Author Archives: Rod Reynolds

Why Did God Choose Israel — Part 1?

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According to Scripture, God chose the people of Israel, that is, the people descended from the patriarch Israel, as his chosen people. The people of Israel had a special and privileged relationship with God.

“O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones” (Psalms 105:6).

To many in our modern culture, the fact that God would designate a particular people to be “chosen,” separate from other peoples of the earth, would seem grossly unfair, and would make God partial, and a respecter of persons.

Why did God choose Israel? Let’s explore what the Bible has to say about this question.

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Rise of the Beast

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People the world over will be amazed and marvel as a powerful empire centered in Europe emerges suddenly to dominate the world for a brief period. It’s called the “Beast” in the Bible. It will in turn do the bidding of a powerful system of religion rooted in idolatrous worship, deceiving mankind, and called “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” In this message is discussed some of the background of this system as revealed in the Bible and in the pages of history.

“Rise of the Beast” COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Image from Martin Luther’s 1534 translation of the Bible. This work (the image) is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. In public domain in the U.S.; published before 1927.

Was Peter the First Pope?

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Audacious claims have been made concerning the authority of the Pope. In this message some of these claims, based in part on the idea that the Pope is the successor to Peter as the first “Pope,” are examined in light of Scripture.

“Was Peter the First Pope?” COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

What Does God Require?

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The ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah were destroyed because the people were not faithful to their covenant with God. The physical Temple was destroyed multiple times because of unfaithfulness. God is now building his dwelling place, a spiritual temple. What does God require of those involved in that process?

“What Does God Require?” COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Defending the Gospel

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Influential skeptics, especially in the past two or three centuries, have spun myths about the Bible, how it was written and compiled, and have lied about its historical accuracy. As a result, many have come to doubt the Bible as historically reliable, and hence dismiss it as a serious guide to life. The increasing lawlessness and amoral behavior endemic in today’s world is partly a consequence of how the message of the gospel has been undermined by an unrelenting campaign aimed at discrediting the record of Holy Scripture.

Historical analysis, archaeology, and epigraphy have gone far to lend support to the veracity of the Bible, which is the gospel, the word of God. Unfortunately unknown to multitudes, time and again the myths and assumptions of the Bible’s critics have proven wrong, as reviewed in this message.

“Defending the Gospel” COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.