http://ichthys.com/ 
Eschatology Issues CXIII

Question #1:
Hi Mr. Luginbill,

I'm writing to ask you a question someone else asked me - __ told me tonight that Israel is at war. She was asking if that is a sign in the Bible. I want to give her the right answer, how should I respond?

Also, something cool happened this morning. I was reading in your Pneumatology study this morning, the part on how the Holy Spirit communicates truth to our spirit, and you put the Scripture 2nd Peter 1:2-3.

Well, right then, I felt like I understood better, and I stopped to write a note, this is what I wrote:

God's grace and His peace to me is directly related to how much I believe of His truth: the more I know about Jesus, the more I can have grace and peace (not on my merit, but because I will understand His character more!)

After that, I went back to your study and this was your paragraph directly following the Scripture passage:
"Peter testifies that the means of accessing God's grace and peace, that is, His favor and complete provision, is epignosis, for this is the means by which everything we need for this life, spiritual and physical, is provided to believers."
It was just so cool, I felt like the Holy Spirit did tell truth to my spirit and then after your paragraph, I felt confirmation. What do you think, do I have it right?

Respectfully,
Response #1:
First, that's wonderful news about your growing confidence in the Word and in the Spirit's guidance! Indeed, the more we learn and believe, the more the Spirit uses that truth in our hearts to guide us, and the confidence builds. Keep up the good work!

As to whether or not current events are "a sign", that all depends on what the person asking the question thinks "signs" are. Everything that happens is part of the plan of God, and everything that happens is not unrelated to how we will each process it because God is wise beyond understanding and wants all to be saved and for all the saved to grow.

If the question is, "is this prophesied in the Bible", then the answer is that this particular event is not fulfilling any specific prophecy because there are no specific prophecies left unfulfilled until the Tribulation begins, and that hasn't happened yet. 
(2) And I assume that you have heard about this dispensation of God's grace given to me on your behalf (i.e., his mandate as an apostle to "carry Christ's name to the gentiles": Acts 9:15). (3) For it was through [God's] revelation that this mystery [of His calling out of the gentiles] was made known to me as I wrote you briefly before. (4) When you read these things you will be able to understand my spiritual insight into this mystery of Christ, (5) which was not made known to mankind in previous generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:2-5
The Church is the mystery age (link) which was not revealed until after Christ won the victory of the cross and was glorified at the Father's right hand, sending the Spirit to explain all these things (Jn.14:26; 15:26; 16:8; 16:13-15). But we are certainly within our rights to observe what's going on in the world and see that everything which is happening is certainly trending NOT to some "heaven on earth" brought about by human endeavor but to just the opposite: we are clearly getting ever closer to the end, and anything which we see which reminds us of that fact is to be taken into account and ought to motivate us to be preparing spiritually.

I should also mention that speaking of spiritual matters with unbelievers is never particularly profitable unless this can be guided to a conversation about the gospel. Because unbelievers really are not able to understand anything spiritual except the gospel. So what you say and how you say it very much depends upon whom you are speaking with.

I'm certainly happy to email with you about this more. Apologies for the tardiness in response. Saturdays are posting days and this one was particularly busy because the posting was the next installment in Hebrews (link).

Hope you are well – keeping you and your health in my daily prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L. 
Question #2:
Hi Mr. Luginbill,

Thank you as always for your prompt response! No apology necessary, I know Saturdays are time-consuming for you. However long you need to wait to reply, I completely understand.

Thank you for answering the question, I sent a part of your email to ___. I'm not sure exactly where's she's at spiritually - I think she believes in Jesus. If not, I think she is extremely close. I think if she is a believer she needs more exposure to solid, Biblical theology/doctrine. We talk about the Lord together and sometimes she ask me questions. Once she sent me a portion of Scripture from the Old Testament, from the law, asking if we weren't supposed to eat pig or cow. I told her it was a foreshadowing of Christ's death for us, that it shows us how much we need a Savior, and it shows we are to be separate from the world. Since we are living after Jesus' death and resurrection, that passage about food no longer applies to us and I told her
Hebrews 9 is a good chapter for that topic.

Another time, she was worried cause someone had told her that she couldn't work on Saturdays. She was afraid and asked me, "am I going to get up there and Jesus will say, you can't go to heaven cause you worked on Saturday?" I explained that wasn't true, that it was faith in Christ that saves you, and we have all done things we shouldn't. And that was an Old Testament law, not for us anymore.

I tried to ask her once what her understanding of salvation was. We didn't get there exactly cause she started talking about the resurrection. She thought she would die and then have to wait in the grave for however many years it took for Jesus to return.

So I'm not exactly sure. I try to say and explain things when there is opportunity.

On a different note, thank you for the many prayers for my health! [omitted] but right now I am feeling pretty good. [omitted]

Hope you had a good Monday!
Response #2:
Good for you! It's clear from your answers to your ___ that you understand a great deal of Bible truth – much, much more than the average Laodicean believer throughout this country.

In terms of her understanding of the resurrection, this "soul sleep" idea is, sadly, one that is widespread. If I'm not mistaken, all Lutherans are laboring under this delusion as well. Here are a couple of links where this and related matters are discussed:
Our Heavenly, Pre-Resurrection, Interim State.

Biblical Anthropology III: Soul versus Spirit, "Soul Sleep", and the Interim Body
Nice job on all the topics! The only tweak I would suggest is on the Saturday issue (and here __ may be coming from a 7th Day Adventist or related background where it's all about such legalism): the 4th commandment has been replaced by an all-the-time "faith rest" which is the province of the Spirit (whom Church Age believer uniquely have indwelling us). Here's the most recent link on that:
Enter into my rest (in HE 3).
Keep up the good work – and great news about your health! Keeping you in my prayers.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #3:
Hello Bob my friend,

With the shocking news of outbreak of war in Israel there will be a steep rise in anti-Semitic sentiment in all of our countries. The other day there was a 'Pro-Palestine march' very close to where I live. So many see Palestine as the 'underdog' and so are rooting for her.

How is it best to represent our views correctly to people on this issue so as to maintain a good witness? I know that our Lord says 'thou shalt not kill' but at the same time there are many battles and conflicts in the Bible?

I feel this is clearing the ground for what will occur in a few short years during the tribulation. This is all part of the bigger plan as nothing is being done without God's allowing it. I was thinking yesterday of how Satan put the Muslim Dome of the Rock at the Temple Mount so I am sure we will see events happening around there soon.

How do we separate ungodly activities that Israel does from a political perspective from our solidarity towards them as they are God's chosen people? I am concentrating my hope and faith about the Godly remnant in Israel, the coming of the Moses and Elijah and the 144,000 witnesses and the eventual return of our dear Lord and Saviour!

Our Lord draws ever closer day by day Bob!

