The ABSOLUTE Sovereignty of God

"Now at [Christ's] already drawing near to the descent of the mount of Olives, the entire multitude of the disciples begins rejoicing, praising God with a loud voice concerning all the powerful deeds which they perceived, saying, 'Blessed be the King coming in the name of the Lord! In heaven peace, and glory among the highest!' And some of the Pharisees from the throng say to Him, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' And answering, He said to them, 'I am saying to you that, if ever these will be silent, the stones will be crying.'"                        

- Luke 19:37-40

For me, this passage in Luke is one of the most moving in all of Scripture. Imagine Jesus walking amidst a quiet crowd and the inanimate stones on the ground suddenly coming to life, crying out in praise! Imagine being one of the Pharisees He addressed with such a humbling, powerful claim.

More than anything, this passage serves to prove the absolute sovereignty of God. It is important that we include "absolute" or a similarly all-encompassing term when we describe God's sovereignty because, unlike the sovereignty of earthly rulers, God's sovereignty is not limited in any way. He is in complete control over everything in His creation, no matter how seemingly insignificant.

Nearly all professing Christians uphold God's sovereignty on the surface; but dig beneath the surface and you will soon discover many underlying layers which prove that they really view God as anything but sovereign. The God of Christendom is one of great power but shocking inability. He has the desire and power to save all humanity, but man's authority overpowers His will. He intends for the world to be perfect, but man's continual failure forces Him to, instead, spend all of His time putting out fires. In short, the God of Christendom is not the RulER of men; He is the RulED of men.

The greatest assault on the sovereignty of God is the false doctrine of man's free will. In order for man's will to be "free," God must relinquish His authority. Many make the claim that God sovereignly chooses to give man free will. In this way, God appears to retain His control when He has actually given it up. Few claims defy logic as much as this one.

"Sovereign" is a title which is upheld by a set of specific qualities. When the qualities that define the title are absent, the title is no longer valid. Thus, for God to be called "sovereign," He must be sovereign! He cannot give up the characteristics that define His title and still retain the title. According to the doctrine of man's free will, it is man, not God, who is - by definition - sovereign.

Fortunately, Christendom's assault on God's sovereignty is, itself, under God's sovereign control. God has planned man's ignorance and every other wicked occurrence (Is. 45:7) in order to fulfill His purpose. He "locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all" (Rom. 11:32). Man's failure was not a surprise to God - it was planned by Him! Every moment of every life has been penned before it's begun by the Great Author Who has our every hair numbered (Ma. 10:30). No particle of dust, gust of wind, blade of grass or grain of sand moves along its course apart from the Almighty Creator's command. The sun, moon and stars radiate their light and heat at their Maker's direction. All things - great or small, vast or microscopic - are created, sustained and directed at every second by the hand of Almighty God.

It is impossible for us in our current mortal state to come even close to grasping the awesomeness of God. We can hardly do two things at once, let alone control every atom in existence! God spoke creation into existence. (Please read the prior sentence again.) Questioning God's power is entirely out of the question. 

Because of man's inability to fathom the level of God's control, many view Him as more of a general manager Who controls the "big" things but doesn't bother with the "small" things. I recently had lunch with a former coworker who is on the board for a seminary in Ohio, and we discussed the sovereignty of God during our time together. He was quite taken aback by my claim that God manages even the most seemingly insignificant details of creation, and in response he said, "Well, I believe God controls the big things but not every minor detail. For example, I believe that He orchestrated us both coming to work for the same company, but not that He orchestrated us having lunch together today."

This attitude toward God's sovereignty is, without a doubt, the norm. Yet, where do we draw the line? Is it any easier for God to manage the trillions of "big" things in life than the big and small? If any of the "small" things that are not under God's control happen to cause a problem, what is the result? Clearly, if God is sovereign over all creation, there is nothing left to chance and nothing He regards as unimportant.

Proverbs 16:33 says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." The casting of lots was an ancient custom for randomly choosing the winner of a prize. We see the casting of lots several times in Scripture, including among the Roman soldiers at Christ's crucifixion and when the disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas. Small bits of stone, wood or other materials (the lots) were thrown (cast) into a garment (lap), and each lot was assigned to one person. The one whose lot fell out first won the prize. 

No doubt, most people view this type of activity as entirely random (one of the "small" things God doesn't bother managing); but this passage in Proverbs informs us that what's random to us isn't random at all to God. The decision of the lot - its direction - is ordained by God. 

