LOVE NOT THE WORLD BIBLE

 1John  2:15-‐17  

What  does  it  mean  to  say  “love  not  the  world?”  In  this  context,  the  world  is  not  a  reference  to  the  globe  or  physical  earth  neither  is  it  a  reference  to  people.  We  know  that  “God  so  loved  the  world  (people)  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son.”(John  3:16).

 In  this  passage  “world”  means  a  system  that  is  opposed  to  God.    So,  when  John  says  “if  anyone  loves  the  world  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  you”  he  is  referring  to  an  “either  or”  proposition.  You  cannot  say  “I  love  the  world  and  God.”  Either  you  love  the  world  or you  love  God.  You  cannot  love  both.    The  World  refers  to  a  system  of  philosophy  and  a  thought  process  that  opposes  God  and  the  light  (John  15:18).  If  you  were  of  this  world,  the  world  would  love  you  but  Christ  pulled  you  out  of  this  world  (John  15:19).  

As  a  result  the  world  will  hate  you.  Isn’t  it  strange  then  that  we  would  seek  accolades  and  acceptance  from  a  system  that  actually  opposes  God  and  is  ruled  by  Satan  and  his  angels?    All  that  is  in  the  World  –  John  describes  three  big  items  that  are  in  this  worldly  system  that  opposes  God:  the  desires  of  the  flesh,  the  desires  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life  (1John  2:17).    The  “desires  of  the  flesh”  -‐We  all  have  natural  desires  in  our  flesh.  For  example,  we  all  desire  food  and  drink.  The  problem  is  when  these  natural  desires  go  awry  to  the  point  that  we  are  controlled  by  them  and  stop  living  for  God.  The  desires  of  the  flesh  are  visible  outwardly.  

 People  can  see  the  things  we  indulge  in  and  live  for.    The  “desires  of  the  eyes”  on  the  other  hand,  is  trickier  and  deeper.  You  may  be  able  to  look  at  the  things  of  others  and  judge  them  for  all  their  worldly  possessions.  But  with  the  “desire  of  the  eyes”  you  don’t  have  to  possess  anything  to  be  guilty  of  this  sin.  The  eyes  are  the  window  of  the  soul  and  the  gateway  to  the  heart.  When  we  see  things  we  begin  to  think  about  them.  Then  we  covet  them  and  become  consumed  by  them.

 A  person  can  have  no  money  and  yet  be  consumed  by  money.  On  the  outside  he  can  appear  pious  and  say,  “I  am  just  a  poor  person”  and  yet  sin  daily  because  he  looks  at  the  things  of  the  world,  covets  them,  and  even  loves  them  more  than  God.  This  is  where  the  whole  system  of  advertisement  comes  in.  Satan  knows  us  and  he  knows  we  can  easily  be  distracted  from  God  and  enticed  by  the  lust  of  our  eyes.    

The  “pride  of  life”  refers  to  a  person  who  boasts  about  what  they  own.  They  are  not  afraid  to  show  off  and  talk  about  all  they  possess  and  live  for.  The  pride  of  life  can  also  be  when  those  who  don’t  have  become  self-‐righteous  and  judge  those  who  do  have.  We  can  become  great  at  pointing  out  the  faults  of  others  to  make  ourselves  look  good.  

The  pride  of  life  affects  everyone.  You  don’t  have  to  possess  all  the  things  on  the  outside.  You  can  be  a  believer  who  loves  God  and  yet  fall  into  Phariseeism  where  your  pride  comes  from  your  religiosity.  In  this  portion  of  scripture,  John  is  not  so  much  focusing  on  things.  Yes,  there  are  acts  of  sin  that  we  should  never  do.  But  it  goes  deeper  than  that.  It  is  about  pride,  about  our  heart  and  our  selfishness.  To  not  love  the  world  means  to  not  love  yourself  more  than  you  love  God.  When  you  love  yourself  more  than  God  you  fall  for  all  these  things.  

This  mental  state  of  selfishness  where  it  is  “all  about  me”  is  not  from  the  Father  but  from  this  broken,  fallen,  anti-‐God  system.  You  can’t  love  this  world  and  love  God  at  the  same  time.  When  you  make  yourself  a  friend  of  the  world  you  become  an  enemy  of  God  (James  4:4).

 The  Apostle  Paul  exhorts  us  to  walk  by  the  Spirit.  When  we  do  this  we  will  not  gratify  the  lusts  in  our  flesh  (Galatians  5:16-‐17).  Lost  people  without  Jesus  live  for  the  “here  and  now.”  The  center  of  the  universe  in  this  natural  state  is  “me.”  When  we  have  been  born  again,  however,  we  are  new  creatures.  We  have  a  new  spirit  that  desires  to  live  for  God  and  not  for  ourselves  or  this  world.

A PRAYER THAT OUR HEARTS MIGHT BE OPEN TO HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD

Let Us Pray

Father, I pray that I might be open to hear Your voice. May I be eager to hear what You have to say to me through Your written Word, and by the Word as it is preached and sung at church. Lord, there are some things in Your Word that are difficult to hear—warnings about the need for purity and the need for deep repentance from sin. Let me be willing to hear those words and obey them.

I pray for ______ that they might not turn away from the truth, but would listen intently to what You are saying to them. Lord, it appears that at times the voices of this world are louder than Your still small voice; help them to discern that the loudest voice is not always the wisest voice. Open their spiritual ears I pray; help them to hear You calling them by name to be Yours both now and forever.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DANIEL PROPHESIES OF THE ANTICHRIST

Although  the  book  of  Daniel  was  written  thousands  of  years  ago,  it  is  brimming  with  vital  information  for  today’s  world.  The  prophet  Daniel  received  words  from  God  about  the  kingdoms  that  shaped  world  history.    As  a  result  of  these  dreams  and  visions,  Daniel  also  learned  the  key  identifying  characteristics  of  the  Antichrist.  Daniel  2  and  7  speak  of  two  prophetic  dreams  that  can  help  us  identify  the  Antichrist.

THE  PROPHETIC  DREAM  OF  NEBUCHADNEZZAR  IN  DANIEL

 2.  King  Nebuchadnezzar  of  Babylon  had  a  disturbing  dream  that,  upon  waking,  he  could  not  remember.  Daniel  was  an  advisor  to  the  king,  and  with  God's  help  was  able  to  tell  Nebuchadnezzar  both  the  dream  and  its  interpretation.  The  prophetic  dream  of  Daniel  in  Daniel  7.  Daniel  had  a  prophetic  dream  himself.  This  prophecy  colors  in  the  rough  outline  provided  in  Daniel  2.

