WHAT DOES SIMILITUDE HAVE TO DO WITH THE LAW?

Introduction

We can only gain our meaning from one of two sources. Either it will come from the Creator or from the creature. How do we define God or is He beyond definition? Does He define us or do we define ourselves? Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines "similitude" as, "1. Likeness; resemblance; likeness in nature, qualities or appearance; as similitude of substance..." This is what God did in Genesis 1:26-27, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." We are made in God’s similitude not God made in our similitude. We are not to be materialistic in our approach to God but spiritual. This is why God put the second commandment in the Bible in Exodus 20:4-6, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." God does not tolerate man’s attempt to define God.

Application

To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.

Idolatry is man’s attempt to define God and that God is to fit into this definition. It is an attempt by man to overturn God’s world. Deuteronomy 4:14-24 reads, "And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 15Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 19And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 20But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, tobe unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. 21Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: 22But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. 23Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. 24For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Making idols is desiring to define things materially rather than spiritually. We know what John 4:24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." God’s Spirit is once again beyond definition by man. We are not to attempt to reverse the order.

Idolatry is an attempt by man to be the creator rather than the creature. Man knows deep down in his heart that he has been created by God. He attempts to deny this knowledge in Romans 1:18-25, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." Paul nails man down. He says that he has inescapable knowledge that there is Creator and that he is God’s creature. Man attempts to define God by materialism never by spirituality. This point just cannot be stressed enough.

Conclusion

The reason that man turns to idolatry is because he is spiritually dead. This is ethical death. When we speak of spiritual death, we are talking about being ethically dead. In other words, they do not obey nor believe in the law of God. In fact, from the outset, they have completely rejected in its entirety. Paul was once again nails down the idolater in Romans 8:6-8, "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." These materialists are in open warfare against the spiritual. They do not want to come into line with God’s law. This is why they make idols.

SELLING YOUR SOUL FOR MONEY

Introduction

What would you sell your soul for? The Lord Jesus Christ made this principle clear in Mark 8:36-37, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Some willing lose their opportunity at eternal life cheaply. For some it does not take much at all. When it comes to sexual union, the Bible teaches very clearly abstinence until marriage. In our day and age, it is pretended that being a virgin is old fashioned and uncool. In reality, just the opposite is true. To go against God’s clear commands of "Thou shalt not commit adultery," which is a summary law of all sexual immorality is selling one’s soul to do evil and suffer the consequences of such behavior.

Application

To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.

Leviticus 19:29 reads, "Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness." Sometimes to gain money, some parents will prostitute their daughters. Drug addicts are notorious for such behavior. On a more subtle level is the allowing of daughters to wear immodest and suggestive clothing. This is saying that their daughter is available. If you are not selling, do not advertise is a saying of the world. Men get signals from these young women that says I am easy. Another old saying is why buy the cow if the milk is free?

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines "prostitution" as, "1. The act or practice of offering the body to an indiscriminate intercourse with men; common lewdness of a female. 2. The act of setting one’s self to sale or offering one’s self to infamous employments..." This same dictionary renders "lewdness" as, "1. The unlawful indulgence of lust; fornication, or adultery. 2. In Scripture, it generally denotes idolatry. 3. Licentiousness; shamelessness." Since man is not divided, the soul was sold first for evil before the body was offered for sale. A whore is an harlot at heart first and foremost. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ meant in Mark 7:21, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders." Sexual immorality begins in the heart and works it way to the body to be used in degrading ways because this is the condition of the soul.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:15-18, "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." The word harlot here is rendered prostitute in the Amplified Bible. Sexual immorality brings one into being one flesh i.e. married to lewdness. Paul said to flee any and all situations. It is better to be like Joseph than to be one flesh with a prostitute.

Prostitutes have certain characteristics about them. One of those characteristics that would not be found in a prostitute would be 1 Peter 3:4, "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." Another one that prostitutes are not known for is 1 Timothy 2:9, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." In other words, women are to make sure that they are not brazen and their dress is not sending the wrong message.

Let us see the normal condition of an harlot in Proverbs 7:7-13, "And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 8Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 9In the twilight, in the evening , in the black and dark night: 10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. 11(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him." Here it is right out in the open. The Amplified Bible says the "simple" are "empty-headed and empty-hearted." This woman looks for the undiscerning. She comes out at night because her heart is the same color. She is dressed like a prostitute. Judges 16:1 says, "Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her." How did Samson know this woman was an harlot? The Bible said he saw, therefore, she was advertising by wearing suggestive clothing to entice him into lewdness. Notice also, she is loud and stubborn. The opposite of an quiet and meek, submissive spirit. She has no discrimination herself. She would sleep with anyone for money. She has sold her soul for evil.

