Archives for March 2024

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ has been subject to numerous attempts to paint it as the greatest con in history!  Some of those just so stories have made Christians ask the question, “Is Easter a pagan holiday?  Should I even celebrate it?”  And today we are going to do our best to debunk a few of those great hoaxes and we are going to ask if and how should a Christian celebrate Easter. 

“We did not follow cunningly devised fables.” 2 Peter 1:16

Is Easter a Pagan Holiday

Some claim that Easter was originally the celebration of Ishtar.

Ishtar’s symbols were not the bunny and the egg. 

Any similarity between the words “Ishtar” and “Easter” is coincidental

The Monk Bede implied that Easter came from the goddess Eostre.

There is zero evidence outside of Bede that this goddess existed.

Where did we the name “Easter” come from? 

The English meaning “from the east or from the rising of the Sun.” 

We conclude that it is talking about the resurrection. 

Easter finds its root in the German word for the resurrection

How Bible translators translated the Hebrew word Passover. Acts 12:4

In 1384 Wycliffe used the word PASCHAL. 

In 1522 Martin Luther chose the word OSTERT.

In 1525 William Tyndale transliterated the German word to ESTER.

The King James Bible uses the word EASTER. 

Is the Easter Egg pagan?

Fact:  There is no biblical or theological meaning to the Easter Egg. 

Eggs and rabbits have nothing to do with the Resurrection. 

They came from a longstanding tradition turned into a tall tale.

Lent was a 40 day season of prayer and fasting that ends just before Easter. 

At that time, Eggs and meat were forbidden to those who fast.

Hens paid no attention to fasts and laid like crazy.

Hares multiplied like rabbits in the spring.

Eggs and Rabbit were abundant for their Easter Feast.

A tall tale developed about the Easter Bunny and colored eggs.

It is not the object that you use.  It is the meaning that you place on it. 

Everything God has created is good, and not to be rejected. 1 Tim 4:4,

One person believes he may eat all things, another does not. Rom 14:2-3

Are Unsanctioned Celebrations Pagan?

Christianity is all about celebrating the resurrection! 

Baptism is a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of Jesus death and resurrection.

The Gospel is the message of Jesus death and resurrection. 

We worship on the Lord’s Day because of the resurrection.    

“He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord” Romans 14:5-9

Where there is no prohibition or principle against it, there is permission.

How Should Christians Celebrate the Resurrection?

#1 Be a witness of the Resurrection.  Acts 1:8

#2 Preach the Resurrection.  Acts 23:6. 

#3 Believe in the Resurrection.  John 20:25-29

The purpose of this message is that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name!  That’s how you celebrate Easter.  Believe it.  Preach it.  And witness to its incredible power.  He is risen!  That’s no myth! 

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The headline at the Babylon Bee, read, “Millions Worldwide Cling To Faith That Jesus’s Resurrection Was an Elaborate Hoax.”  This Easter weekend, following the time honored tradition of the soldiers at the tomb, millions of people around the world will affirm their sacred belief that the resurrection of Jesus was an elaborate hoax pulled off by a few poor fisherman. 

Speaking to reporters, one man explained how his belief that Jesus did not actually rise from the dead is foundational to his life. “At this time of year, my hope lies in my strong faith that the historical narratives and numerous eyewitness accounts of the risen Christ were in fact just part of the largest scam ever pulled off in the history of mankind.”

When pressed about the logic behind his beliefs – how feasible it would be for a few commoners to convince so many others about something so sensational without anyone bothering to fact-check the details or question local eyewitnesses, or how much sense it makes to believe that the disciples would suffer brutal, tortuous deaths and watch others be martyred for a hoax they knew to be false and gained nothing from – he smiled at reporters and replied, “You just have to have faith.”[i]

But the fact is that the Apostle Peter himself testified, in 2 Peter 1:16, “we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

Listen, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has been subject to numerous attempts to paint it as a hoax, a scam, a fraud, and the greatest con in all of history!  Some of those just so stories have made Christians ask the question, “Is Easter a pagan holiday?  Should I even celebrate it?” 

When I asked my religious neighbor what he was going to do this Sunday, he responded, “I don’t celebrate Easter!”  Surprised, I asked, “what about the resurrection?”  “Oh” he said, “of course it’s ok to celebrate the resurrection, just not Easter!”  Hmmm.  I’m thinking that he had been scammed by one of the many just so stories about Easter.

And today we are going to do our best to debunk a few of those great hoaxes and we are going to ask if and how should a Christian celebrate Easter.  Let’s start with this question:

Is Easter a Pagan Holiday

Have you ever seen this meme?  “Easter was originally the celebration of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility and sex.  Her symbols (like the egg and the bunny) were and still are fertility and sex symbols (or did you actually think eggs and bunnies had anything to do with the resurrection?). 

Oooh.  I guess we Christians are in trouble.  Back in 2013, the official Facebook page of noted atheist Richard Dawkins’ shared this post with their 637,000 fans:[ii]  The 2,000+ comments were chock-full of smug remarks about how naïve and stupid Christians are, accompanied by pats on the back for all the atheists smart enough to see through all the religious BS and understand how the evil church had slyly appropriated all kinds of pagan traditions.

One little problem:  The image is rife with misinformation.  Yes, Ishtar was associated with fertility and sex. However, her symbols were not the bunny and the egg.  Instead they were the lion, the owl and the eight-pointed star; I can’t find any evidence of eggs or rabbits symbolically belonging to her. And Easter has nothing to do with her.

PS: Not too long after posting it, it was quietly removed from The Richard Dawkins’ Foundation for Science and Reason’s FB page.[iii]  I assume, because they knew it was a hoax.  But the damage had been done.

This is not just an atheist problem.  I don’t know about you, but all I have to do is mention Easter, or Easter eggs in mixed religious company, and there are inevitably gasps from some or other corner of the room.  Where did Christians get the idea that Easter came from Ishtar? 

It was popularized by Alexander Hislop in a book called “The Two Babylons, published in 1959.  He was a minister in the Free Church of Scotland. He was a vigorous critic of Catholicism and became convinced that anything they did was tied to the ancient Babylonian mystery cult of Nimrod. [iv]

This information was further popularized by Ralph Woodrow, in the book, Babylon Mystery Religion: Ancient and Modern published in 1966.  But several years after publishing his book, Woodrow changed his position on many of the claims he had once championed, realizing they were untrue.  But the damage had been done. [v]

From all the studies I have done, every linguist I can find says that any similarity between the way “Ishtar” and “Easter” sound is purely co-incidental, and completely unrelated linguistically.  Myth busted.  There is no connection between Ishtar and Easter.

Aha!  But there is another possibility.  The venerable Monk Bede, who lived in the late first century, once wrote that the name and practice of Easter comes from the goddess Eostre, who is the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and spring. Bede states that pagans once held feasts in Eostre’s honor during April, but that this tradition had died out by his time, replaced by the Christian Paschal month, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.

One problem with the venerable Monk Bede.  He’s the only one anywhere, and any time in history, who has ever said anything at all about a goddess named Eostre.  There have never been any temples discovered to her, no ruins dug up, no pottery, no coins, no scrolls uncovered that mention her or any other evidence whatsoever, besides his one obscure reference, that such a goddess even existed!  It’s like he made her up out of thin air.  Many scholars have called Eostre an invention of Bede and discount the connection.

