With A Little(What Is Faith?)

 Dr. Mike Murphy

August 8, 2021

A young boy was invited to spend some time with Albert Einstein. Although very intelligent, the young boy was more than a little arrogant.  After spending time with Dr. Einstein, they walked out onto his porch to continue their talk.  As they sat on the porch, the young boy smiled, thinking of a way he could possibly trip up Dr. Einstein.  As they began to sit, the young boy pointed to a tree, and asked, “How do we even know that tree is there?” Calmly Albert Einstein looked over at the young boy and replied, “Only by faith.”

What is faith?  The dictionary defines faith as “strong belief or trust in someone or something, belief in the existence of God, strong religious feelings or beliefs, a system of religious beliefs”.  Although belief and trust are a big part of our faith, to accept this definition would mean that if we believe there is a God or have feelings for God, then we have faith in God.  This is one time Webster and the scholastic world simply got it wrong!  Faith cannot be found through positive thinking.  Faith cannot be defined by intuition or premonition.  Faith is not wishing for the best, and hoping all will turn out okay.  Although many would try to define faith in such terms, it can never be seen or identified in this way.    

The Bible defines faith in an altogether different way.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  When we read this verse, we must ask ourselves, what is the assurance and the conviction that defines our faith?

The word for assurance means “that has foundation and actual existence, a firm substance of real being.”   The word comes from another Greek word that actually means “to stand under”.  Assurance is certainty, the reality of trust we have in things around us.  When we walk up the stairs in our home, we do so with certainty, without second thought.  We have walked up those stairs so many times that we know they will support us, and get us to where we need to be.  Assurance is based in trust, knowing we can rely on something with complete confidence.

Conviction means “that by which a thing is proved or tested”.  This is why we refer to the term when someone has been found guilty of a crime.  The conviction of our faith is the same.  We have been shown the evidence, and have seen all the things that support that evidence.  We have conducted our own personal trial, and been shown all the facts.  We have intelligently looked at this evidence, and have made our ruling.  Jesus Christ is who He claims to be!  He is the Son of the living God, who came to this earth to offer each of us a true and lasting hope!

When we take a close look at these two words, we begin to see the power that Paul placed in this verse.  And when we go back and look at the verse in its’ original language, we see even more power.  The Greek literally translates, “Now faith is the reality of things being hoped for, the proof of things not seen.”  Our faith is both reality and proof, it is based on both our mindful acknowledgement and our certainty.  We cannot know and understand faith without both.  Through our mindful acknowledgement, we have the proof our faith is based on. Through our certainty, we experience the reality of knowing our faith is true.  

The best way this can be explained, is by doing so the way Jesus would have. Through a example or parable. When we see a boat, our mind quickly identifies the object and recognizes it as a boat, not as a car or a plane.  Through our experiences, we have come to know the purpose of a boat.  The boat is designed to keep us afloat on water, and to help us get to the other side.  Our faith is likened to the trust that allows us to step into that boat, knowing what it is designed for and the purpose it is meant to serve.  This is why Paul goes on to tell us that without faith, it is impossible for us to please God(Hebrews 11:6).  For the Lord knows that without faith, we will never find ourselves in that boat!

To truly understand faith, we need to understand where our faith comes from.  Faith is not something we can just learn.  It is not something we can obtain on our own.  And it is not something that we are born with.  Faith is a gift.  It is not a gift we deserve, or a gift we have earned.  Along with His grace and mercy, it is a gift that leads to His glory, a gift to fulfill His plan and purpose for each of us.  A gift that will never be any better than the One we place that faith in.

Faith is vital to the life of every Christian.  We are saved through faith(Ephesians 2:8), we are justified by faith(Romans 5:1),  our hearts are cleansed by faith(Acts 15:9), and through our faith we look forward to the return of Christ(2 Peter 3).  It it because of our faith that we please God, that we show the Lord our trust and dependency on Him, and that we seek to rely on His mercy and His grace.  

Our faith is rational(Hebrews 11:3), showing us that God is the Creator of all.  Our faith is revolutionary(Hebrews 11:4-8), making the invisible visible, and the impossible possible. Our faith is inspiring(Hebrews 11:4-40), leading us to places we would have never gone, and accomplishing things we would have never imagined.  And our faith is discerning(Hebrews 11:26), teaching us the rewards of Heaven over the riches of man. 

Our faith is trusting, our faith is rational, and our faith calls us to action.  As we closely see how the Lord defines faith, let us take a closer look at each of these.

Faith Is Trusting.  

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”, Proverbs 3:5..  A verse many of us have grown up knowing, being taught to us from our earliest years.  Many will often try to separate the words trust and faith, but you actually cannot.  Although they are two different words, you cannot define one of these words without the other.  It is through trust that we can believe in all the promises God has given us.  And it is through faith that we trust those promises will be fulfilled.  Without trust, our faith would rely on hope.  Trust gives us the assurance of those things, and what separates the truth of God’s Word from all the other religions of this would.  We have seen the fulfillment of God’s Word, therefore we can trust His Word.  No other religion can make that claim!  They just hope the false words their ‘god’ has given them will come true.