 It  parallels  Nebuchadnezzar’s  dream  using  different  symbols.  Daniel  7  provides  such  an  accurate  description  of  the  Antichrist  at  the  end  of  time  that  the  conscientious  student  is  left  without  a  doubt  as  to  the  identity  of  this  power.  In  Daniel  2,  the  king  of  Babylon  was  given  the  vision,  but  God  revealed  its  meaning  to  His  prophet  Daniel  so  that  the  king  could  become  acquainted  with  the  true  creator  God.

 The  vision  concerns  the  progression  of  earthly  political  powers  through  time  culminating  in  God's  Kingdom.  The  vision  of  Daniel  7  is  given  by  God  directly  to  His  prophet.  It  is  rich  in  symbolism  and  reiterates  Daniel  2.  It  also  emphasizes  the  battle  between  truth  and  error.  Daniel’s  dream  also  identifies  the  "Man  of  Sin,"  or  the  Antichrist.  

In  prophecy,  there  is  a  principle  of  expansion  where  one  dream  or  chapter  is  expanded  later  on  in  another  dream  or  chapter.  This  principle  can  be  applied  in  this  case.  The  prophecy  of  Daniel  7  repeats  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  2,  but  then  goes  on  to  expand  this  prophecy,  and  to  highlight  the  final  events  surrounding  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  Antichrist.

A  KING'S  DREAM  FORETELLS  THE  FUTURE

 Daniel  2  is  a  prophecy  about  events  unfolding  from  Daniel’s  time  until  the  close  of  history.  This  short  prophecy  is  fundamental  to  helping  us  unlock  more  complex  prophecies  in  Daniel  and  Revelation  that  discuss  the  great  controversy  between  the  forces  of  good  and  the  forces  of  evil.  Over  2500  years  ago,  King  Nebuchadnezzar  II  of  Babylon  had  a  disturbing  dream.  By  the  next  morning  he  had  forgotten  the  content  of  the  dream,  but  was  aware  of  its  importance.  None  of  his  advisors  could  tell  him  the  dream,  or  its  meaning,  so  he decreed  that  all  of  his  advisors  should  be  killed.  

 Daniel  and  his  friends,  Israelites  taken  captive  by  Nebuchadnezzar  during  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  had  become  wise  men  in  Babylon.  They  would  have  also  been  destroyed  by  this  royal  decree.  When  Daniel  heard  about  the  decree,  he  prayed  that  God  would  reveal  the  dream  and  its  meaning.  God  answered  Daniel’s  prayer,  giving  him  both  the  dream  and  its  meaning.  Daniel  then  went  to  the  king  to  share  what  God  had  told  him:  But  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  that  revealeth  secrets,  and  maketh  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days…thy  thoughts  came  into  thy  mind  upon  thy  bed…what  should  come  to  us  hereafter  (Daniel  2:28-29).  

Nebuchadnezzar  saw  a  large  magnificent  statue  made  of  different  metals–a  head  of  gold  ,  an  upper  torso  of  silver  ,  the  lower  torso  of  bronze,  and  legs  made  of  a  strange  uncohesive  mixture  of  iron  and  clay.  Nebuchadnezzar’s  dream  was  actually  a  prophecy  about  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  that  would  shape  history:  Babylon,  Medo-Persia,  Greece,  and  Rome.  Because  the  statue  was  a  representation  of  the  future,  we  have  progressed  through  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  statue  and  are  now  living  in  the  time  of  the  ten  toes–the  last  kingdom  to  ever  wield  power  on  Earth.

 Some  say  we  are  living  in  the  time  of  the  big  toe  of  that  statue,  and  that  era  is  about  to  be  extinguished.  Certainly,  the  signs  of  Christ's  Second  Coming  that  are  mentioned  in  Matthew  24,  Luke  21,  and  the  entire  book  of  Revelation  are  happening  all  around  us.      This  statue  prophecy  shows  us  that  God’s  intervention  into  human  affairs  is  coming  soon.  According  to  the  prophecy’s  timeline,  we  are  waiting  for  the  greatest  event  in  the  history  of  humankind:  the  overthrow  of  earthly  powers,  and  the  formation  of  a  Kingdom  that  will  never  be  destroyed.  Watch  therefore:  for  ye  know  not  what  hour  your  Lord  doth  come  (Matthew  24:42).

DANIEL’S  FOUR  BEASTS

 The  prophecy  in  Daniel  7  is  rich  in  Biblical  symbolism,  which  is  the  key  to  its  unraveling.  We  will  use  the  principle  that  the  Bible  must  be  its  own  interpreter  as  we  seek  to  understand  this  crucial  prophecy.    In  Daniel's  dream,  he  sees  the  four  winds  of  heaven  churning  up  the  great  sea.  Scripture  tells  us  that  winds  symbolize  war  (Isaiah  21:1-‐2;  Jeremiah  25:32  and  49:36-‐37).  

The  sea  represents  the  people,  or  a  populated  region  (Revelation  17:15).  By  applying  the  Biblical  definitions  of  these  symbols,  we  can  see  that  war  and  strife  will  be  raging  among  the  nations.  There  are  also  four  beasts  in  Daniel's  dream:  The  Lion,  The  Bear,  The  Leopard,  and  The  Terrible  Beast.  In  prophecy,  these  beasts  represent  four  kingdoms.  And  four  great  beasts  came  up  from  the  sea,  each  different  from  the  other  (Daniel  7:3  NKJV).  

THE  LION

 The  first  was  like  a  lion,  and  had  eagle's  wings.  I  watched  till  its  wings  were  plucked  off;  and  it  was  lifted  up  from  the  earth  and  made  to  stand  on  two  feet  like  a  man,  and  a  man's  heart  was  given  to  it  (Daniel  7:4  NKJV).  The  lion  is  used  in  the  Bible  as  a  symbol  of  authority  and  power.  The  symbol  is  applied  to  Christ  as  the  Lion  of  Judah,  but  it  is  also  the  symbol  for  Babylon,  the  destroyer  of  nations  and  the  seat  of  the  apostate  religion,  which  would  seek  to  entice  God's  people  into  idolatry.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  prophesied  about  Babylon’s  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  using  the  symbol  of  a  lion  for  this  mighty  power:  I  will  bring  disaster  from  the  north,  And  great  destruction.    The  lion  has  come  up  from  his  thicket,    And  the  destroyer  of  nations  is  on  his  way.    He  has  gone  forth  from  his  place    To  make  your  land  desolate.    Your  cities  will  be  laid  waste,    Without  inhabitant  (Jeremiah  4:6-7  NKJV).  The  lion  of  Daniel  7  has  eagle's  wings,  a  further  reference  to  Babylon.

 Archaeology  has  revealed  that  a  lion  with  eagle's  wings  was  a  common  symbol  in  Babylonian  designs  and  sculptures.  Moreover,  the  eagle  often  symbolizes  the  sun  god.  This  means  that  the  sun  god  powers  the  lion.  This  union  of  the  human  element  with  the  sun  god  is  in  defiance  of  the  true  God.    

