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

Warm Traditions—But Where Did They Come From?

So many find so much joy in the sights and sounds of December—especially, the arrival of Christmas. Along with green and red decorations, signs and posters featuring a certain jolly, red-robed gentleman, and music you just can not get out of your head, comes the perennial question: Is Christmas a pagan holiday?

Most don’t even care about the answer, but for those who take biblical faith seriously, it is a serious question—and a question in need of an answer. And we will answer that question here on Tomorrow’s World, straight from the pages of your Bible, right now.

Childhood Memories Not Enough

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible! Today we’re going to tackle a question that seems to arise every December: “Is Christmas a pagan holiday?”

We’ll be examining the question honestly and openly, with a desire to orient our hearts and minds according to the advice of Jesus Christ as He taught us in Matthew 6 and verse 33 to 

“seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

And the question is important. How we choose to honor the Father and His Son matters. As we will see in the inspired words of Scripture, our practices have a profound effect on our relationship with God and on the character we are forming for His use and purposes.

For literally hundreds of thousands of people who consider themselves sincere Christians, the Christmas season is among the most sacred.

It is a time for calling to mind the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Savior of the world. Many attend religious services in December, devoted to remembering popular narratives of the birth of Jesus, whose birth is ostensibly celebrated on Christmas Day itself.

And many of us have many pleasant memories associated with the Christmas season. In fact, celebrated as it is all over the world, it would be impossible for me to cover in a program such as this one ALL the many customs that individuals across the globe use to make the season special. So, permit me to focus a bit on those customs I, as an American, am more familiar with.

Our cities and even individual homes are often decorated with special reminders of the season—such as nativity scenes, branches or wreaths of holly, and Christmas trees decorated with tinsel of silver and gold. Many will have bought or personally crafted presents for their friends and family members, who will sometimes travel long distances to reunite for a few evenings, enjoy Christmas dinner together, and exchange presents and pleasantries. And many will seek to sneak a kiss from someone while catching them standing under mistletoe.

Of course, some children will be told the night before that their presents are being brought to them from the North Pole by Santa Claus, or “St. Nick,” as the adults wink to each other with a knowing eye.

In the morning, the children enjoy tearing into their presents to see what “Santa” brought them, and some families will head to religious services to hear a message related to the birth of Jesus—especially those who are concerned that commercialism is crowding out what they believe to be the real meaning of Christmas: The message that God sent His Son into the world on Christmas Day, born of the Virgin Mary to be the Savior of mankind.

There’s more that I could say, but hopefully this captures the popular spirit of the Christmas season. Yes, it is a stressful time for many. Sometimes family gatherings are a source of anxiety, and buying gifts for one another can seem a burdensome obligation—especially when the credit card bill begins to reveal the damage of our attempts at merrymaking.

However, I want to acknowledge that many joyous memories tend to be associated with Christmas and the Christmas season. I, myself, as a child and young man participated in these things. I remember the joys of receiving gifts and buying gifts for others. I don’t know if you can see it very well, but these old, blurry pictures are of me as a small child, enjoying his brand new Christmas presents.

You know, I remember seeing once, as a teenager, a small statue depicting Santa kneeling at the cradle of what was, ostensibly, the “Baby Jesus.” And I was moved—I felt at the time that it was a nice way of trying to point out what I thought was the more important aspect of the Christmas season. I’ve even played the part of Joseph once in a Christmas choral performance.

In other words, I’ve been there; I’ve done that.

I mention these things at the beginning of our discussion to highlight a crucial fact. As we tackle our question today—“Is Christmas a pagan holiday?”—we must keep in mind: None of this is relevant.

We may have years’ worth of positive memories associated with Christmas. We may love the music, the atmosphere, the traditions, and the focus on Jesus and the message of His birth.

Yet literally none of that is relevant to the question “Is Christmas a pagan holiday?”

After all, many religions have their joyous festivals, their times of family gathering, their fondly remembered songs, and traditions that warm the hearts of their adherents.

If we are going to address this question head on, we have to be willing to distance ourselves from our emotional responses and our happy memories and seek to answer the question from the perspective of facts, sound mindedness, and God’s revealed truth.

Actually, that is the easy part, as we’ll see. But what we do with that truth—that’s the hard part. Following Jesus Christ isn’t for cowards.

Seeking the Truth About Christmas—And Finding It

We want to understand the truth, and we want to seek that truth with an open mind—because truth is important.

John 4 relates a famous account of Jesus’ discussion with a Samaritan woman. She spoke to Him of the Samaritans’ traditions concerning worshiping the God of the Bible, which differed in many ways from the ways actually discussed in the Bible—even though their traditions were sincerely believed. In a sense, they worshipped God in spirit, meaning that their heart was in it, but they didn’t worship Him in truth, meaning that their sincere acts were based on falsehoods and half-truths. What did Jesus say? Did He say to her, “Well, that’s OK. As long as your intent is good, your worship is acceptable before God”?

No, He didn’t.

We read His response in John 4, beginning in verse 23:

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24).

That’s our goal today—to enable ourselves to understand how to worship God not just in spirit and intent, but in truth. Truth matters.

So, let’s look at the question with honest eyes: Is Christmas a pagan holiday?

If we’re answering this question based on the origins of the day, then the answer is very clearly “yes.” Because the origins of Christmas as a holiday—its timing, its traditions, its ancient practices—are very clearly pagan.

Now, what does it mean to be “pagan”? After all, the word is thrown about a bit carelessly these days—in fact, there is a growing movement of “neo-paganism” today, which we have covered in detail in Tomorrow’s World magazine—the very same magazine you will get a free subscription to when you request today’s free resource, Is Christmas Christian?

Let’s make sure we’re clear, then. As Merriam-Webster defines it, “pagan” means: “of, relating to, or having the characteristics of pagans”—which, we are told, are “follower[s] of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome).”

Essentially paganism represents religions and cultic practices that have their origins outside of the religions traditionally associated with the patriarch Abraham: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

And if that is the definition of “pagan,” there is no doubt that the Christmas holiday and most of its traditions originated in pagan customs and worship traditions, many of which pre-date Christianity by centuries or even millennia.

Mistletoe is associated with Roman fertility rituals and Frigga, the Norse goddess of love and lust. The timing of Christmas corresponds not to Jesus’ birth—which was likely in the fall—but to the observance of the pagan Roman Saturnalia and sun worship. That is S-U-N. As the Encyclopedia Britannica notes:

In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire, which at the time had not adopted Christianity, celebrated the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25th. This holiday not only marked the return of longer days after the winter solstice but also followed the popular Roman festival called the Saturnalia (during which people feasted and exchanged gifts). It was also the birthday of the Indo-European deity Mithra, a god of light and loyalty whose cult was at the time growing popular among Roman soldiers (“Why Is Christmas in December?” Britannica.com).

The Christmas tree, too, is a tradition with an ancient pagan precedent. In fact, we can see that precedent condemned in Scripture. Look at Jeremiah 10 and read it with your favorite Christmas tree tradition in mind:

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good’” (Jeremiah 10:1–5).

The list of these ancient, pagan origins to various Christmas practices is long and clear. In fact, many popular, conservative authorities in modern Christianity readily admit that the pagan origin of many of the most common and honored Christmas traditions is a fact of history. Any historical resource of repute will confirm that fact.