In Jesus,
p.s.: When I wrote 'Satan put the Dome of the Rock' at the Temple Mount, I meant that he obviously influenced Abd al-Malik to build it there. It is an obvious act of aggression by the enemy against the Temple with this idolatrous building. We will see that building brought down soon then as it is preventing the building of the Third Temple. It will all be part of the plan of God to see this happen soon. The Dome of the Rock shouldn't have ever been built there but I know that even that would've been part of the plan.
Response #3:
Re: "How is it best to represent our views", everything political, even when it's a no-brainer, has the tendency to give unbelievers (and misguided believers) the wrong impression about things. Of course we are appalled at what has happened. But we don't want to make the mistake of upsetting people who see this from a completely secular perspective if they should misunderstand our comments. We who have committed ourselves to following Jesus Christ understand that all manner of terrible things are going to happen during the Tribulation – in Israel and to Israel in particular, not to mention in and to the rest of the world. And the real issue then will be the same as the real issue is now: Jesus Christ. So best not to take our eye off the ball, so to speak. 

Best to stick to our own knitting, and if asked, it depends a lot on the person asking, i.e., whether or not they are really seeking answers to THE question. We know that this is an indication that the end is getting closer and it's also a wake-up call to any and all who may be temporarily shaken from their foolish notion that they are going to live forever down here (the subconscious unbeliever mind-set). At such times, some are induced to look for THE solution and of course there is only ONE WAY. So we ourselves are disturbed by the events but heartened at the prospect of our Lord's return; and we comport ourselves towards others with our unflappable confidence that comes from our faith in Jesus Christ, ready to give an answer for that faith if genuinely asked for.

"It will all be part of the plan of God to see this happen soon." Amen! And that is what encourages us in all things.

"Our Lord draws ever closer day by day" Amen and Amen!

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #4:
I don't usually bring these things up because they aren't my focus for spiritual reasons (I still watch for the signs of the times but don't worry or obsess over them so that I can focus more on my growth, progress, and ministry) but I noticed all these attacks on Israel from the Hamas and can't help but wonder if this isn't just further laying the groundwork for the faceoff between the beast and the Mahdi. I mean, we only have three years left and people are gonna start looking for someone to come to Israel's defense (oh, who will help them?). Seeing as how the Antichrist will pose as Christ by trying to make the Mahdi look like the beast being conquered by God (the beast under disguise), it doesn't seem to me to be too far fetched to say that we are seeing a very obvious sign that the face off is about to commence a few years from now. I just want to know your thoughts. Do you think this is possible? 
Response #4:
As to "further laying the groundwork for the faceoff between the beast and the Mahdi", you make some very good points. And it would be irresponsible for us not to take into consideration that events around the world, and in the Middle East in particular, are significant. Just exactly what that significance is, however, is hard to say. Like the old movie line, "there are a hundred ways you can get caught; if you can think of forty of them you're a genius . . . and you ain't no genius", there are probably thousands of permutations we might think of as to how things might work out specifically, but many, many more we aren't likely to think of – and so the most likely answer is that we don't really know exactly how this is going to turn out precisely in terms of specific developments on the one hand, but on the other hand this is clearly working in the direction of the constellation of events which will have to transpire before and after the Tribulation. 

Just as in regards to the marvelous things that happened at Jesus' birth, Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart", so we too take note and chew on current events because we know what it coming, without at the same time marrying ourselves to any particular scenario. What we know about events during the Tribulation is a schematic or blueprint. A very imaginative and experienced eye can look at a blueprint and imagine the finished building, e.g., but for most of us while it gives us an idea it's nothing like seeing the real thing once completed.

Another good point you make is in regard to the reactions we are seeing. People – understandably – get very emotional about these sorts of things, taking sides for one reason or another, as we are tempted to do as well. At present, there is no beast, no Mahdi, no mystery Babylon, although all of these are waiting in the wings. So if a person "roots" for this side or the other, it doesn't necessarily involve any spiritual peril (although I always counsel prudent non-involvement where it comes to anything of a political nature). 

In the very near future, however, the devil is going to be behind BOTH sides. Deciding, for example, that the Mahdi is antichrist so as to incline a person to resist him by joining in with the forces of the actual antichrist will be a terrific danger (same for those who are inclined to align with the other side). In a case like that, believers are not just well-served by staying out of it materially, but also by staying far away from both sides emotionally, recognizing that there is the most dire evil on both sides, even if for whatever reason a person is inclined to prefer one side to the other. 

I have opined before as to how antichrist will be counting on enlisting many to his cause as a counterweight to the Mahdi threat (on the grounds that he is the beast), and this present situation demonstrates as you note the proclivity of many to head in that direction. So while we do have our own preferences here, human beings that we are, keeping some emotional distance now might not be the worst thing in preparation for maintaining complete emotional separation later on. After all, it's not as if Satan is uninvolved in what's happening right now either.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #5:
Dear Dr. Luginbill, 

Please clarify your answer to question number one in the Eschatology CXII group of questions. The writer expressed his understanding that the tribulation will start fall of 2026 (2 ½ years from now) You stated you needed the "full 3 ½ years" that would put it starting in 2027. 

Thank you so much,
Response #5:
Nice to hear from you -- it's been a long time! Hope you are well.

To answer your question, sometimes these email responses are posted as much as two or three years after the fact (it depends on the topic). This one originally went out about a year and a half ago. So, no, I haven't changed anything about that interpretation.

*I should have clarified that with the posting since, yes, from this point in time (10/14/23) it is slightly less than three years off.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #6:
Thank you I am well, as I hope you and your family are.

I want you to know of the deep, deep impact your writing has had on me and my family. This is not the first time I've written to you. Many years ago I wrote to you wondering why you did not recommend storing food and weapons, etc. Your answer was to rely solely on Jesus Christ. Since then I have been a follower of your writings and your emails, I know what's coming and I am preparing myself and my family but not with material things. 

Thank you Dr Luginbill.
Response #6:
Doing well, thank you, and good to hear that this is true for you too, my friend.

Thanks for the wonderful testimony! 

"I know what's coming and I am preparing myself and my family but not with material things." Amen! I'm trying to do the exact same thing myself.

In Jesus Christ whose opinion of us and what we are doing is more valuable than that of the entire world to an infinite degree.

In Him,

Bob L.
Question #7:
Hello Bob, I hope you have had a good week!

Thank you again for your time and willingness to discuss some of these matters with me. For me, what matters most right now are the things we agree upon (which I deem of such great importance in this Hour).

Of course, this must start with: The centrality of the Gospel and God's Word.
There is no pre-trib rapture.
Calvinism is damning error.
There is (an) Elijah to come.
The Day of the LORD is near.
The Church will grow and be refined by fire.
There is a great apostasy coming.
Jesus will return and set up the Millennial Kingdom.

The main reason I asked you about how you view the different phrases pertaining to the Day of the LORD was largely due to my interest in its use in Malachi, and Elijah being sent "before the great and terrible day of YHVH." 

Thank you for indulging my seeking clarification on some of these things, and, if I am not now putting words into your mouth...

It seems we would both claim that we think that the Day of the LORD starts in Rev. 6 (as an overview of what follows, from your perspective), and if "the great and terrible day of YHVH" (of Mal 4) is indicating one and the same period of time, then would that not necessitate that "Elijah" be sent before Rev. 6 (Mal 4:5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.")...whether or not he remains to participate as one of the 2 witnesses (during the first half of Daniel's 70th week)?

