Israel’s War for Her Existence… :: By Geri Ungurean

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles, Geri Ungurean

Israel’s War for Her Existence: Replacement Theology and Antisemitism – A Virus Which Can Only Be Cured by The Blood of Jesus Christ

Brethren – in the title, I say “Israel’s war for her existence.” The people of Israel wonder if this war might bring about her demise. Those of us who read God’s Word know that Israel will never be utterly destroyed. She belongs to God Almighty, and He wants the world to know that HE IS THE LORD!

Replacement Theology: A Lie from the Pit of Hell

“Mein Kampf” was found in a Hamas base in Gaza.  The ideology of rabid Jew-hatred never changes – just new bad actors are added to Satan’s army. And now, this SATANIC hatred for my people has spread like a virus. The only Vaccine for this is the BLOOD of our Savior, JESUS CHRIST. Without it, Satan has a Stronghold in the minds and hearts of all people.

Should it really surprise us about the toxic work of Hitler (Mein Kampf) being found in a Hamas base? What I am going to tell the reader here may shock some – others know already. But I assure you that you can vet what I’m about to tell you, and you will see that it’s historical TRUTH.

Most of us have heard of the false teaching called Replacement Theology (RT). This article is for those who either have never heard of it, or have had this preached to them Sunday after Sunday and just figured that it was biblical.

I’m here to tell you – It’s a lie from the pit of hell.

Replacement Theology (RT), has been around for centuries. The term used by theologians is supersessionism. The church supersedes Israel. Theologians have cited the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD as proof that God was finished with the Jewish people.

There are two main schools of thought regarding RT:

Israel’s role as God’s Chosen was completed once Jesus came to earth (Economic Supersessionism).

Because of her disobedience, Israel forfeited her role as Chosen of God because of her rejection of Jesus as Messiah (punitive supersessionism).

Punitive supersessionism was clearly articulated by Martin Luther in his sermon: “On the Jews and Their Lies.”

For such ruthless wrath of God is sufficient evidence that they [i.e., the Jewish people] assuredly have erred and gone astray. Even a child can comprehend this. For one dare not regard God as so cruel that he would punish his own people so long, so terrible, so unmercifully … Therefore this work of wrath is proof that the Jews, surely rejected by God, are no longer his people, and neither is he any longer their God. (“On the Jews and Their Lies,” Trans. Martin H. Bertram, in Luther’s Works [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971], p. 265).

How could a man used of God as was Martin Luther come to such a conclusion about the Jews? It is written that later in his life, Luther was convinced that he was called of God to save the Jews. When his efforts failed, he became enraged. In one night, in response to his anti-Semitic sermon, synagogues were burned to the ground and over 2,000 Jews were slaughtered. Martin Luther was used by God in a mighty way in the Great Reformation, but alas he was merely a man. His teachings about Jews had a dramatic impact on the church in Germany for many years to come. Hitler was a great fan of Luther. He carried the sermon: “On the Jews and Their Lies” to every SS meeting.

RT is closely related to Reformed or Covenant Theology, which is associated with John Calvin. If you’ve noticed that your pastor does not speak or teach on eschatology (the study of End Times), it’s most likely that the leadership of your church adheres to amillennialism – a view of eschatology that views End Times prophecy as “spiritual” instead of literal. It’s a convenient way of avoiding the promises made to Israel in the Word. Since the proponents of RT believe that the church inherited the promises made to Israel, there is no need to teach that End Times prophecy is literal. The prophecies are viewed more as allegorical.

It has always amazed me that churches that teach RT completely ignore some critically important words by the apostle Paul in Romans 11. I would HIGHLY recommend that you read all of Romans 11 (9 and 10 as well), but Romans 11 truly expresses why the Jews did not receive their Savior, and clearly shows that God is not done with His Chosen people.

I would love to print all of Romans 11, but I am placing what I consider to be the heart of this chapter:

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all” (Romans 11:25-32).

How could this be any clearer? God ordained that a blindness in part would happen to Israel, until all of the Gentiles who were to be saved would come into His Kingdom. It also states the gifts of and the calling of God are irrevocable.

