During our regular Bible study, we might come across a Scriptural passage which might at first sight be difficult to understand, requiring further scrutiny, research, prayer and meditation. Peter said at one time that Paul wrote “some things [which] are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). He warned against twisting those Scriptures to one’s own destruction. One fundamental principle to always keep in mind is that the Bible never contradicts itself. Another principle is that God reveals His Truth “line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 28:10).

One of these passages which I recently concentrated on is Malachi 1:11, which says:

“‘For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

I wondered: Does this passage tell us that in the Millennium or even before, Israelites and Gentiles will bring incense and animal sacrifices and offerings to God wherever they want to, “in every place,” and that God will accept such religious worship?

If so, then we would have been very wrong with comments we made in chapter 8 in our booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—from Now until Forever,” where we explained that at the beginning of the Millennium during the first 3 ½ years of Christ’s reign, animal sacrifices will be given to God by the lost sheep of the House of Israel at a new Temple, but not “in every place” throughout the entire earth. We also pointed out that the third Temple, where the sacrifices will be given, is mentioned only in connection with the House of Israel.

We also said this:

“Physical Israelites will bring animal sacrifices to a new temple in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Millennium. These sacrifices will not be given for the purpose of obtaining spiritual forgiveness, but just to remind the people that they had sinned, and help them to focus on the ultimate Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As it was the case in Old Testament times, these sacrifices will be temporary and will be administered by physical Levites to physical unconverted people, so as to allow the transgressor to remain within the community of Israel.”

There is nothing in the Bible indicating that Gentiles will bring animal sacrifices to God before the Millennium begins; nor, that they will be brought in every place. Jews (not Gentiles) will bring for a short while sacrifices in Jerusalem, not in every place, but even they will be suppressed by the European beast power. And after the Millennium has begun, we read that Egyptians who want to have fellowship with Israelites, will bring sacrifices and offerings (Isaiah 19:21), but the implication is, in light of all the passages in the book of Ezekiel, chapters 40 – 47, that they will do so at the third temple and not “in every place” they choose.

How then, so I wondered, are we to understand Malachi 1:11? I viewed the context and saw the contrast between the Israelites who profane God’s name, and the Gentiles who honor it. I began to contemplate that this must be referring to spiritual sacrifices, which true Christians are already giving now, and which they will also give in the Millennium. I found that several commentaries came to the same conclusion.

The Benson Commentary wrote:

“Prayers and praises shall be presented before me as incense. For here the prophet describes the Christian sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving…”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary added:

“Since ye Jewish priests and people ‘despise My name’ (Mal 1:6), I shall find others who will magnify it (Mt 3:9). Do not think I shall have no worshippers because I have not you; for from the east to the west My name shall be great among the Gentiles (Isa 66:19, 20), those very peoples whom ye look down upon as abominable. Pure offering—not ‘the blind, the lame, and the sick,’ such as ye offer (Mal 1:8). … The ‘incense’ is figurative of prayers (Ps 141:2; Re 8:3). ‘Sacrifice’ is used metaphorically (Ps 51:17; Heb 13:10, 15, 16; 1Pe 2:5, 12).”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges stated:

“By ‘incense’ and ‘offering’ we are to understand those ‘spiritual sacrifices’ of prayer and praise (Hebrews 13:15)… and self-dedication (Romans 12:1), which all Christians as a ‘holy priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:5) are privileged to offer, and which are ‘acceptable to God through Jesus Christ’. … incense was the symbol of prayer (Luke 1:9-10). The Psalmist saw the same spiritual significance in ‘incense’ and ‘offering’ (Psalm 141:2).”

I also found other commentaries trying to say that the incense offered by Gentiles refers to Catholic rites and worship services. That explanation could be easily dismissed, as Catholics do not pray to the God of the Bible, but to a Trinitarian God, falsely believing that the Holy Spirit is a person. They most certainly do not magnify God’s true name.