Some might say that that just means "any time before Christ returns" (although that is not what the text says, nor what we think the phrase "the day of YHVH" includes), but as we read what Scripture says in both Mal. and, in addition, what Jesus had to say about him (Matt 17:11; Mk 9:12), namely, that "he will restore all things", and we then compare all that to what the 2 witnesses will be doing, the roles/ministries seem to be quite different.

On both fronts, it seems to me that the "end times Elijah" must come ahead of Rev. 6 to accomplish what the prophecies have stated he will do.

In any event, thank you again for your generosity with respect to your time in preparing these responses, your patience, and your sincerity. Much obliged.

May we find ourselves among "the overcomers" and encourage one another as the Day draws near—and through it all!

And may His shalom be with you today and always,
Response #7:
Thanks for the list. I would always start with Jesus Christ. 
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21 NKJV
On Calvinism, I'm no Calvinist, but when people use this word they mostly mean the way in which his ministry/teachings were codified and taken to extremes by later generations. If I were fighting for my life against the Roman Catholic church, I probably would have said things a bit differently than I do now – considering also we now have the benefit of knowing a great deal more about the truth (if we choose to, at any rate).

Not only is Elijah returning but also Moses: they are the two witnesses of Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11 (see the link). This return (a resuscitation not a resurrection) will happen at the outset of the Tribulation (Revelation 11 explains that they are killed at the mid-point); they will orchestrate and direct 1) the rebuilding of the temple and revival in Judaism; 2) orchestrate the ministry of the 144,000; 3) direct the trumpet judgments.

Yes, the Day of the Lord is near, whichever application of it one wants to apply (the Tribulation as its prelude, the actual literal "day" of return of our Lord (the second advent), or His 1,000 year reign, the final millennial day; again, see the link). And of course it has always been imminent (see the link) . . . in the sense that there is no unfulfilled prophecy since the ascension of Christ until the Tribulation begins (we are in the mystery Age of the Church; see the link). And, after all, one day with the Lord is as a 1,000 years (Ps.90:4; 2Pet.3:8).

As to growth, if you mean in numbers, I'm not sure that this will happen in the Tribulation "net/net": one third will fall away. Will the Jewish believers who respond to the ministry of Moses and Elijah and the 144,000 eclipse that one third who fall into apostasy in terms of aggregate sum? Possibly. Refinement will happen, if by this term we mean the pressure put on our faith by all of the Tribulation's troubles and persecutions.
And [during that time of the end] many will purify and cleanse themselves, and will be refined (lit., "smelted in a crucible"). But the wicked will act wickedly, nor will any of the wicked understand. But those who give [these matters] careful attention will understand.
Daniel 12:10 
As to the Great Apostasy (link), it is sad that pre-Tribbers so willfully distort the clear meaning of apostasia in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 and want to make it the "rapture" instead! The lukewarm are only setting themselves up for trouble in for in making that reversal.

In terms of the millennial reign of our Lord, it is also sad that many old line denominations continue to follow the dictates of their amillennial traditions – which is on this point a Roman Catholic one. Caught in a life and death struggle with Rome, the Reformers didn't have the "band width" to deal with eschatology as well, but that was never a reason for their successors to become doctrinally sclerotic and stop growing in the truth . . . which process only leads to whatever truth a person or group "knows" becoming mere knowledge in the end and not the epignosis of faith.

As to the rest of your email, I think what I've said above addresses these issues. In a nutshell: the Tribulation is seven years long; the second half is the Great Tribulation; the Great Apostasy will accelerate with the coming of the Great Persecution in the second three and a half years; the Jewish revival happens in the first half (led by Moses and Elijah, the two witnesses); believing Jews escape to the wilderness at the midpoint (Rev.12) when Moses and Elijah are killed (Rev.11). Since the Day of the Lord in Malachi 4:5 refers to our Lord's return to render the "thunder judgments" (of which Armageddon is one), I don't see anything in the text of the Hebrew to prevent us from understanding that this is an eschatological event which will commence once the end times events begin (that is, once the Tribulation begins).

Do feel free to write me back about any of the above.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #8:
[omitted]

Thank you, Bob, for commenting your take on "the list."

The reason I look to prophecy and the timing of the coming "Elijah" is why (in part) I believe there will be a renewed Rev. 2-3 season (as it were), where Christ's forerunner (just as John the Baptist was prior to His first advent) will call the Church (churches) to repentance (as per Rev. 2-3), bring us into unity (by "restoring all things"), prepare us for the coming Tribulation, and lead us (as it were) in our final witness to the nations (as we are being purified/tested/martyred, etc.). This will bring in "the fullness of the Gentiles" and the "Jews to jealousy" and then the focus will switch to Jerusalem and the ministry of the 2 witnesses (primarily to bring in the Jewish Harvest).

I know this is quite different than what you currently hold to be the unfolding of events, but I hope you might consider this in light of prophecy/the text of Scripture and the heart of Jesus to restore and purify His Church (to prepare Her as Bride for His Son), and to give the world one final opportunity to see Her as He meant for Her to be—savory salt and bright light; and, since it is not His will that any should perish, one final pure witness of His Truth and grace. 

As I see it, only someone sent by God, prepared and anointed by God, could possibly accomplish this task.

This is also part of why I asked you if you'd be O.K. if things unfolded differently than you expect. If God sends "Elijah" this year or so, and he is doing what has been prophesied he would do, then you wouldn't be able to say that it's not "according to Scripture", but it would be different than what you currently believe.

For what it is worth, I thank you again for your time.

[One last question, if I may. You seemed to imply—or maybe you stated it outright in one of your articles, that you are a "pastor-teacher". Do you "pastor a church"?]

grace and peace,
Response #8:
Happy to do so.

Re: Elijah as performing a revival ministry to the gentiles prior to the Tribulation, two general objections before getting to specifics:

1) The Church Age, as mentioned, is the mystery age (link). It doesn't occur in prophecy, and, in fact, Old Testament prophecy conflates the two advents; I explain this in CT 1 as looking at two sequential mountain ranges in the distance: it's hard or even impossible to see that there might be a very large valley between the two; in this case, there is, and that valley is the Church Age (the name for this is "prophetic foreshortening"; link); the Church Age is present in the Jewish calendar (i.e., the third "gap", also as mentioned; link), but only if one is looking for it. Not for no reason were the disciples confused even after the resurrection so as to ask our Lord if He were about to bring in the kingdom "at this time" (Acts 1:6) which garnered His response that it was "not for them to decide" these matters (Acts 1:7), then He gave them their marching orders for getting the ball rolling (so to speak) for the Church Age: as soon as the Spirit was given they were to begin the evangelizing of the whole world with the gospel now coming to the gentiles en mass (Acts 1:8), a thing which Jewish believers in general had a hard time accepting – and which is still a stumbling block today. The above being the case, there is in fact no prophecy for the Church Age once it has begun. Even the seven churches give trends rather than prophecies of specific events. So these prophesies you list have to be referring to events that will not happen until the Tribulation begins.

