Gerald E. Weston

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

The Ukraine War…a Prophetic Event?

What will be the fallout from the war in Ukraine? Some wonder: Will it lead to World War III and Armageddon? The good news is that the short-term answer is, no.

Do you realize there is a source you can rely upon to give the answer? People throw about the term Armageddon but forget the word’s source—the biblical book of Revelation. It’s the Bible, and Jesus specifically, that long ago informed us that humanity would come to the place where all life could be wiped off this planet. But the good news is that Christ will intervene, stop our madness, and usher in a time of universal peace.

But for now, what, if anything, does the war in Ukraine mean? Does the Bible mention it?

I’ll be right back.

For Europe to Rise, the Wall had to Fall

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, where we bring to life Bible prophecy. On today’s program, I’m going to explain, from the pages of the Bible, the significance of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Many of us grew up during the “Cold War” and lived long enough to see the [fall of the Berlin Wall]. We remember these famous words of President Ronald Reagan, standing before the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, where he challenged the Soviet leader to tear down the wall that divided Berlin and Eastern Europe from the West:

“Behind me stands a wall that encircles the free sectors of this city, part of a vast system of barriers that divides the entire continent of Europe…. Standing before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is a German, separated from his fellow men…. Today I say as long as this gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind….

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate.

Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” (“Tear Down This Wall,” National Archives, Archives.gov, 2007).

And he did!

That ugly twelve-foot-high wall that circled West Berlin for 28 years began to be dismantled and the Brandenburg Gate opened five months later.

While many thought this impossible, many of us here at Tomorrow’s World were not caught by surprise. Why?

Here is what a Hendersonville Tennessee reporter for the Free Press wrote on December 7, 1989:

“Like a great many Americans I have been watching the current political situation in East Germany with interest. While many have expressed surprise at the recent events and at East German cries for reunification of East and West Germany, I have to admit I haven’t been too surprised by these events. The reason I haven’t been particularly surprised is that for years I have occasionally read the publications of… the late Herbert W. Armstrong… Armstrong predicted that the Berlin Wall would some day come down and the two German states would once again reunite into a powerful nation” (The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality? pp. 1–2).

How did Mr. Armstrong and those of us here at Tomorrow’s World know this would happen? The short answer is that we understand Bible prophecy. Now there is much detail that we don’t know, but we—and you—can know the outline of what to expect in the days ahead. The God who inspired the Bible has given us a remarkable outline of history, told in advance. And He presents this challenge to mankind:

“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’” (Isaiah 46:9–10).

Bible prophecy predicted in advance the fall of Babylon, the empire of the Medes and Persians, the rapid conquests of Alexander the Great, the rise of the mighty Roman Empire, and so much more.

A Prophecy of World Empires to Come

Together, Daniel and Revelation give you an accurate outline that you undoubtedly did not receive in school.

In Daniel 2, we read of an unusual dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had. It greatly troubled him until Daniel was given understanding from God to interpret it. This famous dream is more than a Sunday School story for children. It’s an outline of history, given in advance, beginning around 600 B.C. and continuing to this day. Nebuchadnezzar saw a giant image of a man with a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay.

Two important points are given in verse 28:

#1: There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and

#2: He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days (Daniel 2:28).

Now let’s see how Daniel explained the dream to Nebuchadnezzar. We read the explanation in Daniel 2, beginning in verse 37:

“You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory… you are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.”

We see here four great empires, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian, or Chaldean, Empire. One might think this is relatively simple to predict, as empires come and go, but the Bible has specific details revealing the nature of these empires, especially the fourth one.

That kingdom of iron was shown by two legs, but why are the feet and toes made of a mixture of iron and clay? We’ll see the answer in verses 41–43:

“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.”

So what does this have to do with your life today?

Everything!

The feet and ten toes reveal the time just ahead of us, as we shall see, beginning in verse 44:

“And in the days of these [10] kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

This is the future Kingdom of God on earth, which will replace mankind’s corrupt kingdoms. That is the good news, the gospel, that Jesus proclaimed for three-and-a-half years prior to His death and resurrection.