The  religion  of  Babylon  forms  the  basis  of  all  pagan  religions,  making  Babylon  a  fitting  symbol  for  the  end-‐  time  confederacy  of  religious  powers  aligned  against  God  and  His  people.  This  confederacy  will  control  events  at  the  end  of  time  and  is  portrayed  in  Daniel  2  as  the  feet  of  iron  and  clay.  In  the  closing  stages  of  Earth’s  history,  a  power  resembling  Babylon  will  once  again  control  the  planet’s  events.

THE  BEAR

 And  behold  another  beast,  a  second,  like  to  a  bear,  and  it  raised  up  itself  on  one  side,  and  it  had  three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of  it  between  the  teeth  of  it:  and  they  said  thus  unto  it,  Arise,  devour  much  flesh  (Daniel  7:5).  We  know  from  the  statue  prophecy  of  Daniel  2  and  from  history  that  the  Medo-Persian  Empire  would  rise  after  Babylon.

 This  power  is  portrayed  in  Daniel  7  as  a  bear.  The  bear  was  raised  up  on  one  of  its  sides,  referring  to  the  initial  inequality  of  the  two  powers  of  the  Medo-‐Persian  alliance  that  was  to  overthrow  the  Babylonian  Empire.  The  three  ribs  in  the  bear’s  mouth  probably  refer  to  the  three  main  thrusts  to  control  the  Babylonian  Empire:  the  thrusts  into  Lydia,  Egypt,  and  Babylon  by  the  armies  of  Cyrus  the  Great.  The  richness  of  the  Biblical  typology  portrayed  in  this  great  historic  event  serves  as  a  lesson  for  the  great  events  that  are  to  unfold  at  the  end  of  time.  Babylon,  the  ruler  of  nations,  the  head  of  gold,  the  seat  of  religious  and  political  power  had  ruled  the  nations.  It  had  destroyed  Jerusalem  and  had  taken  captive  the  people  of  God.  

The  time  had  come  for  this  power  to  be  destroyed.    Cyrus  the  Great  Typifies  Christ  Cyrus  is  the  one  chosen  by  God  to  accomplish  this  great  feat.  Long  before  Cyrus’  birth,  the  prophet  Isaiah  called  him  the  Lord's  anointed:  This  is  what  the  LORD  says  to  His  anointed,  to  Cyrus,  whose  right  hand  I  take  hold  of  to  subdue  nations  before  him  and  to  strip  kings  of  their  armor,  to  open  doors  before  him  so  that  gates  will  not  be  shut  (Isaiah  45:1  NIV).  

The  same  prophet,  prophesying  about  the  Messiah,  wrote  this:  The  Spirit  of  the  Sovereign  LORD  is  on  me,  because  the  LORD  has  anointed  me  to  preach  good  news  to  the  poor.  He  has  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  brokenhearted,  to  proclaim  freedom  for  the  captives  and  release  from  darkness  for  the  prisoners  (Isaiah  61:1  NIV).  Cyrus  serves  as  a  type  of  Christ.  He  ended  Babylon’s  rule  and  set  the  captives  free.  The  decree  issued  by  Cyrus  was  that  the  Israelites  were  to  be  freed,  that  they  could  return  to  their  homeland  without  cost.  In  the  same  way,  Christ  will  overthrow  spiritual  Babylon  at  the  end  of  time.  He  will  set  the  captives  free  and  take  them  to  their  heavenly  home.  Their  redemption  will  be  without  cost.

THE  LEOPARD

 After  that,  I  looked,  and  there  before  me  was  another  beast,  one  that  looked  like  a  leopard.  And  on  its  back  it  had  four  wings  like  those  of  a  bird.  This  beast  had  four  heads,  and  it  was  given  authority  to  rule  (Daniel  7:6  NIV)

After  the  Medes  and  the  Persians,  a  third  power  would  arise  to  take  control.  Daniel  2  and  history  both  tell  us  that  the  Greek  Empire  came  after  the  Medo-‐Persian  Empire.  In  Daniel  8,  we  read  in  a  further  prophecy  that  "Grecia"  would  subdue  the  Medo-Persian  Empire,  and  that  it  also  would  be  divided  into  four  subkingdoms  before  succumbing  to  the  Roman  Empire.  The  leopard  beast  in  Daniel  7  has  four  heads  and  four  wings  that  symbolize  the  four  subkingdoms.  The  symbol  of  the  leopard  is  a  fitting  symbol  for  the  kingdom  of  Grecia  in  view  of  the  swiftness  of  its  conquest.  The  “Grecia”  referred  to  in  Daniel  8  should  not  be  confused  with  the  Greece  of  the  classical  period  that  preceded  the  fall  of  Persia.  That  Greece  does  not  match  the  timeline  of  Daniel  2.  

This  Greece  must  be  a  power  that  overcomes  the  Medo-‐Persians  and  establishes  itself  as  a  world  dominating  power  coming  from  the  Grecian  culture.  This  is  the  semi-‐Greek  Macedonian  Empire  of  Alexander  the  Great,  who  subdued  revolts  in  the  states  of  Greece  and  Thrace.  Alexander  then  declared  himself  successor  to  the  Pharaohs,  and  his  troops  worshiped  him  as  if  he  were  a  god.  One  of  Alexander’s  aims  was  to  spread  Greek  culture  and  philosophy  throughout  his  realm.  Greece  added  many  refinements,  rites,  and  ceremonies  to  the  earthly  systems  of  worship.  The  Bacchus  cult,  the  mythologies  of  the  battles  of  the  gods,  and  the  worship  of  female  deities  became  entrenched  in  the  very  fiber  of  society.

THE  TERRIBLE

 Beast  After  that,  in  my  vision  at  night  I  looked,  and  there  before  me  was  a  fourth  beast— terrifying  and  frightening  and  very  powerful.  It  had  large  iron  teeth;  it  crushed  and  devoured  its  victims  and  trampled  underfoot  whatever  was  left.  It  was  different  from  all  the  former  beasts,  and  it  had  ten  horns  (Daniel  7:7  NIV).  The  fourth  beast  defies  description.  It  is  terrifying,  frightening,  and  very  powerful.  It  would  be  the  kingdom  that  would  fill  up  the  cup  of  God’s  wrath.  Although  Rome  would  become  divided,  the  iron  would  remain  even  to  the  time  of  the  destruction  by  the  stone.    

