New Newsletter and Article for July

Signs and Wonders

Commentary for July 1, 2004 — New Newsletter and Article for July

Signs and wonders are marvelous things. They force people to pay attention to upcoming events that God has ordained. However, God purposely arranges the events so that they will be misunderstood. This is done so that God can later inform people (those involved in the events and those uninvolved) that God was engaged with his creation even though not in an obvious way.

As I note in my “July 2004 Newsletter” and as Dr. Martin relates in the article “Signs of the Times in the First Century,” God first announces what He will do by preaching about coming judgment (sometimes only to a select few), then he provides signs, then He brings the judgment.

God did this before the flood in the days of Noah. God did this before the conquest and judgment of Judah and the Solomonic Temple by Nebuchadnezzar. He did this before the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem and the Herodian Temple in 70 C.E. This same sequence of events will occur just before Christ Jesus returns to this earth.

Again I strongly suggest you reread the previous 1998 article: “How to Interpret Biblical Signs” before you read this month’s article. From these two articles you will gain a full perspective of the generalities of the subject of signs and wonders in the 1998 article, and a specific example from the current article.

Many of us will not be around when these events take place at the Christ’s return. But we can help set the stage and help provide the information so that it is available to the world when the restitution of all things takes place. ASK is doing its part to fulfill that role in presenting the full counsel of God through the Internet window to the world.

When the events of Luke chapter 21, Matthew chapter 24, Zechariah chapters 12–14, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Minor Prophets, Daniel, and the book of Revelation have their fulfillment at the end of the age, those events will happen fast. There may not be much time or opportunity to study to consider the nuances of meaning in particular passages. We must have the word of God imbedded into our thoughts so that we know the mind of God, even the secrets of God, and are ready to give an answer to anyone when questioned, challenged — or punished — for your faith (1 Peter 4:5).

To know the mind of God, to know the counsel of God, was important to the sages and prophets. See Job 15:8, 36:22; Isaiah 40:13–14; Jeremiah 23:18. As Moses said to the Israelites:

“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, wherever the Lord your God has driven you.”
• Deuteronomy 29:29–30:1

God will teach and instruct us in the manner and method of His own choosing. Consider David’s statement in Psalm 25:

“What man is he that fears the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he [God] shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret [the counsel] of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.”
• Psalm 25:12–14

The apostle Paul asked that very question about the “mind of God.”

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor?”
• Romans 11:33–34

Using the same Greek words Paul repeats his question, but gives an answer in 1 Corinthians:

“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may [shall] instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
• 1 Corinthians 2:14–16

We have the mind of Christ, or, we should have the mind of Christ. We have no excuse for not properly understanding the signs and wonders that are coming upon the world. We will have no excuse if we are not prepared to teach others the true meaning of those signs. Study to show yourselves approved while there is time to do so.

Even if the end-time events do not transpire in your lifetime, you will have gained much, lost nothing, and after all, is not your goal in life to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might (Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27)?

If not, then perhaps you need to rethink your priorities.

If not, then pray and ask God to give you the will to do what is most important.

David Sielaff
david@askelm.com

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