More On Bible Prophecy And Related Issues

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America, The Future Will Not Be Like The Past
by Jack Kelley

It's been said that nations derive their income from taxing their citizens whereas empires derive their income from taxing nations. Where the US is concerned, this taxation of nations has been done in the form of an inflated dollar, caused by the monopoly it has enjoyed where the purchase of oil is concerned. About 17 months ago I first wrote that Iran was going to break this monopoly by offering to accept payment for its oil in other currencies.

It's been said that nations derive their income from taxing their citizens whereas empires derive their income from taxing nations. Where the US is concerned, this taxation of nations has been done in the form of an inflated dollar, caused by the monopoly it has enjoyed where the purchase of oil is concerned.

Simply stated, in 1972 President Nixon made an agreement with Saudi Arabia that in return for a pledge of security and protection, the Saudis would influence OPEC to accept only dollars for the purchase of oil. This has required the nations of the world to maintain larger supplies of dollars than they normally would have, increasing the world wide demand for dollars. A year earlier, Nixon had taken the dollar off the gold standard. Now he was saying that while they could no longer expect gold for their dollars they could buy oil with them. This allowed the dollar's value to fluctuate according to demand, instead of being fixed at the rate of $35 per ounce of gold. As the law of supply and demand took effect, the dollar's value relative to other currencies increased. The US then used these inflated dollars purchase goods from other nations. The effect of all this was that the US has been able to purchase as much as $1.25 worth of goods for every dollar it spends. In this way, the US has collected its tax from the nations of the world.

As we all know from our personal finances, what begins as a bonus can soon become a requirement if we're not careful. So has it been with the US economy, until now we can only make ends meet if we continue to collect this "tax" by keeping the dollar monopoly on oil purchases.

About 17 months ago I first wrote that Iran was going to break this monopoly by offering to accept payment for its oil in other currencies. Its customers would no longer be required to use dollars to purchase Iranian oil. I said that if Iran could pull this off, the nations of the world would no longer have to maintain a large supply of dollars, but would begin selling them off in favor of other currencies. As this happened the law of supply and demand would begin working against the dollar causing a decline in its value.

The thing that makes all this so confusing is that currencies no longer have absolute values like they did in the good old days. Back then all the currencies of the world derived their value in comparison to the dollar which derived its value in comparison to an ounce of gold which was fixed at $35.00. When the dollar went off the gold standard we were left with only relative value based on supply and demand.

When Iran began accepting other currencies the dollar's monopoly was broken and its value began declining. The Euro benefited most from this and as an example of Iran's success, in October of 2003 you could buy 1 Euro for $1.19. By the end of 2006 it took $1.29 and on Nov. 26, 2007 one Euro cost $1.48.

Iran hasn't done this alone, but certainly started the attack against the dollar. Russia, China, and Venezuela have all helped out. And recently Japan's three largest refineries announced that they've begun paying for Iranian oil in Yen. Some are calling this the currency cold war, saying that what America's enemies couldn't do militarily, they've begun to accomplish in the financial markets. China alone holds 1.3 trillion in US dollar assets. Dumping these assets is being called China's nuclear option because of the devastating effect it would have on the US Economy. Recently China and Japan led one of the biggest sell-offs of US dollar assets in history.

Financial experts warn that the dollar is still over valued and will likely face further adjustments, and the head of the International Monetary Fund warned of an abrupt fall in the dollar's value due to a growing lack of confidence in the US currency.

Honestly we can't blame Iran alone for our situation. Our staggering debt load, the spiraling rate of home mortgage foreclosures, the War on Terrorism and our general credit crisis have all contributed. And the rate of our moral decay has certainly disqualified us from receiving any help from God in correcting this.

But America has recovered from financial difficulties before, and may well do so again. And certainly there's no immediate fear that we'll go to bed one night with money in the bank and wake up the next morning to find that it's all worthless. But never before has America had an enemy like Iran, whose president is admittedly orchestrating world-wide chaos in an all out attempt to hasten the return of al Mahdi, his Messiah. Never before has any national leader said that he'd gladly sacrifice his country and his people in such a pursuit. And the only obstacle standing in his way is the USA.

There's no prophecy in the Bible that points to an end times conflict of such proportions as that which is looming between Iran and the US. But there is one that pits Iran against Israel, and many think that it's just over the horizon. Even the secular press in Israel has begun to sense it, saying the next war will be the Gog-Magog war of the Bible. The only thing preventing an attack on Israel is the fear of US retaliation. Something has to be done to get us out of the way, and soon.

The US government has just imposed even more stringent economic sanctions against Iran, a move that Iranian officials say is tantamount to a declaration of war, and obligates them to respond. Will they try to cripple us militarily through a series of attacks against our forces in the Middle East? Or will they break our national will with devastating terrorist attacks here at home? Or beat us financially, by destroying our currency? We're clearly vulnerable on all these fronts.

Or will the King of the Universe decide that America's "15 minutes of fame" is up and suddenly strip our country of its Christian population leaving countless military and civilian leadership and support positions vacant, and rendering the country confused and leaderless?

