http://ichthys.com/ 
Eschatology Issues CXLVI

Question #1:
As Hosea 4:6, where do I even start with this one?

Conspiracy theorists, Judaizers and every other fearmongering/"lost true path" type "Christians" use this as some dire warning for modern day believers, as if it was meant to speak to us as well on some "dark threat/deception almost none even have any knowledge of" that "God will judge you for not being vigilant of even if you have no knowledge of", or some "lost way that if you don't find and follow, God will withhold true salvation from you".

I get people like taking verses out of context and/or extrapolating them onto things and ideas they were never meant for, but how is this verse to actually be applied?
Response #1:
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."
Hosea 4:6 NIV
This passage was addressed to Israel and all Israel was supposed to consist of believers who were doing the right thing in following the Lord – or as we would say, growing spiritually. The recipients are being upbraided for not doing so. Clearly, this reproach does not apply to unbelievers, only believers: only believers (Israel in this case) are "My people".

In terms of what wrong-track believers (if they really are believers) do with misapplied scriptures, to my mind that has nothing to do with you or me. If a person's ministry is apologetic, there might possibly be some applicability. Otherwise, I don't see it. 

Cult adherents often use the Bible, passages taken mostly out of context to try and bully others into their grasp. But these people are not believers and so nothing they say about scripture should be taken seriously. From your description of the ones doing this it seems highly likely that this is the sort we are talking about for the most part.
"So ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
Matthew 15:14 NLT
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #2:
Hi Bob,

This not an important question, so save it for after you have addressed more pressing correspondents.

It's my understanding that in ancient Israel, months were deemed 28 days based on the lunar cycle. The New Testament nullified that notion. Back then, how were the extra days accounted? 13 months of 28 days = 364 days. 12 months of 28 days = 336 days. Neither of which works with 28 day months. How did the ancient Israelites compensate for the difference?

Yours in our Lord,
Response #2:
If I'm not mistaken, while there are in fact different kinds of months with slightly different lengths (sidereal, tropical, anomalistic, and draconic), astronomically speaking, for practical purposes such as this we can consider them as having 30 days, not 28 (i.e., there are over 12 synodic months in a solar year, each having 29.53 days).

Every year that still leaves about 5 1/4 days not accounted for, which, in a very few years, would put any calendar out of whack with the seasons. The way all ancient calendars with which I am familiar handled this problem was through a process called intercalation wherein an additional month was added to the year every six or seven years or so. There is some evidence that this is the way things were handled in ancient Israel too – it actually seems unavoidable as well. Here is a link to where I tackle some of these issues: "The Jewish Calendar".

The above sounds odd to us, but especially in the Greco-Roman world, the month was, in addition to the day and the year, the focal point of time keeping. They didn't have weeks. But anyone could look up at the night sky and see where they were in terms of the month – which started with every "new moon". Similarly with each day, it was noon when the sun was directly over head, the division between the sixth and seven hours – every day and every night always had twelve hours, longer or shorter depending on the exact time of year (this is why sun dials work). 

We are slaves to the mechanical clock (wherein hours do not correspond to the time of year) and to the new (sort of – it goes back to Julius Caesar) 365 day calendar which requires no adjustment but which also divorces months (derived from "moon") from the cycle of the moon from which they draw there name. Just one more way we moderns are divorced from the natural world which played such a huge role in human life before electricity and the industrial revolution.

Have a good weekend, my friend!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #3:
Hi Bob,

Thanks for the explanation and the link (which will take me some time to get through.) Which begs the issue of 30 days not being evenly divisible by 7. which seems to be a fairly important number in scripture. Were the festivals considered intercalary days and outside the normal month? How do you think it will all be realized in the millennium?

There's much I don't understand about history. The Roman fasces, e.g., why? and why was the symbol adopted by the US? The correlation between our government and the late Roman government is interesting. Is it safe to assume the acts of later Rome and it's barbarism will be a pert of the Tribulation?

I know it's posting day. so don't feel any need to respond. Now that I'm gainfully unemployed, I enjoy the luxury of thinking about things like this.

I pray you and yours are well and safe.

In our Lord,
Response #3:
The Jewish festivals are all prescribed as to the months in which they occur. There is an issue of how weeks and festivals interrelate (i.e., a Sabbath day occurring within a festival), but there isn't enough information in scripture to say with certainty just how they did this in antiquity. Indeed, by our Lord's day it seems that there was some confusion since there is evidence that the Passover was celebrated on two different days (i.e., He and the disciples celebrated the Passover the night before the crucifixion but see Jn.18:28). This all lead me to believe that there was meant to be some flexibility here since of course the weeks won't match up with the months and the months are necessarily variable within a year (with no biblically prescribed method of intercalation which must have happened regardless). Whatever the procedure in the Millennium, we will have to wait to find out. We do know that there will be changes in the festival calendar (cf. Ezek.45:18 - 46:24).

