Have you ever picked up a
newspaper to read the headlines, only to realize that the headline and
accompanying story was of something that was still future?
Probably not. Most of what we read, and see and hear, is
reporting of events that have already happened. Indeed, our
lives, our perceptions, and even our whole being are geared to
understand those things which have already taken place, and to discard
input regarding things to come. The things of the future are
considered to be hidden from our senses.
The Bible,
however, has much to say about things to come. In fact, most
of the Bible speaks of things that were considered future events when
written, as well as things that are considered future events now in the
twentieth century. We must remember that Yahuweh is the author
of the Bible, and as such has “in-breathed” the
words that mortal men have written on the manuscripts down through the
passage of time. Yahuweh has stated that He knows the end,
even from the beginning, and that He will reveal those future events to
mankind.
This brings us to the subject of what is
known as “Bible Prophecy.” Many have
heard a statement, a Bible verse quoted here or there, or even a whole
system of events, that are purported to be from the Bible, and which
describe things that are to come. One Bible teacher says this
thing will happen, one says that, and another says still another thing,
all of them at odds with each other about what the Bible states of
future events. Has Yahuweh left it to men to figure it out for
themselves? Has Yahuweh given us Thirty-one Flavors of His
Word, so that we might pick and choose what suits our fancy at the
moment? Or, has it all happened already, has all Bible
Prophecy been fulfilled already, with nothing left that is considered
future? We shall see, and learn in this writing, how we might
discern for ourselves what is true concerning things to come.
What is Understanding?Perhaps
the most misunderstood subject in all the Bible is the subject of
future events. There is a logical reason for this
misunderstanding. Yahuweh has revealed in the Scriptures that
first, He holds men's eyes closed, and opens them. Second, Yahuweh
has said that certain men would be given understanding concerning the
times, and that
others would not. This understanding of the times begins first with the understanding of the Scriptures. We will start with the following passage:
Then opened he
their understanding, that they might understand the
scriptures…(Luke 24:45) Here we see that
it is Yahushua Himself that must first open our understanding, in order that
we may begin to understand the Scriptures. No seminary, no Bible
School, no instruction can ever give understanding of the
Scriptures. We may gain a head knowledge of what the Bible
says, but we gain no understanding until Yahushua opens our
understanding.
There are abundant Scripture verses
that tell us where this understanding of the Scriptures comes from, and
also the causes for lack of spiritual understanding. First,
let list a few of many Scripture verses, so that we may observe where
understanding comes from:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God. (Romans 3:11) In the above passage, we see that understanding
comes by seeking Yahuweh.
God
looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were
any that did understand, that did seek God. (Psalms 53:2) We
see again that understanding comes by seeking Yahuweh.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a
good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise
endureth for ever. (Ps
111:10) In the above passage, we see that understanding is had
by those that are do-ers of the Yahuweh's commandments.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea,
I shall observe it with my whole heart. (Ps
119:34) Here we
see that understanding is "given" by Yahuweh.
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me
understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. (Ps
119:73) In the above passage, we see again that understanding is given by Yahuweh, for the purpose of learning His Commandments.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for
thy testimonies are my meditation. (Ps
119:99) Here we see that understanding
comes from meditating on Yahuweh’s testimonies.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep
thy precepts. (Ps
119:100) In the above passage, we see that understanding is given because of
keeping Yahuweh’s precepts - His Word.
Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I
hate every false way. (Ps
119:104) Here we see that it is through Yahuweh's precepts that understanding is gained, as well as a hatred for what is false.
I am thy
servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy
testimonies. (Ps 119:125) In the above passage, we see that understanding is given, in order for
Yahuweh’s testimonies to be known.
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple. (Ps
119:130) Here we see that understanding
comes from Yahuweh’s Words entering our mind and heart.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh
knowledge and understanding. (Prov
2:6) In the above passage, we see that understanding is
given, and it comes from Yahuweh’s mouth - from the words He
has spoken.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. (Prov
3:5) In the above passage, we see that our own understanding is
to be avoided, and we are not to lean on it -- or depend on it.
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a
man of understanding walketh uprightly. (Prov
15:21) Here we see that whoever
has understanding walks uprightly.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to
get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! (Prov
16:16) In the above passage, we see
that understanding is most valuable, and of the highest priority.
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the
LORD understand all things. (Prov
28:5) Here we see that understanding of
judgment is not had by those that Yahuweh considers evil.
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said
unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: (Mark
7:14)
In the above passage, we see that understanding comes from hearkening unto Yahushua - by
diligently hearing and obeying what He says!
