The MP3 Bible

One of the most technologically advanced versions of the Bible is an MP3 Bible. For those of you who do not know what an MP3 is, it stands for MPEG Audio Layer 3. It is a digital audio technology that allows you to compress music or sound files into much smaller files with little or no loss of sound quality. It is able to do this by removing inaudible information from the file. You can store MP3s on your computer and upload and download them over the Internet, which means they can be listened to on a variety of different media, including CD players, iPods and MP3 players, or right on the default media player of your personal computer.

To give you an idea of how much compression takes place using the MP3 format, consider this: An Audio Bible narrated and recorded onto CD's takes about 60 audio CDs to record. This is about 72 hours of recorded narration. In contrast, the MP3 Bible only requires two to four MP3 CD-ROMs to hold the entire MP3 Bible. This can then be uploaded or downloaded to your playing device. This technology makes it extremely easy to transport and use Bible MP3s at conferences, retreats, catechism classes where children’s Bible stories are played, evangelism and outreach programs, and listening groups. Well-known pastors sometimes record the Podcasts themselves and they often contain short dramatizations of the Bible or homilies related to the weekly readings.

Since many cultures in developing parts of the world have never heard the Word of the God or ever had a chance to hold a copy of Bible in their hands, MP3 Bibles are one of the best new ways to share the scriptures with them. Many volunteer organizations will bring MP3 Bibles and other audio Bible formats to villages and play them for a large group. When used in conjunction with printed Bibles, children and villagers who have not learned to read can follow along and begin learning written words. Right now there are audio Bibles for hundreds of different languages, and new translations are being worked on as we speak.

Whether you prefer reading the Bible, listening to Bible MP3 recordings at home or at the gym, you have many new opportunities to incorporate the Bible into your life and the lives of others around you. You can even donate MP3 Bibles to those less fortunate to help evangelize the Good Word and spread the teachings of Jesus to other cultures in countries far from your own.

See all of the MP3 Bibles at http://www.thebiblesource.com/categories.php?c=32

Which Church Is The True Church Of God?

by: Britt Gillette

Which church is the one true church of God? This is one of most debated questions in human history. While searching for truth, many people have struggled with this question. Literally thousands of churches, denominations, and religious organizations throughout the world and throughout history have laid claim to the title “the one true church of God.” Even today, many people remain convinced their denomination is the anointed one of God. As a result, it’s not difficult to see how people can easily become frustrated in regard to this question.

So how does a person searching for truth find the one true church? With so many options – Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and literally thousands of alternatives, the average Christian can not reasonably be expected to examine the tenets of each and every one. Yet each of these groups harbors a certain number of adherents who believe their church is the “one true church of God,” while all other groups are inferior or even outright evil. Some even promote such a declaration as their official position. In light of these circumstances, many will honestly wonder: does a “one true church of God” exist? And if it does, where is it?

To find the answer, one needs to consult the definitive authority on the matter – the bible, the very Word of God Himself. According to the bible, the one true church of God does exist, but it can’t be identified by man-made tradition or human declaration or doctrines or rules. And it doesn’t gather in a single building every Sunday. Such ideas are worldly conceptions of what the church should be.

The one true church of God is comprised of various individuals from every walk of life, who live in a multitude of places stretching from one end of the earth to the other. Each of these individuals is a part of the body of Christ, and the very Spirit of Jesus Christ resides in their hearts.

Christians In Name Only

One of the problems with identifying the one true church of God is that not all people who call themselves Christians are really Christians. The Lord Jesus Himself revealed that on the Day of Judgment, many will claim they lived their lives for Christ but will be exposed as “Christians” in name only:

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)

Who are these people? These are people who use Christ’s name here on earth for their own purposes, be it to acquire fame, wealth, adulation, or some other selfish ambition. Yet these same people actually reject Christ in their hearts.

This passage frightens many true Christians, who begin second-guessing their own standing with God. But such thinking comes from Satan. If you truly believe in Christ and trust in Him, you need not worry about your failure to adhere to some doctrine of which you are unaware. If you believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, who died for your sins, then your salvation is secure. And, in the words of Jesus, you are also part of His church:

“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.’” Matthew 16:16-18 (NLT)

Some say these verses identify the Roman Catholic church as the true church of God. They claim Peter was the first pope, and the Vatican is built upon his final resting place in Rome. But this is a clear misinterpretation of the context and meaning of Jesus’ words.

