IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY – The Greatest Secret ever told

It has been difficult for me to tell about something that I found in the Bible. Something amazing. It is not a new ‘fact’ or a new ‘verse’ or some strange formula, a ‘secret code’ or anything like that. But it is so amazing that it has been almost impossible for me to articulate, for a couple of reasons:

First, what I have found seems, to me, to ‘go against the traditional grain’ of Bible Study methods. I attended Bible college and subsequently dedicated myself to continuing studies in an effort to better understand the Bible in order to draw nearer to God and to more correctly, ‘practice what I preach”. I find no problems with the accepted methods of proper hermeneutics or the principals of properly exegeting scriptures, understanding word studies and the use of the Greek or Hebrew languages nor the principals of proper Bible study application. The problem, that is the first problem I have encountered, was that I found an amazing continuity in the message of the Bible, (yes, there is a continuing, comprehensive message with ONE major theme that start in Genesis and ends in the Revelation), that is overlooked and as far as I can tell, is never mentioned. This Message and its continuity point directly to a profound and deeply prophetic message of:

What had been; why it happened in the way it happened; and how we are to successfully navigate these world events and circumstances.

What is happening now; why it is happening the way it is occurring; and how we are to successfully navigate these world events and circumstances.

What is coming next; why it is coming in the way it will occur; and how we are to successfully navigate these world events and circumstances.

Bible colleges, seminaries, churches, pastors, bible teachers, evangelists almost universally teach the Bible either by topic in random order, (i.e., ‘I wonder what I should preach on next?’), or they teach the books of the Bible consecutively, that is, as they appear in a Bible’s table of contents. This method appears to be ‘a chronological order’, which is not always the case.

It would appear that there is nothing wrong with the aforementioned Bible study methods. You can gain useful principals of living, about serving God and serving others. On the other hand, this can lead to a disassociation of the intended Message and theme of the Bible from the narrative being presented. This has caused most Bible teachers and denominations to ‘compartmentalize’ the reading of scriptures into ‘stories’, topics, subjects, isolated doctrines and dogma, which has led to ‘factional denominationalism’ and Sects within Christianity; divisions in the Body of the Church. (There are over 200 known denominations in America and over 33,000 denominations, worldwide, most in disagreement over scriptures and some are outright hostile to one another.)

I have found the Bible is both useful in teaching principals of living, about serving God and serving others and is a deeply prophetic message, telling what has happened in the past and why it occurred as it did; what is happening now and why it is occurring the way it is occurring; and is instructing and warning us of what is to come and how we are to prepare and how we can successfully endure what is to come. Another way of saying it is that the Bible is a very long and very detailed letter of instruction, written by a loving and concerned father to a son or daughter, who are going on a very long, arduous and dangerous journey in foreign lands.

This “Love Letter”, (The Bible), in being deeply prophetic, is giving careful and explicit instructions about the circumstances, the kinds of people, the opportunities and the dangers God’s people will encounter, and how they are to navigate this journey.

Successful completion of the journey will result in great reward and an eternal life, living in perfection. Failure to complete the journey successfully results with utter loss and eternal death in outer darkness and torment.

Secondly, what concerned me about being able to report on what I had found, is that I kept thinking, “who am I to come up with such a fantastic story as this? I am not that smart. There are many far brighter Bible teachers and theologians than me.” I keep thinking that I must be imagining what I have found or maybe I am just wrong. Besides, I would look like a fool to these wiser people.

However, after ten years of dealing with a ‘nagging feeling that I was seeing a profound truth and that God was showing me something very important, I dedicated myself to continue to study to understand and apply what I had found. The more I have prayed and studied, the more everything in the Bible has begun to make sense. Everything is falling into place. The Spiritual world and the natural world are dynamically connected. God is directing every event and every circumstance of the natural world to a preplanned conclusion. I am convinced and rock solid on this conclusion!

The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is “Perfection”. He is maturing and perfecting His people into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

PROVEN CHARACTER

This has been and will continue to be very a difficult journey for everyone who chooses to believe in God and to follow Jesus in faith. Read what the Apostle Peter has to say, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:3-6.

Every book of the Bible, while not always written in chronological order, builds upon the previous book. It details, from Genesis through Revelation, God’s plan unfolding exactly as He purposed; from The Creation, through the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man to the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel, the Exodus from Egypt, the possessing of The Promised Land, the Destruction of the First Temple and the Jewish Captivity in Babylon, the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Destruction of the Second Temple, our steady march through time has been exactly as Bible prophecy has foretold. We have entered an era leading to the destruction and, eventually, a rebirth of the heavens and the earth.

According to the Bible, the world entered the final epoch of time, known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End of The Age” the “Latter Days” and “the tribulation period”, about two thousand years ago, which was marked by the birth of Jesus. There are visible and observable signs and ancient writings to help you along your way, if you believe in such things. However, most people either don’t recognize the signs or writings or don’t believe. Even among those who believe these prophecies are coming to pass and see the signs, few know what they are seeing, where they are leading or what to do in response.

The best description of the purpose, length and, outcome of these end times, variously known as the “times of distress”, the tribulation and the Great Tribulation, (see Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22 and Revelation 7:14) or the Wrath of the Lamb, (see Revelation 6:16), is found in Daniel 12:1,

Not surprisingly, the main interest in this subject continues to be in the sensationalism of these matters; and sadly, both fictional and religious writers are profiteering and capitalizing on the subject financially. All-the-while, assuming these things are true, they are grossly ignoring the urgency and the catastrophic ramifications which are being played out.

This subject is classified as “Eschatology”, which is the study of final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. The word comes from the Greek word, éschatos, meaning “last” and -logy meaning “the study of”. Most of the major religious denominations which teach this doctrine believe it will come on the world suddenly, with an increasing intensity and will last for just seven years. This view is from a myopic view of the Bible’s history time line, and the Bible seems to tell a much different version of these events.

A study of the ‘long view’ of the Bible on this subject, will show that the End of This Age was planned before creation. God, indeed “has a plan for your life” as He has had a plan for the entire world, but it is not the “Sunday school version” you heard about. This is real, dangerous and both deadly and life-giving.

It has taken many millennium for this ‘travail’ to unfold, and we may still have many years to go. But I suppose that when you are dealing with an Eternal God who has no beginning and no end, time is not a factor. God can take all the ‘time’ He wants to execute His plan. Please come with me and let’s explore God’s Plan for creation.

WATCHING FOR THE CLUES

First, let’s consider the ‘Beginning of All Things’. Then, as we travel together, we will uncover clues to this mystery, this riddle of the ‘End of the Age’, evaluate the writings and assimilate the information to decide – How did we get here and where is all of this going?

We are in search of His Perfection, and it could change your life and the way you live it.

PREFACE

“Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so, I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.” Daniel 12:5-10

Come with me and be Berean. Let’s take a world tour and journey through time from before Genesis to the New Heavens and a new earth, perfected by God’s design and in His image.