Gary debunks the idea of the “good old days,” and how people claim they want to return to them. Worldviews are seen as vehicles for cultural transformation. Many in the entertainment field believe, for example, that they are the nation’s conscience and the only guiding light for change. Francis Ford Coppola, best known for the critically acclaimed Godfather trilogy, believes that only [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 51 Gary answers a commenter who claims that 2 Thessalonians 2 refers to the need for a rebuilt (third) temple in our future. God’s presence was a sign of blessing because of Israel’s special covenantal status (Isa. 55:3; Jer. 1:19) and His departure was a sign of judgment, neither of which were physical. For the nations, God’s presence was a sign of judg [...]

Gary responds to an interview clip from a state representative from Texas named James Talarico, who claims abortion is compatible with the Bible. In simple terms, a Christian Reconstructionist is anyone who believes that the Bible applies in some way to issues beyond personal salvation. Do you believe that the Bible has some very direct instructions on how a pre-born baby ought to be treated and t [...]

Gary discusses the newest book project for American Vision: The Great Debate: Does God Exist? Because of the great success of modern scientific and technological achievement, Western civilization has tended to discount metaphysical questions. Instead, our mind-set is more toward the sense-oriented, empirical scientific method. You must recognize this default bias of modern man because you need to [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 50 Gary discusses a short video clip by John MacArthur regarding the chronology of the book of Revelation. Perhaps the leading interpretive principle for understanding any document can be summarized in three words: “Context. Context. Context.” Before we arrive at Revelation 1:7 upon opening John’s book, we must pass through verses 1 and 3. And as we have [...]

Gary answers a question that we get often: “If so much of the New Testament is fulfilled, now what do we do?” In the book The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon, prophecy writer Hal Lindsey wrote, “The decade of the 1980’s could very well be the last decade of history as we know it.” How long and wrong can prophetic speculation go on before a cultural collapse takes place? What a person b [...]

Gary discusses the recent controversy with Chip and Joanna Gaines’ new show and homosexuality. Paul teaches elsewhere that all men—even pagans who do not love God and do not have the advantage of the written oracles of God (cf. Rom. 3:1-2)—nevertheless know the just requirements of God’s law. They know what God, the Creator, requires of them. They know it from the created order (1:18-2 [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 49 Gary responds to a challenge issued to him on Facebook about the great tribulation and the “end times.” St. Paul tells Timothy, “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ” (I Timothy 4:6). The members of Timothy’s congregation needed to know about what would take place in th [...]

Gary revisits a topic he discussed a few months back about churches and pastors making political endorsements. In the Georgia General Assembly Unannotated code the following instructions are given to the state’s archivist: “Encourage the study of historical documents including but not limited to those which reflect our National Motto, the Declaration of Independence, the Ten Commandments, the Cons [...]

Gary responds to a video clip of Bart Ehrman about various laws from Leviticus. All of life is ethical, and all of the Bible is permeated with a concern for ethics. Unlike the organization of an encyclopedia, our Bible was not written in such a way that it devotes separate sections exclusively to various topics of interest. Hence the Bible does not contain one separate, self-contained book or chap [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 48 Gary deals with recent claims of what or who the “antichrist” is and how 666 fits in. The antichrist of today’s speculative theology combines the characteristics of Daniel’s “prince who is to come” and other features from the book of Daniel (9:26; 7:7-8, 19-26; 8:23-25); elements from Matthew and Daniel’s “abomination of desolation” (Matt. [...]

Gary discusses a few “contradictions” commonly pointed out by critics. The Bible is literature. God speaks to us in words and themes that can be understood. Not all literature can be interpreted in the same way. Some will claim that the Bible must be interpreted literally. But what does that mean? There are always caveats. Does a dragon really mean a dragon? Should you really pluck out [...]

Gary comments on several recent news items, including a real head-scratcher. The Christian worldview does not simply differ with the unbelieving worldview at some points, but absolutely conflicts with it across the board on all points. The unbelievers’ “‘epistemology is informed by their ethical hostility to God,’ as Van Til said. Thus, Van Til held that there are no main points, systematically ba [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 47 Gary responds to a recent video by end-times speculator Jonathan Cahn about how we are “watching prophecy unfold before our eyes.” Reading modern-day concepts, whether scientific, geographical, or academic, back into the Bible can cause insurmountable interpretive problems. For example, how many times have you heard a minister claim that t [...]

Gary answers email questions that he has received recently about Romans 11 and what “all Israel” being saved means. During the sixteenth century, in the Reformation and immediate post-Reformation period, several theologians addressed the question of Israel’s place in God’s plans for the future. Theodore Beza, John Calvin’s successor in Geneva, taught, according to Eng [...]

Gary answers a listener question about the parenthetical statement in the Gospels about “letting the reader understand.” Earlier in Israel’s history, God threatened desolation because the Jews had defiled the temple with detestable things and abominations. “‘So as I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 46 Gary discusses how to read and understand the book of Revelation. 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 mistakes? The following prophetic keys will help any interpreter unlock the do [...]

Gary discusses a few “things in the news” and gives his unique spin on them. Atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell captures the essence of the materialistic ethic: “Brief and powerless is man’s life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way.” Even those who deny mor [...]

Gary discusses Islam, the Gospel, and the recent interview of Ted Cruz by Tucker Carlson. Zionism is secular. Compare the return of Jews in 1948 to what is now called “Palestine,” where many Jews were living when Jews migrated before and after 1948, to the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity: Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taug [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 45 Gary answers a very often-asked question these days about Israel’s role in the biblical “end times.” Does Isaiah 11:11-12 refer to a distant return of Israel back to their land, or did it have a past fulfillment in view? No Jew reading Isaiah 11 in Isaiah’s day, during the time of the exile, and the return under the decree of Cyrus ( [...]