God’s plan from the beginning was to offer salvation to the entire world. He used the Jewish people to bring His law to show His Holiness, and then through their lineage He would ultimately bring His Son to pay for all sin. What a merciful and loving God we serve!

Satan is determined to lie and deceive mankind. He uses just a little bit of truth (Scripture) and then twists it for his purposes. He knows the Word better than any one of us. His motivation for memorizing God’s Word is to seek and destroy God’s people. He started in the Garden of Eden with Eve. He tried it against Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus always fought him (and shut him down) with pure Scripture.

God made a Covenant with Israel. I’ve read articles by Bible teachers who claim that Israel relinquished the promises made by God because of their rebellion. God cannot lie. He made the promises. It has nothing to do with how good or bad Israel is. It has everything to do with God and His faithfulness.

As a student in the synagogue I attended when I was a child, the history of my people saddened me. I learned of the persecution by the Catholic Church. I learned that no matter where we went, ultimately, we were placed in ghettos with locked gates. We were HATED. I would ponder in my mind why—what did we do to warrant such hatred and oppression? It wasn’t until I was born-again that I realized why. It was Satan all along. He placed hatred in the hearts of men and women for the Jews.

But I never thought that it would be this extreme. I’m shocked as I read the news and see the world flying the swastika flag all across the globe. It literally makes me sick. But I know that all things must happen according to His plan. It took the extermination of 6 million of my people to bring about the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948 – a prophecy that many proponents of RT did not expect.

Israel is Israel. The church is the church. In the Old Testament, Israel was under the Law. Jesus brought us the Covenant of Grace. We are FREE in Him.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:8-11).

Jesus was sent to earth for one reason—to die. It was His precious blood that cleansed the repentant sinner and made him/her righteous in the eyes of the Father. Every Jew needs to come to the Father through Jesus Christ. There is no special arrangement between the Jewish people and God.

So, if you are in a church that believes that God has cast away His people—the Jews, please understand that what is being taught is not truth. Have you noticed that most of the RT denominations are vehemently anti-Israel? Are you starting to see that Satan’s plan to destroy God’s children has worked in most of the mainline churches? Here is a list of churches that believe the RT lie:

The Roman Catholic Church.  (This is NOT part of Christianity)

(Some) Southern Baptist Convention – (depends on leadership).

The United Methodist Church.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America .

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

United Church of Christ.

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, Joplin, Mo.

Emergent Churches

Vineyard Churches

Third Wave Churches

**I am certain there are many more. Anti-Semitism and hatred for Israel are at an all-time high.

Please understand that in each of these denominations, it is possible to have a pastor who is a true shepherd under the Great Shepherd, Jesus. But these denominations are known to adhere to the RT lie.

These churches have declared their hatred for Israel and are supporting Hamas. This is exactly what the devil wants to happen. But our Lord, being omniscient, is using all of this to fulfill His prophetic Word concerning Israel.

“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:3).

From Arutz Sheva from Israel:

“These very liberal churches include Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and the United Church of Christ. They presently number about 16 million. Their membership and influence in the United States continue to decline. These churches’ rhetoric is usually outdone by an even harsher one of a small group of so-called ‘peace churches,’ including the Mennonites and Quakers.”

“Mainline churches claim many members from Congress. They represent America’s heartland and have adopted a range of resolutions hostile to Israel. They include calls for boycotts plus divestment and sanctions (BDS). Some are aimed at Israel, others focus on the ‘settlements.’ Several churches supported the hateful Kairos Palestine Document published in 2009 by some Palestinian Christians. There is also tourism to Israel under Palestinian auspices.

“BDS started with the passage of a resolution in 2004 at the Presbyterian Church (USA) calling for selective divestment of shares of American companies doing business in Israel. Long before that, the World Council of Churches (WCC) founded in 1948, aligned itself with ‘third world’ countries and thinking. This is an international umbrella group of mainline churches which claims denominational membership of 590 million people. It has frequently condemned Israel yet never protested attempts by Israel’s neighbors and terrorists to erase it from the map.

“Several of these churches also publish extremely anti-Israel educational materials. These are often the only ones members will view. The Methodists produced a study guide a few years ago authored by an apostate Jewish pastor. He admitted to hating Judaism. It featured illustrations of Israeli soldiers reminiscent of Nazi guards at a concentration camp.

