Rod McNair

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

US and Israeli Strikes on Iran: Leading to WW3?

On Friday, February 28, 2026, the world was shocked to learn that the United States, Israel and Iran were at war. In a complex, coordinated attack that included cyber and missile attacks and airstrikes, America and Israel struck at the very heart of Iran.

In the opening salvos, over 40 key military leaders were killed. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the attack as well.

Iran’s response was immediate. Hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones were launched in retaliation. The Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, causing a shipping bottleneck that sent shockwaves around the world.

What’s behind the current conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel? Where does Iran fit in Bible prophecy? And how will it affect you and me?

As of this recording, negotiations and peace talks haven’t ended the conflict, although a tenuous ceasefire is in effect.

Iran-US Showdown Brewing for Decades (Iran Nuclear Program)

It’s easy to lose perspective when nations go to war. We can forget all that went before to bring us to this point.

Back in 2025, following two years of war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities. American B-2s dropped “bunker buster” bombs on nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Those limited strikes were aimed at ending Iran’s not-so-secret nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

For years, Iran was suspected of working secretly to build nuclear weapons. Consider this report from CBS news, back in 2013.

Suspicion persists that the real aim [of Iran] is nuclear weapons, because it hid much of its program until it was revealed from the outside more than a decade ago and because of what the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] says are indications that it worked secretly on weapons development. Defying U.N. Security Council demands that it halt enrichment, Iran has instead expanded it (“Iran to upgrade nuclear program with faster IR-2M centrifuges to speed uranium enrichment, diplomats say,” January 31, 2013, CBS News).

But when did these uranium enrichment programs begin? The answer was relayed by a former high-ranking Israeli military intelligence officer, Major General Yaakov Amidror. His comments were recorded in a roundtable discussion in 2008. He said this:

In 1995, I was the head of the Research and Assessment Division of IDF Military Intelligence and we found the first signs that the Iranians were going nuclear… It took American experts another two years, until 1997, for the American intelligence community to understand that the Iranians were going nuclear (“The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran and Its Aftermath: A Roundtable of Israeli Experts,” Yaakov Amidror, March 2008).

Islamic Revolution in 1979 Changed Iran’s Allegiance

You see, this is not a new issue. This conflict has been building up for a whole generation.

But it actually goes back even further, to the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Many older Americans will remember the events of November 4, 1979, when radical Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran. They took more than 50 American citizens hostage, who were staff members at the embassy. They held them for 444 days.

1979 was also a year of dramatic change for Iran in its relationship with the state of Israel.

You see, Israel had for years enjoyed a friendly relationship with Iran. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the Shah of Iran, the ruling monarch of Iran, sought to build and strengthen ties with Israel and the United States. As the Encyclopaedia Iranica online website notes:

While seeking close ties with the West and striving for modernization, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (r. 1941-79) viewed Israel as a natural ally. Israel’s strength and progress fascinated him, and its conflict with the Arab world and opposition to Communist influence in the region further promoted the strengthening of ties. The shah also believed that through relations with Israel, Persia [what Iran was formerly called] would benefit in the United States, gaining the support of American Jewry, the congress, media, business community, and the administration (“The Pahlavi Period (1948-78),” ISRAEL i. RELATIONS WITH IRAN, Encyclopaedia Iranica).

In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also explained the close relationship between Iran and Israel, and how it dramatically changed after the 1979 revolution.

In 1979 a radical regime in Tehran tried to stamp out that friendship [between Israel and Iran]. As it was busy crushing the Iranian people’s hope for democracy, it always led wild chants of “death of the Jews”(Netanyahu’s 2013 speech to the UN General Assembly; October 1, 2013; The Times of Israel).

So the close relationship between Iran and Israel evaporated. And we know the rest of the story. We can see what’s happened ever since.

Iran Was Once Persia: Forgotten Alliance with Israel

But perhaps it’s worth our time to investigate a little bit into that history of friendship between Iran—formerly known as Persia—and the Jews.

We’ve got to go back even further—about 2,500 years further. As mentioned before, Iran’s former name was Persia. The government of this country only changed its name to Iran in 1935. Before that, it was known as Persia for millennia. And the Jews and the Persians have generally had good relations through the years.

Again, speaking in 2013 at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Prime Minister Netanyahu said this:

We are an ancient people. We date back nearly 4,000 years to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We have journeyed through time. We’ve overcome the greatest of adversities… Today our hope for the future is challenged by a nuclear-armed Iran that seeks our destruction. But I want you to know, that wasn’t always the case. Some 2,500 years ago the great Persian king Cyrus ended the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people. He issued a famous edict in which he proclaimed the right of the Jews to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. That’s a Persian decree. And thus began an historic friendship between the Jews and the Persians that lasted until modern times (Netanyahu’s 2013 speech to the UN General Assembly; October 1, 2013; The Times of Israel).

In spite of the religious toleration of the Persians, the Jews were not without their enemies.

Queen Esther, Haman, and an Ancient Plot to Kill the Jews

During the reign of Ahasuerus—most likely Xerxes—one of his high-ranking ministers tricked the king into signing a decree authorizing the destruction of the Jewish people. That high-ranking minister’s name was Haman.

But God saved the Jews from annihilation. And He worked through a courageous young Jewish woman, Queen Esther, to accomplish that. The yearly celebration of Purim by the Jews commemorates their victory over their enemies.

There are some fascinating parallels with the story of Haman and the 2026 war in Iran. More than a few Jews have noted the timing of the attacks and the similarity of circumstances.

Among them is Prime Minister Netanyahu himself. Note this article from the Jewish Standard/Times of Israelwebsite.

In his first statement after the beginning of the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the connection to Purim explicit. ‘Twenty-five hundred years ago, in ancient Persia, a tyrant rose against us with the very same goal, to utterly destroy our people,’ Netanyahu said. ‘Today as well, on Purim, the lot has fallen, and in the end this evil regime will fall too’” (“Death of Iranian leader just before Purim revives Book of Esther parallels;” March 5, 2026; Times of Israel).

Haman exercised great influence on the king in setting policy. He almost succeeded in having the Jews annihilated.

Today, modern Persia (Iran) is ruled by leaders who also have the aim of the destruction of Israel as well.

Iran in Bible Prophecy (Persian Empire)

But what about Bible prophecy? What does it say about Persia in the end-time? Will modern-day Persia invade Israel?

Some students of the Bible have noted that Ezekiel 38 prophesies of an attack on Israel by a group of nations, including Persia. They assume that Persia, Russia, and other Asian nations will invade the Holy Land during the Great Tribulation, leading up to Christ’s return. But that’s simply not what the Bible says.

Iran in Ezekiel 38 Prophecy: Timing Explained

Ezekiel 38 does speak of a massive army swooping down into the land of Israel. But it’s during the Millennium after Jesus Christ has returned to earth. Let’s notice it in Ezekiel 38:1.

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you”’” (Ezekiel 38:1–6).

These countries are identified as Asian nations, led by Russia. But notice that Persia is included among them. And Ezekiel prophesies of a massive military operation by these nations. Read on in Ezekiel 38:8.

After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you (Ezekiel 38:8–9).

It speaks of Israel being a land where people dwell safely, and a little later in the chapter, it says Israel is “a land of unwalled villages.” Could this possibly be speaking of the modern state of Israel today? Absolutely not.

The state of Israel is one of the most heavily defended countries on earth—and by necessity. It’s surrounded by enemies dedicated to its destruction.

So the only possible answer is this prophecy in Ezekiel 38 is speaking of the future, during the Millennium, after Christ has returned. And that’s an important distinction.

And Ezekiel finishes by explaining how the reigning Jesus Christ will supernaturally defend the nation of Israel at that time.

In the end, this rebellion by Gog—including the nation of Persia—will fail. And those countries will learn a valuable lesson, and that is that God rules supreme.

Ultimately, all nations of the earth will learn, and submit, and obey His voice—and reap the benefits of living God’s way of life in peace and prosperity. And those nations—including Persia—will enjoy the fruits of Christ’s rule on earth for 1,000 years.

But what about in our time now? Will Persia have any role in the Holy Land before Christ’s return? Yes, it will.