The more we come into a realization of God's sovereignty, the more humble and at peace we become. When we see dust particles shimmering in a beam of light and realize that each of their courses is plotted by God, we are able to do nothing but fall to our knees in awe. When we recognize that every action and event is not only allowed by God but commanded by Him, we can rest assured, knowing that nothing is left to chance and that all will turn out just as it should. Most importantly, when we realize that it is God's will, not ours, that is free, we can experience the joy that comes from knowing that our Father sent His Son to save all without giving anyone the "freedom" to reject Him.

© 2013 by Stephen Hill

The Dangers of Censorship

Close your eyes, cover your ears, shut your mouth, and keep your hands in your pockets. This is the essence of Christian censorship. Logically, censorship seems to make perfect sense. It stands to reason that the best way to combat sin is to avoid all temptation. As a result, parents forbid their children from watching movies with a rating higher than "G;" teenagers are forbidden from dancing out of fear that this "debaucherous" activity will lead to wild promiscuity; and books like Every Man's Battle encourage men to not so much as glance at a beautiful woman.

How can we describe the outcome of censorship? In a word: failure. Contrary to what logic suggests, censorship accomplishes exactly the opposite of what it is intended to accomplish. The failure of censorship is so extreme that it has become comical. The rebellious nature of many pastors' kids, for example, has become so commonplace that they are now jokingly referred to as "PK"s. 

But why is censorship so unsuccessful? How can complete avoidance of what's wrong lead to a life completely filled with wrongdoing? In order to answer this question, we must first understand one foundational truth: it is impossible to accept that Christ has freed us (Gal. 5:1) and to be at peace when we place ourselves in self-made bondage. 

The old adage, "Curiosity killed the cat," doesn't apply to felines only. When people are entirely forbidden from something, they become obsessed with it. Look no further than the beginning of creation to find a perfect example of this fact. Adam and Eve were given permission to eat the fruit of every tree in the Garden of Eden except that of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They were given an endless array of choices which provided more than enough options to satisfy their needs, but they obsessed over the one tree that was deemed off-limits. Ultimately, their obsession led to disobedience of what should have been a simple rule and the entrance of death into the world! Logically, one would conclude that Adam and Eve should have easily been able to follow one simple rule when they were free to partake in so much else; but reality defied logic and the results were devastating.

David is another great biblical example of how forbiddance leads to obsession and wrongdoing. David's obsession with Bathsheba was due not only to her beauty, but to the fact that she already belonged to another man. Unlike David's existing wives and many of the other beautiful women in the kingdom, Bathsheba was off-limits. Obsessed with having what he couldn't have, David used his authority as king to ensure the death of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, in battle. Like Adam and Eve, David should have been content with the endless supply of women God had given him, but his obsession with Bathsheba as an unattainable prize led him to commit murder!

In addition to biblical evidence, we see the outcome of strict prohibition in our daily lives. The beginning of each year is marked by resolutions to eat better, exercise more and lead a healthier lifestyle. Numerous studies have shown that the people who completely forbid themselves from eating their favorite foods tend to give up on their diets much earlier than those who limit their favorite foods but don't forbid them entirely. The woman who refuses to eat any chocolate becomes so obsessed with it that she gives up after a few days and eats an entire bag. On the other hand, her friend who commits to eating one small piece of chocolate a day remains content with her decreased allowance and sticks to her plan. When we commit to dieting, we immediately obsess over the foods we can't have, to the point where we can think of hardly anything else. Just thinking of the word "diet" induces panic. We sink into a state of perpetual worry and stress and soon realize that the only way to end our worry is to overindulge in what was previously not allowed.

When I was a teenager, two brothers from the church my family attended stayed the night at our home. The parents of these brothers were incredibly strict and forbid their sons from all forms of worldly pleasure which they deemed inappropriate. While watching a movie, a brief scene came on the screen in which a woman was dancing topless on a bar. The brothers (who were in their mid-teens at the time) said that the brief, three second clip was "the most they had ever seen." I will spare the reader the details, but suffice it to say, what happened next was shocking. Had these boys been taught to appreciate the beauty of the female form as God's crowning creative achievement, they would certainly not have responded to a brief movie scene in such an animalistic fashion. Their instinctive reaction was the inevitable result of being told their entire lives that sexuality and female beauty were evil and to be avoided.

Many Christian spouses - especially wives - have a very difficult time viewing marital sex as a God-given blessing that is to be enjoyed. After being told their entire lives that sex is dirty and evil, it is almost impossible for them to recognize that making love to their spouse is anything but wrong. As a result, a large percentage of divorces that occur in the first few years of marriage are due to sexual frustration.