Sorry to tell you conspiracy minded Christians, but the evidence is so paper thin for the existence of an Easter goddess, and the deeper you look the more it looks like a hoax. 

So where did we get the name Easter from anyway?  The English word Easter literally means, “from the east, eastern, or from the rising of the Sun.”  And thus “The resurrection.”  But there is more to it than that. 

Easter finds its root in the German word for resurrection—auferstehung, which  corresponds to the Hebrew pesach, or our English word Passover

When Wycliffe translated the Bible into English in 1384 he used the word Paschal to refer to the Passover.  And we all know that Jesus was crucified at Passover and was our Passover lamb.

When Martin Luther translated the Bible into German New Testament in 1522, he chose the word Ostert to refer to the Passover and called it Osterfest.  Oster, almost sounds like Easter.

When William Tyndale translated the Bible into English in 1525, He borrowed the German word and used the word ester to refer to the Passover. He took the German word for Passover and transliterated it into English. In fact, we owe our English word Passover to Tyndale.    [vi]

And in fact, did you know that the word Easter is in your Bible.  At least it is in the King James Bible.  In Acts 12:4, it says:  And when he had apprehended Jesus, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 

So that’s how we got the word Easter!  It’s a word which means, paschal or Passover lamb, and by extension as we use it today, it’s speaking of Jesus the Passover lamb who died for our sins and rose from the Grave and is coming again! 

Myth busted!  Easter is not a pagan holiday.  We did not appropriate the day from the goddess, we appropriated it from the Jewish Passover.  And its name did not come from the goddess it came from a word which in English means sunrise, but in Hebrew which means Passover. 

But what about the bunny rabbit and the eggs?

Is the Easter Egg pagan?

That poor little Easter bunny, I’m sure that he isn’t a pagan Easter bunny!  Let me tell you the biblical, theological, eschatological, religious, scriptural, doctrinal meaning of the Easter Bunny and the Easter Egg.  Are you ready?  There is none. 

You can do eggs, or not do eggs, and it really doesn’t matter.  Seriously.  Eggs and rabbits have nothing to do with the Resurrection.  Given that no eggs or rabbits appear in any of the resurrection narratives, many Christians have conclude that they must have pagan origins.  So how did Eggs and bunnies sneak into our celebrations?

Well, they didn’t come from the goddesses. [vii] [viii]   But they did come from a longstanding tradition that got turned into a tall tale that became inseparably linked to Easter, that took fun and commercialized it money.

Here’s the story as I understand it.  In the Early Church, the Roman Catholics instituted the celebration of Lent, a 40 day season of prayer, fasting and charitable giving that ends just before Easter.  It is modeled after Jesus 40 days in the wilderness and is meant to prepare the heart through prayer and reflection for the Holy season. 

During that time Eggs and milk were forbidden to those who fast, as is the eating of farm animals and most meat. [ix]  And since hens would be paying no attention to any fasts and still laying like crazy through Lent, there would have been plenty of eggs on hand to eat on Easter Sunday morning. In fact, eggs gathered in the weeks ahead of Easter would have been stored or hard boiled in preparation for Easter Sunday morning, when they would have been quite a treat to peasants who had just endured over a month on a diet of bread, vegetables and some fish.  [x]

And Hares which in early spring become social as part of their mating behavior would be seen in groups in the fields “boxing” – with males competing for mates, and multiplying like rabbits, so there would have been plenty of bunnies to hunt and eat.

You put the bunnies and the eggs together in the country of Beer drinking and ale (Germany) and guess what you get?  A tall tale about how if you are a good little boy or girl, the Easter Bunny will bring you a basket of hard boiled eggs for a treat.  And by the way to make it more fun, let’s color them. [xi]

I am as serious as a heart attack.  This is how a longstanding tradition got turned into a tall tale that became linked to Easter. 

Should Christians hunt Easter eggs?  Let’s take the worse case scenario and say that eggs and rabbits are from goddess worship.  If Christians should not use things that the pagans use in their pagan rituals, then we should not use fires, or trees, or buildings, or water, or eat meat, or bread, or drink wine, or sing, or for that matter, wear clothes.  Because the pagans use all these things in their ceremonies!

It is not the object that you use.  It is the meaning that you place on the things you use.  1 Timothy 4:4 says, “Everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

And Romans 14:2-3 says, “For one person believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

Are Unsanctioned Celebrations Pagan?

But some will say, listen, the New Testament nowhere tells us to celebrate Easter or Christmas, for that matter, so we shouldn’t celebrate it. 

I’m going to make this quick.  As you saw from the Scripture reading videos we watched earlier, Baptism is a sort of celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus, sanctioned by the Word of God.  Not only that the Lord’s supper is a celebration in memory of Jesus death, resurrection and promised return.  And the Gospel is the message of Jesus death and resurrection.  Not to mention that our worship on the Lord’s Day is a direct result of the resurrection.  We celebrate every resurrection day. 

Romans 14:5-9 speaks directly to this issue.  “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”

No there is no prohibition for celebrating Easter, instead there is permission to set aside any day that you want to in celebration of the goodness of God!  And every day ought to be celebrated to the Lord.

How Should Christians Celebrate the Resurrection?

Three things: 

#1 Today, you be a witness of the Resurrection.  Did you know that one of the requirements of an apostle was that he had to be an eyewitness of the resurrection?  That’s why there are no more apostles.  Acts 1:22 states that requirement.  While none of us are eyewitnesses, we can all witness to others of the powerful impact of the resurrection.  In fact a few verses earlier in Acts 1:8 we are told, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses to in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Witness to the resurrection.

#2 Preach the Resurrection.  Over and over in the book of Acts, the Apostles preached the Resurrection.  It’s what got them in trouble with the Sanhedrin.  In fact Jesus resurrection is mentioned over 100 times in the New Testament.  That makes it pretty important.  And at one point Paul stood up to defend himself and shouted, “I stand here before you because of the resurrection!”  Acts 23:6. 

#3 Believe in the Resurrection.  It is not a hoax.  It’s not scam.  It’s not a trick.  It’s not a fraud or a con.  It’s the real thing.  One of the greatest skeptics of the resurrection was the disciple Thomas.  He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25

And when he finally saw Jesus, he fell at his feet and cried out, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  John 20:28-29

These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name!  That’s how you celebrate Easter.  That’s what today is meant to be.  Believe it.  Preach it.  And witness to its incredible power.  He is Risen!  That’s no myth!  Is the resurrection a great Hoax or your great Hope?

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[i] https://babylonbee.com/news/millions-worldwide-cling-faith-jesuss-resurrection-elaborate-hoax

[ii][ii] https://bellejar.ca/2013/03/28/easter-is-not-named-after-ishtar-and-other-truths-i-have-to-tell-you/

[iii] https://bellejar.ca/2013/03/28/easter-is-not-named-after-ishtar-and-other-truths-i-have-to-tell-you/

[iv] https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/easter/are-the-symbols-and-customs-of-easter-of-pagan-origin/

[v] https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/easter/is-the-name-easter-of-pagan-origin/

[vi] https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/easter/is-the-name-easter-of-pagan-origin/

[vii] https://marketingwhirlwind.medium.com/stop-saying-ishtar-is-the-source-of-easter-8492e91cae5d

[viii] https://historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

[ix] https://historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

[x] https://historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

[xi] https://historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

Every year more than 365 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution for their faith!  Things are not getting better in our world, they are only getting worse.  (2 Timothy 3:13).  It is my perception that people in general are becoming more self centered, greedy, arrogant, profane, lawless and more rebellious.  Why does God allow such perverse evil to permeate our world?  Why doesn’t God stop injustice? 