The Roman symbols are explainable (rods represent the consul's power of corporal punishment; axes represented capital punishment). Why the U.S. did/does things, I can't vouch for, but I don't think it has anything to do with whatever is coming in a few years – not in a way that anything can be predicted from it, at any rate.

Thanks for your patience. It's been a slice the last few days. My phone died. Someone hacked my Amazon account. My HTML software (used for posting) crashed terminally. All of these things are easy to write but took hours and days to fix or find work-arounds. Better day today, however!

Keeping you in my daily prayers, my friend. Thanks so much for yours!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #4:
Hi Bob,

It sounds like you've had a go of it. It's been said, "Anybody can make a mistake, but it takes a computer to REALLY foul things up." (I can vouch for that!) I don't own a cell phone and won't; too many years on-call and knowing what happens after the call. Many times even if you don't call. At least the computer issue is resolved -- for now.

I'm sorry to have wasted your time with the question. I was thinking about the crucifixion and how they had to get the body down before the sabbath and how He rose on the first day of the week which led to weeks and months and the discrepancy of the year divisible 7 and 12. I could remember nothing in scripture that resolved the difference. Thanks for your patience. At least my memory isn't as faulty as it sometimes seems.

Thanks for the explanation of the fasces. I suspect government adopted the symbol for the same reason.

Thanks for your prayers. I'm seeing slow improvement.

In our Lord Jesus,
Response #4:
No worries, my friend. Please feel free to write me any time.

A lot of people have issues with the whole "three days / three nights" thing and "when was the Sabbath", etc., but scripture is clear enough that our Lord was crucified on a Friday, the day they celebrated the Passover in Judea (the northern Passover was a day earlier – which explains the last supper the night before), and rose on the following Monday morning, the first day of the week. Inclusively counting (a commonality in the ancient world even if we don't "get it" today), this fulfills the three days / three nights prophecy.

Here is a link on that:  in BB 4A: "The Three Days"
Great news that you're on the mend!

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #5:
Hello Dr.,

In your DropBox you should find the following audio files: BB2: Eschatology 8-15

Once again a change needed to be made to the AI reader, you’ll hear the new voice (Ollie) beginning with pt.11. The last reader (Anderson Knightley) was pulled from the platforms voice menu, he was what is classified as a “community” voice, and the creators of “community” voices can pull them from the menu pool at any time with no notice. Shortly before A.K went MIA I began experiencing problems with the reader and was having to do quite a bit more editing than usual (maybe that’s part of it?), the platform provider offers no reason, except to say that the voice is gone. A.K. was the best I’ve heard so far, but I think Ollie will do just fine, still much better than where we began with Ryan years ago. There is a small glitch at the very beginning of pt.14 with the word “He”, it sounds like Ollie just got out of bed. I’ve tried several things to fix this but nothing has worked so far, I keep notes on issues like this, so if I find a fix in the future I’ll send a new file. For those who fear AI is going to take over the world all they need to do is work with it for a few hours and they’ll see that’s not going to happen. This technology is only as good as the people who create it, and being people ourselves, we know how that goes.

Things here are moving along, nothing new to mention, just the typical odd existence of a stranger in a strange land that is getting stranger by the day. With the implementation of Divide and Conquer at so many levels in society and especially recently with the political left/right paradigm being beat into everybody’s head, this has all got me avoiding conversation with many these days. It’s easy to violate a person’s normalcy bias, and really not worth it. God opens doors to those who are really interested in the Truth, they’re few and far between, but always welcome when they turn up. 

How are you Sir? Hope you had a pleasant Thanks Giving, I spent mine with the flu (glad that’s over) even so, we still enjoyed some good food and time together (got sick the following week). Got you in prayer, and thank you for yours. I’ll be in touch.

All the best,

Rev. 22:20
Response #5:
Thank you for all these, my friend! Greatly appreciated. All uploaded and tested. Don't worry about the "He" – makes the new voice sound more human.

Sorry to hear about the continuing software problems. If it's any consolation, I'm have tons of those on this end. My HTML editor has gotten Alzheimer's or something (i.e., it's "forgotten" how to do some things it used to be able to do). After a very difficult Saturday wherein I woke up to a dead iPhone (my lifeline) and had to spend most of the day at the phone store, finally having "crunched" the files, the program wouldn't work. I did find a work around, but it's frustrating. Don't know if it's repairable long term. I may have to switch.