Two hundred and forty-five times we see the word faith used in the King James Version of the New Testament.  What may surprise you, it is only used twice in the Old Testament.  But both times the word carries incredible meaning. In Habakkuk 2:4 we read, “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”   The Hebrew word for faith means “firm, secure, trustworthiness”.  It is actually derived from another word that means “craftsman”.  A craftsman was seen as a one who was an expert in his field, whose actions could be trusted.  Someone whose actions had purpose and meaning, and what they made you could be secure in.  It is by no mistake that the words is used here!  It is by faith that we can have security and trust in God’s Word and His work.  This word shows us that there is far more to faith that just knowing God.  It shows us that faith is trusting God, and believing that we should follow His will.  

Trust is a call to our faith.  Trust is why we should follow God with all our heart, committing every part of our life to the Lord with complete confidence. Showing us that our faith does not rest in the logic of men, but in the proven wisdom of God.  Jesus said in Luke 4:4, “It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”  Trust shows us why our faith in Christ is all we will ever need!

Faith is Rational.

Our faith is not a philosophical theory or even a psychological fact.  Our faith is nothing short of a spiritual force!  Our faith is living, created from a Living Word, that has produced a living proof!  Although our faith is not solely based on evidence, it is supported by every ounce of evidence this world has ever seen.

Despite what many would try to tell us, our faith is not blind.  The very heart of the Christian worldview is based on actual evidence, not on blind faith.  It is only after one is presented with overwhelming evidence that he or she is invited to place their faith in the facts of the Gospel.  Our faith is not about turning off our brains and only following our heart.  It is also not driven by the emotions of the day.  Our faith is about seeking Christ with every character and feature of our body, every cell that makes up our existence being used to follow God.  Our mind shows us the reality of all we hear, and our eyes shows us each day that our faith is not blind.

Throughout the Scriptures we are shown that reason, understanding, and wisdom are traits that are rewarded.  Proverbs 3:13 tells us, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”  This verse tells us we are blessed when we seek wisdom from, and understanding in God.  We must remember, that God created us with the ability to reason and to think.  And He gave us those abilities for a very specific purpose, so that we might seek and find the truth.  God knows that if we truly seek that truth, we will find Him.  Psalm 14:1 tells us, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.”  The word for fool used here does not refer to a lack of intelligence, but refers to a person without morals.  This verse shows us that when we deny the existence of God, we put ourselves on a path in search of evil.  Reason and understanding that does not focus on God, soon becomes the logic that leads us to the evil of this world. Faith is not only rational, faith is a sign of intelligence in God’s eyes!

Faith Is Action.

An impala is an amazing creature.  This antelope found in the savanna of Africa, has athleticism and grace that few animals can match.  In a single jump it can reach heights of over ten feet, and can leap distances of over thirty feet.  But with all of its’ abilities, you can enclose an impala behind a three foot wall and it will never escape.  An impala will never jump if it cannot first see where its’ feet will land.  Fear, and this world, would have us be like the impala.  Entrapped in fences without knowing what lies beyond.  But our faith allows us to overcome the fear of these fences that Satan would place in front of us.  Our faith draws us into action, causing us to step over those fences.

We must begin to understand, faith is not just believing in the evidence God would have us see, it is putting that wisdom into action.  Faith is not just cheap talk, faith also requires our hard work.  Faith takes us beyond talk, it puts us into action.  Faith is more that just believing in God, faith leads us to behave by the Word of God.

Faith is an action.  Look at the Bible as an example.  Noah built an ark.  Abraham departed his home when he received the call of God.  Moses commanded Pharaoh to let the Israelis go.  Joshua fought for the Lord.  Samuel anointed David.  Each of these were acts of faith.  Faith requires action, without action there cannot be faith.  In Hebrew there is not even a noun form of the word for faith, it can only be found in verb form.  Each of the above patriarchs stand in the presence of the Lord today, because they chose(a verb) to follow the call of God.

Faith is a doctrine that is expressed through our choice, through our action.  Faith leads us from belief toward trust and obedience, and that trust and obedience requires us to act.  We must never forget, faith is our trust, our reasoning, and our understanding in action.  In order to follow God, we must first get up, and put all that God shows us into movement.  Our faith is evident in everything we do.  It is only when we put our faith into action, that the world around us can see Christ reflected in each of us!

Faith!  A word far more powerful that most of us ever imagined.  A word that Christ tells us with the smallest of amounts we could move mountains.  Our faith brought us to the Cross, put us on our knees in front of that Cross, and calls us to show the world the beauty of that Cross. Faith is not just our holding on to God.  It is knowing that God is holding on to us, and that He will never let us go!  It is us knowing that before He even thought to let go, He would move mountains. That He would and will move this very earth because of our faith.

Praying each of you will move mountains!

Simple Kind Of Man

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 28, 2021

"It made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance; for there never came thought into mine heart before now that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ.  It made me love a holy life, and long to do something for the honour and glory of the name of the Lord Jesus.  Yea, I thought that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus."