Conclusion

Even men as well as women can be prostitutes. Both alike are abominations unto God as Deuteronomy 23:17-18 makes abundantly clear, "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God." These are cult prostitutes both male and female. God would not accept their offerings for a vow. The offering and the one making the offer, where detestable, loathsome, and a moral stench in God’s sight. Prostitution is thus given to a false god and idolatry.

A FATHER'S AUTHORITY

Introduction

We are living in a day and age when women and children are in charge because men have abdicated their responsibilities. We have the Women’s Bondage Movement because men refuse to take up their rightful place of authority. Isaiah the prophet said in Isaiah 3:12, "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." When children are oppressors and women are in authority, you have a recipe for disaster and collapse of any restraint. It is a time of total chaos, lawlessness, and confusion. To stem the tide of immorality, it is going to take godly men standing their ground and once again being the authority in the home. The crying need of our day is male leadership.

Application

To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.

Exodus 22:16-17 reads, "And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins." The word for entice here should be seduce. It is well known fact that older men seek to violate younger women. This is where the father becomes very important to his daughter in protecting her virginity.

God is the inventor of what we call procreation. It is His idea. However, He has put boundaries around it. For potential marriage partners, God’s standard is purity or virginity for both the young man and young woman. If we do not begin here, then all other thoughts concerning procreation will lead to disaster. Virginity is not optional but rather essential. This leads to parents, especially the father, in ensuring that their children are pure when they marry. This requires diligence on the part of the parents. Deuteronomy 21:13-21 is straight to the point, "If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 14And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 15Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 16And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 17And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 19And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20But if this thing be true,and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 21Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you." This case law has a deterring effect on men and women in marrying. Obviously, a woman would want to be pure because of the potential death penalty and a man would not want to slander a virgin because it will cost him physically and economically. Notice the father and mother are to bring the proof of virginity. Virginity was highly prized in the Old Testament. It is the norm for Christians. It is abnormal not to be one before marriage. In fact, pagans and heathens give themselves away to anyone and everyone.

Even if a young man did seduce a young woman and generally they were to be married according to this case law, the father had the final say so on whether the young man would become her husband. The father had authority over his daughter. Genesis 38:11 says that a woman was to be in her father’s house until marriage, "Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house." This is a protection to the daughter’s virginity. A woman living outside her father’s house is an easy target for being beguiled. Now a days, the women are the ones that are seducing the young men. They have turned the tables because of Women’s Bondage.

The father could reject the young man. There are many marriages that ought not to take place. Many fathers give up their authority and accede to ungodly marriages that result in heartache and continued strife until the divorce. A young man who seduces a young women already has a questionable character. If he did to her, no telling what he might do later. Since this young woman has lost her virginity, she will not be as highly prized as a wife. Therefore, if the father refuse his daughter in marriage, the young man is pay a dowry of virgins to the father. This means that the father can then give that dowry to a potential suitor for his daughter. It has the effect of restoration and restitution.

Conclusion

Fathers have to take their roles more seriously. They have a duty to their daughters to ensure that they are virgins when married. Husbands need to look for a strong moral character in their future son-in-laws. The father gives the final approval on whether the young lady marries the young man. Courting is effective in preventing loss of virginity before marriage. Abstinence until marriage is the only safe policy.

HERE IS WISDOM

Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Introduction

To understand the book of Revelation, it is going to take wisdom given by the Holy Spirit. Fortunately, God has given us the Spirit of truth and the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is the one who inspired the writing of the Bible. He, therefore, knows the proper meaning of each and every passage. It is our responsibility to submit to His direction for correct comprehension of His holy word. He will never lead us to violate the rules of grammar, history, context, and common sense. Most people of our day make the book of Revelation to sound like a science fiction novel. To accurately interpret this book requires a solid understanding of the rest of the Bible. For its explanation can be found here, not in newspaper exegesis.

There is a lot of intellectual dishonesty when it comes to the book of Revelation. I trust that most of this is done out of a lack of understanding rather than willfully. In our day, there have been books published that have adequately expounded the true meaning of the book of Revelation. The other side, that is Pre-millennialists, have failed to refute these books. It is not good enough for any individual to say a book is wrong. They must prove it wrong. They think that they can get away with it. This is almost an open admission that they cannot disprove these books but neither are they willing to accept it as truth. Right now, those who believe that most of the prophecy of Revelation has been fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by the Roman armies under the general Titus, are definitely in the minority. However, this will begin to disappear in the future, as more predictions fail regarding the Rapture and the truth about the Second Coming of Christ begins to be accepted.

