After hearing these words, I felt like I could fit in somewhere. Romans 1:1-20

This study will look at Romans 1:18.

Romans 1:18-19 NASB: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (19) because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

Now, if you are one of those who advocate that all sinners should be sent to the Great White Throne and only find the portals of hell waiting for them, then perhaps this is for you, as the passage we are going to cover can give you that impression if you merely glance at the verse. But you should know me by now, as I tear everything apart, and we will do that; however, as I often do, I want to give you a glimpse into my life and hopefully make it relatable.

I recently had the opportunity to go to a men's retreat put on by two Vineyard Churches. We had done something like this two years before, and then it was titled “No Man Left Behind.” I felt like I got thrown under the bus, and I returned home as miserable as I came. These events, much like our relationship with Christ, will give you as much as you invest in them. With that in mind, I got to camp this time and almost immediately decided to jump in with both feet; besides, the speaker caught my attention.

The speaker was Dr. Eric Sandras (You can find several of his books on Amazon.com). We were told to call him Dr. E, and we came to find out that he has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Relations, and that he has spent nearly a decade as a Human Sexuality instructor at various universities and colleges. So, at one meeting, we had an opportunity to ask any sexual questions we had. You might think that in a “holy” environment we wouldn't speak of such things, but our silence, discomfort, and false bravado, along with our phony acts of sucking up the horrible pains around us while trying to act brave, is nothing less than passive-aggressive behavior. (Passive-aggressive behavior has been a lifetime battle for me, and it is a battle that comes out of Co-Dependency.) 

The disastrous side of passive-aggressive behavior is that, like Mount St. Helens in Washington State, USA, you will eventually blow off that pressure with disastrous results. I know this from experience.

When Dr. “E” opened the series of meetings, the first thing he did was read off a card that they use to introduce people to the church. It looks like this.

After hearing these words, I felt like I could fit in somewhere. Since I am not in a position to move to Colorado Springs, I guess my mission is to make sure that others who correspond with this description fit in as well.

Many will see a description like the one in the photo, realize that some of us are accepting those who are broken, and complain, loudly, that we are NOT pointing out their sin; how could I respond to that?

Good lord, if they, in their broken conditions, are reading this, trust me, they know they are broken and thirsty; I know I did.

John's gospel tells us that Jesus had an answer to this.

Now on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah (the Feast of Tabernacles,) Yeshua stood and cried out, If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking! John 7:37 CJB

There were no accusations or restrictions on when or how you should come; He merely said, come, and by your coming and getting closer to Jesus, the more you begin to look and act like Him.

Another example looks like this.

 

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. (24) The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Matthew 4:23-24 NASB

Matthew 4:23, though many see this verse as talking about sicknesses for which you merely take some pill, it demonstrates the same attitude that the welcome card conveys: you are welcome here. 

Eugene Peterson's Message puts it this way,

"From there, he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme--that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives." Matthew 4:23 MSG

Jesus healed diseases, but the book of Acts in chapter 10:38 associated those same diseases with demonic oppression; however, there are, without a doubt, bad effects from our relationships and choices.

As I sat through these meetings, I heard things that my “religious” upbringing wanted to conflict with; but I also heard the Holy Spirit say to me, as He had done before, you relax and listen, and all will be explained to you. I don't expect many of you to understand this, but I cried all weekend. Imagine a six-foot-four-inch, 280-pound bear of a man, crying. I had powerful men praying over me all weekend long. Some I voluntarily submitted to, while others just approached me, asking me if they could share what they had heard from the Holy Spirit, and then proceeded to tell me things they would not have known otherwise. These guys poured into my life, life from the Spirit of God, and spoke healing over me. 

For my part, I have to trust the process as I continue to put the Word of God into my life.

With that in mind, let's look at Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18-19 AMP: "For God's [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. (19) For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them."

After the question-and-answer session, I felt a little overwhelmed; in moments like this, I have learned to relax and let the Holy Spirit sort things out for me. I trust the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth and to help me discern when something is not right. Simply because the topics are uncomfortable to me does not make them wrong, and this was not wrong. For several in the audience, the things that were discussed were pure ungodliness and reeked of unrighteousness; why? Because, as I explained to one of the attendees, some people, with their legalistic point of view, are wound much too tightly. After coming down off the mountain, I made this same statement to my friends/accountability partners, and one of them asked me, what does it mean to be wound too tightly? 

Since I had an excellent example of this at the camp, I demonstrated what a brother did and said while we were there. 