Ultimately, the dangers of censorship are rooted in a lack of knowledge. While Adam and David serve as good models for how forbiddance leads to obsession and sin, these men were not prohibited from understanding the consequences of their actions. When parents prohibit their children from even knowing about the things they view as harmful, their children will experience obsession to a much greater degree when they become acquainted with those things down the road. This is why children who are strictly sheltered tend to be very rebellious when they get older. The best parenting model, therefore, is one that exposes a child to all things but teaches him what is expedient versus harmful.

It is a shame that most Christians miss out entirely on the many blessings God provides. Christ died to free us, not to keep us in bondage. The effort to avoid sin through censorship may seem logical, but in reality it only causes us to obsess over what we view as forbidden and to increase the likelihood that we will do the opposite of what we should. If you don't want your husband to obsess over other women, allow him to admire the beauty of other women. If you want to lose weight, allow yourself to occasionally eat your favorite foods. If you don't want your children reacting wildly to a three-second movie scene or to have marital problems in the future, teach them about sexuality.

Knowledge of all things is necessary for righteous living. Censorship, which prevents knowledge of what is supposedly wrong, accomplishes the exact opposite of what its adherents hope it will. Forsake censorship and commit, instead, to knowing all things so that you may determine what is expedient and what is detrimental.

© 2013 by Stephen Hill

The Virtual Veil

A friend of mine recently announced that he was deleting his Facebook account. Among the reasons he cited was a desire to avoid continual arguments (often with complete strangers). I commend him for his wise and mature decision. If you participate in Facebook and similar forms of social media, you have most likely been engaged in several heated debates, and many may have turned rather ugly. The protection provided by the virtual world allows us to act very differently online than we ever would in person. The country music artist, Brad Paisley, sings a song titled "Online" that pokes fun at the ridiculous false identities people often attempt to live out on the internet. The song is intended to be comical, but its accuracy makes it more scary than humorous.

I joined Facebook almost entirely for the purpose of participating in faith related groups. It is simply the easiest way in our modern age to quickly communicate with like-minded believers and to participate in discussions with people from around the world in an effort to mutually grow. Yet, if you have participated in these groups, you know that quarreling is nearly as commonplace (if not more so at times) than the edifying growth we seek. This is undoubtedly due to the effects of the virtual realm, which shields us from direct confrontation. 

I am confident that when believers debate online, most do not initially intend to stir up a heated fight. On the contrary, the goal is to defend the truth and to help others who disagree come to a realization of it. Almost inevitably, however, the debates evolve into accusations, name calling and other petty insults. Many are even accused of not being believers for stating their disagreement, and I know people who have left groups altogether because of how they were treated.

If you are reading this article, there is a good chance that you have written things online that you came to later regret. I am certainly no exception. In order to combat the virtual veil, we must keep Scripture close to heart and commit to acting no differently online than we would face to face. 

Speaking to Timothy, Paul advised, "Now stupid and crude questionings refuse, being aware that they are generating fightings. Now a salve of the Lord must not be fighting, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, bearing with evil, with meekness training those who are antagonizing" (2 Tim. 2:23-24). Likewise, Paul told the Romans to pursue "that which makes for peace and that which is for the edification of one another" (Rom. 14:19) and "to no one render evil for evil" (Rom. 12:17). 

Several passages, in addition to those of Paul's letters, reinforce the great importance of avoiding quarrel and taming our tongues. Proverbs 29:22 states, "An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression." Writing to the Jews, James reminded that "the wisdom from above is first, indeed, pure, thereupon peaceable, lenient, compliant, bulging with mercy and good fruits, undiscriminating, unfeigned" (James 3:17).

Make no mistake that our written words are every bit as powerful as our spoken words. Granted, written words do not carry inflection of the voice and other elements that may intensify their spoken delivery, but the affects on the recipient are every bit as significant. In fact, on several occasions I've found out after speaking with people that I interpreted their written words more harshly than they intended. 

Ideally, we would be able to speak with one another in person at all times; but since this is unfortunately not possible, we are left with learning to appropriately deal with one another in less personal forms. How, then, can we accomplish this important goal?

For starters, we can commit to not repaying evil with evil. If someone online calls us a name, we should not repay him by calling him a name also. Rather, we should be patient and gentle, refusing to involve ourselves in an argument that will be fruitless. We would do well to follow Paul's advice to completely avoid stupid questions, knowing they only lead to harm. In reality, we have no need to defend ourselves against personal attacks. Our defense should always center around God alone! This is why Paul told the Corinthians that it was "the least trifle" that he may be examined by men.