I hear you on the "normalcy". I rarely even watching the news now.

Sorry you guys had the flu for Thanksgiving. Here's hoping Christmas will be better.

Keeping you two in prayer for all things, my friend – thanks much for yours!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #6:
Hi Bob.

Another question: does scripture have anything to say about eating organ meats? After many years on the East Coast many of those near a favorite Jewish deli. I came to love liver and onions. That love gradually faded away until recently my doctor suggested I eat more liver. I found chicken liver at the local grocery ($0.48 per serving!) and took her advice. The love of liver and onions has returned.

The question being, do you know of anything in scripture that would argue against that? Peter's vision in Acts 11 suggests otherwise. Acts 15:29 would also suggest eating offal is acceptable.

Don't feel a need to respond right away -- tend to more important things first. So far, I know of nothing in scripture that would indicate it's no OK and this is more curiosity than anything else.

I pray all is well up there in L'ville and the snow fall was light. Still walking?

In our Lord,
Response #6:
The Spirit's vision given to Peter in Acts 10 demonstrates that, under the New Covenant, everything is valid to eat.
Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Acts 10:10-16 NKJV
As our Lord said,
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Mark 7:18-19 NIV
And as Paul says,
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
1st Timothy 4:1-5 NIV
Based on the above especially, I would be very reluctant to tell anyone that anything edible is forbidden by scripture. Of course we all have food prejudices (survival manuals tell you that this is the first attitude you have to ditch if you are in a live or die situation). Using a little common sense is still OK too, of course. Reminds me of the man who was ailing and found out from the doctor that he had developed scurvy . . . because he had been subsisting on a diet of "Hot Pockets" exclusively for some months.

Liver, bacon and onions was a dish my mother, the nutritionist, used to serve up on occasion. I always liked it (some could never face liver). Chicken livers also tasty. Don't get much of either these days.

Hope you're not planning on liver for Christmas!

Yes, I'm still getting out there, although the way the break has been shaping up I've not gotten near the time in I should have. Seems one thing comes up then another – but I do "get out there" daily, weather permitting.

No snow; lots of rain; temps headed down, so that may change. We rarely get a "White Christmas" here.

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #7:
HI Bob,

Thanks for the confirmation! I didn't know of anything that would have prevented it. I do enjoy liver and onions, I suspect that's one thing the ancient Isrealites missed.

I'm glad you can still get out and exercise. I'm finding it a slow go -- but I expect that to improve. I pray all is well up there in L'ville and the frozen North isn't bothering you too much.

In out Lord,
Response #7:
Re: "I suspect that's one thing the ancient Israelites missed". Right, and lobster and shrimp too, not to mention barbecued ribs and, of course bacon (it's its own food group, you know).

I'm needing to put in more time and miles in 2025 too. Meanwhile, hanging in!

Cold weather ahead here UNTIL Christmas Eve . . . then we're looking at a wet not a white Christmas.

Hoping you've got plans to be with your family.

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #8:
[If you so choose, this message may be put on the site. I'll go back to private messages after this I think.]

The so-called "Biblical gender roles" movement (often touted by Evangelicals) had been a stumbling block for me for a long time. Whenever I get pulled back into it, I don't end up "respecting the well-defined roles God (supposedly) has for a man and a woman. I see the world, the life women lead and the true good they do for the world (even if the rampant, rage and vengeace filled neo-feminism putting its tendrils in every aspect of American culture today has done irreparable damage to this nation and, ironically, actual happiness and freedom for many of the women it claims to support), and I have to force myself to believe the claims by looking at "statistics", "testimonies of women who found themselves miserable without traditional roles" and "reminding myself of the Scriptures", seeing it as "shutting down my sinful pride in what I personally believe is "fair"".

[omitted]

Tradition does not dictate what should be Scriptural, no matter how deeply rooted that tradition is in culture of the Church visible. Calling any movement for an idea "Biblical" is a dangerous move. Satan himself appears as an angel of light, and he used the Scripture to tempt our own Lord. Just because it uses Scripture as a base doesn't make it truthful, which is why we're commanded to beware false teachers to begin with. I hope this helps anyone who reads this. God bless Doc.
Response #8:
It is a sad commentary on Laodicea that this topic (and related ones) is disproportionally talked about in most mega-churches on Sunday – but the Bible doesn't spend 1% of its space on it – because it is so clear: even "nature itself" makes it clear, for all willing to listen (1Cor.11:14).