We had been given icebreaker questions, and one of the questions was, what was the funniest thing that happened to you this weekend? 

While my answer was not funny at the time, several hours later, at lunch, I could laugh about it. Now it was the turn of another Christian brother from the church I attend. 

When he opened his mouth, he began an angry rant about how we were merely accepting people's sin, and how none of the pastors among us were addressing God's wrath and outrage over such sins. I happen to know this brother, and he fatigues himself fretting about sin; and, when he attempts to teach mature believers, they too have to endure his rants about sin.

It is sad how many are focused only on God’s potential wrath and indignation. As I said, with a simplistic read, it is easy to perceive Romans 1:18,19 as nothing less than ominous. So let's tear the verse apart.

• Wrath is the Greek word orgē and means desire (by analogy) violent passion; by implication, punishment: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.

If I substitute alternate wording in for the wrath, I get, For the violent passion of God. 

I always look at everything in light of God's character, which is Love. 

Can God get violently passionate? 

Absolutely, and we saw this when Jesus took the time to make a whip and drive the money changers and buyers out of the temple's outer court.

"And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." (John 2:13-17 KJV)

The word wrath shows up in the book of Revelation in three chapters: Rev 6:16-17; Rev 14:10; and Rev 19:15. 

There is no doubt that God is angry in these instances, but the recipients are spelled out in Scripture and have had their chances at mercy, no less than anybody else.

• Revealed is the Greek word apokaluptō, and it means to take off the cover; that is, to disclose: reveal. This word apokaluptō should be a familiar word, as it has strong similarities to the title of the Revelation; here, the Greek word is apokalupsis but still means disclosure.

To again substitute words in place of what we have so far: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, 

but for what purpose?

• Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Well, that sounds relatively decisive.  The Greek word for ungodliness is asebeia and also means impiety and/or wickedness. Impiety is defined as ungodliness; irreverence towards the Supreme Being; contempt of the divine character and authority; neglect of the divine precepts. Unrighteousness is the Greek word adikia and means (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by implication the act); moral wrongfulness (of character, life or act): iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong.

In continuing to substitute words and phrases into the verse, we get: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, against all irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts.

The dictionary explanation of the word precepts goes like this: “In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action, but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct.”

We who follow Christ are deemed by God to be in Christ. 

This wrath that is to be poured out would have been meant for us, but since Christ took the wrath that we deserved upon himself, we do not have to endure that wrath. 

Here is where most have problems, as they cannot distinguish between the tribulations that are a part of being in this world and the wrath that is to come (see Romans 5:9 or 1Thessalonians 1:10). 

The wrath that is coming is to be poured out upon the nations, the Jews, and those who have displayed irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts. 

Sorry, you don't get to stop here, as the wrath is directed at particular people.

• Of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Suppress seems simple enough, that is, until you look the word up in the Greek. It is the word katechō and means to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively): - have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, X, make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold. Thayer's definitions indicate: to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of). Take a moment to read Romans 2:8,9

Working off what we have so far: For the violent passion of God is disclosed from heaven, against all irreverence of God, contempt of His character, and neglect of His precepts, of men who have restrained others from finding the truth, and in many cases have hindered the people from the truth.

Are you aware that Isaiah 53 is a forbidden chapter in Israel's Synagogues? 

What does Isaiah 53 speak of? 

The Messiah and the price He was to pay by His death.

I was angrily confronted one day when a brother in Christ tried to dispute the idea that Jesus could come back at any minute. 

This brother in Christ told me that everybody, according to Scripture, had to have a printed copy of the Bible before Christ could return. I think for some, this will be bad news, and Romans 1:19 is the reason why.

Romans 1:19-20 NLT: "They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  (20)  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."

 Creation testifies of God, and therefore, nobody will have an excuse as they stand before God.

Behold it's coming. Ezekiel 39:7-10.

I closed the last study of Ezekiel 39 ending on verse 6. Why then bring it into this continuation of chapter 39? Because it helps to establish context.

Ezekiel 39:5-7 NASB "You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken," declares the Lord GOD. 6) "And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; they will know that I am the LORD. 7) "My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

Taken up from the remotest parts of the north and brought against the mountains of Israel, Gog and all those with him will come. Few of us realize we are dealing with the Scythians; fewer understand that the Scythians extended into the far eastern regions of China, Siberia, the Western European nations, and South into Egypt. 

All this is done with one purpose in mind, that “the nations will know that I am the LORD, the
Holy One in Israel.”

