“Surely the LORD God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief” (I Thess. 5:1-4).
Only those who have faith in God and study what He has revealed in the Holy Scriptures can really know what is going on in the world. The great masses of people without faith, indifferent to spiritual matters, and without knowledge of the Bible are unconscious of what is really happening around them.
Yet, for those who have eyes to see, God is at work all around us bringing history (His Story) to its appointed glorious climax.
Two Temples have been destroyed, but a Third temple is foretold in the Holy Scriptures. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the Second Temple built after the return from the Babylonian Captivity was destroyed half a millennium later by the Romans in AD 70. But a Third Temple is prophesied in the Holy Scriptures and is tightly linked to the Return of the King — the Messiah Jesus.
In 1948, after nearly 2,000 years in exile the Jews are back in the land and the State of Israel is a sovereign State under Jewish control once again. In 1967, all of Jerusalem passed into the hands of Israel, and recently President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the eternal capitol of Israel with other nations then following America’s lead.
The Temple Institute (in Hebrew, Machon HaMikdash) founded in 1987, is a nonprofit educational and religious organization in the Jewish quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Temple Institute is dedicated to the building of the Third Temple on Mount Moriah in the Holy City of Jerusalem. The Sacred vessels for use in the Temple have been completed, as have the vestments for the High Priest, the priests and the levites, as well as the sacred furnishing for the Sanctuary, including the silver trumpets. Priests and levites have been trained, and all is in readiness. You can learn all about it from the website of the Temple Institute:
Of course there are two important mosques on the Temple Mount, but they cannot long stand in the way of God’s sovereign purposes.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
“For the first time in modern history [for the first time since the Temple’s destruction in AD 70], approximately 800 men from the tribe of Levi joined together on the stairs in front of the Hulda Gates in the Davidson Center adjacent to the southern wall of the Temple Mount to sing the three songs the Levites sang in the Temple… Some of the Levites in attendance wore special garb intended to be used in the Third Temple. Silver trumpets created for use in the Third Temple were also used in the performance… The Levites sang three of the fifteen psalms that were traditionally sung on the steps inside the Temple including Psalm 121 and 126. The Levites were accompanied by musicians also from the tribe of Levi.”
You can read all about it and see two videos of the event at Breaking Israel News, a Jewish news site in Israel. Here is the link:
“Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psalm 121:4,7-8).
“When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad” (Psalm 126:1-3).
“Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back” (Psalm 129:5).
“This was the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:23).
Bible prophecy is being fulfilled all round us. The signs are everywhere for those who have eyes to see. We are living in exciting times — in Biblical times!
None of this is doom and gloom. Instead it is glad tidings that the LORD our God keeps His promises and that the Scriptures cannot be broken.
“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1: 19-21).
HAS THE CORNER OF GOD’S ALTAR BEEN FOUND? — An important Archeological Find in the Holy Land!!!
Yesterday, October 31, 2019, the Jerusalem Post in Israel reported on a new, important archeological find. The headline reads:
WAS THE CORNER OF GOD'S ALTAR FOUND IN SHILOH, WEST BANK? — The discovery, said Dr. Scott Stripling, is consistent with what he expected to find in the fields of the ancient city where the tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant once stood.
If you will remember your Bible history (His Story) you will recall that the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle resided in Shiloh for more than three centuries before it was moved to Jerusalem by King David. Later, David’s son, King Solomon built the Holy Temple and that Temple replaced the Tabernacle. Shilo had been the religious centre for Israel during the more than three centuries that the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant were located there.
A team of 200 archaeologists and volunteers have been excavating ancient Shiloh. The Shiloh team is made up of archaeologists and volunteers from 11 universities around the world – an interdisciplinary team of scientists, historians and Biblical scholars.
The BIG NEWS is that they have made the discovery of a horn, which was one of the four corners of an ancient altar, as described in the Biblical books of Kings. You can see a photo of the horn of the altar in the article I am attaching for you.
The “horns” were horn-like projections at the four corners of the altar of burnt offering. God’s instructions for the altar’s construction specified “horns” — “Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece” (Exodus 27:2).
