Phat Tuesday (Don’t Lent Me Down)

 “New Orleans becomes the center of the party scene when it comes to the end of February, as Mardi Gras, which means “Fat Tuesday” in French, comes to one last hurrah. Now like most things, this is associated with “Christian” beginnings, but I believe the word “Christian” is as watered down as “Love!” It is traditionally the time from January Sixth to the  day before Ash Wednesday and marks the last day of “gluttony” before the Forty days of Lent,  which signifies the fasting of Jesus time in the desert, before He was tempted by Satan. I have never been to New Orleans during this time nor would I ever, but from pictures and videos it seems like a time of drinking, partying and as the French say, Laissez les bons temps rouler ("Let the good times roll") Women showing their breasts date back to Eighteen Eighty Nine for beads which seems odd but then again what is odd anymore, and only confirms that there is nothing new under the sun!”

Luke wrote in Chapter Four, 

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

This wasn’t a lesson for us to follow, and try and replicate, by giving up "food, drink, or carnal things,"  and Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, not alone, and not on a whim to give something up for Forty Days. He was tempted the whole time by the devil, and after the forty days, Jesus was hungry. The devil came at Jesus when He was physically drained, and said in verse three,

"The devil said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” (NET)

This is how the enemy works, first knowing Jesus was hungry, he tell Jesus, IF. Like the devil was trying to challenge or put doubt in Jesus, If you are God then change this stone to bread, because you are hungry. Jesus had just gone forty days without food, so it should have worked. Many people blame everything on the devil, instead of our own sin, or think that we too are super like God and can battle things on our own, but we should be like Jesus, in the Word, in prayer, but most of all in the Spirit. Listen to what Jesus responds in verse four,

Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone.’” (NET)

Luke is quoting Deuteronomy Eight Three that says, 

"So He humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth." (NET) 

It isn't about just giving up something for forty days for a tradition of a religion, but about living and breathing God's word daily and doing what God has commanded us to with everything that comes from the Lord's mouth, and that is HIS WHOLE WORD.

Jesus was about to embark on a Three and a half year journey of ministry that would not only change the world, but reset the relationship God had had with man in the garden. He didn’t give up soda and still talk and treat people badly, He didn’t give up meat on Fridays' and still hate His brothers, but He was in prayer and emptying Himself of self, though God, to be humbled to God the Father thru the Holy Spirit. 

Eating and partying the night before “Ash Wednesday” (another man made tradition) is like going on a drug binge before heading to rehab, or eating a sixteen ounce steak before heart surgery, it doesn’t work that way. We should be fasting regularly and in prayer at all times and in every situation as Paul says in Ephesians Six, 

“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (elect)” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

For God, it is a matter of the heart, and being conformed to His will. It is not about abstaining from something for a period of time, for an outward appearance, or to please man, is never what God has desired. So my question is not about what you believe about Lent and this period, but where is your heart and how are you living in conjunction of what God wants of you. The forty days in the Bible is always a time of testing, a trial, or a probation, so to think we gave something up, but our hearts never changed is not understanding the significance of dying to self and taking up our cross daily.

It reminds me of a song by Vineyard that I really love singing and playing, 

“Take My Mind” “Holiness holiness is what I long for; Holiness is what I need; Holiness holiness is what You want from me: Faithfulness; Righteousness: Chorus: Take my heart and form it; Take my mind transform it; Take my will conform it; To Yours to Yours oh Lord!” 

May this be our prayer daily to understand it is all about Jesus and all about not letting the temptations of the world or the ways of the world, blinds us to the ways of Jesus..” Jose Barajas

Last Days Pt. 7 (Wars and Rumors)

In the history of man, there have been wars and more wars and nations overtaking nations. To name a few wars, there have been: Jinshin-no-ran (Japanese War 672), Crusades, Baron’s war, Hundred year war, Thirteen Year war, War of the Roses, Onin War, Count’s War, Araucanian Wars, Eighty Years’ Wars, and War of the Three Henrys, these before Sixteen Hundreds. There were about twelve wars between sixteen and Seventeen Hundred, there were Twenty-Two wars between Seventeen and Eighteen Hundred. About Thirty-Five wars from Eighteen to Nineteen Hundred. There were another Thirty-Five more wars between nineteen and Two-Thousand, including two world wars, Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf War. These are wars of many nations documented in history, and many that probably because of time and news, some were not known, or lost in archives. Nations see land or feel oppression and decide to overtake others lands for political power, resources within the land, or just to expand their kingdoms. Even within nations that have been around a longtime, there have been wars within their nations, like Japan, China and most of the Middle East. Since the seventies, I have heard of the formerly known U.S.S.R. and now Russia of invading, bombing, or threating to bomb, nations, as well as Iran, Iraq and their Ayatollahs trying to usher in their final holy war. What I think many people or Christians do not know or understand is that Islam also believes that Jesus is going to return, that he will separate the good from the bad, and that there is a hell and a paradise. The difference between their view and Christianity is that, in Islam, Jesus converts the world to Islam, burns and breaks crosses and then marries, and dies after Forty years. Of course, there is other views within their Sunnis, and Shiites, but ultimately their desire has always been to take out using war, attacks and killing of Christians and Jewish people and faiths.  

 

Everytime, there is a new war, a rumor of a war, the “newscaster” pastors and or religious teachers break out and dust off their “End Times” books and scenarios and update them with the newest “Evil” nation out there. American or “Western” bible believers are the worst and first to begin their quoting, and sharing bible verses that “prove” their ideology. I want to go to the source and read what Jesus had to say in the most famous passage out there that is quoted, but let us look at the whole word in context.

 

Mathew Twenty Four, beginning in verse three says, 

“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 them, “See that NO ONE LEADS YOU ASTRAY. For many will COME IN MY NAME, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and THEY WILL LEAD MANY ASTRAY. And you will HEAR of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are NOT ALARMED, for this MUST TAKE PLACE, but THE END IS NOT YET. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the BEGINNING of the birth pains. “THEN they will DELIVER YOU UP TO TRIBULATION and PUT YOU TO DEATH, and you will be HATED BY ALL NATIONS FOR MY NAME’S SAKE. And then MANY WILL FALL AWAY and betray one another and hate one another. And MANY FALSE PROPHETS WILL ARISE and LEAD MANY ASTRAY. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. BUT THE ONE WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. And THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM will be proclaimed THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD as a testimony to all nations, and THEN THE END WILL COME. (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

So much to unpack, but what I don’t understand, is why only bits and pieces of this whole chapter are ever shared and or even broken down in context. If I read any book, or watched any movie, and only read or saw bits and pieces of it, how would I know what was going on? The same concept should be used when studying scripture. I had a co-worker tell me once, “I can argue for or against any religion using the bible, if I only shared a verse here and there.” I mean look at the cults and churches that teach prosperity, healings, and or other false teachings to fill their wallets and their house of gathering, because worship is not what is happening.

First, 

Jesus is talking to His disciples, and not the Jewish leaders or teachers as some teach, and not all of Jesus’ disciples were Jewish. The disciples asked Jesus, what would be “THE SIGN,” not signs, not what we want the sign to be, but the sign. What does Jesus answer with first? He tells them, “to not let ANYONE lead them astray,” because many will come in His Name. In the same time frame that I included all the wars throughout history, there have been just as many FALSE PROPHETS and new religions, sects of religions, cults and of course, agnostics, and atheists. My grandsons love the movie “UP,” and in it, there is a dog name Dug, who speaks through a device, and every time he is trying to do something, he looks away and yells, “Squirrel” because he is easily distracted. 

