Dictatorship

From George Orwell’s “1984”

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Power & Tyranny—George Orwell (1903 – 1950)

Following World War II, persons on both sides of the Atlantic were doing a good bit of soul-searching. The “war to end all wars” (World War I) had been nothing of the sort, and in many ways set a trajectory for World War II. British intellectual George Orwell wrote poignantly about the nature of power, particularly the danger of centralized power.

In the following quotation, taken from Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, penned in 1949, the hero, Winston Smith, is being interrogated and tortured by the epitome of government power and tyranny, O’Brien. Throughout the book Winston has been able to avoid punishment, even though he has “come alive” and has realized that something is radically amiss with his culture and with the all-knowing and all-powerful “Big Brother.” He has sought to live a somewhat independent life, ignoring at least some of the dictates of the tyranny under which he lives. But he eventually is caught, and O’Brien, in the midst of torturing him, explains to Winston something of the nature of political tyranny and power. Though not a Christian, Orwell’s insights are bracing.

The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness; only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?1

Footnotes:
1 George Orwell, 1984 (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1949; New York: New American Library, 1984), 217. Citations are to the New American Library edition.

The Nations Raging

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With recent events in the country of the United States of America I have really been seeing that the coming of the Lord Jesus is drawing ever closer.  We ought always be ready as He has said.

The rulers of this earth; kings, presidents, premiers, etc. are gathering for peace talks as never before.  There are peace efforts being made; talks for peace, papers for peace, and not one considering the King of peace who is King Jesus.  The President of the United States of America seems to be taking businesses  by storm, taking control in stocks and such.  They try and say they are not seeking control, but I don’t see what else you could call it.  We are headed toward a full blown dictatorship.  We will be getting what the people voted to get.  Government control over our lives.

One thing we all must remember is that God of all creation is the Supreme One.  He rules, and is even directing us toward the greatest event of human history.

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” Psalm 2:1 (KJV).

So begins the first verse of the second Psalm. This Psalm is one you could call very prophetic in its reasoning for the behavior of mankind.

We may ask the question, “Are the heathen raging?” This is speaking of the nations of people. All nations of all the world. Though eternity has been set in the hearts of all people (SEE Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV), they are raging against the path of God and going about to establish their own ways of gaining God’s favor. Adam and Eve used ‘figleaves’ and that did not please God. The people of the earth who rage against God use forms of religion, but without the power thereof.

The eternity which has been given to all of us in the race which is called human was given us by the Creator to long for and desire Him forever and forever. There is a rage in humanity which tries to overthrow the will, guidance and direction of the Holy One in favor of all the people. Some of that rage is seen in recent events. Cho Sueng-Hui made a statement that what he was doing was similar to what Jesus did. Did this man die for others? No! Instead he took other’s lives, and then his own. The Professor who died so his students could escape was more in the likeness of Jesus.

While the heathen rage; God in His grace has called all who will hear Him to look upon His Son Jesus, and be saved. Saved from sin to be in the presence of God.

The Second Psalm explains the world leaders of today. It explains the United Nations efforts of peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and the world. It just seems that the world is at odds with Israel and Christians. This Psalm makes it make some sense.

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His annointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” Psalm 2:2-3 (KJV).

There is no question in my mind that there is an attempt to overthrow the plans of God. Now, this is not what they say, and probably not in the forefront of their minds, but in the hidden recesses of their hearts.  They may really believe they are doing good, and serving the people; but all the while they are following the mind of the enemy of God.  The ‘prince of the power of the air’; as he has often been called; knows of course, that he cannot overthrow God, but he in his vile, disgusting attempts is seeking to condemn as many to his own judgment as he possibly can. Yes the world, and world leaders are seeking for world peace, but is against God; the God of peace.

The meeting of the United Nations is the meeting of the minds of the kings of the earth, and they are still crying out against God. They see God as binding, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us”, and the only freedom the world will ever experience; in their way of thinking; is to do away with God.

I do not know your opinion or heart toward God, but mine is that I need Him. He is my Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Life-giver, and Peace giver, and so very much more. I pray that He is for you too.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Prophecy of Enoch

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Enoch, and the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ

I guess I am not into fancy titles or something. Just make it simple, and that is what I intend for this study.

