Is Jesus Coming Back?

On the island of Patmos, the Apostle John, nearly 100 years old, saw a vision from God, given to Jesus, transmitted to John through an angel. (Revelation 1:1) At the very end of his apocalyptic book, he faithfully repeated the words of Jesus Christ. "Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is,...Yes, I am coming quickly." (Revelation 22:12, 20a) John, as confidant as ever in his old age, replied, "Amen! Come Lord Jesus."-Revelation 22:20b

That begs the question: Is Jesus going to come back one day? Well, since Revelation is a book inspired by God, the answer has to be yes. "However", many may say, "Revelation is a complex and hard-to-understand book. Even those phrases may be open to interpretation." If that is true, then we cannot rely on just this book. Is there another book that even mentions this momentous event?

There is! The return of Jesus Christ is a very important subject in the New Testament. Paul, an enemy of the Christ but later a faithful believer, wrote many times on this subject. One that is worth consideration is in one of his letters to the congregation in Thessalonica. After speaking of tribulation that we as Christians must endure, Paul spoke of "relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire." (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)

So, we can see that the return of Christ is a certainty. However, when looking at this Scripture, it brings up another question. Is the return of Christ something that we as Christians should fear? We are told that Christ is coming "with his powerful angels in a flaming fire" and that sounds a little scary. A little background as to the return of Christ is probably in order.

Going back to the days of the prophet Ezekiel we read, "This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: 'Will it not be in that day when my people Israel are dwelling in security that you will know it? And you will certainly come from your place, from the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great congregation, even a numerous military force. And you will be bound to come up against my people Israel, like clouds to cover the land.'" (Ezekiel 38:14-16a) What is going to happen? Ezekiel goes on to explain further, quoting Jehovah God. "And it must occur in that day, in the day when Gog comes in upon the soil of Israel...that my rage will come up into my nose. And in my ardor, in the fire of my fury, I shall have to speak. Surely in that day a great quaking will occur in the soil of Israel...And I will call forth against him throughout all my mountainous region a sword...And I will bring myself into judgment with him, with pestilence and with blood; and a flooding downpour and hailstones, fire and sulphur I shall rain down upon him and upon his bands and upon the many peoples that will be with him."-Ezekiel 38:18-19, 21-22

Satan, as Gog of Magog, is going to come against the anointed remnant, "the Israel of God" and their companions, the Great Crowd. (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:9) After that, Jehovah is going to stop His people from being completely destroyed. How? He is going to use Jesus Christ as his military commander. (Revelation 19:11, 15, 19-21) Christ will use his position to defeat Satan, his demons, and their human followers. Then the prophecy in Proverbs 2:21-22 will find fulfillment. "For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."

Are there any developments that are going to take place before all of this comes about that will reveal any signs that the return of the Messiah is imminent? Let us look in the Bible for the answer.

At Matthew 24 (and the alternate account at Luke 21) the Apostles speak to Jesus Christ about an important event, asking him, "What will be the sign...of the conclusion of the system of things?" (Matthew 24:3) Jesus tells them that there is a possibility in that time period for people to be mislead by false Christs. (Matthew 24:4-5) He then warns them that there will be wars and rumors of wars. He even says that "nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom". Then he says that there are going to be "food shortages and earthquakes". (Matthew 24:6-7) Luke, in his account, says that there are going to be pestilences and "fearful sights and from heaven great signs." (Luke 21:11) Both Matthew and Luke then talk about persecution against the true followers of Jehovah God.-Matthew 24:9-12; Luke 21:12-17

After all of this, Jesus points to good things that are going to happen. He says that "this good news of the kingdom will be preached" in the entire earth for a witness. Until then, the end will not come. (Matthew 24:14) During all of this, something miraculous is going to happen. We now turn to the book of Revelation to find out what it is.

