, not just here but around the world. And finally, "all this" seems plenty bad enough. It will be at the very least "interesting" to see how all these and more negative and dangerous social, political and economic trends explode once the Restrainer removes His restraint when the Tribulation begins (2Thes.2:6-7).

Thanks for your prayers too, my friend – they are VERY needful at the moment.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #3:

Hello Dr. Luginbill,

I have a question on Acts 2:16-21. The Pentecostal's and Charismatics, use these scriptures to validate their doctrine, but something does not quite fit with their doctrine. Peter was speaking about what happened on the Day of Pentecost and following in the Book of Acts. But, when I was in the Pentecostal movement, so to speak, I was always confused by these verses.

Verses 17-18 say: "And it shall be in the Last Days God says, That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even on my Bondslaves both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy."

Here is my thinking on these verses:

1. The Last Days would be when the Apostles and disciples of Christ were alive during the 5th millennial year.
2. We live in the 6th millennial year, but my thinking is, that what is referred to here in these verses, will happen during the Tribulation, and not as the Pentecostal church doctrine says.
3. My reasoning for this is, verses 19-21, are referring to the Last Days, during the first half of the tribulation.

Would you please clarify this for me, so I can get a good understanding of these verses.

I don't believe that the doctrine of the Pentecostal's and Charismatics is correct nor biblical.

Thanks for your great help.

Blessings to you always,

Your friend,
P.s. Forgot to mention, I got the clue from your teaching on the above subject. Here is what you wrote:

". . . the fact that, in this way, the Church Age will end in the same miraculous fashion in which it was ushered in, with great satanic opposition, and surpassingly great divine provision and manifestation (cf. Joel 2:28-32, a passage equally applicable to Pentecost and the events preceding the Second Advent: compare with Acts 2:16-21; cf. Is.32:15; 44:3; Jer.31:33-34; Ezek.36:24-27; 37:9; Zech.12:10)."

When I read this part: "cf. Joel 2:28-32, a passage equally applicable to Pentecost and the events preceding the Second Advent: compare with Acts 2:16-21;" then I said to myself, something is not right with the doctrine of the Pentecostals' etc. Just wanted to let you know how I discovered this truth.

Response #3:

Yes, this is mainly the way I see it, namely, that these were inaugural events for the Church Age and also concluding events for the very end before the Lord's return. That is actually also what it says explicitly in the quote too (even more clear in the Hebrew of Joel): all these signs took place at Pentecost, are NOT taking place now, but will take place again and in earnest, "Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD", that is, the 2nd Advent (Joel 2:31 NKJV).  See the link:

The Miracles of the 144,000

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #4:

Hey Bob,

Thought I would share with you something very encouraging. Today in Manchester city centre I saw some men giving some religious texts away for free that appeared to be written in Arabic. I just assumed it was the Qur'an so I just walked on. Later on, when waiting for the bus, I saw a copy had been left on the bench so I picked it up to look at it and it was actually the NIV New Testament! It was such a lovely surprise to see! There are often people trying to give away copies of the Qur'an here and I have seen many trying to give away copies of the Watchtower. This is a totally new one for me to see and so encouraging. Thought I would share you this great news! I hope that people will see it and read it. I will pray tonight that these efforts will bear much fruit! If I see them again in the future I will be sure to speak to them in encouragement!

In Jesus,

Response #4:

That's wonderful! In spite of all negative trends, the Lord is "making ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Lk.1:17). And in spite of all troubles and travails before that great day of His return, we will never regret choosing for Him, and will never regret an ounce of spiritual preparation before the fact.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Revelation 7:9-10 NKJV

Good to be in the number of the saints and to stay faithful now and then (especially considering the alternative)!

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #5:

Thanks Bob,

I am glad that it was a damp squib in the end but still it is not nice to know that ostensibly domestic terrorists (with a shaky grasp on reality and untreated psychological co-morbidities) are backed by the police! The fact that they use the same methods of intimidation as BLM (Baalim) and promoters of sectarian violence should not surprise as they are clearly a 'rent-a-mob' astroturfed corporate sponsored movement to splinter and polarise society even further. It seems that biological truth and family are the two aspects of society in the crosshairs here. Really though, deep down, we all know this is primarily an attack on Jesus Christ and the Word (the truth and the only truth).

Something else I was thinking about... Speaking of astroturfing. On that Asbury movement again, did you listen to the 'speech' that started the whole 'move of God' that they claimed? The Gospel wasn't mentioned once. The man talked about his wife a lot, then he talked about his friend and how much he loved tacos and that was it. He left the podium and then teenagers discussed their emotional problems they were having and then they 'started getting saved'.

I have been thinking about this again. The 'speech/sermon' that the man gave that started Asbury was revealing. I have realised that when I was in the Nazarene Church for a brief time, these are exactly the kind of 'sermons' they give there. I was puzzled as the Pastor at the church I attended gave 'sermons' on Steve Jobs and on episodes of the TV show 'Friends'. At the time I thought it was just being 'Seeker Friendly' but I realise now that there is a much deeper and darker agenda afoot here.

I left the Nazarene Church after a bit of a dispute with the Pastor. I had done my research and found out that the Nazarene Church was joining with the Emergent Church movement. I pointed this out to the Pastor and he was very defensive. He immediately severed fellowship with me.

So what I found out about the Emergent Church is that the whole 'Seeker Friendly' idea is just a cover for what they really believe. People think that seeker friendly churches are trying to appeal to non-believers who are more comfortable with popular culture than the Bible so they use popular culture references and methods to reach the unsaved. Obviously though only the Gospel saves, so what is actually happening here? People think they are just diluting the Gospel with this but they are actually replacing it with something else. They are replacing it with Pantheistic Monism and I can prove it!

Further reading has shown that the Emergent Church who uses 'Seeker Friendly' tactics are also referred to as the 'Post-modern Church' or 'Post-truth Church'. They claim that we cannot possibly know what the truth is so anyone's guess is just as valid as the next person's. It is completely tied up with Post-Modern philosophy and completely against the idea of objective truth and in favour of subjective experience. It doesn't stop here though.

One of the main leaders of the Emergent Church movement is called Rob Bell. He wrote a book called 'Love Wins' which promotes Universalism and obviously by the title, he has sympathy for LGBTQ (as 'Love Wins' is the main motto for homosexual marriage.) You may think I am off-piste here but I will get around to Asbury as it is connected.

So Rob Bell wrote another book called 'Velvet Elvis' with the subtitle 'repainting the Christian faith'. To show that I am right in saying Rob Bell is a Pantheistic Monist is that he has written ANOTHER book called 'Everything Is Spiritual' - which really does say it all really.

So going back to the 'Velvet Elvis' book, I always wondered why have such a bizarre book title about Christianity? So it has finally sunk in what this is about. Why Elvis? Some again would say it is a 'Seeker Friendly' device to catch attention but put two of his titles together and you get 'Velvet Elvis : Everything is Spiritual'. What Bell is actually pushing here is that listening to Elvis Presley and even the man himself is a spiritual experience. That the Bible does not have a monopoly on God, that God is in everyone and everything and that is what Pantheistic Monists actually believe. They would believe that you can be 'saved' from listening to 'Jailhouse Rock' as much as reading the Bible. Yes this is a terrible blasphemy of course but then we look at Asbury...