One of these options will likely take place soon, since America plays no obvious role in End Times prophecy. Even those who see us there, see us as Mystery Babylon, destroyed in a single day, in one hour. We are not specifically listed among either the participants or the observers in Ezekiel's battle. Our presence cannot be detected among the forces of the Kings of the North or the South, nor do we appear with the Kings of the East. And there is no King of the West. It's truly remarkable that a nation having enjoyed the power, the prosperity, and the influence of the US is primarily distinguished at the End of the Age by its absence.

And so the future will not be like the past, and life doesn't just go on. We who are believers must finally and unreservedly shift our allegiance to our coming King, and make ready our place in His Kingdom, the one that will never be destroyed nor will it be given to another people. It will crush all those other kingdoms and bring them to an end. But it will itself endure forever. (Daniel 2:44)

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Christians In The Great Tribulation
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. For those left behind who ultimately come to Christ after the Rapture, what scripture or thoughts might you have regarding self defense ? Being that the world will quickly go crazy, overt violence the order of the day, then too the mandate which will lead to the persecution of Christians those refusing the mark of the beast, bodies could stack up like cord wood. I have to believe that not all then Christians will want to go quietly as sheep lead to the slaughter.
Admittedly, the overwhelming power of the Anti-Christ will be daunting to say the least; but still are not those left behind charged with the responsibility to fight till the end?

A. According to Revelation 14:9-13, the time of the Great Tribulation will be particularly bad for Christians on Earth. They won't have the ability to earn money, or even buy the things they need with the money they have.  Christianity will be against the law, and if arrested they'll be given the choice of taking the mark of the beast or be executed.  If they take the mark, they'll lose their place in God's kingdom.

But I haven't found anything in the Bible that calls for Christians to rise up and overthrow the anti-Christ, or even to mount a physical resistance movement against him.  So I don't believe they'll responsible for fighting him, just for refusing to worship him.

[nChrist]

Explaining Our Crowns
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. I was wondering about the crowns that we can earn. Why do we want to get them? How can we get them? When will we give them to God?  Will everyone have them or will some have none?

A. After we're saved, we have the opportunity to win rewards, or crowns, which will be presented to us immediately after the Rapture. (1 Corinthians 4:5) Jesus Himself will make the presentation in what will be the biggest awards ceremony ever in the history of mankind.

This awards ceremony is sometimes called the Bema Seat judgment, after the Greek word for judgment, because of the similarity. In the ancient Olympics, judges awarded ivy crowns (called stephanos) to the winners of the various events at the "Bema Seat", or judges stand, just like they award medals in our time.

The New Testament lists five categories in which crowns will be awarded to qualified believers.

These crowns are identified as the Everlasting Crown (Victory) in 1 Corinthians 9:25, the Crown of the Soul Winner in Philippians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19, the Crown of Righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:8, the Crown of Life in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10, and the Crown of Glory in 1 Peter 5:4. You can read more on how we get them and why by reading "How To Win Your Crowns.

According to Revelation 4:10-11 we lay our crowns before the throne.  Since the Rapture takes place in Revelation 4 and the Bema Seat judgment follows immediately, we apparently do this right after receiving them. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 implies that not everyone will receive crowns since it's not just what we do but our motives for doing it that are judged.  The only acceptable motive is pure gratitude for what we've been given.  Any thought of self promotion will disqualify us.

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The Fall Feasts of Israel 1 of 2
by Jack Kelley

(At sunset on Sept. 18, 2009 Israel began year 5770 on the Hebrew Calendar. As I often do with articles that commemorate annual events, I have updated this study on the Fall Feasts and added new information for your review. As you can see, I'm also posting it a day early to coincide with the start of Rosh Hashanah.)

The fall is arguably the most important time of the year in Judaism. Three of Israel's holiest days are celebrated then, and all in the space of 15 days. They are Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, followed 10 days later by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and 5 days after that the week long Feast of Tabernacles. On our calendar they usually fall (no pun intended) some time between mid September and early October due to the differences between the Jewish (lunar) calendar and the western (solar) one.

Each of these holy days has both historical and prophetic significance, the prophetic fulfillment to occur on the day itself. Therefore Christians study them for glimpses into the future as well as to gain a better understanding of Jewish culture.

Happy New Year

Gentiles are sometimes confused in their studies of these holy days by the fact that the Lord changed the Jewish calendar at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 12:2). What had been the 7th month was thereafter to be the first, moving the beginning of the year to the spring, 10 days before Passover.

But because of the harvest, the Jews retained their original calendar as well, so now they have a religious year which begins in the spring and a civil year beginning in the fall. Therefore the Jewish New Year has always been celebrated in the fall and remains so today. This feast is known by two names, Yom Teruah, which means day of blowing but is called the Feast of Trumpets, and Rosh Hashanah, which means "head of the year".

Rosh Hashanah is a time of new beginnings. According to some Jewish traditions, the creation was completed on Rosh Hashanah, and therefore Adam was born on that day as well.  Many students of prophecy place the birth of the Messiah on Rosh Hashanah, giving the day it's historical fulfillment, and believe that the beginning of Daniel's 70th week and 7 years later the Lord's Second Coming will also occur on Rosh Hashanah, fulfilling it's prophetic significance.