“Theology is playing an increasing role in mainline churches’ anti-Israel activity. It began with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center and its head, Dr. Naim Ateek. Many liberal churches have partnered with Sabeel. Ateek used crucifixion imagery in his Easter message of 2001: ‘It seems to many of us that Jesus is on the cross again with thousands of crucified Palestinians around him.’

“This reintroduces the ancient murderous Christian charge of deicide against the Jews. Ateek and others deny that the Bible speaks of any covenant of land with the Jews. This is a renewal of the replacement theology and supersessionism, and is extremely dangerous for Jews around the world, especially at a time of rising anti-Semitism.

“Palestinian influences in anti-Israel hate mongering is huge. They have sent teams of Palestinian Christians around the U.S. for a decade, tugging at Christian heartstrings with emotional tales of woe. They are more effective than Palestinian Muslims, who don’t come as ‘brothers.’

“Still, there are surprises. In 2012, several denominations substituted positive investment resolutions in place of divestment. In some cases, votes that looked like they were heading in the anti-Israel direction were saved by impassioned speeches by pastors who spoke about the impact such a resolution would have on Jewish-Christian friendships and partnerships in their churches.

“The actions of these mainline churches have poisoned the well of Christian-Jewish dialogue. Jews entered the dialogue, which has been fruitful at times, on the basis of assurances that Christian partners left contempt for Jews and Judaism behind, and had made serious attempts to understand what was important to Jews. The way in which these churches treat Israel shows that neither is true.” – source

October 7, 2023: the SLAUGHTER of thousands of Israelis and the Great War that ensued with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran’s proxies

The world witnessed the greatest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust on Oct 7. I cannot remember being so upset – I could hardly function. No one could console me, but after about a week, I felt the Lord Himself bringing comfort to me and urging me to pray for the families of the slain, wounded, and kidnapped.

The Marches

But the whole world erupted into highly organized marches AGAINST Israel. They claimed that Israel had commited genocide against the so-called Palestinians after the whole world witnessed the satanic brutality of Hamas through their own body cams! It didn’t make sense to me at first.

But then the Holy Spirit brought clarity to my mind. He showed me from the Word that these anti-Israel marches were orchestrated by Satan himself, of course using demonically possessed people, i.e. George Soros, to fund them.

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

God has revealed much to us since October 7. It’s no surprise that the Left has been at the forefront of the marches. They hate Israel, and we have known that for many years.

God is also revealing the hatred and complacency of the CHURCH in regards to Israel.  I believe that most of the “church” adhere to RT and are pro-Palestinian. It certainly makes one wonder how long these evil and errant teachings have permeated the churches of America.

I ask you this: Even if you have been in one church for years, if they are teaching a lie, would it not be the right thing to do to leave and attempt to find a gathering of brothers and sisters in Christ who believe the whole Word of God?

“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

And a word to those seeking a place to worship:

ASK QUESTIONS!

You have a right to know how leadership feels about very important issues – whether they believe the whole Word of God or choose to add or take away from God’s Holy Word.

Martin Luther and his Rabid Jew Hatred

I usually do not use Wikipedia as a source, but I have vetted everything in their exposé of Luther, and it is historically accurate.

From wikipedia.com

Martin Luther (1483–1546) was a German professor of theology, priest and seminal leader of the Reformation. His positions on Judaism continue to be controversial. These changed dramatically from his early career, where he showed concern for the plight of European Jews, to his later years, when embittered by his failure to convert them to Christianity, he became outspokenly antisemitic in his statements and writings.

Evolution of his views

Luther’s attitude toward Jews changed over the course of his life. At the beginning of his career, it was influenced by Johann Reuchlin, who was the great-uncle of his friend Philip Melanchthon. Luther relied on Reuchlin for answering questions about Hebrew and had used one of his Cabalistic books to help his argument in a debate. Reuchlin had successfully prevented the Holy Roman Empire from burning Jewish books but was racked by heresy proceedings as a result.