For instance, consider this brief summary from the widely respected “Christian” resource Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity:

The Christian church took over many pagan ideas and images. From sun-worship, for example, came the celebration of Christ’s birth on the twenty-fifth of December, the birthday of the Sun. Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival of 17–21 of December, provided the merriment, gift-giving and candles typical of later Christmas holidays…. Some pagan customs which were later Christianized, for example the use of candles, incense and garlands, were at first avoided by the church because they symbolized paganism (1977, pp. 131–132).

And in his famous work A Classical Dictionary, scholar John Lemprière summarized some of the ancient, pre-Christian practices of the pagan holiday Saturnalia:

The celebration was remarkable for the liberty which universally prevailed. The slaves were permitted to ridicule their masters… It was usual for friends to make presents one to another, all animosity ceased, no criminals were executed, schools were shut, war was never declared, but all was mirth, riot, and debauchery.

If we are honest, surely we will admit that all of this sounds very familiar.

Christmas and its traditions and customs are deeply rooted in pagan origins. In that sense, yes, Christmas is a pagan holiday.

But still, is it really? Many argue that pagan activities, celebrations, traditions, and symbols have—in a sense—been “baptized” by Christianity. The holly branches and its red berries once had pagan meanings, true, but maybe now they can be used to symbolize Christ’s crown of thorns and the red blood He shed for our sins.

Perhaps the real answer is that Christmas was a pagan holiday, but it is no longer. People can certainly be baptized and have their lives transformed. Can pagan worship practices?

Worshiping God HIS Way

Sinners can repent and change. Can’t ancient pagan practices or traditions be sort of “baptized” and kept? After all, those who keep Christmas don’t believe they are worshiping the sun god or Saturn or Mithras or Baal or Frigga or any of those pagan gods. They are often trying to sincerely worship God and Jesus as they understand Them. Do the pagan origins of Christmas really matter?

The answer is a simple one: If we desire to worship God and Jesus Christ in a manner that is pleasing to them, not just pleasing to us, then yes—they matter very much.

Again, the issue is not one of opinion or feelings. It is a matter of truth. And if we want to know the truth about how God the Father and Jesus Christ think about these things, then we must go to the Bible They have given us to help us learn to think like them. And when we do go to the Scriptures, the answer is absolutely clear.

For instance, speaking of pagan peoples and pagan traditions and customs, God commanded ancient Israel very clearly in Deuteronomy 12:30:

“[D]o not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way…” (Deuteronomy 12:30–31).

This is crucial: Notice, the Bible doesn’t just say, “Don’t worship idols” or “Don’t worship foreign gods.” It says: “You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.” God makes it plain that He does not want His followers to worship Him in pagan ways. It doesn’t make a difference if we say we’re not worshiping Mithras or Saturn or the sun or whomever—God says plainly to us “do not worship me using pagan traditions.”

We saw a very similar command earlier when we read Jeremiah 10, in which God said clearly, “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles….” And here by “Gentiles,” God means those pagans outside the nation of Israel.

The commands in the Bible simply leave no room at all to conclude that God accepts worship using pagan customs—even if it is directed at Him.

Still, that’s the Old Testament, and some might argue that Jesus came to change all of that.

Yet, once again, if we go to His actual teachings—recorded for all time in our own Bibles—we find that this is not how He thinks at all about these things.

In fact, Jesus addresses this very scenario with His disciples and the Jewish leaders of His day. In Mark chapter 7, Jesus challenges the unbiblical traditions of the first-century Pharisees. They claimed to serve God with those traditions, but Jesus told them that their pious traditions actually violated God’s commands and were to be condemned. We can read His response in Mark 7, beginning in verse 6:

“He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” For LAYING ASIDE THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, you HOLD THE TRADITION OF MEN… All too well you REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that you may KEEP YOUR TRADITION’” (Mark 7:6–9).

To observe Christmas, you would have to lay aside the commandment of God, who says plainly He does not want to be worshipped using heathen customs, so that you could hold on to your tradition. You would have to reject that commandment of God to keep that tradition. And Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the very founder of Christianity condemns doing that in no uncertain terms.

I can’t speak for you, but the idea of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, calling me a hypocrite sends chills down my spine. Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus condemned those who would dare to call Him “Lord” while ignoring His commands, asking,

“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

The evidence is clear:

• Christmas is a pagan holiday.
• God does not want to be worshiped using pagan traditions.
• And Jesus Christ condemns as hypocrites those who ignore God’s commands to keep other traditions.

So, with our original question answered, the next question is clear: What do we do now?

A Difficult Choice—Choosing Christ Over Christmas

We have only a brief time left on today’s program, but let me take a moment to say that—for those whose hearts are willing to follow God wherever He and His word lead us, following His lead and obeying His commands never leads us to a worse place. Only a better place.

For instance, I know of thousands of individuals, all over the world, who have left Christmas behind and have embraced, instead, the Holy Days actually revealed in the Bible—designed by God and recorded in His word as days set apart by Him for worship, praise, and instruction.

Those individuals—the members and attendees of the Living Church of God, who sponsor the Tomorrow’s World program—would say to you as plainly as I can now from here in this studio: As Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, they would not trade observing the biblical Holy Days for keeping Christmas for all the money in the world.

Moving past Christmas does not have to mean giving up joy and meaning and warmth and fellowship. Quite the opposite. When one turns away from deceptively attractive traditions and customs that fundamentally contradict the Bible to follow Jesus Christ—the real Jesus Christ—we have the opportunity to discover exactly what Jesus meant when He spoke to the woman by the well, almost 2,000 years ago, and spoke of worshiping God not only in spirit, but in spirit and in truth.

Thank you for watching our program, and we hope that it was helpful. All of us here at Tomorrow’s World produce these videos; people in front of the camera, behind the camera, in the control room, the fellow standing right next to me holding a light. We all work hard to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible. If you like these videos, please click on the subscribe button as well as the little bell to be notified whenever we make more, and if you want today’s offer, just go down to the description and you’ll find the link.

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

From Mystery to Revelation?

The biblical book of Revelation has puzzled millions. Many consider it a sealed book that is impossible to understand. Others have read into it their own differing and conflicting interpretations. Among the many mysteries found in this remarkable book, are seven letters to seven church congregations in Asia Minor.

Why were these First Century congregations chosen among all the others extant at that time? Why were their messages a part of Revelation? And do they have relevance for us today? These are a few of the many questions people have regarding the letters to the seven churches, recorded in the second and third chapters of Revelation.

These messages have far more relevance for you than you might imagine, and you need to know what that is. So stay with me as I’ll answer these questions from the pages of this very book.

The Key to Understanding—A Gift from God?

A warm welcome to all of you from those of us here at Tomorrow’s World. Today I’m going to explain a great mystery found in that difficult to understand last book of the Bible—Revelation. Scholars have puzzled over the meaning of seven letters written to seven Asia Minor congregations, as recorded in chapters two and three, but you can understand as you will see on today’s program.

The book of Revelation is filled with symbolism: stars, candlesticks, multi-headed beasts with horns, trumpets, and much more. The number seven is significant as we read of seven messengers, seven churches, seven stars, seven golden candlesticks, seven trumpets, and seven last plagues. But there’s no end to the number of interpretations people have about this puzzling book, so how can you understand? And how can you know that your understanding is correct?

The answers to these critical questions are found elsewhere in this collection of writings that we refer to as the Bible. Consider Matthew 11:25;

“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes’” (Matthew 11:25).

And, as the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1,

“For it is written: ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:19–20).

Paul then goes on to explain, beginning in verse 26,

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27, 29).

So my dear friends, according to the Bible, it’s not a matter of human intellect, but of God choosing to whom He will reveal His message. This is further shown in chapter 2 beginning in verse 7,

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: ‘EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM’” (1 Corinthians 2:7–9).