Others think that the Rapture of the Church will happen on Rosh Hashanah, but I'm convinced that the Rapture is a number specific event rather than a date specific one, meaning the Church will be raptured when "the full number of gentiles has come in" making the day and hour unknown to us in advance, except that it will precede Israel's re-awakening (Romans 11:25) and Daniel's 70th week. (Acts 15:15-16)

I'm also convinced that Paul's reference to the Rapture happening at "The Last Trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52) should not be used to connect it to the Feast of Trumpets.  He spoke of the same event In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 saying it would be accompanied by the trumpet call of God.  Some scholars say there are two trumpets of God that recall the two horns of the ram caught in the thicket as Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac. They call the Trumpet of Exodus 19:13 the left one, or First Trump, and say that God will call the Israelites back to the Land in the End Times by blowing the right one, or Last Trump.  If, as I suspect, this will occur in conjunction with the Battle of Ezekiel 38, then my belief that the Rapture will take place before Ezekiel's battle would be confirmed.

Religious Jews believe that in Heaven, books recording the deeds of mankind are opened on Rosh Hashanah for an annual review of man's behavior. To this end, they spend the previous month in a sincere effort to right all the wrongs they may have committed during the year just ending.

When the books are opened, the names of those whose life has been exemplary in every respect are entered into the book for another year of life, while those who have demonstrated no redeeming qualities at all are scheduled for death. Since normal bell curve distribution would indicate that very few fit at either extreme, the majority are given 10 days until Yom Kippur to "get right with God." These 10 days are called the Days of Awe where each man's destiny hangs in the balance as he goes about asking forgiveness from friends and neighbors for sins he's committed in the year just past. A common greeting among Jews during the Days of Awe is, "May your name be written in the Book."

On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (it's a two day celebration) Orthodox Jews go to a running brook or stream where fish swim and throw pebbles or crumbs they've gathered into the water, symbolizing God's casting away of their sins. While doing so, they recite Micah 7:18-20. "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago."

This is one of the most eloquent descriptions of God's grace to be found anywhere in Scripture. It reminds God of His promise to be merciful to them in the coming judgment of Yom Kippur.

The fish's dependence on water symbolizes their dependence on God. The fact that fish can't close their eyes reminds them to be thorough because God sees everything. This ceremony is called Tashlich, Hebrew for "You will cast", a reference to hurling their iniquities into the sea in  Micah 7:19.

Judgment Time

Ten days later, on Yom Kippur, judgment is rendered, the books are closed and everyone's fate is sealed for another year.

Yom Kippur was the only day of the year when it was permissible to speak the Name of God. Yes God does have a name, but it's not Jehovah or Yahweh. These names were created out of the four letters that Hebrew scribes used to represent God's name in the Old Testament. Wherever the word LORD appears all in caps, you'll find the Hebrew letters JHVH, (or YHWH) in the Hebrew text. Theologians call these four letters the tetragrammaton, which is Greek for "four letters".  So, in effect these four letters are God's initials, standing for His real name.

Since Hebrew has no vowels, early English language translators added an E, an O, and an A, (vowels they took from from Elohim, a form of the Hebrew word meaning God and Adonai, Hebrew for Lord) to JHVH and created the name Jehovah. We used to think that was God's name. And in Hebrew the four letters are pronounced yod, hay, wah, hay, which probably gave rise to the "Yahweh" we use today. Neither one is really His name.

It was forbidden for Jews to speak God's actual name except for once a year on Yom Kippur when it was spoken 10 times. After the Temple was destroyed, the Yom Kippur ceremony gradually changed until the name of God ceased to be used and was subsequently lost.

[nChrist]

The Fall Feasts of Israel 2 of 2
by Jack Kelley

So no one alive today knows God's name, and it probably hasn't been spoken on Earth for about 1700 years. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Philippians 2:9-11 says that Jesus, or if you prefer the Hebrew, Yeshua is now the name above all names.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Back to Yom Kippur.   During a great and awe inspiring ceremony at the Temple, two goats were brought before the High Priest. One was a goat "for the Lord" to be presented as a peace offering as commanded in Lev. 16:7-10. The other was called "the scapegoat" because all the sins of the nation were symbolically placed upon its head, and then it was led outside the city to be killed. The goat had done nothing to deserve this but was chosen to demonstrate the fact that only the shedding of innocent blood could atone for the sins of the people. The death of the two goats symbolically set aside the sins of the nation, made their peace offering acceptable and gave them peace with their Creator. The people spoke the Name of God in heartfelt thanks.

Here are a couple of interesting tidbits from Jewish tradition.  When the goats were brought before the High Priest, their respective roles in the ceremony were determined by lot. Two golden lots were placed in a golden bowl and as he placed his hand upon the head of each goat, the High Priest reached into the bowl and pulled out one of the lots. Before the cross, the goat that was to be presented to the Lord as a peace offering always turned out to be on the right hand of the High Priest. After the cross it never was.