Second, we must understand that, contrary to popular belief, defense of the truth does not require an aggressive approach. It does require aggressiveness in terms of conviction, but not in terms of antagonism. Paul advises us to be bold, but meek; strong, but gentle. We must recognize that each and every person is not the way they are - misled or not - out of choice. They are in exactly the place God wants them to be at that particular time and according to His purpose. Others are not "stupid" because they don't understand certain truths. They are merely ignorant at the time by God's design. 

After spending enough time in discussion forums, it is apparent that many people have come to actually love debate. They ignite a fight with an antagonistic comment and attempt to beat their opponent at all costs. This mindset is most often rooted in pride and a desire to prove their knowledge, not a pure desire to uphold the truth. For such people, toning down the harsh rhetoric is all but easy. The love of debate is intoxicating and online discussion forums are like a drug of which they yearn to get their daily dose. Do you think these people would act anywhere near the way they do online if they were to debate with others in person?

If you struggle with acting differently on the internet than you would in person, commit to altering your approach. Be gentle, patient and kind toward others, and ask yourself if what you are about to write is something you would say to the person while looking him or her in the eye. Refuse to respond to foolish questions and antagonizing comments, knowing your response will only lead to an argument from which neither party will benefit. Remember that those who disagree with us at times are not our enemies, but our brothers and sisters in Christ. If after attempting to alter your habits you are unsuccessful, consider deleting your online account. It is better to remove the temptation to argue than to fight a losing battle. For, a servant of the Lord must not be fighting, but be gentle toward all, bearing with evil those who are antagonizing.

© 2013 by Stephen Hill

Resurrection: God's Harvest

For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; thereafter the consummation whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power.    -1 Corinthians 15:22-24

Here, the apostle Paul reveals some insight that would startle nearly every modern churchgoer who would take the time to carefully read his words. These short two verses disprove several orthodox doctrines that are accepted without question by nearly all Christians. The first sentence proves the salvation of all, and the second disproves the orthodox view of death as well as the trinity. Each of these topics could easily be discussed at great length on its own, but in this article I will focus exclusively on one topic of this passage: the order of resurrection.

The order Paul gives of resurrection is as follows: the Firstfruit, Christ, then those who are Christ's in His presence, and, finally, those who remain at the consummation. In order to understand this order, it helps to understand several other key truths. First, we must understand what resurrection is. The common definition of resurrection is "being brought back to life," but Christ was, in fact, not the first person to have ever been brought back to life. In fact, the Bible recounts several people who were raised from the dead prior to Jesus. Elijah raised the son of Zarephath's widow (1 Kings 17), Elisha raised Shunamite's son (2 Kings 4), an unnamed man was brought back to life after his body touched Elisha's corpse, and Jesus Himself raised Jairus's daughter (Mark 5), the son of Nain's widow (Luke 7), and Lazarus (John 11).

For Christ to be the first in the resurrection order, the definition of resurrection has to consist of more than being brought back to life alone. What, then, sets Jesus apart as the first to be truly resurrected? The answer: each other person who was raised from the dead died yet again and is still dead. Resurrection, therefore, involves being raised from the dead and being made immortal. Indeed, all who remain at the consummation will be held accountable at the Great White Throne judgment and cast into the Lake of Fire as the "second death" (Rev. 20:14); but they too will eventually enjoy immortality as death is destroyed as the last enemy (1 Cor. 15:26) and God reconciles all things in creation back to Himself (1 Cor. 15:28).

In order to understand Jesus' title as the "Firstfruit," we must refer to the law in the Old Testament. The law established seven annual feasts, which the nation of Israel was required to follow every year. Each of these feasts pointed to and celebrated the future glory of Christ. The third of these feasts, which took place shortly after Passover, was Firstfruits. Leviticus 23:9-10 provides the instructions for this feast: "And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 'Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When Ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you.'" Further instruction is set forth in Leviticus 19:9-10 where we read, "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not reap wholly the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest... thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger."

The feast of Firstfruits contained three phases for harvesting. A single sheaf (bundle) was gathered just before the barley was fully ready to be harvested and was then given to the priest who would offer it to God on behalf of the people. Next, the good crop was harvested, and, finally, the outer corners of the field were left for those in need to be harvested at a later date. These three phases, then, coincide with the order of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. Christ, as the "Firstfruit" is resurrected before the rest of the crop (believers and unbelievers) are ready to be harvested (resurrected), followed by the faithful (main crop), and lastly the unfaithful (outer corners).

