Major Events Happened at Pentecost :: By Gene Lawley

That fourth feast of the Lord, called Pentecost and the Feast of Weeks, was fifty days after the Feast of First Fruits and included that Sunday of the Resurrection of Christ. There were 49 sabbaths plus one day to start a totally new era of God’s plan for the ages.

There were four major beginnings, or launchings, of events at that feast time. The first was the power from on high the disciples were promised in Acts 1:8a: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you….” It was the fulfillment of Joel’s promise that God would give them a new heart like never before, in Joel 2. That promise is echoed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:17, saying, “He who belongs to the Lord has become one spirit with Him.” And, in verses 19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

A second event within this one is the beginning of the church age, when Peter identified Christ as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), and Jesus said, “Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you but My Father who is in heaven, …and on this rock I will build My church.” (On Peter’s confession, not on Peter, the man, as the Roman Catholics have claimed.)

Also in Acts 1:8b is the launching of the Great Commission, to take the gospel of Christ, the good news of His salvation, to the ends of the earth: “…and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The Old Testament accounts of the Jewish people did not have such a direct command to take the knowledge of God to all people, but the psalmist wrote, in Psalm 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” From Abraham to Christ was a time of revealing the likeness of God to all people of the world, by the moral dictates of the law, yet the Jewish people constantly rebelled, refusing to obey the Lord and profaning His name. Yet God did not fail in His commitment and promises to them, for His own name’s sake. The Spirit-filled body of Christ, His church, was the ultimate promise fulfilled.

That gospel message was identified by Paul, specifically in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures….” (Those Scriptures would have been Old Testament Scriptures, of which Isaiah 53 would have been prominent in his thinking.)

Paul wraps this up in Romans 3:23-24: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew’s account of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 emphasizes His authority over all things:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

What about that final promise—”And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”? What happens after that? And when does the age end?

Knowing the end from the beginning, even in this situation, we can be assured that now, He is with us, and at the end of the age, we will be with Him. Hidden, then, in this Great Commission command is the truth that there will be a “taking out” of believers from this world. The Rapture, then, is again identified in the plan of God.

Another event initiated at that first Pentecost was the setting aside of Israel in favor of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, as declared in Romans 11:25:

“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.”

At the Jerusalem Conference recorded in Acts 15 by Luke, we learn from James’ summation thus: “And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, ‘Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.'”

The end of the age of the church and the Great Commission to the church happens when Jesus returns for His body of believers. John 14:1-3 tells what will happen then: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Then God’s attention is turned back to the Jews again for that final 70th year of Daniel’s prophecy, which was stopped at the end of the 69th year (Daniel 9:1-2 and 24-26). It turns out to be weeks of years. That is, instead of seven days in the week, it is one year as a day and seven years for a week. Thus, a week of seven years. The only time another “week” of seven years is mentioned is in Daniel 9:27 when the coming “prince,” the Antichrist, “confirms a covenant with many for seven years.”

Those seven years of tribulation foretold in Revelation 6 to 19 are a time when the Jews are brought to realize that Jesus Christ is their true Messiah and they accept Him, yet through hard suffering.

The church is not mentioned in those chapters of Revelation 5-18 until the marriage supper of the Lamb in chapter 19. The Great Commission to the church is no longer in effect then, for God anoints 144,000 young Jewish men to take the gospel of the kingdom to all tongues, tribes and nations. Their results are reported in Revelation 7 as multitudes.

Where are we now in God’s timetable? The worldwide embracing of sexual immorality as an acceptable equal to morality compares to the time of Lot and his departure from Sodom. Luke 17:28-30 tells the story: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

The “falling away” from the faith and lawfulness is rampant, but the Scripture says the One who restrains that evil will be taken out of the way for the Antichrist to have his time for judgment. The coming together of these things will come “as a thief in the night,” and those signs are looming on the horizon.

Contact email: andwegetmercy@gnail.com

The Stubborn Inclinations of Backward People :: By Wilfred Hahn

Backwards … forwards? People of course know the difference in the practical matters of life. We intentionally switch our gears back and forwards when driving a car. But it is not so cut and dry when it comes to truths and beliefs.

There, mankind is often insistent on backward reasoning, thinking he is enlightened and forward-looking. Actually, much worse; he finds himself reduced to nonsensical “backwardation” in his attempts to justify his wrong and backward perspectives. 

Sadly, in this way, much Biblical truth—i.e., the 7-day creation … the plan of salvation—is “backwarded” away.

It reminds of the well-known novel by Joseph Heller, Catch-22. The main character, John Yossarian, is so paranoid that he insists on walking backwards so as not to be followed. Doing so of course made him even more vulnerable.

But this is exactly what we see in the world. People reason backwardly in their attempts to support their misguided beliefs.

To no surprise, the human being has an incredible capacity for denying facts and treating his own logic inconsistently. He is therefore prone to being wrong … and in the position of also rejecting obvious truth.

The prophet Jeremiah observed this corruptible tendency of humans several millennia ago, saying: “But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward” (Jeremiah 7:24).

We see here that supposedly sensible people can choose to go backwards … to deny the obvious. Why? In many cases this is because people will cling to their a priori views—which may be wrong—even though the facts and truths point to the exact opposite. They must then bend and twist the facts to fit their theories.

In this case, Jeremiah clearly links this twisted “backwardation” to the “stubborn inclinations of evil hearts.” The truth is repudiated in order to follow their evil desires.

Ignoring the Obvious

As we have reviewed, it is simply amazing how opinions can be completely backward in the face of obvious Truths. This applies to lay people, academics, professionals, and experts … potentially everybody.

These supposed deep thinkers therefore also hold on to backward views, making convoluted arguments to support their views and opinions. Often, they choose not to accept the obvious or straightforward view, simply because they are biased and refuse Truth.