Four good reasons why God has chosen not to punish evil doers – for now.

1.  If God were to remove evil, he would also have to remove free will. 

2.  If God were to remove evil, it would mean removing all evil. 

3.  Removing evil would remove the means for your personal growth. 

4.  If you removed evil, there would be no reason for mercy or grace. 

Trials are powerful evidences of a loving God who tenderly cares for us. 

God will Set all Wrongs to Rights 5-7

Evil is a sign that judgment is inevitably coming! 

God is piling up the evidence against the evil doer.  Rev 20:12

1.  Evidence you are counted worthy 5

Blessed are you when persecuted, great is your reward.”  Matt 5:11-12

Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer. Acts 5:40-41

2.  Evidence to repay evildoers 6

Some will complain no matter what God does or does not do!

Is it not My way which is fair, says the Lord? Ez 18:25-32 

3.  Evidence to grant you rest

If this life was all that there was, it would be a terrifying thing. 

Jesus offers us a place of rest in the next life!  Rev 21 3

God will set Right those Who do Wrong 8-10

God has stepped in to fix this world at the Cross.

God will one day step in and fix this world in Judgment.

1.  God will set all things to rights WHEN Jesus Returns! 7-8

The New Testament mystery.  Jesus coming will be in two stages: 

Jesus will come FOR his saints. 1 Thess 4:16 & 17	Jesus will come WITH His saints.  1 Thess 3:13
Jesus will take Believers to His father’s house. Jn 14:3	Jesus will come to earth to judge the World.  Rev 19:11
The rapture could occur at any moment with no signs preceding it. Mat 25:13	His coming follows the tribulation and has numerous signs preceding it. Mt 24:29-30
The rapture will occur in the blink of an eye.  1 Cor 15:52	His Return will be visible to every eye.  Rev 1:7
After the Rapture, He will reward Believers. 2 Cor 5:10	After His Return he will punish unbelievers. Rev 20:11-15

2.  WHAT this punishment is, is everlasting destruction. 8-9

There are two premises on which this punishment is based. 

#1 The knowledge of God.  If you do not know God, it will be your loss. 

#2 Obedience to the Gospel.  place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ!

Destruction means eternity will be one of ruin and sorrow.  (Matt 8:12)

They will face eternal conscious torment.  (Matt 15:30).  (Rev 20:15). 

3.   WHY will God punish sinners. 10

If you set your heart against God, He will respond with absolute justice.    

One day, we will respond in a completely different way! 

We, His saints will GLORIFY Him.  Our view of God will radically change. 

We who believe will ADMIRE Him.   We will approve and applaud Him! 

Is the world getting worse and worse?  Yes it is.  But this is predicted in the Bible.  And in fact time is marching relentlessly, inevitably, inescapably, toward the day when all wrongs will be made right.  One day, we will experience the righteous judgment of God.  Some will be punished for their rebellion, and some will be rewarded for their humble submission to the Gospel. 

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In 2004, in one of the deadliest disasters in modern history, 230,000 people died when a tsunami struck off the coast of Indonesia.  A few years earlier, the world watched numbly as Islamic terrorists took the lives of nearly 3,000 people flying airplanes into the world trade center.  Two years before that two young men murdered twelve students to Columbine.  And lest we forget, every year more than 365 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution, discrimination and death for their faith![i]

Why does God allow such perverse evil to permeate our world?  Why doesn’t God stop injustice? 

Things are not getting better in our world, they are only getting worse.  As we near the end of the end times, evil men are only growing worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13).  It is my perception that people in general are becoming more self centered, greedy, arrogant, profane, lawless and more rebellious. 

You might think that the state of the world would have God completely unhinged and ready to dive in right now and right all our wrongs?  So why doesn’t he?  I can give you four good reasons why God has chosen not to punish evil doers – for now.

1.  If God were to remove evil from our world, he would also have to remove free will.  And a world without freedom is not a loving place.  Most of the evil in this world comes about because of the scandalous behavior of people.  It is our bad choices and bad behavior which inflict evil on this world.  God values free will so much, and wants us to voluntarily worship him so much, that he took a risk to create us with free will.

2.  If God were to remove evil from the world right now, it would mean removing all evil.  I know you want God to deal with the worst evils of the world, but where should he draw the line?  At murder, rape, greed, cursing, lust, anger, gossip or somewhere else.  God isn’t currently judging evil, and if he was, you wouldn’t like it.

3.  If God were to remove evil, sin, trials and tribulations from this world, he would be removing the means for your personal growth.  You’ve heard the saying, “no gain without pain?”  That would no longer be true.  And how about emerging triumphant from trials.  That would no longer happen.  Trials have a purpose, and all things work together for God for those who love God. (Romans 8:28)

4.  If you removed evil, there would be no reason for mercy or grace.  You wouldn’t need Jesus to die for your sins.  You wouldn’t need forgiveness, and you wouldn’t get any if you stepped out of line.  Instead you’d immediately go to hell.  You would not pass Go, and you would not get a second chance. 

In short, problems and persecution are powerful evidences of a loving God who tenderly cares for His children and wants us to have a relationship with him. 

Is the world getting worse and worse?  Yes it is.  But you see, all this is predicted in the Bible.  And in fact time is marching relentlessly, inevitably, inescapably, toward the day when all wrongs will be made right.  One day, we will experience the righteous judgment of God.  Some will be punished for their rebellion, and some will be rewarded for their humble submission to the Gospel.  Get ready! 

God will Set all Wrongs to Rights 5-7

God will punish persecution.  And in fact here is what I found so interesting about this study today.  Evil is actually a sign to us believers.  Persecution is meant to tell us that judgment is inevitably coming!  In allowing sin, God is piling up the evidence God that he will use to convict and punish the evil doer. 

Let’s start at verse 4 and work our way into our study today. 

We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which are clear evidence of the righteous judgment of God.

Your persecution and tribulation, your trials and troubles, problems and sorrows are “clear evidence!”  Evidence of God’s righteous judgment.  What does that mean?

The Word evidence is ἔνδειγμα endeigma means a “token, evidence, or proof of a thing.”  The persecution that is inflicted on Christians is proof positive that God’s judgment is righteous!  In places all around the world Believers are facing threats, arrest, violence, discrimination, hostility, torture, dismemberment, homelessness, torched houses, fire bombed churches, threats, crime, harassment, religious and ethnic cleansing, and death for their faith. 

God is writing all this down in his book.  Revelation 20:12 says that the books were opened and the dead were judged on the basis of their works.  And those not found in the book of Life were cast into the lake of fire.  What is in those books?  Everything you’ve ever said, thought or done.  It’s all there.  You’re guilty.  What can expunge my record?  Only the precious blood of Christ, and then only if you will turn to the lamb of God in repentance and faith. 

So there are three things which persecution and tribulations prove.  #1.  Persecution is evidence that you are counted worthy of the Gospel.  #2 Persecution is evidence that persecutors should be repaid.  #3.  Persecution is evidence that those who are persecuted deserve rest.

1.  Evidence you are counted worthy 5

Let’s read all of verse 5:  persecutions and tribulations that you endure, are clear evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.

A woman once came to a pastor and told him her tale of woe, and how people were harassing her, mistreating her and persecuting her.  And then she said, “Pastor, please help me!  Please make them stop!”  He replied, “If I were to do that, I would be stealing your reward!” 