How did the 'great move', the 'revival' start? From someone talking about the Gospel? No. From someone talking about tacos. This was NOT incidental. This is what the Emerging (merging) Church actually believe in. That is why they keep saying that awful saying 'Don't put God in a box'. What they actually mean by that but fail to actually say it, is that they believe you can be born again after talking about tacos. Or Elvis. Or Steve Jobs. Or the TV show 'Friends'. Do they really believe this? Absolutely they do. They believe that God is in everyone and everything, including tacos.

So back to Asbury again. What really happened there? A man talked about tacos and then teenagers were being 'saved'. They weren't 'being saved' at all as the Gospel was not being preached. Tacos were being preached. So what was happening from an Emergent Church/ Pantheistic Monist perspective is that those teenagers realised that 'God is in everyone and everything' and then they had their pagan 'rebirth' (as Satan always counterfeits the truth).

Apparently the Babylonian mystery cults used to teach that we are all god and that as soon as we 'remember who we are' (i.e. God) then we will be 'born again'. The current day New Age teaches exactly the same thing. So this is what it is all about. Emergent Church leaders will argue that a 'move of God' can happen anywhere, any place no matter what is being preached just like Asbury.

Of course this is hideous blasphemy but we shouldn't be surprised that Satan who has used popular culture for hundreds if not thousands of years to sow propaganda to undermine the Bible, that he should continue to use it in his Emerging Church of the Antichrist. People are so addicted to popular culture and they adore actors, musicians and sportsmen and women. It makes sense that Satan has and the antichrist will make full use of this fawning addiction that he has spent so long in the making.

I saw a bit of a UK TV serial the other day that was made in the 90's. The actor Alan Bates actually promoted this Pantheistic view many times in the show. He was meant to be an ex-lecturer of comparative religion and he kept saying that God was in Jazz players and cricketers and writers etc. That God was in everyone and everything. So this secular TV show in the 90s was 'teaching' from its pulpit exactly the same message as the Emergent Church is teaching today. Is it fair to point out that there is no such thing then as secularism or separation of church and state? That at every corner and every instance Satan promotes HIS religions and false doctrinal teachings as Gospel truth? Such as God is in everyone and everything which is promoted both by the Emergent Church and Asbury?

In Jesus Christ, the truth, the life and the way. There is salvation in no other name,
p.s. I read through the transcript of the Asbury revival 'sermon' that was alleged to start the 'move of the Spirit'. It is the typical hodge podge of liberal church sermon talking points with lots of secular and Christian 'themes' rolled together. It is meant to be a teaching on Romans but instead it is an unintelligible mish mash that comes across as 'word salad'. I tried to read it but couldn't as it didn't make sense. It was meant to be about love and different types of love and that is where his love of tacos came in.

Some of the sentences he used were 'Becoming love in action', 'lean into gratitude', 'continue this conversation'. This last one is very Emerging Church. They often call it 'conversational Christianity'. It is one of their many buzz words. Using lots of secular and pop culture references are also typical. Such as coffee shops and tacos. He says after 3 and a half minute mark that the cheese Jalapeno and smoked pork French fries are so good in Corto Lima that you start 'speaking in tongues'. He then talks about child sex abuse and says 'has anyone experienced that kind of love'? It is so confused and confusing that you don't know whether he is promoting this or speaking out against it. He then starts praying to Jesus and then says that he has a hole in his pants that you can see his heinie through. (At the 15 minute 20 second mark). He says this after commenting on a screw he found on stage that was evidence that the devil was trying to stop him from preaching (must be a superstition thing) Yes he actually said this in the middle of his sermon and people actually say this is a move of God. It is sickening as it is so blasphemous and mocking.

It is the kind of incoherent mess I have noticed that the Moonies taught in their mindbending 'lectures' that people would have a complete breakdown listening to! The book of Romans was lost in it all. It is also troubling that with this Emergent Church start to the proceedings that the usual Charismatic trappings were present: speaking in tongues and healings etc. It does appear that the Emerging Church is a merging church. The Charismatics are already merging with them there. Keep an eye on what I said though...the teaching that God is in everyone and everything (Pantheistic Monism). If people truly fall for that teaching that means no hell, no heaven, no sin and no salvation. It is a total rejection of Jesus Christ whilst simultaneously teaches something that the world will be jubilant to hear. No judgement or need for atonement. That there is no such thing as sin.

It is hard to take all of this in as it keeps morphing all the time. Encourage people who trust this movement at Asbury' to look at the original 'preaching' and its transcript. There is no Gospel there at all and yet people are being saved? If people still hold onto the idea people were being saved without the Gospel then the next logical step is that the Gospel is not necessary for being saved. Again that can only lead to the teaching that 'God is in everyone and everything' which is terrifying ground to be standing on.

Response #5:

This is really good material, my friend, good research, and good grist for your ministry mill. And this is all the more reason for genuine believers in Jesus Christ to get serious about the truth. Not only are they not going to be finding it in the vast majority of churches today, but, if they are not careful, they are going to have what little faith and truth they do possess undermined by exactly the sort of thing you report here. We've gone from adherents of aberrant sexuality being kicked out to those who find any problem with it being kicked out in just a few years. The water is heating up; the frog best be jumping out or . . .

On "gods", that is, after all, what the devil promised Eve, that "you will be like gods" (or "like God", the Hebrew being the same either way). Replacing God is always at the heart of the devil's propaganda, his three lies (link): #1: "I don't need God" (so you listen to the devil); #2 "I am like God" (so you believe what the devil says); #3 "God needs me" (so you are the devil - actually his servant instead of God's).

Here are some links on the development of antichrist's religion; as you point out so trenchantly, it seems already well on the way to coalescence. People worry about "singularity" in the realm of AI; we're getting close to the religious singularity which will be one if not the main vehicle of the beast's gaining of control over the entire world (true believers excepted):

Characteristics of the New Religion of Antichrist

The False Piety of Antichrist's Tribulational Religion

The Anti-Christian Religion of Antichrist and its World-wide Expansion

The Persuasiveness of the Tribulational False Religion

The False Prophet's Administration of Antichrist's False Religion

CT 4: The Great Tribulation

Peter #39: False Teachers, False Teaching, and False Organizations

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #6:

Bob,

I have had a big moment of spiritual clarity, what you refer to as Epignosis.

[omitted re: cult escape]

This is how Satan works, he says

A) There is good in everyone = humanism/ New Age (We are all gods! We are all OK!)

B) Only this cult is good everyone else is evil = every cult in existence (cult leader is God! Only us are OK as long as we follow leader!)

