Gary answers a question from one of his YouTube videos about partial preterism, full preterism, and everything in between. The New Testament says much about the temple as a New Covenant expression of the Christian’s new life in Christ. Jesus’ completed redemptive work makes the need for a physical temple unnecessary and contrary to the redemptive principles of the New Covenant, “for the Lord God t [...]
Gary continues his interview with Paul Stevenson about politics and freedom and the decline of western culture. When Jehoshaphat initiated reforms, one of the first areas of reformation was the judicial system: ‘‘And he appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. And he said to the judges, ‘Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for [...]
Gary discusses international politics with Paul Edward Stevenson, a radio host from Britain. A careful reading of Scripture will show that the State (civil government) has almost no authority to regulate education, business, welfare, and ecclesiastical affairs. For example, the only time education of children is taken on by the State is when the people of God are held captive by a pagan government [...]
Gary discusses the Olympics and other current events that help to destroy the illogical views being promoted by leftists and self-appointed cultural elites. The greatest offense to the unbeliever is the Christian’s insistence that there is only one truth. The statement that Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only light seems rather closed-minded. For secularists, it seems reasonable th [...]
Gary discusses the state of the world. Good things are happening, and the cracks in the veneer are beginning to widen. Once the Bible is dismissed as authoritative or is dismissed because of its inability to deal with “modern” issues, we are left with a free-for- all when it comes to a choice of worldviews. The worldview of relativism makes all other worldviews possible and permissible, even the f [...]
Gary continues his discussion with the Resistance Chicks about biblical eschatology and heaven and earth language in the Bible. The central focus of the Olivet Discourse is the desolation of the “house” (oikos: 23:38) of apostate Israel but would bring salvation to the “world” (oikoumenē: 24:14). The old world of Judaism, represented by the earthly temple, is taken apart stone by stone (24:2). Jam [...]
A misconception is held by many that the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence was the beginning of our nation. Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” (Nov. 19, 1863) contributes to the confusion with the opening line: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are [...]
Gary is interviewed by the Resistance Chicks about eschatology and Bible prophecy. If Jesus’ kingdom is “not of this world,” so the argument goes, then how can Christians claim to have a responsibility to be involved in kingdom work? Since God’s kingdom is exclusively in the future and in heaven, as some assert, there can be no earthly manifestation of God’s works other than redeeming the lost out [...]
Gary discusses Revelation 20 and the enduring topic of the thousand years and the various millennial positions found among Christians. Nobody interprets the book of Revelation in a consistently literal way, as literal is normally understood. G. K. Beale comments: Because the objects [John] sees and what he hears are seen and heard in a vision, they are not first to be understood literally but view [...]
Gary discusses a recent episode of The View on the Ten Commandments in schools. There are many who would say that the Bible has no business in the so-called secular realm. The Bible is useful for spiritual matters but not the substantive matters of civil government, law, economics, politics, and science. Times have changed and the Bible is an out-of-date book. So say many in our day. But the Chris [...]
Gary responds to two recent statements from Max Lucado and Michael Youssef regarding modern events as being a fulfillment of “end-times” predictions. The accomplishment of our Lord’s prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem, may likewise be considered as a standing monument to all future ages, of the truth of the observation of the wise man; that righteousness exalts a nation, but th [...]
Gary continues his talk on the Christian worldview. He discusses the concept of “borrowed capital” on today’s podcast. Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971), Premier of the former Soviet Union, described a time in the Communist republic’s history when a wave of petty theft was sweeping through the government-owned plants. To curtail the stealing, guards were placed at factory entrances t [...]
Gary discusses the Christian worldview, how we got where we are today, and how we get back to being world-changers on today’s podcast. Christians are not told to take up arms to defend or advance the Christian faith. We are engaged in a war of ideas. The biblical image of war is designed to remind us that defending the faith is serious business (Acts 7:54-60; 12:2). We should not shy away fr [...]
Gary gives a quick history lesson to set the record straight about a recent Rolling Stone article about Chief Justice Alito. A misconception is held by many that the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence was the beginning of our nation. Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” (Nov. 19, 1863) contributes to the confusion with the opening line: “Four score and seven years ago our fa [...]
Gary discusses the concept of “church ages” and what the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 represent. A popular argument for a pre-tribulation rapture is the claim that while the “church” is mentioned 19 times in the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, in chapters 4–18 “there is absolute silence.”[1] Similar to the way Hitchcock places a gap in time betwee [...]
Gary concludes his interview with Steve Deace about eschatology. Terms are defined, views are set forth, and questions are asked. The man of lawlessness was the principal religious leader of Israel—the high priest who officiated over Jewish law and did not concern himself with using the law in a God-honoring way (Matt. 26:57-68). All of the lawless deeds of those priests who sent Jesus to His deat [...]
When is a miracle not a miracle? Answer: When it is a sign. This is not simply an exercise in semantics; it is an important theological point. Our English Bibles often treat the two words as synonyms, but this is not at all accurate. The “miracles” that Jesus performed were not merely supernatural events to amaze first-century Jews, they were intended to point to Him as the fulfillment of all that [...]
Gary was recently interviewed by Steve Deace about Bible prophecy and eschatology. In this first part, Gary defines terms and gives a brief lesson on hermeneutics. The claim is made by those who teach the pre-tribulation rapture position that God cannot deal with Israel and the Church at the same time in the same way. The Church is said to be a new redemptive entity that was not prophesied in the [...]
Gary responds to a recent podcast critiquing aspects of his interpretation of Bible prophecy. Many believe that 2 Thessalonians 2 describes the end times leading up to the rapture of the church, the revealing of antichrist, and the second coming. Tim LaHaye, a representative of this perspective, writes: “Second Thessalonians 2:1-12 contains the rapture, Tribulation, and Glorious Appearing all in o [...]
Gary concludes his interview with Jonathan Sedlak about his new book, Reading Matthew, Trusting Jesus. N.T. Wright explains what the disciples were actually asking in their question [in Matthew 24:3]: They had come to Jerusalem expecting Jesus to be enthroned as the rightful king. This would necessarily involve Jesus taking over the authority that the temple symbolized. They were now confronted wi [...]
