The Strange Mix of Dispensational, Postmillennial, Pentecostal, Political, Prophetic, Apocalyptic, Gnostic Christianity

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Steve Foster

Have you noticed the newfangled Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers in restaurants? They allow you to mix your own concoction of soft drinks with the click of a button. I have stood behind kids whisking through the screens combining a host of different drinks to create something weird and new.

I usually just stick with Dr. Pepper.

But thinking about these dispensers made me realize what is happening in modern American Christianity.

Many people are mixing their own theological concoction of the Christian faith to suit their own liking.

Jumping from YouTube video to YouTube video, website to website, cable show to cable show, preacher to preacher, commentator to commentator, talking head to talking head. Soon you have your own unique combination of dispensational, postmillennial, Pentecostal, political, prophetic, apocalyptic, gnostic Christianity and you don’t even realize it.

But you take a big ol’ gulp of your new Kool-Aid.

And it gives you a serious case of theological heartburn. In some cases, it can kill your faith.

Let me give you an example.

Recently someone sent me a YouTube video of a Christian preacher that they wanted me to watch. They loved his message. It was bold, in-your-face, and politically-charged. When I am sent a video like this, I often wonder if the goal is to say something like, “Hey, pastor, maybe you ought to preach more like this.”

But as I watched the video, I noticed that something was a little off. I did a little research about him and his church and realized that they held a postmillennial reconstructionist theology.

What does that mean? 

Basically they believe that the church will change the government and society and eventually bring in the kingdom age. Christ will come back at the end of this millennium of peace ushered in by the church.

Postmillennialism expects the proclaiming of the Spirit-blessed gospel of Jesus Christ to win the vast majority of human beings to salvation in the present age. Increasing gospel success will gradually produce a time in history prior to Christ’s return in which faith, righteousness, peace, and prosperity will prevail in the affairs of people and of nations. (Kenneth Gentry)

The postmillennial conception of victory is of a progressive cultural victory and expansive influence of Christianity in history. (Gary North)

The reconstructionist part of the theology is that the church should be actively involved in politics so as ultimately to bring the nation under the law of Moses.

It’s a unique view that has been around for awhile. Many early believers in America were postmillennials who felt like America would play a role in bringing in the kingdom on earth. Many people like postmillennialism, and there are some theologians who argue for it, because it is a positive view of the victory of the church in this present age.

But what was ironic in this case is that the person who sent me the video would fit in the dispensational, premillennial category believing that the world will get worse and worse, Christ will rapture His church, the world will go through an intense time of tribulation, and then Christ will come back to set up His kingdom on earth.

So why did she like this postmillennial preacher who would be antithetically opposed to her view of eschatology? Presumably because she liked his bold attack on present-day politics which, in his mind (unbeknownst to her), is necessary for the church to take over the government and usher in the kingdom.

Here’s another recent example.

Someone in my family was telling me about a cable TV show that they were watching on the end times. I decided to watch an episode to see what it was all about.

It had cool graphics and a set designed to look like a newscast. The man sitting behind the news desk (while continually holding his new book towards the camera) proceeded to talk about Great Britain, America, Germany, the European Union, the Berlin Wall, the beast of Revelation, and all kind of other apocalyptic details. He was so sure of his interpretation of Revelation 13 that he didn’t even pause to defend it. He spoke with certainty as if he had discovered the secret that no one else had ever seen in this prophetic book. And he threw out a random assortment of news headlines to prove his point.

At the end of the TV show, he gave you a gracious opportunity to buy more of his books and DVD’s to find out exactly how all the events happening in America today are fulfilling biblical prophecy.

I decided to look up this guy and find out what he believes.

He is a Oneness Pentecostal who denies the Trinity and believes that to be saved a person has to believe in Jesus, be baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus only, and show evidence of the Spirit by speaking in tongues. (You can buy his four-part DVD set to learn how to get saved.)

He has also made a boatload of money by selling his unique view of prophecy at prophecy conferences and on his cable TV show. He doesn’t pastor a church, have any theological training, or have any accountability to a governing board. But he is a supposed expert on the book of Revelation. And he has an eager audience ready to drink in his unique, absolutely certain, American-centered prophetic pronouncements.