Many are confused when reading this, wondering when the event takes place. The confusion carries through to our understanding of end times events and Revelation. Since there is little to define when this war we see in Ezekiel 38,39 takes place let's take a logical approach. 

When the rapture takes place it seems to be synchronized with the arrival of the Antichrist.
Why is a statement like this valid? Because we know that a man, we call the Antichrist, will make a peace treaty with many for a seven-year period. (We assume that Israel is a part of that treaty but you will find nothing that indicates the treaty will be with Israel.)

What we see in Daniel is a definition of what Antiochus Epiphanes will do. Unfortunately, Antiochus is a precursor for the Antichrist, who will perform in the same manner.

Daniel 9:27 NASB "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

We also have the Apostle Paul's words.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4NASB 3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4) who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

I highlighted a select portion as the rest of the sentence applies to the man we know as the false prophet. This becomes more clear when you read it in the Complete Jewish Bible.


2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 CJB Don't let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. 4) He will oppose himself to everything that people call a god or make an object of worship; he will put himself above them all so that he will sit in the Temple of God and proclaim that he himself is God.

The words I want you to pay attention to are, “the man who separates himself from Torah.” This would imply that observance of the Torah was an integrated aspect of his life. Perhaps some information about what the Quran teaches about this Jesus may help.

The following is from Wikipedia:

“In Islam, ʿĪsā ibn Maryām (Arabic: عيسى بن مريم‎, lit. 'Jesus, son of Mary'‎), or Jesus, is understood to be the penultimate prophet and messenger of Allah (God) and al-Masih, the Arabic term for Messiah(Christ), sent to guide the Children of Israel (banī isrā'īl in Arabic) with a new revelation: al-Injīl (Arabic for "the Gospel")

Islam traditionally teaches the rejection of divinity, that Jesus was not God incarnate, nor the Son of God and, according to some interpretations of the Quran, the death and crucifixion is widely denied and not believed to have occurred.

A second early image of Jesus is an end-time figure, arising mostly from the Hadith. Muslim tradition constructs a narrative similar to found in Christian theology, seeing Jesus awaiting the end of time when he will descend to the earth and fight the Antichrist, championing the cause of Islam, when after doing so he will point to the primacy of Muhammad and die a natural death.

According to Islamic tradition which describes this graphically, Jesus' descent will be in the midst of wars fought by al-Mahdi (lit. "the rightly guided one"), known in Islamic eschatology as the redeemer of Islam, against al-Masīh ad-Dajjāl (the Antichrist "false messiah") and his followers. Jesus will descend at the point of a white arcade, east of Damascus, dressed in yellow robes—his head anointed. He will say prayer behind al-Mahdi then join him in his war against the Dajjal. Jesus, considered as a Muslim, will abide by the Islamic teachings. Eventually, Jesus will slay the Antichrist, and then everyone who is one of the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb, referring to Jews and Christians) will believe in him. Thus, there will be one community, that of Islam

Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts)." — Narrated by Abu Huraira

After the death of al-Mahdi, Jesus will assume leadership. This is a time associated in Islamic narrative with universal peace and justice. Islamic texts also allude to the appearance of Ya'juj and Ma'juj (known also as Gog and Magog), ancient tribes which will disperse and cause disturbance on earth. God, in response to Jesus' prayers, will kill them by sending a type of worm in the napes of their necks. Jesus' rule is said to be around forty years, after which he will die. Muslims will then perform the funeral prayer for him and then bury him in the city of Medina in a grave left vacant beside Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Umar (companions of Muhammad and the first and second Sunni caliphs (Rashidun) respectively.”

Although I am not finding it now, I have come across the clear statement that the Islamic Jesus is of the lineage of Aaron. That would make him eligible to be a priest in the temple. What a coincidence since the temple will be rebuilt and priests will be necessary to perform the sacrifices once again. If a priest separates himself from the Torah, as the CJB tells us, the deception will be great, and this is precisely what Jesus was talking about when he said, see to it that you are not deceived.

Matthew 24:4-5 NASB And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. 5) "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.

Matthew 24:24 NASB "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

The astute should understand that Jesus was talking to and about Jews. The elect then would be Jewish leadership, such as high priests, chief priests, and Pharisees.

Are we, the body of Christ, then immune to deception?
Hardly; the sad part of this is that we, the body of Christ, are neck deep in deception. We have been led to believe that the government is our friend; that the church will only tell us the truth, always; and that our brothers and sisters in Christ have our best interests in mind. The worst of is that we have come to accept a nature and character of God/Christ that is not true, and it is our church leaders and their assigned teachers that have transmitted and supported those falsehoods.