Jesus said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”  Matt 5:11-12

Acts 5:40-41, “The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus name.”

2.  Evidence to repay evildoers 6

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you

Persecution is evidence that God will set wrongs to rights.  Here is what I find amusing.  The same people who complain that God is to be blamed because he has failed to step in and stop evil in this world, also complain that God must be evil when he does step in to judge the Egyptians with the ten plagues, or when he does step in to tell Joshua to drive out the hostiles in the promised land, or when he does step in, in the book of Revelation to punish the people of earth. 

When skeptics hear how God punished Sodom and Gomorrah for their immorality, they are incensed!  How could God be so calloused!  When they read about how Joshua conquered the pagans in the promised land because they were idol worshipping, child killing sacrificers, and abusers, they cry foul.  You can’t have it both ways. 

God asks this question in the book of Ezekiel 18:25-32  you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?  30 Therefore I will judge you, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.  32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

3.  Evidence to grant you rest

And to give you who are troubled rest with us.

Right now you are struggling with life, but God will give you troubled rest.  If this life was all that there was, it would be a terrifying thing.  What is the point of working and toiling and struggling through sickness, distress, sorrow, and brokenness if this is all that there is?  The injustices in life cry out for a solution!  Jesus is that solution and he offers us a place of rest in the next life! 

One of my favorite verses comes from Revelation 21 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Get ready!  Get set!  God will set all wrongs to right!  And we say amen to that! 

God will set Right those Who do Wrong 8-10

Persecution will be repaid.  God will punish those who do wrong!  This is prophetic Justice.  If you are worried about a God who appears to be doing nothing to remedy the evil of this world, worry no more!  The human mind may require God to step in now to fix this world, but believe me God has stepped in to fix this world, when he sent Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sin, and one day he will return to judge the world in righteousness! 

Look at verse 7:  God will set all wrongs right, “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven, and He will take vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The next few verses answer three questions.  #1 When will this day of vengeance occur.  #2 What will occur.  #3 Why is God going to punish sinners.  The answers are elementary. 

1.  God will set all things to rights WHEN Jesus Returns! 7-8

This will happen 7 when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire.

Now the New Testament reveals a mystery.  The mystery is that Jesus coming will be in two stages:  The first stage known as the rapture is for believers, and the second stage known as His return is for Israel and an unbelieving world.[ii]

On the one hand verses like 1 Thess 4:16 & 17 explain that at the Rapture Jesus will come FOR his saints to bring them to glory.  Whereas 1 Thess 3:13 explains that at his Return he will come with His saints in all his glory. 

And John 14:3 indicates that at the Rapture Jesus will take Believers to His father’s house to rejoice with them, while in Revelation 19:11, at his Return he will set foot on the Mount of Olives to deliver Israel and bring Judgment to the World, which will no rejoicing to them. 

According to Matthew 25:13, the rapture could occur at any moment with no signs preceding it, followed by the terrible Day of the Lord, but according to Mt 24:29-30 the second coming follows the Day of the Lord and has numerous signs preceding it, including the seven year tribulation.  .

According to 1 Cor 15:52, the rapture will occur so quickly that if you blink your eye you will miss it.  While according to Rev 1:7 the Return of Christ will be public and every eye will see Him descend to the earth. 

After the Rapture, Jesus will reward His people at the Judgment seat of Christ, where we will receive a crown (2 Corinthians 5:10), While after His Return he will punish the unbelieving world at the Great White Throne Judgment, where they will receive punishment in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15).

And that is the WHEN of setting things to rights!  God will set things right AFTER His second coming. 

2.  WHAT this punishment is, is everlasting destruction.

taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

The first truth we should digest is that this is vengeance.  ἐκδίκησις ekdikesis – This word means, to vindicate, to avenge, or to repay.  When God repays mankind for the evil they have done, he does it in absolute justice and righteousness.  His every act is fair, just and right.

You should know that there are two premises on which this punishment is based.  #1 The knowledge of God.  If you do not know God, it will be your loss.  The only way to avoid the day of vengeance is to know Him.  #2 Obedience to the Gospel.  The Gospel is the good news that if you will place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and turn from your sin to follow Him, then you will not have to face the judgment day.  Jesus death on the cross is the full payment of God’s vengeance.  You can even pay it yourself, or you can let somebody else.  And the only somebody that could or would ever pay it is Jesus Christ. 

But there is more to the WHAT of this punishment which God will bring on sinners.  This punishment is EVERLASTING destruction from the presence of the Lord.  The word destruction ὄλεθρος olethros in the Greek, doesn’t mean that God winks you out of existence; it does mean that your eternity will be one of ruin and sorrow. 

What it means for those who don’t know Christ is that they will face eternal conscious torment.  (Matt 15:30).  It’s punishment is too much for any man or woman to bear.  It is called the Lake of Fire because of its fearsome nature (Rev 20:15).  It is a place of utter loneliness, despair and outer darkness (Matt 8:12).

God will set things to right, he will punish those who do evil and persecute us.  But the question remains, WHY will God punish sinners.

3.   WHY will God punish sinners. 10

It seems like the answer is elementary.  If you set your heart against God, He will always respond with absolute justice.  As sad as this may be, ultimately we end with some good news. 

He comes to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among those who believe

Hell is not one of my favorite subjects, due to the seriousness and longevity of punishment, but according to this verse, once we are with Jesus we will respond to his righteous judgment in a completely different way!  There are two amazing responses that we will have towards God’s righteous judgment. 

First, We, His saints will GLORIFY Him.  This means that our opinion, our judgment, our view of God will radically change.  We will be so awed by his majesty, filled with wonder at his magnificence, overwhelmed by his splendor, that will fall at his feet and praise him. 

Second, we who believe will ADMIRE Him.   This means that our opinion of God will be so changed that we will not only approve of God’s actions, we will applaud them! 

Why does God allow such perverse evil to permeate our world?  In short, problems and persecution are powerful evidences of a loving God who tenderly cares for His children and wants us to have a relationship with him. 

Is the world getting worse and worse?  Yes it is.  But you see, all this is predicted in the Bible.  And in fact time is marching relentlessly, inevitably, inescapably, toward the day when all wrongs will be made right.  One day, we will experience the righteous judgment of God.  Some will be punished for their rebellion, and some will be rewarded for their humble submission to the Gospel. 

But  there is a way you can Get ready for this!  You can place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  You can ask Him to forgive your sins.  You can have a change of heart about God.  You can choose to Glorify Him and Admire Him.  One day all wrongs will be made right, and God will judge those who do evil! 

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[i] https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/#:~:text=More%20than%20365m%20Christians%20suffer,very%20high%20or%20extreme%20levels.

How are you doing at dealing with life’s pressures and problems?  As it turns out, it is a mark of maturity to respond with grace, tact, patience and kindness when facing problems or persecution.   And today we are going to be taking a deep dive into the purpose of problems and persecution.  Why does God allow trials and tribulations and temptation into our lives anyway? 

First: trials and difficulties bring personal growth. 

Second:  Persecution and tribulation impact a watching world. 

Our Strength comes from God’s Grace 1-2

Suffering is for the purpose of mutual encouragement. 

The story of Thessalonica is one of struggle and persecution.  Acts 17:1-9

The Thessalonians struggled with outbreaks of hostility.  1 Thess 2:14

We Grow Together – this message is to the church. 