In Matthew 13, Jesus likens the kingdom of the heavens unto a man who went forth to sow seeds for harvest, and in Luke 10 He references evangelism as a type of harvest. The agricultural process begins with the planting of the seeds for a crop. The second phase involves great care as the crop grows to maturity. Once ready, the crop is harvested and used for its ultimate purpose. Thus, the comparison of resurrection to a harvest is a perfect analogy. God begins with creation (planting), then lovingly shapes us as we grow to maturity, and finally harvests (resurrects) us to be used for our ultimate purpose.

If Jesus is the first in the order and unbelievers are the last, then believers clearly make up the second phase. Paul refers to believers as "those who are Christ's in His presence." These believers consist of members of the Body of Christ as well as the faithful of Israel. Members of the Body are resurrected first (1 Thess. 4:16), followed by the faithful of Israel at the former resurrection (Rev. 20:5). The second phase of resurrection, therefore, contains two phases itself: one for the Body and another for the saints of Israel.

Many who recognize Paul's comparison of resurrection to the Feast of Firstfruits understand the third phase of outer corners to consist of the faithful of Israel. They believe that Christ is the Firstfruit, the members of the Body make up the second, and the faithful of Israel make up the third. This chronology conveniently allows for the distinction between the resurrection of the Body members and the later resurrection of the saints of Israel. This understanding prohibits the eventual resurrection of unbelievers and, thus, fits their flawed theology. We need go no further than Paul's words in the passage to recognize that the third and final group consists of the unfaithful, not the faithful of Israel as many assume. When describing the timing of the third phase, Paul explicitly states, "Thereafter the consummation." The resurrection of the saints of Israel (the "former resurrection") occurs long before the consummation, leaving unbelievers as the only possible group to which Paul can be referring.

Unlike the phases of the Firstfruits feast, the phases of resurrection take a great deal of time. Days or weeks separated the feast phases, but the resurrection phases are separated by thousands of years. Just as the time from Christ's resurrection to the resurrection of believers will at least be over 2,000 years, so too the resurrection of unbelievers will not take place until long after the saints have been resurrected. The unfaithful will not be resurrected until after the saints have enjoyed their allotment of eonian life in the coming eons.

A key distinction between the first two harvests and the third (last) is that the first two belonged exclusively to Israel while the third belonged to strangers. Ultimately, the third group was harvested as well, but not in the peak season and not for the same purpose as the first two. In the same way, unbelievers of the last resurrection are not part of the faithful who will enjoy their allotment in the peak season. Rather, they will be harvested (resurrected) after the peak season (eonian life) is complete.

When we understand the order of resurrection, we understand the beauty of God's resurrection plan. He is the great Cultivator Who plants us all, the Caretaker Who nourishes our growth, and the Harvester Who gathers us at completion. The great Harvester has already gathered His Son, Christ, as the Firstfruit of the harvest and the acceptable offering on behalf of all creation. He will soon gather His faithful for the main harvest in the peak season. Ultimately, He will complete His work by harvesting the outer corners of His crop when He resurrects the unfaithful. Once the harvest is complete, He will become All in all, and all will experience the inevitable result of their resurrection - immortality.

© 2013 by Stephen Hill

Was Christ Created?

In John 3:16, the most popular verse of the Bible, we read that Jesus is the only "begotten" Son of God. Most people have this verse memorized, but few stop to consider what this word begotten means. When we consult a dictionary, we discover that the term "begotten" is defined as "brought forth through procreation as biological offspring." When we understand this definition, it is clear what Jesus means when he labels Himself the "only-begotten" Son of God. Unlike all other humans who have been created by God but brought forth as the offspring of a man and a woman, Jesus is the only person to have ever been brought forth biologically by a woman and God. We see, then, that Jesus was born as a human and created as such by God the Father; but did Jesus exist prior to His human birth or was His birth in Bethlehem His beginning?

Most Christians hold a trinitarian view that recognizes Jesus as coequal in every way with the Father. They reason from this assumption that Jesus, like the Father, has always existed. Contrary to this popular view, however, Scripture tells us something different. In 1 Colossians 1:15, Paul refers to Jesus as "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." This verse provides us with two valuable insights regarding Christ and His Father. First, we see that Jesus is visible while the Father is in-visible. The Father and Son are distinctly different in this way. Second, we learn that Jesus is the "firstborn of all creation," meaning that He was created by the Father, but that He was the first creation of the Father. This fact is upheld in verse 17 of the same passage where Paul states that Christ was "before all things" and in Revelation 3:14 where Jesus is referred to as "the Original of God's creation."