While the scapegoat was symbolically receiving the sins of the people upon its head a scarlet ribbon was tied from one of its horns to the door of the temple. When the time came for the goat to be taken into the wilderness the ribbon was cut, leaving some on its horn and some on the door. At a predetermined location outside the city, the goat was pushed off a cliff and fell to its death. In all the years before the cross, at the moment of the scapegoat's death, the remnant of ribbon on the temple door turned from red to white symbolizing the passage from Isaiah 1:18, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." After the cross this never happened again. The One Who now sits at the right hand of the Father and Who had fulfilled the dual role that the two goats only symbolized had come and forever taken away the sins of all who would choose to accept Him.  (Source: The Fall Feasts Of Israel.  Authors Mitch and Zhava Glaser, Publisher Moody Press.)

The Law Is Only A Shadow …

In Christendom a view holds that the Lord Jesus began His ministry on Yom Kippur announcing in effect that the judgment that was due mankind would be borne by Him (Luke 4:16-21) and that man no longer need live in fear of judgment nor have to endure the 10 Days of Awe every year.

It's easy to see the Lord in the role of our scapegoat, whose shed blood purchased our pardon forever (Hebrews 10:11-14) but He was also our peace offering. "He is our peace, Who has broken down every wall." (Ephesians 2:14)

In the prophetic sense, Tribulation survivors from the nations will receive their fulfillment of the Yom Kippur judgment in the days immediately following the Lord's return. This is described to us in the Sheep and Goat judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) where Gentiles who've cast their sins at the foot of the cross during the Great Tribulation will be granted life in the Kingdom, and those who haven't will be sent away for death. Their willingness to help believing Jews during the Great Tribulation will be evidence of their faith.  In Matthew 19:28 the Lord told His disciples that the judgment of Jews who survive would take place then, too.

For those of all ages who reject the Lord's vicarious atonement, the prophetic fulfillment of Yom Kippur will come at the end of the Millennium in the so-called Great White Throne judgment, when all the unsaved dead are brought back to life to be judged according to their works. (Revelation 20:11-15).

Happy Thanksgiving

The Feast of Tabernacles comes five days after Yom Kippur. It was a harvest celebration and is the inspiration for the American Thanksgiving Day. It began as a seven-day feast, later expanded to eight, when all the tithes the Israelites had set aside during the year were brought to Jerusalem for a joyous time of national celebration and thanksgiving for the Lord's bountiful provision. The aroma of delicious foods cooking over open fires permeated the whole city. For seven days where ever you went there was an air of joy and festivity as the people remembered their Provider and gave thanks. (Deuteronomy 14:22-26).

Historically the Feast of Tabernacles commemorates the time of God's dwelling with the Israelites in the wilderness. Its prophetic fulfillment comes in the Millennium when the Lord will once again dwell among His people; with the Church in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21) and Israel in Jehovah Shammah, the new name of the Holy City in the Promised Land. (Isaiah 62:2 & Ezekiel 48:35)

Somewhere along the way a water libation ceremony was added to the Feast of Tabernacles. Each morning a procession of priests would descend the steps from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam and dip a silver pitcher into the water.  Carrying the water back to the altar, they would pour it into the ground that had been exposed by the removal of a paving block near the altar, while offering prayers for rain. The purpose of this daily ceremony was to remind God to bring the fall rains needed to prepare the ground for planting. In Israel it doesn't rain during the summer and the ground gets very hard. Gentle rains are needed to soften the ground so it can be prepared for the fall planting.

On the last day of the feast the High Priest himself would officiate and on this day instead of a silver pitcher one of pure gold would be used. The High Priest would be dressed in all his finest and attended by a huge contingent of similarly attired priests, blowing trumpets, singing psalms, and waving palm branches. When it was first described to me, I was struck by its beauty and pageantry. I've since read that extra balconies were set up around the Court of the Priests so more people could observe it.

One year just as the High Priest was about to pour the water into the ground, a loud voice interrupted the ceremony shouting, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38 ) It was Jesus and He was referring to the Holy Spirit, who believers would soon receive. This caused many to believe that He was indeed Israel's Messiah. (We're not told what the High Priest's reaction was, but it couldn't have been pleasant.)

Let's Get Spiritual

Following the thought that events that were external and physical in the Old Testament are often internal and spiritual in the New, there is a sense in which these holy days also reflect the life of the believer.

As Jesus came to live in the world at His birth (Rosh Hashanah), so He comes to live in our hearts at our new birth. As He required the shedding of innocent blood to reconcile Himself with Israel (Yom Kippur) so He shed His own Blood to reconcile Himself with us. As He dwelt with the Israelites in the wilderness of Midian (Tabernacles), so He dwells with us in the wilderness of Earth. "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," He promised. (Matthew 28:20) Even so, Come Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20) You can almost hear the Footsteps of the Messiah.