Daniel 7 describes these same four empires—again ending with the coming of the Messiah—but this time he describes them as beasts. What they symbolize is partly explained beginning in chapter 7 and verses 17–18:

“Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”

The fourth Beast lasts until the coming of Christ. Continuing:

“Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces…. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him’” (Daniel 7:23, 27).

When Will “Rome” Finally Fall?

So far, we’ve seen from the prophecies in Daniel that there would be four great empires, starting with the Chaldean Empire and ending with the Roman Empire. And, it is at the time of this last empire that God will smash mankind’s misguided rule and set up His Kingdom.

Revelation fills in details that began in Daniel, chapters 2 and 7. Daniel saw these kingdoms near the beginning of the first kingdom, but John wrote during the time of the fourth, the Roman Empire. That is why we see in Revelation 13 a composite beast, as Rome had absorbed all the others:

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.”

This seven-headed beast represents the seven heads of all four described in Daniel 7:

The Lion = Babylon One head

The Bear = Medo-Persia One head

The Leopard = Greco-Macedonian Four heads

The Fourth Beast = Roman One head

So, Revelation 13 describes a seven-headed beast, but one head had a deadly wound that was healed. Notice it in verses 3–5:

“I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’ And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”

Since the deadly wound is healed, it is evident the head that is wounded is the Roman Empire, as it is the one that continues all the way to the end. A deadly wound would come to the Roman Empire, but it would be healed and continue another 42 months.

Do you realize, dear friends, that this is exactly what history tells us?

The Bible sometimes uses what is called a day for a year principle. In this case, 42 months could either refer to literal months, or prophetic months using the day for a year principle. See Ezekiel 4:6:

“And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.”

This principle is also found in Numbers 14:34. Prophetic months are 30 days as seen by comparisons in Scripture. Therefore, 42 prophetic months equal 1,260 days, or years, depending on the context and by what we see happening. Historians generally agree that 476 AD marks the fall of the western Roman Empire.

We do not see the deadly wound healed 42 months later, but we do see the empire restored under Justinian in 554 AD. Four more kingdoms rule under the banner of Rome with the last being Napoléon’s, which ending in 1814—and that’s exactly 1,260 years from Justinian’s Imperial Restoration.

The Beast IS Rising, Just as Foretold!

As we’ve seen today, the biblical prophecy of the Beast begins in the Book of Daniel. Chapter 2 gives the overview of four empires stretching from the time of Nebuchadnezzar all the way to the end of the age when Christ returns and sets up a world-ruling government on earth. Chapter 7 describes these four great empires as beasts, giving added detail. Then we come to Revelation 13, where it speaks of the fourth empire—Rome—and how it would receive a deadly wound, but would come back to life for a period of 1,260 years.

The Apostle John was given more information about this beast in Revelation 17, but this time the prophecy refers to this Roman beast only during the time when it is ridden by a woman. It shows there would be seven restored Roman systems, beginning with the five who ruled during 1,260 years. These were:

Imperial Restoration Justinian 554 AD

Carolingian Empire Charlemagne 800 AD

Holy Roman Empire Charles the Great 962 AD

Hapsburg Dynasty Charles V 1530 AD

Napoleon’s Empire Napoleon 1804–1814AD

After Napoleon, people thought the Roman Empire was to be no more, but the Bible describes two more resurrections, with the seventh being destroyed at the coming of Christ.

Revelation 17 begins by describing a church in the form of an immoral woman.

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”

There is much more from this chapter and elsewhere giving specific details regarding this woman, which verse 5 shows is a mother church with harlot daughters, but our focus today is on the Beast and how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine plays into these prophecies. The world will be shocked to see this final system suddenly appear. Continuing in verse 8:

“And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is [it is not recognized for what it is]. Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen [during 1,260 years], one is [Mussolini/Hitler], and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.”

Why is the beast referred to in such cryptic language?

Many do not realize that Mussolini’s dream was to restore the Roman Empire once again and there was an agreement with the pope—thus the woman once again rode the Beast.

Then we come to the seventh and last resurrection of the beast that refuses to go away. Remember that in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision, he saw a man with two iron legs whose feet and ten toes were a mixture of iron and clay.

They exist at Christ’s return. Now we see in Revelation 17 that there are ten kings who will make up this seventh Roman empire and will fight against Christ at His return.

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:12–14).

