While no one knows the exact location of this area, going far north from Israel will eventually land you in the heart of Russia. Even if this is argued and said that Turkey is the one, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of those areas being conquered by Russia in the coming years or even after the Rapture. So Russia is a sure participant. She is the one called ‘Gog, of the land of Magog’ throughout the Bible and she will lead many nations in the war against Israel and the Jewish people. The Kings of the South, according to Ezekiel (Ezek. 38:5) will control Persia (modern-day Iran, the present incubator and disseminator of militant Islam), Cush (Ethiopia, could represent more than the one country that now bears it’s name), Put (the modern terrorist state of Libya). Also conspiring with the coalition of the Kings of the North and South are (Ezek. 38:13) Sheba (modern day Yemen), Dedan (a territory is southern Edom, located in southern Jordan) and Tarnish (which is traditionally identified as being on the coast of southern Spain or the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia. Here in Ezekiel 38:13, Sheba(Yemen), Dedan(Jordan) and Tarnish(sardinia) won’t agree with the the king of the North and his plunder. But they will be with him and with the king of the south (the king who will control Ethiopia,Iran & Libya having behind them all the support of the Islamic nations)and march towards Israel. Coming back to our world, did you know that Islam is the largest growing Religion in the United States today? With the church Raptured Islam will also play a great part in Africa. This has already started by the Islamic countries of Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia. As far as Israel and the arabs go, the Arab Palestinians by Israel’s 1947 gain of land feel displaced. They have certainly been defeated lots of times and they have a great hatred for Jews. One other factor for their hatred is also the question of religion.
In some parts of the middle East it is against the law to carry a Bible. There is much persecution and a convert is considered a traitor. Even though there are Muslims who sincerely want peace there are Extremist Muslims like HAMAS, who believe in absolute violence to achieve their aims .. putting on pressure on all Muslims. The late Imam Hassan al-Bana of their resistance movement had said “Israel will exist and it will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it just as it obliterate others before it.” All Muslims are bound by religion and they are all pressured to act according to Allah. The Quran declares ( 2:190) ” Fight is the cause of Allah against those who fight against you…and fight them until aggression is no more, and religion is for Allah”. The Quran further advises “if you fear treachery from any group throw back (their treachery) to them on equal terms.” As Ezekiel had prophesied, the King of the North (Gog-Russia), with the King of the South (a king who will control the Islamic nations: Iran, libya and Ethiopia) will march against the holy city, Jerusalem. But why would the reborn Russia join hands with the Islamic nations and attack the Jews? Well the main reason open here, is because she would want to become a superpower once again. But for this she would need to have control over the main industrialized world’s oil-The Persian Gulf. If the Islamic Nations cede some control of their oil to Russia in return for her co-operation in the invasion of Israel and destruction of the hated temple, what better reason could there be to join? The Islamic Nations on the other hand gain another nations strength of army.
The AntiChrist had signed a treaty protecting Israel and this might worry the Islamic nations over their success in attacking Israel. Russia here could also serve by threatening to use her Biological, Chemical or Nuclear Bomb on the AntiChrist or should the west intervene. The King of the South might not have seen Russia as a threat as he might think they could easily get rid of Russia once she served her purpose, just like in Afghanistan (in Afghanistan 1970, the Muslim forces had got rid of the invading Russians). Now the two kings feel strong enough to go to war on Israel, from all corners and they surround the holy city. But this attack will greatly fail as God himself will strike them down. Ezekiel describes it… Ezek. 38:14-16 “this is what the sovereign lord says: In that day when my Israel are living in safety, will you (Gog-Russia) not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far North, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army.
The Coming anti-christ…..
As soon as the church is raptured things make way for the AntiChrist. The one the bible calls ‘the lawless one’. The son of satan will appear upon the stage of the world but this appearance is going to be gradual. The AntiChrist is a great deceiver. His Deception will finally lead him to have control over the whole world. The bible says this times will be by far the worst the world had ever known. This great Tribulation period will fulfill the prophecy that had been foretold by the prophet Daniel! The AntiChrist is full human, who has ‘paid his dues’ in the military and the political sense and many will willingly follow him. He is evil personified and some even call him the ‘son of satan’, but he is pure man who only later joins hands with Satan himself. In Daniel 8:25 it says that this peace ‘shall destroy many’, but will be destroyed by the prince of princes, Jesus himself. This man will come from a country or a confederation of the old roman empire or the Europenian (European) Union.