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A Gap Between The Rapture And The 70th Week?
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. My question is why you don't write about the gap between the Rapture and the start of they 7 year Tribulation Period taking into consideration Psalm 83 and Obadiah, Verse 18? (maybe you have and I didn't see it)  I firmly believe that Israel will destroy the Arab countries surrounding Israel (perhaps before or shortly after the Rapture); therefore, why aren't those same Arab nations mentioned in Psalms 83 mentioned in the Magog War of Ezekiel 38 and 39?  They aren't.

It appears that Israel will expand its borders upon destroying these Arab nations surrounding them, and in doing so, will gain security and have no walled villages.  Geographically speaking, Israel today has no security and no unwalled villages.  That is very obvious!  Therefore, the Magog War won't occur until later, and prior to the middle of the Tribulation.

Another point that I wish to comment on is that after the Magog War it will take Israel 7 years to burn the enemies weapons - and we know that 2/3 of Israelis will die and the 1/3 remnant will flee perhaps to the Red Rose city of Petra in Jordan.  Therefore, it would appear that if Israel is going to burn their enemies weapons for 7 years, then it would have to be prior to the middle of the Tribulation Period.  They have to be there in Israel to carry that burning of weapons out.  Thus the gap would have to be at least 3 1/2 yrs and longer.

A. I don't write about a gap between the Rapture and the beginning of the 70th week because it can't be verified.  We don't know the date of  either.  You're stating your opinions about how things will happen, which is OK, but they can't be confirmed in Scripture.  I do believe Israel's neighbors will be neutralized before the Battle of Ezekiel 38 because nothing else explains their absence .

As for 2/3 of the Israelites dying and the remaining third fleeing to Petra, that's an interpretation of Zechariah 13:8-9 I happen to disagree with.  It says the Lord will bring the remaining third into the fire (Great Tribulation), but Revelation 12:14 says the believing remnant will flee to Petra to be protected from the fire.  The rest of the Jews in Israel will stay put and they're the ones who use the weapons for fuel.

In your scenario the whole country would be abandoned to the anti-Christ and his followers, Satan could  capture the Promised land without a fight, and there would be no need for for the world to come to arms against Jerusalem.

My view of Zechariah 13:8-9 is that it was fulfilled in WW2 when 2/3 of the 9 million Jews in the world at the time were exterminated.  The remaining third caused the re-birth of the nation in 1948 and they and their children will be refined in the soon coming Great Tribulation.

[nChrist]

Kingdom Dollars 1 of 2
by Jack Kelley

Table of contents for Living In Hard Times

   1. From This Day On I Will Bless You
   2. O You Of Little Faith
   3. Where Your Treasure Is
   4. Kingdom Dollars

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20)

US dollars are backed by the "full faith and credit" of the United States government, not by the approximately 147 million ounces of gold in Fort Knox, like they used to be. (At $1,000 dollars per ounce that's $147 billion worth. The latest reliable estimates put the total dollars in circulation or on deposit at $8.3 trillion, so even if the dollar was backed by gold there's less than 2 cents worth of gold behind each one.)

So the value of a dollar is determined by how confident the rest of the world is in the stability of the US economy. China holds the largest amount of dollars in reserve, about 2 trillion, and has about $800 billion more in bonds they hold. China has let it be known that their confidence in the dollar has been shaken by the recent economic turmoil in the US. Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and others feel the same way. And recently the UN has joined China and others in calling for a new, more stable currency to replace the dollar in world markets. Rest assured, if these countries can find a way to replace the dollar they'll do so, and the value of the dollar will decline even more rapidly.

They'll do this because they know the US has recently been flooding the market with money that isn't worth the paper it's printed on and sooner or later it will trigger an inflationary spiral that will further erode the dollar's value. In the current round of Economic Summit meetings other nations are insisting that the US agree to stop spending (printing money) and start saving. But they don't believe our government is willing to exercise the necessary restraint to make this action effective. Therefore their choice is to do something and lose a little now or do nothing and lose a lot later.

Meanwhile, Back At Home …

At the same time experts in this country believe that unemployment will remain high for another year or so. They believe that many more homes, perhaps more than a million, will soon enter foreclosure. They know that the commercial real estate and credit card markets are still in trouble and could trigger another recession, even before we're out of this one. Lately, I've been seeing more references to "recession part 2? in financial commentaries as a possibility for 2010.

It's also been reported that a new phenomenon, called Strategic Default or "walkaway", has come on the financial scene. It involves home owners with good credit scores who are often current on their payments deciding to just walk away from their mortgage obligations. They do this because they don't believe they'll ever get back to an equity position in their home. According to the LA Times there were over 580,000 cases nationwide last year, more than double 2007's total, and current indications are that this number is continuing to grow. (In California where the once booming market has gone bust, walkaways were 68 times higher in 2008 than in 2005.)

Because of all this uncertainty, some people look at converting their cash into other currencies, like Euros or Yen, to protect themselves against the possibility of the dollar's sudden demise, but quickly realize those currencies are just as volatile.

Still others enter the gold and silver markets, not understanding that this is just a place to temporarily park assets until the economy improves. You can't spend the coins you buy. No matter how much the gold in your five dollar gold piece is worth, your neighborhood grocer is only going to give you five buck's worth of food for it. You have to find a buyer who'll give you paper money for your gold before you can spend it. If the economy never rebounds, you might be out of luck.