Jesus didn’t intend to build his church upon Peter, a fallen human being. Rather, He announced He would build it upon this concept:

“You (Jesus) are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”

This is the central truth upon which every person’s faith should be built. It reveals that salvation isn’t found in buildings or church names. Neither is it found in the traditions or the doctrines of man, or through good works or a good heart.

Salvation is found exclusively through Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Everything Must Point to Jesus

For members of the one true church, Jesus is central to all things. Any teaching, belief, tradition, or doctrine that fails to glorify Jesus is false.

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NLT)

Jesus did not say, “This or that church is the way, the truth, and the life.” He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

If you want to call yourself a Christian, Christ must be the basis of your faith, not the pronouncements of a church. In fact, the very definition of the word Christian is “follower of Christ,” and Jesus Himself explicitly stated His criteria for all who wish to follow Him:

“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’” Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)

To be a true Christian, you must replace your own selfish ambition and worldly desires with the will of God. Christ must be the dominate influence in your life, not human traditions. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their insistence that others follow their rigid and burdensome traditions:

“Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.’ Then he said, ‘You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.’” Mark 7:6-9 (NLT)

Living for Christ requires suffering and an unyielding willingness to sacrifice everything that is not of Christ in order to serve Him:

“He said to another person, ‘Come, follow me.’ The man agreed, but he said, ‘Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.’” Luke 9:59-62 (NLT)

Nothing is inherently bad about burying one’s father or saying goodbye to one’s family. However, the true Christian is outfitted with tunnel vision, his eyes focused solely on Jesus Christ. The true Christian doesn’t let worldly pursuits distract from the Lord’s will.

Few stories from the Gospels make this as clear as the story of the rich man who approached Jesus asking how to receive eternal life:

“Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. ‘There is still one thing you haven’t done,’ he told him. ‘Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Mark 10:21-22 (NLT)

This man possessed great earthly wealth, and he allowed his love for this wealth to distract him from what should have been his primary pursuit: the Kingdom of God. If you want to follow Jesus Christ, you must never allow anything else to take priority over His will. That includes church doctrine.

Jesus As High Priest of the Church

The one true church of God is not dependent on a worldly leader as its final authority on spiritual matters. The true church of God gives final authority to its High Priest, Jesus Christ:

“So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.” Hebrews 9:11-12 (NLT)

Only worldly churches seek out human counsel as a final authority. When they do this, one blind man leads another, and they both fall in a ditch.

If this is the case, where can mankind turn for wisdom in a time of confusion?

God has sent us a Counselor, the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit

If earthly organizations are not responsible for salvation, then who are the members of the one true church of God? No matter what worldly church a person attends (if any), the only way they can become members of the one true church of God is if they allow the Holy Spirit to enter their lives. Members of the one true church of God must be born again. Jesus explained this to Nicodemus nearly 2,000 years ago:

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus. ‘How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.’” John 3:3-8 (NLT)

When you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, accepting His blood as payment for your sins, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. You then become part of the Body of Christ, the one true church of God:

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 8:14 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of Christ. It is the means by which He identifies the members of His church:

“It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)

If belonging to Christ requires the Holy Spirit, how can you know for sure if you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit? This is a good question, and it requires a personal examination of your relationship with God.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life will lead to great transformation. Being “born again,” you will become a new creation, meaning the sinful desires of your old life will give way to the desires of Christ. It isn’t necessary to be struck by lightning or to have some Hollywood epiphany. The transformation may be gradual, but it will be noticeable:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit provides wisdom and council to those who listen, and the Holy Spirit gives glory to Christ. This is how you will know if the Holy Spirit is your advisor:

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.” John 16:13-15 (NLT)

Does the Spirit within you glorify Jesus and the Word of God? Does it remind you that you’re a sinner in need of Christ’s saving grace? Does it continually speak to you, directing you to follow God’s commandments and love your neighbor as yourself? If so, this is confirmation that the Spirit of God is within you.

The Holy Spirit also reveals God’s will to members of His church.