As we now see in this area there is great suffering. Millions have already died in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia and it is still going on unresolved. The AntiChrist will defeat and merge three kingdoms and bring peace to that area. This would be a modern-day miracle as anyone who would bring peace to that area is indeed a man of peace. He will guarantee peace for Israel and the whole Middle East and he will sign a seven year peace treaty. This inaugurates the 7 yr Tribulation period! But as we’ll see the AntiChrist breaks this treaty in just only 3 1/2 yrs (Dan9:27). His peace is a just a temporary hypnosis. (Read Daniel 12:11-12 for the time calculations) Israel now desperate for peace, and because of the AntiChrist’s worldwide influence entrusts her security to him. This is unbelievable now because Israel has a long history of distrust to outsiders. Israel had never before depended upon anyone else for it’s national safety! This treaty happening shows the AntiChrist’s great influence over the years to come. There will be a change in attitude in Israel! In fact so great will Israel have confidence in the protection of the AntiChrist that when they are attacked by the kings of the North and South (just after the three year break of the tribulation) they will be described as a ‘land of un walled villages…a peaceful people who dwell safely with no walls and having no bars nor gates” (Ezek 38:11). Now at this moment their security is top priority: soldiers, machine guns, tanks, walls and wired perimeters throughout. But God’s word says this will change. Israel 3yrs after the Rapture, will have already freely surrendered her security to the AntiChrist and his protection. We are told that the AntiChrist seizes the Holy Temple and stops the sacrifices of the Jews. In ( 2 Thess. 2:4) it says the Antichrist seized the holy temple and sets himself up. In ( Dan. 9:27) it says in the middle of the 7yr he will put an end to sacrifice. How could he have done this if there weren’t already a temple built? This tells us that the Jews had undoubtedly built their holy temple in Jerusalem and had like once before, started performing their sacrifices. The AntiChrist comes, seizes their temple and stops further sacrifices. Going a bit further back, as the Jews build this holy temple just like it was back then in the old testament times it will sure constitute a problem.
As for the place the Bible decrees for the location of the temple, is currently occupied by the Dome of The Rock. This is located on Mount Mariah which is now the the 3rd holiest place in the world for Muslims. If you doubt that the Jewish people would ever attempt something so audious, ask any Jew today. Some Jewish people are already planning for it, working to make the preparations for it’s construction of the 3rd temple (the 1st was Solomon’s, the 2nd Herod’s). One of the organizations working for this is called Temple Foundations. But this great destruction of Islam’s sacred place will lead to the prophecy predicted by Ezekiel (read Ezekiel 38 & 39) and by Daniel (read Daniel 11). While Israel is enjoying a time of peace, the king of the North will lead the Islamic nations led by the king of the South against Israel.
Looking at the descriptions of Ezekiel, this King of the North is in some general area of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and at least some of the Islamic republics of the former Soviet Union. Here don’t count Russia out as in Ezekiel 38 & 39 there are tantalizing references to “Gog, of the land of Magog who will come out from a place out the far north and march against Israel” (Ezek. 38:15).
Romans 8:21: “the creation itself will be liberated from it’s bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the of the children of God.”
THE RAPTURE: the literal ingathering of the church that occurs during the second coming of the christ for his people. He will take the dead first then the living .Thessalonians 4:16-18″ the lord will descend down in a shout and with the trumpet of God the dead in christ (christians that have physically died earlier) will rise first. Then we who are alive shall be caught up with the lord.”We will be literally snatched and our bodies will disappear from the sight of men. 1 Corinthians 15:51 “..we shall not all sleep (die) but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians15:42 also says this new body is a spiritual body: glorious powerful and impershible.Du ring the change other people won’t know where we went. We will just leave them behind. Matthew 24:40 Jesus speaks “That is how it will be at the coming of the son of man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken the other left. Two women will be grinding with ah and mill, one will be taken and the other left.”We also don’t know when this will all happen. It says he will come unexpected. Matthew 24:42 “Keep watch because you do not know on what day your lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the son of man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”Mark 13:32 ” No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the father.