Who do you think wrote these words?  Would you guess one of the Christian writers like C.S. Lewis, Fanny Crosby, or G.K. Chesterton?  Or would you guess one of the great novelist of history like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, or John Steinbeck?  Or would you guess one of the great ministers like C.H. Spurgeon, Charles Finney, or Billy Graham? Although each would reference him, and most would often quote him, none of these wrote the words above.  These are the words of a man few know the name of, but a man God used in a powerful way.  These are the words of John Bunyan.

Most hear the name Bunyan and immediately think of a giant of a man with a blue ox, but John Bunyan was just as giant of a man in his own right. Countless stories you have read, and endless sermons you have heard, all have their roots in the words of John Bunyan.  He was a man far more quoted than known.  John Bunyan spoke words that would stir you, and wrote words that would move you.  He made the greatest of scholars marvel, and the worthiest of theologians ponder.  But through it all, John Bunyan was never more than a simple man.

Bunyan lived his life in the 1600’s in the town of Bedford, just north of London.  He came from a poor family, and never received much of a formal education.  As he became a young man, he served in the army for a brief time, then returned to work with his father as a tinker(metal worker).  Through it all, he lived his life far from God, but the whole time the Holy Spirit was working on John Bunyan.  Many nights, he would awake from dreams where he saw visions of demons in his sleep.  One Sunday, while playing sports, his mind was suddenly filled with a thought that he could not shake, a thought that startled him.  “Will you leave your sins and go to heaven, or have your sins and go to hell?”  It was a thought that stayed with him.  A short time later, he overheard several godly woman talking while making lace to sell.  He heard them speak of the joys of salvation, and how their own righteousness was unable to save them.  The words would stick with John Bunyan, and he would remember them often.

Many of these thoughts and incidents led John to clean up his life, looking to be seen as a moral man.  But there was still one problem, God had yet to change his heart.  So John still struggled internally as he tried to look moral outwardly.  John remembered the group of women he had heard speak of the joys of salvation, and knew they attended a local Baptist church.  John soon found himself at the church, and soon found himself close with the pastor of the church, who took John under his wing.  John did not find Christ overnight, it took him years to work through the demons that haunted him.  But through it all, Christ found John, and found a permanent place in John’s heart.

As John grew in Christ, his love for God’s Word also grew.  Soon John became a deacon of the church, and soon found himself preaching on Sundays. It did not take the church long to recognize the gift that God had given this man, and the call He had placed on his life.  John began to preach wherever, and whenever he could. It is reported that often thousands would bear the rain and storms to come hear John speak.  He would speak wherever the Holy Spirit moved and led him, often in barns, stables or even in open pastures.  But wherever he was led, John spoke the truth in God’s Word, and he spoke each word with a boldness that was led by that truth.

But with each word John spoke, enemies grew.  At this time in history, the State controlled much of the Church.  They did not agree with the way John conducted his sermons, and they were upset at the fact that he had not been formally trained as a minister.  So John was arrested, and put on trial.  During the trial, those who had captured John came to him.  They told him they would set him free if only he would promise to never preach again.  This was tempting to John, as he had a wife and four children, one daughter who was blind.  He worried what would become of his family without him working and providing for them.  But the Lord spoke to John, and John stood strong.  As John was sent to prison, the magistrate warned him that if he ever got out of prison and preached again, the State would hang him.  John’s reply startled all who heard, “If I were out of prison today, I would preach the Gospel again tomorrow by the help of God.”

For the next twelve years, John would call a prison cell home.  But even from the isolation of a cell, the Lord gave John a voice, and He blessed John in ways he could have never imagined.  From the cell, the Lord spoke to John, and the words He led John to write have blessed the world many times over.  From his cell, John wrote, Pilgrim’s Progress, and Grace Abounding To The Chief Of Sinners, and other incredible writings of God’s mercy and His love.  John once explained that it was in prison that the Lord opened His Word to him in ways He never could have anywhere else.  God had a captured audience in John, and John soon found that his capture was actually a blessing, allowing him endless time to spend with our Lord.  John would later say of prison, “He can make a jail more beautiful than a palace, restraint more sweet by far than liberty, and the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”

After spending twelve years behind bars, John was released and eventually given a license to preach.  With each word John spoke, thousands would flock to hear him speak of Christ.  His words had a power that even the greatest of scholars could not explain.  One of the greatest theologian scholars of the today, John Owen, would often find himself listening to the words of John Bunyan.  One day, King Charles II would ask John Owen what he could possible gain from hearing this tinker preach?  Owen answered the king by saying, “May it please your majesty, if I could possess that tinker’s abilities for preaching, I would most gladly relinquish all my learning.”

