Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 71 Like many in Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth, Christians today are looking for a political savior to rescue them and break the chains of tyranny. It is important to recognize that the Gospels tell of many people looking for the Messiah. How did they have precise timing for when to look? Based on the 490 years of Daniel 9 coming to an end they knew [...]
Gary continues speaking with Rick Welch of The Burros of Berea podcast about Christmas movies. These movies are not necessarily “Christian” in the sense that many modern Christians tend to think about such things. While they may lack a comprehensive Gospel message that leads viewers to the Cross, that misses the point of what makes something Christian or non-Christian. Christians should be able to [...]
Every Christmas, there is the inevitable talk about a “war on Christmas.” Not all opposition comes from secularists, atheists, and Muslims (see here and here). Some Christians believe the Bible does not set aside the birth of Jesus as a special calendar day to honor His birth because such a celebration violates the “regulative principle of worship.” Acknowledging the birth of Jesus is biblical. Ch [...]
William Ochoa is a pastor in Guatemala and joins Gary on the podcast today. William has been using Gary’s and American Vision’s materials to minister and train pastors in Guatemala. Developing a biblical worldview can never be separated from Jesus’ saving work. If men and women do not turn to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they will turn to themselves, to another individual, an idea, [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 70 Gary responds to a clip from a prophecy pundit on Facebook claiming that the Statue of Liberty is found in the book of Revelation. Aren’t we seeing prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes? This protest is offered when people are hit with an interpretation that does not fit their long-held doctrinal views. They shift from the clear teaching of S [...]
What Bible verses did the bishops who constructed the Nicene Creed use for “and [He] will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead”? All creeds should confess what Scripture says. To borrow from N.T. Wright, used in a different context, Christian theology should not try to “make theological bricks without the biblical straw.”[1] The language and the meaning of a text should come from [...]
Gary welcomes Kim Burgess back to answer a listener’s question about 1 Corinthians 15:24–28. My thesis in this series is that OT Israel was Yahweh’s chosen means to bring salvation to the Gentile nations of the world. Not understanding this principle gets us off track. People think that eschatology, because of the influence of the historic creeds of the Church and of the various systematic t [...]
This is a continuation of this article from last week. It is an excerpt from American Vision’s new book, The Greatest and the Least: A Biblical Theology of John the Baptist, by Eric Rauch and Zach Davis. Signs and Visions There were also several other visions given during this time. The first is when Mary and Joseph bring the baby Jesus to the temple to “offer a sacrifice according to the law” (Lu [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 69 Gary discusses another “key” prophetic sign that many say is happening in our present day. There is not a single verse in the New Testament that supports the claim that there is prophetic significance in Israel’s restoration as a nation. Beyond A.D. 70, Israel as a nation plays no prophetic role. The New Testament only addresses Israel’s n [...]
Is it a crime to steal from your neighbor? It is. Is it a crime for a group of neighbors to steal from another group of neighbors for a “worthy cause”? It is. Is it a crime to elect some of your neighbors to a political position so they can take money from other neighbors to benefit other neighbors? No, but it should be! No one’s income should be taxed. Many people will ask, “How will we pay for e [...]
Gary is interviewed by Rick Welch of The Burros of Berea podcast about old Christmas movies. Most evangelicals tend to think in “words.” This is certainly understandable because of the Protestant focus on the Bible as the sole authority (sola Scriptura) and the Lutheran concept of the “priesthood of all believers.” When this is applied to storytelling and film, this primary focus on word over imag [...]
The following is an excerpt from American Vision’s new book, The Greatest and the Least: A Biblical Theology of John the Baptist, by Eric Rauch and Zach Davis: In the New Testament, we find the familiar stories of the miraculous births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Luke gives the most information (Luke 1–2) and Matthew adds a bit more to our understanding of the historical events (Matthew 1 [...]
Gary discusses different immutable aspects of monetary policy and economics. The modern world has debased its coinage. No nation’s mint issues silver coins as common coinage—only as collectibles. By the mid-1960’s, silver coins were replaced by central bank counterfeits. In 1965, most money was not coinage, as is true today. Most money was a combination of paper currency and bank checks. Printed c [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 68 Reading the Bible is more than just understanding the words on the page. The first place to start in learning how to interpret prophecy is to learn how to interpret the Bible, because the Bible is the best interpreter of itself. This statement seems so obvious, and yet many people fail to follow it. When the subject of prophecy comes up, some eager pr [...]
Gary and Kim Burgess conclude their discussion of 1 Corinthians 15. Paul still fully expected to be alive in his earthly body at the parousia of Christ as based on the direct warrant of Christ Himself in texts like Matthew 10:23, 16:27-28, and 24:34. This is precisely why Paul deliberately used “we” language in both 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. For this we say to you by the word of the [...]
Thomas Ice and H. Wayne House (just two among many) maintain false divisions regarding the law. They want to make a radical distinction between the “law of God” and the “law of Christ” as if two law systems are operating in the Bible. Currently, God has made a new covenant with his people—the church—and we live under the “law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).[1] Indeed, there is a “new covenant” with si [...]
Gary comments on an article that claims the current “replacement theology” affecting the Church is replacing Christ with Israel. If Israel is the fig tree in Matthew 24:32, then Israel is the fig tree in 21:18–20 where Jesus says, “‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.” The fig tree of Matthew 24 was a leaves-only tree. There was no frui [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 67 Gary picks up where he left off last week, discussing modern prophetic speculation about current events, which, in reality, is nothing new. Many reasons could be put forth to explain why our Christian counterparts of long ago were wrong about what they believed to be prophetic certainties. The signs seemed to fit the times. How can we avoid their mist [...]
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27–28) There is a translation issue in Hebrews 9:28. The Greek word “time” is not used. Literally, it’s “out of the second” (ἐκ δευτέρου). [...]
Gary continues speaking with Kim Burgess about 1 Corinthians 15 and the timing and nature of the resurrection. This eschatology debate is not going to have any hope of getting anywhere if we simply argue back and forth among ourselves over a series of isolated proof texts. The solution to this deep and complicated debate is not simply going to be a matter of comparing this verse with that verse in [...]