Be ALERT !! Be on GUARD !!”Thessalonians 4:16-18 “The lord will descend down in a shout and with the trumpet of God the dead in Christ (christians that have died earlier) will rise first. Then we who are alive shall be caught up with the lord in the air and we shall always be with the lord.” AMEN! All this is will happen in the unexpected gathering of the church. The ones that go are the ones in christ and the ones that have accepted him and his blood as their only sacrifice to their sins. The ones whom Jesus is their savior! Since he will come with no signs people will be in their normal lives as he comes. Some will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage just like in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-40). Some will be at work while other are at home. Some will be at sea some on the air flying. Some will be on the highways driving and some sleeping at home. But be in christ and you will be instantaneously snatched, no matter where you are (Matthew 24:40). You will then meet Jesus up in the air. That day all the church will be gathered ! You’ll only know that he had come when the trumpets sound and when your new glorified bodies sail through the heaven among other believers, straight to the presence of God. The ones that have been raptured wont be judged and won’t stand before God’s Judgment to be punished but will stand to receive their rewards. If you are raptured among the church it will be because you have believed in christ. It will be because you have heard his word and believed the one who sent Him.
This is one reason but you are also raptured because God wants you to escape the time of suffering that would soon follow. The time of the AntiChrist and the time of Tribulation! God doesn’t want his church to suffer in the hands of the ‘lawless’ one! One other thing that we must not forget is that God had also died for the ones sleeping spiritually. 1 Thessalonians 5:10 “he died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him.” But they would have to learn this the hard way if they should ever choose to learn. They would have to freely accept christ. They would have to pass through the hands of the AntiChrist. They would have to be ruled by him and resist his 666 sign of trade. They would have to got through a ‘living hell’. But God had said if they come out of this and still don’t bow down to the beast’s image, ‘I will make them saints’ but if they give in to the AntiChrists way of life and bow down for him and the beast, they will be thrown to hell with him (Revelation 20:4-7). As 1 Thessalonians 5:6 says “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep but let us be alert and self-controled…..We belong to the day not darkness, let us be self controlled, putting on faith and love and as a breastplate piece (armour) and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our lord Jesus Christ. ….therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”Mark 13:36-37 “Watch! I say to everyone, If he comes suddenly do not let Him find you sleeping.”
Someone once asked me; “If you died tonight, do you know for certain that you will go to heaven?” Then he went on to ask, “if you did die tonight, and God asked you ‘why should I let you into my heaven’ What would you say?”
Then he shared with me how the Bible teaches us about God’s grace and how I could know for sure that I had eternal life. He explained that Christ had paid for all of our sins and that if we trust in Him we can know that we are on our way to heaven. Then he and I bowed our heads to pray, and I placed my trust in Christ. Before that is wasn’t something I ever thought about. That happened one sunday night after service at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale in the Spring of 1991. I have been a born again bible believer ever since.
I didn’t write this but I do believe that this is what the Bible teaches about the end times.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT WITH SCRIPTURE TO SUPPORT YOUR THOUGHTS.
Beginning of the end :: The Rapture :: The Coming Anti-Christ :: Armageddon :: millennium :: Judgment :: Jerusalem :: Conclusion
Beginning of the end
Greetings in christ, This is the story I want to share: A revelation of what is to come!!! The following materials will aid you in further understanding of what is in store for the church and the whole world according to the word of God. It is a revelations given to the prophet John and all the other prophets that God had chosen for his work. It was given to them so that His servants would know what was shortly to come and therefore prepare themselves. I have researched the Internet, more than 10 books, the wonderful writing “Beginning of the End” by John Hagee and my beloved HOLY BIBLE.