In the early phase of Luther’s career—until around 1536—he expressed concern for their plight in Europe and was enthusiastic at the prospect of converting them to Christianity through his religious reforms. Being unsuccessful in that, in his later career, Luther denounced Judaism and called for harsh persecution of its followers so that they might not be allowed to teach. In a paragraph from his On the Jews and Their Lies, he deplores Christendom‘s failure to expel them. Moreover, he proposed, “What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews”:

  • “First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools … This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom so that God might see that we are Christians …”
  • “Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed.”
  • “Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them.”
  • “Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb …”
  • “Fifth, I advise that safe conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. For they have no business in the countryside …”
  • “Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them …”
  • “Seventh, I recommend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow … But if we are afraid that they might harm us or our wives, children, servants, cattle, etc., … then let us emulate the common sense of other nations such as France, Spain, Bohemia, etc., … then eject them forever from the country …”

****Brethren, can you just hear the devil spewing these venomous lies and threats? I certainly can!

“On the Jews and Their Lies” Written by Martin Luther

In 1543 Luther published On the Jews and Their Lies in which he says that the Jews are a “base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth.”[14] They are full of the “devil’s feces … which they wallow in like swine.”[15] The synagogue was a “defiled bride, yes, an incorrigible whore and an evil slut …”[16] He argues that their synagogues and schools be set on fire, their prayer books destroyed, rabbis forbidden to preach, homes razed, and property and money confiscated. They should be shown no mercy or kindness,[17]afforded no legal protection,[18] and these “poisonous envenomed worms” should be drafted into forced labor or expelled for all time.[19]

He also seems to advocate their murder, writing, “[w]e are at fault in not slaying them.”[20] Luther claims that Jewish history was “assailed by much heresy” and that Christ swept away the Jewish heresy and goes on to do so “as it still does daily before our eyes.” He stigmatizes Jewish Prayer as being “blasphemous” and a lie and vilifies Jews in general as being spiritually “blind” and “surely possessed by all devils.” Luther has a special spiritual problem with Jewish circumcision.[21][self-published source?][22] The full context in which Martin Luther appears to advocate that Jews be slain in On the Jews and Their Lies is as follows in Luther’s own words:

There is no other explanation for this than the one cited earlier from Moses – namely, that God has struck [the Jews] with ‘madness and blindness and confusion of mind’ [Deuteronomy 28:28]. So we are even at fault in not avenging all this innocent blood of our Lord and of the Christians which they shed for three hundred years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the blood of the children they have shed since then (which still shines forth from their eyes and their skin). We are at fault in not slaying them.[23]

I want the reader to know that John Calvin of the Great Reformation was also a Jew-hater. Here is a quote from him: 

“Their [the Jews] rotten and unbending stiffneckedness deserves that they be oppressed unendingly and without measure or end and that they die in their misery without the pity of anyone.”

Can you just hear the evil one – hssssssss?

Rick Wiles, Chuck Baldwin, Stew Peters, Mike Adams, and other Jew-Haters who call themselves Christians:

After reading about Luther and Calvin and their Jew hatred during the latter years of their lives, it’s not shocking to hear people like Wiles and Baldwin (and many others) who name the name of Jesus as their Savior, yet Despise Jews.

One may ask if people like Luther, Calvin, Wiles, and Baldwin (and others) were/are truly Christians. The definitive answer to that will come from our Lord on Judgment Day. This may be my flesh talking (but I don’t think so), but it’s incredibly hard for me to believe that a blood-bought, born-again believer in Jesus Christ could venomously HATE the Jewish people and want them dead!

HOW CAN I BE SAVED?

COME LORD JESUS!

Grandmageri422@gmail.com

Articles @ grandmageri422.me

Missing Jesus Again :: By Steve Schmutzer

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles, Steve Schmutzer

It seemed like forever since God had spoken to His people.

Four hundred years had passed since the last Scripture had been written, and the spiritual leaders had gotten way off course. Very few of them showed they were worthy of their office.

The religious system they oversaw had become a whitewashed crypt. It looked impressive, but it was hollow and dead. It was mostly a charade to boost their personal sense of importance. They were obsessed with their status, and they loved to be recognized for it. Most of the public was fooled by the whole sham.

These religious leaders had a long leash to practice their act, and they took full advantage of it. They prayed in public to be heard by others. They talked about God without really loving Him, and they paraded their image for all to see. They esteemed certain parts of Scripture, and they generally ignored the rest. They ran the temple system as they wanted to keep the monies flowing. The spiritual health of many suffered because of the hypocrisy at the top.