In terms of "roles", we believers are all individuals and we all have specific gifts from the Lord. He has a plan for our lives, and we know what that entails for us all in general: spiritual growth, passing tests, helping others. If His plan for us includes marriage, we can work these things out with our spouses, informed by the Bible which is clear enough

Re: "Calling any movement for an idea "Biblical" is a dangerous move." Amen! All Christians would be well served to stay out of politics. And that includes "political thinking". Like, "what's wrong with our society?" and "people should do this" or "people should not do that" (cf. Eccl.7:10). 
The world into which Christians first found themselves immersed was paganism and hostile to the very idea of Jesus Christ – even the majority of Jews were inimical. No thoughts there of "changing the system" or the way society worked or its norms and standards, however corrupt viewed from the standpoint of the truth.  Those believers concentrated on learning and living the truth, sharing it where opportunity beckoned. It really does seem as if things are upside down today. But we who are growing closer to Jesus Christ daily know what we are down here for: to grow and to progress and to produce for His glory and for our own great eternal reward. 

So let us be "up and doing".

Merry Christmas!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #9:
I’M STILL HERE 80 GREAT HEALTH EXCEPT ARTHRITIS FROM THE PLAYING DAYS. STILL READING YOUR ARTICLES. THOUGHT YOU MIGHT GET A LAUGH OUT OF THIS, BUT AS PAUL SAID IN HIS ON WAY THEY ARE NOT AGANISt US AND HE PROCLAIMS 

CHRIST. WISHING YOU AND YOUS A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. TIME IS SHORT, MARANTHA,

LOVE TO MY BROTHER IN CHRIST OUR LORD.
https://redstate.com/brandon_morse/2024/12/20/a-cosmic-struggle-the-circumstances-that-led-to-the-birth-of-christ-n2183474
Response #9:
Thanks for this, my friend.

Glad to hear that you are doing well (3Jn.1:2).

Right! Just the fact that some out there are actually thinking of things in biblical terms ought to be somewhat encouraging (even if they've gotten some things wrong as in this link; i.e., we should all know that Satan fell long before God created mankind).

I appreciate you checking in, and here's wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and a blessed and happy 2025 as well!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #10:
Dear Rob

In a previous email you stated that "..a full reward" means a "bountiful" reward". How do you come to this conclusion when the Greek is plere? 

I can't find in any concordance that the Greek can be translated that way. So what leads you to that conclusion?

Thanks,
Response #10:
Re: "I can't find in any concordance that the Greek can be translated that way." First of all, concordances aren't rulebooks telling us what is and is not possible.  They don't supply exhaustive translations (except occasionally in headers as reference points). If you are talking about Strong's, that is an English concordance to an English translation (KJV), not a Greek one. 

If you are thinking that Strong's or any other actual Greek lexicon which supplies English equivalents are or even are meant to be fully comprehensive, even at the time of writing (language is always in flux), that is incorrect. In other words, the assumption that "the Greek can [or cannot] be translated this specific way in English" based upon what is to found in a dictionary is off the mark. You know English. If you knew, say, German, equally well, and someone asked you to translate "Wie gehts?", e.g., you would not run off to a dictionary to find out what was allowed. You would consider what it "means", and give an English equivalent. 

So what, actually, in your opinion, would be the difference between a "full reward" or a "bountiful reward", exactly anyway? Pleres means "full, filled, satiated, complete" and other terms to that effect . . . you get the idea. If we are talking about a gas tank, "bountiful" would not be a good translation; if we are talking about your basement after a flood, "bountiful" would be a terrible (or deliberately ironic) translation. But when we are talking about something undeniably good, "bountiful" is a fair synonym for "complete/full", bringing out the goodness in a way that the generic "complete/full" does not . . . which is all I was doing. But I'm still not sure what you think the problem is, so apologies if I've misread your email.
The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
Ruth 2:12 NKJV
The above is based on translating the Hebrew in the original where we have the adjective shalem from which "Shalom!", meaning peace and prosperity. But the Greek translation, the LXX, does have pleres for "full". Seems to me that "bountiful" would be a fine synonym to use here. NIV has "richly rewarded".

We believers are looking forward to being rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ – or at least we should be (see the link). There are three crowns of reward, but everyone's individual reward will be different according to what we have done "while in the body" (2Cor.5:10).
Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
2nd John 1:8 NKJV

"But hold fast what you have till I come."
Revelation 2:25 NKJV
This would be a "good reward" as opposed to a paltry one, a "bountiful reward", as I said (there are plenty of other ways to say it). Whereas if a person turns apostate and during the Tribulation takes the mark, instead of a "full/bountiful" reward, that person will "lose the things we are working for".