Again, what is ironic is that my family member is a Trinity-believing, gospel-centered Baptist who would not even be saved according to this guy on the cable prophecy channel.

Now let’s throw in bunch of other ingredients to our concoction.

The polarizing politicization of everything in our culture, separating people into firm categories labeled the “good guys” and the “bad guys.”

Modern-day “prophets” proclaiming political prophecies primarily centered around Donald Trump. These are not just prophecies about him winning an election but they often go much further, even into scary heresy.

As I was praying today I saw a vision of DJT seated on a throne holding a golden scepter. He also had a golden crown on his head. This, I was shown, is his PRESENT status from heaven’s perspective. Heaven does not recognize JB having any scepter nor wearing any crown. …DJT was called and anointed by God to lead our nation and the world into a new era. (Johnny Enlow)

QAnon conspiracy theories that claim to have the “secret knowledge” (like the Gnostics of old) of what is really going on in our government and in our world.

End times predictions that see almost every news headline as having some kind of prophetic meaning that can be found in some obscure verse in Scripture.

None of this is really “new.”

Scripture warns about conspiracy theories.

Do not call everything a conspiracy
that these people say is a conspiracy.
Do not fear what they fear;
do not be terrified.
You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy.
Only He should be feared;
only He should be held in awe. (Isaiah 8:12-13)

Scripture warns about false prophets.

The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way. (Jeremiah 5:31a)

Scripture even tells us that no one knows when Christ will come back.

But as for that day and hour no one knows it—not even the angels in heaven—except the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36)

When the disciples peppered Jesus about the timing of His coming kingdom, He replied:

“It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)

Yet history is filled with false prophecies and false predictions of the end times. Here are just some of the dates predicted to be the end: AD 70, 375, 400, 482, 500, 793, 800, 847, 1000, 1033, 1260, 1335, 1504, 1524, 1528, 1555, 1648, 1658, 1688, 1697, 1736, 1794, 1836, 1843, 1847, 1914, 1918, 1936, 1941, 1967, etc.

Just in my own lifetime, I have seen 88 Reasons Why Christ Will Come Back in 1988; Mikhail Gorbachev identified as the Anti-Christ (and Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama too); Saddam Hussein, the rebuilding of the city of Babylon, and the start of the Iraqi War as the sign of the end; Y2K; the Mayan Prophecy; the Four Blood Moons; and a whole host of other “end times events.”

Yes, I believe that Christ is coming back…and probably soon…but Scripture has not given me permission to try to nail down the date or spend all my time trying to figure out how every news event fits into the prophetic calendar.

This can be big business and attract large audiences but it is not to be my focus.

But why does any of this matter? What’s the big deal?

The Bible makes it clear that behavior flows out of belief. How you think shapes your life. An incoherent belief system leads to an incoherent lifestyle.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

In practically all of Paul’s epistles, he teaches us doctrine before he tells us what to do. We are sanctified by the truth (John 17:17). It is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32).

It is sound doctrine…healthy doctrine…that leads to a healthy life (Titus 2:1-15).

If you spend all your time drinking the world’s Coca-Cola concoctions, then it may give you a temporary sugar high but it will eventually rot out your teeth and seriously impact your health.

You need something better to drink.

Start with the pure milk of God’s Word.

In a world where evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, I am to anchor myself firmly in the truth of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:13-17)

This means that I need to study Scripture, understand it in its context, stay humble, stay accountable to other believers in a local church, be discerning, be wise, be sober-minded, live faithfully, and fix my eyes on Jesus alone. His return may be today. His return may be 100 years from now after I am gone.

What makes our present-day so dangerous is that we have never been exposed to so many various viewpoints by various people on various websites and various TV stations without any direct contact with who they are or any accountability for what they teach.

Jesus said that we are to judge false prophets by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20)

But it is hard to evaluate their fruits when we only see them on a computer or TV screen and know nothing else about their theology or their lives.

That’s why more than at any other time in history, we need to stay grounded in the truth. And we have to know our theology. We cannot indiscriminately combine dispensational, postmillennial, Pentecostal, political, prophetic, apocalyptic, Gnostic beliefs just because they seem to tickle our ears with whatever personal opinion, prophetic pronouncement, or political perspective that we want to hear.