To reinforce the status quo, these religious leaders wove various traditions and rules into the practices that Scripture had made plain. Eventually these leaders came to regard their own rituals of ‘religious conduct’ to be every bit as important as God’s laws. Anyone who challenged this was harshly criticized.

Their control over the people was often politically motivated. This showed in the way some of the religious leaders mirrored the attitudes and conduct of the culture around them. They diluted all vestiges of God-centered governance because they secretly supported the ruling class. They preferred to compromise with the political establishment rather than lose their power.

Four hundred years was a long stretch. Although things were changing in a very big way, the religious leaders clung to their blindness and behavior, and they missed the signs. Callous to the times and seasons around them, they ignored the things they should have paid attention to.

It was dynamics like these that defined the conditions of Jesus Christ’s First Coming. Had these religious leaders given proper respect to the prophetic Scriptures, they would have known where and how Jesus Christ would be born, where His ministry would be centered, what He would do – and most importantly – who He would be and why He had come. Had they cared enough about the truth, they would have changed who they were and how they were acting.

But their pride suppressed a righteous response. The religious leaders were not looking for a suffering servant – someone humble, sorrowful, and acquainted with grief. They were not looking for a spiritual Savior, a light to the Gentiles, a shepherd, one born of a virgin, or even a gentle donkey rider.

It’s hard to fathom, but the religious leaders chose to diminish hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament that detailed every nuance of Jesus’ life and death. It all happened exactly as it had been prophesied, but these learned men opposed and scorned every detail instead. They should have known who Jesus was, but they weren’t really interested.

This wasn’t the Jesus they wanted.

Many of the religious leaders would have rather had a Messiah who would immediately reign. They wanted someone who would deliver on all the promises given to Israel, who would lead a military revolt against their oppressors, and who would establish an earthly kingdom. They wanted a mighty ruler – a warrior king.

But that’s not the way God planned things, and a big part of these religious leaders’ problem was they were stuck in a rear-view perspective. They held the five books of Moses in much higher regard than the prophetic Scriptures. They were focused on looking backward in time, not forward. They treasured the past, and they ignored the future.

Because they emphasized those parts of Scripture which they were most comfortable with – the parts they perceived as giving latitude to the things they wanted to say, believe, do, and be – they didn’t see the dangers of their choices. They refused to acknowledge their desperate spiritual condition when this was pointed out to them.

They were willfully deceived. Their religious culture was much more important to them than a right relationship with Jesus Christ, and so they eagerly donned their blinders. Their senses had become dull to what was taking place because their hearts were callous to truth.

The Bible shows that most of these religious leaders didn’t recognize the signs, the times, and the seasons. Instead, they protected a system that was out of touch with the full counsel of Scripture, out of touch with their Messiah, and out of touch with their own need to repent and get right with God.

They pushed back on seeing Jesus Christ properly. They weren’t watching for His coming, and so they missed Him.

Fast forward to now.

It seems like forever since Jesus Christ first came, was crucified for the sins of the world, and rose again. It’s been about two thousand years.

Almost the same time has passed since the last Scripture was written, and once again, the spiritual leaders have gotten way off course. Very few of them show they are worthy of their office.

The church today is lukewarm. It looks impressive – but looks deceive. It is mostly naked, pitiful, poor, blind, and wretched. It has devolved into a social charade that boosts its leaders’ personal sense of relevance. Many of them are obsessed with their image and credentials. They get plenty of positive strokes since most people are fooled by a good show, a few platitudes, and some alphabet soup after a name.

Today’s ‘Christian’ leaders have a long leash to practice their act, and they take full advantage of it. They publicly tolerate sin to appear attractive and nonjudgemental to a depraved culture. They talk about God without really loving Him. They esteem certain parts of Scripture and mostly ignore the rest. They run their churches however they choose to keep the monies flowing. The spiritual health of many suffers because of the apostasy at the top.