When I read Scriptures from Genesis through the Revelation of Jesus Christ I read it like it is written for us to understand. When the Bible speaks figuratively it usually lets us know that it is speaking figuratively. When it is speaking plainly we take it plainly. When it speaks figuratively or metaphorically, then, that is how I will interpret it, and translate it. For the most part, and as best I can, I let Scripture interpret Scripture, and follow what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Let me warn you, that I am not a Bible scholar, nor am I the son of a Bible scholar. I also am not a prophecy scholar, nor the son of one; however, I do love the Bible, believe it to be the infallible, inerrant, eternal Word of God. I do pray that God can take my weakness and glorify His holy name.  The writings of the prophets enthuse me, encourage me, fill me, give me hope, and I just cannot get enough, or get away from what they have written down in the Word of God.

From what I have seen in many studies of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ is they begin with the Revelation chapter twenty. Maybe because that is where a “thousand year reign” (Revelation 20:2-4) with Christ is named. It may not be named, per se’, in the many other references, but it is certainly implied, inferred, and strongly suggested. The words, “a thousand years” or “the thousand years” are named six times in Revelation 20:2-7. I for one believe that to be no accident of John, nor of God, but is one evidence that the earthly kingdom of Christ’s reign will be literal, it has not yet happened, nor is it presently happening.

The first verses I want us to look at is in the book of Genesis.

“And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:21-24 (KJV).

Now upon the first read of this you may wonder, “What does this genealogy of Enoch have to do with the millennial reign of Jesus Christ?”, and if I didn’t know where this was going I probably wouldn’t know either. These verses will have to be taken with a New Testament passage from the epistle [letter] of Jude, our Lord’s half brother. That passage reads:

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 1:14-15 (KJV).

We see from the New Testament letter that Jude was a prophet of God, and he warned the people of His day of the coming judgment of the Lord. This judgment he warned of was quite clearly the second coming of Jesus with His saints. It has never happened in the entire history of man. It is yet to come. This second coming will be to put away human government, to put away sin, and to set up His kingdom on earth.

Those “saints” mentioned will be those who were raptured off the earth according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and their spirits “with Him” will be joined to their bodies coming up out of their graves (at the rapture), and those who were living and knew Jesus Christ, will rise with them to meet the Lord in the air. The second coming will be seven years later. We will be returning with Christ at His Revelation, and that is when He takes the rule of the earth away from all human governments.

There will be no more Democracy, Tyranny, Dictatorships, Republics, or anarchy. Nor, will there be any human theocracies save that of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will reign from His throne in the capital city of Israel, which is, and forever shall be Jerusalem.

The message of Enoch was one calling for repentance. Understand the judgment which Enoch warned of was not the final judgment, but the judgment of ungodly kings, kingdoms, and the “Inhabiters of earth”, ie. those whose hearts love the things, the temporal things, with its greed, lusts, power, etc.; and hate all that is holy and godly, and all that is God. The Lord Himself will destroy them with the sword of His mouth, ie., the Word of God spoken in His glory. Then, when all human government is put away, Jesus will rule with power and glory from the truly Holy City of Jerusalem.

How can I get the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ from these verses. Jesus coming with ten thousands of His saints; the executing of judgment upon all, convincing all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds, that they have ungodly committed, and the hard speeches of the ungodly spoken against Him. This is taking place on the earth. Enoch’s message is of the Lord Coming again; He is coming back to earth. Jesus Himself tells us, “I will come again”. He was standing before His disciples, and others as He spoke this, in person; surely He meant that His “coming again” would be in our presence and in person, and not figurative or metaphorical. The last judgment is the “Great white throne” judgment (Revelation 20:11-14); takes place before the throne of God; and only the unrighteous will be judged here at this judgment throne. (I may get to do another study on that topic).

If He is coming back to earth, and removing all that hates the godly, He is surely coming to set up His kingdom on earth. If not what would be the purpose of His return? He is returning, with His saints (See 1 Thessalonians 4:14-15 again) to set up an earthly kingdom; will reign the world from Jerusalem, and Israel shall fulfill the promises of God to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come soon.

-by Tim A. Blankenship