We learn why the Father created Jesus before all other things in verse 16 of the passage where we read, "For by Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him."

Thus, God's divine order consisted of creating His Son, Jesus, first, and then delegating authority to Jesus to create everything else. Ultimately, Jesus left His position in Heaven to come to earth in order to fulfill the Father's plan. In Philippians 2, we read that Jesus made Himself of no reputation by taking on the form of man and becoming a servant, obedient unto death. Clearly, for Jesus to "make," "take on" or "become" something, He had to have existed before it. 

Because of Jesus' obedience, the Father exalts Him with a name that is above every name, to which all creation will one day bow. This event, however, will be "to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:11). All Jesus does is for the glory of His Father, which He will prove when He subjects Himself entirely to the Father at the consummation so that the Father may be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28). 

When we examine Christ and creation in the Bible, we discover that trinitarians and many nontrinitarians are mistaken regarding the pre-existence of Christ. Scripture teaches that Christ did not always exist as the Father, but that His birth in Bethlehem was also not His beginning. He existed "from the beginning" as the firstborn of the Father's creation, but He was, in fact, created by the Father along with all that is ultimately out of the Father (2 Cor. 5:18). In spite of the fact that Jesus did not always exist, He is still worthy of all honor and praise for the status given Him by the Father for His obedience unto death, His nature as the firstborn of all things, and His masterful creation. He is our Lord and Savior, given all authority for the time by the Father, until the consummation when He will subject Himself and all creation to the Father.

© 2012 by Stephen Hill

The Purpose of Prayer

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul advises saints to "pray without ceasing." Prayer, like Scripture study and fellowship, is a pillar in the life of every believer. The Concordant Version uses the term "unintermittingly" instead of "without ceasing," which reflects Paul's emphasis on the need to avoid routineness with prayer. Rather than pray only at designated times such as before meals and bed, we should be praying spontaneously throughout the day.

The Bible's emphasis on prayer couldn't be stronger, yet many of us have struggled with prayer to the point where our prayer lives have become almost non-existent. When we realize that God is completely sovereign and that our prayers will never succeed in changing His mind, the inevitable question is, "Why pray?"

What purpose does prayer serve if not to sway God's hand? In Philippians 4:7, Paul tells us to "let [our] requests be made known to God," but what is the point of making our requests known if our Father who already knows our needs and what is best for us will never be persuaded by our pleadings? If we are thankful and God already knows our hearts, what is the purpose of voicing our thankfulness in prayer? If we recognize God's goodness in the midst of suffering, what good does it do to pray when we suffer? If we pray for others but God is going to treat them no differently than if we hadn't prayed, what has our prayer accomplished? If God's will is always done, why do we need to pray that it will be done?

These are logical questions which lead many to ultimately view prayer as a meaningless waste of time. In fact, I have noticed that the majority of believers I know who understand many of the truths of God's Word struggle more with prayer than almost anything. It seems that for many, the more they recognize God's sovereignty the less they pray. I would be so bold as to say that if you are reading this article, there is a good chance that you can relate to this dilemma.

For those of us who have struggled with prayer, we realize that prayer is important and should be a priority, but we have a difficult time recognizing the value in prayer in light of the above questions. We understand that Paul (who understood God's sovereignty better than any of us) prayed regularly, but we can't make sense of why Paul prayed so often when he knew his prayers would not alter God's course one bit. We read of the many times Jesus prayed to His Father, but we can't see the need for the very Son of God to pray at all. The examples of Christ and Paul (and several others) demonstrate the great importance of prayer, but in order for us to emulate them we must recognize the real purpose of prayer in our lives.

Most Bible verses on prayer consist of instructions for how to pray or what to pray for, but do not cite a specific reason or purpose for prayer. One verse, however, does. After instructing believers to make their requests known to God in Philippians 4:7, Paul goes on to say, "...and the peace of God, that is superior to every frame of mind, shall be garrisoning your hearts and your apprehensions in Christ Jesus." 

Here, we finally have a crystal clear purpose for prayer. We learn, first of all, that prayer exists for us more than for God. After all, God is not in need of us for anything, but we are in complete need of Him for everything. Paul assures us that more than anything, prayer gives us peace. It provides us with contentment, reassurance, and a strength that garrisons our hearts and removes our fears. This mindset is not a minor phenomenon either; it is "superior to every frame of mind," meaning it has the power to literally alter our perceptions, mood and emotions, regardless of how we feel when we begin to pray.