I have divided the reading into parts and put them in order for easier reading. So please read them all and always read your Bible with me, it will help you understand more. I pray that God will guide you and reveal to you more than I have said in words. For those of you who aren’t in Christ and don’t have him in your lives remember it is never too late to accept the King of kings today! He is was and will be the God of all! Accept him today and live the eternal life he has laid out for all who believe in him and His son Jesus Christ. Jesus calls you with that same love he had showed when he died on the cross for our sins. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love for us: while we were sinners Christ died for us.”Our iniquities had once separate us from God (Ash 59:2). Romans 3:23″All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…” but “…. are justified freely through the redemption that came by Christ” Peter and John also also tells us …. 1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ died for SINS once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 John 5:12 “He who has the Son, has life. He who doesn’t have the Son doesn’t have life.” And life he gives eternally and you will never perish (John 10:28). Romans 10:9 also says “if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God had raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Do you want this eternal life? Are you ready to go with Him?Accept Him today and ask Him to come into your life, before it is too late! Do it now because there will come a time when he will turn his back from people who don’t know Him. He wont always wait for us and if we don’t have Him, we will be left out from eternal life. Genesis 6:13 His spirit shall not strive with man forever! Like the day of the great flood he will come again to destroy all those who have corrupted their ways. There will come a time when he will say enough!!
ACCEPT HIM TODAY AND LET YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE!
Please forward this to your friends and to everyone you know online.You will be letting them know of God’s will and of His great promise for all in Him. He wants us to know what is to come and you should too!!! God bless you all. ~~Nebiye..your servant in christ~~
Somewhere along the way, the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court have misinterpreted the US Constitution. How could fifty States be wrong? America’s founders did not intend for there to be a separation of God and state, as shown by the fact that all 50 states acknowledge God in their state constitutions:
Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.
Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.
Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution…
Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government…
California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.
Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe.
Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.
Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.
Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution…
Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution…
Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance .. establish this Constitution.
Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.
Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to chose our form of government.
Iowa 1857, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.
Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.
Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties…
Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.
Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of_the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity … and imploring His aid and direction.
Maryland 1776, Preamble. We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty…
Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We…the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe … in the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction ..
Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.
Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness … establish this Constitution …
Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution …
Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom .. establish this Constitution.
Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution …
New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty
New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.
North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those .
North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain…
Ohio 1852, Preamble. We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common
Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty … establish this ..
Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences..
Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance
Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing
South Carolina, 1778, Preamble. We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties …
Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience…
Texas 1845, Preamble. We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.
Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.
Vermont 1777, Preamble. Whereas all government ought to … enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ..
Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI … Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator .. can be directed only by Reason … and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other .
Washington 1889, Preamble. We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution
West Virginia 1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God …
Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility
Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish this Constitution.
“Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.” – William Penn
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world’s law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view … it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!
As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.
As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit,
a display of the Ten Commandments!
There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.
James Madison, the fourth president, known as “The Father of Our Constitution” made the following statement: ” We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said:
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.
Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.
Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.
Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law – an oligarchy the rule of few over many.
The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said: “Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”
How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or “In God We Trust” on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why don’t we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!
BETTER STILL, HOW ABOUT WE TELL THE OTHER 14% TO KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY, WHILE THE REST OF US IN THE 86TH PERCENTILE PRAY FOR THEM!
The Christian religion is based on the Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate Christmas because Christ entered the world as Savior. He came to pay for our sins and show us how to receive eternal life. This was done by His becoming man. He lead a sinless life and died on the cross to be resurrected. These two events are celebrated as Christmas and Easter.
As one theologian wrote in the early fourth century “We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it. In three hundred thirty seven AD, Roman Emperor Constantine was baptized, uniting for the first time the emperorship and the church. Christianity became the official state religion. In three hundred fifty four AD, Bishop Liperius of Rome reiterated the importance of celebrating not only Christ’s death but also his birth (Panatis 68). In seven hundred and one BC the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanual.” Seven hundred years later an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said that Mary, his wife would give birth to a son conceived from the Holy Spirit. Joseph was to name him Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins. This took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah (Matthew 1:21).
In the Bible, a physician named Luke wrote “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end”(Luke 1:30-33).