John Bunyan never spoke a word of Greek or Hebrew.  Terms that I use today so easily like Tetragrammaton, Theophany, and Soteriology, John Bunyan never knew.  But of this man C.H. Spurgeon would once say, “Prick that man anywhere and his blood is bibline.” There is not a single word of Pilgrim’s Progress that is not supported and immersed in the Word of God.  John Bunyan’s knowledge of God’s truth was not found in a book, but as you read each of his words it is not hard to see that His truth is found.  Bunyan did not find that truth though in the words of others, but in the Word of God.  I could build a library the size of Texas, fill it with the works of every great theological scholar of history, and it would still not compare to the understanding that John Bunyan had through his personal relationship and the conversations he had with our Lord.  Bunyan showed us that knowledge and logic may be found in men, and may be seen in a book, but only wisdom can come from the Lord.  A wisdom that He so longs to share with each of us still today.

By all accounts, John Bunyan was a simple man.  A man who never studied at the feet of the world’s great scholars. A man who most of our seminaries today would scoff at, would reject and never allow to grace their halls. A man who most churches would never hire, and most denominations would never give the time of day.  A man the world would describe as simple.  But a man whose Godly wisdom made him far from simple.

As I talk about the life of John Bunyan, the words of a song from my youth come back to me.  “Be a simple kind of man.  Be something you love and understand.”  With each day I left to spend on this earth, I pray the Lord will make me a simple kind of man.  A man whose heart will simply feel the love that Christ brought to us.  Whose eyes will see the simple truth His Word shows us.  Whose ears will simply hear the grace and mercy His whispers to each of us.  And whose mind will know the simple wisdom only He can give us. 

I wish to follow a truth that is not confined stiffly to the pages of a book, but a Godly truth that flows, moves and breaths as He surrounds me in that truth. A truth that drives me to my knees, and keeps me on my knees.  A truth that quiets me when this world calls me to speak, but emboldens me when the Lord needs me to speak.  A truth that no man can offer me, but a truth that the Lord so graciously gives me.  A simple truth that cannot be found in my own words, but are found in every word that He speaks through me.

More than once, I have spoke of a faith I was blessed to have seen in my grandmother.  One of my most cherished possessions is a Bible that she used every day. As you open each page of her Bible, you can barely read the verses because of all she wrote in the margins.  But each time I look closely, I find those margins far from a distraction, but filled with wisdom.  My grandmother was far from being considered an “educated woman”.  Her formal education ended with the fifth grade.  In the writings of the margin of her Bible, you will not find a single theological word that myself, and most theologians use freely each day.  But in each of her words you will find a wisdom and an understanding that speaks directly to your heart.  A simple truth that no book could have shown her, that only the Lord could have revealed to her.  An understanding that goes far deeper than the sophisticated words I have often spoken and written.  A simple truth that explains God’s Word in a way that every man can comprehend, and that all of His children yearns to understand.

I pray, that the Church, and myself, will return to a faith like the one that once brought children to the knee of Christ.  A faith filled with the innocence of humility and trust, A faith filled with an unbridled joy, that would allow us to rush to His lap, and to feel Him surround us with His arms.  A faith without pride, ambition, and absence of pretentiousness. A faith that forgets our own logic, and seeks the blessings of His wisdom.  A simple faith that is only known in a Father’s love, and only felt in our Father’s presence.

A simple faith that led the psalmist to proclaim, “The unfolding of Your words gives light.  It gives understanding to the simple.”(Psalm  119:130).  A message of faith that took the most sophisticated plan that man would ever know, and brought that plan to this world in the most simple of ways.  A simple truth that came into this world as a Child so many years ago.  A simple wisdom, that Child would grow to give us, and spend each day explaining to us.  A simple mercy that Child would die on a cross for so that we might all know.  A simple grace that Child offers to each of us today.  A simple love, that the Spirit of that Child longs to fill in each of us as you read these words.  A simple message that longs to again be heard throughout this world today.  A simple truth that yearns to be heard again by this simple kind of man.

Praying a simple understanding will soon return to this land and to this Church.

The Future Hold All The Answers!

 Dr. Mike Murphy

May 12, 2021

The Book of Revelation.  A book of the Bible that more quote than understand, that more discuss than read.  A book that most have an opinion on, but far too few have the insight to explain.  A book that our world has sadly come to know more by its’ symbols than by the message of its’ words.  A book of the Bible than more see as a fictional novel, than for the factional warnings that fill its’ pages.

Ask a group as they leave church this Sunday to explain the Book of Revelation, and you will get mainly glazed stares and complete silence.  Many will tell you they do not have the training to fully understand John’s vision, and the words God instructed him to give us. What we fail to see is that Revelation does not come with a warning label, only a simple set of instructions the Lord ask us to follow.  God wants all of us to understand the Book of Revelation!  We so easily forget, God did not choose the most scholarly man He could find to reveal the events of Revelation to.  He gave them to a fisherman named John.  A simple man of faith who looked to God and His Word for the answers.  A man of prayer, and a man who studied and often quoted the words of those God had also chosen in past years to reveal His Word through.

When God inspired and revealed the book of Revelation to John, He intended for us to understand every part, in every chapter.  And just like John, through our prayer and study we can understand the prophecies that we find in its’ chapters.  And any prophecy we may not understand fully, we have the promise that one day all will be made clear when we see that prophecy fulfilled.