Jesus knew His disciples and that includes anyone who knows Jesus, are easily distracted and look away at the shiny new “fads,” that draw away from God. You can look at Adam and Eve, Aaron and the golden calf, the spies and the Nephilim, David and Bathsheba, and so on. Many “disciples” will be led astray, many will walk away from the faith, (squirrel) and many will abandon Jesus for the riches and cares of the world.

Jesus continues and says that they will “HEAR” of wars and rumors of wars, which is the famous passage everyone shares, but Jesus says two things that many gloss over. He first says, “Do not be alarmed,” which is scary to do when war is involved and here in America many people do not understand that, or know that, but from afar, it seems easy enough. He also says that this must take place, but THE END is not yet. In the many times, Jesus mentions His return or the end and Paul also quotes the same phrase, there is only Jesus coming and then the END, no where do they say, He will come, time will pass and then the END. Paul says in First Corinthians Fifteen, starting in verse twenty-three,

“But EACH IN HIS OWN ORDER: Christ the firstfruits, THEN AT HIS COMING THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST. [TRUE RAPTURE] THEN COMES THE END, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

Where people get that there is a period of seven years is that they read Revelation, eleven, twelve and somehow do math to say the days mentioned are actual years of tribulation, when nowhere in scripture does it say that, in association to that time period. Paul even says the end after Jesus comes, and Jesus as we will see says the same thing. Jesus then says that there will be nations rising against each other, which is what happens before and during wars, then earthquakes in various places, and famines, and Luke Twenty-One which is a parallel verse adds pestilence. We in the social media age that gets news as it happens, think this is only speaking of us, but these things have always been. The plagues that have raveged the world in the past, the famines that inspired causes like “Band-Aid,” “Farm-Aid,” and other organizations. We also have had earthquakes throughout history and Jesus even says that these are but the beginning of birth pains. The next parts is where I get confused of where pre-tribulation teachers get this all wrong. Jesus says THEN THEY will deliver you up to TRIBULATION and put you to death for HIS NAMES SAKE. First, Jesus is still speaking to His disciples and not Jewish believers of the Torah, but of the new covenant and faith in Jesus as the Messiah. To teach that this whole section up to verse Twenty Four, is for anyone who is Jewish and doesn’t believe in Jesus, and that this is who Jesus is talking about, is adding their own interpretation and spin on the Words written. Jesus is telling believers that have repented and believe in Him being God, Him being the Messiah, Him being the Alpha and Omega, that we are the one’s going to be offered up to TRIBULATION. John sixteen says beginning in verse thirty-two,  

“Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added) 

God is not a God of confusion and His Word is truth and always has been from the beginning, so why would Jesus’ message change? This is not about us not being persecuted or experiencing tribulation, and mistreated for acknowledging Jesus, but it is about, if we will deny Christ or not. People all over the world die daily for standing up for their faith in Jesus and this is why I believe many will fall away, because when true persecution comes to comfortable “Western” believing Christians, many will coward, instead of losing their life. The confusion for many is that they believe that The Lord will not allow His people to face tribulation and they mistake the WRATH of God, for the tribulations of the world. Jesus continues, again reminding us of the false prophets that spout false teaching or that Jesus already came, or worse, that Jesus does not exist. Paul speaking of the same event in Second Thessalonians two says the same thing,

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be QUICKLY SHAKEN IN MIND OR ALARMED, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU IN ANY WAY.”

Notice what Paul says, let no one deceive you, and more importantly, again that the day of the Lord, which is the rapture and not for a few people or for a seven year period, and then ANOTHER DAY OF THE LORD, but read what Paul continues with.

“For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the TEMPLE OF GOD, proclaiming himself to be God.”

The day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and what day is Paul referring to; where he says in verse one, the coming of our Lord to gather us. Paul is talking to Jews and Gentiles who were converted to Christianity of the Thessalonians , and not old covenant believers who did not believe in the Messiah. Matthew records Jesus word in the following verses beginning in fifteen that Paul echoes, says, 

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in THE HOLY PLACE (let the reader understand).” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

These two verses also are misinterpreted, and the word even says LET THE READER UNDERSTAND! This is where the popular teaching of a LITERAL TEMPLE must be built in order for the rapture to happen is wrong. If that is the case why is anyone worried and preaching that the rapture is going to happen soon, because Russia (Not Gog or Magog) invading another country is cause to worry about Israel and excited about a secret disappearance. If the literal temple teaching is correct, then we have a while before a temple is built, as I do not know of an actual temple already being built or built. 

Let us look at the scripture, Jesus says standing in the HOLY PLACE, and Paul says takes his seat in the TEMPLE OF GOD, so what is this holy place or temple? If you remember what John records of Jesus words it says in chapter two beginning in verse nineteen, 

“Jesus answered them, “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years TO BUILD THIS TEMPLE, and will you raise it up in three days?” But He was SPEAKING ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY. When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”  (‭ESV)‬‬

Paul in First Corinthians six nineteen says,

“Or do you not know THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

And Paul also says in second Corinthians Six 

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has THE TEMPLE OF GOD with idols? FOR WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God said, “I WILL MSALE MY DWELLING AMONG THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”‬ (‭ESV‬)‬

To think that Jesus or Paul are talking about a literal temple is to not understand that Jesus came to abolish the old covenant and to bring in the New Covenant and to no longer require a literal temple. The writer of Hebrews says in chapter  eight beginning in verse six, 

“But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For He finds fault with them when He says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,” (ESV)

And also the writer of Hebrews says in chapter nine beginning in verse eleven thru fifteen, 

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect Tent [Temple], (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” (ESV)

When we look at where this abomination will take place, it’s not a literal “human” man standing in a temple, but just the final outburst of Satan and him killing all those who stand for Jesus. The final battle of Armageddon is not in a land of Megiddo against human armies and rockets, bombs, fighter jets, and helicopters, but against Satan and all his fallen angels to finally end all evil. Genesis Three says, 

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He (Jesus) shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”” (ESV)

Psalm Two nine speaking of Jesus says, 

“You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”” (ESV)

Of all the scriptures that deal with end times prophecy what they all have in common is the next events that Jesus speaks about in Matthew Twenty Four, beginning in verse twenty nine, 

““Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (ESV)

This is where most teachers go off the deep end in their eisegesis instead of exegesis. The popular false teaching is that Jesus who never changes, all of a sudden changes who He is talking about. They say that Jesus starts by talking about Jewish believers facing the tribulation and then that in these verses He is talking about the church and Him pulling them out, but in context and who His audience is, hasn’t changed. NONE of the New Testament writers and even Jesus never says, “I’m coming back for my church and then throw out the fact that I died on the cross for everyone, because during a seven year period, people can sacrifice at a new temple and be saved, then I will come back and save them giving them a second chance.” This is foolish and absurd teaching and for people to believe this is them not understanding scripture. Paul and Jesus say the same things, the sun and moon will be darkened and then the end. 

Wars and bad things will happen, but it’s not about those things, but will you endure and trust that through it all , Jesus is still in control. Too many pastors and cults have falsely predicted the end of time based on current events and humans wanting to kill each other for money and power, but no one knows the day and the hour. 