To preserve the status quo, these ‘Christian leaders’ cling to petty and irrelevant church traditions. As they ignore the examples of early believers, these church leaders elevate big programs, elaborate buildings, bloated budgets, surface ‘worship,’ and ear-tickling sermonettes instead. Many of them behave as though the constructs of modern ‘Christian culture’ are on par with God’s Word. Anyone who disagrees with their views and methods is unceremoniously maligned.

Their control over the people is often politically motivated. This is clear in the way many church leaders support the liberal views and woke trends of the culture around them. They avoid pointing their congregants to sound principles of God-centered governance because their minds have conformed too much to godless agendas. They prefer to hold a wet finger in the air, to promote socially acceptable themes, to enforce patently deceptive mandates, and to compromise with the political establishment rather than lose their power and position.

Two thousand years is a long stretch. Although things are about to change in a very big way, many church leaders today rigorously defend their blind spots. They persist in clinging to their tepid ways, and most of them are anything but awake and alert. Callous to the rapidly changing times and seasons around them, they ignore the very things they should be paying the most attention to.

These dynamics define what is happening now as we stand upon the threshold of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. If these church leaders repented, humbled themselves, and gave proper respect to the prophetic Scriptures, they would quickly recognize their own condition – and the signs.

If they responsibly taught the full counsel of God’s Word, they would know how Jesus Christ will return. They would know where His kingdom will be centered, what He will do when He returns – and most importantly, who He will be the second time around. If they cared about the truth, they would promptly change who they are and how they act.

But their pride is suppressing a righteous response. With few exceptions, church leaders today are not looking for an omnipotent ruler with an iron scepter – one who will show righteous justice. They’ve not adequately comprehended a King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will dash the nations to pieces, who will deliver on all the promises given to Israel, and who will lead military campaigns against rebels. Very few church leaders know Jesus will harshly judge those who treat the Jews poorly and who support a two-state solution. Even fewer grasp that Jesus will return in fury as a warrior king on a war horse – that He will slay his enemies and become soaked with their blood.

It’s hard to fathom, but most church leaders today deliberately choose to diminish a huge record of prophecies that detail every nuance of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Over 1,500 of the prophecies in the Bible are devoted to Christ’s Second Coming. For every prophecy in the Old Testament about Jesus’ First Coming, there are eight about His Second Coming. Jesus Christ’s return also comprises one of every five verses in the New Testament.

Frankly, there’s no excuse for this apostasy – for this willful departure from truth. The church leaders of today might be more irresponsible than the religious leaders of yesterday.

It’s all going to happen exactly as it’s prophesied, but many of today’s ‘learned’ church leaders mock and scoff at these prophetic details instead. They refuse to endure sound doctrine, and they’ve conditioned their followers to respond the same way. While they’re accountable to teach about Jesus’ return, they aren’t really interested.

It’s not the Jesus they want.

Truth be told, most church leaders today much prefer to focus on Jesus Christ as a suffering servant – someone humble, sorrowful, and acquainted with grief. They really like the baby in a manger thing, that donkey ride, all those palm branches, and how He fed a huge hungry crowd and washed a couple dozen dirty feet. They thrill in how Jesus ate with sinners rather than judging their sin. “It shows He loves us, and He accepts us just as we are,” they say.

But this misses the bigger picture that God has planned, and a major part of these church leaders’ problem is they are stuck in a rear-view perspective. They hold certain parts of the New Testament in much higher regard than the Old Testament or any prophetic passages. They are focused on looking backward, not forward. They like the past Jesus, and they ignore the future Jesus.

As they swim endless laps in those parts of Scripture they are most comfortable – the parts they feel give latitude to things they want to say, believe, do, and be – they don’t perceive the dangers of their choices. They refuse to see their desperate spiritual condition when this is pointed out to them.

They are deliberately deluded. Their trappings of ‘Christian culture’ have become much more important to them than a right relationship with God. They celebrate their blindness and nakedness because they’re obsessed with looking good in the world’s eyes.

They routinely claim, “It’s all about Jesus,” but they couldn’t be more wrong. The Bible says, instead, that Jesus is knocking at their door and trying to get in. Their senses have become dull to their dire condition and to what is taking place because their hearts are callous to truth.