The reason Christ entered this world was to pay the penalty for our sins. After seeing Jesus, John the Baptist said, “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John.1:29). In fifty seven AD Paul the apostle, in a letter to the Roman church, wrote “God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He died for us because someone had to pay the price for our sins. Also, we read in the letter to the Romans, “All have sinned and fall short of thegloryofGod” (Romans 3:23).
The Bible teaches us that sins are any transgressions of God’s laws which include, lying, lust, cheating, deceit, anger, evil thoughts, immoral behavior and more (Kennedy). For example, let’s look at just one of the ten commandments, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7). This one sin in itself is enough to fail many of us. Because of this potential for sin man cannot save himself. The Bible says you would have to be perfect, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). James the brother of Jesus wrote, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). We have all heard that “God is love.” That came from a letter the apostle John wrote (1John 4:8). Six hundred years earlier the prophet Jeremiah wrote “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love.” The Lord also said to Moses “I will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:7),
In the book of Ezekiel we read “The soul who sins shall die.” That puts us in a awkward place. If we sin, we will die, by this he means lose eternal life. By Gods measure we have all sinned. In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul states that the wages of sin is death and if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die and suffer eternal damnation (Romans 6:23, 8:13). Now we have a problem. In order to be good enough to be in heaven with God we have to be perfect. Because none of us are perfect and we all sin, the sin has to be dealt with. Someone had to pay for our transgressions.
God solved our problem with the person of Jesus Christ. John the apostle described Jesus this way, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1,14). The Bible tells us that Jesus lived a sinless life. The prophet Isaiah wrote “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
In the book of Acts Paul says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20). If we accept him as our Lord and Savior, repent from our sins and trust in him, he gives us the right to become children of God and spend eternity with him. This gift is received through faith. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he states; “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It is with your heart you are justified and with your mouth you are saved. This is all summed up in what the apostle John recorded Jesus saying “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me has eternal life.”
Now, the importance of Christmas should be more apparent. It is not just to bring people together or to stimulate the economy by giving gifts. It is the celebration of the day the Lord almighty showed his love for us. He did this by sending his only son to die for us. In Christ’s death, and by the grace of God, we can spend eternity in heaven with God.
Now we will look at Easter and see why it is so important to the Christian religion. Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. This day is what makes the Christian religion different than any other religion. No other religion has a Savior who has been resurrected. In the Bible the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” He also says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile … ” (1Corinthians15:14,17). Paul was one of the apostle who saw Christ after the resurrection. He claimed “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1Corinthians 15:20). Paul describes the story this way; “that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and then He appeared to Peter and then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more then five hundred” (1Corinthians 15:4-6). The Apostle’s Creed states that Christ was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven (Broderick).
Unfortunately, Christmas and Easter are being twisted into secular holidays. Christmas is becoming a commercial and economic high point of the year. Retailers are pushing the holiday as a time to buy gifts and spend time with the family. A walk through a shopping center will all but diminish any remembrance of the Christ in Christmas or Easter. Candy canes, Santa Claus, winter decorations and of course the Easter bunny all mask the true meaning of the holidays.
It is not always out of ignorance that these things happen. It can be the fear of eternal damnation. Those people who want to control their lives deny God. If God is real, many people realize their eternal future looks bleak. To make their lives less complicated, they disclaim God. They desire only the short-lived temporal benefits of this life. If only these people knew the most important Christmas gift of all. “For God so loved the world He gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
I didn’t write this, but I liked it, so here it is:
Are we fighting a war on terror or aren’t we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?
Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation’s capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?
Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn’t they? And I’m supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was “desecrated” when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don’t. I don’t care at all. I’ll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.
I’ll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia . I’ll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg’s head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.
I’ll care when the cowardly so-called “insurgents” in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I’ll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs. I’ll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don’t care. When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured that I don’t care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don’t care. When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed “special” food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being “mishandled,” you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don’t care.
And oh, by the way, I’ve noticed that sometimes it’s spelled “Koran” and other times “Quran.” Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and —- you guessed it – – I don’t care ! ! ! ! ! If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your e-mail friends. Sooner or later, it’ll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!