2) The second objection has to do with Elijah. Our Lord said clearly that John the baptist "was" Elijah, by which it is meant that Elijah and John have the same job: calling Israel to repent in preparation for entering the kingdom (Matt.3:2), 1st advent: John; 2nd advent: Elijah. The One/one who will perform the restoration was Christ then (Matt.4:17) / and in the future will be Moses (Mal.4:4). See the link: in CT 3A: "The Restoration Ministries". Just as John was sent to Israel, in the parallel, so also will Elijah be; just as Christ performed the actual restoration; so Moses will do prior to our Lord's second return. The Tribulation is not the end of the Church Age but it is the recommencement of the Jewish Age, its final seven years (i.e., the seventieth week of Daniel 9:27). Before our Lord returns, the two ages overlap for their final seven years, and Israel will begin her process of resuming leadership in the Church. Elijah and Moses, the two witnesses, will lead that process – for Jewish believers. John and Jesus went to Israel, not the gentiles; the same will be true of Elijah and Moses. Church Age gentile believers have the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts and the entire canon of scripture already. But Jewish unbelievers will be greatly aided in their return during the restoration (that portion who will repent during the Tribulation, the majority needing, like Thomas, to actually see the Messiah before doing so), by the restoration of the temple and its rites during the Tribulation's first half. As far as "bringing to jealousy", that is a negative not a positive thing which has been in play since the first century, keeping many Jews from salvation rather than turning them to it (e.g., Acts 13:43-45; 17:5; 22:21-22). So, no, I don't expect to hear any tidings of Elijah . . . until the Tribulation has begun.

However, the "fullness of the gentiles" in Romans 11:25 coincides with the end of the "blindness/hardness in part" that now grips Israel. And we know that this only comes to a complete end when the Jewish people "look upon Him whom they have pierced" (Zech.12:10; Rev.1:7), that is, at the second advent. Since there will be gentiles saved all the way to the end of the Church Age, this "fullness" will not "come in" until our Lord returns. If the Church Age ended or was completed before the Tribulation, then the rapture people might have a point: why would we (Church Age believers) still be here? 

As to "Do you pastor a church?", Ichthys is my church.

Re: "[the] Temple will be built in conjunction with the "covenant with the many" ", Daniel 9:27 which describes that covenant/treaty between antichrist and the secular powers-that-be in Israel actually is talking about the cessation of temple rites in the middle of the Tribulation (after Moses and Elijah are killed by the beast); it says nothing about the construction of the temple (which Moses and Elijah were responsible for). The temple is described in Revelation chapter eleven and it is made clear there that it is a godly construction and will be used for godly purposes . . . until the middle of the Tribulation when antichrist sets up his headquarters in Jerusalem, and will "take his seat in the temple of God and represent himself as being God" (2Thes.2:4). The two witnesses are killed just before this, so we see, after the Tribulation begins (at Rev.8:1ff.), Revelation taking events in a more or less chronological order (with expansions to fill in details where necessary as any narrative does).

Re: "growth in numbers"; there's nothing anywhere in scripture I know of to suggest this; Laodicea is our current era and it is destined to continue until the Tribulation begins; any spiritual growth would be the result of lukewarm Christians getting serious once thing become truly awful; as to overall growth, as mentioned, whether or not the number of unbelievers who repent because of what will happen will outstrip the one third of Church prophesied to fall away is a dubious prospect.

Re: "The Bible specifically states that God will send Elijah "BEFORE the ...day of the LORD" "; but the Day is first and foremost the day of Christ's return, and this will happen as described above; secondarily the preface to the Day is the Tribulation, and that is precisely when Elijah will return and conduct, in company with Moses, the revival ministry including the evangelizing of the 144,000 who will produce the remnant of Jews who escape into the wilderness in Revelation chapter twelve. 

Re: "as I mentioned previously, the role for the end-times "Elijah" in prophesy does not seem to be in line with the role of the two witnesses", I do not see it that way at all, if these matters be properly understood. Two best links for this at Ichthys: "The Two Witnesses and the Ministry of the 144,000" and "The Two Witnesses of the Tribulation: Moses and Elijah".

As to "false prophets", this is the reason for my greatest concern. Because there of course will be many false prophets during the Tribulation (Matt.7:15; 24:11; 24:24), as there are many today. If someone calls himself Elijah and is not, any and all who follow him will be the ones who are led astray. The actual Elijah was given to do many miracles, such as withholding rain for three and a half years – the exact length of the first half of the Tribulation (Jas.5:17). Understanding that Elijah ministers to the Jewish nation, that he will be instrumental in rebuilding the temple, that he will administer the trumpet judgments, that he will do his work in conjunction with Moses, the other witness, that his revival to Israel ministry will involve the evangelizing of the 144,000 – to other Jews, not to gentiles – will be greatly palliative in preventing Christians from falling for a false prophet who may go by that name. Elijah raised the dead. If anyone makes the claim of being Elijah, let's see if he can do that. As mentioned, all of these astounding things are prophesied to occur during the Tribulation, not during the Church Age – where all such miracles are on hold and have been since the end of the apostles tenure. Any such "miracle" happening before the Tribulation begins is actually a sign of deception.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many."
Matthew 24:3-5 NKJV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #9:
Well, this certainly cannot be true: "Any "miracle" happening before the Tribulation begins is actually a sign of deception." God can do miracles (and does even today around the World) whenever He wants. Yes, there will be (and are today) many false signs and wonders, but that in no way limits God (or His People) from performing true miracles.

IF, and I am only saying IF, God sends "Elijah" before the start of the 70th Week, and he does what Scripture says he will do (and that cannot right now include the two witnesses, since Scripture does NOT specify who they are), then it would be a great danger to call him a false prophet...

So, my question to you would still be, What if God does this? Would you reject him because it doesn't fit what you hold to be the way it will unfold?? What would it take to "convince you" he was "Elijah"?

Thanks Bob.
Response #9:
Etymologically a "miracle" is "a small wonder" (<Lat. miror plus diminutive suffix), that is to say, a marvel. What precisely this term means in our often inexact usage of it nowadays depends entirely on who is using it. When I say, "miracle", I mostly mean what that word conveys in much common parlance today, i.e., hyper- or supernatural occurrences of a type that visibly defy scientific explanation in a way that cannot be denied, mediated by a human being . . . such as raising the dead, stopping the rain from falling for 3 1/2 years, turning water into wine, healing a blind man with the touch of a hand, calling down fire from heaven, etc. In other words, I mean, "the type of miracle that only an apostle or a prophet such as Elijah would be able to perform" (although, n.b., Rev.13:13-14 and cf. Matt.24:3-5).

So by "such miracles" I mean the Elijah/Moses type; I do not mean praying for a very sick friend who then recovers when all the doctors thought it was impossible, or God preventing the tornado from taking one's house as an answer to prayer, etc. God can do anything, after all, and everything He does is "miraculous" from one point of view. That does not mean that people who claim to work for Him actually do represent Him, even if they seem to be doing spectacular things. Being on guard against this threat is something our Lord emphasized.
"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand."
Matthew 24:24-25
To be sure, the above refers to the Tribulation (and cf. Rev.13:13-14), but there have been and will continue to be many such wolves in sheep's clothing even before that time of intensive testing begins.