The Bible warns that many of these ‘Christian’ leaders won’t recognize the signs and seasons. It states that they will revel in a system that is out of touch with the full counsel of God’s Word, out of touch with the complete person and work of Jesus Christ, and out of touch with their own need to repent and get right with God.

Because they push back on seeing Jesus Christ properly, because they only want a part of Him and not all of Him, and because they refuse to give attention to the myriad signs of His coming, they are in grave danger of missing Him when He returns. It’s happened before.

The parallels between the past and the present are real – and alarming. In both cases, those most responsible for the spiritual welfare of others willfully fail to understand their own calamity and blindness (Matt. 15:14; Rev. 3:17-18, Et al.). Any accountability they may receive is often regarded as a personal threat. In both cases, their obstinate “I do not need a thing” posture (Rev. 3:17) pushes back against the obvious fact they need a reality check.

So, what are we to do?

Do we stick our heads in the sand and pretend the gravity of this problem does not exist? Do we spar in constant discord with shallow and obstinate leaders who refuse to submit to and teach the full counsel of God’s Word? Do we resign ourselves to the conclusion that the problem is so big and pervasive that there’s nothing we can do?

Of course not. People make their own choices, and they will face the consequences of them (Matt. 7:21-23; Rev. 20:12-13; Et al.)

But that doesn’t mean we should hitch our wagon to their folly.

The wise response is to take personal responsibility for spiritual growth. The importance of this cannot be overstated. In 2 Tim. 2:15, the instruction is given to personally “study” God’s Word. It’s a command, not an option. Moreover, properly studying the Scriptures qualifies for God’s approval, and as noted with the Bereans (Acts 17:11), it is also a distinction of nobility. Applying what is learned in this discipline results in blessing (James 1:25).

Taking personal responsibility for understanding the times and seasons holds significant benefit. It enables one to properly perceive rapidly unfolding prophetic events – the understanding of which eludes all who have subordinated Biblical truth to their own ego, agenda, and position. It is this sort of spiritual discipline that keeps one eagerly watching and waiting for the return of Jesus Christ.

Two examples of this righteous personal discipline are found when we look back once more to the time of Jesus Christ’s first coming. There, we find two little-known figures which are presented in Luke 2:25-38: Simeon and Anna.

While Anna receives the distinction of being a ‘prophetess,’ and Simeon is noted to be ‘righteous and devout,’ neither appears to have had any formal role with the religious leadership of that time. In other words, they were laypeople – probably ordinary folk like most of us.

But both recognized Jesus Christ as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. In other words, they clearly grasped what the learned religious leaders failed to understand. Why? What can we learn from Simeon and Anna’s example?

First, Simeon and Anna knew the Scriptures for themselves. Specifically, they knew and understood God’s prophetic Word. The Bible says they were both actively waiting for the ‘consolation of Israel’ and the ‘redemption of Jerusalem.’ These phrases refer directly to Jesus Christ. Simeon and Anna knew He was coming because this promise had been repeated in Scripture. Because they personally studied and knew God’s Word, they knew their Savior was due any moment, and they were watching for Him. They didn’t miss Him.

Second, they both maintained an expectant anticipation. The Bible says of Simeon: “This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). It says of Anna: “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

So, Simeon was faithfully waiting for Jesus’ arrival, and Anna was faithfully teaching about Jesus’ arrival. God blessed both for their faithful endurance in one direction. Both Simeon and Anna were alert, prayerful, and ready. They persevered in righteous and expectant anticipation.

And lastly, both Simeon and Anna never gave up on believing in God’s promises. Each of them knew what God had said, and they believed it. They demonstrated great faith in God’s Word. Each of them embraced the truth even when few around them were doing the same.

Satan’s tactics always cause us to wonder, fear, and doubt. It’s been that way since the beginning when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say…?” (Gen. 3:1). Simeon and Anna were unmoved by the currents of their time and unfazed by the vacuous and self-absorbed religious leadership. They remained steadfast in their personal patience and endurance.

The Bible shows that many people missed Jesus the first time. It also says many will miss Him the second time. It’s vital that we connect the dots between the two eras and avoid making the same mistakes.

While the dysfunctions of the modern church contribute greatly to this dilemma, faithful hearts will continue to study God’s Word and eagerly anticipate Jesus Christ’s return.

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