Bible prophecy says the world will get to a point one day where people will labor all day just to make enough money to buy their food for the day. (Revelation 6:6) There won't be any left over for rent, utilities, car payments, or anything else. This won't happen because food is so scarce, but because money will be worth so little. Therefore, trying to save up enough to get you through those times is an exercise in futility. In periods of run away inflation, savers are penalized by the consistent decline in the value of their savings.

For example, it takes 12 of today's dollars to equal the purchasing power one dollar had at the end of WW2, and over that time annual inflation averaged less than 4% per year. The dollar's purchasing power could erode that significantly in a matter of months during a period of runaway inflation.

But my purpose here is not to present a seminar on economics. It's to introduce the only investment strategy that can protect you against catastrophic loss if the bottom falls out from under us. It involves exchanging earthly dollars, that have steadily declined in value in both good times and bad, for Kingdom dollars that cannot decline in value, or be lost or stolen.

There are two goals in this strategy. The first is to comfortably survive the coming hard times in what's left of this life (Surviving), and the second is to create wealth for the next one (Thriving). You can do both starting today.

Goal 1. Surviving

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:25,33)

[nChrist]

Kingdom Dollars 2 of 2
by Jack Kelley

A couple of years ago, I started warning people to either voluntarily change the way they live or wait till they're forced to change involuntarily. Since then many have been forced to significantly adjust their lifestyles, and many more are teetering on the brink. Yet I don't hear stories of churches filling up with people seeking after the Lord's righteousness.

If you survived the first round of financial turmoil unscathed, don't think you'll automatically be immune to the next one. I truly believe that the Lord is allowing every source of security to be systematically stripped from us until only He is left. Make it easy on yourself. Take the first step now. Seek His kingdom and His righteousness and begin to feel the burden of worry lifting from your back, and the smile returning to your face, as you let Him take responsibility for your well being. The Lord is the only one capable of carrying us through the difficulties yet to come.

Goal 2. Thriving

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6,8 )

Waiting for the Lord to bless you before you start investing in His work is like waiting for a stove to give you heat before throwing in some wood. Sowing always precedes reaping, so start where you are. Recall how grateful you are that the Lord has saved you, and where you'd be heading had He not done so. Then express your gratitude by investing in His work. You don't have to look around for an area of need. Just find a place where it's obvious the Lord is already working and pitch in. Give gratefully and generously according to your ability. And remember, every time you do you're exchanging earthly dollars for Kingdom dollars.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 9:10)

Soon you'll see other areas where you could help and you'll find you have an increased ability as well. Where at first you only had a dollar to invest, you'll see you now have two. Fight the tendency to hold some back and increase your giving instead, always with an attitude of gratitude. The main thing to remember here is that giving with the expectation of receiving isn't being generous, it's being greedy. (That's the first fatal flaw in the so-called prosperity gospel.)

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11)

Most people worry that they'll never be able to afford giving even 10% to the Lord. But people who follow this strategy in good faith eventually find themselves giving 30-40% and still have more than enough for themselves. If you work for a salary, it's hard to imagine how this could work. But remember all money comes from the Lord, regardless of who signs your paycheck, and He has an unlimited amount. Show him you can be a good steward with what He's giving you now and you'll get an increase, because He promised that those who are faithful with a little will be given more. But for those who are not, even the little they have will be taken away from them. The evidence is all around us.

The first half of 2 Corinthians 9:11 is so exciting to us that we forget the second half. Yes, we can be made rich in every way, but it's so we can be generous on every occasion. And that's prosperity gospel's second fatal flaw. Wealth is not a gift to be wasted on indulgences for our personal benefit, it's a trust to be administered for the benefit of others. Spending money we don't have on things we don't need is neither an expression of gratitude nor a demonstration of generosity. On the contrary, it's evidence that if the Lord gave us more money, we'd just become greedier.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

No matter how far upside down you are financially, you're not beyond the Lord's help. The very day you determine in your heart to abandon your self indulgent ways and begin to express your gratitude and demonstrate your generosity, He'll go to work with you to help make the future different.

And remember, generosity is not a number, it's a state of mind. It's not how much you invest in His work that matters so much as the motive in your heart while you're doing it. Remember the widow's mite? (Luke 21:1-3)

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38 )

The bottom line is that this investment strategy pays better than any other you can find. And it's also unbeatable for overall security. The Lord's bank can't fail, inflation will never erode your earnings, and nothing can ever cause the value of your investment to decline. Also, we can see from the examples I've cited that your returns are payable both in this world and in the next. What other investment do you know of that can promise that?

And talk about safe. The value of Kingdom dollars is backed by the full faith and credit of the Almighty Himself. The value of earthly dollars is only backed by the full faith and credit of the US government. Are you OK with that?