If this is true, what hope do we have? The answer is found in the next verse:

“But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

If we are to accurately understand the Bible, including the Book of Revelation, it must be revealed to us by God through the power of His spirit. Now, many people think they have the spirit of God, but do they? Do you? How can you know? Will we believe the answer found in the Bible? And if so, turn to Acts 5:32:

“And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Professor William Ramsay wrote what is considered by many to be the definitive book on the letters to the seven churches. There is no doubt that he was a man of great intellect and knowledge, yet it’s evident that he failed to understand the fundamental reason these letters are in Revelation.

From God, Through Christ, to the Saints

Some people often wrongly assume that Bible scholars believe that the Bible is the word of God. But that is not the case for all. Human reason enters the picture and many begin to pick and choose what they believe to be true.

It is evident from reading The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia by Professor Ramsay, that he saw the book of Revelation as the work of the Apostle John. This is revealed in his opening sentence in chapter IV where he refers to the book as:

“[T]he Revelation of St. John” (p. 35).

Now, how is it that someone of his intellect could miss the truth revealed in the opening words of the book he is trying to explain? To be fair, he’s not alone, as even some who translated the Bible also missed the point that it is not the revelation of John but the revelation of Jesus Christ. Among them are the translators of the vaunted King James Version, [who] title the book:

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

The New King James Version has it corrected with the title:

The Revelation [not of John, but] of Jesus Christ

Now this is no small point as it reveals the mindset of many translators and scholars. Professor Ramsay clearly sees the book of Revelation as the work of a man, rather than inspired from God. Here’s what I mean with this quote:

In this work, Jewish in origin and general plan…

[T]here is inserted this episode of the Seven Letters….

There must have been therefore some reason which seemed to the author to demand imperatively the insertion of such an episode in a work of diverse character (p. 35).

Ramsay then goes on to explain that these letters were an afterthought, since other than the historical narratives of the Gospels and Acts, the remainder of the New Testament is made up of letters. Therefore:

In the subsequent development of St. John’s thought it is plain that he had recognized the inadequacy and insufficiency of the fashionable Jewish literary forms. It seems highly probable that the perception of that fact came to him during the composition of the Revelation, and that the Seven Letters, though placed near the beginning and fitted carefully into that position, were the last part of the work to be conceived (p. 36).

But far from an afterthought, the letters to the seven churches are central to the theme of the book, which is the Day of the Lord, which culminates in the return of Jesus Christ.

The opening words of Revelation are all important as they tell us where the message comes from, who opens our understanding to it, and who recorded it, and for whom it was recorded. If you have a Bible, I urge you to get it out and follow along. As we often say on this program, don’t believe us just because we say it. Believe us because you read it in your own Bible. So if you have your Bible, turn to the last book, the book of Revelation, chapter one, where we’ll examine the first two verses. There, we read the following:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ…”

So Jesus, not John, is the one who opens our understanding to the message. He is the one who reveals it to us. But what is the source of that message?

“…which God gave Him…”

The message comes from God the Father and is revealed by Jesus Christ. But who is the message to go to? Is it the world in general? Or is it more limited than that?

“…to show His servants…”

Clearly, the message is for the servants of God. This is why the message is not generally understood, as we shall see. Notice next that it involves

“…things which must shortly take place.”

A careful reading of the book shows that much was written for the times far into the future, but it also records events [that] were soon to take place. We next find that this revealed message was to go to John.

“And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John….”

This is all in verse one, chapter one. The next verse explains that John was given three things to record. He was to take

“[T]The word of God…”

“…the testimony of Jesus Christ…”

and

“…all things that he saw.”

to the servants of God, but how does God define those servants in the book? This is the crucial question that is almost universally misunderstood. Yet, the answer is right in front of our eyes.

The True History of the Church of God—Revealed

But first, let’s review what we learned from Revelation 1:1–2. The message of the Revelation originates with God but Jesus Christ must open it to our understanding

The message of the entire book was to be given to the servants of God. And John was to record the word of God, the testimony of Jesus Christ, and all things that he saw.

So who are the servants of God? This may sound like a simple question, but the book of Revelation reveals a surprising answer. John was instructed to take the message to these servants and that is exactly what he did, as recorded immediately after the prologue, Revelation 1:4:

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.

The seven churches in Asia Minor are synonymous with the servants of God. This is further seen in verse 11where the churches are mentioned by name;

What you see [That is all that he saw, not just the letters, but the whole of Revelation.] write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea (Revelation 1:11).

We next read in verses 12–16 that John recorded a vision of the glorified Christ walking in the midst of seven golden candlesticks with seven stars in His hands. What can these—the candlesticks and the stars—possibly mean? The answer is found in verse 20:

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches (Revelation 1:20).

There were other church congregations in Asia Minor at the time, but there was something special about these seven. For one thing, they were all found on a mail route where the book would be taken from one church to another. Also, Christ is seen walking in the midst of them as they are represented by the candlesticks. Is it not clear by now that the seven churches of Asia Minor represent the servants of God down through time? This is confirmed at the end of the book where it uses “servants” and “the churches” interchangeably:

Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show [And notice this] His servants the things which must shortly take place.

That’s Revelation 22:6. Now notice verse 16:

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.

Far from being an afterthought, the messages to the seven churches are central to the theme of the whole book, which is the Day of the Lord, which culminates in the return of Jesus Christ.

The construction of Revelation is quite amazing when you take a closer look at it. The servants of God are synonymous with the seven churches, so:

Chapters 2 and 3: Tell us WHO God’s servants are down through
history.

Chapter 4: Describes the throne of God—the source of the
message.

Chapter 5: Shows the message on a sealed scroll is opened by the Lamb of God.

But getting back to the letters themselves there are three ways the letters apply.

#1: The letters describe seven attitudes (or spiritual conditions) found in seven real congregations.

The messages are a mix of positive reinforcement as well as warnings and calls to repent from the dominant attitudes found in each Church. But each of us are individuals and the general warning goes beyond a single congregation to all of God’s servants. So this is why we find this admonition at the end of each letter:

#2: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches (Revelation 2:7).

The messages, while most specifically to one congregation, also contain wisdom and warnings for all others. Then there is a third application for these letters, one that has intrigued scholars and students for centuries.

#3: The churches represent stages, or eras, through which true Christianity travels through the centuries.

That there are historical stages or eras, is seen when comparing the letter to the second Church, Smyrna, and the sixth church, Philadelphia. Let’s first look at Smyrna—Revelation 2:10:

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Many Bible students are familiar with the day for a year principle found in the Bible. History reveals that there was a time of severe tribulation just as the scripture predicted. Notice the day for a year principle as it applied to ten years of persecution explained in Adam Clarke’s Commentary:

As the days in this book are what is commonly called prophetic days, each answering to a year, the ten years of tribulation may denote “ten years of persecution”; and this was precisely the duration of the persecution under Diocletian, during which all the Asiatic churches were grievously afflicted. (Adam Clarke’s Commentary [on Revelation 2:10], 1967, p. 1335).

That took place between 303 and 313 AD—over 200 years after John recorded these messages. Further, that persecution came on all the churches of Asia Minor, not just Smyrna. This message then cannot apply only to a single congregation during John’s lifetime, but also to an era in the Christian Church.

