Satan Bound 1,000 Years

What does it mean in the revelation “Satan is bound for a thousand years?” The passage to which the querist refers is: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image,  neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which …

Study the Bible

Because It Is the Word of God Students pour over textbooks daily trying to learn pieces of knowledge that man has accumulated over time. Youthful scientists sit with mouths agape as they read the genius of Albert Einstein. Scholars tingle with excitement at the discovery of additional writings of such men. How much more should we tremble in both awe and delight every time we open the Bible? “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrew 4:12). The Bible is the written record of what your Creator has spoken to you (2 Peter 1:21). It amazes me that people will listen to the words of the President of the United States because of how his policy may affect the world, that people will listen to advice from a broker because of how it may affect them financially (“When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen.”), that people will listen to celebrities and sports figures when determining their next purchase, but that few people truly listen to God when he speaks through the pages of Holy Writ! When Jesus said, “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11), the power in these words came not from the fact that they had been recorded, but because God had spoken them. The Bible is God’s own breath. Paul said in 2 Timothy …

The Names of God

Surely every person who is worthy of the name Christian desires to know more and more about God. It seems that there should be such an insatiable desire to know God that one would never be satisfied with the knowledge that he has. The more one learns about our God the more closely he is drawn to him, and the more deeply he can love him, and the greater will be the desire to serve him. Since our subjective faith is based upon knowledge, one reason there is such a limited faith in God is because there is such a limited knowledge of him. One of the ways for us to get to know more and more about God is to study his nature, or the characteristics of his nature that are revealed in Scripture. We can only know about God what he has chosen to reveal about himself in nature and in special revelation. Nature anyone can see, investigate and study, thus learning some important things about our God, but it is by special revelation, that is, through a study of the Scriptures, that we can come to know God as he would have us know him. Another way for us to come to know God is to come to know the names by which he has chosen to reveal himself in Scripture. Since no single name can possibly reveal God, the Scriptures use several names, or we should say that in the Scriptures God has revealed himself using …

Church Names

I was looking for info on the doctrines of the “Church of God” and it’s various branches, and came across your site.  I read a good article explaining the faults of Calvinism, which, although I am not college trained, I have studied in scriptures and find to be imbalance (Calvinism).  You go on about “The name of the true church” in one article, citing examples from scripture. Doesn’t it occur to you that none of the apostles ever had a sign in front of a building? They were meeting in synagogues and homes, and were for the most part underground and persecuted.  You seem very sincere, brother, but also not seeing the forrest for the trees. The church is a group of people all over the world who are born again and follow Christ to the end. The church manifests itself whenever 2 or more gather in Jesus’ name. What I am saying is that the sign on your building has nothing to do with the church! The apostles were not saying “If you call your gathering yada yada it is a true church”! It is the Spirit of God in His people manifesting in fruit and gifts, worship and service that make a group of people a church! ~ Matthew W. Pittaway, Mt. Juliet, TN The querist comments on a short article in a series of articles that discuss the divine characteristics of the church which Jesus died to establish.  Those divine characteristics appear in the Bible and contrast with many of the …

Which Saves, Christ Or The Church?

Nothing should be more important to anyone than his salvation from sin and living so he can be in heaven after he dies. Christ Is The Saviour? An angel told Joseph in a dream that the woman he was to marry had conceived by the Holy Ghost and that she would bring forth a son whose name would be Jesus, and who would save his people from their sins (Luke 2:1-11).  Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Many other passages in the New Testament say that Jesus Christ is our Saviour. This monumental truth is indeed “good tidings of great joy,” as the angel said to the shepherds.  When one realizes he is lost in his sins and hears the good news that Jesus seeks him and wants him to be saved, he should receive such good tidings with great joy!  Surely all who believe the Bible will readily and joyfully agree that Jesus Christ is the Saviour, and that he died on the cross so all could be saved. Yes, indeed Jesus saves! Where Does Jesus Save? The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus Christ is our Saviour. It just as plainly tells us where he saves! Jesus died on the cross that he might reconcile Jews and Gentiles, or all people, unto God in one body by the cross (Ephesians 2:14–16).  That one body is his church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Therefore, reconciliation, or salvation from sin and getting back to God, takes place in the church which …