And so, Malachi 1:11 speaks of true Christians who give spiritual sacrifices, and refers especially to those of Gentile descent, who are part of the firstfruits in this day and age, signified by one of the two leavened wave loaves which had to be offered at Pentecost (Leviticus 23:17). Paul says in Romans 15:16 that the offering consisting of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (compare the margin in the new NKJV and the NIV).

The search for the right understanding of Malachi 1:11 just serves as an example as to how we are to study God’s Word. It may need time, effort, patience and dedication to the Truth, without coming to premature and hasty conclusions (Isaiah 28:16). Daniel wondered about a passage and had to wait with patience for understanding until God revealed to him the meaning (Daniel 9:20-23; 10:11-12, 14). Christ opened understanding to His apostles so they would comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). On the other hand, there were certain prophecies which Daniel would not understand, as it was not yet the time (Daniel 12:8-10). But with Bible study, prayer and meditation, answers will come, if God so wills (Ephesians 1:15-19), and these answers will make sense and add further pieces to our comprehension of the great puzzle of God’s masterful Work—the foundation of knowledge—the Holy Bible.

Throughout the Bible, we see how God deals with situations in various ways, and He makes it clear that His Law still stands and that He wants us to abide by it.  There are examples where He boldly proclaims His laws and judgments; and when He wants to get His point across, it becomes quite evident that His Will is being done. When He has a purpose for you and me, He will be there to guide us, to test us, and to make us realize what His intentions are for our future.  Just as God is bold, we are to be the same when it comes to His Law, when the situation calls for it.  We are not to be shy in what we believe; we must not be unsteady, doubtful and fearful about what others may think, wavering when being asked about our beliefs. Rather, we are to use our voice with conviction, with confidence, and with boldness.

Of course, we should be mindful of the situation in what we say and to whom we say it. Christ, for example, always had the perfect response in every situation He was in.  He knew what to say and when to say it, when to be bold and when to be quiet.

When there is a purpose that God wants to be fulfilled, He will see to it that it happens.  After Elijah fled into the wilderness and prayed that God would take his life when he heard that Jezebel, the wife of the king of Israel, Ahab, was seeking to kill him, notice how God responded to him (1 Kings 19:9-18).  He showed Elijah His power through nature, just like He explained to Job His almighty power and just how insignificant Job was compared to God.  God responded to Elijah in a supernatural way which really got his attention—with all this might through a powerful wind, an earthquake and a fire, to nothing but a delicate whispering voice.   This also shows us that the Work of God doesn’t always need to occur with dramatic revelation and manifestations (compare Zechariah 4:6).  Noticeable displays of power are not always necessary for God to act.  He knows how to deal with each and every one of us.

There are many different ways in which He proclaims His voice to communicate with His people.  We find throughout the Bible how He communicates through a whirlwind in the book of Job; how He reveals His presence in an earthquake and a fire with Moses and the Israelites in the book of Exodus; and how His voice sounds like thunder in various Scriptures.

When God proclaimed His Law to the Israelites, it was given amidst a tempest of wind, thunder and lightning, attended with an earthquake (notice Hebrews 12:18-24).  But as we just saw in the example of Elijah, God does not always speak in that way.

The world perceives God’s Law as harsh and chooses to celebrate man’s pagan holidays, instead of keeping the weekly Sabbath and God’s annual Holy Days.  Mankind today doesn’t care about God’s Law or want to believe that it is wrong to keep these pagan days. Mankind may just be completely ignorant about these days anyway, but the time will come when God will manifest His power and will declare to the whole world what is right and what is wrong.

