My thoughts for today, October 24, 2024
Failure to see what the Bible proclaims.
The Bible begins with Genesis, the prologue of the Pentateuch.
God’s desire was and is to have a family to live with Him in paradise where life, love, fellowship, and worship are without end.
Some read the Bible as God’s word to humankind, some as a book of ancient stories, some as a historical record, others as a series of mythological tales, and others as fiction. However, the Bible can be said to be all or none of those readings. The Bible is a book of love, of the desire for family, unity, and devotion. It is not a book of meaningless dribble and mythological nonsense. For me, the Bible is a story of God’s love about reconciling those who have gone on their own. One such illustration is the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:21-24, who takes his inheritance early, leaves home, lives prodigal, and returns home after he can no longer live his prodigal lifestyle. When he returned, this father hugged him, forgave him, and threw a party for his son’s return. The Bible is like that parable where God has bequeathed gifts to humankind through redemption. God imparts His spirit to those who return home, rewarding them with spiritual gifts, eternal life, and a marvelous celebration.
After reading numerous scholarly critiques, many scholars and academics fall into Jesus’s words in John 12:37-43. I enjoy reading literary works because there is much to be understood by these men and women who research and discover many things that most of us cannot see or even care to see in the pages of the Bible. Some of their findings reveal remarkable understandings hidden from the general populace. Nevertheless, they do unfortunately fall into what John wrote. Some do understand the movement within the pages of the Bible, where they comprehend that the language used is not static but evolves one action after the other. What we have in the text isn’t what many describe in eschatology as the end of things or the end of the world. No, what they fail to comprehend is that many actions come about at the end of cycles, i.e., ages, while continuing forward in actions to be acted upon. In other words, the Bible is continuous in its story of redemption and the restoration of a worldwide Eden with those who love the Lord and have endured unto the end, who believe, trust, and rely on Him to complete His will.
My concern is that many argue over a false doctrine called the rapture, which John Nelson Darby created in 1830. I have witnessed on several eschatology forums how vicious people can be in protecting their view as to when this so-called rapture will occur. Even some scholars, theologians, and academics support this false doctrine. What drives someone to become eisegesis and ignore what Jesus told the apostles and future generations: be watchful 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Peter 5:8, be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect, Matthew 24:44. Be alert concerning false doctrines, teachings, and prophecies, 1 John 4:1, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, 2 Peter 2:1, and be prepared to endure until the end, Matthew 24:13, and John 16:33.
So, not only do scholars and academics fall into Jesus’s proclamation in John 12, but so do those within the world of eschatology, who constantly argue among themselves about four specific views that concern the non-biblical doctrine of the rapture:
- Amillennialism
- Postmillennialism
- Historic Premilenianism
- Dispensationalism
We are to remain loyal to the faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ until He returns. Yes, I acknowledge that His people and His church, the bride of Christ, are not destined for God’s wrath, John 3:36, Romans 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, and 1 Thessalonians 1:10.
For me, looking for the day of the Lord’s return is wrong, while looking forward to His return is a blessed hope each believer has. It is all about relationships, family, and love, not about looking for an escape.
Mike Kovach
Email Me
Views: 1