Following  the  sequence  of  Daniel  2,  the  terrible  beast  of  Daniel  7  represents  Rome.  Although  divided  into  ten  through  the  ten  horns,  it  is  still  Rome  that  rules  until  the  end  of  time.  The  iron  does  not  change;  it  is  just  separated  by  clay.    The  fourth  beast  in  Daniel’s  dream  had  ten  horns.  The  ten  horns,  according  to  the  prophecy,  are  ten  kingdoms  that  will  come  from  Rome  (Daniel  7:24 ).  The  ten  kingdoms,  which  arose  from  Rome  after  its  decline,  are  the  same  ones represented  by  the  ten  toes  of  the  image  described  in  Daniel  2 .  They  represent  the  Ostrogoths,  Visigoths,  Franks,  Vandals,  Suevi,  Alamani,  Anglosaxons,  Heruli,  Lombardi,  and  Burgundians.
THE  LITTLE  HORN

 I  was  considering  the  horns,  and  there  was  another  horn,  a  little  one,  coming  up  among  them,  before  whom  three  of  the  first  horns  were  plucked  out  by  the  roots.  And  there,  in  this  horn,  were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking  pompous  words  (Daniel  7:8  NKJV).  As  Daniel  watched,  a  little  horn  emerged  from  the  ten,  pushing  out  three  of  the  other  horns.  The  little  horn  power  grows  to  become  greater  than  all  the  others.  In  this  verse,  we  again  have  the  reference  to  a  man,  just  as  we  had  the  reference  to  a  man  associated  with  the  lion  that  had  eagle  wings  representing  Babylon.  It  was  Babylon  that  deceived  the  ancient  world  with  its  system  of  worship  (representing  the  type).  The  little  horn  power  will  have  the  same  elements  as  Babylon  but  on  a  universal  scale  (representing  the  great  antitype).

 The  little  horn  will  blaspheme  God  and  speak  pompous  words  and  deceive  the  nations  at  the  end  of  time.  The  NIV  study  Bible  identifies  this  power  as  the  Antichrist,  and  the  footnote  in  the  Douay  Version  says,  “This  is  commonly  understood  of  Antichrist.”  Anti  has  two  meanings  in  Greek.  It  can  mean  “against”  or,  more  commonly,  “in  the  place  of.”  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  and  Daniel's  subsequent  dream  revealed  the  future  kingdoms  that  were  to  reign  on  earth  and  the  Antichrist  power  that  will  seek  to  hold  world  dominion.  But  what  exactly  makes  him  the  Antichrist?

ENEMITY BETWEEN MAM AND SATAN

Satan’s agents are constantly working under his direction to establish his authority and build up his kingdom in opposition to the government of God. To this end they seek to deceive Christ’s followers and allure them from their allegiance. Like their leader, they misconstrue and pervert the Scriptures to accomplish their object. As Satan endeavored to cast reproach upon God, so do his agents seek to malign God’s people. The spirit which put Christ to death moves the wicked to destroy His followers. All this is foreshadowed in that first prophecy: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.” And this will continue to the close of time.

Satan summons all his forces and throws his whole power into the combat. Why is it that he meets with no greater resistance? Why are the soldiers of Christ so sleepy and indifferent? Because they have so little real connection with Christ; because they are so destitute of His Spirit. Sin is not to them repulsive and abhorrent, as it was to their Master. They do not meet it, as did Christ, with decisive and determined resistance. They do not realize the exceeding evil and malignity of sin, and they are blinded both to the character and the power of the prince of darkness. There is little enmity against Satan and his works, because there is so great ignorance concerning his power and malice, and the vast extent of his warfare against Christ and His church. Multitudes are deluded here. They do not know that their enemy is a mighty general who controls the minds of evil angels, and that with well-matured plans and skillful movements he is warring against Christ to prevent the salvation of souls. Among professed Christians, and even among ministers of the gospel, there is heard scarcely a reference to Satan, except perhaps an incidental mention in the pulpit. They overlook the evidences of his continual activity and success; they neglect the many warnings of his subtlety; they seem to ignore his very existence.

While men are ignorant of his devices, this vigilant foe is upon their track every moment. He is intruding his presence in every department of the household, in every street of our cities, in the churches, in the national councils, in the courts of justice, perplexing, deceiving, seducing, everywhere ruining the souls and bodies of men, women, and children, breaking up families, sowing hatred, emulation, strife, sedition, murder. And the Christian world seem to regard these things as though God had appointed them and they must exist.

Satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of God by breaking down the barriers which separate them from the world. Ancient Israel were enticed into sin when they ventured into forbidden association with the heathen. In a similar manner are modern Israel led astray. “The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4. All who are not decided followers of Christ are servants of Satan. In the unregenerate heart there is love of sin and a disposition to cherish and excuse it. In the renewed heart there is hatred of sin and determined resistance against it. When Christians choose the society of the ungodly and unbelieving, they expose themselves to temptation. Satan conceals himself from view and stealthily draws his deceptive covering over their eyes. They cannot see that such company is calculated to do them harm; and while all the time assimilating to the world in character, words, and actions, they are becoming more and more blinded.

Conformity to worldly customs converts the church to the world; it never converts the world to Christ. Familiarity with sin will inevitably cause it to appear less repulsive. He who chooses to associate with the servants of Satan will soon cease to fear their master. When in the way of duty we are brought into trial, as was Daniel in the king’s court, we may be sure that God will protect us; but if we place ourselves under temptation we shall fall sooner or later.

The tempter often works most successfully through those who are least suspected of being under his control. The possessors of talent and education are admired and honored, as if these qualities could atone for the absence of the fear of God or entitle men to His favor. Talent and culture, considered in themselves, are gifts of God; but when these are made to supply the place of piety, when, instead of bringing the soul nearer to God, they lead away from Him, then they become a curse and a snare. The opinion prevails with many that all which appears like courtesy or refinement must, in some sense, pertain to Christ. Never was there a greater mistake. These qualities should grace the character of every Christian, for they would exert a powerful influence in favor of true religion; but they must be consecrated to God, or they also are a power for evil. Many a man of cultured intellect and pleasant manners, who would not stoop to what is commonly regarded as an immoral act, is but a polished instrument in the hands of Satan. The insidious, deceptive character of his influence and example renders him a more dangerous enemy to the cause of Christ than are those who are ignorant and uncultured.

By earnest prayer and dependence upon God, Solomon obtained the wisdom which excited the wonder and admiration of the world. But when he turned from the Source of his strength, and went forward relying upon himself, he fell a prey to temptation. Then the marvelous powers bestowed on this wisest of kings only rendered him a more effective agent of the adversary of souls.

While Satan is constantly seeking to blind their minds to the fact, let Christians never forget that they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places.” Ephesians 6:12, margin. The inspired warning is sounding down the centuries to our time: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11.

From the days of Adam to our own time, our great enemy has been exercising his power to oppress and destroy. He is now preparing for his last campaign against the church. All who seek to follow Jesus will be brought into conflict with this relentless foe. The more nearly the Christian imitates the divine Pattern, the more surely will he make himself a mark for the attacks of Satan. All who are actively engaged in the cause of God, seeking to unveil the deceptions of the evil one and to present Christ before the people, will be able to join in the testimony of Paul, in which he speaks of serving the Lord with all humility of mind, with many tears and temptations.