Once people understand what God’s Law is all about and their eyes are opened, their perception will be quite different.  They will realize that God gave His Law to protect man from harm—that it is for their own good. Depending on the person and his or her situation, God may speak with a loud voice, or with a “whisper.” As Gill’s Exposition of the Bible puts it in reference to Psalm 89:15, God may speak with “a gentle voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ.” The commentary continues that God, “by the law breaks the rocky hearts of men in pieces, shakes their consciences, and fills their minds with a sense of fiery wrath and indignation they deserve, and then speaks comfortably to them, speaks peace and pardon… blessed are the people that hear this still, small, gentle voice.”

God speaks to people at different times and in different ways, but only a few actually listen and understand what He is saying. That is why it is vital to keep learning and studying, to build our understanding and relationship with God because the more we do that, the more ready we will be to listen to His voice when He speaks, and the more likely we are to obey and apply what we hear.

When looking at the Sacrifice of Christ from an analytical point of view, we come to the conclusion as to how complete it was, covering every base as it were. Blood, the lifeline of any human being, was shed for our sins to be forgiven. Life is in the blood, it is the human common denominator, and loss of it leads to death.

Christ could have chosen a more pleasant way to die, but He did not for a reason. The one thing which cannot be said to Him is: “I suffered more than You.”

We have all gone through painful experiences. For some women it is very painful to have a child, and for all of us passing a kidney stone is very painful also. Crushing-type injuries are particularly painful.

But none of us has been beaten, punched in the face, slapped, scourged (from which, in many cases, the tortured person died with the subsequent loss of blood), hung on a stake for six hours and then being speared in the side to finish us off. Why go through so much physical suffering? A spear through the heart, without the previous excruciating pain, would have been quick and just as deadly in shedding blood and being killed.

Isaiah answers that question. In Isaiah 53:5, we read: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

This is restated by Peter in 1 Peter 2:24: “…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

So there was a reason for all the physical wounding—it was for our physical healing. We can be anointed by God’s ministers and ask God to apply the beating and suffering of Christ to our physical healing.

There are several types of wounds, and Christ suffered them all:

–Contusion:  The medical term for bruising. He was hit on the head with rods and punched.

–Abrasion:  An open wound caused by rubbing against something which breaks the skin. The crown jamming down on His brow

–Laceration: The tearing of soft body tissue from the scourging.

–Avulsion: Chunks of tissue were removed totally. Psalm 22:17, prophesying Christ’s torture, states: “I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.” Avulsion causes severe bleeding, referring to the scourging and the crucifixion.

–Puncture:  A punctured wound is a deep wound that occurs due to something sharp and pointed, such as a nail. This applied when Christ’s hands and feet were pierced and when He was nailed to the stake.

–Incision: Cuts through the skin and muscles. This describes the moment when He was speared in the side deep enough to cut the artery running down the spine.

So we can see that the wounding of Christ was complete and thus can be applied to our physical healing.

Christ’s Sacrifice was a complete one. He shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins and He permitted evil men to wound Him for our physical healing. We must therefore appreciate all of His suffering and His death for us, so that, ultimately, all of mankind could be reconciled to God and be given an opportunity to be in the God Family.

In one way or another, most Americans celebrated Easter this year. Around the world, Easter was observed by close to one-hundred nations. By contrast, the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread figured prominently in just one country—the nation of Israel.

While various religious organizations lead the way in Easter observance, only a precious few keep the commanded Holy Days of God falling in this time of the year—those who are members of the True Church of God.

Freely, it is admitted that Easter has been adopted from abject paganism. Yet, people who could and certainly should know better call this a “Christian observance.” But this is nothing less than the proverbial attempt of putting lipstick on a pig and calling it pretty. Making up how God is worshipped is rejected by God, and He condemns those who do so!

God expressed His contempt to ancient Israel and Judah for their pagan worship practices—and His warnings apply today:

“‘Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them’” (Isaiah 1:14); and, “‘I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies’” (Amos 5:21).

Unless we observe only God’s commanded Holy Days, God will not accept us or our false and useless worship! The one holiday so dear to many nominally professing Christians, Christmas, is based on downright demonic worship—it has nothing to do with the true Son of God! Short of national days of thanksgiving, prayer or even repentance and fasting, God does not hear—He won’t accept evil!

“‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!’” (Isaiah 5:20).

Great national punishment is coming from God. Whole nations will go into captivity, war will ravage the earth and life, itself, will come to the brink of total destruction. Why? Because of violence and rebellion against God! Few understand and still fewer are taking God’s warnings seriously.

To escape these terrible times and to have God’s protection, we must submit to His Will for us. That includes obeying Him by keeping His true Holy Days: the Seventh Day (Sabbath) and the Annual Feast Days of God.

Regarding what we who are living in this godless society should be doing, God warns us: “‘Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues’” (Revelation 18:4).

We live in an age where truth is very difficult to find. In many cases it is considered to be relative depending on who is speaking and especially when politicians are involved. There is a reminder of this in John 18:38 when Pilate, who was well known to be very political, asked the question, probably sarcastically, “What is truth?” In actual fact, the truth was standing in front of him as Jesus Christ is the truth (John 14:6).

In some cases, for an educator even to state an obvious truth like the fact that some races generally perform better in education than others can risk that person losing their job. The fact that it may well be true does not matter. Even to agree with such a statement can be dangerous for one’s employment. And this is only one example; there are many others where it is safer to stay quiet than to reject an obvious untruth. In some countries, even quoting certain parts of the Bible is considered hate speech and can be punished by law. This is causing truth to be suppressed at times due to fear. And yet, God explains what He thinks about truth and lying in Proverbs 12:22: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”

Justice also can be hard to find today and the outcome of trials can often depend on what kind of lawyers a defendant can afford. In some cases, the result of justice can depend on the color of a person’s skin. But when we read Leviticus 19:15, we find what God decrees about judgement: “You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbour.”

There are many examples today of the lack of truth and justice that we hear about constantly. But in God’s Word, Isaiah 59 is a chapter mostly on the evils of society. While it certainly applied to Isaiah’s time, the last few verses imply that it also applies to our time and to the near future. Verse 20 states: “‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,’ Says the LORD.”

Verse 4 of the same chapter states: “No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.” God condemns them because they do not seek truth and justice.

Isaiah 59:14-15 repeats this theme forcefully: “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice.” Make himself a prey has the meaning of “a person that becomes the victim of an enemy.”

In Matthew’s Bible of 1537, “makes himself a prey” is rendered as “must be spoyled.” The verb spoyled or spoiled in this instance means to plunder, pillage or rob. In this day, for a person to not follow a crowd to do evil (Exodus 23:2), could be considered a reason for the crowd to do harm to that person. In fact, there is an expression, “Silence is violence,” which is used to criticize or harm those who do not verbally support the crowd doing evil.

The Koren version of 2015, a Jewish translation, renders it as “makes himself ridiculous.” In at least three commentaries, this expression is rendered “is counted mad.” Today it is considered by many that if a person relies on his religion to determine his actions, he is considered mad and he will be ridiculed. This can also be a very difficult trial for someone trying to obey God. To be constantly made fun of because of personal beliefs can be very wearying. It is little wonder that God is greatly displeased.

But we must remember that when we are persecuted or ridiculed for doing what is right, ours is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10-12).

So, to conclude, we have already read that God delights in those who deal truthfully (Proverbs 12:22). He also instructs us in what He considers good, what He requires: “To do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Going back to Isaiah 59:18, we read, “According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay.” So God will repay for the current lack of truth and justice.

So, to answer the question, what has happened to truth and justice? At the moment they can be quite difficult to find, but when God intervenes, they will be the standard way of life for the whole world. As we read in Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.”