When we suffer together, we grow together. 

When difficult times come we need each other.

Grace and Peace enable us to suffer well. 

We are better together than we are alone

Our Goal is to Grow 3

Suffering opens the door for inspiration. 

Your personal growth may inspire others.

Paul saw that their faith and love was growing exceedingly.

Whether you are aware of it or not, people are watching you. 

People are interested in how you respond when bad things happen. 

When your faith exceeds their expectations, they are blessed! 

Suffering inspires others; if you can make it so, can they.

When others are inspired, you become inspired! 

Their appreciation can move you to greater achievements. 

We are praying that your faith will grow exceedingly.

Faith comes from hearing God’s Word.  Romans 10:17

The testing and trying of your faith produces growth.  James 1:3

We are praying that your love would abound towards one another. 

Their love had grown beyond normal expectations. 

Tragedy makes us realize how much we treasure one another. 

The love of God is spread abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit. 

When people see your genuine faith in hardship, it inspires them.

Our Ambition is Endurance 4

Suffering motivates us to hang in there during the tough times.

Sometimes you need a cheer leader.

People are talking about you!  Paul was boasting.

Our trials motivate others to hang in there and stick with it. 

You need faith that will give you staying power. 

This is the purpose of pain.  Persecution and problems, trials and tribulations have a dual purpose:  First to bring about personal growth to ourselves and second make us an example to others.  People are watching you.  Suffer well.  People are talking about you.  Live in such a way that they brag! 

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How are you doing at dealing with life’s pressures and problems?  Are you counting it all joy when you fall into various trials and tribulations?  Do you consider yourself blessed when others persecute you or insult you?  Do you have the peace of God that passes all understanding when your world descends into chaos?  Do you return good to others when they do evil to you? 

And here’s a few other questions?  For those of you who are aging, are you aging gracefully?  To those of you who are sick, are you a good patient or crabby one?  Or perhaps you’re just an impatient or unkind person when things don’t go your way.  When the finances are low and the bills are high, how’s your anxiety level?

As it turns out, it is a mark of maturity to respond with grace, tact, patience and kindness when facing problems or persecution.   And that is our message today.  And in fact, we are going to be taking a deep dive into the purpose of problems and persecution.  Why does God allow trials and tribulations and temptation into our lives anyway? 

Just so you know there is a purpose to your problems!  There is a method to God’s madness!  There is a divine plan to the seemingly random troubles you face.  Things might not add up right now, but do not lose heart.  Some of the events in life aren’t exactly to our liking, even so, do not lose hope, God is standing in the shadows directing everything for the good of those who love Him. 

What is the purpose of my problems?  I am going to share two of them today; First: trials and difficulties bring personal growth.  There is no gain without pain.  If there is no struggle, there is no progress.  No guts no glory.  No agony, no ecstasy.  The caterpillar cannot become a beautiful butterfly without the struggle of metamorphosis.  The butterfly is only beautiful because the caterpillar was brave.

Second:  Persecution and tribulation impact a watching world.  Yes people are watching your journey.  And how you respond can impress them or distress them.  You might just be an inspiration to people you don’t even know, because people are watching you. 

Well let’s get to it.  Our first look at purpose is found in verses 1-2. 

Our Strength comes from God’s Grace

This is the purpose of mutual encouragement. 

Verse one and two are the introduction to the book of Second Thessalonians.  ““Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians.” 

Paul introduces himself and his team as the writers of this book.  Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Silvanus, or Silus and Timothy are his faithful team members.  They are so close a team that this letter is from the three of them. 

They are writing to the Thessalonians.  Thessalonica, now known as Thessaloniki, is a seaport town in northern Greece.  It is the capitol of Macedonia.  It was named after Thessalonike, the sister of Alexander the Great.  Her name means victory over Thessalonians, because her birth coincided with his victory.  It was a free Roman city and an important hub of trade.  It soon became one of the early important centers of Christianity.[i] 

The story of Thessalonica is one of struggle and persecution.  When Paul first came to the region in Acts 17, he preached in the Jewish Synagogue for three weeks.  That’s all the time he had in the city.  Some of the Jews were persuaded; and a great multitude of the Greeks, and quite a few of the leading women.

But the Jews who were not persuaded, became envious, set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, where they thought Paul was staying.  When they did not find him, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city with these words. So then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.  Acts 17:1-9

From that time on, the church in Thessalonica struggled with outbreaks of hostility.  1 Thessalonians 2:14, notes, “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews.”

So what I want to say about this, is that this message is to the church.  There were a number of Jews, a multitude of Greeks and many leading women in the church.  Paul was writing to the body of Christ in that city.  He said that they were “in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Christ loves the church.  His heart breaks over the mistreatment of his people.  And the church was under attack.  If you were a Christian, you faced hostility.  The important thing to know here is that we suffer together, and we grow together.  When difficult times come we need each other.

Notice that the Grace and Peace from God was aimed at the suffering church.  We are best at comfort when we come together as a group.  Somehow, some way, God’s Grace and Peace are ministered to the body when we comfort one another.

Friday night, I went to a candle light vigil for the Glide teacher who tragically lost her life in an auto accident in the Umpqua River.  Why did people get together?  We are better together than we are alone. There is something mystical and spiritual about the body coming together to comfort one another.  It says we care!  And when the church gets together, God dispenses his grace and peace to us as our source of strength to face the difficulties of life.

So the first purpose of suffering is that it brings us together for mutual encouragement.  The second purpose is that Suffering opens the door for inspiration! 

Our Goal is to Grow 3

The Purpose of Problems is to produce personal growth, but it is also something that is meant to bring public grace.

“We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.”  3

Do you realize that your personal growth may inspire others and in so doing spur yourself on to greater victories?  That’s what’s happening here.  Paul saw that their faith was growing exceedingly, and that their love was abounding toward one another, in the midst of persecution!  And he was like a proud father!  Their personal growth inspired him!  And he was thankful!

Whether you are aware of it or not, people are watching you.  And they are especially interested in how you respond when bad things happen.  You can either impress them or distress them.  When your faith exceeds their expectations, they notice.  They are amazed.  When your love surpasses the normal bounds of experience, they notice, they are blessed! 

One of the goals of suffering is to inspire others;  if you can make it so, can they.

And there is some kind of synergy going on here.  Because when they are inspired, you become even more inspired!  Their appreciation of your achievements can move you to greater achievements. 

Now here is what we are looking for in sufferings.  #1.  We are praying that your faith will grow exceedingly.  Now how can you nature your faith to grow?  Romans 10:17, says that Faith comes from sitting under the hearing of God’s Word.  Listening and learning God’s Word makes your faith grow.  James 1:3 says that the testing and trying of your faith produces patience and growth. 

#2.  The second thing we are looking for in sufferings is that your love would abound towards one another.  Abound is another word which indicates that their love had grown beyond normal expectations.  How can love grow in loss and sorrow?  Well, tragedy certainly make us realize how much we treasure on another.  We never know just how precious people are until they are gone!  Suffering can do the same thing.  When the love of God is spread abroad in your heart by the holy spirit, your love will grow abundantly. 

And when people see your genuine faith in hardship, and your tender and overflowing love in sorrow, it inspires them to be thankful for what they have, grateful for their many blessings and moves them to appreciate all the more the gifts God has given them.  It moves them to greater faith and love.