So let's briefly talk about one of those falsehoods we believe; that God is not true to His word.
What has God ever done that would make you believe that His word is not valid? 

Many refer to Jonah and the message he eventually delivered to Nineveh. Everyone seems to understand that there was no mercy included in the message; and yet, after they, on the whole, repented, God relented in His actions. The evidence we have for this was Jonah's own statement at the end of the story where he said, I knew you would do that.

Do what? Show them mercy. Jonah, it seems, understood God's nature and character. With that in mind, is God a liar? Not at all. In time Nineveh returned to their old ways and God did exactly what He said; they were destroyed.

Ezekiel 39:8 NASB "Behold, it is coming and it shall be done," declares the Lord GOD. "That is the day of which I have spoken.

“That is the day of which I have spoken.”
References to, “the day,” can be found throughout the Bible. Most of those apply to the time surrounding Christ's physical return. However, the context of Ezekiel and the fact that Israel does not appear to be destroyed at this point is in opposition to what many commentators assume. I do not believe this to be a direct connection to the time of God's wrath and therefore the destruction of Israel.

The evidence to back up my belief lies the fact that the armies of Gog are, for the most part, preemptively destroyed on the mountains of Israel. Since most of Israel's enemies have Jerusalem as the focus of their destruction, and, Gog, it seems, does not make it that far, we might presume that Israel sustains no damage. Remember, Israel is a country of farmers, villages, and the drive for Jews to return to the homeland - called Aliyah. So for Israel to sustains deaths in numbers exceeding thirty thousand will not be that unusual during the attack by Gog.

Is it appropriate to call this God's wrath against Israel? Perhaps, but I do not see a direct correlation. Since everyone and everything is a tool in God's hands, then yes, it is clear that God is showing the world that it is He that saved Israel, regardless of the numbers killed in the process.

Perhaps, but I do not see a direct correlation. Since everyone and everything is a tool in God's hands, then yes, it is clear that God is showing the world that it is He that saved Israel, regardless of the numbers killed in the process.
The obvious factor here is that God has spoken to Ezekiel in the past about this very issue. God seems to have an emphatic emphasis regardless of whether the timing is well over 3000 years in the future.

Ezekiel 39:7 NASB "My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

“My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel;”
Is it possible that Israel forgot His name?

Hardly; the verse suggests that they really don't care. God will see to that He regains his place and importance once again. The Bible in Basic English translates it this way, “And I will make clear my holy name among my people Israel;”

“ and I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore.”
Profaned also means to be defiled or polluted. Webster's dictionary defines profaned as: violated; treated with irreverence or abuse.

So, in conjunction with making His holy name known He will not allow anyone to treat His name with irreverence or abuse.

“And the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”
Although we did not cover it, it has been spoken of before.

Ezekiel 36:20-21"When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.' 21) "But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. NASB

Suddenly there is a shift in thought from having God's name treated with irreverence, to what becomes of the armaments of those killed on the mountains of Israel?

Oh and, there is also the commentaries that convey that all of Israel will be destroyed; if that is the case, then who are these people that come out and gather up the weapons for firewood?

Ezekiel 39:9-10 NASB "Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them. 10) "They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, for they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoil of those who despoiled them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them," declares the Lord GOD.

“Then those who inhabit the cities of Israel”
It is an assumption to think that these are Israelites doing the gathering. Why say that? Because at some point two-thirds of Israel is killed. So, it is possible that invaders are living in confiscated homes. I think this is a non-credible stretch to think this is anything other than Israel doing the collecting.

“will go out and make fires with the weapons and burn them, both shields and bucklers, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears, and for seven years they will make fires of them.”
Considering what many weapons are made of now, why would anyone burn something inside their home that probably burns toxic? However, even to this day, an AK47 is still mass produced in wood. Note, in the age of modern weapons, the mention of arrows, war clubs, and spears. Is this merely an allusion to modern weapons? Teachers like Chuck Missler allude to these weapons being nuclear in some way; the problem with that is the inherent safety issues involved. How would the average homeowner harness nuclear power for seven years?

Finally, there is the time frame, seven years.
This should be a huge clue as to when this happens. Since the Antichrist signs a treaty with many for seven years, then we should be leaning toward this war occurring just before the onset of the time of wrath.
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