Now let’s look at the sixth church—Philadelphia. Here we find a clear reference to the time of the end as found in Revelation 3:10:

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

So the second church—Smyrna—saw a time of persecution, during the fourth century A.D. and the sixth church—Philadelphia—is in existence at the end of the age when there will be a time of trial upon the whole world. But there’s a problem. Where the evidence clearly shows a progression down through time, not all pieces of the puzzle appear to fit. So what might we be missing?

Eminent scholars are unable to connect the dots of the Christian church through all seven of the Churches of Asia Minor. Why?

A Warning for Believers in Our Time

We earlier referred to the introduction of this mysterious book in Revelation 1:1:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—

things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John (Revelation 1:1).

The next few chapters give further clarification:

Chapter 4: Gives us the source of the message—God the Father on His throne.

Chapter 5: The message is found on a scroll with seven seals that
only the Lamb of God can open.

So we have the source and the one who reveals the message. But what about the servants of God that the message was to go to? That’s found in chapters 2 and 3.

Chapters 2–3: The servants of God down through the ages.

Now, why is this knowledge so little understood? The answer can be discerned from two other chapters in the book. Chapter 12 describes the Church of God as a small persecuted Church that had to flee from the large metropolitan cities of the Roman Empire through much of the last 2,000 years. Because this chapter begins with the physical nation of Israel, some assume it has nothing to do with the Church, but that it refers to the Church is clearly seen from the progression of the chapter from the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ all the way to the end.

We learn from verse 9 that Satan the Devil deceives the whole world. How can that be if the largest religion in the world is professing Christianity? We then learn that Satan will try once again to knock God off His throne, but he’ll be cast back down to this earth where he immediately goes out to destroy and to persecute the Church.

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child” (Revelation 12:13).

The woman, that is the Church, must then flee into the wilderness to be protected from the serpent who tries to destroy her, but not all members flee.

“So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth” (Revelation 12:15–16).

Notice carefully. This is not talking about physical Israel, but to true believers in Jesus the Messiah.

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Chapters 2, 3, and 12 refer to the true Church of God, but chapter 17 speaks of another woman, a fallen woman—an apostate church. Some think they know who that is. She is called a mother of apostate women. Here it is in Revelation 17:5:

And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (Revelation 17:5).

Now here is one of the most important questions you’ll ever be asked: If you can identify the “Mother of Harlots,” who are those harlot daughter churches? The reason so few can match the progress of the Church as shown in the seven letters to the seven churches of Asia is that they are looking for the Church in the wrong place.

But if one looks at the right place, there is a serious message for us. While the sixth era of the Church zealously proclaims the true gospel around the world and warns the world where it is headed, the very last era is marked by a lukewarm spirit, thinking they are okay. As a result, Christ will spew them out of His mouth into the great tribulation to wake them up. Now, I’ll leave you with one last question. Which attitude best describes you, my dear friends? Think about it.

Thank you for watching! To learn more about what happened to the church that Jesus Christ built, order your free copy of God’s Church Through the Ages by clicking the link in the description. And remember to subscribe to our channel so you can continue to learn the truth as given in the Bible. See you next time!

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

Suffering Without Rest

Do you need a break? Are you feeling stressed, worn out, and overwhelmed? Let’s face it; we’re living in a world filled with ever-increasing demands on our time and attention. Children need to be fed, clothes washed, and bills paid. Commuting is stressful. And there’s on-the-job pressure, deadlines, and conflict. Many are working harder than ever, only to find it more difficult to make ends meet. And when they try to unwind, escapism often leads to addictions, anxiety, and more conflict. Our relationships suffer. Our health suffers. Real solutions seem beyond our reach.

If you’re suffering from the anxiety of living in the modern world, you’re not alone. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 18.1% of the population 18 or older suffers from some type of anxiety disorder every year. That’s 40 million adults (“Facts and Statistics,” ADAA.org, accessed June 29, 2021).

But it’s not just in America. According to the “Our World In Data” website, “Globally an estimated 284 million people experienced an anxiety disorder in 2017” (“Mental Health,” OurWorldInData.org, April, 2018).

Clearly, many of us are feeling overwhelmed.

Is this how our Creator designed our life to be? If we’re anxious and depressed, how can we get out of that discouraging and even dangerous cycle?

There is an answer. And people around the world are discovering it. Would you like to know a secret that can turn your life around?

There is a way to find peace in a troubled world. And today on Tomorrow’s World, we’re going to dive into that topic, to find the source of that peace.

Do You Need Rest Days?

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Many of us today are exhausted and overwhelmed. We need a break. But where can you find the real solution to the frenetic lifestyle of our world? Let’s talk about that today.

In a recent online article, speaker and writer Jim Burns asked the following questions:

Have you stopped enjoying life because you are too busy?

Are you exhausted most of the time?

Have you stopped developing new relationships?

Are your children showing signs of stress?

Mr. Burns then added, “If you answered ‘yes’ to most of these questions, you are experiencing overload” (“Are You Experiencing the Overload Syndrome?” HomeWord.com, June 21, 2021).

Does that describe your life right now? It does for many of us. But more and more people are turning to what might seem to be an unlikely solution. They are turning to the idea of a “sabbath.”

Do an Internet search and you’ll find out what I mean. Type in “Sabbath rest” or “Sabbath lifestyle” and you’ll discover pages of articles with advice for gaining peace and perspective, through this idea of “sabbath.” Here are some of the article titles I found in one Internet search:

“The gift of sabbath rest in an anxious age”

“How to Unleash the Power of Sabbath-Rest in your Life”

“Creating a Sabbath Lifestyle”

“How to Create a Sabbath-Simplicity Lifestyle”

And…

“The Case for the Sabbath, Even if You’re Not Religious”

What all these articles have in common are a deep yearning to pause from the busyness of the modern world. More and more people are finding this idea of a sabbath intriguing.

Once again, writer and speaker Jim Burns puts it this way:

“In the beautiful Hebrew language, the word for rest is sabbath. Sabbath is more of a lifestyle choice than taking a nap or a day off to get some things done around the house. Sabbath living is the constant choice to live with margin in our lives. Margin is the space between our load and our limits. Margin is our mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. It’s our reserves, our breathing room, our energy, our vitality. Unfortunately, few of us have much margin in our lives” (“Are You Experiencing the Overload Syndrome?” HomeWord.com, June 21, 2021).

This concept of “margin” is powerful, and very important. We do need “margin” in our lives. It’s the so-called white space on the edge of the pages of our lives. It means that not every moment is busy and accounted for.

So do you need a “sabbath” rest in your life? Do you need to cultivate a “sabbath lifestyle”? I think we can all see the benefit of down-shifting. We need time to slow down, instead of always working hard and playing hard. Wouldn’t it be nice to power-down occasionally, to a lower and slower gear?

One of the prime culprits of our stressed-out society is the pervasiveness of tech devices. Our devices can be helpful, but they can also become the source of great stress. A group back in 2003 started something called the “sabbath project.” One of the things they do each year is determine a “National Day of Unplugging.” The idea is, one of the things we must do is occasionally take a break from technology. They recommend having a “tech sabbath,” so to speak. And it’s true—we’ve got to unplug, from time to time. It’s good for our minds, our relationships, and our health. Consider the testimony of one family, an article that appeared on the Wired.com website:

“My family and I started going completely screen-free one day a week for what we called our Technology Shabbat. We read, journaled, cooked, had friends over, went for bike rides, played music, made art, and sometimes we just did nothing. A decade later, we’re still doing it every week… and it’s still our favorite day. It’s made the whole family happier and more balanced” (“Everything You Need to Enjoy One Tech-Free Day a Week,” Wired.com, October 10, 2019).