In the book of Revelation at chapters 17-18, we find a prophecy about Babylon the Great. Through holy spirit and intense Bible study, Jehovah's Witnesses have found that Babylon the Great is the world empire of false religion. We are first warned to "get out of [Babylon the Great] my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins...For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind." (Revelation 18:4-5) Part of the reason Babylon the great is so guilty is because she has had a hand in politics, commercial business, and other ungodly practices.-Revelation 18:9-19

How is Jehovah going to accomplish this? He is going to use the wild beast, or the United Nations (see Revelation 13:1, 14-15 and Revelation 17:8, 11) to destroy her. Jehovah says, "And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished." (Revelation 17:16-17) Jehovah will make the nations turn against religion. What will this start?

Going back to Jesus' prophecy we read, "For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21-22) After another warning about my false prophets and false Christs, the conclusion: After those signs in the sky that Luke talked about we read: "And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity."-Matthew 24:30-31

Obviously, Jesus is coming back. Many books of the Bible besides Matthew, Luke, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation discuss it. If we are not on the side Jehovah you are not going to survive. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Will there be any blessings for those who do survive? Will anything change?

"But there are a new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise and in these righteousness is to dwell." (2 Peter 3:13) In the Bible, we are given a glimpse as to what life will be like after the wicked are destroyed. It will be a good time. Just think of these blessings that the Bible promises.

1. No one will be sick.-Isaiah 33:24
2. The lame, mute, blind and deaf will be healed.-Isaiah 35:5-6
3. There will be enough food for everyone.-Psalm 72:16; Revelation 7:16
4. Death will be abolished.-Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4
5. The dead will be raised back to life.-Isaiah 26:19; John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15
6. War will be gone forever.-Psalm 46:9; 72:7; Micah 4:1-5
7. Animals will live in peace with humans and one another-Isaiah 11:6-9
8. There will be adequate housing for everyone.-Isaiah 65:21-22
9. We will live under a righteous government.-Daniel 2:44; 1 Timothy 1:17
10. We will live forever!-Psalm 37:11, 29

There are many reasons to learn the truth about all of this. It means our everlasting life. (John 17:3) If you would like to live in peace under a perfect government that will bring many blessings, Jehovah's Witnesses will be happy to help you! Please accept our invitation to have a study and learn about our God, Jehovah, and our King, Jesus Christ.

Remember, the Lord Jesus is coming. Will you be ready?

Can God Break His Promises?

According to Exodus 32, when the people were waiting for Moses the 40 days he was on Mount Sinai, they became impatient saying, "Get up, make for us a god who will go ahead of us, because as regards this Moses, the man who led us up out of the land of Egypt, we certainly do not know what has happened to him." (Exodus 32:1) Evidently, Moses was the glue that held the Israelite camp to Jehovah God. Without him, they didn't want his God.

So Aaron, the brother of Moses, gave them what they wanted. He took their gold jewelry, threw into a fire, and "formed it with a graving tool and proceeded to make it into a molten statue of a calf." (Exodus 32:3) He told them that this was the god who had led them out of Egypt. What did Jehovah do?

Before we take a look at that, let us see why this is so important. Go back in time over 500 years. We find a man named Abram. Abram is a righteous man. So much so that God decides that this is the man that He is going to use to fulfill His promise made at Genesis 3:15. So Jehovah tells Abram to get up, leave his home country in Ur (a very rich, prosperous land), and dwell in tents as a nomad. Abram, "not knowing where he was going" showed his faith by traveling there anyway. Where did he end up? In the land of Canaan.-Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1-5

Once in Canaan, God told Abram this: "To your seed I am going to give this land." (Genesis 12:7) God promised Abraham that his descendent's would inherit the land of Canaan--the Promised Land. After some time, God narrowed it down some and said that this seed that would inherit the land would come through Isaac and then Jacob. Finally, Jehovah said to Jacob. "The scepter will not turn aside from Judah, neither the commander’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him the obedience of the peoples will belong."-Genesis 49:10

There would be a king coming from the son of Jacob, Judah. This was a promise of God and God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2) Now that had been established. There would be a people coming from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who would inherit this land and then a king would come out of Judah.

