THE WAR TO END ALL WARS (9 OF 9)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Revelation 16:12-16
This content is part of a series.
The War to End All Wars (9 of 9)
Series: God Goes to War
Jeff Strite
Revelation 16:12-16
OPEN: Years ago I received a flyer for a Revival to be held in Richmond, Indiana.
The “Revivalist” was going to tell us about 2nd coming of Christ. His topics would include the “rapture”, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the battle to end all battles – Armageddon.
Part of his flyer bragged that he was working to bring about the 2nd coming of Christ. He said he had personally gone to Jerusalem and had tried to lay stones in the Temple area that he declared would be the beginning of the rebuilding of the new Temple. And he boasted that this action had caused a riot and several people had been hurt.
Now there were a couple of problems with that.
First was a theological problem.
According the theology this man embraced – before Christ could come again there needed to be a Temple built in Jerusalem where various animal sacrifices would be made to please God.
The problem?
God don’t need no temple.
YOU are God’s temple now. 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”
And God don’t need no animal sacrifices. You know why?
Because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12 tells Christ “did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” There’s no longer any need for any other sacrifice. Jesus offered the best and there’s nothing to be added.
That’s the theological problem with this man’s claims… but there was also a psychological problem.
As I read the flyer for that Revival it occurred to me:
“This guy’s off his nut!
He’s crazy!
More than that – he’s dangerous.”
He believed that by creating that kind of conflict in Jerusalem he could usher in ...
Series: God Goes to War
Jeff Strite
Revelation 16:12-16
OPEN: Years ago I received a flyer for a Revival to be held in Richmond, Indiana.
The “Revivalist” was going to tell us about 2nd coming of Christ. His topics would include the “rapture”, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the battle to end all battles – Armageddon.
Part of his flyer bragged that he was working to bring about the 2nd coming of Christ. He said he had personally gone to Jerusalem and had tried to lay stones in the Temple area that he declared would be the beginning of the rebuilding of the new Temple. And he boasted that this action had caused a riot and several people had been hurt.
Now there were a couple of problems with that.
First was a theological problem.
According the theology this man embraced – before Christ could come again there needed to be a Temple built in Jerusalem where various animal sacrifices would be made to please God.
The problem?
God don’t need no temple.
YOU are God’s temple now. 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”
And God don’t need no animal sacrifices. You know why?
Because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12 tells Christ “did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” There’s no longer any need for any other sacrifice. Jesus offered the best and there’s nothing to be added.
That’s the theological problem with this man’s claims… but there was also a psychological problem.
As I read the flyer for that Revival it occurred to me:
“This guy’s off his nut!
He’s crazy!
More than that – he’s dangerous.”
He believed that by creating that kind of conflict in Jerusalem he could usher in ...
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