We want – and are striving – to receive "everything we have coming", and "full" in that context means it was something worth working for.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #11:
Dear Bill,

I see John as speaking to believers who are having to deal with heretics in their midst, and he is saying that if they tolerate it they will get a lesser reward as opposed to a full reward, as they won't be as obedient as they should. Correct?
Response #11:
Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
2nd John 1:8 NKJV
I agree with you on the first part of 2nd John 1:8 regarding the situation, but in terms of the reward, this verse is saying that anyone who apostatizes won't receive a reward . . . at all. If we are doing what we should be in this life, we have every right to expect being bountifully rewarded. But if we turn away from the Lord entirely before it's over, abandoning the Lord to follow the beast, then all that prior effort was for naught. Here is what the following verses say:
Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
2nd John 1:9-11 NASB20 
And here is what the preceding verse said:
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2nd John 1:7 NASB20
John only presents his readers with two options: join antichrist (or his contemporary equivalents) and apostatize or stay faithful to the truth, continuing to have faith in Jesus Christ. The latter results in receiving the reward we have earned; the former results in the loss of all.
(35) So do not throw away this conviction of yours – it leads to a great reward. (36) You need to keep persevering so that you may carry off in victory what has been promised – after you have accomplished God's will. (37) For yet a little while, "how short, how short [the wait]", and "He who is coming shall come, nor will He delay". (38) "Then my one [made] righteous by his faith will live because of his faith, but if he shrinks back, My heart takes no pleasure in him (Hab.2:3-4)." (39) Now we are not possessed of cowardly apostasy which leads to destruction, but we have faith which leads to [eternal] life.
Hebrews 10:35-39
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #12:
OK, but what happens in terms of rewards to someone who walks away from faith, but later returns do they have a chance for rewards?

Thanks
Response #12:
If you are asking the question, "Can apostates come back to the faith?", as I've always said, I'm agnostic on that one – not because there is anything impossible for God but because if someone does turn away from Christ it seems unlikely that they would ever come back. Scripture does not, in my reading of it, answer the question of whether or not it ever happens, has or will happen. We will find out about each and every case in human history at the judgment seat of Christ and at the Last Judgment.

However, many Christians who have had "prodigal son" experiences want to convince themselves that they became apostates when in fact it was just that they involved themselves in great and dangerous sin and suffered for it . . . then turned around, like the prodigal son. And, to do my best to answer your specific question here, just as the father restored the prodigal, so we can affirm that the Father restores all who return from such "journeys to a far country", and that would include no loss for any prior reward won. What is lost is the opportunity during that window to have added more that could have been added, producing only fuel for the fire instead of things that please the Lord.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1st Corinthians 3:12-15 NKJV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #13:
Will they be sad that they get lost out on a greater reward in heaven when they get there?
Response #13:
Well, they'd be a lot MORE sad if they hadn't recovered in the first place. And Paul does say in regard to our evaluation by the Lord and our anticipation of it, "we know what it is to fear the Lord" (2Cor.5:10-11). No one is going to be happy at having to report anything displeasing to Him. So we are all, no doubt, going to have "some explaining to do" on that Day which will not be comfortable. 
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.
2nd Corinthians 5:9-11 NKJV
But really, none of us is going to be sad in eternity (Rev.7:17; 21:4). We are all going to be blissfully happy in ways not yet imaginable. We won't have any regrets. The lowest rewarded member of Christ's Body and the highest will be, along with us all, "one" in absolute harmony, appreciating and loving each other perfectly. 

It is also true, however, that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, in addition to receiving our rewards, we will all have our false works burned up (1Cor.3:12-15), and that is true of the greatest as well as of the least. For there isn't a single believer who lived a perfect life. So it's all "good news" – and that of course is what "the gospel" is. But there is benefit in receiving a greater rather than a lesser reward, and scripture is very clear about the legitimacy (and I would say, necessity) of encouraging ourselves to strive to do our best in this regard (see the link: The Judgment and Reward of the Church).
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #14:
Merry Christmas Doc.

The common Christian view (for those not duped by Darwinism) is that before the world was flooded, there was much more land than water covering the world. There were rivers and all that, maybe a few big lakes here and there, but they claim the waters of the Great Flood didn't fully drain, saying part of it stayed behind to become the oceans we know now.