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15)

The only condition the Lord imposes on this strategy is that we stop conforming to the patterns of this world and allow our minds to be transformed where it comes to our relationship with Him. (Romans 12:1-2) That means we start giving Him the final say in determining the direction of our lives, and expressing our gratitude for what He's done for us by becoming a channel through which He can bless the world around us. When we do, we'll discover that we feel more gratitude, demonstrate more generosity, and in turn we'll experience greater returns.  We can't lose. Selah 09-26-09

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Kings And Priests
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. You have said on your web site that Revelation 5 has the church in heaven.  I have read it and I can't find any mention of the church there.  Can you explain?  ( It says…"I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands"….I see angels, elders, and living creatures, but no saints or church.)

A. Look at the song they're singing.

"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10 NKJV)

No group but the Church can sing these words. If you do a study of the 24 elders you'll see that's exactly who they represent.  They don't appear in any Old Testament views of God's throne, showing up for the first time in Revelation 4.  They're wearing the crowns of overcomers (Greek, stephanos), are dressed in white, and are seated on thrones surrounding the Throne of God.  Skeptics have tried in vain to make them into some other group, but no reasonable alternative has been found.  This is the Raptured Church.

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New Heavens And New Earth
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. I was reading some materials earlier and it mentioned how heaven and earth are going to be wiped away after the 7 years of the Tribulation.  I was wondering though do the people that are raptured enjoy the bridal feast in heaven or is it taken away after the rapture? And if so were does everyone go to await the New Earth?

A. At the time of the 2nd Coming the Earth will be restored to like new condition.  Previously, the Church will have enjoyed a 7 year "honeymoon" in Heaven during the time of Daniel's 70th Week, and then will come back to Earth with the Lord for the so-called wedding banquet, which is the Kingdom Age or Millennium.

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Preparing For Hard Times Ahead
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. Like everyone else, I've been intently watching the headlines, wondering what's next for our country, our world. I'm a pre-trib believer, but I'm also realizing that my family is not prepared for the "tough times" we'll probably experience before the Lord comes for us. I'm wondering if you could give some advice, insight, references regarding what we can do today to make sure we are as prepared as we can be regarding finances, food, fuel, etc. Like many others, money is a little tight for us right now; but I feel like I could be doing more to prepare us for what lies ahead.

A. The best preparation for the times ahead is building a stronger faith. We haven't been promised an escape from hard times in general, just the last 7 years of them. So the most important thing to do is to practice living by faith. That doesn't mean going on as if nothing is happening and then trusting God for the money,etc. It means taking everything to prayer, and not doing anything that you don't feel specifically led by the Lord to do. It also means listening to His voice more carefully and being guided by it. This includes everything from non-essential purchases, changing jobs or moving, to responding to His promptings in your giving and evangelizing.

In the financial sense, it's critical that you reduce spending and eliminate as much of your monthly debt obligation as possible. In tough times cash is king. Do whatever you can to stop discretionary spending and use that money to pay off things like credit card and other debt with variable or high interest. The more of your monthly income is necessary for debt repayment, the less freedom you have to react to sudden changes in your lifestyle. Simply put, it's economic enslavement. The fact that it's of our own making doesn't make it any less so. If you're not already doing so begin tithing immediately, not out of a sense of duty or obligation but as an act of gratitude for all that He's given you. God loves a cheerful giver and will bless you for your faithfulness.

I'm not an advocate of hoarding. I think it demonstrates a lack of faith. God has promised that He will see to our needs if we seek Him. (Matthew 6:31-34) Where I live, the nearest grocery store is nearly an hour away, and when it rains the roads are impassable, so we keep a little extra on hand, but in my opinion the idea of trying to stock up a year or two worth of supplies demonstrates a lack of faith in the Lord's willingness to keep His promise.

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Psalms 132
by Jack Kelley

O LORD, remember David  and all the hardships he endured.  He swore an oath to the LORD  and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: "I will not enter my house or go to my bed- I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar: "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool- arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.  May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy." For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one.

The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne-if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever."

For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it- I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.  I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy.  "Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame,  but the crown on his head will be resplendent."

Jesus told us not to worry about our life, what we would eat and drink, or what we would wear.  He said our most important goal is to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He would take of all our other needs.  (Matthew 6:25,33)  He could have used David as an example of what He meant.  He took David out of the fields as a boy, gave him legendary victories as a young man, and made him Israel's most beloved king. (In Hebrew David means beloved.)

He didn't do this because David was such a shining example of righteousness, but because David was "a man after my own heart." (Acts 13:22) More than anything else, David wanted God to love Him.  When we want someone to love us, we happily follow where the person leads and try to do what the person wants.  That's what David did.  His faith in God was beyond any shadow of a doubt.  And later, even when David had committed some of mankind's worst sins, he knew that if he asked, God would forgive him (Psalm 51), and that he would dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23).

Paul was the same way.  As much as he loved his churches, he made it clear that given the choice he'd rather depart from them and be with the Lord.  (Philippians 1:22-24)

This is how God wants us to feel, and why he blesses those who feel this way so abundantly.  Even though the Church in Ephesus was hard working and doctrinally sound, He chided them because they had forsaken their first love (Revelation 2:4).  And regardless of what else we do, He   promises a special crown to those who long for his appearing (2 Tim 4:8 ).