Going forward to this incident on Mount Sinai, after Jehovah commanded Moses to go down Mount Sinai He said, "I have looked at this people and here it is a stiff-necked people. 10 So now let me be, that my anger may blaze against them and I may exterminate them, and let me make you into a great nation."-Exodus 32:9-10, see also Numbers 14:12

Was there a problem with this? God said that a king would come through Judah and that Abraham would be the father of the nation of Israel. Yet Moses was through the line of Levi. If Jehovah destroyed everyone how could He fulfill His promise to Jacob and make a king through Judah? No one from Judah would have been alive.

Now we have to think: Who broke the promise at this point? God or the Israelites? The Israelites had already accepted a relationship with God by word and action. They agreed to do the things that Jehovah asked when they allowed themselves to be saved by Him but even more so when He brought them through the Red Sea alive. (Exodus 12:24-27, 43-50; 13:1-5; 15:2, 13, 16-18) So, when the God of their forefathers was left off from being worshiped in exchange for the golden calf, that was breaking their promise to "have no other gods against [Jehovah's] face."-Exodus 20:2-5

To look at another example of this, think of King Solomon. God said to Solomon after he prayed at the dedication of the temple: "I have heard your prayer...And you, if you will walk before me, just as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and with uprightness by doing according to all that I have commanded you, and you will keep my regulations and my judicial decisions, I also shall indeed establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel to time indefinite, just as I promised David your father, saying, 'Not a man of yours will be cut off from sitting upon the throne of Israel.'"-1 Kings 9:3-5, see also 2 Samuel 7:16

What happened with King Solomon? Solomon went bad and Jehovah took Israel away from his son, Rehoboam for this. He gave ten of the twelve tribes to Jeroboam, leaving Judah with Solomon's son.

Did God break His promise in this instance? Absolutely Not! God has set standards as to what is allowed and what isn't allowed. If we humans break that rule, then God is free as to His part of the bargain.

Today, God has made a new promise, one that will never be changed even if one who has been the recipient of the promise breaks their end of the bargain. To seal this promise, God sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world to save humanity from sin and death. (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Timothy 2:5-6) He as promised that this One, Jesus Christ, will rule in heaven as King and High Priest forever. (1 Timothy 6:15, Hebrews 6:20) What is more, God has promised to take 144,000 humans from the earth to be co-rulers with Christ in the heavens. These too are kings and priests.-Revelation 14:1-3, 20;6

By doing this, is God breaking His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? No. He said that someone from the tribe of Judah would reign on the throne forever. Jesus Christ is of the tribe of Judah. (Luke 3:23, 33-34; Revelation 5:5) Isn't it interesting, though, how Christ is also a priest, for Paul mentioned, "For it is quite plain that our Lord has sprung up out of Judah, a tribe about which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests." (Hebrews 7:14) And those other 144,000 co-rulers? They are out of every "tribe and tongue and people and nation", not just from the tribe of Levi.-Revelation 5:9-10

It is true that the Jews were at one time the chosen people of God. However, God rejected them because they rejected His Son, Jesus Christ. (Matthew 21:43; 23:37-38) After this, a new covenant was put into effect, "a covenant...for a kingdom." (Luke 22:28-30) In this new covenant, people would now have the opportunity to go to heaven. When did this new covenant start?

Evidently, the New Covenant started at Pentecost 33 C.E. with 120 disciples when holy spirit was poured out upon them. How do we know? Well, this new covenant was for a kingdom, as Christ said. A kingdom in heaven. In other words, this new covenant will take people from earth to heaven to rule with Christ. After that day on Pentecost, the disciples began speaking of a heavenly hope, something that is absent in the gospels and the first chapter of Acts. Throughout the gospels, God's people always spoke of an earthly hope. (Luke 19:11; 24:21; Acts 1:6) After that day, they always discussed a heavenly hope.-Ephesians 2:6-7; 1 Peter 1:3-4

This hope had been open only to Jews at first. (Matthew 10:5-6; 15:24; Luke 14:16-21a) When they rejected Christ, it was opened to everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. (Luke 14:21b-24; Romans 1:16; 2:10) Now, this people became something new. The Bible says of them, "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation a people for special possession."-1 Peter 2:9a

From then on out, the new race of people would be the Anointed Ones, the spiritual brothers of Christ. These were not literal Jews for those were no longer God's people. So if the Jew's were no longer God's chosen people, how could Jehovah keep His promise to Abraham? Paul answers that question.