Satan assailed Christ with his fiercest and most subtle temptations, but he was repulsed in every conflict. Those battles were fought in our behalf; those victories make it possible for us to conquer. Christ will give strength to all who seek it. No man without his own consent can be overcome by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress, but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defilement. The fact that Christ has conquered should inspire His followers with courage to fight manfully the battle against sin and Satan.

HAVING A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS

Are you out of relationship with others in your heart? Are you holding a grudge or failing to love others as Christ has loved you? Then you are not in right relationship with God either. Jesus warned us that if we do not forgive others from our hearts, that our own sins stand between us and the Father (see Matthew 6:15) but we are also giving legal grounds to tormenting spirits to operate in our lives (see Matthew 18:34-35).

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 18:34-35

Let me ask you this, how can we expect to receive healing for our damaged emotions, when we are separated from God (our sins stand before us), and we are in the territory of tormenting spirits? If you want to position yourself to receive healing, then you'll want to be in right standing before God. Jesus tells us that if we forgive others, then we ourselves will be forgiven (see Matthew 6:14). That is a promise!

Having our hearts clean from any ungodly feelings towards others is vital to receive healing for our damaged emotions.The reason that a person holds so tightly to unforgiveness is because they feel like they are the only one who is concerned about justice coming to that person who wronged them. They do not believe that God is going to ensure that justice happens.God's Word tells us to give place to wrath so that He can do something about what was done against us, but if we take it into our own hands, we fail to give place to wrath, and can actually hinder God from doing something about it. Do we want the person off our hook, or God's? Then we need to handle things the way that God has commanded of us in His Word.

One of the keys to living a life of forgiveness, is getting it down into your spirit that God truly cares for you and what is done against you, and will bring justice to those who wrong us as we trust Him with those situations.

WHAT HAPPEN WHEN WE DIE?

One of the most important questions, that all religions try to answer, is the question of: “What happens when we die?” In particular, most religions attempt to explain if human beings have any hope of living again, after our bodies die. Most Christian denominations believe that all human beings have “immortal souls”.

According to this belief, the soul is some sort of invisible presence, which is contained inside our bodies while we are alive, but which leaves our bodies – and keeps on living – when our bodies die. In addition, according to that doctrine, the soul is the “real you”; and as a result, people are still conscious after their bodies die – because their souls are still living.

The question is, is the “immortal soul” doctrine listed anywhere in Scripture? This document will discuss what Scripture has to say about the soul – and about what happens when we die. Unless otherwise indicated, all verses are from the King James Version of the Bible.

What is the soul?

To start with, let’s see what the soul is. The Hebrew word which is translated as soul is nephesh, and the Greek equivalent is psuche. The following verse gives us an indication of what, exactly, the soul is.

Genesis 2:7: 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul .

As we can see, two things happened, when God created Adam. First, God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground. In other words, God initially created Adam’s physical body. Adam’s body was not alive at that point, though – because his body was dead. In other words, at that point, Adam was a corpse. Then, God breathed the “breath of life” into Adam’s physical body. When God did that, Adam became living soul .

From the above information, we can see that Adam did not have soon as the breath of life is placed into a person’s body, that person becomes From the information found in Scripture, a concise definition of a “soul” is: a conscious being “consciousness ”. Basically, when the breath of life is added to a person’s body, that person becomes living, conscious being – i.e., he becomes a soul.

Some of the verses that support the definition of the soul as “consciousness” are as follows:

Psalms 31:9 (ESV): 9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul (consciousness) and my body also.

Proverbs 16:24 (ESV): 24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul body . (consciousness) and health to the The verse in Psalms indicates that stress causes problems for people – both mental (consciousness)problems, and physical (body) problems. The verse in Proverbs indicates that being nice to people provides both mental and physical benefits to people. (Interestingly, the medical community is finally beginning to verify both of those items – items that David and Solomon wrote about almost 3,000 years ago!) 

In addition, consider this verse, from the apostle Peter: 1 Peter 2:11: 11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly (body ) lusts, which war against the soul (consciousness); In the above verse, Peter tells us that our bodily desires can affect our consciousness (i.e., our souls). I suspect that everyone can relate to that statement. The apostle Paul echoes that sentiment as follows:

Romans 7:25b (ESV): 25So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind (consciousness,or soul ), but with my flesh (body ) I serve the law of sin. So, it appears that a “soul” is basically a person’s “consciousness”. That is, when the breath of life is added to a person’s body, that person becomes a conscious being – i.e., he becomes a soul.

DELAYED REPENTANCE - THE MOST OF WAITING

Obviously, Satan does not want you to repent at all. But if he cannot do that, his next scheme is to delay your repentance. He tries to tell us that it will be easier later on. Most often, that's a lie from the pit! The longer things go on, the harder it becomes to repent! I have literally seen lives destroyed by waiting instead of dealing with it right away. Countless people today are still paying the price for mistakes they've made 20 years ago!

Contrary to popular belief, time does not wash away sins... only the blood of Jesus does that! If you have sins in your past, it doesn't matter how long ago it was, if you have not repented of them, then you're still paying the price today!

Let me ask you a question, and I want you to be honest with yourself... What benefit is there in waiting or delaying your repentance? The truth is, there is none! Delaying your repentance rob you of precious time here on earth to be all that you can be for the glory of God. There are people lying in their graves right now because Christian men and women whom the Lord wanted to use in the healing ministry, have instead chosen to delay their repentance. 

This is so important, I can't stress it enough:  Are you really going to repent, or not? If not, then go ahead and throw your towel in... but if you've made the choice to repent, then get it over with. As I said before... why wait? All you're doing is robbing yourself of precious time here on earth!

God has given each of us a very special time here on earth, and how we spend that time will determine our position in eternity. Many Christians spend most of their lives beating around the bush, and out of God's will. God can't use them, because their hearts aren't right before Him. They haven't truly repented of their wrongs, and they continue to justify or cover up their pasts. If they would repent of their pasts instead of covering them up, then God could begin to use them in mighty ways. It isn't God's intent for us to walk around helpless, but rather to give us gifts an operations of the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12:7, it tells us that gifts such as healing or prophecy or discerning of spirits are given unto every member of the body of Christ:

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."

Think of how many people have died of cancer simply because the body of Christ is so weak and helpless? Is it God's will for cancer (a demonic bondage) to go fourth killing His creation? Think of how God could use the body of Christ when it's members are repentant of their pasts and stop trying to justify their wrong actions?

Psalms even tells us that delaying a repentance is actually known to cause your flesh (physical body) to decay:

Psalms 31:10, "For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed."

Psalms 32:3, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long."