“But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, ‘Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit also reminds us of the teachings of Jesus Christ. In this way, we are never without His counsel:

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26 (NLT)

Salvation

Many earthly churches and religious organizations claim to have a monopoly on salvation. But only one path to salvation exists, and it has nothing to do with the doctrines of earthly churches and religious organizations:

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.’ Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13 (NLT)

Salvation is equally available to both Jew and Gentile. Even though they may observe different religious traditions, both are saved when they “call on the name of the Lord.” For salvation comes not from the traditions of man or from his good works, but only from God’s mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ:

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 (NLT)

The ability to wash away sins and give new life through the Holy Spirit is NOT a power enjoyed by self-righteous humans or earthly religious groups. It is the exclusive domain of God Himself:

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)

Earthly religious organizations should never boast of their ability to save souls, because salvation doesn’t come from churches or mosques or synagogues. No earthly organization can take credit for God’s amazing grace. Salvation is a gift from God, bestowed by His saving grace for all who believe in Christ.

Salvation is not a complicated matter. It doesn’t require years of theological study. It doesn’t require good works or religious rituals. No traditions of man are necessary, nor is membership in a religious organization, or weekly attendance in a fancy building.

All that is necessary is a personal relationship with your Creator:

“And this is the way to have eternal life – to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” John 17:3 (NLT)

This relationship is available to everyone willing to trust in Christ – don’t let anyone convince you otherwise! For what man can close a door which God has opened?

Conclusion

Members of the one true church of God live by the laws of God’s Kingdom, not by the human laws of this earthly kingdom. This isn’t an indictment of the churches here on earth, only a reminder that a church is not an end unto itself. A person’s focus should be on Jesus Christ, and a church is worthless unless it aids in furthering this purpose.

The one true church lives through the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of individuals of varying circumstances. Some are rich; some are poor. They are people of many different races, languages, and nations. And they are people of many different religious upbringings, members of many different earthly religious denominations. Some are Catholic. Some are Protestant. Some are neither.

Do you find this concept difficult to accept?

Then ask yourself where your true allegiance lies. Is your ultimate authority a religious group? Or is your ultimate authority Jesus Christ? For a person can only obey one or the other:

“Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?” Romans 6:16 (NLT)

Do you believe the church you attend on Sunday is infallible? Do you believe a particular denomination is the only path to truth and salvation? If so, you’re putting your faith in a human created organization and not Jesus Christ. According to Jesus, this is not the road to Him:

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24 (NLT)

Which is your master? The traditions of man, or Jesus Christ?

Bible Software

by: Robb Capielo

Have you ever thought about how nice it would be if your Bible came with a search engine feature? In our fast-paced world, spending time searching for a bit of information can be maddening. When all you really want to do is find a specific verse or story, flipping through each page of scripture to find it can be time-consuming.

Luckily, it is possible to search through your Bible with just the click of a mouse. Granted, you won't be searching through your paper copy, but you will be flipping through an electronic duplicate. That's right--there is computer software available that makes it possible for you to find the answers you're looking for in just seconds!

The Bible Source carries a range of software for every type of user. Whether you're preparing a sermon for Sunday morning, or simply want to refresh your memory about where a passage is contained, we have the appropriate software for you. You can choose from software that contains only one translation or more than two dozen--the choice is yours.

Give your fingers and eyes a break the next time you need to find something in the Bible--use Bible software. You'll save a lot of time and you may even become more apt to consult the Bible since your searches will be easier. Check out The Bible Source today for all of your electronic Bible needs--you'll find just what you're looking for!

Call us at (888) 743-5593 for more information about our products and services.

http://www.thebiblesource.com/categories.php?c=6

Armageddon: What the Bible Says

by: Britt Gillette

Through the centuries, the human race has been fascinated with the concept of Armageddon. During that time, the word has been separated from its original biblical context. The true meaning of Armageddon has been replaced by the secular concept of humanity destroying itself. The word is now synonymous with nuclear war, natural disasters, impact from a comet or an asteroid, and any number of creatively conjured existential threats. Yet, the bible doesn’t connect a single one of these events with Armageddon.

Even a majority of devout Christians hold erroneous beliefs about Armageddon. Many correctly view Armageddon as the gathering place of the Antichrist and his armies prior to the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ, but they misinterpret the motive of this gathering. A commonly held belief is that these armies gather together at or near Armageddon in order to do battle with each other, or to annihilate the Jewish people. Then, only through the physical intervention of Jesus Christ is humanity saved from either destroying all life or the Jewish people.

But neither of these motives is correct. The Bible clearly states why these armies gather together at Armageddon, and once we realize why, it’s easy to see why most Christians find it difficult to believe.