So the first purpose of suffering is that it brings us together for mutual encouragement.  The second purpose is that Suffering opens the door for inspiration!  And the third is that suffering motivates us to hang in there during the touch times.

Our Ambition is Endurance 4

In order to deal with the many problems of life, you need more than inspiration, you need endurance, and sometimes you need a cheer leader.

“We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”  4

I work out 5 days a week.  Some days I struggle with motivation.  My son, Shaphen never lets me off the hook.  He’s always there to push me harder.  And that motivates me.  I just can’t drop out, because I know he’s going to be there, and I can’t let him down. 

And just like the last verse, when we noticed that people are watching, in this verse people are talking!  “we ourselves boast.”  When they see that you have patience in persecution, people will talk.  Man you ought to see how that guy held up when the world came crashing down on his head!  It was amazing.  I want to be like that!  I hope that when my time comes, I can deal with it half as well as they did! 

People will talk and people will boast.  And that is my habit.  When I see people living exceptional lives during trying times, I spend a little time boasting about them and telling others how amazing they are!  Don’t you!

Our trials motivate others, and they in turn motivate us to hang in there and stick with it.  After all you can’t quit life, so you better make the most of it.  What do you need motivation for?  You need patience and endurance in persecution.  You need faith that will give you staying power. 

When we deal with our Problems and persecutions in a godly way, they inspire public praise.  And that motivates others to imitate our faith. 

This is the purpose of pain.  This is the significance of suffering.  This is the truth of tribulation.  This brings meaning to madness.  I know this may seem trite, but listen carefully:  Persecution and problems, trials and tribulations have a dual purpose:  First to bring about personal growth to ourselves and second make us an example to others. 

People are watching you.  Suffer well.  People are talking about you.  Live in such a way that they brag!  Listen carefully to Philippians 1:29

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.”  It is an honor to suffer for Jesus.  Suffer well. 

Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?.”

Romans 8:35-39, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Going through trials and tribulations can either strengthen your faith or tear it down.  Have you ever heard the story of the rose and the path.  One day the path smelled an incredible aroma, and said, “what is that beautiful smell?”  The rose was bleeding and weeping, but replied, “It is I.  I have fallen to the path and someone has stepped on me and crushed me.”  The path replied.  That indeed is strange.  I have been stepped on and crushed many times, and it only makes me harder!”  You can be like the rose and let the aroma of Christ flow through you, or like the path and grow harder.

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[i] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/thessalonica/

Part 2

You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.  You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.  By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.  Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.  You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading.  Ezekiel 28:12-17

This passage on Satan is actually found in the middle of a lament about the King of Tyre.  However, it is not just about the king, it is also about the one behind the scenes who he represented.  The passage has a double meaning.  At times it applies to the King of Tyre, at other times it is meant to apply to our enemy, the Devil. 

This passage gives us even further psychological insight into the motives of Lucifer before he fell.  Verse 12-14 describe Satan’s perfections when he was created, and verses 15-17 describe his flaws that led to his fall.

His perfections

• He was perfect (the sum or seal of perfection)
• He was wise (full of wisdom)
• He was beautiful (perfect in beauty)
• He was richly dressed – like a priest! (with every precious stone)
• He was created to be an amazing musician (timbrels and pipes)
• He was the chief cherub, the number one guardian of God’s throne. 
• His position was chosen and established by God (I established you)
• The mountain of God, or heaven was his to freely live in
• He held an exalted position with kingly glittering jewelry (fiery stones)
• He was perfect in all his ways when created.

So that leads us to ask the question, since God knew, that despite all the honor and glory heaped on Lucifer, that he would turn against him, why did he create him in the first place?  Why not just solve the problem by not creating it! 

God made his entire creation to praise and glorify Him.  Satan was no different.  Satan was perfection, wise, beautiful, and an amazing musician.  God created him to lead all the other angels in worship.  He had the top position and you would think that he had everything anyone could want. 

In an ideal world, Satan would have fulfilled his purpose!  He was created to be amazing!  God’s highest plan for Lucifer was to have him as His top Angel.  Things could have been completely different for Satan had he made different choices.  And here is what I propose:  God is completely sovereign. He knows everything that will happen, and he has worked all things out to culminate as he planned it, even if I make different choices!  Our different choices don’t affect God’s sovereignty.  He has already planned for them; they do however, affect our destiny! 

Was Satan locked in to failure by fate?

His Flaws

• Iniquity was found in him
• He became filled with violence within and sinned
• His heart was lifted up because of his beauty
• His wisdom was corrupted because he desired splendor
• His heart became filled with iniquity

God knew the choices Satan would make, but Satan was not locked in to those choices by fate!  In fact, God knew the potential beauty, glory and joy Satan could have experienced had he made different choices.  God planned for all potential paths!  He knows what will happen if we make different choices.  And He created Satan with the grandest plans in mind, same as you and I!  To see how this works out in Scripture, let’s look at a couple of verses:

“Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago.” Luke 10:13–15

In this passage, Jesus said he knew the potential path that Tyre and Sidon would have taken if things were different.  They would have repented.  God knew their potential path.  They weren’t locked in to failure, and you are not locked into fate either.

In 1 Samuel 23:9-13 David asked God what would potentially happen if he was to stay in the town of Keilah.  God told him that the townspeople would betray him to Saul.  David left, and the betrayal did not happen.  But God knew the potential outcome of David’s choice.  In this case, David chose wisely.

God, therefore told David about a potential event in the future that never happened. God’s foreknowledge extends to not only actual events that will occur, but every possible event that could occur.  In each of these instances God showed his knowledge of potential events. Although these events did not happen they would have happened had circumstances been different. This illustrates the truth that God knows everything that will happen as well as everything that might happen.

In a negative way, another king was told to strike the ground with a bundle of arrows.  He only struck the ground three times.  Because he didn’t take Elisha seriously and strike the ground more times, he faced one future.  If he had struck the ground several more times, Elisha said that he would have utterly defeated his enemies.  (2 Kings 13:19).  God knew the potential future he forfeited! 

And here is what God said about Israel’s future:  I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

Satan, like us is a free creature.  It is a logical impossibility for God to create him with freedom, and then restrain him from doing evil!  Sin is always possible where ever an independent sentient being exists.  The short answer is, God is Love and Love risks everything to grant Free Will, but Love also protects God’s Kingdom from the disease of Sin which always seeks to destroy others.

In order for a sin to occur, there has to be a standard of right and wrong that can be transgressed.  The second thing required in sin is a victim.  Satan had both.  He knew God’s standard of holiness, and violated it.  Not only that he chose to victimize Adam and Eve, thus making him morally culpable for humanities sin.

In order to create sentient beings, by the very nature of this type of creation, they have to be able to choose for themselves.  Thus the one moral quality God did not impart to them was his Divine Holiness which, is, among other things the inability to sin.  God has it we don’t.

Why did God create Satan if he knew that Satan would turn against Him?  Because God knows all potential futures, and we are not locked into a fatalistic plan.  God knows all potential futures, and because he is so incredibly wise and powerful, all futures are part of his intricate and amazing sovereign plan.  None of us is locked into a fatalistic future.  We can all choose differently. 

Is Satan Redeemable?

I want to revisit the idea that God can even use evil in his plan for his purposes.  When thinking of Satan, we might as well be asking, why did God create Adam and Eve if He knew that they were just going to sin?  Why create us humans at all if he knew we were going to go bad.  If you were God, and if that is what you would do in His place, you have just contemplated suicide.  You just condemned yourself!  If that is you, why not help God out by annihilating the entire human race?  I just don’t think that’s the best course of action, and neither did God.