We should be prepared each day to meet Jesus for tomorrow is not promised and if today the bombs drop or we die of cancer, Covid, natural disasters, heart disease or other, will you be saved? Will you stand before Jesus and Him say, well done good and faithful servant? My prayer is that we all repent and come to a saving knowledge of the real Jesus of the Bible, not the fake one of the Jehovah’s Witness, the Mormons, Islam or any other false prophet out there!”

Jesus died once and for all, for anyone who believes, not in mans ways of salvation, but only in belief of the only Name under Heaven by which we can be saved, and His Name is Jesus. “ Jose Barajas

Abide

 “My dad had a green thumb and could turn sand into green grass, or and he passed that knowledge to a few of my brothers and both my sisters. I couldn’t keep a fake plant alive even if I wanted to, mostly because though Mexican, landscaping was not my thing. My dad was a master grafter, in where he would take a piece of a tree and put cloth around it and after it grew a little would give them to my family to have their own lime trees, avocados and others. He did this so that we could continue to enjoy the fruit from the original trees he had planted and raised. My dads yard was filled with orange, lemon, lime, avocado, guava, figs, and he also had corn, chili’s and roses, and other small herbs that him and my mom used for teas. My family got the blessing of continued fruits that we enjoyed growing up, because my dad loved us enough to graft what was his for all to enjoy even after he left.

John wrote in chapter Fifteen, 

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

Jesus is talking to His disciples, and this was after telling them, He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Unless we abide in Him, we can do nothing. Now some people who don’t believe in God will read this and think, I do everything on my own and am in no need of God. For Christians, it’s not as easy as it sounds, or as what some pastors will teach, because God is not a genie that we summon when we’re in need. Abiding is tough in our everyday, especially with the things of God. I struggle daily with lusts of this world, and I know people struggle with alcohol, drugs, pain, migraines, kids, money, and whatever else you need to put here. All of us have wavered in our faith, regardless of what age, people group, financial status or sex you are, life is hard, and following God is harder. Jesus says "Follow" Him, not the church, not traditions, not certain passages, but Him. Yet people think our faith is foolish to say, Abide in Him and He will bear the fruit in you, nothing we do, but just abiding. The word abide as defined by Webster says, "to remain stable or fixed in a state." The word abide is a verb, which a "doing" word. So what does that mean? If i remain and fixed on God, He will produce the fruit in us, with the works we do to glorify Him. Now people hear works and think, "No, we are saved by grace," which is true, but James says in James Two, 

"Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (NKJV)

Paul in Ephesians Two, speaking of us being saved by grace alone, continues in verse Ten, 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand, that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM." (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

When my dad grafted the trees together, had he just grafted them and not watered, watched them, or taken care of them, they would have died. In order for us to "LIVE," we must abide. Does this mean that bad things won't happen? NO, because bad things happen to everyone, as death is not something anyone won't experience, but the difference is death with Jesus or apart from Jesus is what matters. Jesus has called everyone, but not everyone hears. Jesus waters, nurtures, feeds, and guide us, and regardless of what we do, think we do, it's all Jesus in us doing, and for Jesus. Paul says this in First Corinthians Three, 

“For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? SERVANTS THROUGH whom you believed, as the Lord ASSIGNED TO EACH. I planted, Apollos watered, but GOD GAVE THE GROWTH. So neither he who plants nor he who waters IS ANYTHING, BUT ONLY GOD who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

In Matthew Eleven Twenty Eight Jesus says, 

“Come to me, all WHO LABOR and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and LEARN FROM ME, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

It’s not ours to conquer alone, for us to "labor" and be "Heavy Ladened," but that's why Jesus is telling us to LEARN FROM HIM. What can we learn, unlike me not learning from my earthly father? Jesus was about His Father's business, by constantly praying, eating, healing, and being present for those who sought Him, to be an example of "Loving the Lord our God and loving our neighbor as ourselves."

We can be happy and think life is grand and fine and that we don’t need God, but you can only fool yourself for so long before you either harden your heart or humble it. We’ve seen too many people commit suicide that supposedly had everything going for them but only to be lied to by the enemy, and not keep holding onto the true Vine. Unlike the trees and plants that my dad grafted to keep the legacy going, we need to be grafted and stay a part of the original and only saving Vine there is. He is Life, He is Light, He is Water, and He is Air, and those are the only things we need in this life, the other blessings are just icing on the cake. So my question is, what are you holding onto that is choking out your "graft" and withering your leaf's? Well, come back to true Vine and let Him restore and renew your life. Let Him hold you, and you will see how much easier it is to "Abide," when He is the center of all you are.” Jose Barajas

The Last Days Pt. 6 (Barcodes, Tattoos, and Microchips

“I remember when I first started working for the West Region when I worked for International Paper, they had a warehouse in Texarkana, Arkansas. This was back in Two Thousand-Three or so, and the cool things was seeing how their warehouse was one of the first that I knew about, using R.F.I.D. (Radio Frequency Identification) For me back then, being a Pre-Tribulation believer, I was super exited about seeing scripture coming to life. At this point, I had read the Left Behind books that were out and could see them unfolding in my life. In talking with the people and software companies, I heard them say how companies would be able to put these R.F.I.D’s in products and track inventory and help reduce theft and lost product. Almost twenty years later, my view of Eschatology has changed, and I don’t believe there will be a physical microchip, tattoo, or barcode that will be placed on humans to either accept or deny the mark of the beast. The number “666” and all the numerology and deciphering of codes to predict when the end will come.

Revelation Thirteen is known as the “Mark of the Beast” chapter and the beasts that are mentioned have been portrayed as coming nations, from The United Nations, The European Union, and current monarchies or governments. The Twentieth century has brought every scenario involving nations, world leaders, and people into a whose who of who will be the Antichrist. If you have been reading what I have been writing, then you will know that my view, based on all of scripture and not a denominational or eschatological view, refers to evil and the great dragon and serpent, The Devil that is against God. 

The most popular view being taught is that out of Daniel and comparing how those beasts referred to the kings and kingdoms that ensued and ultimately being the Roman Empire, which historically that was correct. What I don’t believe John refers to because he quotes Daniel, is that these beasts in Revelation are a rebirth of those nations and a”New” Romans Empire. For this part, I want to focus on the Mark of the Beast, and in later parts, I will circle back and explain the beasts and who and what they are. 

John speaking of the second beast, remember this, when thinking about nations and kingdoms that supposedly will come, says in Revelation Thirteen, starting in verse Thirteen, 

“It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the IMAGE OF THE BEAST, so that the image of the beast might even speak and MIGHT CAUSE THOSE WHO WOULD NOT WORSHIP  the image of the beast TO BE SLAIN. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be MARKED ON THE RIGHT HAND OR THE FOREHEAD, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the NAME OF THE BEAST or the NUMBER OF ITS NAME.‬ (‭ESV‬‬) (Emphasis added) 

Remember in the Gospels Jesus is a superior Moses and John is referenced as Elijah by Jesus. What I think John is pointing out, is how these beasts are a cheap counterfeit of Moses and Elijah. The enemy has always tried to replicate God and we know he is a liar, trying to deceive the people of God. He is described as a sheep in wolves clothing, a roaring lion, as an angel of light, and of course as The Antichrist. To believe that John is speaking of nations and humans is to not understand scripture and the battle that has been raging. 

The signs and wonders of verse Thirteen can be similar to when Moses in Exodus was given power to perform signs and wonders and Pharaoh’s magicians were able to perform some of the same tricks.  Exodus Seven-Ten says, 

“So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.” (ESV) 

We also see Elijah calling down fire, which is one of my favorite accounts of God’s sense of humor and power over evil, when Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal, in First Kings Eighteen Thirty-Eight,

“Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.”” (ESV)

Elijah also calls fire down from Heaven in Second Kings One-Ten. 