What Does the Bible Say?

The biblical concept of Armageddon is first introduced by name in the Book of Revelation:

“And they gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place called Armageddon in Hebrew.” Revelation 16:16 (NLT)

Armageddon is the Hebrew name of a geographical location in Israel known as Megiddo. Megiddo is a hill which overlooks the Jezreel valley. It is here where, in the last days, Satan and the Antichrist will gather the world’s rulers for battle. As previously stated, a common misconception is that they gather together to make war against each other. But the passage never says this, and further examination of the context in which this event transpires will make it clear that this is not their motive.

Remember, in the last days, the Antichrist will be ruler over the entire globe:

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

The Antichrist will also be a popular ruler, worshipped for his awesome power:

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?’” Revelation 13:4 (NLT)

In addition, the Antichrist will have total control over the purchase and sale of all goods:

“He required everyone – great and small, rich and poor, slave and free – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.” Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT)

With complete political, religious, and economic power, what army could or would gather for war against the Antichrist? In fact, Revelation 13:4 poses this very question: “Who is able to fight against him?” The bible is clear that the armies at Armageddon do not gather to fight each other. Instead, they are united against a common enemy.

If this is true, who do these armies gather against? The answer can be found throughout the scriptures, beginning with one of the most overlooked prophecies of the bible. Almost everyone can recount the story that led to this prophecy, yet very few remember the prophecy itself.

The Tower of Babel Prophecy

In Genesis Chapter 11, we learn the story of the Tower of Babel:

“At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words. As the people migrated eastward, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began to talk about construction projects. ‘Come,’ they said, ‘let’s make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies – a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world.’

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘If they can accomplish this when they have just begun to take advantage of their common language and political unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and give them different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.’

In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the earth; and that ended the building of the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because it was there that the Lord confused the people by giving them many languages, thus scattering them across the earth.” Genesis 11:1-9 (NLT)

In the sixth verse, God specifically states his reason for scattering the human race and confusing them with different languages. He wants to avoid the inevitable disaster wrought by global government and a common language. Why do these things concern Him? Because if they continue unabated, in due time, “nothing will be impossible for them!” This should be viewed as more than a passing comment by God. It should be interpreted as a prophecy of things to come. And in the last days, mankind will fulfill all the requirements of this prophecy. They will have:

Political Unity

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

United Purpose

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:4 (NLT)

The global government featured in the Book of Revelation will unify humanity politically for the first time since the days of ancient Babylonia. Thousands of years after God put a stop to this act of monumental arrogance, humanity will once again establish a unified political structure under the rule of the Antichrist.

So what does this mean? What will happen as a result of this global government? Something so bad, God put a stop to it the moment He saw it happening. The human race will directly challenge God. After all, what was the motive in building the Tower of Babel?

“Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies – a monument to our greatness!” Genesis 11:4 (NLT)

The people wanted to build a monument to their own greatness, exalting themselves above God and extending their tower far into heaven with the intent of usurping God’s glory and authority. This desire of the human race did not end with the Tower of Babel. It continues to this day, and it will culminate in one final attempt to usurp the authority of God. This great rebellion will be launched from a place called Armageddon.

The Word of God and Armageddon

The scriptures are clear when it comes to the purpose of Armageddon. The human race will gather its armies at Armageddon in order to do battle with God Almighty:

“These miracle-working demons caused all the rulers of the world to gather for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:14 (NLT)

Three chapters later, we learn more about this gathering:

“Then I saw the beast gathering the kings of the earth and their armies in order to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army.” Revelation 19:19 (NLT)

The gathering at Armageddon is preparation for a war, a war the kings of the earth are plotting against “the one sitting on the horse and his army.” Who is the “one sitting on the horse”? The one sitting on the horse is Jesus Christ.

The armies of the world do not gather to fight each other or to destroy the Jews (although destruction of the Jews is a primary aim of Satan and the Antichrist). Rather, the ultimate purpose of Armageddon is to emancipate the human race from God’s authority. Psalm 2 describes this futile plan:

“Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry. ‘And free ourselves from this slavery.’ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.” Psalm 2:1-4 (NLT)

Notice who the rulers plot against. They don’t plot against each other or Israel. They plot against “the Lord and His Anointed One.” Who is “His Anointed One”? Jesus Christ. The armies of the world actually plot against the Prince of Peace Himself.