C) No one is good and there is no God = Atheism/Nihilism/Buddhism etc (There is no God. We are all not Ok but it is Ok to be not Ok/ morality doesn't exist/ life is a meaningless joke)

D) We are all good, our leader is the best but this one group is evil = Nazism/ Racism/ Anti-Semitism/ Conspiracy Theory (Our leader is God, but he has shown us we are gods too, this evil group will spoil our perfect plan! We are all Ok but group x is not OK)

I suspect D is what the Antichrist will pull. When a cult is small within a bigger country, it demonises the rest of the country's residents to the followers. When a cult is the whole country then it demonises a smaller group as a scapegoat to its followers. I have noticed this trend gathering pace with many cults today. (e.g. the Trump cult Q Anon demonises Democrats as being the only evil here. Similarly, Conspiracy Theory says it is the global elites/Illuminati's fault that we are all suffering. NO mention of personal sin at all.)

The truth is that we are ALL fallen and ALL sinners and that only God is good. That there are though some of us in the world who have realised this and now have turned to Jesus Christ to be saved and follow Him.

[omitted]

You once told me that I should not expect friends, family and extended family to be grateful for help like a 'mature believer would be'. That wisdom blew my mind! It was earth shattering to realise that virtually everyone around me are not only not mature believers, not even mere babes in Christ but that they are not alive at all! They really are like spiritual zombies, sleepwalking through life. I suddenly realised that they are all drowning (but don't know it yet) and here I am on solid ground!

I will still carry on witnessing to them with my life and keep praying and helping them as and when I can but I have really been humbled over how little I can do for them in the flesh. I think at times I have slipped both into scapegoat and saviour mode again and that is wrong. It IS difficult not to lapse back into childlike ways around them.

It is a very scary thought, to be surrounded by the perishing who know nothing, in fact it is terrifying. The people who rule countries and institutions know less than the ploughboy who knows the Gospel!

It's easy for knees to buckle at the thought but we know it is all in very solid and stable hands, Gods hands. I am learning to trust God's hands more than my own and I have learned not to trust my families hands at all but to not repay evil for evil and to hope for good and blessings for them, Amen.

The ONLY maturity is spiritual maturity and that is why we can often see a person in their dotage acting exactly like a spoilt child. Only God is the giver of wisdom. We may learn the odd lesson here and there in life though the mind fogs up again and we cannot retain it. What we learn by the Spirit though can be retained and we can always trust the Word of God better than our own eyes.

In Jesus,

Response #6:

You have had a tough road, but I am happy to hear that you have been putting things together in this wise way. "I am learning to trust God's hands more than my own" – that is exactly "the thing". Nothing is impossible for Him . . . as long as we trust Him (Matt.17:20). That does include the salvation of those we love. It is their choice, always, but God has been known to move mountains at our request. And the closer we get to Him, the more effective our prayers become (Jas.4:8; 5:16-18).

It is humbling and amazing to think that a new believer knows more than a sage who is not a believer – more truth, that is. And, really, what is worth knowing in this life besides the truth (e.g., Jn.18:38)?

I know that your growing insight will be very valuable to others as well in the ministry you are working on. Keep up the forward progress, my friend. In the end, it's all about the truth.

Keeping you and your family in my daily prayers.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #7:

Hello Dr. Luginbill,

This man is a teacher of Classical Hebrew, and writes in his introduction:

"This book is the result of my many years of research to develop a Bible Study tool where any Christian, regardless of age, educational background, or culture, will be able to study the Word of God in the original language and go beyond a simple search in Strong's Concordance, a lexicons or their Bible Dictionary. He states that this book goes beyond the lexicon and uses an ancient method of opening up each Hebrew word and reading it's built in commentary: This commentary is discovered by combining the ancient, esoteric structure of each Hebrew letter and translating a particular Hebrew word, letter by letter."

Here what he also writes in the book prologue:

Beyond the Hebrew Lexicon. The nature of language. Genesis 1:3 tells us “And God said: “Let there be light”. This statement creates an interesting question, because we learn that God is a spirit. In the Greek the word spirit is pneuma which has the idea of wind or breath. In the Aramaic Bible (Peshitta), the word that is used is rucha. This is identical to the Hebrew word ruch which is generally rendered as spirit, wind, cool, air, mind or disposition. In other words a spirit has no corporal being, it is something you can feel, but cannot really see. It has no form. This God as a Spirit has no physical form such as lungs, a tongue or vocal chords which are necessary to form speech. So how is it that God was able to speak light into being? The answer may be in the Hebrew word used for said which is ‘amar and debar. These two words in Hebrew commonly used for speaking, ‘amar and debar. Debar means to speak, but in its Semitic root, it has the idea of making a connection. ‘Amar also means to speak, but this is a speaking which is just making a declaration, an anouncement. ‘Amar does not acually have to be a vocalization, it could be just a thought. Thus, God just simply imagined or thought about light and there was light. He just imagined and thought about grass and there was grass. Still to even think we must formulate some sort of vocabulary, do we not? Animals do not think in language, they feels things. They feel impending atmospheric and geological changes in the earth in their physical bodies. They are in tune with the physical elements of the earth, it electrical and magnetic fields. Birds will fly intuitively straight to their winter homes thousands of miles away. Migrating whales do much the same. Salmon return to their breeding grounds to lay their eggs. Animals have a language, but it is not a language of words, it is the language of the creation. It is a language of the mind, emotions and feelings. If you have a pet dog you may think he understands every word you say, but he is really watching your eyes, your body movements and listening to the tone of your voice. He can tell if you are upset or happy. If you are upset with him it does not matter whether the words coming out of your mouth say, “Bad nasty, terrible dog,” or beautiful, wonderful, dear dog. No matter what words you use, your pet will lower his head and whine in despair. It is not your words he hears but your heart that he feels. So too is the language of God, it is not the words we use, the language we speak to Him in, but it is the words of our heart. These are not phonical sounds filled with vowels and consonants formed from our physical vocal cords, carried by air passing through the lungs and forming certain sound with our tongue and lips, but they are expressions of our heart. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”. So it is not a giant leap to say that God created the world using the energy of thought. When He created man, he communicated with man by the energy of thought, but when it became necessary for man to communicate with each other, God provided lungs, vocal cords, a tongue and lips that form verbal sounds to express what the energy of thought was formulation. This then brings us to the conclusion that language is merely thought processes that are expressed in a physical realm through sound formed from a natural human body."

Would you mind if I ask you for your comments on what he has written, some of which I believe is conjecture. I will appreciate it greatly, so I can know whether I should continue with the book or not. Blessings to you always,'

Your friend,

Response #7:

First, God is not "a spirit"; God IS spirit (Jn.4:24). Author doesn't seem to "get" that God is greater than the universe because He created it in an instance; that He is greater than time since He created that too; that trying to understand God in human terms through these several layers of speculation is not particularly helpful and potentially misleading – not to mention that it is certainly not biblical. Beyond the very first part, no references to scripture. We don't need to speculate about anything important because scripture tells us plenty.