You may very well live to see this prophecy come to pass!

So how do Russia and Ukraine fit into all of this? We see that there will be one more resurrection of this empire. Ten nations or groups of nations, described as kings, will form a powerful economic and military force that will rival and surpass the United States. But Europeans have had no interest in building a militarily powerful empire.

Several United States Presidents have pressured Europeans, most especially Germany, to “do their fair share to defend Europe,” but to no avail. However, two recent events have transformed their thinking almost overnight. The first was Afghanistan, as shown by this March 21 statement from DW online:

“The plan for an overhaul of the European Union’s security strategy came in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on August 14 of last year” (“EU approves security policy for rapid reaction force,” DW.com, March 21, 2022 ).

Then came the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That event has shaken Europeans to the core. From the Times of Israel comes this March 29, 2022 headline:

“How Germany, shaken by Russia’s Ukraine invasion, plans to rebuild its military”

It goes on to say:

“Europe’s largest economy goes on spending spree to modernize its sagging army; considers buying armed drones and Arrow 3 missile defense system from Israel.

Three days after the attack began, Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a landmark speech pledged a special budget of 100 billion euros [$110 billion, that is] for the military, as well as annual spending of more than two percent of output on defense.

The armaments industry has since been buzzing about the looming spending spree” (TimesOfIsrael.com, March 29, 2022).

The media is also abuzz over the building of the German military. Here’s a quote from Defense News:

“Berlin currently spends upwards of $50 billion, or around 1.5% of GDP, on defense annually. Future German defense spending, Scholz said, would be “more” than 2%.

The chancellor also mentioned a number of big-ticket acquisition programs…. For example, a new atomic weapons-capable aircraft under NATO nuclear-sharing doctrine is on the table—Scholz named the F-35 as a candidate—as a replacement for the Air Force’s aging Tornado jets” (“Scholz proposes 100 billion euro defense fund, vows to exceed NATO spending goal,” DefenseNews.com, February 27, 2022).

From the Times of Israel comes this report:

“Planned purchases part of German shift in defense strategy following Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has shaken Berlin’s sense of security….

The spending boost marks a major reversal for Europe’s top economy, upending its policy of keeping a low military profile in part out of guilt over World War II” (“Germany looks to buy F-35s, Eurofighters as part of army modernization push,” TimesOfIsrael.com, March 14, 2022).

And it’s not Germany alone. Other European countries are boosting military spending. Europe is composed of different peoples who do not naturally cling to one another, just as iron and clay do not mix, but when ten kings, or leaders, give their power over to the Beast, they will have the strength of iron. This prophecy WILL come to pass!

So while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not directly mentioned in scripture, the effects of the invasion are setting the stage for this European beast rising a seventh and final time.

Thank you for watching!

If you found this video helpful, and want to learn more, be sure to order your free copy of The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality? All you have to do is click the link in the description. This resource will help you understand what will happen in Europe, and how it will affect your life, no matter where you live.

And remember to subscribe to our channel so you can continue to learn the plain truth from the pages of the Bible.

See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

At War With The Laws of God

Some atheists have waged war against the Ten Commandments in recent decades, forcing monuments off public property wherever they find them. One famous case involved Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who placed a monument of the Ten Commandments in the judicial building rotunda in Montgomery, the state capitol.

This caused no small controversy.

After a lengthy legal battle, the monument was removed from the rotunda and Roy Moore was removed from his judgeship.

In another famous incident, a monument displaying the Ten Commandments at the Arkansas State Capitol was destroyed by a man who deliberately crashed his car into it less than 24 hours after it had been erected.

The same individual destroyed another display by the same method a year earlier in Oklahoma, but was this only an act of one crazed man?

As reported by the Associated Press:

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered the removal of a Ten Commandments display from its Capitol in 2015, and the state’s voters in 2016 rejected an initiative aimed at allowing the monument to return (“Arkansas replaces Ten Commandments monument at state Capitol,” Times Record, April 26, 2018).

Some professing Christians are rightfully angered by the assault against this God-given code of law, yet surprisingly, the greatest enemy to the commandments is not atheists.

I’ll show you who that enemy is, and it may surprise you! So, stay tuned!

Is Lawlessness Really God’s Desire?