"You are all, in fact, sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one person in union with Christ Jesus. Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise." (Galatians 3:26-29; Luke 3:7-8) There you have it. By doing what is right and following Christ, these Anointed become descendent's of Abraham. They are "heirs with reference to a promise." What promise? The promise that they will one day become God's children and joint heirs with Christ in the heavens.-Romans 8:14-17

Yes, not all who are from Israel are really Israel. This is not in the sense that they are not natural descendent's of Abraham but that they are not God's children. (Romans 2:26-29; 9:6) To be Abraham's children, you need to be righteous--and Anointed! Those are the ones who inherit the promise to rule forever.

Now how do we of the "Great Crowd" benefit from this promise? (Revelation 7:9-10) Our most important blessing is that we can wash ourselves clean in the blood of Jesus Christ. We are able to worship God forever in His spiritual temple and be shepherded by the Lamb of God to waters of life. Finally, we will have all tears wiped from our eyes! (Revelation 7:13-17) What benefits! Through the reign of the Christ and his spiritual brothers, we have the hope of all those blessing mentioned in Revelation 7:9-17. As the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, the Anointed will be able to, like their heavenly husband, shower rich blessing on all of us on the earth forever. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2, 9-10) May we all strive to remain faithful so as to live under the blessings of Jesus Christ and the 144,000 of God.-Psalm 37:29; Revelation 21:4

What Does the Bible Really Teach?

This publication, What Does the Bible Really Teach? is the main study publication of Jehovah's Witnesses with interested ones. Look at what Wikipedia says about this book:

"What Does the Bible Really Teach? is a 224-page book published in 2005, distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses. It is used to help interested people to learn about the Bible...More than 79 million copies have been produced in 220 languages...Each chapter begins with questions to focus the reader on what will be studied in that chapter. Other questions are found within each chapter, intended to help the student think about the subject. The book is purposely written in simple language, with an appendix containing further information on various doctrinal matters...The Bible is frequently cited throughout the book."

This book helps us to learn "the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God." (Hebrews 5:12) All points are taken straight from the Bible and the book encourages looking into the inspired Word to see if "these things [are] so." (Acts 17:11) Why such an emphasize on the Bible?

Well, the Bible is the inspired Word of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16) In fact, Paul said of the Bible: "For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart."-Hebrews 4:12

The subjects discussed in this 224-page book are as follows:

1. What is the Truth About God?
2. The Bible—A Book From God
3. What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?
4. Who Is Jesus Christ?
5. The Ransom—God’s Greatest Gift
6. Where Are the Dead?
7. Real Hope for Your Loved Ones Who Have Died
8. What Is God’s Kingdom?
9. Are We Living in “the Last Days”?
10. Spirit Creatures—How They Affect Us
11. Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Much more is discussed in the additional eight chapters and fourteen appendixes. The organization that God is using on earth today is always improving itself as God directs it and this book is a prime example of that. It reads easier and is more understandable then the book used before it, Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life.Why not get a copy for yourself by contacting Jehovah's Witnesses locally in your area or click here and see the refreshing Truth as presented in God's holy Word, the Bible? What do you have to lose?

The average, ignorant American and politics today

I don't really follow politics. I don't vote, and keep from having an opinion. Obviously, though, keeping yourself entirely free of a presidential election, and definitely this one, is kind of hard. There are so many absurdities in it. From McCain rambling on about Obama's celebrity status to praising Palin about her's, to Palin going out and buying $150,000 worth of clothes, to Michelle Obama's "For the first time in my adult life" blunder, there has been no other election that has been this crazy to keep track of. The "Iron my Shirt" incident was priceless.