When the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026, Iran didn’t just fire back at the nation of Israel and at American ships. Over the next few weeks they also aimed missiles and drones at Arab nations all over the Middle East. Through the first 41 days of the conflict, at least 6,413 missiles and drones were launched against Iran’s neighbors.

The UAE [United Arab Emirates] recorded the highest number of attacks on its territory, followed by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan, while Oman recorded the lowest (“Iran targeted 7 Arab countries with 6,413 missiles, drones over past 41 days,” April 10, 2026, Anadolu Agency news service).

Interestingly, most of these nations have majority populations subscribing to a different branch of Islam than Iran. Iran is predominantly Shiite, whereas the Gulf States and most other Arab nations are predominantly Sunni Muslims. The Shia-Sunni split occurred back in 632 AD after the death of Muhammed. And that deep rift has separated Shias and Sunnis for centuries.

Why Iran’s Missing from Arab Confederacy in Psalm 83

The other thing to recognize is Iran is a Muslim nation, but not an Arab nation. It’s Persian, and that makes it very different from the Arab nations of the Middle East ethnically.

Interestingly, Psalm 83 identifies many Arab nations and their conflict with Israel, during the time of the end. Notice Psalm 83:1.

Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (Psalm 83:1–4).

And there are nations that will attempt to destroy Israel before the end of the age. They’re even named. Notice who they are. Going on in Psalm 83:5.

For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot (Psalm 83:5–8).

So who are these people?

Notice what Evangelist Richard Ames says about this verse.

As Psalm 83 indicates, Assyria (identified as modern-day Germany) will be joined by an end-time ‘confederacy’ of Arab nations. Look on a Bible map for the ancient location of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, nations mentioned in Psalm 83 that are also prominently mentioned in Daniel’s end-time prophecy. These are the Muslim peoples of the Middle East (“Bitter Family Rivalry,” section 5, The Middle East in Prophecy, p. 13, Richard Ames).

So watch the Arab nations—not Persia—to turn on Israel as the end of the age draws near. And as he mentioned, watch for Germany, the modern descendants of Assyria, to get involved as well.

Let’s turn to Daniel 11 to get a clear picture of what happens (Daniel 11:40).

At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him.

The “him” is the king of the north. The king of the north originally was identified as the Seleucid Empire, in Syria, north of Israel. But Rome inherited that role when it conquered Syria in 64 BC. So the king of the north in the end-time is the revived Roman Empire. It’s a European power that rises to prominence with breath-taking speed in the last days.

The king of the South is a confederation of Arab nations.

So the king of the north will be attacked by the king of the South. Watch for world events to cause Arab nations to join together. Perhaps even the conflict with Iran could cause predominantly Sunni Arab nations to coalesce, taking one step closer to a confederated union.

And watch ultimately for a conflict between the Muslim Arab world and the European Beast power (reading on in Daniel 11:40).

And the king of the North shall come against him [that is, the king of the south] like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, [meaning, the land of Israel] and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels (Daniel 11:40–42).

Watch for Europe to take a strong hand in the Middle East, centering in Jerusalem. Watch for a conflict between a German-led Beast power and an Arab confederation.

Iran and the 200-Million Man Army in Revelation 9

Let’s read on in Daniel 11:44.

But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.

What nations are located east and north of Jerusalem?

Here is where Persia and other nations east and north enter the picture. Look at a map of the Middle East and Asia. East and north of Jerusalem is the same group of nations we read about in Ezekiel 38. But in this case, not attacking Israel, but rather confronting the European Beast power. This is also known as the Sixth Trumpet plague. Notice (in Revelation 9:13):

Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million (Revelation 9:13–16).

This corresponds to Daniel 11:44 which we just read. This massive 200-hundred-million-man army will be representing the lands north and east of Jerusalem.

And this powerful army will converge on the Beast power and cross the Euphrates River, which will by then be dried up. This will lead to the sixth bowl of the seven last plagues (notice in Revelation 16:12).

Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty… And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12–16).

This leads to the so-called battle of Armageddon or, in Hebrew, “Har Megiddo,” or the Hill of Megiddo. This is located north of Jerusalem. These armies of the east—most likely including Persia—will converge on the Beast. And unless Christ would return, this battle would lead to all life being wiped off the face of the earth.

But what’s been left out of our discussion? Who’s not been mentioned?

Well, we’ve seen where Persia—modern Iran—will play a part in the final battle between the kings of the east and the Beast power.

But notice, by then, there is no mention of end-time Israel. And if you are a regular viewer of Tomorrow’s World, you know that the modern tribes of Israel today include the United States, the British-descended nations, and other countries of northwest Europe.

The sobering truth is, by the time these confrontations take place that we’ve discussed the Israel-descended nations will have already been vanquished. Defeated. And even taken into slavery.

If you live in one of these modern nations of Israel, don’t think these conflicts won’t ever come to your shores. Jesus warned His listeners to watch world events and be ready for His return. These were not just nice-sounding words. He was giving a warning.

The missile attacks and aircraft strikes we watch today on television or on our smart phones will someday be turned on our nations. And that will usher in the Great Tribulation—a time of global crisis unlike anything humanity has ever experienced. But how will you know it’s coming?

To understand what lies ahead—and what it means for you—watch this next video, explaining what the Tribulation is, who it affects most, which Scriptures you can study about it, and how it fits with end-time Bible prophecy.

Don’t wait until it begins. Recognize the events leading up to it—and understand what God wants you to do before it begins.

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

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled | John 14:1

We live in a world of uncertainty and stress.

• Wars rage.
• Violence persists in our cities.
• The threat of terrorism looms.
• Jobs are uncertain.
• Money is tight.
• Health problems make daily living a challenge.

The future sometimes looks bleak, with the prospect of one crisis after another. We can only wonder what the world will look like for our children or grandchildren.

In this chaotic and confusing world, we all need more peace and tranquility. Even Christians are not immune from worrying about the future. Christ told His disciples:

“Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1).

But frankly, Jesus also recognized the challenges His followers would face. He even said, referring to the last days:

“When the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

What did He mean? And maybe more importantly for each of us individually, will He find faith in us?

We all want faith. We all need faith. But it seems that our world does everything it can to dismantle and erode it. We need to know how we can have the faith Christ was talking about, especially leading up to His return.

Faith is important. It’s vital. But frankly, most people today don’t really know how to have stronger faith.

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” | Mark 9:24

When Jesus was alive and on this earth, He not only taught about the Kingdom of God to those who came to Him, He also healed them of their diseases. He was moved with compassion when He saw their suffering.

In one instance, a man came to Him with a son who was demon possessed, and as a result had seizures. After Jesus’ disciples could not cast the demon out, the man begged Christ to do so.

And then the man said something I think we can all relate to. This is found in Mark 9:24.

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

There are times when we believe. We know God is there. We believe in Him. We know He has power, but we need help with our unbelief. We want to be MORE at peace, have stronger conviction, and feel a tighter connection with God as we navigate through life.

Jesus didn’t chide or correct this man for his request. He had compassion for him! And He will have compassion for us, if we also are wanting stronger belief and stronger faith.

So how can we have that? Before discussing our three keys to stronger faith, we need to define what faith is.

What Is Faith? Go Beyond Positive Thinking

Faith is often misunderstood. Some think of it as just the power of positive thinking. They may not say it exactly in those terms, but in effect that’s the result. “As long as you stay positive, think good thoughts, God will bless you.”

Should we be hopeful and positive and try to avoid thinking negatively? Absolutely. But having faith in God is not like having a wishlist we just pull out of our pocket. Just thinking positive thoughts isn’t what faith is all about.

Faith is not just belief in Jesus. There are too many people for whom that is the sum total of their religion. Don’t get me wrong—belief in God and belief in His Son are vitally important. But those are both only the beginning.

Even the Demons Believe—But That’s Not Enough

There’s so much more that God wants us to see and understand.

As James wrote (in James 2:19):

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

Even Satan and his demons believe in God. And yet clearly they are not pleasing God and don’t have any intention of trying to do what He says. So, faith must go beyond just believing in God.