If we don’t have control of our devices, we’re headed for trouble. And this affects everyone. Here’s how one woman described her experience fighting against the tyranny of endless tasks, and how she began to find solutions:

“So many of us are tired. Between meeting the needs of those around us, running our homes, working, or waking up with children throughout the night, we find ourselves depleted mentally, physically and emotionally. This exhaustion leads us to turn our focus from the things that matter most to survival. If that’s you, God has prepared a very practical balm for your weariness. It’s called Sabbath…. If we want to experience all the fulness of living and being that God has for us, I believe we need an element of Sabbath rest in our week! Whether mothers, homemakers or working women—Sabbath was created to meet a deep-seated need in us” (“How to Unleash the Power of Sabbath Rest in Your Life as a Homemaker,” EmbracingASimplerLife.com, Accessed June 29, 2021).

We all need to see the value of resting, of having a sort of pause in our lives. We need a regular, weekly time to pause, just to keep a balanced mental perspective.

But you might say, “that all sounds well and good, but I’m too busy to stop. I have too much to do. This sabbath thing won’t work for me.” Think about that. It’s when you are overwhelmed when you need this help the most. And if you don’t get control of your life now, when will you?

What is the Original Day of Sabbath?

We all need to find some space in our lives. And people all over the world are discovering the benefits from having some downtime every week. Maybe you’ve taken this step and are experiencing new-found peace in your life.

The idea of a sabbath didn’t just appear out of thin air. It comes from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” in the Hebrew Scriptures, in our Bible. It means “to stop, pause, or cease.” It’s a rest from activity and labor.

If you have a Bible, turn with me to the very first chapter of Genesis. In Genesis 1, we find the account of God creating all the living creatures on earth, including the first man and woman. And then in Genesis 2:1, it says,

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1–3).

Where did this idea of taking some time to rest after a period of work come from? Straight from the Creator God. He modeled that behavior right here in the beginning of the Bible. It happened at the dawn of civilization. In other words, the idea of “sabbath” has been around a long time.

But what about the word “sabbath”? The first time that word appears in the Bible is Exodus 20:8:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

“Sabbath” just means “cessation” or “rest.” So, “remember the sabbath day” just means “remember the rest day.” This is something God wrote into the Ten Commandments. Let’s read the rest of it, back in Exodus 20:

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work…. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8–11).

So, God actually created a rest day at the beginning of Creation. He rested and His intention was that His children—that’s us—would also benefit from a weekly rest our whole lives. God wants us to work hard. And when the work is done, He wants us to take a well-deserved rest.

“Sabbath” is not just a vague idea. It springs from a specific event in history. It was created by God, at the beginning. And it applies to a specific day each week. We all need to be restored and rejuvenated. But why don’t we give ourselves permission to take a break?

Consider what one Internet author said about this question:

For some reason, though, we naturally interpret the Bible’s statements about Sabbath rest as more of a suggestion than a divine command. We think, “That’s a great idea, but I’m too busy.” This is true. I am busy. You are busy. Our culture is busy and it’s only speeding up… Our gas tanks are always on empty, and when we stop we are hardly ever able to put more than a few dollars in the tank. We are never full (“Ritchie: The gift of Sabbath rest in an anxious age,” Amarillo.com, June 2, 2016).

Think about that. We’re too busy to stop. We’re forever locked into a loop of exhaustion, never catching up. Are you tired of that cycle?

The writer continues:

But could it be that our lack of observance of the Sabbath is contributing to our weariness? Could our lack of Sabbath rest and worship potentially explain why we are an exhausted people? Could it be the ways we try to find rest never restore us because we were created to find our rest in God?… What better gift could we possibly receive than this Sabbath rest in our anxious age?

How many of us go from one frenetic task to another, until we collapse? Why don’t we just rest on a regular basis, on the schedule God set for us?

All too often, we don’t stop until we have to stop. And maybe that’s why God tells us, “This is mandatory—you have to take a break each week.” Because there’s always another load of wash to do, another space to clean, another report to submit. 

Have you noticed, all too often, we only do things that are good for us when we have to? Maybe we don’t exercise or take care of our health, until something causes us pain. We notice the effects of neglecting our health, and we decide, “Okay, I have to do this because it’s good for me.”

So, what about you? Wouldn’t it make sense for God to say, “Look, this is so important for you. I want you to have a healthy mental state. So, I’m telling you, you must take a break at the end of every week.”

The Sabbath Was Made for Our Good!

God in His mercy created and even scheduled that time for us. And since we often don’t do things unless we absolutely have to, He made it mandatory. And that’s good for us.

In the remaining time of this program, we’ll find there’s an even greater picture in regard to a sabbath rest.

Turn in your Bible to Colossians 2:16. In this verse, Paul wrote the following:

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16).

There’s much misunderstanding about this verse. Let’s just focus on one phrase. That is, “Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come.”

What the Apostle Paul is saying is that as good as sabbaths are for giving us a weekly rest now, they’re also symbolic of something greater to come. Many students of the Bible recognize there have been roughly 6,000 years of human history, and that the Bible predicts a coming 1,000-year millennial reign of Jesus Christ. If we apply the “day for a year” principle found in 2 Peter 3:8, the weekly seventh-day sabbath is a type of the coming millennium. In that sense, the seventh millennium corresponds to the seventh day of the week.

We find Scriptures that support this idea elsewhere in the New Testament. Let’s look at Hebrews 4:1:

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

He’s saying, the Israelites did not enter the Promised Land because of their disobedience. But we can enter God’s Kingdom, at Christ’s Second Coming, if we’re faithful and obedient.

Going on,

“For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’” (Hebrews 4:4).

He’s discussing the seventh-day sabbath established at the Creation when God rested.

“Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, God again designated a certain day as ‘Today,’ when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God’” (Hebrews 4:6–9, Berean Study Bible).

What does this mean? If we’re the people of God, the sabbath rest means something very important. It means we observe that weekly rest in our lives NOW. The Greek word here translated “sabbath” is “sabbatizmos.” It comes directly from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” which means the weekly Sabbath. Christians are to observe the weekly sabbath.

But it goes far beyond that. If the Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come, every seventh-day that comes around in the calendar is also a prophecy of a coming millennial Sabbath. That’s when God’s Kingdom will reign on this earth, at Christ’s second coming.

Notice what the writer warns us to do:

“For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:10–11, Berean Study Bible).

We’re reminded to live our lives in such a way that we may enter the rest of God’s Kingdom, at Christ’s return.

In other words, there’s hope for this tired and worn-out world. There’s a new world coming. And that new world, in contrast to this age, will be peaceful and full of hope. The violence and tension of this age will be no more. Notice how that coming world is described in Isaiah 32:16–18:

“Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places….”

The weekly seventh-day sabbath is symbolic of a coming millennial age of peace and prosperity.

There’s much more to say about the Sabbath. You can find many articles and programs about the Sabbath on our Tomorrow’s World website. What we’re focusing on today is the necessity of a break for people in this world. There is a better way. But in truth, we need not just a general idea of a pause in our life; we need the regular and mandatory rest designed by our Creator.

The True Purpose of the Sabbath—In This Life and Beyond

When Jesus was on this earth, He taught His disciples a lifestyle of peace and tranquility that did not depend on outside circumstances. Notice what He said in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

If you long for relief from the burdens of life, learn from Jesus Christ. He has the answers. He’ll give you peace, if you’re obedient to His will and respond to His love.

In this world, there are many things to worry about. But Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:25–27).

He knows we’re working hard, because we have to. We’ve got to feed ourselves. We’ve got to take care of our family. And He says, “I’ll help you, if you look to Me.”