So skip the world’s freestyle make-your-own sugary soda dispenser.

Order the water instead.

The living water that only Jesus can give.

Posted in Eschatology/Prophecy | 11 Comments

The Inconvenient Truth about Abortion

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Steve Foster

Abortion.

Roe v. Wade.

Supreme Court leaks.

Protests.

All of it is so emotionally and politically charged that it is hard to sort through, think through, or discuss without an argument.

But if you step back for a moment… if you separate yourself from the political crowds… if you try to take the emotion out of the issue… then you are left with one inconvenient truth.

Whether you like or not, when we are talking about the issue of abortion, we are talking about the taking of a human life.

Perhaps one can debate when “personhood” begins (which itself is a sticky debate with major philosophical implications), but, scientifically and medically, there is no question that a unique human life begins at conception.

As Dr. Maureen Condic, professor of neurobiology at the University of Utah, notes:

The conclusion that human life begins at sperm-egg fusion is uncontested, objective, based on the universally accepted scientific method of distinguishing different cell types from each other and on ample scientific evidence (thousands of independent, peer-reviewed publications). Moreover, it is entirely independent of any specific ethical, moral, political, or religious view of human life or of human embryos. Indeed, this definition does not directly address the central ethical question surrounding the embryo: What value ought society place on human life at the earliest stages of development?  A neutral examination of the evidence merely establishes the onset of a new human life at a scientifically well-defined “moment of conception,” a conclusion that unequivocally indicates that human embryos from the one-cell stage forward are indeed living individuals of the human species; i.e., human beings.

When the sperm and egg fuse together, a unique human individual is formed. All the chromosomes and genetic information needed for the rest of that unique individual’s life are immediately and entirely present. The human embryo that is formed at that moment also has the inherent ability to direct its own development, powerfully and amazingly forming all the tissues, organs, systems, and eventually the heart and brain to sustain ongoing human life.

This is basic science if one truly follows the science.

It also reflects the beauty and sanctity of life expressed in the Hebrew Scriptures:

For You formed my inward parts;
You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are Your works;
My soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:13-14)

If nothing else, step back and be amazed at the wonder of life and the incredible information packed into the single cell of the embryo.

Just 1 gram of DNA is theoretically capable of holding 455 exabytes – enough for all the data held by Google, Facebook and every other major tech company, with room to spare. (The New Scientist)

Now I realize that this reality alone does not solve the debate or make it any less emotional. In fact, it makes it even more emotional because in talking about abortion we are talking about the most important thing we can be talking about–human life.

What value is there in human life? When can a human life be taken? Is there a difference between human life and human “personhood”? Is there a fundamental change in the status of the fetus when it develops its own heartbeat? What role and decisions does the mother (the one supporting the human life in her own body) have in this process? Are there exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother? 

These questions can be more difficult to answer.

Roe v. Wade was one answer given by our own Supreme Court.

But instead of solving the issue, Roe v. Wade inflamed the issue.

Even Ruth Bader Ginsburg acknowledged that Roe v. Wade went too far and created more of a mess than it resolved. She also argued that it was based on the wrong premise.

Doctrinal limbs too swiftly shaped, experience teaches, may prove unstable. The most prominent example in recent decades is Roe v. Wade. A less-encompassing Roe, one that merely struck down the extreme Texas law and went no further on that day … might have served to reduce rather than to fuel controversy.

The point is not to argue whether Ginsburg was right or not but to say that many legal scholars on both sides of the aisle see the glaring weaknesses of Roe v. Wade. As Dr. Solomon Stevens, a teacher of constitutional law at Boston University, observes:

Roe is vulnerable because it is a weak case based on weak precedent.

Columnist George Will, in a recent article in the Washington Post, concurs:

Intelligent people of goodwill disagree vehemently about the morality of abortion; defenders of Roe’s reasoning are, however, vanishingly rare.