As to "what ifs", just as the Lord will leave us in no doubt when the Tribulation begins (Rev.8:1-5), so also we can have confidence that He will also not allow us to "miss" anything important. Quite the opposite danger is the one in view throughout Matthew chapter 24 and elsewhere in scripture where the topic is treated, namely, needing to be on guard against false claims rather than somehow missing out on genuine ones (See the link: Peter #39: False Teachers, False Teaching, and False Organizations). And all one has to do is to look around to day to see how that continues to be the actual problem. 
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Acts 9:10-16 NKJV
Everything that Ananias had heard about Paul made him right to reject the idea that Paul was now a believer, so it was just and fitting for the Lord to inform him of the change in this miraculous way, otherwise Ananias would have been wrong – and guilty of violating the many warnings in scripture about giving into deception – to have had anything to do with Paul at this point. Everything I have learned about the end times from scripture tells me that they begin with the Tribulation and that there are no such spectacular doings before it begins (Eph.3:2-5; 1Pet.1:10-12). That is what I believe scripture teaches most definitively (see the link re: the mystery age of the Church). So if the "game plan is changed" miraculously, I would also expect similarly miraculous clarification to be forthcoming. This latter I do not expect because I do not expect the former. Scripture, in my view, is very clear. God can do anything He pleases, and where scripture is not definitive in what it states, we are prudent not to close the door absolutely – but we do stand fast on interpretations based on the truth of scripture when they have been solidly vetted, even when others want to call them into question (or at least we should).

So, no offense, but I make it my policy not to deal in hypotheticals. Elijah is one of the two witnesses. He won't be around until after the Tribulation begins. Anyone showing up before that point who says that they are him won't be. Of that I am positive and will remain so, absent some set of spectacularly miraculous developments which as far as I can see after a lifetime studying these matters are not forecast in the Bible.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #10:
Hello Bob,

The problem with understanding prophecy is that no matter how much one studies it and thinks they have it "figured out", the meaning of a prophetic text can only be fully understood/given by revelation. Many (perhaps most) of the OT prophets didn't even know the full meaning of what they were given prophetically, and even though we are nearer to the events prophesied, that still doesn't mean they are easily understood (as we well know, given all the different "interpretations").

People who hold too tightly to their interpretation (and, especially if they have been vocal about their interpretation), run the risk of 1) having to concede/admit that they were wrong about some things, 2) rejecting the Truth when it starts to unfold differently than expected, or worse, 3) actively denouncing what God is doing because it doesn't fit their interpretation.

Much humility is required in this Hour. It is not what "seems right to us" (given who we might be listening to that we hold in high esteem, or what we think we've uncovered due to all our study), but what God will actually do to bring about the fulfillment of all He has said—and the two (what we think and what God does) may line up fairly closely, or not very much at all, and we have to be O.K. with that. "His ways are higher than our ways."

As to "Elijah," it would not contradict Scripture if God would send him tomorrow, so I just hope you keep an open mind about that. God is not going to "change the gameplan", but it still may look different than what you expect. As you, I would expect God to enable him ("Elijah") to perform some pretty convincing miracles if he is sent before the start of the Week, but whatever God's plan is, we can trust it's a good one .

~for His glory,
Response #10:
Re: "the meaning of a prophetic text can only be fully understood/given by revelation". All scripture is God-breathed (2Tim.3:16-17); all scripture is prophetic (2Pet.1:19); and only believers, we who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, are capable of understanding it (1Cor.2:14-16). If this is what you mean, well and good. But if you are suggesting that certain Bible passages cannot be understood without some additional special miraculous revelation from God, well, isn't that what the Holy Spirit is for? Otherwise, why are we given the Bible? Plenty of people out there claim to be prophets, but there have been none since the apostles departed (1Cor.13:8). We believers can all understand the truth when it is taught through the ministry of the Spirit; the job of pastor-teachers is to make use of their gifts, the ministry of the Spirit, the Word of truth, much prior preparation, and much "elbow grease" to properly interpret scripture so as to be able to teach believers that truth. If there was some sort of direct overriding of this godly process to certain special individuals, there would be no need for pastor-teachers; and if such a thing were possible for all believers, there would be no need for spiritual gifts at all or any coming together in any way to help each other as the Body of Christ, because all gifts and ministries ultimately are about sharing the truth of the Word. So at the very least, this statement is potentially misleading and dangerously so; and if it does mean that someone has been told directly by God that "passage X means ABC" and that this is the ONLY way to understand biblical prophecy about future events, then . . . 

Re: "Many (perhaps most) of the OT prophets didn't even know the full meaning of what they were given". That is what Peter says about the events of the first advent (1Pet.1:10-12); but that was before the revealing of Jesus Christ as the God-man, before the cross, before His glorification, and before the gift of the Holy Spirit. Everything in the New Testament is meant to be understood and that is true of the Old Testament as well (Eph.3:2-9). There is a right way to go about this, of course. And, sadly, there have always been more individuals given to doing things the wrong way than the right way. But that is no reason for those of us willing to approach interpretation the correct way not to do so. In fact, pastor-teachers are obligated to do so (1Cor.9:16).

As to "People who hold too tightly to their interpretation", I would point out that your three negative developments are only operative if the person is wrong. We should hold tight to the truth no matter what. If a pastor-teacher is unsure about the truth of what he is teaching, he should not teach it. If he is sure – in the Spirit – it would be malfeasance and cowardice not to teach it. This is all about the truth. Other believers, that is, those without the gift/preparation/mandate/spiritual empowerment/willingness-to-do-the-work of feeding the flock of Christ, have all been given the ability to judge in the Spirit whether or not a tree is producing fruit good for growth. If a Christian wants to grow, they will search out such a tree and stick with it. There is no other way to grow because there is ceiling on self-actuated growth placed there by God for the sake of the unity and authority of the Church. We all have a choice to make.

Re: "Much humility is required in this Hour". Amen! And it would be the quintessence of arrogance for someone who really has done the work and really has been led into the truth the right way to pretend that this was not the case and to fail to "blow the trumpet" out of despicable fear.

Re: "not what "seems right to us" ", I would counter that if a believer has been seeking the truth, and God gives that believer to find a good place to learn the truth, and then said believer – out of whatever negative motivation – fails to take advantage, that is exactly preferring what only SEEMS right to what the Spirit is showing him/her actually IS right. It is not possible that God would fail to give any believer all the truth they can handle if they are really willing to receive it. It may take time, searching, effort to find that tree; it may take hard swallowing of some prior assumptions; it may require "putting aside the bones" in the early going. But what is the point of searching if when the treasure is found it is rejected (Mk.13:44)?