This is why in 1 Peter 5:7, Peter tells us to "toss our entire worry on Him." When we bring our burdens in prayer to the One who has complete control over them, we are conscious of His control over them all and are brought into a peaceful frame of mind which removes our worries and enables us to continue the day with confidence and hope.

In addition to an overwhelming sense of peace, regular prayer helps us to appreciate our relationship with God. It is difficult (if not impossible) to have a relationship with someone you never speak with. When we talk to God directly via prayer, we are fully aware of how real our relationship with Him is and we feel much closer to Him as our loving Father.

When we pray for others, we are consciously aware of their needs and their value in God's eyes and are mentally committed to bearing their burdens and helping them in any way we can. The psychological power of prayer is immensely powerful, whether for ourselves or for others, and the peace it brings enables us to act as we should, free from worry.

Even the secular world understands the psychological importance of casting away our burdens to be at peace. One of the most basic tenets of secular psychology is the need for burdened people to discuss their worries with others. The mantra is, "The first step to healing is talking about the problem." Many people even keep a journal in which they "vent" by writing down all the things that bother them to "get them out" of their heads. Who better to "vent" to than God? Who better to cast our burdens on than the One who controls them all?

When we understand that God has designed prayer for us as a means of giving us peace and awareness of our relationship with Him, the questions I raised earlier make perfect sense. We make our requests known in prayer because doing so causes us to recognize God's control over them. We give thanks in prayer because by doing so we are conscious of God's goodness. We prayerfully acknowledge God in the midst of trial because doing so reminds us of His providence and mercy. We pray for others because it causes us to keep them in our thoughts and to commit to helping them. Ultimately, we pray for God's will to be done because doing so reassures us of the comforting fact that His will is always done.

If you are one of the many who struggle with prayer, I hope that this article has helped you to understand the real purpose of prayer and the importance of praying unintermittingly. Commit to praying often and without routine, and you will begin to experience a life-changing sense of peace and a strength that will enable you to trust in God and endure life's trials. The more you pray, the more you will appreciate your relationship and closeness with your loving Father. Pray for others as well, as your prayers will help you to focus on their needs in addition to your own. Recognize that your prayers don't change God, but they do change you by garrisoning your heart with the peace of God that is superior to every frame of mind.

© 2012 by Stephen Hill

Will Christ Return Soon?

For decades, men have been attempting to predict the date of the Rapture and/or Second Coming of Christ. As believers, we echo the words of John at the close of Revelation: "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" We eagerly anticipate our removal from this sinful world as we are taken to our true home, and we yearn for the event to occur during our own lifetime.

To date, the vast majority of men who have predicted a date for Christ's return have been proven wrong as their predicated dates have come and gone. Often, these men were motivated more by the desire to witness the event in their own lifetimes than by a desire to search the Scriptures for an approximate date. If we are to predict Christ's return with any level of accuracy, we must abandon all personal motives and commit to basing our prediction on God's Word alone.

While it is futile to claim one hundred percent certainty regarding the exact date of Christ's return, it is a good practice to study the many prophecies related to the event and to examine the signs of the times in order to develop an understanding of an approximate date to look forward to. In Matthew 24:44, Mark 13:32-37 and Luke 21:36, Jesus encouraged His followers to keep watch and be ready for His return. In Hebrews 10:25, we read of the importance of not forsaking assembling "and so much rather as [we] are observing the day drawing near." Being prepared for the day would be difficult without having at least a general timeframe with which to work.

In this article, I will review what I believe to be the most accurate theory regarding the date of Christ's return. Please understand that I am not stating with any certainty that this prediction is correct and I may very well be wrong. Rather, I am providing you, the reader, with a timeframe and a biblically based prediction in order to highlight the urgency of this matter and encourage you to study it further on your own. If the date I discuss is accurate, the Rapture could take place literally any second, and we would be foolish to ignore one of the most significant issues of our time. If, on the other hand, the date turns out to be inaccurate, then we will have at least been mindful and watchful and will be equally thrilled when Christ does finally call us home.

As you study prophecy on your own, you will come across many different theories pertaining to the Rapture and Second Coming. Preterists do not even recognize these as future events, as they mistakingly believe these prophecies have already been fulfilled in a figurative sense. As this view negligently disregards the promised literal fulfillment of prophecy, I will not lend it any credibility or address it here. Of those who recognize that prophecy will be literally fulfilled as promised, some view both the Rapture and Second Coming as one and the same instead of understanding the Rapture to be one of Paul's uniquely revealed mysteries. For my purposes, I will consider them to be separate events. Among those who believe the events are separate, there are those who believe the Rapture will occur prior to the seven-year Tribulation (Pretribulationism) and others who believe it will occur in the middle of the seven-year Tribulation (Mid-tribulationism). I will be taking the Pretribulationism view here. These theories are extremely in-depth topics on their own, so if you desire to learn more about each position, I encourage you to study your Bible and to submit questions.