And notice what else He says, in Matthew 6:33–34:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

We can have peace of mind. God knows the anxiety this world produces. But He’s offering you a weekly sabbath. It’s a total break from work for a 24-hour period, week in and week out. Doesn’t that sound nice? Just imagine if every Friday at sundown you could leave your work behind. You could spend extra time with your family. You could read the Bible and meditate on God’s plan for you. You could go to church the next day with others of like mind, and fellowship with them. You could spend the remaining hours of the Sabbath not mowing the lawn or doing chores, but going for walks and reflecting on what you’ve learned.

That’s the way God designed the Sabbath. Not the way the Pharisees kept it, making it a burden. Jesus corrected the Pharisees on how they were keeping the Sabbath, as we see in Mark 2:23:

“Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, ‘Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’” (Mark 2:23–24).

The Pharisees were trying to accuse Jesus and his disciples on how they were keeping the sabbath, but Jesus turned it around and explained the true perspective about the sabbath in verse 25.

“But He said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?’ And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath’” (Mark 2:25–28).

The Pharisees had accused Jesus Christ and his disciples of keeping the Sabbath in the wrong way, but Jesus described the true perspective about the Sabbath. He is the Lord of the Sabbath, He created the Sabbath. He designed the Sabbath as a 24-hour period to throttle back and think about your life. The gift is yours for the taking.

So, do you need a break? Do you need some rest? The Sabbath isn’t just an idea of snatching some down time now and then. It’s a weekly gift from God, to refresh us and give us peace. And it’s a promise of a better world to come. The Sabbath is a gift God has given to an anxious world. Experience that gift for yourself.

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you’d like a copy of our free booklet Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath, click the link in the description! See you next time. 

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

A Time Like No Other

Bible prophecy has foretold the chaotic world we all are experiencing at this time. The prophet Daniel revealed what he called “the time of the end.” God showed Daniel prophetic trends we are witnessing every day. Daniel chapter 12 and verse 4 states:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Even while we recover from coronavirus-related lockdowns, many cities and regions again face traffic congestion, reflecting the symbolic prophecy of Isaiah 2:7;

“Their land is also full of silver and gold, And there is no end to their treasures; Their land is also full of horses, And there is no end to their chariots.”

Knowledge, too, has increased exponentially in these end-times. Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg observed that one daily copy of The New York Times contains more information than the average seventeenth-century Englishman encountered in a whole lifetime. Futurist Buckminster Fuller, as far back as 1982, said that the knowledge available to humanity was doubling every year. More recently, scientists at IBM found that as of 2020, knowledge was doubling every twelve hours.

But we need to seek the REAL knowledge. Daniel also foretold the Great Tribulation, later confirmed by the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, in Matthew 24. Daniel 12:1:

“And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.”

Bible prophecy reveals the future for all nations in the next decade and beyond. Do you know what happens after the Great Tribulation? The Book of Revelation and many other prophecies reveal the sequence of events and the prophetic Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is coming soon. It’s the time of God’s judgments on the rebellious nations of this world. Will you and your family be prepared? You need to understand the Day of the Lord in Bible prophecy.

Stay tuned.

Trials and Heavenly Signs

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world. The world has experienced two world wars. All nations were affected by these wars. Will there be a World War III? On today’s program we will answer that question. Your Bible reveals that future global conflicts will ravage our world during the prophetic Day of the Lord. You need to know how the Day of the Lord will affect you and your family.

On the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD, the Apostle Peter quoted from the prophet Joel, explaining the supernatural darkness surrounding our Lord’s crucifixion.

“I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” (Acts 2:19–20).

That darkness was also a type of the cosmic disturbances that will introduce the future Day of the Lord. Yes, it will be “the great and awesome day of the Lord.” If you have your Bible, turn to Revelation the sixth chapter. The heavenly signs follow the Great Tribulation. Revelation 6:12:

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:12–14).

All the earth will see these signs introducing the Day of God’s judgment on the nations. Every few years we see “blood moons.” NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, describes their color as “sunset-red” or, as the eclipse progressed, “filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb” (“Colorful Lunar Eclipse,” NASA Science, science.NASA.gov, September 18, 2014). 

This spectacular sight is just a type of the great blood moon yet to come.

The Day of the Lord is a period of one year consisting of seven trumpet judgments or plagues, when God will judge all nations. The first six trumpets are described in Revelation chapters eight and nine. When will this take place? And what is the sequence of events you should be watching? Your Bible reveals the framework of prophecy leading up to the Day of the Lord, Armageddon, and World War III. My friends, what is the solution to mankind’s conflicts and world wars? We should all look forward to the solution to world war. That solution is the coming Kingdom of God. Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10,

“Your Kingdom come.”

Jesus Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to bring lasting peace and prosperity among the nations of this world. We look forward to the Second Coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. 

Three major milestones lead up to the climax of human history and the end of this age. They are: 

1. The Great Tribulation; 

2. The Heavenly Signs;

and

3. The Day of the Lord. 

These three events cover a period of about 3 and one-half years. There are over 30 prophecies in your Bible referring to the Day of the Lord. Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4 show that the Day of the Lord in end-time prophecy, the time preceding the Second Coming, is a period of one year. You might want to write down those references: Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4.

As the Great Tribulation unfolds, the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse will intensify their ride. In the book of Revelation, chapter five, we read of a scroll sealed with seven seals. Jesus, the Revelator, opens the seals to the book. We read the description of those seals in Revelation the sixth chapter. The first four seals are known as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. They are described in Revelation 6:1–8. The first horse, the white horse and its rider, represent false religions, false Christs. Jesus Himself points out the sequence of these end-time events in His Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24. The second seal reveals a horseman, riding a red horse, with the power to take peace from the earth. The third seal presents a rider on a black horse, representing the scarcity of food and resulting famine. The fourth seal shows a rider on a pale horse, representing death and pestilence. These four horsemen have power to kill major portions of earth’s population. As it tells us in Revelation 6:8, 

“And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Yes, there has always been war, famine, and pestilence. But you and I will see the four horsemen of the apocalypse intensify their ride, with unprecedented global impact. Then the fifth seal describes an end-time persecution of the saints. Then Jesus opens the sixth seal, revealing the heavenly signs that will terrify people all over the earth.

The Trumpets Heralding God’s Wrath

The Great Tribulation lasts for two-and-a-half years. Then God sends the cosmic disturbances or the heavenly signs. The Day of the Lord follows the heavenly signs and brings God’s judgment on the nations for a period of one year.

What happens during that year-long period of judgment? Revelation 8 and 9 describe six of the seven trumpet plagues. A major key to understanding the book of Revelation is that there are seven seals, seven trumpet events, and seven last plagues or bowls. Simply stated, as you can see on this chart, the seventh seal consists of seven trumpet events. The seventh trumpet consists of the seven last plagues, including the final battle between good and evil referred to as Armageddon.

What happens during the Day of the Lord? Let’s read what happens when the Lamb, Jesus Christ, opens the seventh seal. Turn in your Bible to Revelation, the eighth chapter. Let’s understand. The seventh seal represents the Day of the Lord and the events taking place in that one year period. This is very important. Why? Because these events lead up to the greatest event ever to occur in history, the Second Coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Revelation 8:1,

“When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets” (Revelation 8:1–2).

These seven trumpets represent God’s judgments on the nations. The first four disrupt the ecology and environment. Notice the subheads summarizing these judgments in verses 7 through 13:

“First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck.” “Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck.” “Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck.” And the “Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck.”