There is a stark contrast between Adam and Lucifer, isn’t there.  Adam was created in simplicity in a garden.  He was a minimalist who lived in nature taking only what he needed.  Lucifer was created in splendor in a king’s court.  He was royalty and he had everything he could have ever dreamed of!  Both had all that they needed, but both came from very different backgrounds! 

And both sinned.  We have been asking why would God allow sin to disturb his perfect kingdom of light and beauty?  The next question is, “Why not discipline Satan and restore him and fix the sin problem?  Why didn’t God take these steps so there would be no angelic or human sin?

God can redeem those who are redeemable.  And apparently, for some reason, Satan is not redeemable.  We aren’t told what that reason is.  Maybe it is because he was created to be in the very presence of God and rejected it.  We don’t know.  But humans are!  We can be redeemed.

The Bible presents no opportunity for the fallen angels to repent and be forgiven. Jesus came for the salvation of humanity, not of the angels (Hebrews 2:16). Nor does the Bible indicate that it is possible for more of the angels to sin. The angels who remain faithful to God are described as the “elect angels” (1 Timothy 5:21).  God gave Satan and the angels the same choice He gave Adam and Eve, to obey Him or not, but we each had different consequences.

Here is a suggestion:  When God created men and angels he had a choice.  He could have made us like machines and we would never have strayed.  Thus God would have had a perfect universe.  But he didn’t do it that way.  Apparently, God places an extremely high value on independent thinking, feeling, beings who want to have fellowship with Him voluntarily. 

Instead of making them holy, he created them in a flawless or ideal state, but only they could chose to stay that way or stray away!  This is somehow part of God’s all-wise plan.  And I might suggest that reason is that God desires worshipers who will voluntarily love and worship him in Spirit and truth.  That’s why the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength! 

Satan did not pass that test. 

There is a curious phrase in verse 13.  It says, “You were in Eden, the garden of God.”  I take that to mean that Satan had not yet sinned until after Adam and Eve were created.  Maybe it’s a stretch, but follow me: 

In six days, God created the entire universe.  In Job Chapter 38:4-7, God is asking some deep question:

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

It looks like the angels were created sometime before the earth was.  So Lucifer, Gabriel, Michael and all the other angels got to watch the universe come into existence.  It must have been incredible.  What a sight to see the Sun, moon, stars, planets and finally the earth created with a word!  What power! What a seat!  And then to see the trees, the flowers, oceans and animals all burst into existence!  The angels must have been awed…

Until God’s crowning creation:  And on the sixth day God created man.  Men were different than angels.  Angels were created to be God’s servants, but men and women were created to be God’s friend.  The angels purpose was to guard God’s holiness and do his bidding.  Man, on the other hand was made to have fellowship with God and to reign with Him.

Maybe, just maybe, Lucifer had his first wayward, jealous thought.  The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was not going to allow puny men and women to outshine him!  Perhaps one of reasons Satan rebelled is because He wanted what humans had, and what humans would one day receive; to reign with Christ!  And thus, Satan became not only the adversary of God, but the bitter enemy of mankind.  And that’s why Satan sinned, and why God chose to punish him the way he did. 

What difference does Bible prophecy really make in the life of the average believer?  Does it really matter what you believe about the end times?  Imagine what would happen if the angel Gabriel showed up at your bedside tonight and informed you in no uncertain terms that Jesus was going to return by the end of the month.  Do you think your life would change? 

Prophecy brings encouragement in troubling times. (Chapter 1) 

Prophecy brings enlightenment to confused minds. (Chapter 2) 

Prophecy brings exhortation to unruly lives.  (Chapter 3)   

Don’t be Shaken 1

Crazy things are happening in our world. 

If you know the Bible, you know where we are going. 

1.  The Purpose of Persecution 3-4

There is a purpose for persecution and trials. 

The purpose of trials is for your “faith to grow exceedingly.

2.  The Punishment for Persecution 5-10

Persecution is a sign that judgment is coming on the persecutor. 

Persecution is an indication of our reward! 

3.  The Prayer in Persecution 11-12

Paul’s prayer is that we would be counted worthy of this calling! 

Don’t Be Troubled 2

Understanding prophecy brings hope.

Prophecy is God’s blueprint of the future.

1.  Be Strong, because God’s got this. 1-2

2.  Be Knowledgeable, because God has explained this. 3-12

3.  Be Hopeful, because God’s got everything under control! 13-17

Paul set out to correct them prophetic misconceptions. 

Some people said that Jesus had already come, not true.

Four major coming prophetic events. 

1.  The Falling Away, or the Great Apostasy.  2:3 “ 

2. The Restrainer will be removed.  2:6-7. 

3. The Antichrist will be revealed.  2:8. 

4.  There will be a Worldwide deception.  2:8-12. 

“God did not appoint us to wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Don’t Be Disorderly 3

Some Christians are not living up to expectations. 

Biblical prophecy is meant to correct bad behavior, not encourage it! 

1. Reach out.  Win them to Christ.  1-2

2. Grow Up.  Obey God no matter what happens.  3-4

3.  Behave well; live right for Christ.  5-15

Prophecy doesn’t lead to disorderly or unruly lives! 

Be ready: for you do not know when your Lord is coming. Matt. 24:42

Let not your hearts be troubled. I will come again. John 14:1-3

The end of all things is at hand; be self-controlled. 1 Peter 4:7

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  

Here’s the thing:  you don’t need the angel Gabriel to visit you tonight, you already have been given a message from God to be ready, if you will take it to heart.  What do you need to do to get ready for Jesus return?

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The Pew Research Center shows that 39% of the people in the United States believe in the second coming of Jesus and that it will occur in their lifetime.[i]  But does it really make any difference?

What difference does Bible prophecy really make in the life of the average believer?  Does it really matter what you believe about the end times or about the timing of Christ’s return?  You’ve heard of Pre-Trib, Post-Trib and Mid-Trib.  But have you ever heard of Pan-Trib?  You know, it will all pan out in the end! 

Maybe you are like the woman who complained to the preacher that she was not a fan of messages on Bible prophecy.  Her reason was that she was tired of the speculation, the confusing prophetic models and the sensationalism of modern prophecy teachers. What she wanted was a Bible message that helped her live her Christian life in a more authentic way. She felt that when Jesus returns, He will return and there is nothing that can be done about that. Meanwhile, she had to live her Christian life in the “real” world. Bible prophecy to her lacked substance and was simply out of touch with “real life.”

Imagine what would happen if the angel Gabriel showed up at your bedside tonight and informed you in no uncertain terms that Jesus was going to return by the end of the month.  If the Archangel genuinely showed up with that message, do you think some things would change for you?  Do you think you’d be a little more enthusiastic or energized about your faith? Would you pray a little more?  Read your Bible more faithfully?  Do you think you might tell a few of your friends and loved ones about Jesus and the soon coming of Christ?   Would you change your behavior?  Do you think you would have a problem with sin for the rest of the month? 

So what you are saying is that Bible Prophecy does make a difference, if you take it to heart.  If you knew for certain that Jesus was coming again soon, and we do, you’d live differently. 

C.S.Lewis once noted, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire… left their mark on Earth precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this world. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”[ii]

And the Book of 2 Thessalonians is all about answering the question, should we care about Bible prophecy?  The answer is yes.  And we want to ask the question this way:  What do you need to do to get ready for Jesus return?