In the sermon from last Sabbath by Dave Harris, “God-Who-Forgives”, something was stated at the end that was of fundamental importance. I have thought about this before, but it really stood out in light of the upcoming Passover, the Night to be Much Observed and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The thought that stood out was this: “ We (that would include all of us who heard the sermon and who read this Editorial, including myself) can affect the whole world by HOW we repent.” That is truly mind-blowing. We, the poor, the weak, whatever we consider ourselves to be, have the power to help the world NOW.

2 Peter 3:10-14 states in the New International Version: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

How often do we take into account that we have the ability to hasten the return of Christ? We pray, or at least we are TOLD to pray, “Your Kingdom come,” but how often does that trickle down into our lives? As we are preparing for the beginning of the Spring Holy Days, what is it that we are focusing on? Hopefully, it is upon what we can do to turn further towards our God! We are told that we have to become without spot; meaning, we have to come to hold the line against sin. We also have to be looking and searching for it.

Once we find sin and we start to root it out, we have to replace it with righteousness. If we are not filling up constantly with God’s Holy Spirit and making gains, then we are in danger of having the same sin, which we worked hard to replace, start to seep back in. We have to be constantly building correctly in our lives. In order to make sure that we are doing this properly, I want to use Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 3:11-16 where he states in the New International Version:

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”

The things that we build now will have an impact here and now, but more importantly, in the future. Each of us is the temple of God. Each of us is a vessel for God’s Holy Spirit. The power to overcome and to change is given to each of us because of the great Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His immense love for us.

The opportunity lies in each of us, though, to carry out something that is larger than ourselves. But we CANNOT lose focus on the fact that each of us is an integral part—contributing to an overall accomplishment.

Ephesians 2:19-22 says in the New International Version: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

We are God’s people. We are those whom He has called at this end of the age. Living as a true Christian is not going to get easier. The challenges we face are getting more wearisome and challenging. This cannot dissuade us. This cannot stop us from overcoming and moving forward. Rather, as we are making progress, we must constantly harken back to WHY we are doing this! What is it that anchors us and helps us to get back up and keep moving forward?

As we prepare and move through the next few weeks, we should be very mindful of how much we can grow, change and mature in the coming year. It comes down to dedication and resolution. How willing are we to truly allow the mind of Christ to lead and guide us in ALL things?

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 states in the New International Version:

“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

Do all the quoted Scriptures resonate? Do they find a place in our minds and hearts? Again, we are God’s people and we MUST consider ourselves as such! We have the calling and the opportunities! Let us NOT neglect to find out what is right and proper in God’s eyes and to do those things with all perseverance, courage and speed.

In the Current Events section of our weekly Update no. 961 on February 19^th 2021, there was an item headed “Black List for LGBT-‘Hate’ Groups,” which included the following comments:

“C-Fam wrote on February 12:

“‘The UN rights office is collecting the names of anyone who opposes the LGBT agenda in any way. Politicians, religious leaders, and organizations from around the world who defend life and family will likely be put on a blacklist by the UN office for human rights. The drastic new measure may be used to impose sanctions on pro-family advocates and expose them to terrorist attacks…

“‘In the broadly worded prompt, the UN rights office asks for examples of “public expressions or statements by political and/or religious leaders” who challenge LGBT rights… The UN rights office is especially focused on religions of pro-life and pro-family groups. It asks for any “examples where the concept of gender has been used in religious narratives or narratives of tradition, traditional values or protection of the family” in opposition to new LGBT laws and policies.’”

This was interesting as I had been reading a book entitled “Trigger Warning – Is the Fear of Being Offensive Killing Free Speech?,” where the author, Mick Hume, makes this excellent analysis:

“More recent struggles for freedom and equality in Western societies were just as intimately bound up with freedom of speech. The demand for free speech, the right for their voices to be heard, has proved central to the struggles for women’s emancipation, gay liberation and racial equality in the UK and US. There is a grim irony in the fashion… for feminist, trans or anti-racist activists today to demand restrictions on free speech as a means of protecting the rights of the identity groups they claim to represent. Without the efforts of those who fought for more free speech in the past, these illiberal activists would not be free to stand up and call for less of it in the present.”