Church Government

I appreciated your article Elderless, especially since we and one other couple just formed a new congregation of the church, and have no elders. I think I don’t totally agree with you on two points, but maybe I just need clarification. You concluded with “All adult, male members …” 1. Adult only? I would like to know your views on an adult versus a child Christian. If a child can be a christian, then it would be unscriptural to expect less of it or more of an adult. (I am not speaking of the young in faith, but, for example, of a 9 year-old versus a 40 year-old, both of which have been Christians for the same period of time.) 2. Males only? I assume that a woman, or women, made the decisions for the church in Lydia’s household.  I know that women are to keep silent in worship, which includes prayer. But I believe that their silence is restricted to worship, which does not include a business meeting. I am not saying that they rule over a man, but I believe it is unscriptural to forbid them to speak except in worship. If you do not let the women express their views, how do you know if you may cause one or more of them to stumble? ~ Bill D. Thank you for your expression of appreciation for the article cited above (which, for the convenience of readers, follows this response).  In one sense, converts to Christianity are men and women …

Rejoice Evermore

As Paul does so often, he closes the epistle to the Thessalonians with several short admonitions that served as a partial summary, part of a conclusion and part exhortation in order to help strengthen this young congregation at Thessalonica. Perhaps the simplest of these is the precept, “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Although it seems straightforward and uncomplicated on the surface, this two-word verse should cause us to consider our whole attitude toward life. The very fact that Paul had to command rejoicing should provoke us toward further study. Why was it so important and necessary to tell people to be happy? Obviously, the type of joy Paul had in mind had roots much deeper than external happiness found in the general circumstances of life. These do indeed give us reasons to rejoice, and may seem to occur quite naturally, but Paul’s approach extends far beyond the intermittent enjoyment of life’s circumstances. All too often, we base how we feel and what we think upon the externals of life and how well our worldly concerns are doing. Many times our happiness may depend on whether or not we just got through paying the bills or we recently received a paycheck. Or, perhaps we allow how other people treat us or mistreat us to determine how we feel for that day (week, month, etc.). But the joy of which Paul spoke was not so fickle. That is why God commanded it. Christians have more to rejoice about than any other people, …

So Much to Do, So Little Time

As a general rule, people tend to identify more easily with others similar to themselves.  This feeling of special understanding is not always limited to the people around us.  How many times have you read the Bible and felt you understood the ways of one character better than another?  Part of the reason for this may have to do with personality. Though there are many ways to categorize personalities, one way divides people into four personality types.  These categories are the sanguine, the choleric, the melancholy and the phlegmatic.  Each kind of personality has general characteristics associated with it.  Though the characteristics may not be true for all people with that personality, they are generally true for many such individuals.  All four personality types have general strengths and weaknesses with which people must contend.  No one personality type is better than any other.  All four have good and bad qualities; all four are needed to make this world a better place. For the next few moments, let’s consider some Bible characters from one of the above personality types.  Since these individuals cannot complete a personality test to show us their personality type, we have to use what is written on the pages of the Bible.  By looking at what each wrote, did or said we can get a good idea of their respective personality types.  The goal of such a study is to see people like ourselves serving God to the best of their abilities and providing great examples for us to follow. The choleric personality type is a very strong individual.  These …

If God Is Love Why. . .?