Thus, whatever your view on abortion, the main role of the Supreme Court is to decide whether a law is constitutional or not, whether it honors our God-given rights and upholds justice for all. If Roe is indeed based on weak judicial reasoning and a poor interpretation of the Constitution, then it should be overturned. To react with emotional anger and protests against the Supreme Court says nothing about the merits or the constitutionality of the case. That’s the only thing that the Supreme Court should be deciding and the only thing that people should be debating when it comes to Roe itself.

But I am not a legal scholar. I understand that. I am also not a woman who has been put in the position of carrying a child in pregnancy. I can’t imagine the difficulties that a woman might face in certain circumstances, such as an unwanted pregnancy. Compassion, understanding, and grace are always in order. And sometimes answers are not easy.

But the inconvenient truth remains: abortion is the taking of a human life.

Jean Garton was an abortion advocate faced with her own unwanted pregnancy. She was a firm believer in abortion until one night, while observing the medical slides of an aborted two month fetus, her three year old wandered into the room and asked innocently, “Who broke the baby?”

Her three year old saw what she didn’t want to see.

And it changed her perspective… and her life.

She went on to oppose abortion not only because it ends a human life but because it also harms women.

When one studies the history of abortion, oftentimes the person who wanted the abortion the most was the man who fathered the child. Abortions in the Roman Empire were almost always forced on the woman by the man and most of the children aborted or killed right after birth were girls. Thus, the ratio of males to females in the Roman Empire was estimated to be as high as 140 males per 100 females. In the nations of China and India today, the ratios are similarly skewed because of the prevalence of abortion against females.

In many cases, the women who are having abortions are doing so because the father is not only unwilling to be involved or to be a help but also actively pressuring the woman to abort. These are the men who want to gratify their sexual desires but not be responsible enough to love the woman they impregnated or raise the baby they fathered. This is the side of abortion that is rarely talked about. What a pregnant woman wants is often not an abortion but the commitment of a husband and a father and the support and love of a family and community around them to help them be a mom.

Thus, a culture of abortion not only devalues human life but also reinforces the irresponsibility of men. And often the biggest victims of this kind of culture are women.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, then it will not be the end of abortion…nor the end of the difficult debates and choices that face us as a nation. It will merely put the issue back in the hands of the States where the issue can be debated among legislators elected by the people they represent.

Ultimately no law can solve all the issues. Only changed hearts and a society bent on acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God can bring about the best solutions which not only honor the life of the child but also honor and support the life of the mother.

But perhaps it is fair to ask: “Who are you to speak?” I am not a woman. I am not a mother. I am not the one facing some of the difficult realities that a woman might face during pregnancy.

That is true. I cannot speak as a mother.

But I can speak as the child of an unwanted pregnancy.

In 1968, my mom found out that she was unexpectedly pregnant with her sixth child.

She had been on the birth control pill when I was conceived.

I was not in her plans.

With the overwhelming stresses of five kids ranging in age from 12 to 5 years old… living in a new city far from her own family… and being in a marriage that left much to be desired at the time, she was not wanting another child.

She was devastated with the news.

As my mom tells it. She sat down and cried in the doctor’s office. She was not shedding tears of joy but rather tears of sorrow… tears of frustration… tears of disappointment.

I don’t know all that went through my mom’s head the day that she discovered that I was in her womb. She doesn’t remember everything either.

The age of Roe v. Wade had not dawned yet. Abortion was certainly known and becoming more accepted but it still wasn’t legal in most of the United States nor ingrained in the minds of the culture.

Transport my mom into a different time period… into a different context with a different mindset… and there is a good chance that I would not be here today.

Based on common reasoning today, she had every reason to abort.

I am thankful that she didn’t.

I am thankful that she sacrificed so much to give me life.

I am thankful that her tears of sorrow eventually turned to tears of joy.

I am thankful that I have the mom that I have today.

I don’t take any of it for granted.

She sacrificed. She loved. She bore the pain. She gave me life.

That’s why deep down I think we all have such profound gratitude for our mothers.

We know that they did what no one else could do.

And we know that they love to an extent that few humans ever do.

No one in your life will ever love you as your mother does. There is no love as pure, unconditional and strong as a mother’s love. And I will never be loved that way again. (Hope Edelman)

So on this Mother’s Day, I praise my mom.