The bottom line is, delaying your repentance only robs you of precious time here on earth to do the will of God, and be a blessing to the body of Christ. As long as you are justifying or covering up things in your past, you will never be all that you can be for the glory of God. They will always stand in your way from being used by God in the ultimate way that God has in mind for you. God may be calling you into a healing ministry, but He needs your heart to be right before Him before He pours out the ultimate anointing upon you. Think of how many sick people may be dying over the next 20 years if you aren't able to operate in that anointing!

If that isn't enough, delaying repentance also allows Satan to build strongholds in your mind. The more time he has to do this, the worse the strongholds become. The sooner you break up the devil's plans in your life, the better! Make the choice today to repent, then get it over with. Don't let Satan steal the precious time that God's given you here on earth to fulfill His will in your life!

UNFORGIVENESS: SPIRITUAL POISON

Unforgiveness is the single most popular poison that the enemy uses against God's people, and it is one of the deadliest poisons a person can take spiritually. It causes everything from mental depression, to health problems such as cancer and arthritis. I'm not saying that in every single case of cancer, it is due to unforgiveness, but I am saying that it can cause cancer. Cancer comes from the devil, scientist can't explain it, doctors don't understand where it comes from; it's the symptoms of a curse. God allowed the Israelites to face diseases and sickness when they disobeyed Him (Deut 28:58-61), and when they would turn back to Him, He would heal their land and take sickness from their midst (Exodus 23:25, Deut 7:15). In the New Testament, Jesus gave us two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40), and if we break those, we can be opened up to curses, just as the people in the Old Testament were. Jesus never came to abolish the law (Matthew 5:17), but He did come to set us free from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), meaning, Jesus paid the price so we can be set free from any curses we may have come under.

Two commandments given to us by God

Matthew 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Jesus gave us very important commandments to follow; one of them was to love one another, as He has loved us (John 15:12). Love is the exact opposite of unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, hate, pride and bitterness. You can't truly love somebody and hold bitterness or unforgiveness against him or her at the same time.

Our responsibility to forgive others

God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, so that we may be reconciled to Him, without spot or blemish. He asks that we give others the same forgiveness that paid for us. He tells a parable in Matthew 18:23-35 that says the same thing:

"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

Unforgiveness shows we don't really love Jesus

In John 15:12, Jesus commands us to love one another, as He has loved us. True love doesn't hold bitterness or unforgiveness against that person. If we are bitter or hold unforgiveness against somebody, then we don't love them as Christ loved us. If we don't keep Jesus' commandments, then it proves we don't love Him.

John 14:24, "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings..."

Unforgiveness prevents God from forgiving our sins

Matthew 6:15, "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Unforgiveness opens us up to the tormentors (the devil)

Matthew 18:23-35, "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and , till he should pay all that was due unto him. So ."

Unforgiveness can block God from answering our prayers

Mark 11:24, 25, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought (something) against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Matthew 7:7, 12, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you... Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them..."

John 15:5, 10 tells us that if we abide in Christ, we will produce much spiritual fruit, and the way that we abide in Christ is by keeping His commandments. Verse 12 tells us that His commandment is to love one another as He has loved us. Verse 7 tells us that if we abide in Him (by keeping His commandments), and His Word in us, we can ask for anything and it will be given onto us! The reason a lot of people's prayers go unanswered, is because they aren't keeping the commandments that Jesus gave us; therefore they aren't abiding in Christ's love, and if we aren't abiding in Christ's love, how can we expect Him to hear our prayers?

Unforgiveness can defile a person

Hebrews 12:15, "...lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

Notice at the end it says, "many be defiled." This is a VERY common, if not one of the most common everyday things that defile people! Many bondages can be shed when a person forgives those who have wronged him or her.

Unforgiveness can give Satan an advantage

2 Corinthians 2:10-11, "To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

Unforgiveness can keep a person out of heaven

Matthew 7:12, 21, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

1 John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. ."

Unforgiveness can prevent us from being fruitful spiritually

John 15:5 tells us that if we abide in Christ, we will produce much spiritual fruit, and the way that we abide in Christ is by keeping His commandments (verse 10). Verse 12 tells us that His commandment is that we love one another as He has loved us. Therefore, if we don't love one another, as He has loved us, then we do not abide in Him, and how are we suppose to produce much spiritual fruit if we don't abide in Him? According to verse 6, the branch that doesn't abide in the vine will be cast into the fire.

Unforgiveness can open us up to curses

When people in the Old Testament disobeyed God's commandments, it opened them up to curses (Deut 27:26). When people nowadays disobey God, it can do the same thing; it can open them up to curses. Curses can cause mental and emotional problems (Deut 28:28), physical problems (Deut 28:35, 60, 61), financial problems (Deut 28:17, 38, 43), divorce and unfaithful spouse (Deut 28:30, 56), emotional stress (Deut 28:34), childlessness (Lev 20:21), and that's not all, plus those curses can be handed down to your future generations (Exodus 20:5).

The blessings of forgiveness

When we forgive, it opens us up to God's forgiveness (Matthew 6:15), it puts us in a receiving position when we pray (Mark 11:24, 25), it helps us become spiritually fruitful (John 15:10, 12, 5), and we will know that we have passed from spiritual death to being reconciled with our heavenly Father when we love each other (1 John 3:14)! When we keep God's commandments and love one another, we prove that we love Jesus (John 14:21), and we abide in Christ's love (John 15:10)! What a magnificent blessing forgiveness really is!!

EMOTIONAL BUILDUP: EASILY OFFENDED? IRRITABLE?

I was in a restaurant, and looked out the window to see a river. The Lord said to me, "Do you see the rough surface of that water? That is because there is turmoil under the surface. The same is true with people who are rough around the edges and are easily triggered to things such as pain, anger, hurt, etc."

Have you ever seen somebody who is tense, where it is easy to get on their nerves? Do they always seem irritable? Does this describe how you feel? Have you ever wondered why a person is like that? It is certainly not part of God's design for us, for His Word is clear that we are given a sound clear mind:

2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Turmoil in one's system is usually caused by emotional buildup (things in the past that were never let go of) or unclean spirits. If something is bothering us, we need to make the choice to release our concerns to the Lord. Whether it be bitterness, fear, hurt feelings, emotional damage, feelings of rejection or abandonment, those feelings are devastating to our spiritual health and must be released from our systems. God's Word clearly tells us to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us:

1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

God wants us to release our emotional buildup, hurt feelings, etc. and give those things to Him. Why did God tell us to do this? Because He knew the devastating effects that such negative buildup can have on our systems. If we don't fail to follow God's command, and allow an emotional buildup in our systems, we then make ourselves available for spirits of anger, hate, bitterness, rejection, etc. Once that happens, those spirits can lay under the surface, and continually remind us of why we are hurt or angry. It's like a record playing in your mind over and over again, continually escalating you to higher levels of bondage and turmoil. If this has happened, the first step is to release the negative buildup to the Lord, stop listening to all the reasons as to why you are upset, etc., and if the problem seems to linger... seek deliverance from those spirits! 