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World. On today’s program I’ll be revealing who is the greatest enemy of God’s Law and it may not be who you think.

I grew up in mainstream Protestantism and was taught the Ten Commandments as a child.

I was never much good at memorization, but I somehow managed to quote all ten well enough to receive a personal copy of the New Testament.

Imagine how surprised I was a few years later when I was told we no longer need to keep these laws!

Not by my atheist Uncle George, but by two professing Christians!

All that memorization time was wasted!

These were not the exact words they used, but were similar to those found on one website:

The 10 Commandments, the Law, the Blood(old) Covenant, and the Levitical Priesthood were given to the Jews in Exodus 19 through 34. They were not given to Gentiles then or ever (“Law or Grace?,” ClearBibleVerses.com).

The author of the site goes on to quote the pet scriptures that make it appear the law is indeed done away.

So what’s the truth? Is the law of God still in effect? Or has it been replaced by grace. Which is it? Law or grace?

In the remainder of this program, I’ll answer that question with five easy to understand keys that unlock the answer, but before doing so, let’s notice a few scriptures that are used by antinomians—that is, those who are against the law and claim we do not need to keep it.

Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Galatians 2:15–16: We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

When you’re seventeen years old and someone cherry-picks scriptures such as these, and doesn’t explain them, it can be very convincing that there is no longer any need to keep the law of God. To do so sounds like “salvation by works.”

But let’s look a little deeper into the subject.

The first of the five keys to understanding whether or not the Apostle Paul contradicted other apostles, and Christ Himself, is:

Key #1: Paul wrote some things hard to understand

The Apostle Peter warned us that people twist Paul’s writings, and even tells us who the culprits are.

Here is the warning, as found in 2 Peter 3:15–16. Breaking into a thought, he writes that,

… our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

But, who are these people who are untaught, unstable, and who twist Paul’s writings? Let’s continue.

You therefore, beloved, since you know these things beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked (2 Peter 3:17).

Other versions, such as the Revised Standard, the New English, and the New International, translate wicked as lawless men.

Consider for a moment what lawless means? Whether the translators use the term wicked or lawless, it is evident that those who twist Paul’s letters have a problem with law.

Think about that!

So our first key to understanding the Apostle Paul’s teachings on law and grace is that, according to Peter:

Key #1: Paul wrote some things hard to understand

The subject of law and grace goes further than the Ten Commandments. It is clear from New Testament scriptures that sacrifices, circumcision, and other ritual laws are no longer necessary, but there are statutes in addition to the Ten Commandments that Jesus, the Apostles, and the first century church of God observed, such as the biblical festivals and holy days.

Why is it dear friends that professing Christianity claims it is “salvation by works” to observe the days God spelled out in the scriptures, but not salvation by works to observe days originating and steeped in pagan practices?

Think about it!

And what is being lost by rejecting important biblical holy days?

Christ Forgives but Obedience Must Remain!

Many people think the Apostle Paul explained away the need to keep the law of God. Is that so? As we saw in the previous portion of this telecast, the Apostle Peter warned us that:

Key #1: Paul wrote some things hard to understand

We’ll look in a few minutes at some of those writings that are twisted by lawless men to reject God’s laws, but first, let’s look at:

Key #2: You do not need grace where there is no law

Do you realize that if you do away with law, you do away with the need for God’s forgiveness?

Here is a point that so many fundamentally do not understand, and yet a child can easily understand: If there is no law, there can be no transgression. Let’s read that straight from the writings of Paul:

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression (Romans 4:14–15).

Yes, the law does bring about wrath—the death penalty. But if you do away with the law, you of necessity do away with that penalty.

And if there is no penalty, there is no need for grace. Think about it.

This brings us to the crucial question, “What is sin?”

When was the last time you heard the Bible definition of sin? Here it is in 1 John 3, verse 4:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (King james Version).

So let’s sum up Key #2 with this simple equation:

No law = no sin

No sin = no need for justification (or forgiveness)

No need for justification = no need for a Savior

So let’s move onto our next key to understanding the subject of law and grace:

Key #3: The parable of the courtroom

This principle is found in the Scriptures, but I’ll put it in a modern parable to make the point.