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding
in all things. (2Tim
2:7) We see that understanding is given by the Lord
when we carefully consider what the Apostle Paul says. This is especially true of the following passages spoken by Paul:
"...For I delight in the law of God after the inward man...." (Rom 7:22)
"...Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore
let us keep the feast..." (1Co
5:7b-8a)
"And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." (Acts 18:4)
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and
heard, and seen in me, (you) do...." (Php 4:9)
From
the foregoing verses, we see that understanding is given by
Yahuweh,
as we meditate in His Word, and as we hearken diligently, and as we
obey what He has said. Understanding is also given to those who
consider carefully what the Apostle Paul has said. The one
who has understanding is a "do-er" of the commandments of
Yahuweh; the one Yahuweh considers "evil" does not keep the Commandments of Yahuweh, and therefore that one has no understanding of
judgment.
Understanding the TimesLet us now turn our attention to one
particular aspect of understanding - that part that has to do with
"things to come" - that of understanding of the times. In the
history of Israel, where Scripture speaks of the whole of
Yahuweh’s people, there was a certain group that had
understanding of the times:
And of the children of
Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know
what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all
their brethren were at their
commandment.
(1Chronicles 12:32) Notice here that this
understanding of the times was not for the purpose of selling Bible
Prophecy books and tapes, or for pleading for gifts, tithes and
offerings. The purpose of this "understanding of the times" was
so that they would know what Israel ought to do! And notice
this one thing. With two hundred heads (leaders) of them,
they were able to arrive at an agreement as to what Israel ought to
do! As a result, all their brethren were at their
commandment. Their brothers listened to what they said, and
were obedient! Beloved, is this where the greater Church is
today? Are the leaders in harmony about the times, and what
the Church should do?
If all our Church
leaders claim to be hearing from Yahuweh regarding the times, and what
the people of Yahuweh should do, why aren’t they as the sons
of Issachar, and all in agreement? Again, the Word of Yahuweh
tells us why. The Apostle Paul has told us that in our day, even
as then, men will be:
Without understanding,
covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful… (Romans 1:31) The leaders of today are not in agreement because these leaders are without understanding - they are not being "do-ers" of Yahuweh's word - they are "covenant breakers."
But surely, with so many fine Pastors,
Bible Teachers, Bible Prophecy Teachers, as well as Apostles, Prophets,
and Evangelists, surely they all have understanding of the
Scriptures! Well, Beloved of the Lord, why don’t
they agree with one another? Why don’t they see eye
to eye? Again, the Lord tells us why:
Yea, they
are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds
that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for
his gain, from his quarter. (Isaiah 56:11) Do you see what Yahuweh says is their problem, their motive? “Oh, but our pastor is not
among these evil men. He is a very loving
man.” Perhaps. Whatever your leaders are,
as you follow, you will become. If he falls into a ditch, so
will you. If you are serious about your future, it behooves
you to know whom you are following. We shall look further to
see what Yahuweh has to say about the matter of understanding.
We
must narrow our focus even more, from that of understanding of the
times, to understanding of its companions -- items of wisdom, of the Fear of
Yahuweh, and of Judgment. We first show several verses from the
prophet Jeremiah, who is telling Yahuweh’s people Israel what
their sins are, so that they might repent, thus restoring their
fellowship with Yahuweh. In the verses that follow, let us
discern any connection between these ideas of wisdom, understanding,
times, judgment, and the keeping of Yahuweh’s Word:
Yea,
the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and
the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my
people know not the judgment of the LORD. How do ye say, We
are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain
made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men
are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the
word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? (Jeremiah 8:7-9)
Whoso
keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's
heart discerneth both time and judgment. (Ecclesiastes 8:5)
The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have
all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for
ever. (Psalms 111:10) We
see from the above verses that the various birds’
knowledge of the times is contrasted with Israel’s knowing of
judgment. In spite of their claim that they had the Law ("Torah"),
the word of Yahuweh, and claimed to be wise, Israel did not know her
"appointed times" as the stork knows hers. However, we see that
wisdom in a man’s heart enables him to
discern both time and judgment, and is related to the keeping of the
commandment. Last, we see that the fear of the Lord, and
wisdom, is associated with understanding and the doing of
Yahuweh’s commandments.
What is
the connection here? Does the Lord show us in Scripture how
this wisdom, or understanding of the times, is related to the doing of
Yahuweh’s commandments? Let us look at a verse in
the book of Esther:
Then the king said to the wise
men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all
that knew law and judgment…(Esther 1:13) In
this passage we see a view of one of the personifications of Yahushua - the King. Notice that the king “said” to
the wise men, that knew the times. The wise men knew, or
understood the times - because the King spoke to them.
Beloved, this is how men know the times today: The King
"speaks" to them. There is no other way for a man to know the
truth of the times - of things to come - unless the King speaks to
him!
But notice that the King did not speak to just
anyone. It was the King's manner to speak to "all that knew law and
judgment." This word 'knew' means practice or experience of
'doing' of law and judgment, of keeping the law and judgments of
Yahuweh. We see then in this verse that the 'doing' of law and
judgment resulted in the King speaking to them, and that is where they
acquired their "understanding of the times."