The horns of the altar were first mentioned in Exodus as part of the furnishings of the tabernacle. In Exodus 29 they were used in the consecration of the priests (see verse 12). Exodus 29:37 describes the altar as "most holy" and says, “And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.”
After giving instructions as to what must be offered on the altar, God said, “And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God" (Exodus 29:43-46).
Ezekiel 43 speaks of the horns of the altar that will exist in the future Temple that will be built, with verses 13-27 describing the altar in detail, and notes “the four horns of the altar” (vs. 20).
“We can discover the date of a structure,” said Brent Nagtegaal, Jerusalem representative of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation, “but without the Bible, we don’t understand its context… The Bible is the best tool that archaeologists have in Israel.”
You will want to read the article from yesterday’s Jerusalem Post. Here is the link:
Both the Tanakh, the Old Covenant Scriptures, and the Brit Chadasha, the New Covenant Scriptures, foretell a Third temple in Jerusalem. Could it be that when the Third Temple is built — and all is now in readiness — that this newly discovered altar horn, found in ancient Shilo, will be incorporated into the new altar? The Third Temple will be built just before the Return of Jesus Christ who will reign from the throne of his father David as King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s. Are you prepared? Maranatha — Come Lord!
LIFT UP THE TRUMPET
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).
I am attaching for you a very short video, less than a minute in length, that will lift your spirit and bless your heart. It is called, Lift Up the Trumpet. You will not want to miss this encouraging video. Here is the link:
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Want to learn more? Of course you do! Join us this Sunday morning at 8:30 AM for our Adult Christian Education class. We are studying Second Temple Judaism and first century Christianity — “the Faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This course will last all of the 2019-2020 term. This is a college level course. Everyone is invited and visitors are most welcome.
The Bible is the most important book ever written. It is an eyewitness account of the most critically significant events in human history, and foretells what will happen in the future. In this class you will discover how vital it is not only to read and meditate upon the Holy Scriptures, but to study them in their original Hebrew context. This class will help you to increase your understanding and application of God’s Word in your life. There is no charge for the course and everyone is invited to attend, so be sure to invite family and friends. We hope to see you at 8:30 AM on Sunday!
THIS SUNDAY’S SERMON
Last Sunday we began a sermon series on Bible Prophecy. I spoke on the Mark of the Beast and the End Time Message of the Church found in Revelation 14 and commonly called the Three Angels Message. This Sunday, I will be speaking on the coming Kingdom of God, and the New Heavens and the New Earth. If you have ever wondered about what Bible Prophecy has to say about the future — and who hasn’t? — then you will not want to miss this series. We will be putting aside speculation, human tradition and sensationalism, and will simply be exploring what is revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
SATURDAY’S RADIO BROADCAST
This Saturday’s broadcast of THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED is on the topic of the authentic Gospel proclaimed by Jesus and by his apostles. What you think you know about the Gospel may be very different from the Gospel found in the Holy Scriptures. Saturday morning we will be studying the Gospel as found in the Holy Scriptures, and debunk the false Gospel of human tradition. This is a broadcast you will not want to miss!
THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED is heard every Saturday morning at 9:30 AM CDT on KCRO Radio 660 AM in Omaha, and 106.7 FM in Lincoln, and can be heard throughout eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Not in eastern Nebraska or western Iowa? No problem! You can listen live over the Internet. Just go to the KCRO Radio website and click Listen Live:
THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED — PODCASTS
In addition to the radio broadcast every Saturday morning at 9:30 AM Central Time on KCRO Radio 660 AM in Omaha and 106.7 FM in Lincoln, each episode of THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED is being archived and can be listened to anytime as a Podcast. You can access past radio programs here:
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS
Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 3rd. Remember to change your clocks before going to bed on Saturday night.
SUNDAY SERVICES
Sunday Christian Education is at 8:30 AM, followed by Morning Prayer at 9:15 AM, and the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM, with fellowship and refreshments after Services.
Everyone is invited and visitors are always welcome. We are a faithful and friendly parish, and we have a place for you. We hope to see you on Sunday!
HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH
7545 Main Street
Ralston, Nebraska 68127
(402) 573-6558