Mr Hume went on to say that “we are living in the age of the reverse-Voltaires… Voltaire was a pioneer of free speech in eighteenth-century Enlightenment France. Voltaire is credited with one of the great historical sayings on the subject: ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’ The cri de coeur [that is, the passionate outcry, as of appeal, entreaty or protest] of today’s hardcore offence-takers turns his principle inside out: ‘I know that I’ll detest and be offended by what you say, and I will defend to the end of free speech my right to stop you saying it.’ The reverse-Voltaires do not wish to dispute ideas or arguments that offend them. They would deny the other person’s right to say it in the first place.”

Put another way, those who have used the right to free speech in the first place are happy to have done so in pursuit of their agenda, and when that has been achieved, they then try and close down any comment, discussion or debate on that very same subject. Freedom of speech or no free speech, we all know which! It can also be called the cancel culture.

Game, set and match to them, or so they think. Perhaps for the time being, but there is coming a time when this nonsense will simply come to a grinding halt. There will be no need for family groups to defend their position nor will those promoting LGBT rights and other ungodly practices be allowed to function in such a capacity. Rather, they will learn and understand how wrong they had been all along.

The Truth given to us by God in His Word which is casually and callously discarded by those who seem to think that they know better, will become the norm, and society in the soon-coming Kingdom of God will practice the way that leads to a properly ordered society and happiness at every turn. Those of us who have been called to the knowledge of this Truth look forward eagerly to such a time!

Those of us who are members of the Church of God made an important decision in our lives, when we decided to become a part of God’s Church, to become a part of Christ, His spiritual Body, knowing that we must live differently than the rest of the world, as we would be set apart from the world—which involves our commitment. This is our pledge, our dedication. So, when we commit ourselves to do something, we have to follow through, or else we could be considered dishonest, and even unreliable.  Once we say yes, we have to do it, unless circumstances are different and a change is justified.  Christ said in Matthew 5:37 to let our yes be yes and our no be no.

We all have goals in life to which we are committed. If there is something we are trying to pursue and are serious about it, do we keep trying or will we give up soon after we have started?  But we also go through trial and error. If something is not working out the way we want it to, it may be that God is trying to tell us something, perhaps teaching us a lesson, and our desires may not even be in accordance with His Will.  Being successful involves hard work and commitment.

Living in this world is difficult and living God’s Way of Life is difficult because we are constantly bombarded with temptations, and some could certainly be directed at our greatest weaknesses which we need to overcome by constantly having God involved in our lives. We commit ourselves to Him by living His Way of Life.  An important decision we had to make to show our commitment at our baptism will be reflected upon once again very shortly when we partake of the Passover, showing our continued dedication to God’s Way of Life.

In preparation for and at the moment of our baptism and ever since, we knew as soon as we made that commitment, that our lives would be changed and that there would be no turning back. Our lives would become increasingly difficult, yet at the same time, we would experience a change—a positive change. We knew that we were granted the gift of God’s Holy Spirit the moment we were baptized, for we are considered holy. We have God’s special protection, and we grow in wisdom and strength, to bring us closer to the fulfillment of God’s master plan for us. There is no need to fear and when we doubt, there are several Scriptures we can turn to for reassurance, reminding us that God is with us and gives us strength (compare Isaiah 41:10, 13; Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalms 103:1-10).  We shouldn’t be afraid of what’s going on in this world today, but we must be committed to God’s Way, and if we are, we can see what He promises us.

There is a responsibility that we must endure because in order to live God’s Way of Life, we must fear Him. What we fear is breaking His commandments, breaking our commitment we have with God. We were committed to the Truth as soon as we were baptized. Because we know these things, we have to ask ourselves how committed we are now to the Truth and God’s Way of Life?  Do we have faith that God will protect us during these terrible times we are going through and will continue to go through, and that God will show mercy to us? When God gives us a command, will we comply or will we complain? Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6), and we have to be consistent with what God tells us. We can’t agree with something that God says and then at the same time disagree with something else that God commands us. We do not want to be lukewarm which is described in the 3rd chapter of the Book of Revelation, but rather, we must listen to God’s Word and we must take it to action.