It is mainly a Young Earth Creationist belief (6,000 years of creation having existed, back to Adam and Eve and no earlier), but is there any basis to this in truth still? I mean, God could have made the extra water dispute completely if seas were there before. It's certainly reasonable to believe such a violent event would reshape the land by some noticeable degree, but I find the degree YECs claim (being their explanation for the fossil record) to stretch pretty far in attempt to prove their doctrine.
Response #14:
"Young earth" is only slightly less crack-pot than "flat earth". A little more difficult to prove since with the latter all one has to do is demonstrate the truth of the possibility (and actuality) of flying around the world; for the former, I suppose you'd have to show them a lot of fossils. Not that that would convince them, mind you, since they imagine Adam and Eve riding dinosaurs. It is amazing to what extremes some of these people will go because they want to hold fast to their "literal view" of Genesis . . . which is "literally" wrong. 
(1) Before all else, God created the heavens and the earth. (2) But the earth came to be ruined and despoiled – darkness lay upon the face of the abyss while God's Spirit brooded over the surface of its waters.
Genesis 1:1-2
A little attention to what the text actually says in English would make them think twice . . . if they were capable of thinking once. But this is how it is with dogma when we're talking about false teaching. Whenever you see people vitriolic about their beliefs of scripture, it's usually a case of preferring tradition and parti pris false interpretations over what the Bible carefully read actually says (think "rapture", among other things).

Here are some links:
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers VII
The Genesis 2:4 Summary
The Genesis Gap (SR 2)
"Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers VI"
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers V
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers IV
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers III: Creationism, Neanderthals, Fossil Record
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers II
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers.
Waters Above, the Firmament, and the Genesis Gap.
Happy new year!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #15:
Dear Bob,

Let’s assume somebody cannot afford his medication for mental health. Should I give them money so they don’t do anything risky? 

In Jesus Christ
Response #15:
Even if I personally knew everything about the situation, this is a question with so many variables that anyone would be very unwise to give advice.

Pastor-teachers are supposed to "equip the saints" (Eph.4:12) through the teaching of the Word so that they can grow and thus be able to discern what is right to do in applying the Word in all such matters of application.
Teach me good discernment and knowledge,
For I believe in Your commandments.
Psalm 119:66 NASB

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by this renewal of your thinking, so that you may discern what God's will for you is, namely what it is good, well-pleasing, and correct [for you to do].
Romans 12:2

(9) And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in full-knowledge (epignosis: truth believed) and in all discernment, (10) so that you may be able to evaluate the things that are good and appropriate [for you to do] to be sincere and without offense in regard to the day of Christ (i.e., to gain a maximum reward at Christ's judgment seat), (11) full of the righteous production Jesus Christ [commends] to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11

Solid [spiritual] food is for the [spiritually] mature, those who by [diligent] practice have trained their [moral] perceptive faculties to [properly] distinguish between good and evil.
Hebrews 5:14
Ministries that tell others what to do through hyper-discipleship and the like are to be avoided. I don't mind answering Bible questions, but we are responsible for our own decisions when it comes to applying the truth to the kaleidoscopically changing circumstances of our own lives. In many ways, that is what being a mature believer is all about.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #16:
Thank you for the quick answer and sorry for my rather not so quick answer. This message of yours really made me think what the Lord wants me to do in my life. Which part I should take in his church. Nonetheless, I hope you experience a great new year with the Lord in 2025, maybe he is coming back before Silvester, who knows, and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day!

Yours in Christ,
Response #16:
My pleasure.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2025 as well!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #17:
Hi Dr L,

I read a book by this guy who was in Hamas and turned and spied to stop terrorist attacks, and temporarily converted to Christianity and ended up a US citizen. I say temporarily because this is a most bizarre thing to me that he did. Normally people either accept or reject the Lord/the Truth. But he, and this is hard to explain, seems to have taken pieces of His teachings like He is just one spiritual person and applies the parts he likes. And I don't know that I have seen that before, so it threw me off at first. 

And when he escaped to the US, the way he describes his story is all wrong. In the Children's Home I spent SO MUCH TIME reading the Bible that even one of the houseparents commented on it and made dumb comment about it. But there is nothing like that with him. He does go to a church here and there before stopping. But there is no seeking Him in prayer or Bible reading or Bible study. He just acts like a modern atheist Californian doing drugs and other activities I won't name. And ended up doing Ashtanga Yoga, but that is further on. And of course some of the church people are not good, but, from my own experience as you know, if you loved Him you would hold on to Him.

Oh he does the whole ragging on 'people who believe sin goes to hell' being bad schtick. This is easily dealt with. Is there truth? Yes. Well that naturally excludes the lie. Is there good and evil? Yes. Well either evil will then always exist to harm the good or it will be done away with/separated from the good. So exclusion either way.

