Tag: prophecy

October 25, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

PROPHECY AND HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF NATIONS

See the following verses first: Gen. 11:1. The whole earth in the beginning was only of one language. Gen 11:1-9. God is the Author of languages and nations (See PP 120). Acts 17:26. All nations are of one blood (See PK 500). Deut. 32:8. God establishes the boundaries of nations. Job 12:23. He increases and destroys nations (cf. Hab. 1:5-11; Pk 499, 500). Deut. 4: 13-17. God watches over the nations (PK 536, 537). Eze. 29: 17-20. God uses a nation to punish other nations. Her. 25: 9-11. God calls even heathen nations His ‘servants’ to do His biddings. (cf. Jer. 50: 11-20). Jer. 46: 17. When God forsakes a kingdom, is but a “noise;” it soon passes. Now this:

“In the annals of human history the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as dependent upon the will and prowess of man. The shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the Word of God, the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, behind, above and through all the play and counter play of human interests and power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will. The Bible reveals the true philosophy of [human] history.” -E.G. White, Education, p. 173.

As worldly-ambitious men and women, political parties, behemoth corporations, ideologies, religions and churches vie against one another for the highest positions of recognition, power and wealth in these last days filled with chaos and strife, God is soon not only to demonstrate His sovereign power over all nations and proud institutions of men, He will also take over the “reins” of the closing work in His mighty hands and “will cut it short in simplicity and righteousness.” May we part of the closing hour “eleventh-hour workers” in the parable! Bless all, NMF. 

October 23, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

PROPHETIC HISTORY OF OUR WORLD

Knowing the keys that unlock the meaning of Bible prophecy not only helps us understand and appreciate the prophecy and see its role in “making our calling and election sure,” but protects us from being deceived and ensnared by Satan’s counterfeits, and we lose our souls!

“The prophecies of the Bible are not hard to understand, IF we follow the rules laid down in the Scriptures for interpreting prophecy.  These rules are few in number, and they are not complicated.

“When used in connection with prophetic symbols, ‘SEA’ or ‘WATERS’ stand for ‘multitudes of people’ (Rev. 17:15; Isa. 8:7; 17:12: Jer. 6:23; ‘WIND’ stands for ‘war’ (Jer. 4:12, 13; 25: 31,32); ‘BEASTS’ stands for ‘kingdoms’ (Dan. 7:23); and ‘DAYS” for ‘years’ [of 360 days] (Eze.4:6; Num. 14:34).

“The prophet Daniel saw in vision four winds of war, which strove upon the great sea of people, and four great beasts, or kingdoms, came up one after the other. ‘The first was like unto a LION, and had eagle’s wings.’ Dan. 7:2-4. In Jer. 49: 19, 22, 28, a lion is used to symbolize the kingdom of BABYLON (606-538 B.C.).

“The second beast was like unto a BEAR (Dan.7:5), and denoted (symbolized) MEDO-PERSIA, the next world-empire (538-331 B.C.). The ‘three ribs in the mouth of it’ were the 3 chief countries which it conquered, Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt.

“He next saw a LEOPARD having four heads and four wings (Dan.7:6), symbolizing the GRECIAN EMPIRE (331-168 B.C.). A leopard is very alert, and adding to this symbol four wings would indicate that Grecia would make rapid conquest, which was true. Alexander the Great marched his army 5,100 miles in eight years and conquered the then-known civilized world. The four heads on the leopard denote the four divisions into which this empire was split up [among his 4 major generals] after the death of Alexander the Great.

“The fourth beast,’ the angel explained, ‘shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth.’ Dan.7:23. The fourth empire from Babylon was ROME (168 B.C.- 476 A.D.). The angel also informs us that ‘the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise’ Dan. 7:24.  The Roman Empire was split up into just ten smaller kingdoms between the years 351 and 476 A.D.” – C. Edwardson, Facts of Faith, 1943, SPA, pp. 34,35. (To be continued). Bless all, NMF. 

October 22, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

PROPHECY AND HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF NATIONS

See the following verses first: Gen. 11:1. The whole earth in the beginning was only of one language. Gen 11:1-9. God is the Author of languages and nations (See PP 120). Acts 17:26. All nations are of one blood (See PK 500). Deut. 32:8. God establishes the boundaries of nations. Job 12:23. He increases and destroys nations (cf. Hab. 1:5-11; Pk 499, 500). Deut. 4: 13-17. God watches over the nations (PK 536, 537). Eze. 29: 17-20. God uses a nation to punish other nations. Her. 25: 9-11. God calls even heathen nations His ‘servants’ to do His biddings. (cf. Jer. 50: 11-20). Jer. 46: 17. When God forsakes a kingdom, is but a “noise;” it soon passes. Now this:

“In the annals of human history the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as dependent upon the will and prowess of man. The shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the Word of God, the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, behind, above and through all the play and counter play of human interests and power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will. The Bible reveals the true philosophy of [human] history.” -E.G. White, Education, p. 173.

As worldly-ambitious men and women, political parties, behemoth corporations, ideologies, religions and churches vie against one another for the highest positions of recognition, power and wealth in these last days filled with chaos and strife, God is soon not only to demonstrate His sovereign power over all nations and proud institutions of men, He will also take over the “reins” of the closing work in His mighty hands and “will cut it short in simplicity and righteousness.” May we part of the closing hour “eleventh-hour workers” in the parable! Bless all, NMF.