We must understand, the key to comprehending Revelation is not found in the Book of Revelation.  We must look to many of the same prophets of old that John, the apostles, and Christ Himself often quoted.  Revelation is the culmination of many of the prophecies we find throughout Scripture.  The Book of Revelation gives color and detail to the masterpiece many of the Old Testament prophets had already began to paint.  Revelation continues and completes what these men of God had started, to shine a light on the dark future this world gives us, and to show us a Glorious Hope where no hope would otherwise be found.

Many will say that the Book of Revelation can never be understood, and it generally serves no purpose for us to study it or devote time in it.  In many churches today, the book is ignored, seen as controversial and generally to hard to comprehend.  I do not believe that those who would assert this philosophy have even thought through what they are saying.  In reality, they are telling you that God is foolish.  That God gave us the detailed and visionary words of this book with no purpose in mind.  These words are simply there for no other reason that to fill up space.  The Bible tells us, “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil.”, Proverbs 16:4.  God has a purpose for all things, and each purpose leads to the fulfillment of God’s plan.  If we choose to ignore that purpose, we must be willing to accept that we can never understand that plan.  Revelation, and all prophecy, brings to life the purpose of that plan!

To best understand Revelation, and all prophecy, we must be willing to put our own desires and interpretations aside, and concentrate on God’s will and His vision.  2 Peter 1:20-21 tells us, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  Our hermeneutics, the principles of interpretation, must reflect the vision the Holy Spirit shows us, not the image that we desire to see.  We must have a desire to see and understand Scripture through the Lord’s eyes, not through our own.

So if God intended for Revelation to be understood, and to have us see the future through His eyes, why have so many interpretations of these prophecies been presented and often taught?  Let us take a look at the four main interpretations of Revelation, and see what image is reflected in our own eyes, and what vision is seen through God’s eyes.  

Idealist or Symbolic Interpretation

Those who follow this view teach that there are no references in Revelation to actual events, past, present or future.  This view uses a symbolic or allegorical approach to its’ interpretation.  Revelation is seen as imagery that represents the ongoing struggle of good versus evil.  Followers of this interpretation will tell you that John was trying to put forth an idea, not a literal prophetic message.  Idealists see five main purposes in the book.  First, it calls us to live an honorable life.  Second, it teaches us we are to endure.  Third, it tells us that evil will be overcome in the end.  Fourth, it gives us a glimpse into who Christ is.  And fifth, that history is in the mind of God and can be seen in the moral destiny of men.

This allegorical view of Revelation was first thought to be widely introduced by Origen, and made popular by Augustine.  Much of the early church rejected this view, but the view has again come to prominence among many theologians in recent years.  One of these recent theologians, Robert Mounce, stated, “Revelation is a theological poem presenting the ageless struggle between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. It is a philosophy of history wherein Christian forces are continuously meeting and conquering the demonic forces of evil.”

They teach that the symbols of Revelation are not representative of events, but of themes.  For example, the battles written of in Revelation are seen as spiritual warfare, Christian persecution throughout the ages.  The beast of the sea is seen as political opposition to the Church.  And the catastrophes foretold are seen as God’s unhappiness with man.

There are many problems with this approach.  It becomes based on man’s interpretations, not on God’s intended meaning.  The culture and politics of the day become influencing factors of this view.  The view turns on itself, as the symbolism it is based on can be seen to represent whatever one chooses.  And above all, it ignores God’s own words. Those who say that moral instructions are the purpose of Revelation, ignore what Christ Himself says about the book. Revelation 22:18-19 tells us, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”  Christ specifically tells us the purpose of this book, it is prophetic, not symbolic!  When we place interpretative symbolism over proven substance, we forfeit our understanding of God’s plan.

Historicist Interpretation

This view teaches that Revelation predicts and envelops the whole history of the Church, from the time of the Apostles until the end of this Age.  Many who take this position see in the first three chapters of Revelation as seven distinct eras of the Church’s history.  They see in chapters four through seven the decline and eventual fall of the Roman Empire. They tell you the judgments of chapters eight through eleven represent the challenges of Western Europe, and the rise of religions that oppose the Church.  Many proclaim the fifth trumpet judgment as the rise of Islam, and see the sixth trumpet judgment as the emergence of the Turks.  Many see chapters eleven through thirteen as the struggles of the Protestant Church against Catholicism, with chapters fourteen through nineteen representing God’s judgment against the Catholic Church.

There are many criticisms of this approach, including the wide variety of interpretations that have come from it.  It has been said that as many as fifty different interpretations have been present at various moments in history, with no two interpretations agreeing with what events of history were being represented. These views tend to focus on Western Europe, ignoring the rest of the world. Focusing its’ attention to struggles between Protestantism and Catholicism.  It is for these reason, that this viewpoint has been all but forgotten, with only a very few following it today.  Those that do find themselves waist deep in prophetic gobbledy-gook, not knowing which direction to turn to find a way out.  The Lord requires us to both read and understand the prophecies that Revelation gives us(Revelation 1:3), not to look to assign meaning to them by connecting them to events of history.