The deadly side of hurt feelings

Hurt feelings are a sign of an underlying struggle with forgiving those who have hurt us. What you may not know is that unforgiveness can send a person to grave if they die without resolving those issues in their life. The Bible makes it clear that if we are going to be unforgiving, we not only become spiritually defiled (Hebrews 12:15) and turned over to tormenting evil spirits (see Matthew 18:23-35), but our unforgiveness actually blocks God's forgiveness towards us concerning our own sins:

Matthew 6:15, "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

That means if you are an unforgiving or bitter person, then you are not clean to stand before God. You're sins are still hanging over your head, if you fail to release others for what they have done to you.

In the Spiritual Warfare Series, there is a powerful two-part teaching on how exactly to go about forgiving those who have wronged us, and releasing those hurt feelings from our system:

THE BIBLE CONDEMNS DRUGS AND SAYS TO USE HERBS AS MEDICINE (OPINION)

(NaturalNews) Have you ever noticed the huge surge of desire and longing in people to get back to the natural for our healing and medicine? The FDA combined with the drug industry and the media have almost totally erased this knowledge from our minds, and worse yet from our spirits. The FDA may, someday, take the herbs out of the health food stores but even the FDA will never get rid of the weeds. Yes, believe it our not, the weeds are a gift from God and when God gives us something, no one can take it away.

The Bible condemns the use of poisons for medicine and labels it as sorcery, and very plainly tells us that true medicine is leaves. The common name used for medical leaves is herbs. Ps.104:14 says that He has given us "herbs for the service of man."

Almost prophetically, Thomas Jefferson gave us this warning: "If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." Remember, this statement was made about 100 years before there ever even was an FDA!

Do you believe for a minute that the government's healthcare plan (under any administration) is designed to help us live longer healthier lives? Do you know how easy it is for medical universities (funded by pharmaceutical companies) to convince new doctors that "drugs save lives"? Have you ever wondered what The Bible says about all this?

Strong's exhaustive concordance of the Bible, which lists every word in the Bible, lists the word "sorcery" as word #5332 and tells us that it is translated from the original Greek word "pharmakon." It gives the definition as: a drug i.e. a spell-giving potion, a druggist or pharmacist, a poisoner.

A pharmacist today has the same Greek title that he had at the time the New Testament was written 2000 years ago, and he is still doing the same thing: dealing in poisonous drugs!

The Bible says that "sorcery", or the use of poisonous drugs, has deceived all nations. "For by thy sorceries (pharmacea) were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth". (Rev. 18:23,24)

All nations practice sorcery through the use of drugs, but they are deceived into thinking that it's right. God condemns the merchandising and use of poisonous drugs along with murder and idolatry. Read it in your own Bible. Study it for yourself. If you don't own a concordance, borrow one from your library and see it with your own eyes.

Look in Webster's 2nd Collegiate Dictionary published in 1980 under the word "pharmaceutical." The definition reads: "pharmaceutical" the practice of witchcraft or the use of poison.

The very first place the word "medicine" is used in the Bible is in Proverbs 17:22 and it says, "A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine." If medicine and drugs are the same thing, this would, at first glance, seem to reveal a contradiction in the Bible. This question is answered in the very next text listed in the concordance under medicine: EZ. 47:12, "The fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine." The Bible is telling us that medicine is good and it tells us where to obtain it: from the leaves or what we commonly call "herbs".

HELL-FIRE NOT ENDLESS

There are several reasons for being so sure on this point. First of all, this earth is also declared to be the final home for the righteous. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek: For they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5. Peter, after describing this earth exploding and burning with a great noise, saw a new earth filled with righteousness. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13.

The wicked cannot continue to live in this planet because it has been specifically promised, in its entirety, to Abraham's spiritual seed (Romans 4:13). After being purged of all the curse of sin, it will revert to the first dominion, and to God's original plan for it. It will be finally what God intended it to be-a perfect home for a perfect people. In the second place, the wicked cannot continue to live in this earth because they have never trusted Christ for eternal life.

It is only the righteous who receive the gift of eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. ..." John 3:16. But what about those who don't believe in him? They surely will perish. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death."Romans 6:23. Please don't miss the pointed simplicity of these verses. The wicked are never promised life. They are promised death-eternal death. Only the righteous are promised life-eternal life. But there is only one way to get life without end, and that is through faith in Jesus. John describes it this way: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11, 12. Let me ask you a question: Do those wicked ones in the lake of fire have the Son of God? Of course not. Then how could they have life? John says, "Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." 1 John 3:15. Will those murderers in hell-fire continue to have life for eternity? Never. It would be the rankest heresy to believe that eternal life could be obtained from some other source than Jesus.

Where would the wicked get it? Paul declares that Jesus Christ "hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Timothy 1:10. Inspiration reveals no other source of immortality except through the gospel of Christ. Where is a text in the Bible which describes the conferring of immortality upon the wicked? You can read often about the righteous receiving it, but never the unbeliever.

Paul said, "Behold I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. This text speaks of a certain point in time when the righteous will be instantly changed into immortal beings. That time is still future.

It occurs when Jesus returns, at the last trumpet sound, when the resurrection takes place. Nowhere in the Bible do we read of the wicked being changed in this manner. And it is precisely because they never receive this gift of eternal life that they are unable to keep living in the lake of fire. It is inconceivable and unreasonable to fabricate such an event.

It is contrary to the Bible and repugnant to the senses. Ezekiel declared, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4. No matter what we understand a soul to be, let's accept the simple Bible fact that it can die and will die as a result of sin. If the wicked live eternally in the fire, then they have the same thing as the righteous except in a different place. Who could give them eternal life but Christ? John 3:16 settles this issue so clearly and simply.

Those who do not believe in the only begotten Son will perish. They will die. They will die the second death-an eternal death from which they will never be raised. That death will never end. It is an endless, eternal punishment, because it is an endless, eternal death.

LOCATION OF HELL

The Bible clearly asserts that this fire devours the wicked right here on "the breadth of the earth." Every Bible writer who speaks on the subject of hell adds new insight on this second death of the wicked. Peter states: "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:7. Then he goes on to describe the day of the Lord which will melt the very elements with fervent heat.

The language of Peter is very explicit about the place of punishment for the un- godly. He says this earth is reserved for that fire which will bring judgment and perdition to the wicked. Their punishment will be in this earth. Isaiah declared, "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.

And the streams thereof shall be turned into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch." Isaiah 34:8, 9. The prophet portrays the entire planet enveloped in the destroying fire. Even the streams and dust are transformed into an exploding combustion of pitch and brimstone. Isaiah says this is God's vengeance and "recompense" at the end of the controversy.