If God is love, why does war exist?  If God is love, why do innocent children die?  If God is love, why are there so many heartaches in life?  Some people allow these questions to keep them from obeying the Gospel of Christ.  Some Christians allow these questions to detract from their service to the Lord.  No doubt, some ask these questions in sincerity.  They are truly searching for answers to these questions.  But, some that ask these questions act as if they have the right to sit in judgement of God. As we seek answers to these questions, there are two passages of Scripture that we must bear in mind.  The first is Isaiah 55:8-9. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” We are simply unable to fully understand God’s intricate design for the workings of the universe.  This, however, does not mean that we cannot know some things concerning the subject of this article. The second passage of Scripture is Isaiah 59:1-2. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he will not hear.” To honestly approach the questions of our concern, we must understand and never forget the horrendous effect of sin.  Only with this understanding …

Prayer and Fingers

1.  Your thumb is nearest to you.  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.  They are the easiest to remember.  To pray for our loved ones is, as Lewis once said, a “sweet duty.” 2.  The next finger is the pointing finger.  Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.  This includes teachers, doctors and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.  Keep them in your prayers. 3.  The next finger is the tallest finger.  It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God’s guidance. 4.  The fourth finger is our ring finger.  Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger¾as any piano teacher will testify.  It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night.  You cannot pray too much for them. 5.  And lastly comes our little finger¾the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.  As the Bible says, “the least shall be the greatest among you.”  Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself.  By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. Author Unknown submitted by Mark McWhorter

Man Is Lost Without God’s Word, Part 1

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psa. 119:105). Without the Bible, man is without guidance and without authentic information as to his origin.  Without the Bible, man does not know where he is going or how to get there.  In spite of the value of God’s Word, many people are completely indifferent to its instructions.  As a result of this, many people are lost in more ways than one. First and most important, man is lost spiritually without the Bible.  Jesus taught his disciples: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  A knowledge of the truth is necessary if man is to be saved from his sins.  Peter was to speak to Cornelius “words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved” (Acts 11:14).  The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, but only if it is learned, believed and obeyed. Second, the Bible provides for man a moral standard that is necessary for righteous living here upon the earth.  Without the Bible, there is no standard of morality.  Hence, without the Bible, man is lost morally and becomes as the animals of the forest and field. Third, the Bible gives us our origin.  It tells us that we are created in the image of God, and that we possess a soul that must spend eternity somewhere (Genesis 1:26-27).  Without the Bible, man reaches the conclusion that he originated as a one-celled creature along with all other animals.  This debases man and convinces …

A Good Place to Rest

Our family travels from time to time.  Sometimes we travel a long way from home.  Other times we do not go so far.  But, whenever we travel, we always look forward to finding a good place to stop for the night.  We want to find a place where we will feel safe.  And, we want a place where we can sleep well. The best place to stop is at a family member’s house.  It is always good to see family members that you have not seen in a while.  And, you know they will have made good preparations for you to spend the night.  Another very good place to rest is at a good friend’s house.  A friend is glad to see you and will do everything he can to help you rest well. In the spiritual realm, we have the best place to rest.  In Psalm 25:12-13 we read, “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.” The word “dwell” comes from a word that means “to lodge for the night.”  The person who fears God and obeys his word will always have a safe place to rest.  God will take care of him spiritually.  The person who fears God does not need to fear Satan.  He will be able to rest well spiritually. God is our Father.  He is the best family member a person can have.  And, God is our Friend.  There is no better friend a person can have than …

Would You Be a Zoo Animal?

There are zoos all over the world.  In Africa, many of the zoos are actually very large wildlife parks with the animals roaming around free.  But most zoos are smaller and have the animals in large pens, cages or glassed in areas. The animals are in the zoo so that people can walk by and see all the different animals from all over the world.  People will take pictures of them.  Children will point at them and ask many questions.  If the animals do strange or funny things, the people will laugh at them. People have always been interested in zoos.  During the time of the New Testament, people would gather in the large open-air theaters or the large coliseums to watch as animals were brought on stage.  The animals would be made to do things to entertain the crowd. It is interesting that the Hebrew Christians were reminded that Christians had been treated the same way as the animals.  In Hebrews 10:32-33 we read, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.” The word “gazingstock” is a word that was used for showing and entertaining with the wild animals on stage.  These Christians had been treated just like wild animals.  They had been laughed at, pointed at and looked upon as strange creatures. Would you be willing to be treated like that?  These Christians …

