The Coronation of Joash

When Jesus Christ returns to the earth that will in certain respects be perhaps the greatest single event in history, at least since the creation of man. It will be a pivotal point in man’s history and in the working out of God’s plan for mankind (Acts 3:19-21).

As we study various parts of the Bible dealing with this great event and the times immediately preceding it, we discover that it will occur to the accompaniment of a veritable chorus of sounding trumpets.

This great event which signals, among other things, the restoration of genuine peace, prosperity and joy to a suffering humanity. is prophesied and prefigured in the Bible in many different places. That this event is so prominent should not surprise us, because it is the very focal point of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, which is in various ways the theme of the Bible from one end to the other.

Among a variety of historical events which prefigure events relating to the return of Jesus Christ and the restoration of God’s government to the earth is a particular one I want to discuss in this article. Specifically I want to discuss the coronation of King Joash of Judah, and circumstances associated with it. and show you how Joash’s coronation prefigures the coming of Jesus Christ. Continue reading

The Foundation of Godly Faith

According to Scripture faith is essential to salvation. Without faith it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Those who have genuinely repented and had their sins remitted are no longer under the death penalty brought about by their sins (Acts 2:38; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:10). So such are saved from the second death, but under the condition that they continue to walk in the true faith (Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 10:26-27). Once converted we must continue to overcome, or as Jesus warns we may have our names blotted out of the book of life (Revelation 3:5).

It’s a matter of life and death then that we understand the proper foundation for saving faith. What is the foundation of your faith? Is your faith based on what you’ve always heard or been taught? Is your faith in your own powers of reasoning and rationalization? Is it based on popular opinion, or what others in your circle of influence believe? Is your faith in some personality? Is it in an organization? Continue reading

A Nation At Risk

As I write I’m spending a few days with my youngest son, who just finished college.

He’s extremely blessed to have been granted a job offer upon finishing his degree program, as many college graduates are having a difficult time finding any employment, much less employment in their fields of interest and at salaries they might have expected as graduates.

We’re in Northern Arizona, hiking some of the many trails in the area. Thursday afternoon and night, it snowed about seven inches where we are. But on Friday we managed to find a snow covered trail we could hike up a mountain, and view other majestic peaks in the distance, across a snow covered landscape of Ponderosa Pine forest.

Like many others his age, or any age, my son wants to explore and sample the good things of life. Trying new restaurants, new varieties of foods and beverages, and in general experience life to the full. Nothing wrong with that, as long as it’s done in the proper balance. Though we’re separated by a generation, I haven’t lost many of the interests we share in common.

As we were traveling across the country, I couldn’t help but think of the incredible blessings we in the U.S.A. have been granted as our heritage. We saw huge stores of grain piled high on the ground at a number of grain elevators we passed on the road (cf. “Bumper Grain Harvest Overwhelms Ships, Trains,” December 9, 2013, Reuters.com; “Finally, Kansas wheat is a cash crop again,” theolathenews.com, July 12, 2013). Continue reading

Marriage Feast Parables

Are Christians going to literally “get married” to Jesus in heaven, as some believe? Find out the real meaning of the “marriage feast” or “marriage supper” Jesus spoke of in the marriage feast parables. Continue reading

Abide In God’s Word

Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). To be a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ, rather than one in name only, requires abiding in his word. That’s what Jesus Christ himself said. That means a real disciple of Christ, a real Christian, is one who abides in — continues in, or lives according to — the teachings of Christ. And one of the teachings of Christ is that we are to live “by every word of God” (Luke 4:4). Continue reading