Another major issue/tell which puts me on alert is the mystical numerology element (like Kabbala; see the link). As someone who knows the biblical languages very well, I can tell you definitively that there is no "number magic" in the Hebrew words/letters or Greek words/letters – we learn the languages so as to know what the Bible "actually says", not to engage in theosophy based on speciously derived numerical values. As to Aramaic (?), only very small parts of the Bible are in Aramaic. I read them when I read through the OT but they are generally not of great doctrinal significance (e.g., the parts of Daniel which are narrative and not theological).

This seems to me from the snippet to be one of those "impressionistic" books that knows how to capture the imagination but never delivers any true substance (nothing accurate, anyway) – sort of like those online commercials that tell you they have some "neat secret" to solve some problem but never give you an answer . . . in order to keep you clicking and then to get you to buy something (that inevitably doesn't work). Even if I bought into everything the person says here, I don't see how I would be edified one single bit.

It's not wrong for a Bible teacher in particular to read widely . . . but we do so critically (as you are doing), with an eye to keeping our sheep safe by helping them avoid just such dark pits.

"Beware of the false prophets who are going to come in among you in sheep's clothing, but underneath they are ravenous wolves."
Matthew 7:15

(29) "For I know that after my departure fierce wolves will enter in among you who will not spare the flock. (30) And even from among your own number [of elders] men will rise up and speak twisted things in order to entice the disciples (i.e., believers) to follow them. (31) So be alert, remembering that for three years I did not stop warning each of you [about these dangers] day and night with my tears."
Acts 20:29-31

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #8:

Thanks my friend for the feedback. I was sort of taken aback at the errors in English that he used. He does not know this language very well either.

I agree with you also about this book being impressionistic, for there are some very ominous errors he has made in the book. The biggest one concerning God who is Spirit, not a spirit.

I bought this some years ago and never looked at it, but just a little, no time, more interested in the Word of God than a book. As you know, yes, I am very critical of discerning the proper interpretation of scripture. The Holy Spirit is definitely helping me in this area.

It just seems that every hour, more come alive.

Thanks again always for your kind help and comments.

Put this back on the shelf again.

Blessings to you always,

Your friend,

Response #8:

My pleasure.

LOL, I have a lot of books like that on the shelf (wish I could sell them back for even half price).

The longer in the tooth I get, the more only the scriptures themselves along with reference works which directly apply to the languages and history are of much use to me.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #9:

Dear Teacher

Have you been well?

I just wanted to run this by you quickly. No pressure. Please deal with it at your own time. I just want your thoughts on the piece if you have any.

Your student in Jesus

Response #9:

I'm getting by. How are you two doing?

Very nice piece! The only (small) thing I would want to "sand down" is where you mention the idea of "brother's keeper" (several times).

"One may even add that this would be consistent with our duties as our brother's keeper as God
commands us in Gen. 9:5."

While I know what you mean, this phrase goes back to Cain and Abel with Cain affirming that he was not Abel's "keeper" as if his brother were an animal that needed tending – which was the height of hypocrisy inasmuch as the problem was not that God was asking him to do something unnecessary or abridge his brother's free will but that Cain had actually killed Abel and taken away that free will entirely.

As this phrase is nearly universally misunderstood and misapplied, I would recommend finding another way to say it.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #10:

Dear Teacher

We are also getting by. [omitted]

I've edited the writing to reflect what you said. I hadn't thought of it, but it does make sense that people will get the wrong idea, so I changed the term to "brother's avenger." That just gave me a thought about God's declaration that He is our avenger, so it's fitting.

Your student in Jesus

Response #10:

I'm happy to hear that you are OK. I have certainly been praying for these things. Also good to hear that you are making progress in your quest to find a way to make a living. That has been top of concern/prayer list for some time.

On the piece, the point was not the exact phrase so much as the idea behind it. I don't find it to be scriptural that "we" are "responsible" for the world and the human race. Much evil has been built on that canard. Believers are responsible for our fellow believers, for their spiritual welfare and also to help them materially in their hour of need (cf. Tit.3:14). But we do not owe that to the world at large. And even if we did, the way to address such a need would not be through capturing a political system and forcing others against their will to take care of the needs we perceive. That is the definition of evil. Now I KNOW you do not subscribe to that in anyway, but that is the thinking of many and so probably not a good basis from which to make an argument – since we don't personally subscribe to it at all.

We're all doing fairly well, trudging daily through the shot and shell!

Keeping you guys and your families in my daily prayers, my friend!

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #11:

Dear Teacher

Your prayers have been a huge help. [omitted]

I hadn't understood that it wasn't just the phrasing, but I understand your concern, Sir. That was part of the point of the piece. I started it out to try to answer more fully a question that__ asked me during one of our Bible study sessions while visiting. He asked why I don't vote, and I was trying to explain that we not only have no responsibility to vote but also that there is something problematic for believers in getting involved in politics. In that particular phrase, I was trying to capture what God said in Gen.9:5-6 to Noah. I thought that it meant that the human community is responsible to guard the life of the human individual and that that is the basis of governments in this world. So, it seemed to me to naturally follow that that responsibility to guard the lives of other human beings (except those who threaten it illegitimately) is now reposed in governments and our part as members of the human community is to support anything that they do to legitimately protect human life and free will but not anything that challenges Jesus's right to rule or God's rejection of human rulers as any kind of substitute for Him. From that, I concluded that any responsibility that we have to protect, for example, the unborn is no longer ours in the sense that people make it seem but now belongs to the governments. Am I in the right ballpark in my thinking about Gen.9:5-6? Is it possible that becoming believers somehow removes us from membership in the human community in the way that God speaks of it there?

Thank you so very much for your prayers, Sir. We keep you and your loved ones in our prayers here every day.

Your student in Jesus

Response #11:

In respect to Genesis 9:5, "his brother" I take to be the victim, not the person responsible to be rendering judgment. In the context, it seems pretty clear that the Lord is the One who is demanding the judgment. It is a difficult phrasing in Hebrew. NASB20 does a good job here, I think:

"I certainly will require your lifeblood; from every animal I will require it. And from every person, from every man as his brother I will require the life of a person."
Genesis 9:5 NASB20

The idea seems to be that life for life is required because the person slain was "his brother"; that is to say, the phrase is giving the basis of explanation for the command. We think immediately of Cain and Abel and are meant to. [n.b., I just checked Keil and Delitzsch and they say the same thing].

In respect to Genesis 9:6, it does say that "by man" is the means the Lord will use to shed the blood of those who shed blood, but I would resist seeing any sort of mandate for government here. Clearly, God establishes governments and does so for our benefit (Rom.13:1ff.). But in terms of this verse, we only have a statement that it will happen, and we know that for much of history, even the history of Israel, this deed was carried out by close family members rather than by any established supra-familial government (that is why the cities of refuge were established, after all). To use a loose analogy, we are told that everything in a church ought to proceed "decently and in good order" (1Cor.14:20), but that is no justification for writing up a covenant of rules as a result – far less for establishing a denomination.