God in the Tents of Shem

Genesis 9:24-27 Introduction: 1. The second stage of the development of messianic prophecy in the book of Genesis is found in this passage of Scripture. 2. This prophecy has long been overlooked by those of our brotherhood who have studied the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. 3. Perhaps that was done while hastening to get to so many of the great prophecies of the book of Isaiah, or perhaps for some other reason, but we feel that we will do ourselves a great injustice if we fail to stop and take a careful look at the blessing that Noah spoke to his son Shem, and see what that blessing has to say regarding the Messiah. 4. Let us begin by reading the text: Genesis 9:24-27, (24) “So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. (25) Then he said: ‘Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren.’ (26) And he said: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. (27) May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant.” 5. Now let us make some pertinent observations relating to the time that went by between Genesis three, and Genesis nine. a) There is no way of telling exactly how many years passed by between the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, and the one of Genesis 9:24-27. b) If the genealogies of Genesis Five are accurate representations of the time that passed, and they …

Unbelievers Make Doomsday Prophets

We have heard doomsday predictions coming from the prophets of doom in the last several months. These people claim to have special scientific knowledge of the future, and claim to be able to predict the future to some extent. For example, some “scientists” have come up with a rather fanciful theory that the dinosaur population was wiped off the face of the earth by a tremendous asteroid that is supposed to have struck the earth sixty or seventy billion years ago, and upon that theory they further postulate that if it has been that long since an asteroid of that magnitude struck the earth, then it must be about time for it to happen again. We do have evidence of rather large objects from space impacting the earth, but there is not one shred of evidence that the earth has ever been struck by a heavenly body of the size of the one they claim killed the dinosaurs. The plain truth of the matter is that no one knows what happened to the dinosaurs, and no one knows that the earth has been here for billions of years. As a matter of fact, what is called “the young earth theory” (the theory that the earth is less than 15,000 years old) has much more evidence to back it up than the theory that the earth has been here for millions and billions of years. These people gather up bone fragments, and from these they make an animal that may have or may …

Living Soberly, Righteously and Godly in This Present World

TEXT: Titus 2:12 THESIS: Reflection on Titus 2:12 SONG:”I Surrender All” INTRODUCTION: Titus 2:12 and the rest of Titus is addressed to Christians (the church, the saved); it does not detail how to become a child of God, but it details how the child of God should be moved by the Word of God in Christian living. Titus 2:12 is the summary definition of the manifestation of true Christianity in the lives of Christians and churches of Christ; while it is possible for individuals and churches to appear to manifest Titus 2:12 when really they are corrupted with sin, Christians and congregations cannot be acceptable to God without demonstrating Titus 2:12. The implementation of Titus 2:12 involves both the eradication of some things from one’s life and the replacement of such with godly virtues. BODY:I. Titus One: A. The instruction of 2:12 rests in the authority of an apostle (1:1).B. Heeding truth and practicing godliness are the bases of hope (1:2).C. The Word of God is the sole medium by which this truth is revealed to men (1:3).D. The appointment of elders is a contributor to individual Christian and congregational ‘soberness, righteousness and godliness’ (1:4-9).E. Manifestation of the lack of ‘soberness, righteousness and godliness’ is evident among unruly, vain talkers and deceivers (1:10).F. The Jewish error and abuse of the Gospel oppose ‘soberness, righteousness and godliness’ (1:11-14).G. A defiled conscience prohibits ‘soberness, righteousness and godliness’ (1:15).H. Evil works negate professions of godliness (1:16). II. Titus Two:A. Sound doctrine (truth) underlies …

The Tongue Of The Chameleon

In the design of the tongue, feeding structure, and feeding behavior of the lowly chameleon, we see evidence that natural selection was not the source for these abilities. There had to be a Creator who knew how this animal would live, and provided the structures needed for its survival. Let’s look at the details of these structures and marvel at their complexity and the greatness of their Creator. There are two mechanisms operated by the powerful muscles that throw the tongue forward. At the back of the chameleon’s jaw lies a V-shaped bone with the point of the “V” facing backward. Attached to this bone, by a flexible joint, is the tongue bone over which the tongue fits like a glove on a finger. When the chameleon is about to shoot out its tongue, the V-bone is moved forward slightly to push the tip of the tongue out of the mouth. The circular muscles in the thick tip of the tongue then contract violently so that the tongue is forced out of the mouth. This violent, simultaneous, contraction of the circular muscle and relaxation of the longitudinal muscle allows the tongue to reach a length equal to the body length of the chameleon. In addition, the V-shaped bone is thrust farther out for added impetus to the tongue’s throw. The time required for this to occur is 1/16 of a second to extend the tongue, and 1/4 of a second to retract it. While sticky saliva on the end of …