We don’t have blind faith. Our faith is based on concrete evidence. Our belief in the existence of God, for example, is bolstered by the proofs that we find in creation all around us. Our belief in God is based on evidence, from the tiniest DNA molecule to the largest swirling galaxy. David wrote in Psalm 19:1,

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Faith Is the Substance of Things Hoped For | Hebrews 11:1 Explained

Even so, Hebrews 11:1 shows another aspect of faith. As many students of the Bible know, that is where the definition of faith can be found. Let’s turn there, in Hebrews 11:1.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

You see, we can have faith and trust in God even while we wait for our prayers to be answered, even while we wait for God to intervene in our lives. In those times, Hebrews 11:1 is saying our faith is the evidence we have now, before that prayer is answered. It’s the substance of things hoped for, while we patiently wait for God to intervene. And that’s true no matter how dark the day is or discouraging the circumstances.

The evidence—or substance—which is our faith—that is what we hold on to, to give us hope and confidence. It’s not just a vague, impersonal, theoretical hope that things will work out. Rather, it’s the conviction that there is a living Creator who gives us every heartbeat and every breath. It’s the rock-solid confidence that our God has our best interests at heart.

Without Faith It Is Impossible to Please God | Hebrews 11:6 Explained

Notice a few verses later, we read this, in Hebrews 11:6:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

And we saw that when a man brought his son to Christ to be healed, he asked for help to even have the right kind of faith and belief. That’s the right attitude we should have when we come to God. And He will help us if we really want it.

How to Build Stronger Faith in God

But are there specific things we can do, as we are asking God for stronger faith? Absolutely. And in the remainder of today’s program we’ll discuss those things.

We’ll break it down into three keys.

1. Know Jesus Christ (Creator, Savior, Son of God)

Key number 1: Get to know the real Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is not real to most people. That may sound shocking, but let me explain. Many people will say they believe in Jesus. They may even pray and go to church. But when it gets right down to it, most do not really know the true Jesus.

How can I say that? Well, let’s look at Scripture. Let’s start at the beginning. And when I say the beginning, I mean John 1:1. This verse is describing the earliest moment recorded in the entire Bible, the earliest moment in history. Let’s turn there to John 1:1.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1–2).

John 1:1 tells us that before the Universe was created, or even the angels were created, there were just two Beings. These two Beings were God the Father and the Word. The Word was the One who became Jesus Christ. He was born as a man and died for our sins.

But back to the Scripture. How are we to understand the statement, “the Word was with God and the Word was God?” It’s describing the God family, God the Father and the Word.

This is not so strange when we think of it in terms of the human family. I am McNair. My wife is also McNair—she carries my family name. But my wife is also with McNair, because she’s with me. She’s with McNair and she is McNair. It’s really not complicated when you think of it that way.

The Word—who became Jesus Christ—was at the very beginning with God the Father. But He was God as well. He was God and He was with God. The Word and the Father comprised the God Family.

Not only that, but the Word was the God who created all things, including the vast universe (notice in John 1:3).

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:3–4).

Did you know that? The One who became Jesus Christ was the One who created the stars and the planets. He was the One who said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” He created the mountains, the seas, and the rivers. He took dust from the ground and made the first man. He took a rib from Adam and made Eve. He created everything, and that includes you and me.

In other words, Jesus is not only our Savior, He is our Creator.

Going on, we read (in John 1:10):

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:10–12).

We read earlier about the family relationship between the Father and the Word. But here we read that Jesus came into the world to give us the right to become children in His family. What a profound truth! We have a chance to be in God’s very family. Going on (John 1:14):

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.

So there’s no question this is talking about Jesus Christ. Going on (in John 1:18):

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Now why is this significant? Well, a lot of people sort of assume the Father was the God of the Old Testament. But this says that no one has seen God at any time. That’s significant. During the Old Testament era, people saw God numerous times.

And let’s just look at just one example in Exodus 24:9.

Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel… But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank (Exodus 24:9–11).

They did not see the Father. Jesus said no one has seen God at any time. Therefore, the One they saw was the Word, who became Jesus Christ.

Think about that for a moment. So the Word created the Universe, He fashioned Adam out of the ground, and He also thundered the Ten Commandments down from Mt. Sinai. That is not the common conception most people have about Jesus Christ.

So what’s the point? We need to know Christ. And frankly, many simply have a wrong concept of who He is.

He’s not a rebellious son who overturned His Father’s laws. No, in fact He was the all-powerful God who thundered those laws down from the mountain, engulfed in fire and smoke. Our elder Brother is powerful and mighty and the Ever-Living One. And as we approach Him and ask Him to help us in our unbelief, we need to correctly understand just who we are coming before.

Jesus warned His followers to not be deceived into accepting a false Christ, especially those living into the end-times. Notice what He said in Matthew 24:4.

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5).

Get to know the real Jesus. That’s the first step to having stronger faith. But we can’t stop there.

2. Faith Comes by Hearing (Bible Study Daily) | Romans 10:17 Explained

We need to know what He wants us to do. And that brings us to the next key to stronger faith.

The second key is regularly study God’s word.

If we believe in God our Father and in Jesus Christ, we need to know what they say. We need to know what they want us to do. We do that by reading the book that God inspired to be written. That is, of course, the Bible.

Some people sort of think of the Old Testament as harsh and the New Testament as good. But that’s wrong. It’s all God’s word. It’s all good. And by studying it, we learn what God thinks and what He expects of us.

And by doing so, we grow in faith. Notice what Paul said about this in Romans 10:17:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Bible is the mind of God in print. It’s intended so we can learn how to live. And as we follow God’s instructions, we grow in faith. When Jesus was on this earth, He made this statement, recorded in Matthew 5:17:

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Christ didn’t do away with the Law. He came to fulfill it—to fill it to the full. In fact, as we saw in the last segment, Christ was the One who actually gave it at Mt. Sinai. So it makes no sense that He would do away with that same law.

The Greek word translated “law” here, is “nomos.” It has the connotation of feeding and caring for animals.

So think about it. We know that in the physical realm, food gives us nutrients and minerals to make our bodies work. So God’s laws—His words and instructions—are like food for us, spiritually. Jesus explained this in John 6:63.

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (New Revised Standard Version).

Even the best physical food only feeds us for a short time. It’s temporary. But through spiritual food we gain eternal life. And along the way, it teaches us how to live, and how to relate to our fellow man, and how to honor our Father and our Elder Brother.

It gives us spiritual strength and energy and faith. Jesus explained this further, back in John 6:57.

As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

Feeding on Christ means listening to and doing what He says. It means going the right way and rejecting the wrong. It means being willing to be corrected. And frankly, God’s loving correction helps us grow in faith—as we become more confident we’re aligned with God and on the right path.

Notice what the writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 4:12:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12–13).

We can’t be afraid of God’s gentle correction. It teaches us to make better choices and overcome our sins. It gives us spiritual strength as we grow in faith and confidence toward God.

So let’s not fill our minds with spiritual junk food, flooding our thoughts with nonstop trivia and entertainment. Let’s not let our life revolve around mindless and meaningless television programs, YouTube clips, and Instagram reels.

A little diversion is good, if it’s clean and wholesome. But to have a stronger sense of trust and connection with God, we need to make regular Bible study a part of our life. We need to feed on Christ. But that’s not all.

3. Christ in You Builds True Biblical Faith | Galatians 2:20 Explained

There is another key that we need. What is that third key?

Number 3: Let Christ live in you.

Let’s go to one of the writings of the Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:20).

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

When we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, we are not just saying we’re sorry for what we’ve done wrong. We are allowing our old self to be crucified with Christ. Our old ways, our past style of life, our sins—it all dies on the stake with Him.

And then we carry on, living a new life, but not through our own power.

Let’s go back to what Paul said, in the last half of Galatians 2:20.

And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

In the New King James Version, when it says “faith in the Son of God,” that word “in” is translated incorrectly. Look it up in a Bible resource. It should be “of.” It should be, “the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God.”

In other words, our faith isn’t sufficient. We need CHRIST’S faith in us. That’s a much more powerful and dynamic faith than we could ever have. It’s the very faith and mindset Christ had from eternity past. It’s the faith and courage He had while alive on this earth. And it’s the faith and focus He has to this day, as He sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

Christ wants us to see things from His perspective. He wants us to look beyond our trials by having His very mind and spiritual focus, as hard as our trials sometimes are.

In short, He wants to put His faith in us. Think about that. And think about how that can change your life.