Believers are told to obey the government the Lord places over them (Rom.13:2, e.g.), but never told to establish one or to get unnecessarily involved in supporting one. No doubt the Lord has in the course of history raised up certain people to be good leaders for the sake of His people. But it is well to consider that wherever there was such "good government" it was a blessing that the Lord provided for His people who were doing what He wanted them to do. That is to say, good government is the result of the Lord blessing good believers; it is not the result of believers getting involved and trying to MAKE government "good". The latter is merely playing into the devil's hands.

So I don't think it's a sin or anything like that to vote. I don't think it's a sin to get involved in government as a believer, especially if there really is a genuine call from the Lord (only the Lord and the person in question can know about that). But I do feel – strongly – that there are no political solutions to the problems one sees in our respective countries today. The only way things might "get better" is if the believers are determined to "get better". The saltier the salt, the greater blessing from the Lord. But if salt loses its savor, it's good for nothing: "It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out" (Lk.14:35). That's where most "remnants" of believers in most countries today are at present in the era Laodicea (if not all). Things won't get better by voting or through political action, through rallies and protests and riots or even revolutions. Things only get better when believers start putting the Lord and spiritual growth first. And to the extent that we even think that the "other way" will possibly "do it" for us, then we are at the very least distracting ourselves from the truth. And if we, e.g., "vote", aren't we on some level hoping to make a change through our own fleshly efforts rather than through the grace means we know the Lord has actually provided? These matters of application are always personal things and I would be averse to criticize any believer who feels differently about "civic responsibilities". But I will say that I've never seen, e.g., "voting", do a believer any good – but I have seen getting caught up in politics do immeasurable harm.

Keeping you guys in my daily prayers, my friend. Thanks to you and both for yours so much as well!

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #12:

Thank you, Sir. I know that you are right about that. I do feel like I'm on the right track with what I'm doing. Even when I find myself stuck, I am less and less troubled by that, which is a very different thing than it was in the past. In fact, I've taken off again at a decent speed. So, I've taken it to be that there are down times sometimes, and I just have to endure them and try to push forward when they pass.

I want to reread the piece again and see if I can make some changes to avoid that misunderstanding. I was also concerned that perhaps I failed to appreciate what you said in the writing. I am quite satisfied with where my mind is now on politics. It makes less difference to me now than before what side is getting things right and which is getting them wrong since both of them are getting the most important thing wrong. I was aware of that, but it is quite the emotional struggle to deal with people lying blatantly and ruining other people's lives for the sake of their insane ideas about compassion (especially because I came from a default of that in my own life). Now, perhaps because I've finally been able to write it all down, I feel significantly more indifferent to everything in politics than before. That is what I wish for all believers too.

Your student in Jesus

Response #12:

All we can do sometimes is just keep plugging away – and trusting God to work things out. As long as we really are doing all we can and are settled in our hearts that our course is the correct one, we have no worries about Him working it out for the good.

I think the piece is fine as is but will of course upload/replace anything you wish to send in future. I'm just making you aware of potential misunderstanding. This is harder to foresee in writing than in face-to-face teaching. If I'm not getting through to my students, I can usually read it on their foreheads – or they will ask me some question that lets me know we're getting off on the wrong foot. Writing and posting is shooting things off into the ether, often with little or no feedback loop at all. So we all have to be careful to double-think everything we say as pastor-teachers who are conducting this sort of ministry (e.g., Tit.2:7).

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #13:

Dear Teacher

LOL!!! I figured as much. AI is all over YouTube as well and is dominating conversations about software here too although I'm quite out of circulation so I don't know very much about what people are saying in the industry. The average person here is not very savvy about technology, so I haven't heard much from those I have been interacting with. Things are going well again in my studies anyway. A bit of a slowdown after a bit maybe because I was too excited in the beginning but good progress has been retained. I have some hope that I will be done by the end of the month.

About the piece I wrote, I have kept thinking about it, but I tabled it for a little while. I think I see why I was confused by what you were saying. The following quote was really what I thought about what Gen.9:5-6 is doing:

For example, although God never stated explicitly whether democratically elected governments or monarchic dynasties or despotism or republicanism is the right style of government, He most certainly instituted a principle of community oversight for the preservation of human free will in Genesis 9:5-6. That is, every human being is responsible to God for the preservation of human life and free will in the community.

Yes, I was arguing that we don't have a mandate to establish governments, but I thought that the passage meant that we have an individual responsibility to look out for each other but that that responsibility has been passed on to governments now since human beings have largely chosen to discharge that responsibility that way. So, while it is not God's will that mankind should establish governments, God holds those governments that they establish to those responsibilities since it chooses to do so.

I didn't realize that the passage was not saying that we have that responsibility to each other or that we had it until we handed it over to governments. What it means from what you said (and it seems to fit with everything else to my mind) is that God was saying that He is reserving the right to avenge those who are murdered and that the instrument of His vengeance will be other human beings. That is a very strong case against establishing governments since it means that He reserved the right to choose His own avengers at His own time.

How it would fit into my arguments then would be that God is perfectly at liberty and within His rights to use even rebellious actions like setting up governments of our own to accomplish His will (something He has been doing since the satanic rebellion). It would also make sense then that God may be pleased sometimes to lead a believer into such positions since this is a sanctioned duty, i.e., it is a job that He reserves the right to give to anyone He pleases whenever He pleases.

Therefore, while prudence would keep us out of any movements made to establish governments, we would also be wise not to judge any believer who heads that way since it may please God to make them an avenger.

Does this argument reflect what you were saying, Sir?

Your student in Jesus Christ

Response #13:

Yes, that sounds reasonable to me. Joseph is a perfect example of what you say in conclusion. He didn't have any role in "jockeying" for government authority – it was the Lord who set him in that position. And the same thing goes for Daniel. In both cases, God put these believers in positions of authority for the sake of His people. So if in any given country there is a remnant of savory salt, we can be sure that He will ensure good government. But if not . . .

On AI, I did an exercise for my upper level Latin class (Martial's epigrams this spring). Got on ChatGPT and told it to "Write a poem in Latin elegaic couplets about the death of a charioteer in the style of the Roman poet, Martial." And what do you know? In thirty seconds it produced a five stanza, metrical poem in Latin which is not at all bad! It even has some interesting alliteration in the last two lines. It made a couple of mistakes trying to get too cute with the Latin, but this is pretty scary – all of the lines scanned metrically. However, one of the mistakes was particularly interesting. It confused "blow" as noun (i.e., the "blows of whips") with the verb "blow" (which in Latin looks nothing like the noun; different roots). I.e., this is a mistake an English speaker would make. When I plugged this line into Google translate, it "understood it" just in the same way ChatGPT did. That means that this particular AI, any way, is really functioning in English. But very scarily . . . is also talking to other AIs. And they are confirming each others mistakes.

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #14:

Hello Dr. Luginbill,

I have a question on Zechariah chapter 9, verses 1 to 7. These verses that the prophet writes seem to me like he is fore-telling something that is indeed happening in Gaza and Lebanon today. All the places that Zechariah lists are either in Syria, Lebanon, or in the Palestinian cities, which were formally under rule by Philistines. I have researched each of the places in the seven verses that are referenced by Zechariah, and they match up with what is taking place right now. Could these prophecies also be relevant to today's history? Seems to me that perhaps, the words that God spoke to Zechariah include the war that is presently going on.