These trumpet plagues, as they are called, will bring devastation on the earth. Nations will cry out for basic necessities that will disappear from their lands, lakes, and rivers.

Three trumpet plagues remain, Revelation 8:13. The Apostle John writes what he sees and hears in vision:

“And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”

The last three trumpet plagues are called woes. The word “woe” is an exclamation of grief! The first woe or the fifth trumpet plague is described in chapter nine. The fifth angel sounds a trumpet that begins a military action that lasts five months. And what power supports that military action? Revelation 9:11,

“And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.” 

Yes, the destroyer, Satan the devil, gives power to this military force. The second woe, or the sixth trumpet plague, is pictured with symbols of horses and horsemen. Here we see an intense military counter-attack. Revelation 9:12,

“One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. 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.’”

An army of 200 million drives west across the Euphrates River and destroys one third of the earth’s population. Revelation 9:15,

“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; I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a THIRD OF MANKIND was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.”

This phase of World War III will kill billions of people. Jesus said in Matthew 24:22, that unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved—otherwise, all life on earth would be destroyed.

Judgment Upon Mankind’s Sins

Our Lord reveals the sequence of events leading up to His Second Coming. My friends, I hope you are praying daily as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:10,

“Your kingdom come.”

While this seventh trumpet announcement will be good news to you and me, rebellious nations will reject that announcement and even fight against Christ at His coming. Revelation 11:15,

“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

The heavenly beings praise God at this glorious announcement, but notice the response of earthly nations. Revelation 11:16,

“And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: ‘We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

The seventh trumpet also introduces God’s final wrathful judgment on rebellious nations. This judgment period executes “the wrath of the Lamb.” As it tells us in Revelation 6:17,

“For the great day of His wrath has come….”

The seventh trumpet concludes this year-long Day of the Lord with seven final judgments. Revelation 15:1,

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.”

Revelation the 16^th chapter describes these final judgment plagues. The Apostle John writes,

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth’” (Revelation 16:1).

For the sake of time, I’ll just list the plagues as titled in the New King James Version of the Bible of the Bible:

First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken

You might think people would respond to God’s correction and repent. But no;

“And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory” (Revelation 16:9).

The rebellious nations of planet earth will be angry. After the Euphrates River is dried up, armies will gather at Megiddo in northern Israel to fight what is commonly called the Battle of Armageddon. You can read about that in Revelation 16:12–16. Yes, the climax of World War III is already foretold. The King of kings Himself gives us this admonition and blessing:

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15).

Yes, my friends, keep watching world news for prophetic events. Learn the sequence of prophetic events and stay spiritually awake.

And what will be the result of that climactic battle of all time? It’s called the battle of that great day of God Almighty in Revelation 12:14. The kings of the earth join the symbolic Beast at Armageddon. The Beast superpower will be a revival of the ancient Roman Empire, as we’ve explained in previous programs. Their judgement is already determined in this amazing prophecy. Turn in your Bible to Revelation 17:12:

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

Yes, genuine Christians will be with the King of kings. And, yes, they will escape the Day of the Lord judgments on the nations. My friends, some of you watching this program may have come to the place in your life where you want to make a dramatic change and live a new life, repenting of your past sins and accepting Christ’s shed blood for the forgiveness of your sins. The Apostle Peter addressed thousands of worshippers in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD. Read that in your own Bible in Acts 2. The mobs of people had been complicit in the crucifixion of Christ and they were cut to the heart in response to Peter’s message. They asked Peter and the apostles,

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Listen to Peter’s answer that is just as urgent for us today:

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

If you have studied your Bible enough to understand repentance and the commitment to obey your Savior and the Bible’s requirements, we have representatives in many regions around the world. Just call the number on the screen or contact us at one of our regional offices listed in Tomorrow’s World magazine or on TomorrowsWorld.org website.

Will you be with Christ at His coming as one of those who are “called, chosen, and faithful”?

Armageddon—And Beyond…

More than 30 prophecies in your Bible refer to the Day of the Lord. We’ve seen the future devastation that comes from world war. Thankfully, at the conclusion of the Day of the Lord, the seventh trumpet announces the good news of Christ’s takeover of world governments. Turn in your Bible to Revelation 19. Revelation 19:11, the Apostle John writes,

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11–16).

The nations will respond to Christ’s announced coming with anger, as it tells us in Revelation 11:18. When Christ returns to this earth, He’ll conquer his enemies. He’ll conquer the nations and their powerful armies that fight against Him at His coming. The Day of the Lord will bring God’s judgment on the nations. As we’ve seen, in one sense the Day of the Lord is the year preceding the return of Christ. In another sense, it continues on through the millennium and on out to eternity. 

The Apostle Peter describes it this way. 2 Peter 3:10,

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10–13).

Thank you for watching. To understand the prophetic events leading up to the Day of the Lord, order your free CD titled “The Day of the Lord” by clicking the link in the description. Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video. See you next time!

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

The Biggest Gamble

Are you betting for, or against God’s existence? Think about it. You may not consider yourself a gambler, but how you live your life is the greatest gamble you will ever take. Either God does exist, or He doesn’t. And if He does exist, how far will you go to live according to His will? Will you go “all in” with God? Or will you draw a line in the sand and say, “Thus far and no further”?

These are questions that we would do well to consider, as we are, by the way that we live our lives, betting on the answers to these important questions. Join me here at Tomorrow’s World where we’ll do some serious self-examination.

Does Your Faith Go “All the Way”?

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World where we tackle the big questions of life, and today I’m asking, “How far will you go to obey God—all the way, or are you drawing a line in the sand.” Are you betting for or against God’s existence? Your actions tell more than what you profess.

None of us has seen God face to face, yet billions profess to believe in some form of God. But how real is He to you? Are you so certain of His existence that you are willing to put it all on the line? To put it another way, if you are familiar with poker, are you “all in?” Now lest anyone misunderstands, I’m not promoting the gambling industry, but the fact is that you are, by your choices, by your decisions, by your day by day actions, making a very real wager on the existence, or non-existence of God. And when it comes to the God of the Bible, you must be “all in.” So says Jesus in Luke 14:26:

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate [meaning to love to a lesser degree by comparison] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26).

You have no doubt seen the bumper sticker using various religious symbols to spell out the word “COEXIST.” That’s a wonderful platitude, but what does it mean? Is this taking God seriously, or mere virtue signaling? Is it not saying, “All religions are equal, so let’s just get along?” We should get along, but is it true, that exactly what we believe when it comes to God, does not matter? Not according to the Judeo-Christian God! The very first of the Ten Commandments emphatically states,

You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3).

And Jesus proclaimed,

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

When the Apostles Peter and John were hauled before the religious leaders of their day for teaching in the name of Jesus, Peter boldly told them that they were guilty of rejecting the Messiah and there was no other path to salvation.

This is the “stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.” Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12).

My guess is that most viewers of this program are at least nominal believers in Christ, but how solid is your belief, and how far are you willing to take it? Consider the following.

The Bible tells us that a man named Jesus, walked the rugged hills of Israel about two thousand years ago. He claimed He came from God and was returning to Him. He was tortured and murdered on a stake, and hundreds of witnesses claimed they saw Him after being resurrected to life once again. Further, Jesus proclaimed that He is coming back to rule over all the earth and give rulership to a group of individuals who in this life are called, chosen, and faithful.

Now let’s be honest. That is a lot to accept. Even His closest followers, who saw all His miracles, and were mentored by Him for three-and-a-half years had difficulty accepting the resurrection. Thomas, one of His disciples, said in effect, “Show me the evidence.”

Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe (John 20:25).

This is in John 20:25. This clearly shows that Thomas was convinced of His death. There was no question of that being faked. Of course, once Jesus appeared to him, Thomas did believe. But there’s a message in this for all of us when we read how the conversation continued in verse 29.

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

So what about you? Do you believe, having not seen Him? Just how far are you willing to go with your belief? Will you put Him first above all else, as we read earlier? Or will you draw a line and say, “no further”? Sadly, most professing Christians are drawing lines in the sand, by reasoning around clear statements of scripture to avoid going against human traditions.

Our actions declare the depth of our conviction. It’s easy to profess belief in God, but the choices we make often tell a very different story. The example of ancient Israel entering into a covenant with God can be instructive. Notice in Exodus 19:7–8:

So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD (Exodus 19:7–8).

That was their profession—they would obey. But to what degree did they do so when confronted with difficult choices? Would they trust God or trust themselves? Every student of the Bible knows that ancient Israel failed miserably when it came to obeying God, but what was the root cause of their problem?

Is Seeing REALLY Believing?

Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:17–19).

How easy it is to profess belief, but to follow that belief with actions is something else. Even Jesus’ disciples failed to grasp His statements that He would die and be resurrected after three days and three nights in the grave. This is surprising, given the fact that they knew that others had been resurrected.

It was not as though a resurrection from the dead had never occurred before. Jesus’ disciples knew the account of the man who came back to life when let down into the grave of Elisha. You can read of that in 2 Kings 13:21. And they knew scriptures that prophesied a resurrection from the dead. Such as:

Job 14:14–15

Psalm 17:15

and Daniel 12:1–2

But reading about something that happened a long time ago, or hearing about something that will happen way off in the future, is not the same as experiencing something today. And even experiencing something in one’s lifetime quickly fades from one’s memory. For example, Jesus’ disciples knew a man who was resurrected from the dead just a short time prior to the crucifixion.

Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had died and Jesus came to the tomb where he was laid. We pick up the account in John 11:39:

Jesus said, “Take ye away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days” (John 11:39, King James Version).

That’s from the King James Version. Then we read in verses 43 and 44,

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Now that must have been quite a sight. But did it really happen? The resurrection of Lazarus created quite a stir among the people in Judah. And even Jesus’ detractors could not deny it. Notice what we read a little bit later in John 12:9–11:

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus (John 12:9–11).

In spite of this, Jesus’ own disciples had difficulty believing in Jesus’ own resurrection. It might be due to a fundamental difference. They were there when Jesus called Lazarus forth out of the tomb. They saw many other miracles performed by Jesus, but when the miracle worker is killed, who to look to then? Jesus came to reveal the Father to them, but Jesus they saw—no one had ever seen the Father, as it tells us in John the first chapter, and verse 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 (John 1:18).

Jesus performed many other miracles. He healed all kinds of diseases, cast out demons, turned water into wine, calmed a stormy sea, and walked on water. Many people were still alive and remembered these miracles when the gospel accounts were written. They knew these things happened. And even the contentious Pharisees had to admit these miracles of healing were real, as seen by this confession from Nicodemus, found in John 3:2:

This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).

So the questions remain. Do you believe these miracles happened? Do you believe there is an all-powerful God who is working with mankind on this small planet, which orbits an average sized star—one of tens of billions in our galaxy, and only one galaxy among the currently estimated one to two trillion galaxies that make up our universe?

Truly, we ought to wonder as King David did when he looked up at the night sky and mused,

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? [That’s from Psalm 8:3–4].

Now that dear friends, is a question of great magnitude. If God does exist, what is His plan for you and for me? We must know, and know that we know, that we are the result of an incredible mind, a great Creator God. And if we do truly believe, that belief should shape our decisions.

Are Miracles Enough? What “Proof” would Convince You?

Most of us think that we would believe if only we could see a miracle, but that is a fallacy, not backed by the facts. The children of Israel saw miracle after miracle. They escaped through the Red Sea, and they were fed supernaturally with manna, but the miracle of manna was far greater than most comprehend. For forty years it came six days every week, but never on the seventh day. Clearly, God was teaching them a lesson regarding one of His Ten Commandments. But have we learned that lesson?

Miracles are like food and water. They survive in our minds for only a short period of time, until the next challenge appears. Those who rely on miracles, must have miracle after miracle to replenish their hunger. This is not to say that miracles are not important, and we read of many of them in the Bible. And perhaps you’ve even experienced one. And, in fact all of us have, as life itself is a miracle, if we will only open our eyes. As Paul tells us in Romans 1:20,

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20).

King David wrote in Psalm 139:13 and 14, when considering his own existence,

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. (Psalm 139:13–14).

Think about it. Does your soul know that very well? Faith is elusive. It must not be blind, but our nature is such that the evidence of miracles never lasts.

It is natural to think of the early Church as having great faith, unlike today. And that may be true, but perhaps not to the degree we imagine. A rather humorous account is found when Peter was put in prison. Herod was fully set on executing him, as he had recently done with the Apostle James. Many were gathered together praying for Peter’s release from an otherwise certain death, but God sent an angel to rescue him. And when Peter arrived after this miraculous escape, those praying for a miracle couldn’t seem to accept that one was there at the front gate. Notice it:

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary...where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished (Acts 12:11–16).

Are you and I any different from those dedicated people? Would we be astonished in a similar situation?

Prove God is Real to You

I’ll show you why it is impossible to please God without living faith. And that is not an opinion, but a statement of scripture. Hebrews 11 is known as the faith chapter, and in it we read this profound statement that we would all do well to consider. Here it is 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 (Hebrews 11:6).

Why is this so? An examination of this chapter reveals that everyone listed in it had the kind of faith that generated actions. We read of Noah, who built a huge boat to preserve life through a worldwide flood--his neighbors most likely mocking him, until the flood swept them away. Abraham obeyed God when he left his comfortable home to go to a land where he would be a stranger, and he trusted that God would give him a son in his old age. Then there was Moses that we read of in verses 24–27:

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24–27).

Notice that each of these individuals did more than profess faith. They acted on faith. Which one of us would have done the same? Now some may think, “Well if God spoke to me directly I would.” But isn’t that what He is doing through His word, the Bible? Or do you believe that?

While God spoke directly to some in dreams and visions, many others down through the ages only had the written word of God to cling to. And not all were rescued, as we read in verses 37–40:

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us (Hebrews 11:37–40).

God was real to them. And if God is real to us and we truly believe there is a reward for obeying Him, we too will keep His commandments. Do you, dear friend, keep the weekly Sabbath, as spoken of in Genesis 2, as commanded along with the other Ten Commandments, and as God revealed to Israel for forty years by withholding the manna each seventh day? Or do you follow the traditions of men and choose the day that Constantine decided for the church? Do you observe the same annual days that Jesus, His Apostles, and first century Christians kept? Or do you follow human traditions of pagan holidays with the name of Christ slapped on them? Do you do what Jesus said to do in Matthew 19:17, where he said

[B]ut if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Or do you compromise so as not to create waves on the job or within your family? Remember Jesus’ sobering words found in Matthew the 10th chapter:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to “Set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law”; and “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me (Matthew 10:34–38).

Now that my dear friends, is where the rubber meets the road. Are you putting Christ first in everything? Are you putting it all on the line? Or are you drawing a line in the sand and saying, by your actions, I’ll go so far, but no further?

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our booklet The Real God: Proofs and Promises (it’s free of charge, of course), click the link in the description. See you next time.