According to the Book of 2 Thessalonians, a good understanding of the future brings encouragement in troubling times (chapter 1).  It brings enlightenment to confused minds (chapter 2).  It brings exhortation to unruly lives.  (chapter 3).  In other words, How we understand the prophetic future makes a big difference in the way we respond to our present trials our future hopes and our daily lifestyles. 

Get Ready!  For chapter 1.

Don’t be Shaken 1

If you want some prophetic encouragement for your present troubles, here it is. 

Everywhere I go people are talking about the crazy things that are happening in our world.  We’ve lived through the pandemic, when churches were empty and freedoms were curtailed.  We watched our cities burn to the march of Black Lives Matter and Antifa.  We’ve gone through one crazy presidential election and this one looks to be a duezy.  Our schools are teaching critical race theory, and allowing males to call themselves women and compete in women’s sports.  We live in a time of radical change.  This is not your Grandmother’s America. 

And people want to know, where is this all going?   If you know the Bible, you know where we are going.  In times of turmoil, there’s little that is as comforting as the promise of Bible Prophecy that Jesus is coming soon. You don’t have to be afraid of the future if you know the future God has planned for you. 

The key verse of chapter one is 2 Thessalonians 1:4;  “We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”

And chapter one could be outlined in three points:

1.  The Purpose of Persecution 3-4

2.  The Punishment for Persecution 5-10

3.  The Prayer in Persecution 11-12

Did you know that there is a purpose for persecution and trials?  It may seem like your trials are purposeless, but that is not so.  Verse 3 tells us that the purpose of trials is for your “faith to grow exceedingly, and for your love to abound towards each other!”  If you let God do his perfect work in you, you will grow in faith, love and hope.

And here’s where prophecy becomes encouraging:  even though persecution is downright despicable, prophetically, persecution is a sign of things to come!  Verse 5 says that persecution is a clear evidence that the righteous judgment is coming on the persecutor.  They don’t know it, but they are building a case against themselves that God will use to prosecute and punish them for in the future! 

But, that’s not all.  Persecution is an indication that you are counted worthy of the kingdom of God!  The Devil wouldn’t trouble you, if you weren’t a child of the kingdom.

So Paul’s prayer is that we would be counted worthy of this calling!  That the name of Christ would be glorified in us. 

Don’t be shaken by persecution.  Instead remember that there is a coming day of judgment on the world, and a reward coming for those who believe.  Prophecy helps us endure tribulation. 

Get Ready!  For chapter 2.

Don’t Be Troubled 2

Do you need some enlightenment about prophecy?  You’ve come to the right place;  Because chapter 2 is meant to enlighten you about the future. 

Some Christians shy away from prophecy because they believe it is too confusing.  But let me tell you, Understanding prophecy allows us to live in hope regardless of the chaos that may be exploding in our culture. Most of us have questions about the prophetic events found in the Bible. Prophecy can be baffling at times, but it is necessary if we are to understand the events that are to come.

When you study prophecy, you get God’s blueprint of what’s going to happen in the future. It’s like you have a heads up on what’s going on. The news media has no idea that it is just reporting the future as God planned it.

Chapter two could be outlined in three points:

1.  Be Strong, because God’s got this. 1-2

2.  Be Knowledgeable, because God has explained this. 3-12

3.  Be Hopeful, because God’s got everything under control! 13-17

The key verse of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 is verse 2.  “Do not be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the Day of Christ had already come.”

There were serious questions about prophetic events in the early church, and Paul set out to correct them.  Some people were reporting that end times events had already happened, and that Jesus had already come, and they said that the church had missed his coming!  Paul said, “not a chance!”  That’s not the way prophecy works.  The day of Christ’s return has not yet come.

That’s why we need to be knowledgeable.  The Word of God, interpreted in its normal, literal sense, will lead you to a clear understanding of prophecy.  Taking God’s Word in its simplest and plainest sense will keep you from fanciful and fatalistic views of the future. 

Chapter 2 is the heart of this book.  And it explains four major coming prophetic events that every Christian need to understand. 

#1  The Falling Away, or the Great Apostasy.  2:3 “The Day of Christ’s coming will not come unless the falling away comes first.  One of the things you should be looking for is the great apostasy.  It will happen before Jesus comes. 

#2 The Restrainer will be removed.  2:6-7.  When the Holy Spirit removes his restraining influence from the earth, that will signal the beginning of the end. 

#3 The Antichrist will be revealed.  2:8.  Once the restrainer is removed, the Antichrist will be revealed.  He may even be alive right now, but we don’t know who he is.  When will we know?  Once the Holy Spirit’s restraining presence has been removed from this earth. 

#4.  Worldwide deception.  2:8-12.  We have already seen how easy it is to brainwash an entire world.  Just have the government and the news media spread their propaganda day and night, and it will be done.  There is coming a time when right will be wrong and wrong will be celebrated.  Seems like that’s already happening.  But that delusion will be even more pronounced once the Antichrist comes. 

Despite all the trouble that is coming, we were chosen for salvation in Christ Jesus.  That’s how the chapter ends, and that’s why prophecy is so powerful.  In fact 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Praise God.  Are you ready?  Prophecy prepares us for the future!  If you are not ready, you better Get Ready!  For chapter 3.

Don’t Be Disorderly 3

Some Christians are not living up to expectations.  In fact, some of us live sloppy or undisciplined lives.  We know the Bible.  We know the biblical principles that apply, but like the Children of Israel under the judges, everyone did what was right in his own eyes and chaos resulted. 

Biblical prophecy is meant to correct bad behavior, not encourage it!  If you can just get a hold of the prophetic truth that Jesus is coming back and his reward is with him, if you can just believe it, it will change your behavior.  Prophecy exhorts us with some of the most practical applications to live right!

The key verse of chapter 3 is verse 11.  “We hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” 

Jesus is coming soon, so you better straighten up and fly right.

Chapter three can be outlined in three sections.  #1 Reach out.  Win them to Christ.  Paul asks for prayer that despite persecution, that God’s Word would triumph.  #2 Grow Up.  That despite persecution that they would obey God rather than man.  #3  Behave Well, live right of Christ. 

Here’s what you need to understand about this.  Many misguided folks have twisted prophetic truth and started their own churches, cults and followings.  Some have camped out on hillsides waiting for His return.  Others have sold everything that they own, because they thought they knew when Jesus was going to return. 

But this book on Prophecy, says don’t do that, instead do this!  12-13, “Now those who are misguided we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.  And as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

Prophecy doesn’t lead to disorderly or unruly lives!  It leads us to live faithfully and honorably in a Christ like manner.  Prophecy is a key ingredient in bringing God’s people into a genuine walk with the Lord. 

Let me share a few verses about how prophecy should change the way we live. 

“Therefore be ready: for you do not know when your Lord is coming.” (Matt. 24:42–44.)

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:1-3

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. Luke 21:34-36

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my reward is with me, to repay each one for what he has done” Revelation 22:12

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7

Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:3).

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Here’s the thing:  you don’t need the angel Gabriel to visit you tonight, you already have been given a message from God to BE READY!  If you will take it to heart.

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[i] https://www.ihopkc.org/resources/blog/how-understanding-the-end-times-can-change-your-life/

[ii] https://paulbenware.com/biblical-prophecy-an-essential-element-in-living-a-genuine-and-useful-christian-life/