Becoming Bereans*

We will be continuing in a series of messages that began with last week's message, "Search the Scriptures". Jesus told His listeners: "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (Jn. 5:39). Jesus is the Word of God who came in the flesh, and the scriptures continually illustrate the Savior, the Messiah, to whoever searches them. When the Apostle Paul travelled to Thessalonica, he preached for three Sabbaths in the synagogue there. He reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening the Word of God, and showing in them that the Messiah (Christ) must suffer and be raised from the dead (Acts 17:1-3). Some believed after hearing Paul, including some Gentiles, but others reacted with envy. Those envious hearers joined with a rough element and created an uproar in the city, and converged upon Jason's house, one of the believers in Christ. The mob took Jason and other brethren to the city elders and accused them saying: "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also...and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." (v. 6-7). Even though this outcry against Jason and the believers of Thessalonica began with the envious Jews in the synagogue, who should have been worshippers of God and followers of His Word, they used the worldly kingship of Cesar, and his decrees, to accuse the believers. They let Jason and the others go after they received money from them (v. 9). Money, rather than the revealed scriptures, is the interest of the world and those who reject God's Word. The believers in Thessalonica were accused of "turning the world upside down". Are we, the church, also turning the world upside down as believers in Christ? Many "megachurches", with vast resources, are not even having an effect on their own communities. Our weapons of warfare are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through prayer in the pulling down of strongholds. Is the church praying? The believers of Thessalonica sent Paul and Silas to Berea, where the Jews in the synagogue there: "...received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:10-11). As a result, many in Berea believed, including again, Gentile men and women (v. 11). Because of the readiness to receive the Gospel, and the diligence they showed in confirming all that they heard by searching the scriptures, the Bereans were recorded in scripture as being "more noble than those in Thessalonica". The resentful Jews from Thessalonica then came to Berea to try to stir up the people there against the Gospel. The Bereans, however, sent Paul on to Athens, while Silas stayed with them (v. 13-15). Upon arrival in Athens, Paul began delivering the Gospel there, disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and meeting with others in the marketplace. Finally, those of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophies met Paul, and at first, thought of him as being a "babbler" when he preached to them of Jesus, and the resurrection (v. 16-18). Paul soon used the example of an altar that he had seen on Mars Hill which had the inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul then taught them about the God Who had been "unknown" to them, but was now making Himself known. Paul told them about the God who made the world and all things within it, the Lord of heaven and earth. This God does not inhabit temples made with human hands, Paul told them, because God does not need anything, but gives life to all, gives breath, and all things to us. This God made all men of one blood, "...that they should seek the Lord...feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being..." (v. 23-27). Paul revealed that God was not found in gold, silver or stone, like an idol, and God had ordained that it was time that man repented of this idea, because there is appointed a day of judgment. All the world will be judged in the righteousness of that Man whom God ordained and sent, and God had given men assurance in the resurrection of that Man from the dead (v. 29-32). Some Greek hearers mocked this idea, but othere believed and joined with Paul (v. 32-34). We can see that the hostile and envious Jews of Thessalonica had only caused the Gospel that they so hated and persecuted to be spread successfully to other cities, even Athens, the stronghold of the worship of mythology and men's philosophies. One powerful truth in the scriptures that Paul taught above is that all men were made from one blood. The divisions between Jews and Gentiles, and among various labels of men's philosophies could not overcome that truth. All men have one Creator, one God, and are of one blood, and are also saved by one Blood, the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God. Any Christian organizations that try to divide men along racial or ethnic lines are not speaking the Word of God, because God has said that His Kingdom is made out of every nation, tribe and tongue. Search the scriptures for yourself, like a noble Berean, and see. Paul wrote to his faithful assistant Timothy about the importance of the Word of God: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not...even to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain," (1 Tim. 6:3-6). Pul wrote that one of the great temptations and snares for believers and all men is the desire to obtain riches. There is no contentment to be found in that trap, but rather destruction and perdition: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (v. 9-10). Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which he was called and of which Timothy has professed before many witnesses. Jesus professed the Word of truth before Pontius Pilate, and Timothy is to keep this commandment "without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ...keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.". (v. 12-21, excerpt). The temptation to seek the false knowledge and love of riches offered by the world and by men, rather than receiving and searching the Word of God, is always with us. Even the priests of the LORD fell into the temptation for riches and lusts. Eli the priest was warned by a prophet that because he would not restrain his greedy sons who oppressed the people of God, his priesthood and his house would be cut off. Eli ignored that Word, and his young trainee, Samuel, had to deliver to Eli the final Word from the LORD that the time of the prophesied judgment had come (1 Sam. 2 and 3). God's people, who are His priests, are expected not only to seem godly, but to be godly, and to be led by His Word, so they may live. The Prophet Hosea called God's people to return to Him, and in doing so, Hosea's prophecy testified of Jesus Christ: "Come and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hos. 6:1-3). The prophet wrote that God's people had fallen into iniquity, treachery, lewdness, whoredom, murder, pollution, and defilement, but God has set a harvest for them in their return from captivity (v. 4-11). Search the scriptures for the knowledge of God and return to Him, and for the scriptures' testimony of the Son's third day resurrection, that you may live in His sight. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/4/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Understanding Last Days Prophecies