Part of the reason, though, that I have been keeping such a close watch on this election is because of a man at my job, Mick.* Mick is a staunch McCain supporter. He literally hates Barack Obama. He criticizes everything Obama does. I bet if Obama didn't let down the toilet seat, Mick would scream how he was not fit to be president.

At one point, Mick was talking to me about Ayers, Obama's acquaintance who was at one time a terrorist. He asked me if I knew anything about this and I told him I heard about it but wasn't extremely knowledgeable on the matter. He then proceeded to tell me how I represented the average, ignorant American. I took offense but kept my mouth shut. He then showed me some facts about the Obama-Ayers relationship. When he thought he had my full attention and was starting to sway me to his side (I can assure you he wasn't. I think he believes that I am an Obama supporter because I'm bi-racial, black mother, white father. I don't have the heart to tell him I don't have an opinion) he finally let me get back to work.

When I got home I proceeded to check his statements and found that he didn't know his facts. He is so against Obama that he will believe anything anyone tells him that paints Obama in a bad light. I can't stand listening to him but I have a problem that whenever something bad is said about McCain, I have to prod him about it. I can't wait until November 4. If Obama wins, I will let him have it! It is very exciting!

Another thing Mick did that was so funny is how he completely changed his opinion to match the circumstances. When the big deal was Obama v.s. Clinton, Mick told me that he wanted Obama to beat Clinton because America was not ready for a female president. He said women relied too much on emotion then they should and not enough on logic. He then said that even if Obama won, he wanted McCain to beat him because Obama was too much of a celebrity and didn't have enough experience.

Enter Sarah Palin. Extremely low experience, woman, and bigger celebrity then Obama. Yet Mick said that she had enough experience, America is ready for a woman president, and that her celebrity status is a good thing. It can only help McCain in the long run.

Needless to say, I wanted to puke. If anything, Mick is a prime example of your "average, ignorant American." I won't tell him any of this but I honestly feel that since I have more of a neutral view of this, I can see the entire picture clearly, not blur the parts I want to ignore and brighten the parts I want to focus on.

If only everyone could be like that. Indeed, if only people could see how Christians should view politics.

Jesus Christ, when on earth, said this in prayer to his Father, Jehovah. "I have given your word to them, but the world has hated them, because they are no part of the world, just as I am not part of the world. I request you, not to take them out of the world, but to watch over them because of the wicked one. They are no part of the world,just as I am no part of the world."-John 17:14-16

Christ made it very clear that we as Christians are to be no part of the world. Why? Because neither God nor Christ is ruler of the world. Who is? Satan the Devil! The Bible calls Satan "ruler of the world" and "God of this world" as well as saying that the "whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4, English Standard Version; 1 John 5:19) For a Christian to be a part of the world would be partaking in what the Bible calls "the spirit of the world."-1 Corinthians 2:12, compare Ephesians 2:1-2

Being separate from the world means being neutral in politics, like Jesus Christ was. (John 6:15) Too, being separate means shunning materialism and self-centeredness. (1 John 2:15-17) Regarding people who did these things James said, "Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God."-James 4:4

Why is this Christian separateness so important? "The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world." (James 1:27) Our very worship is affected when we are not free from the world!

You see, two things are important to consider when we speak of this. First, the true government under Jesus Christ is the government that Christians uphold. This is called "Kingdom of God". (Mark 1:15) This Kingdom will destroy all wickedness and usher in world-wide peace. (Psalm 37:10-11, 29; Daniel 2:44) For us to throw in a vote for an earthly government is to vote against God's Kingdom and Jesus Christ.

Second, to be a good subject of any government, you must follow the laws of that government. The King, Jesus, has told us to refrain from being materialistic. (Matthew 6:19-23; Mark 10:17-25; Luke 12:15-21) If we do these things, as well as follow his other commands, our worship will be clean and undefiled to our God.