Re: "As to "Elijah," it would not contradict Scripture if God would send him tomorrow", I heartily disagree. He is one of the two witnesses and they do not appear until the Tribulation begins as Revelation chapter 11 demonstrates very clearly. He is sent to Israel, not to the gentiles, and the partial revival does not occur until the sealing and sending of the 144,000 during the Tribulation. He is one of only two Jewish prophets whose body has been preserved miraculously so as to be able to accomplish this special ministry to Israel during the Tribulation and not before. He will be fulfilling prophecies from the Old Testament (Zech.4:6-14), the gospels (Matt.11:14), and Revelation (Rev.11:6; compare with Jas.5:17-18) all of which reference the Tribulation – and there is, I would mention again, no prophecy of scripture for the Church Age: we are in the mystery age unknown prior to the cross. All as yet unfulfilled prophecy has to do with the end times events which do not begin until the Tribulation begins. This is just a quick synopsis. Again, I would point you to the following links:
Mystery Age I
Mystery Age II
The Two Witnesses I
The Two Witnesses II
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #11:
I truly appreciate your weekly posts. You have an uncanny ability to address my current concerns on a fairly consistent basis. That suggests to me that others are having similar issues or the Spirit is encouraging your posts. Either way, I'm happy to read your posts every Sunday morning.

I was disappointed to read that people are attacking your site. I can't imagine why; you don't advertise, you don't push your beliefs on others, you don't back down on your beliefs, either, which I admire. Maybe that's it?

I could rhapsodize at length, but it would add little. I pray your school year is off to a good start and you're satisfied with your incoming class. BTW -- last I was in Cincinnati, I wouldn't have wanted to get in that water, either, though I hear it's cleaned up substantially. Don't know about the East Palestine effluent, though. If government says it's safe, I would be extremely wary of it.

In any event -- thank you for your posts.

In our Lord,
Response #11:
Thanks for this encouraging email, my friend! I greatly appreciate it. That is what the Church of Jesus Christ is all about, mutual encouragement.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Romans 1:11-12 NIV
As to the "why", it's hard to say. But it is fair to observe that slacking leads to doubt; doubt to a need to justify oneself, self-justification to rationalization, rationalization to projecting, projection to judging, judging to resentment and jealousy, and pretty soon you have full-blown hostility. If we're not moving forward in love in humility, we all have a tendency to slip backward downhill pretty fast (lots about that in the latest Hebrews posting; see the link: "Reversion").

I'm encouraged by your faith and faithfulness, my friend!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
p.s., re: H20, reminds me of that old song, "If you go to American city, you may find it very pretty, just one thing of which you must beware, don't drink the water and don't breath the air!"
Question #12:
Hi Bob,

Thank you for this week's emails. 

I have to say that I'm so sad to hear about these previously supposed "brethren" attempting to pull others away from the truth. Also, the hostility to your ministry and all of the rubbish you've had to put up with from them. It's the times we're living in and the warnings are all there for us in scripture. Thank you for your reminder and warnings to us and for your love and concern for us.

I thank the Lord so much for you and your ministry. For all of the time you have so generously given to me, for your help and support through so many tough times in my life since I've known you, for your patience with me, for your teaching, encouragement and prayers for me and my family. For helping me to grow spiritually. And for making me laugh - I love that! Most of all for your deep love for the Lord and for His truth. You are a very dear friend to me and I appreciate you so much.

Keeping you in my prayers. I hope exam #1 goes well tomorrow!

In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #12:
Thanks so much for your encouragement, insight, and help as always, my friend!

I hope it didn't all sound too "whiny". Some of these things that you also suspected have come to my attention and so I posted what I posted. Not for my own sake, but for the sake of the Ichthys community who need to be aware of the subtle threat lurking out there. I wouldn't be doing my job as a shepherd if I saw wolves coming and didn't sound the alarm. I'm not on either forum, so I only rarely hear about the goings on there second hand. When it came to my attention that one individual had been totally subverted, I knew it was finally time to "lower the boom". 

Thanks for all you've written, and especially for "Most of all for your deep love for the Lord and for His truth." Believe it or not, the chief criticism I received in the most recent philippic was that I and this ministry lacked "LOVE". I found this strange since all I'd ever done for this particular individual was spend a lot of time in responding to emails, encouraging him, praying for him, trying to help him in any way I could. But ego and arrogance and self-justification lead to jealousy and anger and outright hostility pretty quickly, just as soon as a person abandons the truth. Honestly, I have a pretty thick skin (and have heard a lot worse as suggested), so I wouldn't have let it bother me enough to post any of these observations. But from what I knew about the situation, it seemed clear that it was time for a little alert, lest others be dragged into the same vortex of negativity. What I really can't understand is why, if you help someone for no personal benefit or advantage, when they decide, OK, I'm not interested in that ministry anymore, they can't just quietly move on to whatever they prefer (doubts on my part that it will be better, but it's their choice). Not sure why it's necessary to attack and, in some cases, attempt to detach others too . . . unless there are more sinister forces at work. That's why I felt the need to post as I posted.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for your wonderful words of encouragement, my friend! And for your stalwart faithfulness. It means the world to me.

I sure hope my students studied too (makes it a lot less painful for yours truly)!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #13:
It's my pleasure, Bob!

It didn't sound too "whiny" at all. You're being completely open, honest and stating the truth and I think that's really important. You're a good shepherd protecting the flock and I for one am VERY grateful to you for this. 

To say you and your ministry lacked "LOVE" couldn't be any further from the truth in my experience. And you only have to read years and years worth of email postings on Ichthys to see your deep love for the Lord and faith in Him and how much you genuinely love and care for those He has given to you.

Attacking you and your ministry and attempting to detach others from it is the exact opposite of love. No doubt there's more sinister forces at work too. It reminds me of the kind of abuse I've experienced in my own life. If someone isn't hearing what they want to hear or getting what they want, they can turn on you in an instant. It can come all out of the blue and their words can cut like a knife. It reveals what's truly going on inside of them. 

It's the Lord we are here to please. Not ourselves or anyone else. And it is the Lord we will all stand before and answer for our time here on earth. You write in 1st Peter #18 - Since each of us will have to give an accounting to the Lord for all we have (or have not) done (Rom.14:12), we should strive to be "pleasing to Him in all things" (2Cor.5:9), and seek to make that experience one which will confirm our everlasting reward, rather than expose a wasted life (1Cor.3:11-15).

Keep doing what you're doing Bob and what you've always done. You're an absolute blessing to the whole Ichthys family. We're all striving to please our Lord and to hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We mustn't allow anyone or anything to pull us away from the Lord and His truth.

Keeping you in my prayers.

In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #13:
Thanks so much for this!

While, to be honest if not humble, this how I see it too, it's really a blessing to hear it from you!

Re: "We mustn't allow anyone or anything to pull us away from the Lord and His truth." Amen to that! Exactly! Regardless of what others may do, our job is to keep pushing forward in growth, progress and production straight up the high road to Zion, no matter what.

It's also encouragement to see you doing just that, my friend!

Made it through Monday! Greek 101 and Latin 201 exams were very good and better than hoped. Only about a third of the way through Latin 101 and we've got some problems there (but that is typical). Busy day tomorrow finishing up and also triple prepping for the week ahead; also need to get the schedule for 24/25 done since we have a new chair who'll be needing it earlier than usual. 