The Chameleon’s Kaleidoscope

In the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world live some of the most unusual and wondrous creatures ever made by the Great Designer. The plants of these lush and humid climes are also full of surprises and strange features. Let’s look at one of these unusual life forms, the chameleon. The chameleon is one of the world’s truly unique creatures. It has jointed grasping feet, a prehensile tail, a tongue that can be catapulted out to a length as long as its own body, and eyes set in turrets operating independently of each other. It also has the ability to change colors to match its background. The chameleon’s ability to match the plants around it is made possible by four layers of skin each containing a different light reflecting substance. The lower layer where the melanophores are located is the most complex. Melanophores are cells that contain the pigment “melanin” and have long tentacle like extensions that move up through the upper light reflecting layers. To change the color of the skin, the color cells alter in size, and by variation of the amounts of yellow, red, and dark brown, different colors are produced by a mixing effect. The light reflecting layers also help alter and vary the hue and tint. How the chameleon is able to know that he has matched perfectly the color and pattern of its environment without a mirror to check out his arrangement of pigments is remarkable. The length of this article does not …

A Study of Satan, 1 of 2

Some people think that if you believe in the devil, you never really graduated from childhood.  Or as one put it, “belief in a personal Satan is part of mankind’s nursery furniture.”  The Bible, however, is not unclear about the existence or work of our adversary.  It should be enough to say that Jesus believed in Satan and talked often of him (e.g., Matthew 25:41; John 8:44).  Satan is found in the Bible 55 times (19 times in the Old Testament; 36 in the New Testament).  Devil is found 59 times (all in the New Testament).  An analysis of these texts gives us much detail about our enemy. Origin: From wheredid the devil come?   Satan was on the scene as early as the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1).  But since he is not introduced and no account of his birth or creation is given, how are we to know his origin?  Consider that there are only three kinds of beings: Deity, angels and human.  Satan is not divine since he is obviously subject to God (cf. Job 1).  He is not human because he possesses powers superior to humans (cf. Matthew 4).  Therefore, he must belong to the class of angels.  God does not create evil (James 1:17[1]), so he must have been created good and became evil (like man).  It follows then that Satan is a rebellious angel who was judged by God and fell from holiness to wickedness.  Jesus indicated this when he said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).  Peter adds to our understanding when he wrote, “For if God …

The Parable of the Tares

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Introduction The Parable of the Tares is one of only two of our Lord’s parables that he explained.  The Parable of the Sower is the other.  Both parables share the same background so familiar to Jesus’ auditors. Each of these two parables features the sower and his good seed.  However, whereas in The Parable of the Sower any righteous soul (including Christ) is the sower, in The Parable of the Tares the sower of the good seed (“the householder”) is Jesus alone.  The Word of God was identified as the seed in The Parable of the Sower, but in The Parable of the Tares the good seed represents righteous people.  The bad seed (“tares”) represents unrighteous souls. The Parable of the Tares also has a second sower — the devil.  Additional persons include servants of the householder (the righteous) and angels.  Further similarities and contrasts involve the four soils in the former parable and a single field of good soil in the latter parable. Further the term kingdom is used differently in the two parables.  “Kingdom” in its usual sense (when the Bible addresses spiritual matters) pertains to the dominion of God — to us the church — and is employed in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:1).  In the Parable of the Tares and the Parable of the Pounds or Money (Luke 19:11-27) the word “kingdom” refers to the world, in which are both righteous and unrighteous souls. The Parable of the Tares develops through two questions accompanied by two answers.  The questions and answers are prefaced with essential details on which the …