 

It is very important that the church read, know, and understand the prophecies of the Bible, particularly those that deal with the Last Days, which definitely apply to the time in which we now live.The LORD meant for us to know and understand these things, because not knowing them will mean our destruction. The LORD said to the prophet Hosea, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee..."      Hos. 4:6

The prophet Hosea ministered in a time when Israel and Judah were prospering, but they were morally and spiritually bankrupt. They had turned from God, placed their trust in kings and riches, and worshipped idols, including Ba'al. Even the priesthood had become infected with this idolatry. The LORD said, "...thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against Me: therefore will I change their glory into shame."  Hos. 4:6-7 

God's priests and people had exchanged the condition of His glory for the shame of sin and idolatry. The LORD told His prophet that the spirit of whoredoms was in the midst of them (Hos. 5:4). They had abandoned their Husband, God, to chase after idols.

We find the condition of our society today, including the church, to be similar to that of Israel and Judah in the time of Hosea. We also are rich, and we also have rejected the knowledge of the LORD, and we now find ourselves being destroyed as a result. We choose instead, abominations, and the spirit of whoredoms. We rely upon electing politicians who also have no knowledge of the Word, nor the Spirit of God, or choose to ignore them. As a nation, we have exchanged the glory of our founding upon the principles of God's Word, for shame.

 



Hosea calls the people of God to return to Him:

"Come and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days, He will revive us: in the third day, He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then we shall know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."  Hos. 6:1-3

The LORD tells Hosea above, of revival and the resurrection of the third day. Not only does this merciful resurrection refer to Christ's resurrection on the third day, but Peter tells us that each day of the LORD is as a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8). This brings us to the very threshold of that third day today. The signs and events of our times also confirm the nearness of that third day resurrection, which includes the rapture, or catching away, of those in Christ who remain alive at that time. We are expected to have knowledge of these precious prophetic promises.

 

This prophetic Word is the very testimony of Jesus, who is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10). This same testimony of Jesus tells His Bride to make herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb has come (Rev. 19:7).

Those who keep the knowledge of the prophetic word are blessed (Rev. 22:7). The prophetic word, the testimony of Jesus, tells us to keep this prophetic word, and "worship God... for the time is at hand."  (Rev. 22:9-10). "And behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12

Those who do not know these Last Days prophecies, or do not receive their urgency, will not have made themselves ready:

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." 

                                                                                                   Rev. 22:11

The thing that adds to the urgency and imminence of these Last Days prophecies is the fact that as the moment draws nearer, the days will even be shortened for the elect's sake, otherwise, no flesh would be saved. The accelerated progression of lawlessness and lies will be such that even the elect will be deceived unless those days are shortened (Mt. 24:22-24, Mk. 13:20). Because of these things, none of us can afford to be complacent, or relaxed in attitude towards these prophecies.

According to scripture, Israel's attitude as Hosea's prophecies came to pass would be, "My God, we know Thee". God denies this responding, "Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by Me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off...For Israel hath forgotten his Maker." Hos. 8:2-4, 14

These are like the words of Jesus in Mt. 7:22-23:

"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me ye that work iniquity."
Much of the church feels that they know, and are part of Jesus, ministering in His name. However, as we leave His Word and His truth behind, choosing sin, worldly comfort and compromise instead, will Jesus say to us that He never knew us? Will the Father say that the choices we made, and the works that we did, had nothing of Him in them?

Hosea calls the people of God back to Him again:

"O Israel, return unto the LORD Thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so we will render the calves of our lips."     Hos. 14:1-2

God answers,

"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon."     Hos. 14:4-7

"And I will make them one nation...and one king (Messiah) shall be king to them all..Neither shall they defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places...and will cleanse them: so shall they be My people, and I will be their God....David my servant (Messiah) shall be king over them...they all shall have one shepherd: they shall walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them...and My servant David shall be their prince forever....I will make a covenant of peace with them...an everlasting covenant...and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them...I will be their God, and they shall be My people...and the heathen shall know...when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."   Ez. 37:23-28 Excerpt
Not only will God hear their sincere cries to Him, and heal them, but He also blesses them, and confirms His promise of Messiah to them.

Return unto the LORD. Time is short, and the call of the Last Days prophecies goes out, and those who know the prophecies will answer and be saved from destruction.

 

*photo top of page: the prophet Hosea