David adds to the testimony with these words, "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." Psalm 11:6. Notice that he uses almost the same words as John and Peter in describing the fate of the wicked. All agree as to the place of the punishment (the earth) and the agent of punishment (fire).

This brings us to the third great fact about the subject of hell. Hell as a place of punishment will be this earth turned into a lake of fire at the Day of Judgment. But this also raises some other very interesting questions about the fate of the lost. One of the most intriguing and puzzling has to do with the length of punishment.

How long will the wicked continue to live and suffer in that fire? No one can answer that question precisely because the Bible says they will be punished according to their works. This means there will be degrees of punishment. Some will suffer longer than others. But one thing we can say with certainty-the wicked won't live in that fire throughout eternity.

NO SECOND DEATH BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

Here the lost are pictured in the fires of hell, suffering the punishment for their sins. And what is that punishment? "The second death," says John. Do you realize what this proves about the wicked? It proves they will not be cast into the lake of fire until after the resurrection takes place. These people die the second death in the fire, but they cannot suffer a second death until they get a second life. They lived the first life in this world and died the first death, going into the grave. Before they can die a second death they must be resurrected-they must be given a second life. This, of course, is what happens at the end of the world.

Jesus said, "All that are in the graves shall come forth." Now after getting that second life in the resurrection, the wicked will be punished for their sins in hell-fire, "which is the second death." By the way, that second death is the final, eternal death from which there will be no resurrection. But the point to be noted is the time of this hell-fire punishment-it is after the resurrection at the end of the world. It does not take place at the time of the first death as so many have been led to believe.

Does the Bible tell us how the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire? Yes, it does. John describes the dramatic events that take place at the close of the millennium. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:7-9. Here at the end of the millennium all the wicked people who have ever lived will come forth in the second resurrection.

After describing how the righteous would come to life and reign with Christ during the thousand years, John wrote, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:5. The rest of the dead, of course, had to be the wicked, and their resurrection will provide opportunity for Satan to take up his continuing battle against God and the saints. He goes out to gather the host of lost ones, who have been raised from the dead.

He has people to deceive once more, and he convinces them that they can prevail against the New Jerusalem which has descended from God out of heaven (Revelation 21:2). As they march up and encompass the city, the wicked are suddenly cut down by the devouring fire which rains upon them from heaven. This is the hell-fire which is the final punishment for sin.

PUNISHMENT AFTER THE JUDGMENT

The first important fact about hell is this: The unsaved do not go to any place of punishment as soon as they die, but are reserved in the grave until the day of judgment to be punished. Christ explicitly taught this truth in the well-known parable of the wheat and the tares. After the householder had sown the wheat in the field, his servant came to report that tares were growing among the grain. His question was whether he should pull up the weeds while they were still very small.

The householder's answer was, "Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." Matthew 13:29, 30.Now follow the words of Christ as He explains the meaning of the parable: "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:37-42.No one can simplify the parable by enlarging on what Jesus said.

It is so clear that a child can understand it. He said the tares represented the wicked people, and that they would be cast into the fire "at the end of the world." It was in the harvest that the separation would take place, and He plainly stated, "The harvest is the end of the world." How can anyone misconstrue these words of Christ? The whole idea of the wicked going into the fire at the time of death contradicts our Lord's specific teaching that they would be cast into the fire at the end of the world.Since the judgment also takes place after Christ comes we can see how impossible it would be for anyone to be punished before that time. Justice demands that a person be brought into judgment before being punished.

Peter declared, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9. That certainly makes sense, doesn't it? Suppose a man should be brought into the court accused of stealing, and the judge said, "Put him away for ten years; then we'll try his case." Listen, even a human judge would not be that unfair! He would be impeached for such an action. Surely God would not be guilty of such a farce.If we let the Bible mean what it says, there can be no doubt on this point. The wicked are "reserved" until when? Until the "day of judgment." To be what? "To be punished"!

This means they cannot be punished before that judgment day. Does the Bible tell where they are reserved until then? Christ Himself said, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:28, 29.How plain! Jesus said that both good and bad will come forth from their graves to receive either life or damnation. This proves that from the time of death until they come forth in the resurrection they are not receiving any recompense or punishment. It all happens after they come forth.

They are reserved until that day just as Peter indicated, but Christ spelled out where they will be reserved-"in the graves." If plainer words are needed, listen to Jesus speaking in Luke 14:14, "Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Or hear Him again in Matthew 16:27, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." When is "then"? When He comes with His angels. No reward or recompense is handed out until the resurrection of the just, when He comes with all the angels. These verses are beyond controversy. Taken in their context, they contain no ambiguity or hidden meaning.

Again Christ is quoted in the very last chapter of the Bible, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12. Here He reminds us that "every man"-every person-will receive his just reward when Christ returns to this earth. Job declares "that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction. They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Daniel wrote that they which "sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Daniel 12:2. Can there be any doubt where the wicked are reserved before facing resurrection, judgment, and punishment? We have the testimony of Peter, Daniel, Job and the Master Himself. There is no room to quibble. They are reserved in the grave.

Now we come to the second great fact about hell: None of the unsaved will be cast into hell-fire until after the second coming of Jesus at the end of the world. Although we have already seen substantial evidence on this point, let's look even more. Describing the punishment of the wicked, John wrote: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8.No Second DeathBefore the ResurrectionHere the lost are pictured in the fires of hell, suffering the punishment for their sins. And what is that punishment? "The second death," says John.

Do you realize what this proves about the wicked? It proves they will not be cast into the lake of fire until after the resurrection takes place. These people die the second death in the fire, but they cannot suffer a second death until they get a second life. They lived the first life in this world and died the first death, going into the grave.

Before they can die a second death they must be resurrected-they must be given a second life. This, of course, is what happens at the end of the world.

Jesus said, "All that are in the graves shall come forth." Now after getting that second life in the resurrection, the wicked will be punished for their sins in hell-fire, "which is the second death." By the way, that second death is the final, eternal death from which there will be no resurrection. But the point to be noted is the time of this hell-fire punishment-it is after the resurrection at the end of the world. It does not take place at the time of the first death as so many have been led to believe.

Does the Bible tell us how the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire? Yes, it does. John describes the dramatic events that take place at the close of the millennium. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:7-9. Here at the end of the millennium all the wicked people who have ever lived will come forth in the second resurrection.

After describing how the righteous would come to life and reign with Christ during the thousand years, John wrote, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:5. The rest of the dead, of course, had to be the wicked, and their resurrection will provide opportunity for Satan to take up his continuing battle against God and the saints. He goes out to gather the host of lost ones, who have been raised from the dead. He has people to deceive once more, and he convinces them that they can prevail against the New Jerusalem which has descended from God out of heaven (Revelation 21:2). As they march up and encompass the city, the wicked are suddenly cut down by the devouring fire which rains upon them from heaven. This is the hell-fire which is the final punishment for sin.