So it bothers me when I hear believers say, "Not yet, Lord" in reference to the rapture.  Sure, their reasons often sound lofty, but I wonder if they know how it makes the Lord feel.  I'm the first to admit I have a great life here.  It's hard to imagine how I could be more blessed.  But given the chance I would leave in a heartbeat, without a backward glance.  How about you?  Are you ready to go?

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Rewards At The Bema Judgment
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

What works are our Rewards at the Bema Seat based upon? Is it our obedience to the Lord's commandments on a day to day basis, struggling to be obedient in times of Temptation, etc. Or are they something different, like seeing a starving person on the street, and getting them a sandwich to eat, or giving someone some clothes that are in need? Or is it a combination of both?

Q. Hi, I love your website. My question is on what works are our Rewards at the Bema Seat based upon? Is it our obedience to the Lord's commandments on a day to day basis, struggling to be obedient in times of Temptation, etc. Or are they something different, like seeing a starving person on the street, and getting them a sandwich to eat, or giving someone some clothes that are in need? Or is it a combination of both?

A. In Matthew 6 Jesus warned us to perform our "acts of righteousness" in private, as well as our prayers and fasting, to avoid getting immediate credit on Earth at the expense of future credit in Heaven. He also said to be careful not to store up earthly treasure, but use our earthly substance to build up treasure in Heaven.

In rewarding tribulation believers at the 2nd Coming, He said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) By this He meant protecting and caring for other believers, especially Jews.

In 1 Corinthians 4:5 Paul said that the random acts of kindness we perform have to be done with pure motives, expecting no recognition for ourselves.

He also spoke of crowns for the Church as rewards for certain kinds of behavior. These crowns are identified as the Everlasting Crown (Victory) in 1 Corinthians 9:25, Crown of the Soul Winner in Philippians 4:1 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Crown of Righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:8, Crown of Life in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10, and the Crown of Glory in 1 Peter 5:4.

The Crown of Victory is for believers who overcome the temptations of this world and live a victorious Christian life. The Crown of the Soul Winner is for those whose evangelistic endeavors bring others to salvation. The Crown of Righteousness is for those who long for His appearing. The Crown of Life is for those who persevere under trial, and the Crown of Glory is for those who are shepherds of God's flock, elders, preachers, teachers and mentors of the young.

It seems clear that to qualify for all these rewards our motives have to be expressions of gratitude to the Lord for what He's done for us, and cannot be for the purpose of earning any sort of recognition, position or favor.

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Seeing The Church in Revelation 4
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. I would like to know how you perceive that the rapture as you say quote "And then there's the Book of Revelation. John shows the Rapture occurring in chapter 4? unquote….where in chapter 4 gives you the indication that the rapture has happened?

A. The Revelation is a book of signs and symbols.  This is explained in the first verse where it says that Jesus signified it to John.  This means he rendered it into signs.

Revelation 4 is one of 4 views of the throne of God in the Bible. In Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1 there is no mention of thrones other than the Throne of God.  Daniel had a vision of the Throne in the end times and saw other "thrones", but gave no detail. (Daniel 7:9)  John's view is the only one to identify 24 other thrones and describe those seated upon them.  They were elders, indicating they were not angels but men.  They were seated, not standing, meaning they were in a position of authority. They were dressed in white and had crowns on their heads. The Greek word translated crown there means the victor's crown, or the crown of the over comer.  When King David organized the priesthood into 24 divisions, the number 24 became associated with priests.  But priests didn't wear crowns and didn't sit on thrones, only kings did.

So in Revelation 4 we see 24 thrones on which are seated elders who are over comers and have the appearance of kings and priests, and who have never been present in any previous view of the Throne of God. In Revelation 5:9 they sing a new song, the words to which are,

"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals;  For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

Only the Church can sing this song.  The 24 Elders signify the newly raptured Church.

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The 24 Elders
Ask A Bible Teacher:  by Jack Kelley

Q. Who are the 24 elders in Revelation 4:4 wearing white raiment with crowns on their heads?

A. These 24 elders confuse some people, but they shouldn't. Their appearance gives them away. They have thrones, so they're rulers. They surround the Throne of God, so they're assisting Him. They're seated, so their work is done. They're dressed in white, so they're righteous. They're wearing the Greek "stephanos" crown, so they're victors, over comers. They're called Elders, a title associated more with Christianity than Judaism. I think we have a pretty strong case for them representing the Church.

When King David realized that the number of priests in Israel was too large for effective service in the Tabernacle, he separated them into 24 rotating groups. These smaller groups were sufficient to carry out the necessary duties and represented the entire priesthood while on duty. 24 is a multiple of 12, a number that represents government.

I think God has done the same thing and in Revelation 4 these 24 elders represent the newly raptured Church beginning our rule and reign with Christ. All the Old Testament views of the Throne of God show only one throne with the exception of Daniel 7:9 which is an end times view, so these elders can't be some special order of angelic rulers in place from the beginning. They appear a total of 12 times throughout the Book of Revelation, always in Heaven.