*Prayers also appreciate for a student of mine (several years now) who found my website and wants to come by and "talk to me about Jesus". While I'm more than willing, he eagerly offers that he is "Catholic". On top of that, the poor fellow's health is in really bad shape (Lyme disease, I think). He also looks up to me as we have discussed his career plans in the past. So I don't want to disappoint or upset him but I also have to be honest. Prayers for hitting just the right notes appreciated!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #14:
Hi Dr. Luginbill - 

Good to hear for you! Thank you so much for reaching out and asking, plus for covering me in prayer. We so appreciate it.

I must admit, it was a good thought regarding flying and the pressure, but we drove to and from Florida. I will definitely look into any benefits that may come from this type of treatment. I have friends that rave regarding their health benefits to the therapy.

We are currently in CA, but actually working our way back to Texas. 

[omitted] 

Re: your correspondent who posted, "I’ve been wanting to reach out to you and say congratulations on 25 years! My company is in its busy season and it’s been hard to just send an email at times. I’m confident that your ministry has touched thousands of lives. I know it has mine. We may never meet this side of heaven but you are one of the ones on my list that I want to walk up to in heaven and say Thank You! Then you will say, oh you are the messed up dude that always emailed me! LOL!"

Why did I laugh? Because I thought for sure I sent you the message until the last sentence. Lol. Then I realized there have been times I thought for sure I had submitted the questions in your weekly email threads, but where clearly your answers made me realize I did not submit the question. The bottom line is that I recognize that every time I had a question, through your exhaustive studies, and treasure trove of emails, I usually always find the answers before I ever have to ask you a question. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you for your diligence in feeding us and for caring for the flock. Continuing to pray for you, Ichthys, and all that concerns you and yours.

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Response #14:
Wow! TX to FL to CA to TX driving! You guys really are "road warriors"! Nowadays, driving half an hour is something I avoid if at all possible. Keeping you in prayer for ___, for God to provide just the right answer.

On "messed up", doesn't that apply to us all? Yes, we are all prizes of grace (1Tim.1:15). But if we are growing in that grace, eventually we will all have the same questions – since we all want to know everything about the Christian life and the Bible. I do appreciate the observation!

Keeping you and your family in my daily prayers, my friend – and thank you so much for yours!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #15:
Thank you, Dr. Luginbill.

I grew up on family road trips, ___ not so much. This has been a new and fun adventure for us to explore together. Air travel has been so difficult over the past few years (even with our TSA pre-check) that road-tripping has been a welcome reprieve.

Yes, indeed, the depth of our gratitude for grace certainly propels us forward (or should) once we've experienced it. I was referring to the fact I thought I wrote the email until he referred to himself as "dude" - and that's clearly not me. Ha!

Lastly, I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Response #15:
I did clue into the "dude" part, LOL.

I'm glad to hear that __ is helping. Keeping up the prayer too.

I hear you on flying. If I never had to get on a airplane again it would be too soon. 

Do keep me in the loop!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #16:
Bob,

I have just finished reading your weekly posting and am extremely alarmed and disturbed to hear that people who once claimed to be brethren are attacking you and even trying to lead people away from your ministry?! This sounds diabolical to me! You have only ever been a great comfort and strength to me and your ministry is so excellently dedicated to the truth and to glorify God, you have such a high regard and love of Scripture and that was what kept me coming back again and again as a baby Christian when I was still prone to being tossed about on the waves of Laodicea.

I am eternally grateful for your faithfulness to the Lord and your harkening to the Holy Spirit, how you earnestly sought and fought for the truth and faithfully followed the Spirit so as to never compromise on where the Word leads. Yes it is very true, the Word is very divisive. I have learned that myself and it would have been much easier to compromise and go with the crowds but I knew that the truth was more precious than rubies and so I have fought to remain in it. I love the truth and it has been a great comfort and strength for me that you love the truth even more!

You have never failed to comfort me, you write to me the same day and sometimes even not long after I have written to you when you sensed a reply was more urgently needed. You have been a constant to me. Your fellowship has been so wise, dependable and of such stellar character that it easily eclipsed many churches filled to the rafters of the lukewarm and the 'fellowship' they bring. I used to complain about not having lots of believers to fellowship with but what a fool I was! I always had an excellent friend and brother in you that was always worth more than scores of those who do not love the truth as much as we do.

I salute you for all you have done for me to the glory of God. You have helped me grow to being at the point where I am to go forward and minister myself!

Please do not be disheartened by these current events! Maybe these deceitful and deceiving individuals were always tares in the midst of true wheat. They will have a lot to say for themselves on Judgement Day so we can leave them with the Lord. I am lifting up your ministry in prayer to get through this satanic attack (which is clearly what it is). If there is anything else you need to be raised up in prayer, please do not hesitate to ask. I keep you covered by prayer daily but I am more than happy to pray for anything else that is needful for you right now.

You have encouraged me at low moments time and time again so now it is my turn to cheer you on! Keep running Bob! You are running a fantastic race for the Lord! Keep running! There are many of us still cheering you on and ready to help, comfort and encourage you when you are feeling the flak! To quote your own dear words back to you: When the flak doesn't blow you out of the sky, fly on my dear friend! Fly on!!

Your friend in Jesus,
Response #16:
Thank you so much, for this, my friend! I greatly appreciate this email – it does my heart so much good! You encourage me . . . and that is what the Church is for, after all.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV
Re: "This sounds diabolical to me!" I'm sure that it is. If someone wants to enjoy the fruits of this ministry, they are free to do so free of charge. They are under no obligation to ever contact me or to ever even let me know they are doing so. If they wish to email me, that is a ministry I also provide, and I am happy to try to encourage them, guide them, help them work through things they are having a hard time understanding. If they want to enter into their own ministries, I am joyous about that, and I do my best to help with whatever knowledge, guidance and prayer I can provide. If at some point in the future, for whatever reason, turning back to the world or going their own way for whatever reason, succumbing to whatever temptation, or merely becoming resentful and jealous out of arrogance and pride (as people are wont to do, after all), I also have no problem with them packing up their tents and stealing away in the night never to be heard from again (of course, I would try to find out if they were OK and leave it to the Lord if I got no response). Blaming me for helping them is very odd (diabolical, I'm sure), but even so, that I can abide. However, attempting to destroy other sheep who depend on this ministry is a bridge too far. That is why I posted what I posted. Not for my own benefit but to send a message to the community that these threats are out there. If I didn't do that, I wouldn't be doing my job of protecting the flock.
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears."
Acts 20:28-31 NIV
Again, thank you so much, my friend, for you kind words and, even more than that, for your steadfast faithfulness through thick and thin. It means a lot to me!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #17
Hi Bob,

Thanks for checking in. I'm reasonably OK. I've been tempted to write you with questions you've already answered, so I "sat down and shut up:)"

Questions swirling around are:

1) which authority should we obey when the authority violates their own laws?