Just as we have faith in God, God at the same time is faithful to forgive us our sins when we ask for forgiveness. Unfortunately in this world today, there isn’t a whole lot of faith in God, and God is left out of the picture when decisions are made. They may mean well and think what they are doing is justified, but as soon as they go against what God says, by thinking they are doing the right thing, they are taking matters into their own hands. Many also think that they are teaching God’s Word, but they are not. God does not approve of false teaching! We see in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 what today’s world is all about: “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling’s of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.”

We know that we have to have a tremendous amount of faith to live God’s Way, and it should be easy for us to do this because we know firsthand what the Bible promises and what is going to happen. So, when we committed ourselves to God at our baptism, we knew what we were getting into.

We have to be careful that we don’t slip and lose focus but stay committed at ALL times because Satan is always ready to catch us off guard. We should all realize the importance of our individual commitment we have with God and with each other. Christ said to His Church in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love ONE ANOTHER as I have loved you.”

The decision we each made to be baptized was a crucial necessity if we want to be in God’s Kingdom, by receiving God’s Holy Spirit so we can receive everlasting life. This will always be perceived as a mystery in this world until Christ’s return, but we in God’s Church have been given the gift to understand this now, and are expected to keep this understanding and act upon it until the end.

With everything going on in the world and with every day bringing some new development, usually in a negative way, we have to wonder how long this madness is going to go on.

With the event of Donald Trump vacating the White House, for some of us who held the belief that it all was going to end in 1975, it brings back memories of the goalpost being moved.

It appeared like there was going to be a second term for Mr. Trump beginning in 2021 and that he would during that term be somehow involved with the building of the temple in Jerusalem which would usher in events leading up to the great tribulation and the return of Christ after the tribulation. All of that appears now to be pushed sometime into the future, and can lead some of us to be somewhat rattled at the prospect of things going on for several more years.

I recall that in 1971, during a ministerial visit, we told the minister we were planning to buy a house. His response was, “Why bother, we are fleeing next year,” to which I responded, “We will just have to sell it when the time comes.” Well, that never happened and some brethren left the church over it. Some had delayed pursuing further education or having dental work done and as a result lost their zeal.

The Truth is, we don’t know when all the end-time events are going to be fulfilled; in fact, it might not be in my lifetime as I am getting close to eighty. There are quite a few of us in our late seventies and early eighties. Does that mean we throw in the towel and give up? No, we push on till the end. We endeavor to persevere till the task we have been given individually is complete, since whether we see Christ return or we die before His return, if we remain faithful to the end, our reward of eternal life is sealed.

Paul, more than most, went through trials that would really discourage the average person, and he did it all for the hope of the resurrection which is our hope. When he realized that Christ would not return in his lifetime, this was his summary: “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).

This promise stands true for all who endure to the end, so let’s ensure we focus on that and not be discouraged because it appears the return of Christ is a little further off than what we may have anticipated.

Do we really understand how much and to what degree this world is being held captive by Satan and his demons? Could this also apply to any of us? (cp. 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Of course, Satan cannot do what God does not allow, but still, this is NOT God’s world. It is Satan’s world, and he has deceived and is deceiving the whole world (Revelation 12:9). We are asked to come out of this sinful Babylon of confusion (Revelation 18:4). While living in this world (John 17:18), we are not to be part of this world (John 17:14, 16). Satan is the ruler of mankind, and he gives power and authority to human leaders. In Luke 4:5-7, we read how Satan tried to tempt Christ, saying: “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’”

Christ did not dispute Satan’s claim. He knew it was true. He knew that Satan rules on his throne here on earth (Revelation 2:13). He also knew, of course, that Satan would be behind the ten revivals of the Roman Empire in Europe (Revelation 13:2, 4), and that he would give power and authority to the coming beast and the false prophet. But do we understand that this is not limited to those past, present and future developments and rulers in Europe? Satan has power over ALL the kingdoms of the world, and he gives his authority to WHOMEVER he wishes.