I just saw someone who came out of brutal background where good and evil are confused, life and death are confused, and obviously his was different...but at first it felt like someone who experienced the truth in special way like I did where all you've known is dehydration, but you don't even know it is dehydration, and then you find the most precious water. And to watch him set it aside, I felt so deeply against it. Like anger, betrayal, I don't know. Like when someone sees the truth more clearly and still sets it aside is much stronger devaluing vs people who don't see it, they can more plead ignorance though it is their choice not to care enough about the truth to seek it out.

I have been sitting trying to work out if he was ever a believer, if he'd ever come back. It affected me a lot because of how I described the similarity. 

Please take care of yourself,
Response #17:
I certainly agree with everything you've written here. One thing I can add is that there are many "fair weather Christians", or, as our Lord put it, those for whom the seed of the Word fell upon a rocky heart, one which wouldn't let the Word penetrate all the way in so that they fall away whenever the going gets tough. From what I can see, that is perhaps the majority of Laodicean Christians so that this man's story is not particularly unique. We are going to see many fall away during the Tribulation.
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
Matthew 24:9-13 NKJV
And of course the majority of humanity behaves exactly as you describe it here. Not being willing to accept the gift of eternal life at the cost of acknowledging God, His Son, and their authority. Preferring to worship themselves and refusing to worship their Creator they end up worshiping and serving the creature Satan instead.

I praise the Lord for good believers like yourself who understand what is really important in this life!

Hope you had a nice Christmas! Wishing you a happy and productive 2025.

In Jesus our dear Savior,

Bob L.
Question #18:
Hi Bob,

The thread starting in #1 (Eschatology Issues CXXXVI) almost got me spun up. My opinion of most science is low. Most, not all, science that I've read qualifies as the best science money can buy or nonsense fodder for grant proposals. One must actually read the studies (which gives me a headache!) to know if it's valid science. Along those lines, we also have the best experts and pundits money can buy. Your comments on fiction describes most science, government, experts and commentators.

Speaking of fiction and H.G. Wells. The hysteria over bird flu (and the seemingly endless chain of reported health risks) reminds me of Orson Wells 1938 broadcast of H.G.'s "War of the Worlds". The 1938 broadcast caused mass hysteria and that appears to be the motive behind reporting these "potential" pandemics. I may be off base, but I see Satan's hand in this as well as the string of random, seemingly for fun, murders and vandalism. There's so much more, but I'm sure you're aware of it as well.

Unrelated to this week's post, an observation and question. God's hand is still very much involved on earth; especially with believers. This past spring I had several wasp nests the girls made under the eaves, which demonstrated an intelligence most people don't recognize because the choice of location kept them out of the rain and most weather. __ were afraid of them and wanted to destroy them. They never threatened me or the grand-dog when she visited, (or anyone else, for that matter,) and we were both in and out under the largest nest on the door jamb. They kept pests away and I rather enjoyed watching them. Also, every spring I have a family of swallows come back and nest under the porch. They, along with dragonflies, have effectively eliminated mosquitoes. Both have made life much more pleasant than it was. The key, I think, was that neither I, the dog or swallows were afraid of the wasps so they were not afraid of us.

My question which I think you have answered before, but lost in a couple of technological "events." In Genesis 3:5 reads "you will be like God" where the KJV reads "you will be as gods". Strong's was helpful in this since the word, elohiym, translated is plural. But Strong's allows for either. Which is the correct translation? KJV seems more appropriate.

In our Lord,
Response #18:
I'm ambivalent about wasps . . . unless and until they try to set up shop INSIDE. Hornets are a different story.

Hah!, yes, most of what we hear on the news whether they've manufactured it or are reporting from groups and people who have is most definitely fiction-heavy – just not the enjoyable kind.

There's no doubt but that the evil one has always been causing all the trouble he can, but not to no purpose. He has a plan too, just a defective and ultimately unsuccessful one (praise the Lord!).

On "God" vs. "gods", the word is the same in Hebrew and only context can tell which is which. The word 'el means "might one" and 'elohiym is a plural – of majesty when we are talking about God, but also a true plural in places, as when God says "Let US make man . . . ". 
"You will surely not die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that on the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God [or "gods"], knowing good and evil."
Genesis 3:4-5
In the devil's usage here, it could have and probably would have been received by Eve in both ways, namely, a promise of equality with God on the one hand and actual transformation into "mighty ones", deities on the other (the two things are hard to separate after all since you can't be equal with God unless you are a god). Needless to say, this was the lie of lies, and a lie that the devil has been peddling – and people falling for – ever since THE fall.