2) Daniel 1: Daniel and friends rejected the King's meat. I assume the meat was not that well cared for or prepared. "Meat" I understand meaning "food." Since the covid fiasco, I equate "kings food" with FDA approval. While I know it has nothing to do with salvation, I'm growing reluctant to trust the "approval."

3) "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Matt 6:34 has been ringing through my head. I was tempted to ask if, in times past, things were this evil, but on careful reading, I'm convinced it was. We never seem to learn.

It occurs to me that if we do the things the Lord hates, will we not suffer the same consequences?

It's been hot -- the bad side of Texas, but except for the last couple of weeks, humidity is generally low. so it isn't all bad.

I read your posts every Sunday. It was a good post this week (110!) I was tempted to comment on a few things, but didn't see where that added anything to the conversation.

Thanks for checking in. You and yours are in my daily prayers. I hope all is well up there in L-ville. Classes I assume are over for the term and you're off on your research projects. I pray all works well for you.

In our Lord,
Response #17:
Good to hear that you're still on this side of the grass anyway (you don't need to have any questions to write me, my friend).

1) On the authority question, it doesn't matter if authority violates its own laws:
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach."
Matthew 23:1-3 NIV
Sounds pretty familiar, yes? Mentioned much in the past, Paul and Peter who give us our most demonstrative passages on obeying civil law were greatly abused by it themselves and yet stuck to this position.  What we can not do is act contrary to scripture, even if ordered to do so, whether by omission or commission. But if it is "just" a case of inconvenience or galling hypocrisy, incompetence, abuse, malevolence and double-standards, we're not allowed to ignore authority for such reasons.

2) We're not told about the details, but Daniel and friends were reluctant to eat "the king's portion" (type of food not specified) because they didn't want to "defile themselves", meaning that there were elements to the standard fare which were not Kosher, either in the content or the preparation. I.e., there's no indication here that it wasn't "good food", just that it didn't meet Jewish standards under the Law.

3) Of course, Matthew 6:34 has always applied. It's very much a "one day at a time" verse (see the link to the latest treatment of this principle in Hebrews chapter 3). And I would agree that it has never been more important to maintain that "focus on today" perspective, given what is happening in the world and in this country. Our "tomorrow" is with the Lord, and none of the awful things we're witnessing and/or experience can take that away from us . . . just as long as we stay faithful.

Re: "if we do the things the Lord hates, will we not suffer the same consequences?" The key thing here is "who is 'we'?" Believers are the salt of the earth, the preservative of whatever nation they belong to. Clearly, "we" believers need to be growing, progressing and producing spiritually to convey that benefit. In terms of what the larger society or the world does, that is really not our concern. We don't love the world (Jas.4:4; 1Jn.1:15-17); we're just temporarily in it (Jn.15:19; 16:33; 17:6; 17:14; 1Jn.5:4). And how we look forward to what is to come!

It has been a very difficult summer (for reasons I'd rather not get into at present). Prayers appreciated. 

Hot here too, but at least we've had some rain which has given us a bit of respite from all the smoke.

Keeping you and yours in my daily prayers, my friend.

Happy 4th!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #18:
Hi Bob,

I didn't expect a response but I'm happy to receive it. I'm sorry to hear your summer is going poorly. You should be off BBQing and enjoying your break. I will add that to my prayers. That's not good news.

Your points are well taken. I don't protest government hypocricy. I try to avoid it. I can't fix it anyway. On Daniel 1, I'm sure you're right, but I wonder if there isn't a deeper truth there. It's in scripture for a reason.

It's been hot here, too. We had a cold front come through that dropped the temperatures down to the high nineties. Humidity went down, too, so overall, it was a relief. My gardening days are now over and maybe my mowing days, too. I just can't do it anymore. Gettin' old ain't for sissies!

I will be praying for your troubles to ease. Scripture tells us we'll be given no testing we can't bear so I believe you'll come out of this in fine shape. In the mean time, I'll be here rooting for you.

In our Lord,
Response #18:
Thanks for those prayers, my friend!

As to "deeper meaning", it seems pretty deep to me that Daniel and co. decided to risk their lives on doing things God's way and He rewarded them for so doing. That really is life for the believer in essence: seek God's will then do it. What ever is the right thing – in His eyes – we should do that no matter what the consequences.

Appreciate you rooting for me! I'll let you know when this resolves.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #19:
Hi Bob,

You raise a good point about kosher. I never thought of that. I was going to ask how you arrived at that since scripture doesn't specifically say that -- as far as I understand.

Logically, it had to be. If the righteous were taken to Babylon, there had to be priests among them. I've come to the conclusion that meat eating back then was also a sacrifice to the Lord, whether a priest was involved or not. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Today, I know of no kosher vegetables.

Fish also played a major part of the diet at the time, but I can't remember any dietary rules for fish. A variety of tilapia, BTW, is the principle fish in the Sea of Galilee as far as I can tell.

As an unrelated aside, in my morning drive-by scan of headlines, one in the Washington Times caught my eye. It was about AI playing an important role in the '24 elections. Apparently there are already ads produced for candidates by AI. Mostly video and pictures but the article hinted about copy being written by AI.

I pray all works out well for you.

In our Lord,
Response #19:
Trying to think of any non-animal food which is intrinsically not Kosher (there are things having to with preparation and of course under some circumstances leaven in bread was not allowed). In terms of fish, this is the prohibition:
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
Deuteronomy 14:9-10 KJV
They might as well have AI produce the ads. As I tell my students when the subject of conditionals comes up, all advertising is based on the "simple condition" – which is actually not so simple. Example, "If you are truly an upstanding person and determined to do what is right . . . THEN of course you support us in our campaign to do XYZ". If you get sucked in by the premise (beautiful tropical beach scene), then you have a tendency to "buy the 'bit' ": those people are drinking "THIS beer"; so drink this beer and have that life, the ad is telling our emotions which are much more powerful than our pea-brains. If AI can figure that out (not too hard to do), then maybe it's getting somewhere. Otherwise . . .

*In terms of AI, the new Ichthys narrator voice is AI generated – so like all technology, it can be put to godly purposes as well (see the link).

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend! And thanks so much for yours (I'll let you know when something develops).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #20:
Hi Bob,

I remembered the no-scales prohibition right after I hit send. (Fingers are now faster than my mind!) I know of no creature that swims without fins. Fiji islanders, apparently like to eat ship worms. No scales includes catfish, which I enjoy and eel which I'm not crazy about -- but I'm not a gourmet. Catfish are bottom feeders as are drums, both black and red which qualify as kosher. (I like these, too, especially well seared with skin on.)

Your comments to your students on "conditionals" are spot on. I hope your students pay attention. That legerdemain seems to permeate all of society, not just advertising or politics. Of course, it's clear I won't change the world so I quietly ignore it all. I'm sure that one day, that'll bite me, but I'm not sure I really care anymore.

Stay well. I pray your issues are resolved as you hope.

In our Lord,
Response #20:
Thanks – I really appreciate your prayers. I'll let you know.

Do catfish have scales? In any case, our Lord has rendered all foods clean now (Mk.7:19), so if we can stomach it, it's alright to eat it.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
http://ichthys.com/