Understanding: to Know and LoveLet us
now look at the last two aspects of understanding, the aspects of
Yahuweh’s purpose and of our motives. We see in the
following verse Yahuweh’s purpose for giving us understanding:
And
we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true… (1John
5:20) We see here the main purpose that Yahuweh
gives us understanding - that we may know Him. However, we
must have the same purpose and motive - the desire to know Yahushua, and the Father
- if we are to receive that understanding. Our purpose must be that of Yahushua:
"...because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30b) Yahushua's purpose was to seek the Father's will in His life. This should likewise be our purpose. We should note
carefully that our motives are revealed in the last purpose that Yahuweh
has for giving us understanding - the purpose of love:
And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and
all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. (1Corinthians 13:2) Here,
the word charity, or love, is the Greek word agàpe, which
denotes love that originates in the heart of Yahuweh. We may
learn much of this subject of agàpe love from the Apostle
John, who loved Yahushua, and from the words of Yahushua Himself:
If
ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:
and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him. (John
14:21)
If ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments,
and abide in his love. (John
15:10)
By this we know that we
love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments. (1John 5:2)
For
this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous. (1John
5:3)
And this is love, that we walk
after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard
from the beginning, ye should walk in it. (2John
1:6) The verses listed above show, from
Yahuweh’s perspective, and from His definition, what
agàpe love is. All of the verses above reveal what
practical means Yahuweh uses to measure our degree of love for Him, as
well as our degree of love for the brethren.
Knowing Him: The Test The issue of
love is closely related to the issue of knowing Yahushua.
Notice the similarity of Yahuweh’s measure of our love for
Him, in the above verses, to Yahuweh’s measure of our knowing
Him, in the following:
And hereby we do know that we
know him, if we keep his
commandments. (1John 2:3)
He
that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.
(1John 2:4) So, we see from the above that in order
to love Yahuweh, and to know Him, one must choose to keep
Yahuweh’s Commandments. We have seen also that the
giving of understanding is for the purpose of knowing Yahuweh.
We have seen that it is when Yahuweh speaks to wise men, who know, or
do, law and judgment, that they know the times.
However,
we have not yet reached any conclusions concerning those that claim
understanding of the times, but have none. The answer may lie
in the understanding of what Yahushua tells us about iniquity:
And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity. (Matthew
7:23) In the above verse, Yahushua is telling us of a time
in which those professing to know Him will be told that not only did
Yahushua "never know" them, but why - because they were workers of
iniquity. In this verse, the word for iniquity is the Greek
word anomia, which means a state or condition of being without law, or
of transgression of the Law of Yahuweh. Yahuweh also has said
this about that state of lawlessness:
Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression
of the law. (1John 3:4) Beloved, did you notice? There are people that think that they "know" Yahushua, but
they do not. Instead they will be told they are workers of
iniquity, that they are among those that 'transgress the Law' of
Yahuweh. According to the earlier verses we read, it is the
measure of the Transgression of the Law of Yahuweh - the measure of
keeping His Commandments - that men will be judged as to whether they love
Yahuweh, or know Him.
Love Grown Cold: The Test There
is a day coming, we are
told, and is now here, when we shall see iniquity, the transgression of
the Law of Yahuweh-- the failure to keep Yahuweh’s
Commandments-- replacing the agàpe love for Yahuweh, and for
the brethren:
And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold. (Matthew 24:12) Brother
and Sister in Messiah, have you seen or experienced this
truth? Is this verse coming true now? Do you see
the connection between the "growing cold" of love - which is the "keeping
of the Commandments" - with the abundance of iniquity, which
is the "forsaking" of the Law of Yahuweh, and the Commandments of
Yahuweh?
Are there any Church leaders
among us that are very gracious and loving men of Yahuweh, but do not
keep Yahuweh’s Commandments, and perhaps have devised
intricate theologies of why we are not supposed to keep
Yahuweh’s Commands? Have your leaders told you,
perhaps, that the Ten Commandments are not the Commandments of Jesus,
or that they are not for us to obey? For we are told of such leaders:
Even
so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full
of hypocrisy and iniquity. (Matthew 23:28) There
is that word iniquity again, the Greek word anomia, that tells the real
truth of our actions, and of our love for Yahuweh and for the Brethren.
When
Yahuweh begins to bring to completion His plan and His judgments, there
will be a widespread panic among the people of Messiah - a panic to forsake the
multitudes of pastors, prophets and priests, full of iniquity and hypocrisy,
that have been leading Yahuweh’s people astray. The
panic will be an attempt to find those who are true Men of
Understanding. For it will be said of that time, which is
almost upon us, that
…they that understand
among the people shall instruct
many… (Daniel 11:33)
Many
shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand. (Daniel 12:10) Beloved,
you have now begun to have an understanding, a discerning, of things to
come. You have begun to be among the Men of Understanding.
But you must continue seeking, and searching-- and being a
"do-er" of what Father reveals-- in order to grow in
understanding.
The Men of Understanding will be the "first" of things to
come. These are they who, while obeying the Commandments of
the King, are hearing the voice of the King speaking to them --
revealing to them the secrets of the Kingdom - and of things to come.
|