You may think you don’t have what it takes to have the faith God wants you to have. Well, guess what? You don’t. But that’s OK, because Christ does.

And if you let Christ teach you, if you let Him gently correct you, if you let Him live His obedient life in you—He will help you to grow in faith and strength you need in your life. And it will lead right into living with Him and the Father forever in the very Family of God.

What could be more awesome than that?

The Bible is full of encouragement from cover to cover, that can help us overcome the difficulties we face in everyday life—especially as we find ourselves in these perilous end-times facing times of distress.

The Apostle Paul faced plenty of obstacles in his own life. He understood discouragement. But he also knew how to face trials and troubles squarely and positively. He made this encouraging observation to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6.

Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:6–7).

Summary of Steps You Can Take to Build Biblical Faith

Having stronger faith is not just the power of positive thinking. Having stronger faith is not just believing in Jesus. It takes actively responding to God’s Spirit as our Father in Heaven and our Elder Brother Jesus Christ work in us, and even live in us.

As we’ve seen today, if we want stronger faith, there are concrete steps we can take. There are things we can do. Let’s review what we’ve covered today.

1. Get to know the real Jesus Christ.
2. Regularly study God’s word.
3. Let Christ live in you.

When we are frightened and worried, in trouble and distressed, we don’t have to despair. We can go to God for help. We can cry out to our Elder Brother, “I believe! Help me in my unbelief.”

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

Trump-Europe: End-Time Bible Prophecy in Motion

Greenland: An American territory?

That was the idea proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Of course it made headlines around the world. It even sparked a few humorous videos on social media—because the prospect of America taking Greenland just seemed preposterous.

But it also caused serious discussions among European leaders. It even led to a small contingent of military personnel being sent to Greenland, involving Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK (“European military personnel arrive in Greenland as Trump says US needs island,” BBC, January 15, 2026).

The United States has maintained a small base in Greenland for many years. It currently stations about 150 soldiers there. But what President Trump was proposing was not just having a military installation there, but making Greenland American territory.

The diplomatic row subsided in a few weeks. But for some, the controversy was yet another signal that the relationship between the United States and Europe is fracturing. And it’s hard to deny that.

What does the future hold for the United States and their allies in Europe? Is the decades-long status quo over? And if it is changing, why?

Trump-Greenland: Antagonizing US Allies

There were real reasons why the American President desired to have Greenland. From a security standpoint, this Arctic land presents strategic advantages in any potential conflict with Russia or China. Greenland is also rich in important natural resources. And actually, American overtures to own Greenland are not without precedent.

At least five times in the last 200 years, the U.S. government has expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland (“Get the Facts: What makes Greenland so valuable—and why President Trump is interested,” ABC News, wmur.com, February 3, 2026).

But this announcement by President Trump didn’t sound like a proposal; it sounded like a demand. And predictably, the Europeans reacted with shock and alarm.

President Trump eventually reversed course on his original statements. But the whole matter exposed yet another fracture in an increasingly rocky relationship between America and Europe. Beyond the splashy headlines and the political posturing, what’s really going on in this trans-Atlantic relationship? And where is it headed?

America and Europe have been allied for decades. Most of us who live in either the United States or Europe don’t remember it any other way. Maybe some of you remember World War II, but you would be the exception. Others may be old enough to remember the post-war years, or may have heard stories about the war.

The point is, not that long ago the United States, France, Britain, and other Allied countries were engaged in Europe in an all-out war with Germany, Italy, and the other Axis Powers. It took six long, bloody years to bring it to a close. The cost was immense. It’s estimated that 60 to 80 million people died, if you count both military and civilian deaths. It was an unthinkable level of carnage and destruction of human life.

In terms of financial and material losses, it was devastating. Agriculture was disrupted. Internal transport systems were laid waste. About 30 percent of homes in Britain were damaged or destroyed. Quoting from the Encyclopedia Britannica website:

By 1945 the economies of the continental nations of western Europe were in a state of virtually complete paralysis (“Human and material cost (World War II),” Encyclopedia Britannica, February 11, 2026).

Even when the shooting stopped, though, another dynamic came into play. When Nazi Germany and the other Axis Powers were finally vanquished, a new threat emerged: Soviet Russia. And so, a strategic relationship between the United States and Europe was born. It was called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; NATO for short.

Trump-NATO: Abandoning US Allies

The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, and included in the treaty was the vital “Article 5 for Collective Defense.” Article 5 states that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all.

That NATO agreement has been the hallmark of the American-European security policy for decades. Led by the United States, NATO has maintained a protective umbrella of defense over Europe ever since.

But once the Soviet Union fell in 1991, many questioned the need for NATO. Was it necessary and relevant anymore? It didn’t take too many decades to find out. By 2014, Russia once again caused anxiety in Europe by invading Crimea and supporting separatist agitators in eastern Ukraine. Boosting spending for defense once again became a priority in Europe. In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, during a NATO visit, urged Germany to increase defense spending to take on a larger share of defending Europe (“Pentagon chief urges Germany to bolster defenses,” Deutsche Welle, June 22, 2015).

But just two years later, during his first administration, U.S. President Donald Trump rattled European nerves by questioning the value of being in NATO at all. Much of the reason was financial; it’s expensive to maintain high numbers of troops overseas when the U.S. is having economic troubles at home. And then the President caused a political firestorm when he initially chose not to recommit to Article 5—the foundational principle of NATO.

In response, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated:

“I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands… The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over”(“Merkel: Europe cannot rely on its allies anymore,” EU Observer, May 29, 2017).

In 2019, two years later, a European observer noted that for generations, American Presidents usually worked hard to strengthen ties with Europe. But President Trump was different. With him, those ties were being loosened or deliberately torn apart.

Note this article from January 13, 2019.

With every visit to Europe and every White House tweet about the cost of NATO or EU tariffs, this president makes it clear that he believes Europe is more often an impediment than an ally. None of his predecessors would have dreamed of calling the EU a “foe,” as President Trump did in a recent interview about trade (“Has Trump turned his back on Europe?,” BBC.com).

That was in 2019.

Trump-Germany: Provoking a Military Beast

The antagonistic rhetoric has only grown again in recent years. The Politico website reported, on March 18, 2025, that incoming chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz reacted to:

...an alarming new reality in which U.S. President Donald Trump’s America could no longer be relied on to protect Europe—and could even act to harm it. “In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent,” the mantra “whatever it takes” must now apply to Europe’s defense, Merz told reporters earlier this month as he announced a historic borrowing plan that could unleash €1 trillion in new spending for defense and infrastructure over the next decade (“Will the threat of Trump end Germany’s austerity zeal?,” Politico, March 18, 2025).

The article reported that Chancellor Merz, in an interview on public television on March 16 had said:

“The meeting in the White House between Zelenskyy and Donald Trump really showed the whole drama in which we are living today in terms of security policy, and that is why we had to act quickly…. We now have to take a more independent path from America. Europe’s time has come.”

Fellow presenter Gerald Weston wrote a whole article for the July-August 2025 Tomorrow’s World magazine by that same title: “Europe’s Time Has Come.”

Genesis 49 Explained: America in Prophecy “in the Last Days”

The American-European relationship is changing, and has been changing for years. But why? And where will it lead?

Long-time viewers of Tomorrow’s World know that to understand Bible prophecy, you have to understand that many nations mentioned in the Bible have different names today. Consider the modern British-descended nations of the world—including the United States. You can trace them back to the patriarchs in the Bible, if you know where to look.

The patriarch Abraham lived about 4,000 years ago. His life is recorded in the book of Genesis. God promised Abraham’s descendants many wonderful blessings because of His faith and obedience. Included in those blessings was the promise of great material wealth.

Abraham had a son, Isaac. Those same blessings were passed down to Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jacob’s name was changed by God to Israel. Many assume the only descendants of Israel are the Jews. But when you look at the Bible, you find that Judah—the ancestor of the Jews—was just one among twelve sons of Israel.

As we often explain on Tomorrow’s World, all Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews. This is vital to understand. Another way to think of it is all Germans are Europeans, but not all Europeans are Germans. Now, why is this important? Consider an inspired prophecy spoken by Jacob, or Israel, before he died. It’s recorded in Genesis 49:1-2.