The other thing we see is “666,” this mark of the beast or bearing the name of the beast. That number is just a proxy and like followers of Christ bear His Name, so do those who don’t follow Christ, because they bear the name of the beast. If you know your Old Testament, you will know that Name theology is thought-out the Bible, and I even wrote about it previously. Many scribes and translators would not write Yahweh out of fear and reverence, and would use the Name. It’s also something that Numbers Six tells us of God’s people being marked with Yahweh’s Name. Now most people only read and or share part of this scripture, because it’s a good verse and or makes for a good song, but let’s read it all. Number Six,  which covers mostly the Nazarite vow, says beginning in verse twenty-two,

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “SO SHALL THEY PUT MY NAME UPON THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, and I will bless them.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

The other part of the counterfeit is taken from God telling His people that they should mark their hands and foreheads with a sign of remembrance, as we see in Exodus Thirteen-Eight and Nine, 

“You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And it shall be to you as a SIGN ON YOUR HAND AND AS A MEMORIAL BETWEEN YOUR EYES, that the LAW OF THE LORD MAY BE IN YOUR MOUTH. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Deuteronomy Six says, another one of my favorite verses, 

““Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall BIND THEM AS A SIGN ON YOUR HAND, AND THEY SHALL BE AS FRONTLETS BETWEEN YOUR EYES. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Of course people argue the point that I haven’t addressed the buying and selling and of course with what has happened in the last few years with Covid, “vaccine” cards, Bitcoins, and credit cards, people will say, “See, it’s coming!” Let’s think about this. In many countries throughout history, many people have not been allowed to buy or sell and have been marked. I can think of Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, China, and Cuba. You have the Guilds in the first century, the dark ages, the different monarchies throughout history, and yet all we can do is associate R.F.I.D’s, microchips, tattoos and guillotines and insert them into scripture. If John only wrote Revelation for Twentieth Century believers, then how was this book and the whole Bible a blessing to those who have been martyred and are being martyred outside of Western Christianity? 

Ultimately it comes down to what side of the mark do you stand on? Is your loyalty Christ and you are marked, and sealed by His blood, and your name is written into His book of life? Or is your loyalty to the things of this world, and to the mark of the beast, lost in the drunkenness of Babylon and losing your life for the cares of this world. 

Jesus speaking of being a true follower and marking yourself apart, says in Luke Nine, beginning in verse Twenty-three, 

“Then HE said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he MUST DENY HIMSELF, take up his cross DAILY, and FOLLOW ME. For whoever wants TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT, but whoever LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL SAVE IT. For what does it BENEFIT A PERSON IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOSES OR FORFEITS HIMSELF? For whoever is ASHAMED OF ME ANS MY WORDS, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (NET)

We either repent and stand with Christ, or reject His salvation and blasphemy the Holy Spirit and He gives us to our desires, because of our own stubbornness and pride? The world is full of lures and pleasures that seem like good “marks” and worth “buying” but only leave us empty, broke, and left doing anything to get more, but ultimately leaving us joyless and alone. 

Peter understanding, after denying Christ and being restored, that there is no better Name, being marked for Christ, says in Acts Four, beginning in verse seven,  

“And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, LET IT BE KNOWN TO ALL OF YOU AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL THAT BY THE NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the Stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the Cornerstone. And there is SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which we must BE SAVED.”” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Paul says in Philippians Two beginning in verse nine, 

“Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him THE NAME THAT US ABOVE EVERY NAME, so that at THE NAME OF JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (ESV) (Emphasis added)

Technology is good for many things, but like everything else, we cannot eisegesis and fit the worlds systems into scripture. We are to exegesis and see that we as readers and hearers of the Word, need to listen and understand that Revelation is about evil and the enemy trying so hard to be an imitation of The Lord and that at the core of everything, Jesus wins! I’m comforted by Romans Eight One and Two, 

“There is therefore NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you FREE IN CHRIST JESUS FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.” (ESV)

And Romans Eight beginning in verse Thirty-Five, also another one of my favorite verses says, 

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (ESV)

The mark we have is for all to see, because like Moses, our face should light up with the glory of Jesus, living in us, guiding us, and keeping us, because we are the sheep of His pasture. If we truly are in Christ, then nothing can snatch us from His hand. As Paul says in First Corinthians Fifteen, quoting Isaiah and Hosea,

“Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?””‬ ‭(NET‬‬)

Is the mark of this world really worth losing eternity for?” Jose Barajas

The Last Days: Introduction (A New Gospel or Biblical Truth?)

The Church History of the “Pre-Tribulation” Fallacy

“I wish we’d all been ready!” Larry Norman

There is a song by Larry Norman that was later covered by DC Talk, that is called, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.” The lyrics are based on Scriptures that have been taught, by denominations and eschatology teachers, or newscaster pastors, that speak of what some churches call, the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church. Some of the lyrics say, “Children died the days grew cold; A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold; I wish we'd all been ready; There's no time to change your mind; The Son has come and you've been left behind; A man and wife asleep in bed; She hears a noise and turns her head; He's gone; I wish we'd all been ready” I personally like the DC Talk version better, although I am a fan of Larry Norman’s version as well. 

There are many views on the "rapture" of the church, and I want to begin by saying, that I do believe in the rapture of The Lord’s “Elect,” but I don’t believe in the popular version being taught. Regardless of your opinion on it, many consider it a non-essential for Salvation, although this may be true; the issue I have with it is, if a church is teaching this incorrectly, what other things are they teaching wrong? Now I used to be what’s called, a “Pre-Trib” believer; which teaches that Jesus will come once and take His “church” out of the world before the Seven-years of Tribulation, and then comes back a Second time, to gather Israel the nation and restore them from their exile. This is taught by many pastors, based on what they believe is depicted in The Book of Revelation and other “KEY” verses. I, after a deeper study, don't believe the tribulation lasts seven years, or that Jesus comes secretly, or more than Once, or to just take the “Church” and or restore Israel the nation, but we will get to that. 

There are those who believe in The Mid-Trib, where Jesus comes mid way through the seven-year Tribulation period, after what Revelation calls the Abomination of Desolation, and there are also those who believe in The Post-Trib, where Jesus comes at the end of the seven-Year Tribulation. There are some who believe we are in the Thousand-year reign, like Jehovah's Witnesses, and other religions. There is also Preterits who believe all of prophecy in scripture or eschatology has been fulfilled. I find these a little harder to believe because of scripture and also  because history, says something else. There is also Amillennialism, that believes Revelation is a symbolic book, where we are in the last days, in the midst of the tribulation, and Jesus will come once more, rapture His “elect,” not just a nation, but all who have repented and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, from every tongue, tribe, and nation. He will  bring wrath to the Earth and restore Eden, once and for all. If I was to choose a particular belief, I lean more towards the last one.