Preterist Interpretation

The term preterist comes from the Latin word ‘preter’, which means past. Most preterists see the Olivet Discourse(Matthew 24) and the Book of Revelation fulfilled by the events of the destruction of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  They state that chapters one through three deal with the conditions of the churches of Asia Minor prior to the events of 70 AD, with the rest of Revelation being fulfilled by the events that surround the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.  Full preterism then teaches that chapters twenty through twenty-two of Revelation have already been fulfilled, and we are now living in the era of the promised new heaven and new earth.  While partial preterism teaches that the events of chapters twenty through twenty-two will be fulfilled at a future date, with the resurrection of believers and the return of Christ.

The teachings of preterism can be traced back to a Jesuit priest named Luis de Alcazar.  His commentary, Vestigatio arcani sensus in Apocalypsi, published a year after his death in 1614, put forth this viewpoint in response to many pointing to the Pope as the Anti-Christ.  This theory took the focus off the conflict between Catholicism and the Reformationists, placing it on events that had already been fulfilled.

When we closely examine this interpretation, the flaws quickly become overwhelming. We must first accept that Alcazar was given greater understanding than over fifteen hundred prior years of Church history.  That he understood more than those who were taught at the very feet of John, many who lived, or had relatives live through, the events they say the Revelation described.  We are told that Polycarp was a disciple of John.  From his writings, Irenaeus tells us that he was taught by Polycarp.  And we also  know that Irenaeus taught and mentored  Hippolytus, who we also have early church writings from.  Irenaeus wrote of his teacher Polycarp, “Polycarp...instructed by apostles...always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true.”

So what exactly did Polycarp teach about Revelation?  Irenaeus addressed this in his writing Against Heresies, and Hippolytus also addressed the issue in Treatise on Christ and Antichrist.  They tell us that Satan will attempt to reign over mankind as a man we know as Antichrist, and he will desire for all to worship him as God.  They connect the teaching of Christ, Daniel, and the writings of John, teaching of a seven year tribulation with the “abomination of desolation” at its’ midpoint.  The Antichrist will be the little horn of Daniel(Daniel 7), and will overthrow three other kings of the earth as he gains his power. The Antichrist will deceive the majority of the people of this world, and will persecute those who refuse to worship him as God.  They also tell us that at the end of these seven years, and after the three and one half year reign of the Antichrist(the last half of the Tribulation), Christ will return and destroy the kingdom of Satan.  Those who were taught by John did not teach or believe the interpretation of Alcazar, who had objectives besides truth in mind when he penned these views.

Another problem those that follow preterism cannot overcome is the date of when John wrote the Revelation.  And once again the writings of Irenaeus and Hippolytus are not their friends.  In order for Revelation to apply to the events of the destruction of Jerusalem, then Revelation would have had to have been written before 70 AD, as these prophecies were written and given future tense. Almost every legitimate Biblical scholar will tell you that John was given and wrote the Revelation from the isle of Patmos around 95 AD, long after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.  And when we look at the writings and beliefs of our early Church fathers, like and including Irenaeus and Hippolytus, they all tell us that it was also given and written by John at this time, not before the Temple and the city were destroyed.

Closely looking at this interpretation, we see more than just flaws in the fabric, we see gaping tears in the material.  We see a view that was not introduced to show others the truth, but to put forth for alternative motives.  We see prophetic truth becoming prophetic delusion when we examine this view closely.

Futurist Interpretation

When the world today hears of the events Revelation describes, most recognize it from the futurist viewpoint.  Most within the evangelical church today hold to a futurist interpretation of the Olivet Discourse and the book of Revelation. Futurists follow the words of Christ in Revelation 1:19 as a guideline.  “ Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”. When we look closely at chapter one, we see what John had been shown, the glorified Christ on the isle of Patmos. When we look at chapters two and three, we see John describe the things “which are”, the seven churches of Asia Minor and the realities those churches each faced.  Then when we look at chapters four through twenty-two, we see described events “which will take place”, future events that those of John’s day had not yet seen.

Futurism applies a literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation.  Chapters four through nineteen describe events that the world will see because man has failed to follow God.  For example, chapter thirteen describes a future world empire that will be lead by political and religious leaders known as the two beasts.  In chapter seventeen, we will see an apostate Church represented by the harlot.  In chapter nineteen, we see the literal and physical return of Christ, and the battle in which He will overcome Satan and those that choose to follow him.  In chapter twenty we see Christ reign over this earth for a thousand years in what we call the Millennium.  And in the final two chapters, we see the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.

Futurists rightly contend that this literal interpretation can be traced back to the founding fathers of the Church.  These beliefs can be found in the writings of the Church’s earliest leaders.  Clement, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and many others all taught and wrote these principles.  It was not until Origen introduced an allegorical interpretation of the Bible in the early two hundreds that this view was not widely accepted.  In modern times, the literal interpretation of the founding fathers of the Church has once again rose to prominence.