And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days.”

Now, this is significant because when the Bible speaks of “the last days,” it’s primarily referring to the time just before the Messiah’s return. In other words, Jacob, or Israel, was predicting what would happen to his sons’ descendants in the end-times. If we understand we are living in those end-times NOW, he was talking about our world today.

US and Britain: End-Time Blessings to Joseph’s Sons

Israel prophesied about the Jews in verses 8-12. But then he spoke of his son Joseph in verses 22-26. Notice (in Genesis 49:22):

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall.

Whoever Joseph is, he would be a fruitful, expanding, and even colonizing people. That’s what it’s talking about when it speaks of branches “running over the wall.” What nation or group of nations has been known for being a colonizing people in the last two or three hundred years?

Notice what it says in Genesis 49:23-24.

The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).

What nation or groups of nations have held superpower status in the last two or three hundred years?

After the defeat of the Spanish armada in 1588, Great Britain (of the tribe of Joseph) eventually rose to prominence and ruled the waves through its mighty navy.

After World War II, the United States, another descendant of Joseph, took over that position of pre-eminence, and has enjoyed unprecedented power ever since.

Going on, Jacob (or Israel) predicted (in Genesis 49:25–26):

By the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

What nation or nations have been blessed economically, in population growth, and in agricultural and mineral wealth in these end-times?

God’s Promises: Control of Maritime Trade Routes (Sea Gates)

Certainly, we can recognize the British-descended nations have been blessed like no others.

In his book The Post-American World, published in 2008, writer and CNN commentator Fareed Zakaria wrote this:

For almost three centuries, the world has been under-girded by the presence of a large liberal hegemon--first Britain, then the United States. These two superpowers helped create and maintain an open world economy, protecting trade routes and sea lanes, acting as lenders of last resort, holding the reserve currency, investing abroad, and keeping their own markets open. They also tipped the military balance against the great aggressors of their ages, from Napoleon’s France, to Germany, to the Soviet Union. For all its abuses of power, the United States has been the creator and sustainer of the current order of open trade and democratic government--an order that has been benign and beneficial for the vast majority of humankind (The Post-American World, Zakaria, p. 45).

That’s quite a summation by Mr. Zakaria. By and large, the policies and structures established by the British and inherited by the Americans have been a blessing to the world. He mentions “sea lanes and trade routes.” In Bible terms, this is talking about a promise God gave to Abraham and his descendants, as recorded in Genesis 22:17.

Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Map of US and UK Chokepoints

Look at, just for a moment, the strategic sea gates that Britain controlled at its height—and the United States, to a much lesser degree.

• The Suez Canal
• The Panama Canal
• The Strait of Gibraltar
• The Malacca straits
• The Port of Dover
• The Cape of Good Hope
• The Strait of Hormuz
• Singapore
• Hong Kong

Just to name a few—God promised that the descendants of Abraham would possess the gates of their enemies. How could this be just by chance?

Germany in Bible Prophecy: The Assyrian Empire

The British-descended nations come from the ancient tribe of Joseph. Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob, or Israel. The nations descended from Joseph were prophesied to receive great material and military blessings from God. But they were also warned that they would fall if they disobeyed the God who blessed them. And that’s where Europe comes in—specifically Germany.

Can we identify Germany in ancient history? Yes—as the Assyrians. Even secular writers have noted the parallels between the Germans and the Assyrians.

Back in 1995, Klaus Fischer, a professor of history and philosophy at Allan Hancock College, wrote about Germany under the Nazi regime. He said this:

Ingenious rituals were devised to break down individuality: marching columns, mass rallies… it was a gleam of sinister beauty the world had not seen since the days of the ancient Assyrians…. Most of these grandiose plans (colonizing Russia, annexing Crimea, etc.) were postponed by the Exigencies of war, but they reflect the Assyrian nature of German policy toward conquered peoples (Klaus Fischer, Nazi Germany: A New History, 1995, pp. 342, 496).

“Not since the days of the ancient Assyrians” had anything been seen like this. In his book from 1985, historian Arther Ferrill made this chilling observation after reviewing just one account of Assyrian atrocities on a conquered people.

This gruesome document is nearly as revolting as photographs of Nazi concentration camps, and it has few parallels in history (Arther Ferril, The Origins of War: From the Stone Age to Alexander the Great, 1985, p. 69).

Roscoe Lewis Ashley, in his 1921 book Early European Civilization, wrote that the Assyrians were:

...especially fond of war, which they waged against their enemies with fierceness and cruelty (Roscoe Lewis Ashley, Early European Civilization, 1921, pp. 44–45).

He also noted that the Assyrians deported subjugated peoples by the tens of thousands.

Does that ring any bells from modern times?

It’s not hard to see a connection. Other parallels and symbols such as the iron cross, and the eagle and sun-disk link the modern Germans with ancient Assyrians. These and many other parallels are noted in another study guide we produce entitled, Germany in Prophecy. You can access that by going online at tomorrowsworld.org.

It’s not just military similarities that link modern Germany and ancient Assyria. Numerous historians have noted migration patterns that lead from the ancient lands of Assyria, through the Near East and the shores of the Black Sea, right into the heart of Europe. Lexicographer William Smith, wrote in 1904:

The Germans regarded themselves as indigenous in the country; but there can be no doubt that they were a branch of the great Indo-Germanic race, who, along with the Celts, migrated into Europe from the Caucasus and the countries around the Black and Caspian seas, at a period long anterior to historical records (William Smith, A Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography, 1904, p. 281).

End-Time Prophecies Reveal Germany’s Emerging Role

So modern Germany has links back to ancient Assyria. Why is this important? Because in ancient times, Israel and Assyria were bitter enemies. In fact, when the northern House of Israel fell in 721 BC, it was at the hands of the Assyrians. Because of their sins, Israel was given over to destruction. Assyria was the instrument of that destruction. This was foretold by Isaiah, in Isaiah 10:5–6.

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

The ungodly nation God was talking about was the nation of Israel, which was overrun by the fierce Assyrians.

Why should this concern us today? Because prophecy is often dual—an historical fulfillment, followed by a future fulfillment. In other words, the British-descended nations are setting themselves up for being beaten by a German-led Beast power in Europe. It’s an ancient rivalry being played out one more time.

The prophet Isaiah predicts that end-time Israel will be defeated, scattered, and then regathered “from Assyria.” That’s found in Isaiah 11:16. Notice further in Isaiah 27:12–13.

It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will thresh, from the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. So it shall be in that day: the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

This was never fulfilled in the past. The people of Israel never came back from Assyria after being taken captive. Many Jews eventually returned to the Promised Land from their Babylonian captivity. But not the northern house of Israel. This is yet future.

So will Germany and Europe go their own way, independent of the United States? Bible prophecy says yes. And the pieces for that to happen are beginning to come together.

At the 24th Berlin Security Conference in November of 2025, the US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, made this interesting statement. He said:

“I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says that we’re ready to take over the Supreme Allied Commander position. I think we’re a long way away from that, but I look forward to those discussions” (“Donald Trump wants Germany to take over Nato,” The Telegraph, November 19, 2025).

It may not be as long as he thinks. Consider this quote from a December 14, 2025 CBS 60 Minutes special.

Scarred by their country’s Nazi past, Germans embraced pacifism after the Cold War. Defense spending collapsed to the point some soldiers were buying their own gear. But Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, combined with persistent pressure from President Donald Trump for Europe to shoulder more of its own defense, transformed the landscape. Today, Germany is racing to rearm (“Germany rearms, modernizes military after decades of embracing the peace dividend,” 60 Minutes, December 14, 2025).

Bible prophecy says that Europe will get strong enough to not only protect itself and rival the United States, but given the right turn of events, will subdue it and conquer it.

How ironic. The United States is pushing Germany to remilitarize its industries. The ultimate result will be the rise of a new Nazi-like regime. Only, this time the Allies won’t win.

America and Europe will become, for a time, bitter enemies. That might be shocking to you, but it comes right out of Bible prophecy.

But they won’t remain enemies. The prophet Isaiah also gave this astounding prophecy of how, under Christ’s direction, Israel and Assyria will work together to rebuild during the Millennium. Notice Isaiah 19:24–25.