Doing so, instead they make their theories and scenarios much more complicated and unlikely … even ridiculous.

Here we see the rule of Occam’s Razor being ignored. What is this principle? It says that when a simpler or more efficient explanation (hypothesis) suffices, then one should not seek more complex arguments or theorems. The latter are almost always twisted and backward views …  jamming round pegs into square holes.

Let’s next consider some examples of obvious truths being flouted and reversed.

Backwardation #1: The Foul History of Language

Consider the origin of language. Taking the “evolutionary” view, it is theorized that languages evolved very slowly, appearing much later in the human timeline. Language perhaps may have begun with grunts and physical signals. This prehistoric state of communication then eventually evolving into actual verbal communication systems. At first, these would be simple languages; then gradually becoming very sophisticated, with large and complicated vocabularies. At least, so it is theorized.

This perspective is nonsense, of course, as most readers will conclude for themselves.

Not surprisingly, the natural evidence says otherwise. One need not be an academic … someone frocked in a white lab coat … etc. Common sense suffices. 

For example, one can see for oneself that the natural tendency for language is to deteriorate, left to its own. Just as the earth is gradually deteriorating and winding down (2nd Law of Thermodynamics), so does everything else in this dispensation. Says the Bible: “[ …] look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke; the earth will wear out like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).

Who has not encountered people that have an extremely small vocabulary … and at that, mostly comprised of expletives. Their language is basal … showing a regressive tendency.

There is a major deficiency with the theories of evolutionary linguists. Research shows that the exact opposite occurred to what they theorize. As it turned out, the older, ancient languages were more sophisticated than recent languages … the latter languages clearly inferior. 

This finding clearly invalidates the evolutionary view.

This should be the end of this topic—one would think.

Not at all.

Linguists still strain to find another answer … i.e., the one that they want and will validate their a priori views. Essentially, they reason that since there is no God who created all things, the obvious evidence must be wrong. Linguists are virtually knocking themselves out with complicated and speculative explanations in their attempts to buttress their wrong evolutionary suppositions.

Backwardation #2: The Fossil Record Upside Down

Here is another example of a major “backwardation.” Fossils are found everywhere—from the deepest oceans to the peaks of mountains. The earth is literally teeming with fossils. Archaeologists agree that millions of species of creatures have died off and become extinct over time.

Interestingly, viewing this record, there has not yet been one “uncontested” missing link found. This must be very embarrassing for evolutionists, we imagine. After all, since the first perpetuation of this unlikely theory of evolution (leading to Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species in 1859), evolutionists have had some 160 years to find supporting evidence for their theories.

They are still digging for the “missing fossils.” Should we allow the archaeologists an additional 50 years more time to search … perhaps another 160 years? Their insistence that links will yet be found appears unrealistic and, frankly, even comical.

Why comical? Consider the plain facts. What we clearly see in the fossil record—and for all to observe as well—is a story of thousands of years of death. A kindergarten child could easily and logically conclude from the fossil record, that it evidences a history of death (massive numbers of extinctions) and not new life.

Life does not come from death.

Looking over the history of expired species, death, and lack of links, how is it that a story of evolutionary life can be spun from such evidence?

Nevertheless, we observe that evolutionists have spent 160 years fabricating proofs and theories … constantly revising their theories. To date, they have not found one verifiable, uncontested proof of a “missing link.”

Instead, they propose explanations that are twisted, complex and speculative. Evolutionists are therefore in a state of “backwardation”—denying the obvious.

But why adopt very complicated and unlikely theorems, when the evidence supports a simple and clear answer (recall Occam’s Razor)?

Backwardation Everywhere

We have only presented two examples of “backwardations.” In this fallen world, there are many more we could review at length.

Briefly, for example, consider the position of the Jews. For two millennia, they have ignored or denied the proof statements of the Messiah in their Torah. Admittedly, God Himself blinded them for a time to fulfill His punishment and for our sake.

Be that as it may, they have been in “backwardation” for a long time. The good news is that the Jews will eventually bow their knees to their Messiah. As the prophet Daniel says, at that time the “knowledge of the Lord” will become obvious to them. They “will run to and fro” (KJV), re-discovering the “knowledge of the Lord” (Daniel 12:4).

Consider also the roles of debt and money. Today’s world monetary systems are based upon extreme and unprecedented indebtedness. This is not what God had in mind. The Bible clearly says that the creditor should “forgive us” (Matthew 6:12) our debts.

Indeed, forgiveness of debt was the standard practice several millennia ago. Rulers would announce “clean slates” when necessary. Now, living in the Roman era, the opposite is the norm. Creditors are dominant and powerful; the poor are held prisoner.

Much backwardation exists in this perspective. Most disturbing is the prevalent view that “unfettered capitalism” finds Biblical basis. This could not be more wrong. The Bible does not support any of mankind’s “isms.” 

This Roman monetary bias will change dramatically when the “day of the Lord” occurs.

Thoughts to Ponder

The world will remain in “backwardation.” They are going “backward and not forward” (Jeremiah 7:24).

“The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:4). Ignoring common sense evidence indeed is laughable. 

“Thinking themselves wise they venerate their baseless thoughts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).

————–

Wilfred J. Hahn is a global economist/strategist. Formerly a top-ranked global analyst, research director for a major Wall Street investment bank, and head of Canada’s largest global investment operation, his writings focus on the endtime roles of money, economics and globalization. He has been quoted around the world and his writings reproduced in numerous other publications and languages. His 2002 book The Endtime Money Snare: How to live free accurately anticipated and prepared its readers for the Global Financial Crisis. A following book, Global Financial Apocalypse Prophesied: Preserving true riches in an age of deception and trouble, looks further into the prophetic future.

Contact Wilfred at: staff@eternalvalue.com