Because she faced the inconvenient reality of an unwanted pregancy, the inconvenient truth of another human life inside her womb, and she made the inconvenient choice to give me life.

And such love is the most beautiful choice that any person can make.

Posted in Random Thoughts | 4 Comments

What’s the Deal with the OT Laws on Clean and Unclean Food?

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Steve Foster

Preaching through Romans, I have encountered the issue of clean and unclean foods (chapters 14-15). Apparently this was a major issue and a big point of contention between the Gentile and Jewish believers in the early church.

It had to be.

Imagine something as simple as a men’s breakfast on a Saturday morning. Not only was it on the Jewish Sabbath… a big hurdle for any Jew to overcome. But it also had bacon and eggs on the menu. How could any Jew eat pig’s flesh? He had grown up his whole life eating only kosher food. It was not only part of his religious training but also an identifying mark of being a Jew. During the Maccabean period, when the Greeks tried to erase Judaism, it was the Jews’ strict allegiance to the rite of circumcision and to their dietary laws that made them distinctive and identified them as “true Jews.”

So the move from avoiding unclean foods to being free to eat them had to be a major paradigm shift in any Jew’s mind. And some could never make that leap.

Which raises the question: Why did God establish clean and unclean foods in the first place? What was the point? And why did Jesus’ coming suddenly end all of these dietary distinctions?

The laws regarding clean and unclean food are found in two primary passages: Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21.

Among the clean animals which a Jew could eat: animals which chew the cud and have cloven hooves; fish that have scales and fins; flying insects which have jointed legs to leap on the earth; and most birds except those specified on the unclean list.

Among the unclean animals: all those animals with paws or don’t chew the cud, including the camel, badger, rabbit, and pig; all those fish without fins or scales; all flying insects that creep on the ground; all animals which creep on the ground; and a list of birds including the eagle, vulture, buzzard, raven, and owl.

There have been several theories as to why God makes these distinctions.

  1. Hygiene. This theory believes that the Jewish diet is just plain healthier than any other diet. It is an attractive theory…and the kosher diet does have some health advantages…but it does not explain all the animals. Camel meat is considered quite low in fat and healthy and is enjoyed by many Arabs. Rabbit meat is also considered to have some nutritional benefits and my family enjoyed eating them growing up. Even pork can be considered a good meat if it is cut right and cooked thoroughly and who doesn’t love a good piece of crisp, lean bacon. Plus, if hygiene is the major issue, then it doesn’t explain why suddenly these meats are okay to eat in the New Testament. Does health no longer matter because Jesus died and rose again? Our bodies are now even more important since they are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
  2. Pagan Associations. Since the dietary laws were part of what made Israel distinct, the thought is that the unclean animals must have been associated with pagan worship. “Pig’s flesh” is associated with pagan worship in Isaiah 65:4 and camels, dogs, cats, rabbits, snakes, and rats were known as sacred animals in Egypt and other Canaanite nations. But the bull was also considered sacred and yet was on the “clean” list. Plus, this view doesn’t explain the long list of other animals which were unclean.
  3. Carnivores. When it comes to the list of unclean birds, it does seem like all of them are carnivorous birds with claws and beaks designed for eating flesh. Jewish tradition also affirms this. Animals with paws are also typically carnivorous. So there does seem to be some association with an animal being “unclean” because it eats blood or touches dead things which are “unclean” activities. But, again, that explanation doesn’t cover every animal since camels and rabbits are herbivores. Pigs eat anything, which could make them unclean, but so do goats and they are considered clean. Plus, this reason doesn’t fully explain why these animals are suddenly okay to eat after the institution of the new covenant.
  4. Symbolic. One of the more recent theories is that the “behavior and habits of the clean animals are living illustrations of how the righteous Israelite out to behave, while the unclean represent sinful men” (Wenham). In other words, the “clean” animals function in a way which matches the way they are supposed to behave within their original creation category. Animals are supposed to eat herbs and run on hooves. Fish are supposed to have fins and scales. Birds are not supposed to eat flesh. Reptiles are not supposed to squirm on the ground. It is a little bit of convoluted theory but it does seem to have some merit. If nothing else, it points to the fact that there is a symbolic meaning behind the clean and unclean animals that we shouldn’t miss.