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

Our world is about to turn upside down. And we need to be ready for those coming events that will take humanity by surprise. We can also be encouraged by the promises of a hope and a future, under the Millennial reign of Christ, for the people of Assyria, the people of Israel, and everyone from every nation on earth. It will be a time when Assyria and Israel will be real allies and work together under Christ for 1,000 years.

God speed that day.

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

Do You Believe Children Are a Blessing from the Lord?

Our modern world has a strange perspective on children. For most of human history, they have been considered a blessing. The arrival of children was accompanied by great joy. They meant security for parents in old age. Lots of children were a sign of a healthy and growing population. They meant the promise of a productive workforce and the creation of wealth. In short, children were a blessing.

But something has changed in the last few decades. A different perspective has taken over, mostly in the Western world. Unwanted pregnancies are now often seen as an obstacle to the happy life. Especially for those having sex outside of marriage, pregnancy can just be seen as a complication, not a joy.

But even for those who want children, who love their children, what starts out as a series of coos and smiles and snuggles, someday, somehow can turn into a series of overwhelming burdens. Raising children is a challenge. Children can frustrate you and disappoint you. Even with the best intentions, some parents can wonder, where did I go wrong? Where is all this conflict coming from? How did this blessing become a curse?

These are important questions and worth pursuing. How CAN the arrival of children go from being one of the greatest blessings of life to a curse? Or, at least what feels like a curse?

Effects from the Abortion Debate

For millennia, having children meant the hope of prosperity and security. But something’s different today. Something has changed. In our affluent world, children are often considered a hassle. They get in the way of personal aspirations. They are sometimes seen as a hindrance to people’s desire for sexual freedom without the burdens of family life.

Abortion is the ultimate expression of this view. And many countries around the world allow abortion by law. But abortion is murder, no matter what any government of man says. Frankly, laws allowing abortion are a sign of the times. As the Psalmist said (in Psalm 94:20-21):

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.

How appropriate this verse is for our day. In the U.S., 37 states allow abortion by law. That’s actually more restrictive than it was just a few years ago. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973. Even so, since 1973, about 63 million babies have been killed in the United States. In the last few decades, one estimate is that 20 to 25% of the youngest generation has been lost to abortion (“Our Youngest Generations are Missing Millions,” Population Research Institute). In any other context, this would be considered a crime against humanity.

Around the world, abortion goes on at an even more shocking rate. According to the globalcitizensolutions.comwebsite, almost 90% of countries have laws allowing abortion. That comes to about 73 million abortions taking place every year—children who never had the chance to run, play, see the sun or take in a breath of fresh air. That’s more than the entire population of France or the United Kingdom. suTruly, our advanced, enlightened world is at war with children.

Now, understand. If you’ve had an abortion, you can be forgiven. Like so many other areas of life, if we’ve made mistakes, if we’re sorry and repentant and express that in prayer to our heavenly Father, He will forgive. But we must ask for it. And we must be heartfelt and sincere.

The US Population Decline: Our Future at Risk

Children are our future. We can see this not only in a moral sense, but also in economic terms. A country’s national prosperity depends on a healthy birthrate.

Evangelist Stuart Wachowicz is our colleague and fellow presenter in the Canadian version of Tomorrow’s World. Back in 2022, he recorded a program entitled, “Fewer Babies: Population in Decline.” You can find it at tomorrowsworld.org. Referring to a 2019 Financial Post article by a Joe Chidley, he said this:

“Chidley points out that in the 1960s, growth in the West was in excess of 5%. Through the 1970s, it hovered about 4%. But by 2019, nations struggled to hit 2% or less. Why? ‘The decline in demand growth has coincided with a sharp increase in the proportion of the elderly in developed economies—in the Group of Seven, it has doubled since the early ‘60s. It has also coincided with a decline in fertility rates, from an OECD average of 3.2 children per woman in 1961 to 1.7 children per woman in 2017’” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

The OECD is an organization comprising 38 of the more open, democratic, free-market nations around the world. Mr. Wachowicz then explains this economic slide is not surprising, given the drop in birth-rate over the last few decades.

“Many demographers and economists have predicted this as the result of a major cultural change in Western nations. For a population to replace itself, there must be an average birthrate of at least 2.1 babies per woman. Yet in many nations, this is no longer the case” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

So are children a blessing or a curse? Aside from the moral implications of abortion, killing future children is disastrous for a nation. In the long term, it destroys the very economic prosperity people are trying to preserve.

What Does the Bible Say About Children?

What does God say? From the beginning of time, God intended marriages and expanding families to be a blessing, a part of His general plan.

Be Fruitful and Multiply | Genesis 1:27-28

In Genesis 1:27, we read of how God worked with Adam and Eve.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:27-28).

God wanted a large population on the earth. It was His desire that they would fill the world with a vibrant, functioning and productive society. In speaking of His promised blessings to Abraham, He told him (in Genesis 17:6):

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you…”

God’s blessings to Abraham meant he would have many descendants, expanding into powerful tribes which would become nations.

Children Are a Heritage from the Lord | Psalm 127:3-5

Solomon echoed the same idea in Psalm 127:3.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them… (Psalm 127:3-5).

Happy is the man who is blessed with children. Even today we see that children and grandchildren can provide security and comfort to those in their sunset years. And many elderly do lean on the support and encouragement of their extended family. They are blessed because of their children.

No, God never intended family life to be a curse, but rather a mechanism to produce positive benefits throughout life. What does it say about our society today when, potentially, the most dangerous place to be for a child is in the womb of its own mother?

But even for parents who want to have children, what do you do when taking care of that little bundle of joy turns into a daily grind? It can feel overwhelming. And then as children grow, the challenges just get more complicated. Navigating through choices of dress, music, friends, games, and the inevitable battles about screen-time—it can be discouraging, especially when there is conflict. The idyllic moment when that precious life came to be can become just a vague and distant memory.

Don’t worry. Keep the big picture. You can navigate the inevitable lows that all parents experience.

God’s Plan for Creating a Family

You see, children are precious. But why? That’s a vital question to answer. They are precious because they are made in the image of God. That is repeated in Genesis 5:1.

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth (Genesis 5:1-3).

Seth was made in his parents’ image and likeness. Many people, even professing Christians, read right over this and miss the point. But it’s significant. You see, Adam and Eve’s son, Seth looked just like his parents. He had eyes, ears, a head, hands and feet. The same description is used of Adam and Eve being made in God’s image. In other words, we look like God. And we all—including our children—have the potential to be born into His literal family forever as His sons and daughters. And that’s why our children are so precious—they are made in the image of God.

What Did Jesus Say About Children?

God wants us to highly value our children. Jesus illustrated that when He was on this earth. Notice Luke 18:15.

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

The disciples were saying these children were just in the way. They were a hindrance. Jesus had more important things to do. And yet Jesus said no, let them come to Me. He had a different attitude. Notice Luke 18:16.

<block>But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Jesus took them up in His arms. He took the time to hold them and bless them. He wanted His disciples to understand, He loved children. Are our children perfect? No, not by a long shot. But that’s OK, because they need to be taught by us. And we also learn a great deal through the process.

How to Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go

Training children is not for the faint of heart. It can be very discouraging at times. Children will frustrate you. They will annoy and aggravate you. They will test your patience to the utmost. They might even make you think what’s the use?

If that ever happens to you, don’t give up. You can do it, but you need God’s help. And you need the help found in this Book, the Bible. Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 6:1-4.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

This is good advice for fathers. When are you tempted to provoke your child to wrath? Well, when you’re at the end of your rope—when you’re frustrated, tired, exhausted. And yet that’s when you must be in control of your emotions. You must keep your wits about you. You’ve got to remember, you’re not just feeding and clothing and providing for that child. You’re training a future potential member of God’s Family.

What about mothers? Notice Proverbs 31:26.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness… Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

When you are maxed out, when you can’t go on, when you have had all you can take, it says: Don’t forget the law of kindness. God can give you help and strength and wisdom. Notice Proverbs 29:15, 17.

A child left to himself brings shame to his mother… Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Your children need you—but not just for their physical needs. They need your instruction and, yes, even gentle correction. If you correct them, in love, you will be blessed; in the end they will be a “delight” to your soul. They will “give you rest.” That sounds pretty good.