As I’ve stated before, I used to believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, and even was excited when the “Left Behind” books came out. Those are fiction books, written by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B Jenkins, and Mr. Lahaye is a Pre-Tribulation believer, and looked to as an authority in this area. There are many “famous” preachers who make a living with this teaching, that they’ve sold millions of books, sold out conferences, and even made movies, pushing this idea. The more I’ve studied, the more I realize how wrong those books were, how unreal the movies were, because the Bible teaches a ONE time coming of Jesus, and a pre-wrath rapture, that will be covered throughout this book. I have looked at the Word in context, in the original language, and also have used other scripture to validate what is being said. I’ve listened to various sides, read many blogs, studies and listened to many pastors, and have compared them all to the word of God. What I am not adding is my own agenda, view point, denominational view, or eschatology to anything written. I know many disagree with me, but that’s okay, because like I stated, this is what’s considered a non-salvation issue, but again it leaves the door open for so many other incorrect teachings. I also think that most scripture can have what’s called as Dr. Micheal Heiser says, “An already, but also a not yet,” because the New Testament writers, all used the Old Testament to write their books and letters. All of the End Times writing are all in the Old Testament, and sadly many churches don’t even teach the Old Testament, let alone understand, “how the whole Word is one uniform book all pointing to Jesus,” as Tim Mackie from The Bible Project says.

Let’s start with some history, because I’m a big believer in understanding history, otherwise one will be lost in the present. I also believe in order to make sense of things, we must know and understand the facts, like Dragnet, “Just the facts ma’am.” J. Warner Wallace, a former cold case detective and now a leading apologetic teacher says, “While we are often willing to spend time reading the Bible, praying, or participating in church programs and services, few of us recognize the importance of becoming good Christian case makers.” In other words, can you do as Peter says in First Peter Three starting in verse Fourteen?

"But even if YOU SHOULD SUFFER for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ALWAYS being prepared to MAKE A DEFENSE TO ANYONE who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil." (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

Paul also tells us in Second Timothy Three beginning in verse Twelve, 

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, CONTINUE in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have been ACQUAINTED with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is breathed out by God and PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING in righteousness, that the man of God may be COMPLETE, EQUIPPED for every good work." (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

And Paul also tells us in First Thessalonians Five beginning in verse Nineteen (which ironically is the same chapter that most use as a go to, to push their Pre-Tribulation theology,

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, BUT TEST EVERYTHING; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

More than anything, I think we need to be like the Bereans, as what Luke writes in Acts Seventeen Ten,

“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to see if these things were so.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

So, if you’re ready to start seeking the truth, join me down the road that leads to what The Lord says in His word. Let’s solve the case, through the truth of scripture.

"The first duty of a historian is to be on guard against his own sympathies." James Froud

Before eighteen Hundred and Ten, all churches and believers in Jesus, taught a SINGLE coming of Jesus and a "Pre-Wrath" doctrine. There are many who claim that a priest taught a Pre-Tribulation message back in the fourth century, but there is no verifiable evidence of this. The words of Jesus as recorded by Matthew Twenty-Four, Luke Twenty-One and Mark Thirteen, along with Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, Peter's Letters,  and finally, John’s letters and the book of Revelation, all speak of Jesus' "ELECT," going through a tribulation period, but not the final wrath. Let that sink in for a moment! Two events on “One day”, that ends the reign of Evil, once and for all, and brings a restoration of Eden. Nearly Two Thousand years of scripture based teaching on the true Rapture of the church, and then all of a sudden some, well correction, quite a few churches went left with this doctrine. 

“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or which deity works for whom. Sincere religion and tested science are similar in that their assertions can be argued logically and objectively; otherwise, we get false cults and babble.” Criss Jami 

Let’s recap what happened in the eighteen Hundreds along with the “new” rapture teachings, and not good when it came to “men” creating “religions” and doctrines to suit their needs and or to fill their wallets. Joseph Smith (1805-1844) said he was given a revelation in Eighteen Twenty Two, along with a new gospel from tablets that only he was able to translate. He also wrote himself into Genesis, and Ezekiel Thirty Seven. He also was known as a pedophile and ordained marriage to young girls, and allowed Polygamy. This is known as the Mormon church or the Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ. (That title confuses me because they don’t even truly believe in the Jesus of the Bible, but that’s another story.) 

Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) began the Jehovah’s Witness movement and created the Watchtower society. He re-wrote many verses in the Bible, that are incorrect translations of the original Greek and Hebrew, and actually was proven in court that he didn’t know Hebrew or Greek. His Watchtower society also has FALSELY predicted the end of the world various times, along with changing their meaning of the "144,000" in Revelation, who was allowed into their “group” many times. (This one baffles me even more, that people still follow this religion and cult with all the errors in translation and false prophecies, that this organization has put out.) 

There also was the Seventh Day Adventist, and Christian Science along with the biggest deception out there, Darwinism or the THEORY of Evolution. I also wonder why people believe in a theory that has never been proven. These are just some of the bigger doctrines that came out in the eighteen Hundreds, but that wasn’t all. 

Let’s look at the beginnings of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture history, as taught in many churches, as fact, or something those scriptures says, although it is a “newer” teaching. In Eighteen Hundred Twelve, a Jesuit priest from Chile named Manuel de Lacunza wrote a book, under the pen-name Rabbi J.J. Ben-Ezra (for me this is the first red-flag, a priest changing his name to a Hebrew name, all in the name of money, or fame) called, The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty. He claimed that all other church teachers and leaders, before him were wrong in their teaching of a Pre-Wrath doctrine because he was right, and they were wrong. (Visions of Matilda) According to Mr. de Lacunza all other teachers, pastors had been convicted of teaching the rapture wrong? (Red Flag Number Two) This statement makes no sense in that, how did he know that everyone who taught this belief, repented  because many pastors and teachers were dead, before he was born, and or there wasn’t social media for him to look at their beliefs? (Red Flag number Three.) This is evident of all “New Revelations” from leaders and founders in all cults and heretical teachers. He claimed, in his version of the rapture, that Jesus would come then leave, causing a gap between the rapture of the church and the actual coming of Jesus, which is not biblical. I heard a comedian say once, “The pre-tribulation rapture of the church is like saying Jesus comes and says, “Peek-a-boo” or “Psyche” and then comes back later for real!” I think for me, once I started to study and research this, it made me wonder how people can read the Bible and find two comings of Christ?

Fifteen years later, Edward Irving, a Scottish preacher, took de Lacunza’s book and translated it into English and published it in England. He began teaching the Pre-Tribulation doctrine in Eighteen Twenty Seven. Around that time a man named John Nelson Darby, yes the same Darby who wrote a Bible, and is known as the father of Modern Dispensationalism. The issue with his bible, is that he removed and added text to the original scriptures, in order to fit his Pre-Tribulation view (Red flag number Four) because anyone who begins changing scripture to make their point, really falls into heresy teachings. There is a difference with using similar words in translations, but to changed whole meanings, and changing commas, is bad as John reminds us of, at the end of his book. C.I. Scofield (1843-1921) adopted the teachings of Mr. Darby and published his own reference bible in Nineteen Hundred and Nine. His reference bible became a bestseller and was globally adopted in almost all seminaries across the world. His reference bible is the main reason why so many teach this theory, especially throughout the Independent Baptist Churches, Calvary Churches and their offshoots. 

The next thing that happened is a HUGE RED FLAG FOR ME. In Eighteen Thirty-One, a Fifteen-year-old Scottish girl, Margaret McDonald claimed to have a vision. This vision was a new revelation of a SPLIT COMING OF THE LORD, or as we know it today, a Pre-Tribulation coming of Jesus and then coming back again, after seven years. I will dive deeper into this later, but Revelation One Seven says, 

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.” ‭(ESV‬‬)(EMPHASIS ADDED) 

To have a vision is not wrong, unless of course, it isn’t supported by the original Word of God. Any guesses on who visited this young girl? If you’re following along and guessed Mr. Darby and Mr. Irving, then you get extra credit.  Her “theory” quickly spread throughout Scotland, England and Europe and made its way into the US.  Two Hundred years later it has been taught as “biblical” truth and sadly many put their “hope” in this teaching, as I once did. 