A certain man went into a bar one evening, and after spending too much time at the bottle, he got into his car heading for home. Along the way he missed a stop light, crashed into another car, and severely injured its occupant.

Six months later he appeared before the judge who asked him, “How do you plead?” Feeling very remorseful, he pleaded, “Guilty as charged, your honor.” The judge then sentenced him to a $1,000,000 fine or one year in prison.

The man thought to himself, “I don’t have a million dollars and if I go to jail, who will care for my wife and children?” So he pleaded with the judge, expressing his deep regrets about what he did and proposed, “Your honor, I promise to never drink and drive again. I will obey all traffic laws, pay every penny I owe in taxes, and keep all laws as perfectly as I am able from this day forward.”

The judge replied, “That is what we expect of all people, but you broke the law and severely injured a man. Your keeping the law from this day forward will not undo what you did six months ago.

The man bargained further: “I’ll also do 10 hours of public service each week for the rest of my life.” The judge replied, “That will not heal the injured man. Choose: one year in prison, or $1,000,000.”

Now there was a man in the back of the courtroom who reasoned, “This man is truly sorry for what he did. I believe he will follow through with obedience to the law from this day forward. I’ll pay the fine for him.”

Do you realize this is what Jesus did for you and for me if we repent of our sins and accept His payment for us?

Now here are a couple questions to ponder.

Do you think the kind gentleman who paid the fine would do so if he thought the man would disregard the law that caused him to be brought before the judge?

And did the fact that the penalty was satisfied somehow do away with the law?

Yet, that is exactly what the “do away with the law” crowd teach—that Jesus did it all for us. Therefore they reason that the law, rather than our sins, was nailed to the cross and we no longer need to keep it.

And this brings us to key number 4.

Getting Right With God

 

So far, I’ve given you three keys.

Key #1: Paul wrote some things hard to understand

Key #2: You do not need grace where there is no law

Key #3: The parable of the courtroom

Now for crucial:

Key #4: The heart of the issue is the meaning of justification

The word justify is grossly misunderstood. Yet, many of us use the word all the time in word processing. We have a command in the menu bar that determines whether a letter or manuscript is left, right, or fully justified.

Left justification means the left side of a column is lined up.

Right justification means the right side is lined up.

And full justification means both sides are lined up.

Similarly, in the Biblical sense, when we are out of line or out of step with God due to sin, we need to be back in line, and Paul points to the only way to get in a right relationship with God. No amount of law-keeping will wipe away past sins.

That’s where the man at the back of the courtroom in the parable I gave earlier is necessary. That is where faith in the sacrifice of Christ comes in. He is that Man who pays the penalty for us.

Now let’s notice how this understanding makes clear what Paul wrote. Paul rightfully declared in Romans 3:28:

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified [had his sins forgiven] by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

All our past law keeping will do nothing to justify our sins, but what those against the law often fail to do is read the context.

Notice this clear statement four verses later where Paul asks a crucial question and answers it.

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law (Romans 3:31)

Yet, that is exactly what some misguided people think—that the law is voided by faith!

Why don’t they believe what Paul wrote?

Now let’s ask the question, how does faith establish the law?

Well, simply put, the fact that we need faith in Christ’s sacrifice means there is a broken law, the penalty of which needs to be satisfied. Let’s notice another passage used by antinomians—that is, those people who are against the law—Romans 6:14:

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Ahh…“not under law, but under grace.” Now, taken out of context this may appear to say we don’t have to keep the law, but is that what Paul is saying? Why don’t people read the next verse?

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:15–16).

How can I fail to mention one more scripture that the “law is done away” crowd loves? Galatians 3:13:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).

The man who seeks justification—seeks to have his past sins forgiven through law keeping—will fail. The law is meant to define sin, not justify past sins. Only faith in the sacrifice of Christ can do that. Now notice that the above passage does not say the law is a curse. Paul even tells us in Romans 7:12:

Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

The curse, as shown in the passage from which Paul quotes Galatians 3:13 is the death penalty.

Read it for yourself in Deuteronomy 21:22–23.

The law is not the curse, but disobedience to it brings a curse—death.

And that is why we need a savior to pay the penalty for us.

A True Change of Heart

There is a fifth key to understanding what the Bible teaches about law and grace.