Once we establish that the Rapture and Second Coming are separate events and that the Rapture occurs prior to the seven-year Tribulation, we can examine prophecy to see if we can arrive at some sort of time frame for when these events might take place. Keep in mind that Jesus does not know the date of the Rapture, but will know the date of His Second Coming as there are prior signs (like the abomination of desolation in the middle of the Tribulation) which provide a mathematical starting point for calculating the date of the Second Coming.

As I have studied prophecy, I have come to believe that one theory stands above the rest in predicting the date of the Second Coming because it is the only theory that seems to leave nothing out and to adhere consistently to Scripture. This theory is known as the "seven day week theory."

The number 7 is extremely significant in Scripture and begins with the seven days of creation. Interestingly, the number 7 is significant even in nature. When passed through a prism, light reveals seven colors; music is composed primarily of seven major notes; the elements contain seven levels of periodicity; there are seven crystal systems for the formation of minerals. In short, the number 7 is the key number of creation and is repeatedly depicted as such in God's revelation.

When we read the beginning of Genesis, we read that God "rested" on the seventh day of creation. He created the first six days and "rested" the seventh day. This is interesting, indeed, considering that the Almighty Creator Who spoke creation into being does not need rest. What does this really mean? We discover the answer when we see how God treated the seventh day when He gave the law to the Hebrews. Just as the seventh day was a day of rest during creation, it is a day of rest for God's people. Six periods of hard work and trial are always followed by one period of rest and peace.

If we apply this formula to the timeline of history and prophecy, we will inevitably have six periods of work and trial followed by one period of rest. The question, then, is how long are those periods?

In Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8, we are told to not be ignorant of the fact that to the LORD a day is as a thousand years. Could it be that we are instructed to not be ignorant of this fact because it reveals God's purpose and plan? By equating the seven days to seven periods of a thousand years, we discover that we are incredibly close to the end of the sixth "day," or thousand year period. We know that Christ's millennial reign on earth is a thousand years in length (Rev. 20) and would appropriately represent the seventh day "rest" period when He rules in perfection and binds Satan to prevent him from causing harm.

According to historians, Christ most likely died in the year 32 AD, 4,004 years after the creation of Adam and Eve. His baptism most likely occurred in the year 28 AD when He was thirty years old, 4,000 years after creation. This, then, marks the end of the fourth "day," or thousand year period. The sixth "day" would then end 2,000 years later in the year 2028 AD. Might this be the date of Christ's Second Coming?

Matthew 24 includes the parable of the fig tree, which describes the timing of Jesus' Second Coming. Jesus tells His disciples, "Verily, I am saying to you that by no means may this generation be passing by till all these things should be occurring." None of the men Jesus addressed lived to see the event; in fact, more than 2,000 years have passed since Jesus said this! Jesus could have only been referring to a generation of Israel in the future, once Israel regained possession of the land. This occurred in 1948 when Israel regained its statehood after over 1900 years of being scattered abroad throughout the world. In Psalm 90:10, we read that a generation equals 70 or 80 years, and using 1948 as a starting point, we arrive at 2018 or 2028 for the possible date of the Second Coming. If it were 2018, the Tribulation would have begun in 2011 and the Rapture prior to that. Since that time has come and gone, we know that of these two possibilities, 2028 is the only option.

Now that I have reviewed the theory, let me state again that I am not arguing that 2028 AD is, without a doubt, the year that Christ will return to establish His earthly kingdom. After all, the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God (1 Cor. 1:20) and many intelligent and well-studied men have gotten this wrong. If, however, Christ will return in 2028, then the Rapture will take place before the year 2021 - sometime in the next eight years! The signs of the times are more evident now than ever before. The nations of the world (including the United States) are becoming increasingly hostile to Israel, nations and families are fighting amongst themselves more than ever, and the world is moving politically into a system of one-world government. As my friend Martin Zender says, "The other men who have predicted the Second Coming have been confident but wrong, but we are the first to be right!" Let us remain watchful and alert, knowing that Christ's return is fast approaching, eager to proclaim, "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!"

© 2012 by Stephen Hill