International Bible Teaching Ministries
The Current Age and Prophecies
Question 1: What grand prophecies are now being fulfilled?
ANSWER: Prophecies concerning the kingdom of God, the Church of Christ! For example: I Corinthians 2:9, a fulfillment of Isaiah 64:4. Refer also to Ephesians 3:9-11; Ephesians 3:21, and I Peter 1:9-12.
Question 2: Are we near the end of the world?
ANSWER: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36).
Question 3: Why is there so much suffering in the world? How can those who suffer be assured that God is with them? How can they be helped or led out of their problems?
ANSWER: Some would blame God for the suffering that is in the world. Certainly, this is not the case, since God is love (I John 4:8) and He loves the world (John 3:16). This love was shown in the creation and by the fact that He created us with the freedom to make our own choices. The reason for suffering in the world today is because man has made the wrong choices. When we make the choice to engage in sin, we must personally suffer the consequences. Many times the consequences of sin affect others not directly involved in the sin. Though not held accountable for the sin they, nonetheless, feel and suffer the consequences of that sin. For example, a drunken father spends the family's livelihood on alcohol: the wife and children, though not guilty of the sin, will suffer because of the sin. This same principle also affects nations and peoples. There are dire consequences when God is rejected! God warned that such would be the case (Exodus 20:5-6). Clearly, the reason for much of the suffering in the world today is either because of our sins, or the sins of those who lived before us.
The only way people can be assured that God is with them is through obedient acceptance of His Word. Though we must often suffer in this life, we can, in that suffering, have the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Philippians 4:6-8) realizing that we are only sojourners in this world, and that we (as faithful Christians) have a future in "a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). The greatest thing we can do for anyone is to prepare him or her for this city by teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It goes without saying that each of us, as well, have the responsibility of providing physical relief to the suffering within our capability and in accordance with God's will (Galatians 6:10).
Question 4: What do most people say about the purpose of life?
ANSWER: Contrary to Christ's command to "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33) and Paul's admonition to "set your affection on things above" (Colossians 3:2), I suppose that most have adopted the thinking of the man in Luke 12:16-21 whose focus was on the material things of this life. Undoubtedly, unless repentance occurs, these will be included in the "many" of Matthew 7:13.
Question 5: Are the Israelites God's chosen people today?
ANSWER: No! Please refer to Romans 2:28-29; Romans 9:6-9; and Galatians 3:28-29. These passages, along with Galatians 6:16, teach that the church has become the Israel of God. Those men and women (Christians) who make up the house of God are they who are God's chosen people, in the sense that you use it (I Peter 2:5-9. See also Ephesians 1:3-4).
Question 6: There are many problems on the earth such as poverty, crime, prostitution, robbery, etc. Will the nations find a solution to these problems?
ANSWER: Some nations, having the required resources, may favorably affect one or more of these problem areas for a time. However, the reason for the existence of all of these is sin! As long as man continues in sin, the consequences of sin will continue to plague him. A casual look at the world around us shows that sin and the problems it brings is multiplying rapidly. Further, it will continue to multiply! "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (II Timothy 3:1-5). Speaking of these men in Verse thirteen, Paul says, "But evil men shall wax worse and worse!” This is only one of the reasons that Christians are but sojourners in this world, and that they look "for a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10).
Question 7: Do the Israelites still have a chance to get back to the land of Canaan to re-institute Old Testament worship with God’s approval as before?
ANSWER: No, they do not! Carefully consider the parable of Christ in Luke 20:9-19. Then go back and read Verse 15 and16 slowly again, “So they (the Jews) cast Him out of the vineyard, and killed Him (Christ). What therefore shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto them (the Jews)? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen (the Jews), and shall give the vineyard to others.” Jeremiah of old was prophesying about the complete and final destruction of the Israelite nation, resulting from their rejection of Christ, and said of them in Jeremiah 19:11, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be mad whole again . . .”
Then in Verse 15, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city (Jerusalem) and upon all her towns (land of Israel) all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might no hear my words.”
God kept His words, completely destroying the Israelite nation in 70AD through the Roman Empire as was prophesied by Christ in Matthew 24. The destruction was sure and complete “as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again.”
No longer God’s chosen people, the kingdom was taken from them forever and given to another! Please refer to Romans 2:28-29; Romans 9:6-9; and Galatians 3:28-29. These passages, along with Galatians 6:16, teach that the church has become the Israel of God. Those men and women (Christians) who make up the house of God are they who are God's chosen people, in the sense that you use it (I Peter 2:5-9. See also Ephesians 1:3-4).
Question 8: Can you make clear to me what people are saying about the earth being destroyed in the year 2000 by collision with the greatest star in heaven?
ANSWER: I don't know all that these people are saying about it! I do know, however, that they don't know what they're talking about and that they are ignorant of God's Word that says, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36).
Question 9: Is the modern state of Israel the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel?
ANSWER: No! The modern state of Israel has nothing to do with the promise that God made to Abraham. The promise made was, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee and thy seed will I give it, and to thy seed forever” (Genesis 13:15; Genesis 16:7-8). The extent of the land to be given was from the Nile River to the great river, the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).
God, however, did not make this promise without conditions. He said in Deuteronomy 30:17-18, “But if thine heart turn away, so thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away and worship other gods, and serve them, I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, wither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.”