Can you help me and set me straight? I don't want to be incorrect in my thinking.

Blessings to you,

Your friend,

Response #14:

It is true that biblical prophecies often have multiple fulfillments, so while this one has already been fulfilled historically (i.e., the Philistines and the Phoenicians of that day, ca. 520 B.C., are long gone), it is not inconceivable that this will be the fate of those places as a result of the second advent judgments. However, there are no biblical prophecies which apply to the Church Age (link). The time we are in was the "mystery age" (see the link). Even those given to prophesy by the Spirit in Old Testament days didn't fully understand at the time the distinction between the first and second advents (Eph.3:2-6; 1Pet.1:10-11). What was going to happen in between was a mystery at the time – which is why the disciples asked the Lord even after the resurrection whether or not He was "at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:5); to which He replied that it was "not for them to decide " the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (Acts 1:7).

The Church Age does occupy the largest gap in the Jewish ceremonial calendar (see the link), so there are indications in the Old Testament that it would occur (e.g., the two millennial days that would be necessary to match the seven days of re-creation in Genesis; see the link). But from the OT point of view, the Church Age was not visible from a distance as occurring between the two huge mountain peaks of the first and second advents (see the link); So the exact nature of the Church Age, the mystery age wherein the Body of Christ would be filled up with a large complement of gentiles, and the special character of it, wherein we would all be indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit, were only made known after the fact.

(1) For this reason (i.e., the building up of the Church into a holy temple: cf. 2:14-22), I, Paul, am Christ's prisoner on behalf of the gentiles. (2) And I assume that you have heard about this dispensation of God's grace given to me on your behalf (i.e., his mandate as an apostle to "carry Christ's name to the gentiles": Acts 9:15). (3) For it was through [God's] revelation that this mystery [of His calling out of the gentiles] was made known to me as I wrote you briefly before. (4) When you read these things you will be able to understand my spiritual insight into this mystery of Christ, (5) which was not made known to mankind in previous generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (6) [And the mystery is this]: that the gentiles are [now] fellow heirs, members of the same body, and equal partakers of the promise [of salvation to Israel] in Christ Jesus through the gospel, [the proclamation of His victory]
Ephesians 3:1-6

These are basic doctrinal points but little known in the church-visible today. And it is very important to have these things right, because otherwise it would be easy to be deceived by current events, especially as these events come more and more to approximate the prophecies of scripture because we are indeed getting closer and closer to the end. But it's not yet the end.

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Matthew 24:1-3 NIV

We are right to take notice of these events and dedicate ourselves to spiritual preparation, giving ourselves a "crash course" in eschatology if need be (the SR series, the CT series, and BB 2B: Eschatology are good for these purposes). We see the fig tree putting out new shoots and we know that the summer is near (Matt.24:32-22), but it will only start to produce prophesied fruit once the Tribulation begins. Sticking close to what the scripture actually says about all end times events will be most important for believers to avoid the deceptions that our Lord warned us about – deceptions which are already ubiquitous in our day and age, so how much more so once the Tribulation starts (e.g., anyone claiming that "1948" was prophetically significant can be ignored on that basis alone; see the link)!

"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time."
Matthew 24:24-25 NIV

For us "upon whom the end of the ages have come" (1Cor.10:11), we will very likely be witnesses to the actual fulfillment of all of the end times prophecies with our own eyes very soon. Current events overseas and societal trends in this country are just two examples of the initial rumblings of what is about to transpire – but it is very important not to confuse them with "the real thing".

So keep your eyes peeled and your head down – and keep fighting your good fight of faith for Jesus Christ.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #15:

Hi Dr. Luginbill,

It's good to hear from you! I've been working on a draft of an email I've been meaning to send you, but somehow time just gets away from me. Actually, I have quite a few drafts I've never sent to you that I should probably get around to sending.

I'm doing well. The Lord has provided for me a roof over my head and the means to pay for it. I keep thinking about raising a family someday and keep praying that it's something to look forward to in my future. I turned 29 this year, and I just feel really old...I guess I'm not THAT old. Yet. But I feel old being able to say "ten years ago" and my memories not just being a blurry recollection of adolescence. I don't know if that makes sense....

I couldn't imagine living almost 1000 years like they did before the flood. And someday I'll live forever! It's unimaginable!

Some good news: __ may be approved for a liver transplant. About a year ago, we found out that in addition to needing a liver transplant, __ also has cancer. So they've been treating the cancer, and have said that __ will be moved higher up the waiting list because of it. __ doctors are advising that 7-9 months down the road __ could possibly be having surgery for the transplant. ___'ll need to take medication for the rest of __ life, but if the surgery goes well, __ should be able to lead an almost normal life. It is certainly an answer to prayer.

How have you been? How are your classes and your studies?

I'll keep praying for you always, until we live forever!

In Him,

Response #15:

Wonderful to hear back from you!

I'm also very encouraged to learn that __ is hanging in there. I have been praying.

I remember when I was about to turn thirty. It is a natural point to "take stock" with where we are at. That was a big one for me because it was then, on summer break after my first year of seminary, that I decided not to go the Presbyterian route but do an independent ministry instead. That was the third career path I gave up in order to "step out of the boat in faith", but God sure worked it out! So I certainly do understand your time-perspective. It's always a blessing when we put the Lord first and arrange our lives and our desires for Him. As you wonderfully recall, we are going to be with Him forever. This short time, even if it were a thousand years, is really only a drop in the bucket. It's eternity that counts, and while we are here we have the great opportunity to earn rewards that are eternal and that will glorify our Lord forever too.

I'm keeping you in my prayers on all of your other concerns as well, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #16:

Hi Bob,

Through preparing for ministry I have experienced how perverse people can be. One of the dictionary definitions of 'perverse' is the following. To be perverse is to be 'characterized by or resulting from willful opposition or resistance to what is right, expected, or reasonable.' The key words here being willful opposition. People know what is right but will willfully do the opposite.
The Bible says that these people are 'without excuse'. The Bible also describes these perverse people as 'stiffnecked'.

Here though I am talking about my experience with unbelievers but you are talking about believers!! They have itching ears no doubt! Maybe their ears itch for 'new doctrine' that is more palatable to their bellies? Well the Antichrist will have plenty of new doctrine, new revelation and the promise of things that are fresh and shiny. Instead though all he has is the same old lies and all that is evil, rotten and full of dead men's bones.

I know now that walking by faith does not come easy to us because we used to be spiritually dead. To walk by faith takes practice and lots and lots of it. It doesn't come naturally at first as our flesh constantly gets in the way as this is our default sinful position. We have to continuously overcome what seems 'natural' to us, to overcome the flesh and choose the Spirit instead. It isn't easy, it requires consistent effort.