Just as the OT world had a division between the priests, the Jewish nation, and the Gentile nations, even so the animal world was divided into sacrificial animals, clean animals, and unclean animals. Israel was to recognize that distinction in everything they did. They were to be a holy nation, set apart for God’s purposes, distinct from the pagan nations around them. Every time they sat down to eat, they were to be reminded of this fact.

You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine. (Leviticus 20:25-26)

Just as God chose Israel out of all the nations for His own purposes, so God also chose certain animals out of all the animal world for His purposes. The clean animal was the symbol of Israel. The sacrificial animal was the symbol of Israel’s coming Messiah.

When Israel’s Messiah came, everything changed.

All the law pointed to Christ.

And Christ fulfilled all of the law.

He was the perfect King. He was the final sacrifice. He was the display of the moral law in human form. He was the fulfillment of all the feasts. He was the Year of Jubilee. He was the Sabbath rest. And He was the One who made the unclean clean.

In the OT, if someone clean touched something unclean, then they would become unclean.

But, in Christ, this was reversed.

When Christ touched the unclean, He made them clean.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42)

Christ broke down the barriers.

The sacrificial Lamb healed the division between the clean and the unclean.

The Messiah bridged the gap between God and humanity.

The Messiah abolished the barrier between Jew and Gentile.

Everything was changed…even down to the food laws.

What was once unclean has now become clean.

What was once untouchable has now become redeemable.

What was once held at a distance has now become near.

The messianic kingdom has invaded this present world.

Israel (the clean animal) gave birth to the Messiah (the sacrifical animal) to open the kingdom gates to the Gentiles (the unclean animal).

This was God’s plan all along.

This was the purpose of the cross.

This was the picture of the kingdom.

Where the Jew and the Gentile are united as one.

Where the child plays with the serpent.

Where the lion lays down with the lamb.

Where the Messiah makes all things new.

Posted in Tough Questions of Faith | 9 Comments

Is the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Revealed in Prophecy?

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Steve Foster

Russia invaded the nation of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

It has certainly shocked and shaken the world.

Shocked…because of the sheer audacity of Russia to snub its nose at the entire free world and launch a full-scale military attack into another sovereign nation.

Shaken…because Russia’s aggression and Putin’s hubris could potentially escalate into another world war…a war which many feel could signal the end of the world as we know it since the technological advance in weaponry could unleash unparalleled destruction.

In the midst of the fear and uncertainty, it is natural to wonder what the future will bring. It is also natural for people to wonder if the Bible says anything about it.

Let’s face it…prophecy is a big attraction.

Pat Robertson came out of retirement to announce that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the beginning of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.

Other prophetic teachers have followed suit.

And their prophetic speculations will gain a boatload of listeners, garner lots of headlines, and goad on more prophecies from others looking for similar attention.

That is not to say that prophecy is not real.

The Bible is filled with prophecy. God is sovereign and He abides in the Eternal Now so He not only sees the future but He controls the future and ordains the future as well.

In Jesus’ first coming, He fulfilled over a hundred prophecies of the Old Testament.

And there are many more prophecies to be fulfilled in Jesus’ second coming.

History is moving toward a climax and Jesus Christ will reign on this earth.

So my concern is not with biblical prophecy but with the quick reaction to every news headline and the readiness to fit it into a Bible passage with almost 100% confidence.

I have seen this far too many times in my short lifetime.

88 Reasons Why Jesus Is Coming Back in 1988. Mikhail Gorbachav. Ronald Reagan. The rebuilding of Babylon. Saddam Hussein. The Gulf War. Y2K. The four blood moons. Barack Obama. Donald Trump. COVID-19. And now Vladimir Putin.

I’m sure if I was alive in 1939, I would have definitely thought that Adolf Hitler was the Anti-Christ and that the end of the world was around the corner. How could you not? But eighty years later, we can look back and see that World War 2 may have been a foreshadowing of the end times but it wasn’t the real thing.

One of my favorite issues of Christian History magazine is its history of the End. In it, they cover all the dates and events that have been pegged as the end of the world. Hundreds and hundreds of them. Of course, all of them were wrong.