People are deceived, because Satan is pretending to be an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)… not of darkness. They may believe that rulers under his guidance and direction want to do the best for the people… and some in authority might very well think that they do, but they don’t understand what is good and what is bad (Isaiah 5:20). While they say they want peace, their actions lead to war and misery; rather than saving lives, they help to destroy lives (Romans 3:10-18).

Satan wants all mankind to be eradicated and wiped off this planet. And he would be successful if it were not for Jesus Christ who will come back to this earth to make an end to this madness of human misrule at His return.

Satan’s main target, however, is the people of God. He knows that Christ’s true disciples will replace him and his rule when Christ returns, and so he has great wrath against God’s Church, knowing that his time is short (Revelation 12:12).

Satan’s modus operandi  is not just to destroy and kill literally, but also, and perhaps even more importantly at this time, to destroy us spiritually. He uses teachers in all the world who are teaching our children the wrong things in school—from the godless evolution concept to the abominable ideas of abortion and war to the false concepts of sexual immorality, just to name a few. He will try to use his human rulers to prohibit the preaching of the gospel and to malign, accuse and persecute those who do. We are already seeing the beginning of these endeavors. Satan is a liar and a murderer, and we must not be ignorant of his evil devices.

Very importantly, Satan is the accuser of the brethren, accusing them day and night before God (Revelation 12:10). Some of his accusations might be their sinful conduct for which he was directly responsible. Satan influenced Peter to speak Satan’s words (Mark 8:31-33); and he influenced Judas to betray Christ (Luke 22:3; John 13:27). It is therefore critical that we repent of our sins when we become aware of them and confess them to God so that we can be cleansed (1 John 1:9), and so that Satan does not succeed (Revelation 12:11; Zechariah 3:1-5).

It is Satan’s goal to devour us (1. Peter 5:8). In order to accomplish this, he is using fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16); evil devices or schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11); craftiness or unscrupulous conduct (2 Corinthians 11:3); and wiles or thought-out tricks (Ephesians 6:11).

God warns us that we can easily fall for Satan, if we are not careful. He describes Satan in very descriptive ways:

Satan is identified as our adversary (1 Peter 5:8); the god of this age or of this present evil world (2 Corinthians 4:4) who is worshipped (Matthew 4:9; Revelation 13:4); the prince and ruler of the darkness of this world and age (John 12:31; 14:30; Ephesians 6:12); the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2); a murderer and a liar (John 8:44) who blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4); and Apollyon, meaning “the destroyer” (Revelation 9:11).

But we don’t have to be or become Satan’s victims, falling for his evil devices and becoming inadvertently his instruments (1 Timothy 5:15). It is very comforting to know that we can protect ourselves against Satan, when we are sober or self-controlled (1 Peter 5:8); when we are vigilant or watchful and on the alert (1 Peter 5:8); when we resist him (1 Peter 5:9; James 4:7) while submitting to and drawing near to God (James 4:7-8); when we put on God’s whole spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:11); accept and apply the “blood of the Lamb” or Christ’s Sacrifice to and for our sins (Revelation 12:11); when we believe God and His Word and live by it, while rejecting all lies (Revelation 12:11, 17); and when we give our lives to God (Revelation 12:11).

The good news is, God will crush Satan under our feet shortly (Romans 16:20), but in the meantime, as we have read, we must resist him now and draw near to God; and Satan will flee from us. Then, we can say victoriously with Jesus: “Satan has no power over me” (compare John 14:30, Revised Standard Version).