Key #5: Understand what is behind hostility to the law

Mankind from the beginning has had a hostile attitude to the law of God. Adam and Eve chose to determine for themselves right and wrong rather than listen to their Creator.

And Paul speaks of this hostility in Romans 8:7:

Because the carnal mind [that is the fleshly mind apart from God’s Spirit] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

But does that mean that we are to remain hostile to the law? Certainly not!

Paul continues:

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Romans 8:8–9).

So what does the Spirit of God do for you?

God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel on what the New Testament refers to as the day of Pentecost. Nearly fifteen centuries later, God poured out the Holy Spirit on His fledgling Church. Is there any connection between those two Pentecosts? We read right after the restatement of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:29:

Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

Do you realize dear friends, that hostility to the law is the problem the New Covenant is to rectify? A change of heart is what the New Covenant is about.

Read that in Hebrews 8:10:

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

The law was given on Pentecost when Israel came out of Egypt, but they didn’t have the heart to keep it, so God gave the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost after the resurrection to effect a new attitude of heart and mind. Under the New Covenant, not only does the law still exist, but it’s even more difficult to keep, because we are to keep the spirit, or the intent, of the law as well as the letter, and this is shown in Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27–28).

Perhaps you’ve been told that the law of God is burdensome, but is that what the Bible says? Listen to the Apostle John in 1 John 5:3:

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Here is the dirty little secret: most rational people are not against ALL of the commandments—just the ones they disagree with, and the one they disagree with the most is:

Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

They are fine with nine but conclude that God made a mistake with one and sent Christ to correct the error!

In effect, they claim all ten are voided but nine are resurrected in what they call the “law of Christ.” Of course, they also want to get around the biblical holy days so they can substitute holidays that are steeped through and through with pagan customs. Apparently, keeping Sunday and pagan holidays (according to them) is not burdensome, and not trying to save yourself by your works, but resting on the day God chose at Creation—that is—the seventh day, and keeping His holy days IS burdensome and trying to save yourself by your works.

Is that what you think my friends? I hope for much better from you, our Tomorrow’s World followers.

Thank you for watching!

If you found this video helpful and want to understand more about God’s plan for mankind through His Holy Days, order your free copy of The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. All you need to do is click the link in the description, as it is completely free. And remember to subscribe to our channel so you can continue to learn the plain truth from the pages of the Bible. See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Do You Really Know Jesus?

Professing Christians know that Jesus gave His life for mankind, but what else do they know about Jesus and why He came to earth as a human being? On today’s Tomorrow’s World program, we’ll expose five myths about the Jesus of the Bible. He is, as Bruce Barton wrote, The Man Nobody Knows.

How surprising that is, when the world’s largest collective religious body claims to worship Him.

John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous of all verses, yet one that says something very different from what people think. Stay tuned!

The Savior is No Myth!

As surprising as it may be, commonly held beliefs indicate much misunderstanding about the Savior of the world.

The first myth is a major doctrine found among some Christian denominations.

It’s amazing what people accept as truth simply because that is what their priest tells them, without ever investigating it for themselves from the only authoritative book about the life of Jesus. So,

Myth #1: Jesus’ mother was a perpetual virgin

This myth has far-reaching implications.

Scriptures mention Jesus having brothers and sisters, but some allege that these verses refer to either cousins or disciples. What are we to believe? Should we follow traditions handed down to us that conflict with easy-to-understand scripture? Or should we believe the Bible? You be the judge!

The false narrative of Jesus’ mother remaining a perpetual virgin and Jesus having no siblings is soundly contradicted in John 7, beginning in verse 3:

His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:3–5).

So much for “His brothers” referring to disciples! This does not mean that He never referred to His followers as being brothers, only that He had “brothers” who were not disciples.

Another scriptural example of His blood family is found in Matthew 12, verses 47–50, where there is a clear distinction between His physical family and His spiritual family:

Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:47–50).

These references to brothers cannot be shrugged off easily.

Let’s notice another passage on this subject where sisters (plural) are mentioned.

Matthew 13:54–56 relates how citizens in the area where He grew up, were perplexed by the wisdom and miracles He performed:

… when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:54–56).

Any objective reader who is not influenced by unfounded traditions recognizes that Matthew 1:24–25 ought to lay the question to rest.