Today’s Premillenialist focuses on the “forever,” but not the conditions of the promise. It is clearly evident that the children of Israel did not keep their part of the covenant. Jeremiah records the words of the Lord in Chapter 19: “Hear ye the words of the Lord, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold I will bring evil upon this place (Verse 3), because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place. And have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known (Verse 4) . . . Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring evil upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words” (Verse 15). Jeremiah in this same chapter was told by God to take a potter’s earthen bottle and some of the older people and older priests to the east gate of the city and to “proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee” (Verses 1 & 2). “Then shall thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, and shall say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that CANNOT BE MADE WHOLE AGAIN” (Verses 10 & 11). The point is that just as the broken vessel could never be made whole again, so Israel once broken would never be made whole again. Not at that time, neither any other time, and certainly not in 1948AD! Amos recited the same thing in Chapter 8, Verse 2, “The end is come upon my people Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore.” Zechariah also said in Chapter 11, Verse 10, “that I might break my covenant which I had made with the people.” The “forever” of the promise was conditional upon the obedience of the children of Israel to the voice of God. They rejected Him and turned their backs on Him again and again, When they had gone too far, God broke His “forever” covenant with them. They “CANNOT be made whole again.” The Jews had rejected and killed the prophets of old and finally they rejected and killed the Messiah (Matthew 21:33-46) who had been sent to them (Matthew 15:24). Because of that final rejection, we find Christ saying in Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.” Because they would not, Jesus in Matthew 24:1-34 prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish economy. That destruction came upon Jerusalem in 70AD at the hands of the Roman Empire. They could and would not from that point forward be recognized as God’s Israel. They could never be made whole again in this way!
The Premillenialists also often contend that God did not fulfill all of His land promise, that it is yet to be fulfilled in the future. Neither is this the case. Joshua says in Chapter 21, Verses 43 & 45, that God kept His part of the bargain and that He “gave unto Israel “all” the land which He sware to give unto their fathers, and they possessed it, and dwelt in it. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” God kept His promise, as He always does, including the promise that if the children of Israel rejected Him, He would reject them. This He did!
Additionally, God had told the children of Israel that they were to appoint a total of six cities of refuge to which one that accidentally killed another could flee for safety from those who might try to take revenge (Numbers 35:9-34). They were first directed to appoint three of these cities (Deuteronomy 19:7) and then, “if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast, as He hath sworn to thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers . . . . then thou shalt add three cities more for thee, besides these three.” When all six cities were appointed it would be when the children of Israel possessed all of the Promised Land. In Joshua 20:7-9, we see that all of the six had been appointed, i.e., Kadesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan. Therefore, we can know that God fulfilled His promise!
That the children of Israel occupied all of the Promised Land to the Euphrates is made clear in II Samuel 8:3; I Kings 4:21; II Chronicles 9:26. The Premillenial theory is false through and through!
The Israelites are not God’s chosen people any longer, as some would suggest. Please refer to Romans 2:28-29; Romans 9:6-9; Galatians 3:28-29; and Galatians 5:6. These passages, along with Galatians 6:15-16, teach that the church of Christ has become the Israel of God. Those men and women (Christians) who make up the house of God are they who are God's chosen people, in the sense that the term is used today (I Peter 2:5-9. See also Ephesians 1:3-4).
Question 10: Did the “last days” begin with the establishment of the church?
ANSWER: Yes! Many times in the Old Testament, the phrase, "In the last days" or "latter times” is used by the prophets to denote that period of time (the last dispensation) when the Messiah would come. This phrase is so used in Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28; and Micah 4:1 and always pointed forward. When we come to the time of the Messiah and the going forth of the law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3), we find for the first time the fulfillment of these prophecies. In Acts 2:17, Peter refers specifically to Joel's prophecy and says in Verse 16, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." Joel said something would occur in the last days and Peter says this is that which was to occur at that time. This is the first time in the Bible we are told specifically that the "last days" had arrived as the Old Testament prophets had foretold. None of the events prophesied in the Old Testament that were to occur "in the last days" had begun to come to pass until this time. Therefore, this day, the Day of Pentecost, upon which the church/kingdom was established, was the beginning of the "last days." Paul tells us in Hebrews 1:2, that God, "hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son." John says in I John 2:18, "Little children, it is the last time." At the end of this "last time," our Lord will return to receive the faithful of the kingdom for deliverance to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24).
Question 11: In ancient times God spoke through men. Why doesn’t He do that today?
ANSWER: God did not only reveal His will in ancient times by speaking to and through men. In Hebrews 1:1, we are told that He communicated with men at various times and in various or different ways. One of the purposes of the book of Hebrews is to compare the things under the Mosaic dispensation with things under the Christian dispensation in order to show how much better the new system of faith is over the old system of works. The words of Hebrews 1:1-2 are, similarly, intended to point out the imperfect and incomplete state of divine revelation under the Old Testament, as it pointed to the final state of perfect and complete revelation through Jesus Christ, i.e., the New Testament, in which are all things that pertain unto life and godliness (II Peter 1:3) and which was given once for all (Jude 3). Under the Old Testament, God’s revelation was made at various times, by various persons, in various laws and forms of teaching, with various degrees of clearness, under various shadows, types, and figures, and with various modes of revelation, such as by angels, visions, dreams, etc. But under the New Testament all was done, simply, by one person, i.e. Jesus, who has fulfilled the prophets, and completed prophecy; who is the one way, the one truth, and the one life; and the founder, mediator, and governor of his own kingdom. God has given us a better way through the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Question 12: How many books are there in heaven?
ANSWER: Heaven is a spiritual place, which would exclude the possibility of physical or literal books being there. However, in a figurative sense "books" and "writing are said to be in heaven (Exodus 32-32-33; Luke 10:20; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 20:12). Though in some instances we read of a plurality of figurative "books" in heaven, they have not been figuratively numbered for us.