In describing the Antichrist, the Book of Daniel confirms this plot:

“From one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and east and toward the glorious land of Israel. His power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly armies, throwing some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling them. He even challenged the Commander of heaven’s armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple.” Daniel 8:9-11 (NLT)

Jesus Christ is the Commander of heaven’s armies, and the Antichrist will have the brazen audacity to challenge Him. This concept is reiterated later in the same chapter:

“At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.” Daniel 8:23-25 (NLT)

This master of intrigue, the Antichrist, will take on the Prince of princes in battle. Like the Tower of Babel generation, his arrogance will extend all the way into the heavens, where he will attempt to usurp the glory and authority of God Himself. Note that the last verse of this passage states that the power of the Antichrist will not be broken by humans. This illustrates once again that the Antichrist will be the undisputed world power of his time. No one will be able to make war against him. At least no human will be able to make war against him. When the Antichrist engages the Lord Jesus Christ in battle, he will be utterly destroyed.

The Book of Joel provides us with a glimpse of this future time, when the armies of the world will gather to make war with Christ. The human race will severely overestimate its own power, while Jesus Christ tread the winepress of His fierce wrath:

“Say to the nations far and wide: ‘Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors! Let all your fighting men advance for the attack! Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors. Come quickly, all you nations everywhere! Gather together in the valley.’ And now, O Lord, call out your warriors! ‘Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. Now let the sickle do its work, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the winepress because it is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.’” Joel 3:9-13 (NLT)

The End Result of Armageddon

The end result of Armageddon is not quite what the Antichrist and his minions have in mind. The Book of Revelation describes their total destruction at the hands of Jesus Christ, with a valley of dead bodies laid out as a feast for the birds of the world. The beast and the false prophet are captured, and both are thrown into the lake of fire where they will experience everlasting torment:

“Then I saw the beast gathering the kings of the earth and their armies in order to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast – miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And all the vultures of the sky gorged themselves on the dead bodies.” Revelation 19:19-21 (NLT)

The victory of Christ during the campaign of Armageddon will usher in the Millennial Kingdom, a time of unprecedented peace and tranquility on earth with God dwelling among men. Jesus Christ Himself will rule the nations, and those who have placed their trust in Him will experience all the blessings God has reserved for them.

Conclusion

Armageddon is a reminder of what the human race is like without Christ. Burdened by our sinful nature, God gave the free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. All we have to do is accept this gift. But those who reject it will become slaves to sin, and their degeneracy will one day culminate in outright physical rebellion against God Himself.

Armageddon isn’t about asteroids or comets. It’s not about nuclear annihilation or war between nations. It’s about mankind’s fruitless rebellion against God. In a pop culture which has managed to skew and blur the truth about Armageddon, Christians have a prime opportunity to set the record straight. So the next time someone you know mentions Armageddon, ask them what they mean. If it’s not in line with what the bible says, take the time to share the scriptural account with them. But more importantly, tell them about the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ.

Bible Study

By Seth Miller

Bible study refers to the detailed study of the Bible or the gospels. In order to gain from Bible study, it is essential to know how to study this holy book. Bible study is essential for those of the Christian faith. It is said that a true Christian should have a strong yearning to study the Scripture. Bible study is important in that it teaches Christian precepts and truth.

Bible study can be undertaken on one’s own with the aid of notes or with the help of qualified instructors. There are many international Christian organizations that offer Bible study courses to men, women and children. These classes feature constructive interactive sessions, interesting lectures and detailed notes which help to master difficult precepts. Interested persons can join these courses according to personal conveniences. Many Bible study courses are offered free of charge. This is mostly done by evangelists and missionaries who wish to popularize the Christian religion. Online Bible study courses are also provided.

Bible study can be approached from a religious or a literary angle. The Bible is one of the best pieces of literature available in the world, so study of the Bible is important for a literary enthusiast. It is said that serious Bible study can enrich one’s vocabulary and imagination. At the same time, it serves a didactic purpose as well. Bible study is an important part of theological studies. Different versions of the Bible are studied by theologians.

Bible study is the most rewarding experience for young children, who can be taught good values and discipline with the help of the beautiful stories. Children’s Bibles are available for this purpose. The Bible is a desirable book to adorn the bookshelf of both litterateurs and the religious-minded.

www.TheBibleSource.com