When I used to listen to this teaching, and listened as most do, to the popular Pre-Tribulation teaching for years, I think we got enamored with the idea that we get to escape the troubles of this earth and life, vanishing and being in heaven, while hell breaks out on earth. But if one would just read all the “go to” scriptures in context and as a whole, you can see for yourself that what is taught,  is not there. It only is there when pastors jump from scripture to scripture, interject words, or ideas,  or people, or a nation, or the church, that aren’t in the text, they’re quoting, or they skip some of the verses and or not even read them completely, that this idea works. 

I have no “professional” training in a seminary, but neither did any of the writers of the New Testament, with the exception of Paul who was trained in the way of The Pharisee’s, before Jesus called Him to go and make disciples. One thing I want people to say, is what they said about the Apostles in Acts Four, 

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were UNEDUCATED, COMMON MEN, they were astonished. And they recognized that THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS.” (ESV)(Emphasis added) 

I was reading this scripture from Galatians One, and it made me think of some of the false teachings that have begun to permeate the church. We have the progressive gospel, formerly known as the Emergent Church, where people are changing their translation of bibles to include their social and political agenda. You have the Enneagram being taught as origins of Christianity as a personality test, but its origins are from the occult. You have the prosperity gospel, the name it and claim it, the healing ministers, and so many others that live in their traditions rather than the true gospel. I will even throw the Mary’s worship and exaltation of the Pope into this as that also is not scriptural. Paul writing to numerous churches around Galatia, because after he had visited them in Acts Fifteen, was troubled by their quick change of the Gospel he had taught them. Teachers had come in and said that they had to be circumcised, abstain from foods, and Paul even rebuked Peter for his hypocritical ways. Paul writes in Galatians One, 

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to A DIFFERENT GOSPEL— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to DISTORT the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accurse. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (ESV)

People have used this verse on me when I share my findings in the Gospels about Eschatology. There have been pastors who have blocked me or unfriended me on social media, because they choose not to defend their view, and or say I’m wrong. I know that what the Bible teaches about end times can be difficult to understand and there isn’t a consensus out there on a particular belief, but when you see the facts and you choose to ignore them, based on tradition or denomination, I believe that’s wrong. I can trace the beginnings of cults and false prophets, or teachers out there, and also the beginnings of certain sects and denominations. I can see what makes sense and aligns with God’s word, and what does not. 

I know there are people who blatantly change ideas or meanings to push their agenda, and many who gather at churches that make them feel good, even though they’re being fleeced of their money, or their soul. In America or what is known as “Western” Christianity, too many people don’t study the word. Many just read or go to a service once a week, if that and get a half hour message of feel good messages, rock concerts, and potlucks, with no real repentance or discipleship going on. We are spoiled here in Western Christianity with God’s word and think more of it as a reference guide of how to read a verse when I’m feeling this or that, and or that God must do this or that, because, insert your own agenda or want, when that isn’t the case. The early church, went out and made disciples, fed the poor and their own, they were killed or jailed for their faith, and as I’ve said before, we coward of not going to church cause the government said not to. 

I will dive into some major topics, like the Trumpet of God, The Dry Bones, Gog and Magog (Not RUSSIA, or any other human army), The Temple (Not Literal), The Elect, The 144,000, Israel (All of God’s people), The Seven Years (How Daniel is misquoted) and The One and Only Return of Jesus. I challenge you to study, not just read, and with an open mind, Matthew Twenty Four, Luke Twenty-One, and Mark Thirteen, First and Second Thessalonians, First and Second Peter, First John, Revelation, Ezekiel Thirty Six Thru Forty-EIght. Daniel, and Isaiah, Genesis Ten and Deuteronomy Thirty Two.  I know it will be difficult for most to comprehend or look at it, with the lens of their denomination, but you will be amazed and what is being said. I don’t have the ability to change your bibles, but you will see how plain, a pre-trib scenario, just doesn’t add up.

We can’t change history as many are doing today, thinking that by doing that, that our lives will be better, or that why we are the way we are is someone else’s fault. What we can change is what we study to know to be true, because when we all stand before God, it will will be us in front of Him, and what will your excuse be? Paul reminds us that none will be without excuse in Romans One, so be Bereans, get out of your comfort zone and walk the Road of Emmaus with Jesus and see from Moses to the Prophets, all is about Him, His return and His restoration of Eden.” Jose Barajas

1984 (Bent)

 

“1984” written by George Orwell in Nineteen Forty Nine is one of the great novels ever written. I actually read it in 1984 and it's one of the reasons why I wanted to learn to be a better writer. The whole book is really good if you have not read it, I highly recommend it. There is a quote in it that says, “The people will not revolt, they will not look up from their screens long enough to notice what is happening.” C. S. Lewis portrayed fallen man as “Bent” that is, he is constantly looking down and therefore, can’t get life right. The fact that the world is filled with “smartphones” has given us all a sense of narrowness and focused on social media, and other things, rather than communicating with family or friends without looking up. The smartphone hasn't alone done this, as Orwell was referencing TVs, but the notion is the same. We will not look away long enough to notice anything else, but what we want.

When Moses had gone up to meet with The Lord at Mount Sinai and was getting the Ten Commandments along with other laws, Aaron was left with the people down the mountain. In Exodus Thirty Two it says, 

“And the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE.” (ESV‬‬) 

From Satan, who rebelled against The Lord to try to overthrow Him and was cast out of heaven, to Adam and Eve who ate the forbidden fruit, to the Israelites who whined and complained until exiled, and the Jews of Jesus' time seeking to kill Him, and up to today, we as humans always found a way to reject and not notice The Lord. Moses had gone down the mountain to see what was going on and we read in Exodus, Thirty-Two, Nineteen Thru Twenty-Four, 

"So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

The Israelites who had stayed down the mountain because they were afraid of The Lord earlier decided to press Aaron to make them gods similar to the ones that they had come to know in Egypt. Instead of seeing the glory of The Lord and realizing the miracles The Lord had shown them to be released from Bondage, they chose to keep their hearts and minds in Egypt, which is always a picture of sin in the bible. The thing that we also miss many times is that Moses, being angered, threw the tablets that had The Lord's writing and laws on them, breaking them. Sin has a way to not only mess our lives up but also impacts those around us, to the point that it makes us do foolish things with the things of The Lord. Aaron, being the priest that was supposed to be leading the people in true worship, allowed the lure of sin and the "shiny" man-made things to be looking down at the idol, rather than up to The Lord. It also shouldn't surprise us later in the Bible that the sons of Aaron present strange fire that angers The Lord, and though the bible never says what the strange fire was, we do know that it was not pleasing to The Lord. 

The sins we allow as parents, or as "priests" of The Lord, within our families or in our houses of worship, quickly can turn them into houses of idol worship. Where we don’t know the harm, or we ignore it altogether. You can look at all the churches and people out there today that have compromised, watered down, or just flat out quit teaching the Word. America more so than any other nation, although most of the world reminds me of what Judges Twenty-One, Twenty-Five says,

“In those days, there was no king in Israel. EVERYONE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYE.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

It’s so easy to be “Bent” down at church, at a conference, a during so called "worship," but not humbled to the Lord. It’s easy to stand at sporting events, concerts, or rallies for social events, but how we constantly change what we stand for and or root for. People for all time and for whatever their hearts believe will stand or "bow" to them, ultimately for what we want and never notice that slowly but surely the God who died and rose for us is being taken away, not LITERALLY, because The Lord can't be taken away, and yet people won’t revolt and defend, their faith, let alone The Lord,! 

