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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

Time to Flee the Cities?, Daniel 11, Kings of the Earth?, Adventists and Rings?, and MORE

Again, we're here with International Evangelist Pastor Mark Finley.

Pastor Mark, can you just have a short prayer for us before we begin?

Father in heaven, thank you for the thousands that watch this question and answer program.

Thank you for the Word of God that speaks to the inner heart, that provides answers to our deepest questions and our most earnest longings.

I pray now that you'd give me wisdom as questions come in.

Bless our each listener and touch their hearts with the grace of Christ, we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

All right, let's get our first question here.

All right, Pastor Mark, the first question is from Mary, and the question is, what if an individual is very sick and not could be immersed?

I'm assuming this is talking about baptism.

Mary, thank you for asking that question.

We do have an instance in the Bible of an individual who made a commitment to Jesus, and Jesus said he would be in the kingdom of God, but was not immersed.

And that's the story of the thief on the cross.

You remember Jesus said to that thief, you will be with me in paradise.

And Jesus used the word today, which is an interesting word.

Jesus says, I say unto you today, you will be in paradise.

In other words, Jesus made the statement to the thief that very day, that day that Jesus was dying on the cross, that day that there were nails driven through his hands and a crown of thorns upon his head.

Jesus made the statement that day that it looked like he couldn't save anybody, that that thief would be with him in the future in paradise.

Obviously Jesus didn't go to paradise that day.

He didn't go until Sunday morning because when Mary fell at his feet to embrace him.

Jesus said, don't cling to me because I cannot tarry.

So Jesus rested in the tomb during those 3 days.

But here's the point, The thief on the cross was never baptized.

He would have been baptized because he could have come down when he, if he could have come down from the cross.

So when we think about it, baptism is a external expression of our deep inner faith with Jesus.

But if indeed for physical reasons it's impossible to be baptized, Jesus himself accepts that inner commitment.

Now I have had baptisms when a person couldn't come to the church.

I've actually immersed people in a bathtub in their home.

I had 1 young man in the country of Poland that was dying of cancer and He couldn't come.

He wanted to come to church and be baptized, but he couldn't.

I prayed over him and immersed him there.

That is to say, baptism doesn't save you.

It's not the water that saves you, it's Jesus that saves you.

But baptism is that external commitment of dedication to Christ.

So if you're very sick, you can't be baptized, at a church, think about the possibility of being baptized at home by your pastor.

Or, if that is impossible, if you're in bed and you're so sickly, I want to assure you, Jesus accepts you, He loves you, make your commitment to Him there.

Matt, do we have some more questions coming in?

We do, yeah, we have a lot of questions coming in.

All right, the next question I have for you is from Grace.

The question is, who are the kings of the earth in Revelation chapter 21 verse 24?

Well you know, the book of Revelation uses this expression, kings of the earth, in 2 ways.

In Revelation 21-24 it says, the kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the nations, quoting Revelation 21-24, the kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the nations, quoting Matthew, rather Revelation 21-24, the kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the nations walk in the light of the new earth.

So whoever these kings of the earth are, in Revelation 21, they are in the kingdom of God with God.

The Bible uses the term kings of the earth sometimes as political leaders.

They are godly leaders who made a decision to follow Jesus, to stand with his people in the last days and keep the commandments of God and follow Christ.

Now when you look at Revelation 6 verse 14 to 17, it says there that the rich men and the kings of the earth and the captains etc.

Call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them.

So you have 2 expressions when it comes to leaders, political and governmental leaders.

1 in Revelation 6 that are lost, but the 1 in Revelation 21-24 are in the new earth.

And I think it's a very encouraging thing to notice, that God has people in high places in government that are honest, that are committed, that will stand with God's people in the last days of our history.

Pastor Mark Finley, why did God destroy the entire household, even animals, when Achan sinned?" The destruction of the people in the Old Testament is a challenging 1, but I want to give you some principles to operate on.

If you look at the actions of God and try to determine God's character from his actions, you will often be confused.

If you look at God's character and determine his actions based on his character, then you will be able to put the pieces together in the puzzle.

So throughout scripture, both in the Old and New Testament, the Bible says that God is love.

So all of God's actions are loving actions.

Once I understand God's character, then I begin to go to the Old Testament.

So let's look at killing in the Old Testament in a general sense, and then we'll come to the specific situation with Achan.

In the Old Testament, as God led Israel out of Egyptian bondage and into the promised land, he led them through the area of the Ammonites, Midianites, and many of the heathen pagan tribes.

He often would send a message that Israel was going to pass through the land, that they wanted no war.

When these heathen tribes warred against Israel, God empowered Israel to destroy them to protect his people.

But it's interesting to notice that The Bible says that God would send hornets, bees, hornets, to drive these enemy armies out of the land.

So God's intent was not in any way to kill, to destroy.

In fact, in Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah the 31st chapter helps us to see the character of God.

Once we begin to understand the character of God, then we can understand the actions of God.

So in Jeremiah chapter 31 it says, Jeremiah 31 3, the Lord has appeared of old to me saying, yea I have loved you with an everlasting love.

Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.

Again, I will build you and you'll be rebuilt.

God was saying to Israel, they rebelled against him.

So God's actions are always loving actions.

It may not always be clear to our finite minds, but God's character is loving.

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Time to Flee the Cities?, Daniel 11, Kings of the Earth?, Adventists and Rings?, and MORE

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