We are not alone struggling with this though as we have the Lord holding our hand the whole time, we have the Holy Spirit comforting us and we have prepared and matured Bible pastor teachers to feed us the Word. Though we do have to make use of this help. We have to believe in it and trust it to get us through. We have to be willing to submit under the authority of God and one of His ministries. We have to trust Him and His Word and we have to trust our Bible teachers.

I have no doubt that there are other Godly ministries out there Bob aside from your own. I know this in faith as God always provides but I also know that He has set a famine (and not for bread) so that in these Laodicean times, the scarce availability of such good ministries reflects the scarce demand for same. Indeed it is quite damning that there seems to be more ministries to lead people out of Satan's lies than ministries teaching people in all truth and the deep things of God. If people trusted and believed in the Godly ministries that He has provided which teach the Word and believe in the Word then these other sorts of ministries (which specifically refute 'the deep things of Satan') wouldn't be at all necessary!

Why anyone would wander from such an excellent and obviously Holy Spirit led ministry as your own can only be described as insanity to me (especially given the lateness of the hour.) Though maybe it truly is more characterised by perverseness, people seeing that what you offer IS good fruit but they also see the effort involved with consuming it and living off it, so they turn away and are led off by rotten fruit that looks easier to consume, more attractive to their vanity and yet full of deadly spiritual poison.

It reminds me of this

Romans 1:22a
'professing themselves to be wise, they became fools'.

And also this

Genesis 3:6
'And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.'

And this

Galatians 3:1
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

All of these verses deal with falsehoods and specifically false doctrine whether it be worshipping the creation over the creator in Romans, lust of gnosis or knowledge in Genesis, or going back under the law in Romans.

As you have written in your ministry, the Bible is protection from all that is false and deceitful (protection from all cults). We know that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood so that we know then where all false teachings and therefore false shepherds (and their ministries) come from! They are from Satan and are specifically designed to lure believers away from the truth!

2 Cor 11:13-15
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

I dearly hope that those erring and deceived sheep come back to the fold the Lord has given you. As said before, given how late the hour is, such wanderings are not just disobedient but are potentially spiritually fatal! I am praying for their safe return my friend.

In Jesus, the way, the truth and the life,
p.s., Just another quick(er) message this time...I received a message from my Meetup account today. Meetup is a site that links you to social events in your area. In the past I used it to get to know the area I live in when I first moved back and then a few years ago I was looking for Bible fellowship through it. I haven't used it now for a very long time. Today I received a message from someone and it seemed a little suspect...a brand new account from someone I had never heard of hosting Bible study meetings saying something about 'preparing ourselves for welcoming Jesus into His kingdom'? The group also seemed to use the tag 'positive thinking' linked with 'general spirituality' and Bible study. I probably should have just ignored it but I wrote to the young lady that I hope that her Bible group was preparing believers for the Tribulation and also warning them of the Antichrist's worldwide end times religion! I am not sure if I will hear from her again but I will let you know. Suffice to say I will not be accepting her invite to her Bible study group. I thought you may be interested to know that all the pre-existing Bible study groups on there have now closed down. Something that is exploding on there and is attracting vast amounts of people (and in other chapter groups around the country) are groups devoted to studying conspiracy theory!! They weren't there before and suddenly they have sprung up all over the place like weeds. One of these groups literally popped up a day ago and already has 75 people booked into the first meeting! That is a HUGE turnout for a Meetup group, usually it is considered healthy if about 10-20 people turn up! I noticed that one similar group called the 'Jordan Peterson group' has had similar popularity. Jordan Peterson is a right wing/libertarian psychologist/popular talking head who has developed a cult following of late but who also dabbles in conspiracy theory. All of this gives weight to my suspicions that conspiracy theory will be a huge part of the Antichrist's false religious movement given the inherent ties with conspiracy theory and the gnostic new age. Thought it good to let you know of potential snares on the horizon. I know we shouldn't be too committed to any one theory on the Antichrist ahead of time but all this conspiracy theory narrative does seem to be paving the way for him. People who have rejected the truth do seem to swarm to conspiracies and then call it 'truth seeking'!

Response #16:

Thanks for all your good words in the first email, my friend! I very much appreciate your support and your faithfulness to your spiritual growth and ministry commitments. It means a lot to me!

On your second email, that's very interesting. We are living in interesting times indeed. The new "robber barons" are exponentially richer than the 19th century ones and have much greater influence on the world of unbelievers around us than was ever the case in the past. They want to control what we think and what we can say, what we can eat and even what planet we can live on. They want to relegate humanity to the service of AI (this is actually a stated aim when you find out their views of evolution wherein AIs are the future and "we" are the past). And they have the power, almost more than governments do . . . not that the distinction between the two groups isn't being blurred to point of being difficult to distinguish. It's almost enough to make a person a conspiracy theorist! Which explains the prevalence of conspiracy theory as a cottage industry. We who believe the Bible understand that there is indeed a HUGE conspiracy in train – one that involves the devil and all the powers of hell – soon to be unleashed on mankind. And in fact, all of the other persons and nodes of powers are only his pawns in the end.

"Indeed it is quite damning that there seems to be more ministries to lead people out of Satan's lies than ministries teaching people in all truth and the deep things of God. If people trusted and believed in the Godly ministries that He has provided which teach the Word and believe in the Word then these other sorts of ministries (which specifically refute 'the deep things of Satan') wouldn't be at all necessary!" That is a wonderful observation and well put. It all gets back to the lie. In the ancient world, religion was the main vehicle for such lies; today the main vehicle is the medium of technology which has propagated the satanic world system more widely and intrusively than ever before. Not that religion and its growing unity isn't part of the mix. It most certainly is. And before too long, everything on planet earth will be harnessed to the evil one's purposes . . . nearly.

But are Satan and his followers seen and unseen all put together and working in unison any match for the Holy Spirit? Rhetorical question. So we believers have nothing whatsoever to worry about. These are all good observations you've sent and I appreciate them. Believers are supposed to be wise as serpents even as we are harmless as doves, so it does behoove us to be able to see behind the curtain and recognize what is really going on. But we need to do so in absolute confidence of the victory of the cross being completed and the coming victory of our Lord's return being inevitable. In between as we are, things may get a little bit uncomfortable for us, but it's nothing that the Lord can't handle and we need to trust absolutely that this is so.