When the disciples wondered when Jesus was going to bring His kingdom to earth, Jesus responded to them very clearly:

It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (Acts 1:7)

It is not for us to know. We have a more important thing to focus on.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

So what do we make of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

I don’t know.

I do not think it is the beginning of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.

Ezekiel 38 is a favorite passage of prophetic teachers. And rightfully so. It does point to a future war against the nation of Israel (probably at the mid-point of the Tribulation). But the mystery surrounding the names and the places in Ezekiel’s prophecy makes it a perfect place for people to insert their own opinions and speculations about its meaning. Of course, they won’t call it their opinion and their speculation but they will instead proclaim their viewpoint as the obviously correct one.

Gog and Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, along with the coalition of Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Togarmah, may refer to modern-day Russia and the nations around it including Iran, Turkey, and Ukraine, but that is an exegetical interpretation that is open to debate. Associating the names from the English translation to modern Russian towns (Moscow and Tobolsk) is a stretch. What we know from the text of Ezekiel 38 is that the nations mentioned are coming from the “far north” of Israel (38:15), attacking Israel during a time when Israel feels safe and is without need of defense (38:8, 11, 14), and that God will supernaturally intervene to protect Israel and to destroy these invading armies (38:18-23).

In this present crisis of Russia-Ukraine, Israel is certainly not dwelling safely in the land with all of their defenses down. They are on high alert and ready to defend themselves if need be.

So I don’t believe Ezekiel 38 is being fulfilled at this time. At best, this present invasion could signal the rising power of Russia in the far north. But, on the other hand, this invasion could end up diminishing Putin’s power, unifying Europe as never before thus leading to a revival of the Roman Empire, and enabling another more potent power to arise in the world.

Or it could be another war that just reminds us that the human heart is desperately wicked, that nations rise up against nations, that hatred, cruelty, tragedy, and death exist in this world, and that Jesus Christ could come back at any moment to rapture His church.

Yes, I do believe in the rapture of the church before the Tribulation. It is not a belief that I am going to wall on but it makes the most sense to me in God’s grand redemptive story. And by holding this view, I also believe that the Bible teaches that Christ’s return is imminent, that there are no particular signs immediately preceding it, and that it will happen like a “thief in the night” when people are proclaiming “peace and safety” in the world and not expecting it.

Thus, I also believe that the signs that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24 will follow the rapture of the church not precede it.

Does that mean that there are no signs of Jesus’ imminent return?

No, not necessarily. I think there are general signs that we are nearing the end of the story. Israel is miraculously back in the land as a nation again. The world is more connected than ever with the very real potential of a one world government. Deception has never been more difficult to discern since technology has made even reality hard to discern. Nuclear and military arsenals can literally destroy the whole world. And people are desperately looking for “political messiahs” to save the day.

That sounds a lot like the world is being primed for a deceptive leader to step onto the political scene, resolve the conflict in the Middle East, unify the world politically and economically, promise peace and safety to all, and then reveal his true intentions.

And the nation of Israel will be at the center of it all.

So how do we respond to this current crisis in Russia-Ukraine?

You do exactly what Scripture says you do in light of the imminent return of Christ.

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. (1 Peter 4:7-10)

You keep your head on straight. You don’t panic or overreact. You think soberly and wisely. You pray fervently. You love one another. You show grace and give forgiveness. You open up your heart and your home. You bless others. You take the resources that you have and you use them to help others in need. You serve the Lord as you have opportunity. And you speak the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world.

In other words, whether Christ comes back today or one hundred years from now, you fix your eyes on Him, you love your neighbor, and you live faithfully each day.

In this particular case, pray for the leaders and the people of Ukraine, pray for peace, pray for God to protect life, to avert the plans of the Russian army, and to point people to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the church in Ukraine. Give to ministries which are on the ground helping refugees. Find ways that you can help your local church minister to people locally and around the world.

Stay informed but also stay on your knees.

Watch and pray.

Love and give.

Be sober-minded and zealous for good works.

And fix your hope on Jesus Christ.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

Posted in Eschatology/Prophecy | 1 Comment

Going Back Home

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Steve Foster

I just returned from a trip back to my hometown (Green Cove Springs, FL) to see my parents.