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

Although “firstborn son” does not necessarily mean there were others, the inference is certainly there.

But more importantly, any student of the Bible knows that the expression “did not know her” is a euphemism for sexual relations, as we see in Genesis 4:

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain (Genesis 4:1).

And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch (Genesis 4:17).

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth (Genesis 4:25).

My friends, instead of blindly following Church traditions, read the Bible for what it says!

But you may wonder, “Is it important to know that Mary did not remain a perpetual virgin and that Jesus had half-brothers and sisters?”

Dogma Disproven by Scripture

The answer is found in

Myth #2: The narrative that Mary is our intercessor

Mary was the mother of Jesus and scripture indicates she was a righteous woman.

But the role of Mary has been grossly and blasphemously corrupted. Nowhere do we find in the Bible anything about her “immaculate conception.”

Non-Catholics often misunderstand that the immaculate conception refers to Christ’s conception, but this biblically unfounded doctrine refers instead to Mary. Here is what a Catholic source explains:

The Immaculate Conception is a Catholic dogma that states that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain. That’s what “immaculate” means: without stain (“Immaculate Conception and Assumption,” Catholic Answers, Catholic.com, Accessed MAy 11, 2022).

Yet, where is the proof of this? Certainly not from the Bible! Where does it come from?

What many do not realize is how deeply, and how early, Christianity was corrupted by pagan doctrines that long predate Christ.

Many historical sources show that the worship of Mary came about as traditions about pagan goddesses were transferred to the mother of Jesus. This truth is well established. Here is merely one example from the highly respected Church historian Jesse Lyman Hurlbut.

Writing about the origin of Mary worship, he says:

About 405 A.D. images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored, and worshiped. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana (Hurlbut’s Story of the Christian Church, 1918, p. 79).

Nowhere in the Bible do we read of Mary being immaculately conceived. Nowhere do we read of her remaining a perpetual virgin.

We read just the opposite. And nowhere in the Bible do we read of Mary as intercessor between God and man. That role is reserved for Jesus Himself—not Mary, not human priests. He is the One through whom we approach the Father. He revealed that to us on the night in which He was betrayed.

We find in John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Then in John 14 verses 13 and 14 Jesus says if you ask in His name, HE will do it.

You don’t have to go to His mother to appeal to Him.

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:13–14).

It is through the name of Jesus Christ, not Mary, that we come to God. There is not one shred of evidence in the Bible for the worship of Jesus’ mother. Not a single verse indicates we should use the name of Mary to approach Jesus or His Father. The simple truth is, as many historical sources prove, the cultus of Diana, Ishtar, and other goddesses have been transferred to Mary. When she awakes in the resurrection, she’ll be astounded [at] how the worship of pagan goddesses has been transferred to her.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the Resurrected Saints

So let us look at:

Myth #3: Jesus’ gospel is only about His death, burial, and resurrection

Now don’t misunderstand; that certainly is good news, and good news is what the word gospel means, but what gospel did Jesus proclaim for three-and-a-half years prior to His crucifixion?

Why is it that so few know and understand what that message is, when it’s spelled out so clearly in scripture after scripture?

Isn’t it strange that church-goers cannot tell you what the Bible reveals about Jesus’ message to mankind? No, it wasn’t about His death, burial, and resurrection—though that is part of the good news. And no, it wasn’t about going to heaven. It was about a world-ruling Kingdom of God to be set up on the earth.

Here is the beginning of His ministry as recorded in Mark 1:14–15.

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14–15).

Do you realize that most of Jesus’ many parables were about this kingdom?

For example, Mark 4:30:

Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?” (Mark 4:30).

The expression “kingdom of God” is found 69 times in the New Testament of the New King James Version. Obviously, I don’t have time to cover them all, but proclaiming this message was one reason Jesus said He was sent to earth.

See Luke 4:43:

… but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43).

And Luke 8, verse 1 shows that He took this commission very seriously.

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God (Luke 8:1).

But what exactly is this Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed?

And what does that have to do with you?

Contrary to the widely held doctrine of going to heaven, His message was about a divine family ruling on earth—a family that you can be born into. Why, when there is so much said about this in the Bible, do so few comprehend Jesus’ message?