Keep on fighting your good fight, my friend! Looking forward to witnessing the impact of your personal ministry going forward.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #17:

Hello Dr.,

Thanks for reaching out, it’s nice to hear that others are finding the audio files useful, as I’ve said before if it only helps one, it’s worth it. After reading Sundays posting about how some find them difficult to navigate and listen to (I’ve heard these complaints before) I did a little shopping online. Technology has gotten much better in text to speech/speech to speech software since we began this and I thought maybe I could purchase something to polish these up a bit, however, prices have gone up significantly as well. Any product that is any good requires a monthly or yearly contract at prices I cannot afford, some offer rates by the second, but after you do the math, forget about it. I listen to these files on a regular basis as a supplement to reading Ichthys and the Bible and have no problem with the digital accent or the player controls. Yes, the controls may not be as precise as other methods, but the fast forward and rewind get you in the ball park. For longer lessons where one may like to pause and finish listening at a later date simply writing down the pause time so you can pick up where you left off works pretty good. It’s my opinion that any Christian who is genuinely interested in spiritual growth can obtain that growth simply utilizing the tools available at Ichthys. No, it’s not perfect but it’s the best Bible teaching ministry in the English language that I’m aware of (Bible Academy being a very close second [link]). [n.b., thanks to Angel H.'s generosity and Chris B's hard work, there is now a growing list of MP3's in the much easier-to-listen-to "Russell" voice, at the link]

Yes, the material is dense, but what do people expect? You're explaining a supernatural book handed down to mankind by the Creator Himself! God will give understanding to any believer who truly desires it, they just have to want it and work for it. It’s been my experience that if you gave some people a dump truck full of solid gold bars and dumped it on their lawn instead of saying thanks they’d complain that you messed up their lawn! Time is short. The Christians I know are not interested in the truth. The Lord has provided all that we need to make it through this life in Cosmos Diabolicus. No, it’s not easy, but the reward is great!

I frequently have the same experience as your correspondent who mentioned my email. It is very satisfying to read your postings and see that genuine believers are experiencing similar things and interpreting them in similar ways. We are not crazy, even though the world thinks otherwise, they’re the ones who are crazy. The sin nature left unchecked turns to insanity, no matter how pleasant it may present itself at times.

Thank you Sir for all that you do for our Lords Church. Got you in prayer here daily. Thank you for keeping us in yours, it’s much needed and appreciated here.

All the best,

Rev. 22:20

Response #17:

I'm with you, my friend. I think the recordings are great [n.b., the new ones are even better; at the link]. And in contrast to "pay to listen podcasts", it's not as if people are having to pay a thing to download and listen to the MP3's you've produced for Ichthys – thanks to you!

I recently wanted to share a bit of Thucydides' famous comments on the Corcyra stasis/revolution with one of my classes and I found an audio recording on YouTube . . . over 14 hours long with no time or place stamps at all! It only took me a couple of minutes to find the passage and note the elapsed time. So if people are interested, while, yes, we would like to solve all problems and make things as easy as possible, on the other hand, having to deal with a small amount of resistance to get something good is not the worst thing in the world. Whether or not this site will even be available during the Tribulation remains to be seen. So as I always encourage people to do, "download while you still can".

"Denseness" is the same sort of thing. If a person has to dust off and actually "operate" the dictionary in order to understand some of my prose, hey, that's not a bad thing either. Vocabulary is how we think. Expanding it is only for the good. Also, I originally did have the idea of starting off with easier more accessible material. That was the original idea behind the Basics Series . . . which turned into a systematic theology of comprehensive depth taking over twenty years to complete. So I just have to face it that I write the way I write. For easier and more accessible material, we have the weekly email postings, and those are only supposed to encourage and prod folks to read, e.g., the Basics Series (and everything else on the site) . . . or listen to the MP3s (or both)!

Re: "It is very satisfying to . . . see that genuine believers are experiencing similar things and interpreting them in similar ways". Amen to that! Whenever a reader tells me, "please don't share this", while I always accede to that request, I'm also always thinking, "I know X number of people who would really be helped to see that someone else is going through this and surviving with God's help". Ideally, there would be, say a couple hundred of us in the same zip code who felt this way about the truth and we would get together and learn and share face to face regularly. As things are in Laodicea, good luck finding a handful in the same time zone. So we are blessed to have these technological means, even if for the most part they are otherwise being used in evil ways. As Joseph told his brothers, while they meant it for evil, God meant it for good, "to save much people alive" (Gen.50:20 KJV).

Thanks for those prayers, my friend – keeping them coming on this end to.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

Question #18:

Hi Dr.,

Re: “dust off” the dictionary. I had to laugh when I read this because you have been doing that to me for years! I can’t count the times during the edit process or general studies you’ve had me reaching for Websters. I do appreciate it though Sir, I just wish I could remember it all! You are a man of words, language, great understanding and most importantly, faith. Real faith. You are the man God has appointed for this job. I’m thankful the Lord has provided your ministry for us out here in Laodicea.

With the advent of AI and the amount of disinformation flooding the internet these days it seems quite possible, if not more than likely, that access to any “real truth” in the digital realm will be unachievable in a few years or less. When reading and listening to the words of the global puppet masters it seems that they’re awfully concerned about future cyber attacks and the need for heightened cybersecurity. I don’t pretend to know exactly what the powers that be have in store for us but I’m sure it will be unpleasant and the truth of it will be far from what is reported in the media. The result will most likely be less freedom in the exchange of information which will be controlled by government, all for the assurance of a safe and prosperous global community. With the decades long process of demoralization and brainwashing in the western world complete this an easily achievable goal in the not distant future.

I’m currently nursing a herniated disc in my lower back and was feeling a little relief this morning. When I laughed out loud at your dictionary comment I blew it out again! But that’s ok, it was worth it for lightening my heart, I’m smiling while I type this.

Response #18:

Sorry to hear about the disc! And apologies for contributing to the problem! Back issues are among the worst. What can you do without your back? I've put a request for you on the site and will be keeping it in my prayers too.

Thanks for your willingness to share, my friend! For what it's worth, there certainly are legitimate reasons to not want some things. Obviously, we want those we care about to come to the truth and, if saved, to get serious about spiritual growth. That is the exception not the rule in this Laodicean era, however, so we have to be grateful for what we've got and for those few hearty members of our "Adullam battalion" who are fighting the fight in ranks with us (1Sam.22:1 et al.). After all, it's not as if we don't have defections even from the ranks of what I like to think of as the elite, at least by comparison – and not just those who drift back to the world or to lukewarm places, but who actually have turned hostile. I have received some very nasty emails over the years, believe you me. You have to have a thick skin in this "job" – as you have found out as well! The devil is an expert counter-puncher, and one of his favorite tricks is to turn those we care about against us.

[Job's] wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Job 2:9 NIV

Re: "exactly what the powers that be have in store for us", we can call them puppet-masters but they are really only puppets themselves, dancing to the tune of the evil one, carrying out his desires, not really their own. Satan has been preparing for "the big day" for a long time – not that he even really "gets it". Satan is the most amazing creature God ever created . . . and the most arrogant by far. And nothing breeds stupidity like arrogance does. In the end, nothing has ever happened that was not entirely in the plan of God, foreordained in eternity past with the purpose of accomplishing our Lord's good pleasure in all things. We are on the winning side. Whatever happens – and whatever happens to us – if we simply maintain our faith and our godly walk of growth, progress and production as best we can, we have a wonderful reward ahead and the "well done!" we so deeply desire waiting for us. And there is nothing the devil and all his minions seen and unseen can do about it.

" . . . upon this Rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matthew 16:18b KJV

The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
Psalm 37:12-13 NIV

Thank you for your faithfulness, my friend! And for your prayers.

In Jesus,

Bob L.

 

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