General Articles

Those Who Beheld the Glory of Christ :: By Dr. Donald Whitchard

Published on: by RR7

 

John 1:14-18, Luke 9:28-32, 2 Peter 1:16-18, John 2:11, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:1-4, Philippians 2:9-11

Summary: In John’s prologue, he presents the Lord Jesus Christ as God the Creator who came into the world to be among us and is due all majesty, glory, and splendor.

In the previous verses of John’s prologue, he has presented the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who was in the beginning with God and Who is God, the source of life and the light for all to see yet was rejected by His own people. Those who followed Him, though few, received the right to be called the children of God, establishing a personal and intimate relationship with the Father (John 1:1-13). He goes on to present Jesus as the One who is worthy of all glory, majesty, and splendor.

Our poor vocabulary cannot fathom the full extent of the reward and joy that awaits us because of the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 2:8-9). We owe Him reverence, praise, gratitude, and glory for what He has done for us so that we may be assured of both eternal life and the fellowship with Him that awaits us not too far in the future (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10).

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines the word “glory” using Scripture as the foundation. It is “brightness, splendor, or luster” (2 Peter 1:17), magnificence (Matthew 6:29), praise ascribed in adoration and honor (Luke 2:9), the joy of heaven prepared for the children of God (Psalm 73:24), the Divine perfection of excellence (Psalm 19:1), and an honorable representation of God (1 Corinthians 11:7).

You won’t find this in modern editions of most dictionaries. Glory belongs to God alone, and any use of it by humanity is a type of self-edification and source of arrogance, as demonstrated by the proud Nebuchadnezzar in ascribing the wonders of Babylon to his own credit. Because of this, he was struck down by God for seven years and returned to his throne a humbled man who saw the hand of God in everything and gave praise to Him (Daniel 4:28-37).

That should be a blunt lesson for us, yet we continue to follow in the footsteps of the devil as we continually declare ourselves to be the center of all things, an attitude that will be judged and sentenced by the Lord Jesus Christ at the time of His return and the establishment of His kingdom (Matthew 25:33-41; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15).

John wrote of the glory of Jesus’ deity (John 1:14a) and received the dignity appropriate to the only begotten Son of God. Such glory, splendor and honor belong to no other and expresses His rank and character. We see this in events such as His Transfiguration before Peter, James, and John (Luke 9:28-32; 2 Peter 1:17). His glory was seen in His miracles, doctrine, resurrection, and ascension, all of which illustrated absolute perfection and manifested that glory that belongs only to the Divine Son of God. Jesus is glorified through His grace, truth, kindness, His works of power before the people (John 1:14b, 16-17; Acts 10:34-43).

Albert Barnes, the 19th century Bible expositor, said this of Christ’s grace: “He was kind, merciful, gracious, doing good to all, and seeking the welfare of people by great sacrifice and love, so much so, that it might be said to be characteristic of Him as He bounded in favors to humanity.”

Again, while these comments are an admirable description of the gracious work of the Lord Jesus Christ, our poor vocabulary is not able to grasp the totality of His being and majesty.

John goes on further to add that Jesus’ glory was also in His role as the Truth of God, declaring nothing but absolute truth, devoid of falsehood, unlike the false “Messiahs” and prophets within the pages of Scripture who were exposed as imposters and frauds (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). He represented things as they are, reality and fact, and personified the truth and well as the way and the life (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). His glory was witnessed by John the Baptist and later the apostle Paul as they recognized His absolute superiority, pre-existence, and that He was the Creator (John 1:15, 27, 29-30, 8:58, 17:5; Colossians 1:16-17). He is also glorified through His revelation, which He sovereignly chose to present before the prophets and apostles (Numbers 12:8; Isaiah 6:1-13; John 14:9, 17:6, 24; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:1-4).

The world in which we live today, by contrast, has arrogantly declared that concepts such as absolute truth and especially the claims of the Lord Jesus are to be dismissed, ignored, ridiculed, and destroyed.

We have adopted the rule of “do as you will,” “You can’t force your beliefs on me,” or “true for you but not for me,” which is nothing more than one of the laws of Satanism. The idea that you are your own god and accountable to no one is the religion of the end times.

It is only by the steadfast and uncompromising presentation of the Gospel and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that will draw the final remnant of believers to the foot of the cross before the day of what is known in Scripture as “the rapture of the church” (John 6:44, 16:5-15). At that time, God Himself will place upon those who have rejected the free offer of the Gospel a strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). He will be glorified yet even in this, for He has been patient, not willing that any should eternally perish (2 Peter 3:9). But there will come a day where His patience will cease. He will judge the world for its rebellion, hatred, and animosity towards Him. He will show all of creation that He is the Sovereign Almighty LORD and will not be mocked or denied for the sake of miscreants who want nothing to do with Him.

The Final Judgment of the wicked dead will also manifest His glory, for He will give perfect justice and bring an end to the evil and malevolence that has plagued us since Eden. The guilty will be punished, all confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord, even the devil and his demons who join the chorus of the condemned and depraved in the Lake of Fire for eternity.

