Day: July 6, 2007

BF&M – Last Things

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

The study of “Last things” is one of my own favorite lines for ruminating Scriptures.  There are a vast aray of differences of the understanding of “Last thing”, that the BF&M of 2000, covers most of what we as Baptists believe concerning the return of Jesus Christ.

Studying the Revelation, the Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament, and their prophecies concerning the first coming of Jesus, and also concerning the second coming of Jesus is a fascinating endeavor.

There is blessing and reward for those who love the appearing of the Lord: “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV).  This is clearly concerning the appearing of Christ when He comes in all His glory, and becomes King of Jerusalem, and the world.

Our Statement of Faith:

X. Last Things

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.

There are many things which happen before the appearing of Jesus in His glory.  There are several views concerning these events, and some views which do not believe in some of the events that I do.

Some believe in the “Rapture of the Church” which there are probably three views concerning this as to the timing of the rapture.  There is the “pre-tribulation rapture” view; then, the “mid-tribulation rapture” view, and some who believe in a “post-tribulation” view.  There are some who do not believe in a rapture.

There are some of us who believe in a millennial [one thousand year] reign of Christ on earth when He comes in His glory.  There are some who believe that all prophecy has been fulfilled.  I will not get into that study here.  The study of “Last things” is called – “Eschatology”

For my beliefs on these “Last things” you can go to Fire and Hammer, or click Revelation or Thessalonians in the sidebar called Gleanings (categories).

Days of Evil Imagination

/ Tim A. / 1 Comment

Genesis 6:1-22 continued…

” There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:4-5 (KJV).

Around the time the sons of Seth began to marry the daughters of Cain – the godly joining with the godless – there were “Giants in the earth”. It is clear that the “Giants” were here previous to the “Sons of God came unto the daughters of men”. These certainly may have been of great physical stature, but the gist of this seems to be their opposition to that which is holy. The MacArthur Study Bible note for verse four states

“giants. The word nephilim is from a root meaning ‘to fall,’ indicating that they were strong men who ‘fell’ on others in the sense of overpowering them (the only other use of this term is in Num. 13:53). They were already in the earth when the ‘mighty men’ and ‘men of renown’ were born. The fallen ones are not the offspring from the union of 6:1,2.”

These “Giants” are not the children of the mixed marriages. Note, “and also after that…” After the giants are “in the earth”. Who are the giants? There is no certain way to know. Greek mythology might give us an answer. The stories of Zeus, Hara, etc., must have began around this time. Stories which would have been started by the ungodly and inspired by the devil to lead people astray. There was such evil in the earth that according to verse three God was withholding the restraint of His Spirit. It is interesting to note, that, God does not reveal to us what kinds of wickedness was in the earth. He will not oblige the enemy by such things. He only says, “The wickedness of man was great..”, and “great” not meaning a wonderful thing, but rather a putrid stinch, and “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually.” Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” Matthew 24:37-38 (KJV). In the days before He comes Jesus says it will be like the days just before the flood.

Here are at least a couple of reasons I do not see the “Sons of God” as being fallen angels marrying the daughters of men: 1) Previous to this chapter we are given two genealogies, the first of which is that of Cains, and the second that of Seth; one is ungodly the other godly – the Holy Spirit’s way of inspiration to show us that their are two different people groups, not by race, but morally. 2) Angels, the good ones or the fallen ones cannot marry according to Jesus, “in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25 (KJV); with the implication being Angels do not marry. When we look at verse five it begs me to ask, “Do we really need the help of wicked angels to be made more wicked?” Mankind left to himself would eventually destroy himself and the universe with it.

We can look around us today. If we believe these to be the “Last days”, then, we can see many similarities between the time before the flood and now. How sad it is to know that wicked men reject God, His Word, and want only to live their lives their own way; without God and, because of their rejection be eternally condemned to the fires of Hell. Contrary to what the wicked may think God is not the villian; He is our only salvation.