You see, God is heavily invested in the training of our children and wants to be involved.

Godly Parenting in the Last Days | 2 Timothy 3:1-5

But there’s another element to address. And that is the big picture as we live in the end-times, just before Christ’s return. It doesn’t take much spiritual discernment to understand we are living in the last days. This is a time of increasing hate, violence, and antagonism against the biblical values of the Bible. As this happens, it shouldn’t surprise us to see a slide in morality and conduct in general. And if that’s happening in society at large, how could that not include children? Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-2.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents.

Should we be surprised if we see an uptick in anger and rebellion among young people? If there is a general attitude of resistance against God and His ways, why would there not be the same attitude among the youth as well? Going on (2 Timothy 3:2-5).

Unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

I find myself turning to this passage more and more when thinking about the days we are living in. This passage seems to describe our times so well—and more with each passing day.

Now, here’s a note of caution. Don’t label all young people as problems. It’s so easy to judge and condemn the current younger generation, but who taught them? Who created the world they were brought into? In truth, are they not just taking the secular, anti-God values they’ve inherited one step further?

And actually, there are many in the younger generation today who are bucking the trends and seeking to do the rightthings. If you’re older, painting younger generations with a broad, condemning brush isn’t helpful. Instead, reach out to the young people in your life and try to make a connection.

But be careful about unsolicited advice. From time to time, we get calls from grandparents ordering literature from us for their children or grandchildren. If they want it, that’s fine. But if they’re not ready for it, unwanted advice is usually not taken well. And regarding grandchildren, understand—in most cases, they’re not your direct responsibility anymore. Don’t tell their parents how to raise them, unless they’re asking for help. Instead, just be the best example you can possibly be. Praying for them and having a spirit of love and respect does more than all the lectures and harangues put together.

Even when relationships are strained, be uncompromising in your values, but don’t burn bridges. Do everything you can to maintain a connection. As Paul wrote (in Romans 12:18):

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

You never know when—down the road—the bridge you don’t burn may be the path you use to reconnect.

When a society descends into an attitude of defiance against the God of Heaven, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It affects everything. Including family relationships, interaction between parents and children, and a general antagonism toward those in authority. Notice what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 3:4. He was particularly writing about the downfall of ancient Judah and Jerusalem, but the same is true in any society that is descending into chaos. Notice Isaiah 3:4.

I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable (Isaiah 3:4-5).

Going down to verse 12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths (Isaiah 3:12).

And that’s where we are today. We’ve come to a point where it almost feels like children—many children, not all, but many—are our oppressors because, well, we as a debased and corrupt society have created them.

God Will Help You and Your Children

But again, if you want something different, if you want to please God and honor Him in your life in general—and in working with your children—don’t despair. Because even in the context of Isaiah’s description of a total breakdown of society, notice what he said in Isaiah 3:10.

Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Say to the righteous, “It will be well with them.” Do you want to follow God, even in the midst of a perverse and evil generation? If you do, God will help you. And He will help your children.

The Value of Family | Psalm 128:1-4

Psalm 128:1 continues the theme.

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you (Psalm 128:1-2).

The same wording: If you turn your heart to God, and commit to following Him, whether in good times, or in bad, it will be well with you. Going on (in Psalm 128:3).

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord (Psalm 128:3-4).

What a beautiful picture of a happy and blessed family. And even in today’s deceived and darkening world, many still do invest in building successful marriages, and training their children together. To the degree they do that, they are blessed.

I recently got a letter from a Tomorrow’s World subscriber, responding to a Tomorrow’s World article of mine. He wrote to tell me about how the principles about family and child-rearing we teach in this Work, are consistent with what he was learning over 45 years ago, from our predecessor, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. He spoke fondly of his wife of over 62 years; his son and his daughter, his six grandchildren. And he even sent me a picture of his son, and his son’s four sons, and their wives. He mentioned this scripture in Psalm 128 and how it compares children to olive plants. There are many fascinating aspects of the olive plant used in the Bible.

But one he pointed out to me was how valuable olive oil was in ancient times. I didn’t know this before his letter. But olive oil, in times past, was actually used as a currency exchange, because of its high value. No wonder the Psalmist compares our children to those same olive plants.

You see, children are not appendages. They are not just clumps of tissue to be cut off if they cause inconvenience. And they are not just annoyances to pacify with an iPhone or a tablet. They are invaluable, precious and priceless. They are potential members of God’s eternal family. And He has given us a great privilege to participate in the process of preparing them for that destiny. What an awesome and blessed plan our loving Father has for us and our children.

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

God’s Holy Days: Feast of Unleavened Bread Explained

There’s a springtime biblical feast that is often overlooked by many today, even in the professing Christian world. What am I talking about? It’s called the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Believe it or not, the early New Testament Church kept this observance. It’s plainly laid out in the pages of your Bible.

What is this Feast of Unleavened Bread all about?

It may surprise you to find out how relevant it is to the life of a Christian—in particular, to what we do after we’ve been forgiven by God.

What is expected of us after we’ve come under the shed blood of our Savior Jesus Christ and been baptized? Does living under grace mean we are once saved, always saved? Or is there something else we must do?

The Feast of Unleavened Bread provides the answers.

What Is the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Bible?

A growing number of Christians are discovering the biblical Feast days. For many, this is a surprise. It might be for you, especially if you were brought up on the popular holidays of Christmas and all its trappings; Easter and the sunrise service; and even the bizarre and morbid customs of Halloween.

When you look in the Bible, you won’t find instructions by God to keep these days. What you will find are God’s Holy Days, including the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread actually comprises a seven-day period—one whole week—and it occurs each spring in late March or April.

Some think these days were done away with by the death of Jesus Christ, but the New Testament says otherwise. What we find is that these days were kept by the New Testament Church. And the Feast of Unleavened Bread has one of the clearest, most obvious explanations in the New Testament of all the Holy Days. It’s found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

Passover and Unleavened Bread Point to Repentance

Paul addresses both the Christian Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in this letter. We find it in chapter 5. The context is that Paul was addressing an on-going sin in the Corinthian church. One of the members was actually committing adultery with his father’s wife—perhaps his stepmother. We pick up the account in 1 Corinthians 5:1.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! … For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed (1 Corinthians 5:1–3).

Paul told the congregation that this problem was not to be ignored. They weren’t to turn a blind eye to it. He told them this man must be put out of the Church.

The good news is, in the second book of Corinthians we find that this man learned his lesson. He repented. He changed. He stopped that adulterous relationship. And Paul welcomed him back—and he encouraged the members to do the same.

So that was the context. Notice what Paul said next in 1 Corinthians 5:6.

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.

Again, what was happening? Well, the Corinthian members had put up with this man staying in the Church, even while he engaged in a blatant and obvious pattern of adultery. Actually, they were even sort of proud of their so-called “love” and “mercy” in overlooking his actions.

This Is Why Jesus Said Go and Sin No More

But Paul reminded them that condoning sin is not real love or mercy. It’s just the opposite. Breaking God’s law hurts, it destroys, it tears apart relationships, it corrodes character, and it leads to death.

God knows that it hurts the person who’s sinning the most. And that is why He takes it so seriously.

Frankly, that should be a lesson for our day. Too many people in the name of “love” and “mercy” encourage and condone behavior that ultimately causes only pain and suffering for those who engage in it.

Now let’s be clear. We’re all sinners. We have all broken God’s perfect law. Paul makes that clear in Romans 3:23. But we are to repent of sin. We are to come out of it. We are to be washed and cleaned up by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. And then we are told to, as Christ said to the woman taken in adultery in John 8:11, “Go and sin no more.”

Christian Passover Explained: Forgiveness of Sins

Notice 1 Corinthians 5:7. Paul explained:

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

You see, Jesus Christ was the perfect fulfillment of the Passover lambs sacrificed by the Israelites year by year. Those Passover lambs were symbolic of what Christ would do when He gave His life for our sins. Now we don’t sacrifice lambs each spring, but Christians are to acknowledge the ultimate Passover Lamb, our Elder Brother, for what He did for us. And we do that by keeping the annual observance of the Christian Passover.

In fact, later in the book Paul actually walked through how to keep it. That’s found in 1 Corinthians 11:23.