We are all accountable to Him, and we will all stand before the glorified Lord Jesus Christ one day with no exceptions or excuses. Either we glorify Him in the wonders of heaven or the horror of hell. I implore you this day to come Him and Him alone for salvation, eternal peace, and full forgiveness of your sins. At that moment, you will be able to proclaim His magnificent glory, love, mercy, and compassion. He promised (Matthew 11:28-30). Glory to His name.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

My YouTube broadcasts titled “The Reality City Review” will be posted on Facebook, GETTR, Parler, and on my website when completed. My main area of discussion will be on the basics of the Christian faith but will also deal with prophetic issues and other topics as the Lord impresses upon me to handle.

Filling the Cup of Wrath :: By Terry James

Published on: by RR7

 

When looking upon the cultural and societal horizon, it’s hard to avoid the questions: How did things get this way so quickly? Where is it all taking us? When will we reach that destination?

My thoughts include the query: How very confusing and troubling—even terrifying—must it be to those who don’t have Bible prophecy as a basis for pondering all of these things? But then comes the reality of the human condition. It is obvious that the great majority of humanity moves through life without paying much attention to matters engulfing them, except and until their lives collide with calamitous circumstances. I’m referring to such circumstances as the so-called pandemic and its many variations. Humanity, at such time, accepts wholeheartedly, even clamors for, such things as unproven, experimental vaccines.

Christians join the majority of humanity who doesn’t give a thought to what all this demand by the powers that be means—demands that everyone on the planet take the jab.

This is not to rail against the vaccines themselves. And I write other than to criticize Christians and non-Christians for jumping on the globalist vaccination train, although I believe there are biblical reasons for addressing the egregious error wrapped up in the matters involved. But we will reserve such reasoning for subsequent commentaries.

What I do wish to address is the ease with which most all of humanity—including those who claim Christianity as their belief system—move along in herd-like lockstep toward a destination of which all are oblivious. They are pushed and prodded along by the elite and evil powers and principalities of Ephesians 6:12, as I’ve pointed out many times.

Some finally come out of their trance-like states to suddenly realize things have changed desperately. Their world—their circumstance—has seemingly suddenly altered, and they no longer recognize it. And now the wickedness that surrounds them engulfs them and seems to have no remedy. The only result of their movement, unrealized while they were in transit, is lockdown by draconian would-be masters.

It is at such times that God’s cup of wrath is full nearly to the brim. This is a horrifying place for any generation to occupy.

We remember the people of Noah’s day in antediluvian times when God regretted that He had made mankind. We recall Sodom and Gomorrah when every sort of wickedness had come into play. We were given the story of Nineveh and its people the Lord spared from His certain wrath to come if repentance wasn’t forthcoming.

We look at the terrible, sexually depraved city of Pompeii and suppose with good reasons that the Lord’s cup of wrath had overflowed as surely as did Vesuvius on that fateful day.

In each of these judgments, the people had, through full-bore compliance or through acquiescence, become willing participants in the rebellion against the Creator God of Heaven. The results were catastrophic—even for Nineveh at a time when that city’s evil once more filled God’s cup of wrath and brought about His wrath.

Again, looking upon the cultural and societal horizon of our times, we might wonder how quickly things got this messed up. They got this way the same way all other societies and cultures reached their tipping points—their world steeped in such evil that it filled God’s cup of wrath, bringing catastrophic judgment.

A recent news item gives but one insult to the Creator. The insult, of course, is compounded exponentially by too many instances to list.

A new law, put in place on Saturday in Canada, is causing concern that it may criminalize the dissemination of the Bible.

The concern is that Bill C-4, the Act to amend the Criminal Code-conversion therapy, defines conversion therapy in overly broad terms. The definition set out in the bill read as follows:

“A practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual, to change a person’s gender identity or gender expression to cisgender or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour or non-cisgender gender expression.”

The new law expressly forbids practices, treatments, or services designed to change or repress a person’s gender expression to align with their biological sex….

Rev. Dr. Aaron Rock, pastor of Harvest Bible Church in Windsor, Ontario, notes: “In Canada, the teachings of both basic biology and the Bible are now ‘myths,’ according to the preamble to Bill C-4 (conversion therapy bill)…. This isn’t about protecting people from harm; it’s about the state playing the role of God. And, not a single MP objected to it, including several that claim to be Christian.” (“Canadian Christians Fear New Law Will Criminalize Bible,” Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Biblical News, 1/9/22)

As I say, the anti-God actions by government and humanity as a whole would fill volumes. Meantime, those who believe there is a God but who don’t know Him say He is a “God of love” and would never bring judgment and wrath.

If those who say this could talk to the people of Samuel’s day, well, let the scriptural account speak for itself.

“Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Samuel 15:1-3).

How horrendous it will be when God must pour His righteous judgment from that full-to-the-brim cup of wrath. And this generation of lost individuals who occupy planet Earth is facing the Lord’s fury. Jesus said it will be a time worse than has ever been or will ever again be (Matthew 24:21).

Thankfully, God’s wrath is still filling into that terrible cup. We must alert our fellow Christians who don’t have a clue but who are mixed within that herd being pushed and prodded along by the minions of Ephesians 6:12.

Those believers will be spared, but those who surround them who don’t know Jesus Christ for salvation will feel the full force of God’s holy wrath. Everyone who reads these posts should be personal evangelists. Forewarn those around you of the wrath to come if repentance and acceptance of God’s way of escape aren’t forthcoming.

Again, here is that way of escape:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).