Those who follow the view of futurism do not discount or deny the symbols that are found in John’s writing.  Nor do they claim to have all the answers when it comes to these symbols, they do not claim to be able to explain every detail of these symbols with complete certainty.  But they do teach and believe, that a literal interpretation must be applied and followed throughout the Book of Revelation.  They believe that consistency must be used when reading the prophecies John gave us.  Only futurism instructs the reader to take a literal view of each of these symbols and visions, reducing the difficulty in understanding and teaching  each.

When we look closely at all four of these interpretations, it becomes obvious to those who seek the Truth which view reflects those of John.  When we implement and compare the principle of letting Scripture interpret Scripture, it is not hard to see which interpretation holds up to this scrutiny.  When we look at the Book of Revelation with a perspective of the entire Bible and its’ history, we soon see which view we must follow.  When we look at past prophecies, and see how the Lord fulfilled His words and His warnings, we soon come to see that futurism emerges as the only credible interpretation.  The first three interpretations ignore the basic teachings of Scripture, having resulted in a myriad of errors in predicting and explaining the words and warnings John gave us.  The facts of Scripture, and the history we find in the Church, prove to us beyond a doubt that we should all take a futurist interpretation when reading John’s words.

So next time you sit down, and open your Bible, do not be afraid to read the Book of Revelation!  Never feel that it is a part of God’s Word you cannot and will not ever understand.  Pray before you read it, and trust that the Lord gave John these very words so that you might know them.  And as you read the words of John, please remember, the future hold all the answers!

Every time you read God’s Word, I pray you  stay true to God’s Word(Revelation 22:18-19)!

Jeremiah's America

Dr. Mike Murphy
March 31, 2020

Of all the heroes of the Bible, one seems to intrigue me the most.  Each time I find myself reading the words of Jeremiah, I always seem to take pause, reading over each of the words again and again.  And with each read, the Lord always teaches me more.  Always showing me something I had not seen before.

Jeremiah found himself in the midst of difficult times.  After the death of King Josiah, the nation of Judah had lost its’ compass, wandering aimlessly away from the direction of God.  Jeremiah referred to Judah as a prostitute(Jeremiah 2:20, 3:1-3), willing to sell itself for a moment of pleasure.  A nation far more interested in following their own ways, than in turning to God’s proven wisdom. So often, Jeremiah warned the people that God’s judgement was at hand.  But because God had so often delivered Israel from the hand of destruction, they took for granted that God would just save them again.. Each warning of Jeremiah was ignored, because Jeremiah did not speak the words the people wanted to hear.

Jeremiah watched as the people followed a worship ritual, but still lived a sinful lifestyle each day.  The words they heard at the Temple had become nothing more than ceremony.  Words spoke on the Sabbath, that were forgotten by the following day.  The people did not make God a part of their daily lives, and His laws and ways were not a part of their daily decisions.  The image of the Temple had become more important to the people than the substance of their faith in God.  And when the people looked at the Temple, they did not see an image of their relationship with the Father, they saw a status symbol.  The Temple was seen as a protector, a sanctuary that placed them above the evil of the world around them.

As Jeremiah watched the people each day, the message that Jeremiah was called on to deliver to the people became a difficult one.  Jeremiah had an unquestioned love for his land of Judah, and for its’ people.  But the love that Jeremiah had for the Lord was even stronger.  This left Jeremiah to speak words that had to trouble him, that had to bring him great pain as the words passed from his lips.  Each time the Lord told Jeremiah to warn the people of Judah’s coming destruction, you can hear Jeremiah pleading with the Lord to give him other words to speak.  Jeremiah prayed, begged, petitioned, and beseeched the Lord to give him a different message to deliver to the people.

After hearing Jeremiah’s heartfelt pleas, the Lord again spoke to Jeremiah.  And the words that Jeremiah heard the Lord speak to him, must have been just as hard for him to hear.  The Lord told Jeremiah, “As for you, do not pray for these people, and do not lift up cry nor prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you.”.(Jeremiah 7:16).  More than once, Jeremiah heard the Lord repeat these words(Jeremiah 11:14, Jeremiah 15:1). Through all of Jeremiah’s  pleas, the word of the Lord became very clear. Because the people were unrepentant of their sins, the Lord was lifting His hand from covering them, and would watch as a pagan king would take them into captivity.

Many read these words and ask, why would the Lord does this?  Why would He not send Jeremiah to call on the people to repent?  It all comes down to one word, truth.  The truth is, God’s blessings flow to us when we are committed to God.  The truth is, there are consequences to a hardened, unrepentant heart. And the truth is, sin had so incorporated and numbed the hearts and minds of the people, that Judah no longer feared or respected God.  Although God would have loved nothing more than to see His people fall to their knees before Him, He knew that in reality, they had turned their backs on Him.  He knew that no matter how long and hard Jeremiah prayed, Judah would not seek His face.  God knew that as He lifted His hand of protection from Judah, a hand they did not want covering them, that a terrible fate awaited them.  And out of His love, He called on Jeremiah to warn the people of what was to come.  The bottom line is, God did not reject the people of Israel, the people of Israel had rejected God.