Now Orwell is referring to government and how Socialism and Communism will slowly take away our rights and life, and we will all become robots, and we see that happening slowly here in America. I think it speaks of the loss of love and obedience to The Lord, similar to the Israelites partying at the fire while the idol formed and how many churches are similar in their robotic worship. Atheists are succeeding in making people believe that The Lord is dead, because the people claiming to be "godly," can't even defend the Word, let alone allow our lives to reflect The Lord we claim to follow. 

I refuse to be one of the crowd and fall inline with the “Gold calf” makers and prove my God exists. He is everywhere and has shown His invisible attributes for all man and in all times, Paul Writes this in Romans One Twenty, 

" “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (ESV)

When people are “bent” and “stiff-necked” there is not enough proof in the world for them to see, to understand, and they will continue to walk in their own ways. So my question is, will you look up and humble yourself under the love and grace of The Lord? Humble thyself in the sight of The Lord and He will lift you up!” Jose Barajas

The Last Days Pt.3 (The Bones)

 “One of the reasons that I don’t speak Spanish so well is because from the moment I learned English, I spoke nothing but English, especially to my parents. When they were preparing to get their citizenship to the USA, I would help them with their questions because it was such a miracle, especially of what they endured, not only to raise Ten kids, but to become citizens of the country they loved. My dad, from when he was young, would come to America to work for his aunt, doing odd jobs of working the fields, cleaning, cooking and just what he could do to get by, but mainly to support his family. My parents left most of us in Mexico while they came here to find a home, work and have a start, before bringing us to the American dream. My parents never took government aid, and we all slept in a garage, while they worked minimum wage jobs, saving to get us our own home. With the help of people like Roberta, Kathy, Connie and most importantly God, they were able to fulfill their dreams of making a better life for their kids, having my parent's "dry bones," of being lost in a foreign country, become alive in the blessing of God, here in America.

Ezekiel Thirty Six and Seven, Thirty-Eight and Thirty-Nine, Forty Thru Forty-Eight are the most misinterpreted and incorrectly taught chapters when it comes to eschatology and “end times” prophecy. This chapter will deal with Thirty-Six and Thirty-Seven, but also give a preview of Forty thru Forty-Eight. The most popular teaching of Chapter Thirty-Seven is that it is referring to Israel becoming a nation in Nineteen Forty Eight, leading to misinterpreting "End Times" teaching and also what Jesus taught in Luke Twenty-One, Twenty-Nine, 

“And He told them a parable: “LOOK AT THE FIG TREE, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY until all has taken place.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

First and foremost, Israel is NEVER EVER, in the Bible compared to a fig tree, so to say this relates to Israel becoming a nation and then say that within Eighty years, (what most believe is a generation) that Jesus will come back within this time frame is wrong exegesis. Israel throughout the Bible is referred to as an olive tree or branch, so taking a fig tree and inserting Israel into its meaning is not thoughtful, Berean like study of God’s word. The dry bones of which Ezekiel is referring to when studied in context and also a part of chapter Thirty Six, show us what God is saying. 

Let’s look at what Ezekiel says, who by the way was in Babylon, towards the end of Israel's captivity, when he wrote this, starting in Chapter Thirty-Six Eight, 

“But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home. For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt. And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ‭(ESV‬‬) 

Ezekiel is prophesying of Israel’s return from exile and how they will again be fruitful, but we can’t stop there, for this is talking of Jesus, Pentecost, and eventually, the new Jerusalem and restoration of Eden. Wait what? This is what you’re probably thinking, but let’s continue in verse Twenty-Two, 

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of My great Name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate My holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART, AND A NEW SPIRIT I WILL PUT WITHIN YOU. And I will REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (ESV)(EMPHASIS ADDED) 

It’s important when studying the word of God to use the word of God to help interpret the word. We can’t put our spin on it or take it out of context to fit an eschatological view point or our denominational view. What Ezekiel was talking about was that God was not only going to bring the people of God back together again, but that He was going to put His Spirit into the people and remove the hearts of stone. Remember Israel was in captivity for whoring themselves to idols and other god’s and not trusting or staying faithful to God. (Their captivity was for not obeying the Seventy Sabbaths of the land, but it all was driven for their love of other god’s, taking their focus off of God, and not worshipping Yahweh.) 

I think of my own walk and rebellion to God and how I was like them, that my neck was stiff and my heart cold and hard like stone before knowing Jesus. I still sin and I am a work in progress. As Paul says, "we are God's workmanship," but I now know that Jesus has put His Spirit in me. The other thing that I believe Ezekiel is referring to, especially as it pertains to Ezekiel Thirty-Seven, is about the resurrection and our new heavenly body. This teaching was not known to the people of Ezekiel’s day and only after Jesus' death and resurrection was this message taught. Paul reminds us in First Corinthians Fifteen, 

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a Man has come also the resurrection of the dead.” (ESV)

Jesus told the disciples that He had to go in order for the Helper, the Spirit, to come? When did this happen? When Israel returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple? NO! Remember when Jesus came, the religious leaders and the people were not expecting Him and or believed He was the Messiah to come. The Holy Spirit didn’t come until the day of Pentecost and all the people from every nation throughout the known world had come to Jerusalem to worship and celebrate, when Peter gave his famous sermon as recorded in Acts Two. 

Back to Ezekiel Thirty-Seven, which is a continuation of what God was telling Ezekiel of His coming restoration of His covenant, which is the New Covenant says, 

“And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause BREATH TO ENTER YOU, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”” (ESV)(Emphasis added)

Before Jesus, man was still dead and lifeless and religion was no better, as it was more about tradition and making money for those in leadership than teaching the true word of God, and it’s sadly no different today. Read the Gospels and you see Jesus condemning the "teachers" of not teaching correctly, of misleading the people, and Him overturning tables, because they had turned His Father's house into a den of robbers.

Ezekiel continues in verse Fourteen, 

“And I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (ESV) 

God is saying that He will put His Spirit in them and they shall live! This is not about Nineteen Forty Eight, because if you haven't noticed, Israel, the nation, doesn't accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, let alone that He was the Messiah. Now there are many Jews who have converted to Christianity. although some hold on to their traditions and a hope of a rebuilding of a literal temple. 

The nations gathering on the day of Pentecost, was what Ezekiel was referring to. Remember if you know your Old Testament, that when Israel came back from captivity, not all the nations returned from exile. Ezra lists the names from Judah, but the ten tribes were still in exile and did not return from captivity. Ezekiel Thirty-Seven, Twenty-One says, 

“then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.” (ESV)

What Ezekiel is referring to can be seen in Acts Two, which says: 

“Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN. And at THIS SOUND the MULTITUDE CAME TOGETHER, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (ESV)

I remember later in life as my Spanish had mainly vanished and many words today, even allude or confuse me, I started working in the warehouse. The guys all spoke Spanish, and it was neat as the words came back to me and, being able to hear them speak in foreign a language but my ears understanding the words being spoken. To hear someone speak and you understanding the words, even though they're foreigners, is magnified more with the Spirit of God, and what an awesome event that must have been at Pentecost.