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

So, Paul taught the Corinthians to keep the New Testament Passover, including the symbols that Jesus introduced, the bread and the wine.

Keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread | 1 Corinthians 5:7 Explained

Continuing in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast… (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

What feast was Paul talking about? Well, let’s just read on (1 Corinthians 5:8).

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Stop Sinning: The Feast of Unleavened Bread’s Spiritual Meaning

The apostle Paul taught the brethren in Corinth to keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. But what did these Feast days represent?

As already explained, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. And when we observe the Christian Passover, we are acknowledging our need for His loving sacrifice to cover our sins.

But after we have been forgiven of sin, what do we do? Do we go right on sinning? Too many people have basically concluded the answer is, “Yes. We can just keep living our life however we want even after we accept Christ.”

Well, that’s not what your Bible says.

During This Feast, Leaven Represents Sin

You see, there’s another step to take after we’ve been forgiven of sin. And the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us that. Let’s read it again in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

When we speak of leaven, we’re talking about leavening agents in bread, such as baking soda, baking powder, or yeast. It’s the ingredient that produces air pockets of carbon dioxide in the dough. It actually makes it light and fluffy—it makes it taste good.

But the Bible compares leaven to sin.

In the same way that leaven enters the dough, expands, and permeates the whole loaf, so does sin. It will deepen and spread if not gotten rid of. Our conscience may at first be pricked, but over time we will become hardened to it. It becomes harder to stop.

One sin can lead to another. If we’re caught in a lie, the temptation is to tell another lie to cover up the first. And on and on it goes. Sin spreads like leaven.

The same was true, as Paul explained, in the congregation as a whole in Corinth. He knew if the person who was living in adultery would not be dealt with, others would drift into being careless about their behavior as well. Sin would spread more and more in the congregation.

Replace Sin With Righteousness (Unleavened Bread)

So Passover symbolizes our sins being forgiven by Christ’s sacrifice. But after Passover, we must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. During those seven days, we eat no leavened bread or bread products—like crackers, cakes or cookies.

In fact, we actually remove and dispose of any of these items from our homes beforehand, and remove any leavening agents. We get it all out.

The avoiding of leaven for seven days symbolizes the fact that after Christ has died for our sins, we must now live a new life in obedience to God. The Bible is full of references to this.

Turn to Romans 6:1.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1–4).

Keeping This Feast Shows How to Stop Sinning

We can’t persist in our old sins.

• If you have a problem with lying, for example, you must begin to speak the truth.
• If you’re addicted to porn, you’ve got to learn not to yield to lust.
• If you fall into anger and rage habitually, you need to learn how to break that habit.

As Paul said, we give up “malice and wickedness,” and we walk in “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8). Our life changes. That’s what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about.

But don’t think you can do it on your own. Personal change is hard. You can’t do it by yourself. But keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread helps us understand this.

You see, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is not the “Feast of No Bread.” We are not just to avoid leaven, but we are to put something else in its place. We are to eat unleavened bread. It can be unleavened bread that is commercially available, or it might be unleavened bread we make ourselves. (Do a Google search for “unleavened bread recipes” and you’ll find all sorts of ideas.)

Jesus Is the Bread of Life | Unleavened Bread Explained

Eating literal unleavened bread for seven days is a powerful daily reminder that we must feed on the bread of life, Jesus Christ.

Notice John 6:35.

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Jesus is the Bread of Life. And we must figuratively feed on Him daily. Notice what else He said in John 6:57.

“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:57–58).

In other words, we read THIS BOOK daily. We feed on it and fill our mind with it. The Bible is the mind of God in print. Let it teach you. Let it guide you and even correct you, as Paul also wrote in Hebrews 4:12.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12–13).

This is what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about—personal change, becoming more like Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven day by day.

We can’t do it on our own. Notice John 15:5.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

The apostle Paul also said (in Philippians 4:13):

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So with God’s help, we can overcome—no matter how difficult it may seem. That’s what the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us.

God’s Law Helps Us Identify and Remove Sin

But some will say, Christ came to do away with all those Old Testament laws. And some may even point to Scriptures which have supposedly been used to debunk the biblical Holy Days.

Let’s look at a Scripture that is often used this way, and see what it really says.

Colossians 2:11-14 Explained

The context was Paul’s writing to the Colossians. Let’s pick it up in Colossians 2:11.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead (Colossians 2:11–12).

Again, if we accept Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, we’re buried with Him in baptism. And then we come out of that watery grave and walk in newness of life. We stop sinning. Going on in Colossians 2:13.

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:12–14).

God’s Law Is God’s Protection for Us

Now some people will say the Law of God—the Ten Commandments—was nailed to the cross. But does the Bible say the Ten Commandments are “against us”? Not at all. The Ten Commandments protect us.

The law against murder, even in our civil society, protects us and is good for all of us. What about the law against adultery? Is that against us? Who doesn’t want to be protected from the pain and suffering caused by an unfaithful spouse? Clearly, the law against adultery in the Ten Commandments is not against us, but it is for us. It protects us.

So what is against us? What was Paul talking about?

Well, what is against us is the penalty for breaking God’s law. You see, every one of us has earned the death penalty by our own personal sins. Death and the death penalty—for our sins—is what’s against us. And Christ took that penalty away—not the law—when He died on the stake.

Explanation of Colossians 2:16 | “The Body of Christ” Is the Church

Going on in Colossians 2:16, I’ll read in the King James Version.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ (Colossians 2:16–17, KJV).

Some read this as if you shouldn’t keep the biblical Holy Days, but that’s not what it says. It says don’t let anyone judge you in regard to what you eat, what you drink, or how you keep one of God’s Holy Days.

In other words, if you are faithfully keeping God’s biblical Holy Days, don’t be intimidated by what your neighbor thinks. Don’t worry about what a friend or relative might think. Serve Christ and worry about what He thinks.

Actually, there’s even a phrase at the end that gives it better clarity. At the end of verse 17, Colossians 2, the New King James Version says:

But the substance is of Christ.

So some will say, “See, get rid of all the Holy Days, and just focus on Christ.” That’s not what this verse says either. It is more accurately translated in the King James Version in Colossians 2:17.

But the body (is) of Christ.

And “is” is in italics. That means it’s not in the original Greek. So it really says, in Colossians 2:17 (KJV):

But the body of Christ.

So let’s put the whole verse back together now. Again, reading in the King James Version without the word “is” incorrectly inserted by the translators (Colossians 2:16–17).

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body of Christ.

Paul was saying, “Don’t let outsiders judge you for keeping the biblical Holy Days. Rather, let yourself be guided and taught by the body of Christ.” The body of Christ is the Church. That’s found in numerous scriptures.

So contrary to doing away with the Holy Days, Colossians 2:16–17 actually reinforce their importance. And they indicate that the Church Christ built will be keeping them and should teach us how to keep them.

What a difference from what is often being taught today. The Holy Days should be kept, not swept away. And the Church should be keeping them and teaching them. That’s what the Apostle Paul said.

The Feasts of the Lord—God’s Holy Days | Leviticus 23

We find further information about these Feasts back in Leviticus 23. What it reveals is that these days were times for God’s people to gather together to worship Him. We can find this [in] Leviticus 23:1.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:1–2).

Notice whose feasts these are. These are God’s feasts. And when you further understand that it was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, the Word, who was working with these Israelites—you realize, there’s no way that these are done away, because this was the One who became Jesus Christ teaching them in the first place. Notice again Leviticus 23:4.

These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it…. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it (Leviticus 23:4–7).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread Represents Our Journey Out of Sin

But did you know, the children of Israel came out of Egypt during this Feast as well. You can read about that in Exodus 13:3.

And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. On this day you are going out…. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son… saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt’” (Exodus 13:3–8).

Remember God’s Holy Days—and Teach Your Children About Them

Moses told the Israelites: Don’t forget this day that you’re coming out of the land of Egypt. As Christians, God is calling us out of this world. He’s calling us to forsake our sins and our spiritual Egypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread can be a powerful annual reminder for us about our journey out of sin and the suffering it causes.

As we forsake our old habits, feed on Christ, and ask Him to change us, we will begin to enjoy the fruits of living God’s way and really walking in His grace and in His love. And what a joyous life that is.

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