As I read the words God gave to Jeremiah, my thoughts turn to this day, and to this country..  I watch as our country grows more each day to look and sound like the people of Judah.  We find ourselves going through the motions without even realizing what those motions are, or where those motions will lead us.  We speak of God, but never find the time or desire to speak to God.  And we quote the Word of God, without even knowing what those words say.

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, once warned of the days we find ourselves living in, "I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost; Christianity without Christ; forgiveness without repentance; salvation without regeneration; politics without God; and Heaven without Hell." Like the words that Jeremiah spoke to Judah, the words and warnings of Booth and others fall on the same deaf ears today. 

Paul tells us that a time will come when people will not tolerate the truth, and will twist the Word of God to fit their own desires(2 Timothy 4:3-4).  Just as Judah did with Jeremiah, many will ignore the warnings and the pleads that will come from men of God on that day.  Warnings that are not to be given because these men seek destruction.  But because they know that the truth must persevere in order to reach as many with that truth as possible, and as a warning of coming judgement to those who refuse to listen to that truth.  As I look at the world today, I hear Paul’s words, and I hear the voices of many Godly men beginning to speak those warnings.  I hear the prayers and pleas of those men falling on deaf ears.  And I wonder how long it will be until these men hear the Lord speak to them the words they never want to hear.  Words that tell them to pray for America no more.

God’s Word tells us, “For the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”(1 Corinthians 1:18).  It breaks my heart to have to say, but we live in a country that now finds more foolishness in the Cross than it does truth.  And if breaks my heart even more, as I listen to many who claim to speak for God, making more excuses for the Word of God, than speaking words to explain the truth of God’s Word.  We are a nation that spends far more time on our backside than we do on our knees.  More concerned with meaningless political promises and Hollywood gossip, than we are concerned with the rising chaos that is coming at us.  We are a people that thinks we have the power to define evil, believing that following the lesser of two evils is a path that God would lead us on.  Not even realizing that by following any degree of evil, we are doing nothing more than trying to justify the following of our own path, completely ignoring the path God is pointing us toward. I defy anyone to show me a single verse in the Bible that makes even the slightest suggestion that through our affirmation of evil. good is produced.  Can you show me just one verse?  But in our attempt to do so, we are making Christianity a sub-culture, not the counterculture that the Lord called us to be.

We cannot look to God seeking to repent, because we no longer know how to repent, and what the word means.  We think that repentance is nothing more than casually saying to God today we are sorry, and believing that we can just repeat those words again tomorrow.  We so easily forget, repentance is not just heard in our words, but seen in our actions.  Repentance is a three part process, in which we seek forgiveness of our sins, turn away from those sins, and turn to God so we will sin no more.  We cannot find our knees to repent, because we do not think we need to seek forgiveness.  Finding it easier to justify and redefine our sins, than to turn to God and turn away from those sins.

America, I pray for you, and I beg of you, find your knees.  I plead with you to hear these words I speak to you.  You can mock me, make fun of me, ridicule me, and even hate me, but please do not ignore these words.  Words that not just I alone am speaking to you. Please, please, do not let this opportunity pass.  Hear the calls to return to God while those words are still just calls.  Let the words of David be your rallying cry.  “Teach me Your way, O Lord: I will walk in Your truth.  Unite my heart to fear Your name.”(Psalm 86:11).  Place those words in your heart, and hold them tight.  Do not take God’s blessings and His mercy for granted.  I cry out to you America, do not let the words of this call turn into the words of a warning.  Do not let those who call out to you hear the words the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. Numbing words, that bring their greatest fears for this nation into a reality.

To those who take these words to heart, who call on the name of God. Make these words, your words.  Do not let a few speak these words alone.  Now is not the time for silence, but a last call to action.  Do not just support those who speak, find your own voice, and speak loudly.  The future holds plenty of time for a hoarse voice to heal, so speak loudly and boldly each of your words today.  Do not let fear or crowds stop you, let the Holy Spirit guide you.  Never forget, many, if not most, will not like what you have to say, but they need to hear every word the Lord is calling on you to speak.  Let the words of Paul drive you, “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed”(2 Timothy 1:12).  Those who will try to silence you will also look to shame you.  But find no shame in each of the words God calls on you to speak.  Even though they may not yet realize it, their only hope lies in each of your faithful words.

Never forget, this nation is worth fighting for!  God has used this nation in amazing ways, and can still use this country in amazing ways again.  This country has given us opportunities like none this world has ever know.  Liberties and freedom that history could not have even imagined.  God has used this country to take His Word to places that most thought could never be reached.  Created technological advancement through this nation that brought His name to people most never knew existed.  I beg you, do not make that our past, make that again our future.  Before the words of these calls turn to warnings, again make His future, our future.  Make His purpose, our purpose.  And make His hopes, our hopes   Do not let history repeat itself.  Let us learn from the words of Jeremiah, not have the Lord call on men of God today to repeat those words.

I beg of you America, find your knees.  While there is still time left before nothing is able to be found of us at all.

Praying the words Jeremiah once heard, are not spoken by God about this nation again today.