Now the argument, of course, is what about the "literal" temple that Ezekiel talks about in Chapters Forty thru Forty-Eight, and he also refers to in Chapter Thirty-Seven? For the most popular eschatology view to fit, they need a literal temple to restore the “fig tree,” to have a literal millennium, to have a Seven year disappearance, otherwise it doesn’t work. 

Ezekiel Thirty Seven verse Twenty Six says,

“I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an EVERLASTING COVENANT with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set MY SANCTUARY in their midst forevermore.” (ESV)(Emphasis Added)

To quote one of my favorite movies, The Breakfast Club, “In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions,” THE TEMPLE BEING TALKED ABOUT IS THE BODY OF GOD. (I will explain more about why a literal temple is not what Ezekiel chapters Forty thru Forty-Eight are about and all the holes in popular Eschatology teachings in the next part.) John, Paul, Peter wrote about it in the New Testament, and Jesus is the Temple, but let’s look at what scripture says, and not what man interjects to fit their eschatology.  

First Corinthians Three Sixteen, 

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (ESV)

First Corinthians Six Nineteen, 

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (ESV) 

Ephesians Two Nineteen, 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the Cornerstone, in whom the WHOLE STRUCTURE, being joined together, grows into a HOLY TEMPLE in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

First Peter Two Five, 

“As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a SPIRITUAL HOUSE, to be a HOLY PRIESTHOOD, to OFFER SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE to God THROUGH Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a Cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone!” (ESV)

"American" or "Western" Christians, have little or no concept of temple talk, because most teachers only teach a temple as it relates to Israel and the need for one to be built again so that all the prophecy lists can be checked off of to usher in the "secret vanishing" of the church for seven years. What we skip or not focus on enough, is the fact that because of Jesus, who is the NEW TEMPLE, we are also part of that temple, and temples of the Holy Spirit and we don't need a physical building that isn't scriptural.  

Of course, we cannot forget what Jesus said in John Two, 

“Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking about the temple of His body. When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” (ESV)

The issue with a literal temple that many teach or say must happen before the end times or to fulfill Ezekiel’s word to fit all nicely into a little box with a bow is really putting themselves into a sticky situation of wrong biblical interpretation. What do I mean? If you have a literal temple, does that mean sacrifices? If so, then the writer of Hebrews is wrong and that book should be removed from the Bible. We can't be like the progressive church and only read the safe passages and those that allow us to live our lives how we want, instead of realizing that everything is for Jesus and because of Jesus.

Hebrews Seven Twenty Seven says, 

“He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, since He did this ONCE FOR ALL when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.” (ESV) (Emphasis Added)

Paul also stated in Romans Six of Jesus dying once and for all, 

“For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)

I used to listen to an old show back in the nineties called the Christian Jew hour, and the teacher was an old believer of Judaism and was now a believer in Jesus and his whole show was about sharing the gospel of Jesus and looking at scripture from a Jewish perspective, but also how it translated to faith in Jesus. No longer being bound to the Old Covenant or old regulations, but being free in Jesus alone. My point is that, what Ezekiel was writing was not about a restoration of a nation in Nineteen Forty Eight and a rebuilding of a literal temple and the dry bones and all coming back to the land, was about the resurrection of believers, the day of Pentecost and the body of Christ being the temple. 

If the argument becomes, the sacrifices are needed as a memorial, to give the people a visual of what happened on the cross, then why not have them read the New Testament? There are plenty of Jewish believers in Christ that have come to saving knowledge with just the Gospel. Read Acts and the Letters of Paul, Peter and John and you can see that. The other thing with a literal temple is what about the "GLORY" passages that are attributed to Jesus and how the New Testament writers reference these passages in their writings? People will say yes, the Glory will return during the millennium and that is when the Shekinah glory returns. If that is true, then people are stretching their eschatology to fit their denomination and not seeing what God is saying. Isaiah Forty says, 

"And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (ESV) 

This is quoted in Luke Three Six.

Isaiah Sixty One says, 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (ESV)

This again speaks of Jesus and Him being the temple and we being a temple of the Holy Spirit and of God. 

Ezekiel, in Thirty Seven Twenty Six, actually quotes Leviticus Twenty Six Eleven. First Ezekiel says, 

"I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (ESV)

Leviticus says, 

"I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people." (ESV)

And you may think, so what that Ezekiel quotes Leviticus, but this is also what Paul quotes in Second Corinthians Six Sixteen that says: 

"What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (ESV)

The reason all this matters is that Paul is writing to the Corinthians and again, if you study your word, you will see that the Corinthians were Gentiles. What Paul basically has done is linked Leviticus and Ezekiel to the gentiles, again confirming that God's word and what all of this means, is that we are all equal in God's eyes, if we repent and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is also a reference to the New Jerusalem and Jesus dwelling with His people forever, again with no literal, physical temple, because if we look at Revelation Twenty-One, it says:

"And I SAW NO TEMPLE in the city, for ITS TEMPLE IS THE LORD GOD the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for THE GLORY OF OF GOD gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. (ESV)(Emphasis Added)

One last note of why Ezekiel Thirty Six and Thirty-Seven are not about Israel's return from exile or even Nineteen Forty-Eight is what is said in Two verses. Let's look at them, first Ezekiel Thirty Six Twenty Eight B, 

"you shall be My people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleanness. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you." (ESV)

Ezekiel Thirty Seven Twenty Three says: 

"They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I WILL SAVE THEM FROM ALL THE BACKSLIDINGS IN WHICH THEY HAVE SINNED, and WILL CLEANSE THEM; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God." (ESV)

This gets quoted in Matthew One Twenty One, which says,

"She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He WILL SAVE His people FROM THEIR SINS." (ESV)

Many will say okay, what's all the big deal and why does it matter, but again returning to my point of studying the word of God and not just listening and blindly following the popular beliefs that are being taught. 

There are only TWO VERSES in the Old Testament that deal with salvation referring to an internal sin problem, and those are the Two mentioned above that get quoted by Matthew. Psalm One Hundred Thirty verse Eight also is a bridge of these verses, 

“O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” (ESV)

This didn't happen when Israel returned from captivity, and it surely didn't happen in Nineteen Forty-Eight. Ezekiel Thirty Six and Thirty Seven is about the New Testament era, the work of Christ, and then when we get to Pentecost, we see the body of Christ and the temple made up of His people. There is no other explanation without putting our own spin on what God's word is teaching. OF course, we also know that when Jesus restores Eden, the writer of Revelation says there is no temple, and that Jesus is the temple. 

The dry bones coming to life and the Two sticks being joined together with Jesus, for Jesus, as He is the only glory we will ever need. The only sacrifice and the only temple needed, and nothing built by man to fill an ideology.

I know I am a sinner who has not always been a follower or hearer of the Word of God. I know I used to listen to the popular versions of the word, because in a way I wanted to escape to a better land and be a part of this group that would be whisked away like we were when we came to America. The problems we encountered here were nothing with what we could have encountered in Mexico, but only God knows. I am thankful that I have been allowed to have my eyes and ears opened, to become a citizen of heaven and only because and thru Jesus. 

My bones are awake, my flesh is coming alive, and the Spirit of God is moving. We are to be making disciples and sharing the Good News to other dry bones, not because a generation has come and gone, or because they too can disappear, because that’s not scriptural, but because we don't know when our last breath will be and the harvest is ripe! Do you hear the rattling?” Jose Barajas