If our view of Scripture is incorrect and requires revising, we should be honest enough to do so and not disregard information that is embarrassing to the presently held analysis. This can be dangerous because aw with all of our beliefs, they have consequences. We as Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, have the Spirit of truth in our hearts. We should be willing to accept truth, no matter where it comes from, if it is in fact truth. All truth is God's truth. Our beliefs should reflect the reality of the Bible. To admit that an original belief was incorrect does not harm the gospel, but admits that we are human and therefore, not infallible. We will be led into all truth provided that we are teachable. Being unteachable admits that we cannot receive new light that is we know it all. Sometimes, we need to challenge ourselves by rethinking through difficult issues that we have accepted without any independent thought on our part.

Exegesis of the Scripture

Wisdom usually means the right use of knowledge. As it is used in this Scripture, it is the intelligence used in discovering the meaning of the number six hundred threescore and six. It should be apparent to us that the writer of the book of Revelation wants us to use wisdom and figure out who this man is that his name adds up to this mysterious number.

To use this wisdom properly, it is going to take a faculty of the mind known as the understanding. This is the part of the mind whereby we perceive and understand and are therefore, able to judge and determine the criteria set out before us. This is the intellectual faculty of the mind. The author wants us to use our mind to figure out who this shadowy figure is.

We are to count the number of the beast and it is the number of a man. Therefore, whatever this number adds up to, it will be the name of a particular man. To count is to explain by computing a number, which values are also letters and they will reveal the identity of the one that is called the beast. This computation is important in knowing if the beast is either to be revealed in the future or lived in the past.

Modern Christians also call the beast the Antichrist. This is not correct because the only time the term Antichrist appears in the Scriptures is in the Epistles of John. To use it in reference to the book of Revelation is inappropriate. This beast has a kingdom and power over multitudes of peoples. At the writing of the book of Revelation, approximately 66 to 68 A.D., this would mean the Roman Empire and at that time the Caesar was Nero. A study of the reign of Nero will reveal that if there was a character who represented a beast, he was it. For further study of this evil reign, one should refer to the works of the Roman historian, Tacitus.

We have now come to that mystical number six hundred threescore and six. This number appears in the Old Testament in to two places at 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13. So we can see that this number was not something totally out of the ordinary to someone that had read and understood the Old Testament. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines this number as "a mystical number the meaning which is clear when it is written in Hebrew letters i.e. Nero Caesar." There it is plain for the whole world to see. John who wrote the book of Revelation was a Hebrew and this is how the umber of this man is to be calculated by using Hebrew symbols. The beast of the book of Revelation was Nero.

Conclusion

Here is conclusive proof from the exegesis that the beast or Antichrist is none other than Nero. A study of the life of Nero will reveal that he truly is the beast. Only he and the Roman Empire adequately describe the events found in the prophecy of Revelation. As with all prophecies, there must be fulfillment for them to be true prophecies. Nero is the beast.

This means that most of the events described in the book of Revelation revolve around the first century and not future events. The happenings of the first century, especially the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70, adequately fit the descriptions found in this prophecy. Nothing else has come or will ever come close. This is one way to be able to discern truth. Does it fit? If not then, it cannot be the truth.

Rome and Jerusalem are key figures in the book of Revelation. The only place that could fulfill the Babylon of Revelation is Jerusalem. This where the blood of the prophets and saints was found. The Lord Jesus Christ said that no prophet could die outside of Jerusalem. His discourse in Matthew 23 also says the same. The Babylon (Jerusalem) of Revelation was destroyed by the Roman armies under the general Titus in A.D. 70 as Christ Jesus said behold, your house is left to you desolate.

While there is much speculation who the beast of Revelation is, he was a historical figure that has already passed from the scene. This is a significant point. If the Antichrist has already come and gone, then a future tribulation where this Antichrist will rise up will simply not take place. Why? This is because he has come and gone. What does this mean for Christianity? There is nothing to stop us from fulfilling the Great Commission in teaching all nations God's commandments.

While the church world waits for the revealing of the Antichrist, he has already been discovered. They are waiting for a past tense event. This should encourage us not to be pessimistic about future, but optimistic. We have a very bright future because we know that we are fighting a defeated foe in the devil. God's truth continues to march on saving and sanctifying. No longer should we look to escape, but rather to transform our society by spreading of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our view of the future determines what we will do in the present. There are bright days ahead of us. Praise His holy name.