Wishing you and yours a blessed 2025, my friend!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #19:
Hello Dr. Luginbill:

I hope you are doing well...It's been awhile since I've talked to you. I probably haven't changed much in that time...just gotten older, and I wish wiser, I can't change that.

Thank you for sending me further information that you've created.

My purpose in writing is for a little information about your ministry. I want to introduce your site to some folks I know that are of some varying assortment of backgrounds; consequently, I'd like them to know a bit about who you are and what you believe.

Now, I know some of who you are, since I've read some (but far from all) of your writings. I think my main question is regarding your beliefs about dispensationalism. I'm probably confused about it a lot since I've heard about it from people of various views. Based on what I've read of yours I think you are one, but I want to understand better before I tell others

Maybe you might have a paper or such you could send me regard that question. I think another belief you hold is in regard to the "gap" idea, which most lay folks I know have not heard of or struggle with it because it's not plainly taught or considered normal. But, so be it...

Thanks for your time and efforts. And for your ministry. It's my "go to" place to go when I want good thinking etc.
Response #19:
Good to hear from you, my friend.

Ichthys is a big site and a bit hard to navigate. Everything you've asked about here is covered in many places and in much detail. I'll try to steer you in the right direction.

1) Dispensations: In a nutshell, evangelicalism misunderstands what a dispensation is and misapplies greatly what they do have right (this goes back to "building" on Scofield rather than improving on what he did). A dispensation, biblically as opposed to theologically speaking, is a period of time defined by the manner in which God "dispenses" His truth; it is not a subdivision of the family of God or still less of the Church. Here are some of the main links which will give you the details:
Dispensations (in Hebrews chapter 1)
Dispensations, Covenants, Israel and the Church I
Dispensations, Covenants, Israel and the Church II

2) The Genesis Gap: 
(1) Before all else, God created the heavens and the earth. (2) But the earth came to be ruined and despoiled – darkness lay upon the face of the abyss while God's Spirit brooded over the surface of its waters.
Genesis 1:1-2
In Genesis 1:1 it says God created the heavens and the earth. But in Genesis 1:2 we no longer have a complete and undefiled creation. The two do not square unless one recognizes that the contrast is deliberate and that Genesis 1:2 is describing the situation following the rebellion of Satan and God's subsequent judgment on His original creation. Here are some links for that:
The Genesis Gap (SR 2)
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers VII
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers VI
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers V
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers IV
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers III
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers II
Genesis Gap: Questions and Answers I
There is plenty else at Ichthys which is found by contemporary evangelicals to be "controversial", but it shouldn't be . . . not for anyone taking the time to do the work and see what scripture actually says (as opposed to starting with pet theories and only looking at the Bible to defend them).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #20:
Hi Bob.

Thanks for everything.

I need to keep my head down and get on with things. I need to focus on believers who want to know and trust the Lord. Every unbeliever around me is in a really bad place at the moment and have severely bad mental health struggles and I have noticed as before that they still refuse the Lord. I have said before that people around me don't want to face how bad things really are and they want to be entertained, distracted or cheered up despite how bad things are getting.

I walked down the street I grew up on just an hour before dusk (4pm) and it was really not safe. Gangs walking around and cars with windows smashed in. Foolishly I walked to the small park I also grew up playing in and there was a woman being preyed upon by two men. I didn't feel safe to intrude but later on asked how she was but then a car pulled up with the men inside and I didn't feel things were safe for myself. I told her to go straight home and to call the police if she needed to. Just an hour walk, so many bad and scary things happened around me.
[omitted]

The Lord's return really can't come fast enough can it.
Marana tha!

In Jesus,
Response #20:
Re: "I need to focus on believers". I think that is right since I think you have proven to yourself that your ministry is meant for helping believers recover and not for evangelizing unbelievers who are involved in the sorts of things you are trying to help believers extricate themselves from. That doesn't mean that you can never give guidance to an unbeliever, but we have seen how the evil one has used them to divert you from your main purpose without them being particularly benefitted.

No doubt it's a struggle, because the only things genuinely good about the world are the Lord and His truth and our brothers and sisters. Everything else, even if putatively "good", is transitory.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NIV
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2nd Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV
Re: "The Lord's return really can't come fast enough can it?" Amen to that! It really is no secret why the "rapture" false doctrine is so popular. But we'll all have to wait a bit longer for that great day – unless the Lord takes us home prior to that (which is "better by far": Phil.1:23).
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
1st Corinthians 15:51-54 NIV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
http://ichthys.com/