And this brings us to:

Myth #4: The reward of the saved is retirement in heaven

We have pointed this out many times on this Tomorrow’s World program and in our other resources, but let me quickly review this with you from the pages of the Bible.

In a prophecy of the future, Zechariah 14:9 tells us:

And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—“The LORD is one,” And His name one (Zechariah 14:9).

But Jesus will not be alone in ruling. Revelation 19:16 tells us that Jesus will be King of kings and Lord of lords:

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16).

Now, who are these kings and lords that Jesus will be King and Lord over? Scripture reveals the answer.

Speaking of the twelve tribes of Israel, the prophet Ezekiel, tells us:

I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken (Ezekiel 34:23–24).

When Jesus’ disciples asked, what was in it for them for following Him, He gave them this direct response in Matthew 19, verse 28:

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

So we have Christ as King over all the earth, David as king over all Israel, and the twelve apostles—each ruling over one of the twelve tribes of Israel under David.

That is what the Bible reveals, but what about you and me?

What’s in it for us?

Was Jesus’ message to live a good life, jam as much fun into it as you can before you die, and then go to retirement in heaven?

Not at all!

The reward He offers is right here on earth to rule with Him and help solve the problems that exist here below—to bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to all men everywhere.

In Jesus’ parable of the minas, He describes Himself as a nobleman going into a far country to receive a kingdom. His servants are told to do His work while He is gone, and He demands an accounting upon His return, and gives rewards according to how each does. Here are the rewards, as found in Luke 19, beginning verse 16:

Then came the first, saying, “Master, your mina has earned ten minas.” And he said to him, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.” And the second came, saying, “Master, your mina has earned five minas.” Likewise he said to him, “You also be over five cities” (Luke 19:16–19).

Now that doesn’t sound like a boring retirement sitting on clouds with little to do, or staring into the face of God in a celestial trance forever—the so-called beatific vision!

Who Was the God of the Old Testament?

The narrative about our Savior is that the One we know of as God the Father, was harsh and demanding, but Jesus came with a message of love. Now it is true that Jesus’ message was a message of love, but so was the message of scripture prior to His coming.

Remember how Jesus answered the lawyer who asked, “What is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.” [this comes from Deuteronomy 6:5] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” [that comes from Leviticus 19:18] On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37–40).

With this understanding, why is it that people believe this fifth commonly held myth about the Jesus Christ of the Bible, that

Myth #5: Jesus did not agree with the Old Testament message

As shocking as this may sound, scripture reveals that Jesus was, get this, the God of the Old Testament! Now don’t take my word for it. Prove it from your own Bible! Note what the Apostle John revealed about the relationship between the Father and the One referred to as the Word. John 1, verses 1–3:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:1–3).

So who was the Word? The answer is found in verse 14:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

The member of the God family that is referred to as the Word, who made all things and without Him nothing was made that was made, is none other than Jesus Christ.

Look it up in your own Bible and read John 1:1–14.

But that is far from the only proof that Jesus was the God of the Old Testament.

Another powerful scripture is Ephesians 3, verses 8 and 9.

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God [note this] who created all things through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:8–9).

Need more proof? Consider Hebrews 1, verses 1 and 2:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, [and get this] through whom also He made the worlds. (Hebrews 1:1–2).

Still not convinced?

Who was it that created the angels? Who was it that created Adam and Eve, our first parents? Paul answers this in Colossians 1:15–18:

He [that is, Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:15–18).

But there’s more.

There is no stronger statement than is found in 1 Corinthians 10, verses 1–4:

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1–4).

No wonder Jesus claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath! He was the one who created the Sabbath for mankind!

Today we have exposed five commonly held myths about the Jesus of the Bible.

Why are these myths promoted in our modern churches, when they are so easily debunked from the pages of the Bible?

Thank you for watching! If you found this video helpful, and want to cast off commonly held myths about Jesus and understand more about one of Jesus’ most memorable statements of truth, be sure to order your free copy of John 3:16—Hidden Truths of the Golden Verse. Just click the link in the description.

You will be surprised how different His message was from what you’ve heard. And remember to subscribe to our channel to continue learning the plain truth from the pages of the Bible. See you next time!