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Knowing God | Tracy White

Why do some church-goers never become Christians? Or why do some unbelievers quickly hear the gospel and ask to become a Christian, being baptized for the remission of sins, only to fall away so quickly, never even returning to the assembly of the church? Perhaps the answer is - they do not know God. This study is designed to help teach you who God is and about His attributes. After all, this is our contention: God is perfect; there is nothing not to love about God; therefore the more you know about God, the more you are going to love Him.

Read this short message from Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica regarding the importance of knowing God as equivalent to obeying the gospel - potentially even of greater importance since he mentions ‘knowing God’ first: 2 Thessalonians 1: 7-8 “…The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

The Parousia of Jesus Christ in the New Testament has been presented by most English translations as a reference to the second coming or advent of Jesus. However, Greek-English Interlinear works, including other literal translation efforts, more commonly replace the Greek nown, parousia, with the English term, presence. The outcome of this seemingly small change is drastic and dramatic. Christ is revealed as much closer than generally perceived, having received the right-hand seat of authority in heaven where He reigns Sovereign over all things in heaven and on earth. This series will re-examine many texts of the Greek New Testament in light of their original source in the Hebrew Old Testament. The end result will be a fresh reading of the several texts discussing the parousia of Jesus Christ, revealing Him as the present and active King of kings and Lord of lords.

There is significant importance in understanding when the books of the Bible were written; this is especially true for Revelation. Since the world is no longer privileged to possess the dated, autographed version of Revelation as penned by John, we are left to evaluate the evidence, both external and internal, to assign the most probable date of writing. Most scholars date Revelation in 95/96 AD and thus state its contextual meaning is undoubtedly about the end of the world. But what if the evidence proves it was written before 70 AD? If so, we have a doorway of possibility that John could have been prophesying about another significant event much closer in time to his writing - such as the end of Judaism following the destruction of Jerusalem, in 70 AD.

This study breaks down Old Testament and New Testament passages to prove the Miraculous had a very specific duration.  Joel 2:28-32 connects the out pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in AD 30, with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70; a forty-year period of time when God showed miracles to the infant church and then destroyed unbelieving Judaism. 

The same occurred upon the infant nation of Israel.  After crossing the Red sea and rejecting the promised land, God led the unbelieving children of Israel around the Sinai Peninsula for forty years.  During this time, while God waited for that generation to perish, He confirmed Himself as God to His people by providing miraculously for the wandering Israelites.

During the forty years between AD 30 – AD 70, God once again provided miracles.  The purpose of the miraculous this time was to sustain the infant church against Jewish persecution, to confirm the words spoken by the apostles, and to confirm who the true people of God really were – disciples of Christ, Christians.  The Jews rejected Jesus; they had him crucified on a cross because he blasphemed Himself to be God.  Yet, when the temple fell in AD 70, Judaism was proven to be a Godless religion – a dead corpse removed from the face of the land. 

The church, however, was securely established; the written word was complete and required no further confirmation; Jesus was revealed officially and forever as the true God of heaven and earth, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  For all these reasons, Christians since AD 70 no longer needed the miraculous for sustenance or confirmation; we have a King, and the church is His bride, married to the Lamb.  

To prepare our minds to understand the context of John’s Revelation, we must first understand Apocalyptic literature.  Apocalyptic literature is not factual reporting, but rather, it is a special kind of literary work, filled with symbolism and figurative imagery.  Noted for its highly symbolic content, the Revelation of Jesus Christ is commonly referred to as the climax or crown of Biblical Apocalyptic.  This study evaluates Old Testament symbolism to help answer many of the questions in Revelation’s apocalyptic literature.

Verbal Plenary Inspiration is not a phrase typically taught in schoolhouse vocabulary, but teaching this phrase in your church-house will help people know they can trust that the Word of God is truth.  Jesus said, “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17); yes, true down to every “jot and tittle.”