They are getting older…moving slower. Life is changing.

While there, I was able to explore my hometown for the first time in many years.

It too has changed. Some parts of it are hard for me to recognize…or to remember.

As a kid, Green Cove was a small rural town. It had a Pete’s Hamburgers and a KFC. Pizza King was the only place to get a pizza. Winn Dixie was the only grocery store. In the middle of the city was the towering Bank of Green Cove Springs. Towering because it was two stories high, a rarity in the town. My mom worked there and so I can still picture its large lobby with the rows of tellers with the little bars over the counter. The loan department sat in the middle with its desks and office workers. In a second floor room above the lobby was the office of the bank’s president, J.P. Hall, who seemingly sat at the darkened window overseeing the whole bevy of financial activity below.

I remember the first time that a McDonalds opened in town. It was like heaven had visited earth in my kid’s sized mind. On Saturdays, I used to ride my bike from our home on County Road 16-A all the way to the bank (where I would grab a few dollars from my mom) and then finish my journey at McDonalds with a cheeseburger (specially ordered with ketchup only which always took a lot longer but usually gifted a much fresher burger), a small order of fries, and a vanilla milkshake.

A feast for a king…or at least for a hungry elementary schooler.

Across the street sat Orange Avenue Baptist Church where I started going to church in the sixth grade. The golden arches on one side of the street and the wooden cross on the other. It seemed like the perfect combination to me at the time. Youth group followed by soft serve ice cream cones. What could be better?

Green Cove sits right on the St. Johns River, a beautiful, expansive river that flows north toward Jacksonville. I don’t remember ever being particularly drawn to the river. I didn’t really like the water too much. Most of my memories of the river are sitting on a pier in the middle of the night and watching my dad throw a shrimping net into the water to catch the shrimp as they were “running.” Picking up shrimp on the pier without getting stabbed by their sharp pointy heads was the only thing I was worried about then.

Johns Manville picnics. Family Frolics in Spring Park. Playing Little League baseball games. Watching Clay High Blue Devil basketball games. Going to the Christmas parades.

All those memories are there, filed away in my mind.

Green Cove was nothing special. Just a small town with a small community feel. Most people talked about leaving Green Cove for bigger cities and greener pastures.

But as I walked through Spring Park and along the River this past weekend, I realized how beautiful the city really is. Apparently a lot of money is moving into the area, restoring some of the waterfront properties and making the city a desirable destination. There are even expensive riverboat cruises that have a stop in Green Cove for a tour of its historical buildings, “healing mineral springs,”  and its charming and quaint “small town feel.”

It almost made me want to book a cruise! To visit my own hometown!

I did think about buying a house in the area and wondering if I ever might retire back home someday.

Back home.

I am a sucker for nostalgia, I guess.

Deep down there is a strange sense of longing, ache, joy, and sorrow as I think of home.

Time passes so quickly.

I miss simpler days.

I am becoming one of those older people who talks about “the good ol’ days.”

It seems to come with the territory of growing older…seeing life change…watching time fly by…feeling the lessening of days.

Sometimes I want to stop a moment…bottle it up…and never let it go.

But time affords no such opportunity.

It only moves in one direction…and its pace keeps marching forward…one minute at a time…one day at a time…one year at a time.

I hate seeing my parents grow older and battling more aches and pains.

I hate visiting the grave of my sister and realizing that she has now been gone for 26 years.

I hate the reality of death and the relentlessness of time.

I want time to stop, for cancer to be no more, for sin to be gone, for death to be defeated, for peace to reign.

I am longing for home.

But it is not behind me but before me.

I don’t need to fear the future but embrace it. Because time is moving forward toward a climax, toward the end of the story, toward the fulfillment of my deepest longings.

C.S. Lewis once said:

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.

When I walk along the roads of my hometown and feel the ache of the past and the longing for home, I am actually feeling the ache and longing for something beyond this life. It is the echo of Eden. It is the sense of eternity in my heart. It is the hope of the kingdom.

It is the still small voice of my Savior.

Reminding me of Heaven.

Encouraging me to rest in Him.

Holding my hand.

Comforting my heart.

Calling me home.

Posted in Random Thoughts | 3 Comments
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