If God Knew...

  ...We would Suffer; why does He allow it?

The question of why God allows suffering when He knew it would cause suffering is a profound one. It is often asked in light of the existence of moral evil, injustice, and tragedy in the world. The Bible's perspective is that suffering is not God's design but a result of human rebellion. God allowed suffering to occur because of the fall of humanity, which introduced sin and its consequences into the world. This perspective is supported by the belief that God's design for creation was perfect, free from sickness, death, and sorrow, until sin entered the world. 

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God's allowance of suffering does not mean He causes all of it. Instead, He permits it within His sovereign plan, allowing it to serve purposes such as refining faith, as seen in the trials of Job, or producing endurance and hope, as described in Romans 5:3–5. The Bible also teaches that God's sovereignty means He can work through suffering, even if He does not initiate it. 

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Ultimately, the Bible affirms that God's goodness and purpose are not diminished by the existence of suffering. God's ultimate plan includes redemption and a future where sin is undone, and He is actively redeeming creation through suffering. 

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5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:5-6

Revelation 13:5-6 describes the beast being given authority to speak blasphemies against God for forty-two months.

In these verses, the beast is depicted as receiving a mouth to utter proud and blasphemous words, exercising its authority for a period of forty-two months (three and a half years) (Revelation 13:5, NIV) BibleGateway.com+1. This period symbolizes a limited but significant time during which the beast wields power to oppose God and His people. The text emphasizes that the beast opens its mouth to blaspheme God, slandering His name, His dwelling place, and those who live in heaven (Revelation 13:6, NIV) BibleGateway.com+1.
The imagery of the beast’s mouth represents its power of speech and influence, used to arrogantly challenge divine authority and deceive humanity. The blasphemies include attacks on God’s name, His tabernacle, and heavenly beings, highlighting the spiritual conflict between the forces of evil and God’s kingdom. The forty-two months are often interpreted symbolically, representing a period of persecution and opposition to the faithful, consistent with apocalyptic literature’s use of time periods to convey spiritual realities Bible Study Tools+1.
These verses also set the stage for the subsequent actions of the beast, including war against the saints and the demand for worship, illustrating the combination of spiritual arrogance and worldly authority granted to the beast (Revelation 13:7-8) Bible Study Tools. The passage serves both as a warning to believers about the power of evil and as an encouragement to remain steadfast in faith despite opposition.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. Even though there was a delay in getting this posted today, I am thankful that you cared enough to come back to it. Thankfully, I was able to get it posted sooner than I thought that I would. Have a great day in Jesus, with many blessings!!

If God Knew...

 

...what we are going to pray, why should we bother?

 For the Christian, praying is supposed to be like breathing, easier to do than to not do. We pray for a variety of reasons. For one thing, prayer is a form of serving God (Luke 2:36-38) and obeying Him. We pray because God commands us to pray (Philippians 4:6-7). Prayer is exemplified for us by Christ and the early church (Mark 1:35; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31; 6:4; 13:1-3). If Jesus thought it was worthwhile to pray, we should also.

Another reason to pray is that God intends prayer to be the means of obtaining His solutions in a number of situations. We pray in preparation for major decisions (Luke 6:12-13); to overcome demonic barriers (Matthew 17:14-21); to gather workers for the spiritual harvest (Luke 10:2); to gain strength to overcome temptation (Matthew 26:41); and to obtain the means of strengthening others spiritually (Ephesians 6:18-19).

We come to God with our specific requests, and we have God’s promise that our prayers are not in vain, even if we do not receive specifically what we asked for (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26-27). He has promised that when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15). Sometimes He delays His answers according to His wisdom and for our benefit. In these situations, we are to be diligent and persistent in prayer (Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1-8). Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God’s will done on earth. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own.

For situations in which we do not know God’s will specifically, prayer is a means of discerning His will (see James 1:5). Prayer was instrumental in the Spirit's sending of Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–3). Solomon asked for “wisdom and knowledge,” and God gave him that and much more (2 Chronicles 1:10–12).

Prayers un-prayed will be prayers unanswered. If the Syrian woman with the demon-influenced daughter had not prayed to Christ, her daughter would not have been made whole (Mark 7:26–30). If the blind man outside Jericho had not called out to Christ, he would have remained blind (Luke 18:35–43). God has said that we often go without because we do not ask (James 4:2). In one sense, prayer is like sharing the gospel with people. We do not know who will respond to the message of the gospel until we share it. In the same way, we will never see the results of answered prayer unless we pray.

A lack of prayer demonstrates a lack of faith and a lack of trust in God’s Word. We pray to demonstrate our faith in God, that He will do as He has promised in His Word and bless our lives abundantly more than we could ask or hope for (Ephesians 3:20). Prayer is our primary means of seeing God work in others' lives. Because it is our means of “plugging into” God’s power, it is our means of defeating Satan and his army that we are powerless to overcome by ourselves. Therefore, may God find us often before His throne, for we have a high priest in heaven who can identify with all that we go through (Hebrews 4:15-16). We have His promise that the fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (James 5:16-18). May God glorify His name in our lives as we believe in Him enough to come to Him often in prayer.

(source: gotquestions.org)

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him.

(Source: Revelation 13:4

Revelation 13:4 depicts people worshiping both the dragon (Satan) and the beast (Antichrist), acknowledging the beast’s power and seeming invincibility.

Text and Context

The verse states: “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (KJV) King James Bible Online. The dragon, identified in earlier chapters as Satan, grants authority to the beast, symbolizing the source of the beast’s power BibleRef.com. The worshippers recognize both the dragon’s empowerment and the beast’s apparent supremacy Bible Hub+1.

Symbolism

• The Dragon: Represents Satan, the ultimate adversary of God, who empowers the beast to exercise authority over the earth BibleRef.com.
• The Beast: Often interpreted as the Antichrist, a human figure who exalts himself above all and demands worship, opposing God and persecuting the saints BibleRef.com.
• Worship and Praise: The people’s worship reflects both fear and admiration, acknowledging the beast’s power as seemingly unmatched. The rhetorical question, “Who is like unto the beast?”, emphasizes the perceived invincibility and authority of the beast King James Bible Online+1.

Theological Implications

This verse illustrates the spiritual deception and idolatry present in the end times. Worship is directed to a created being empowered by Satan, rather than to God. The passage warns of the allure of charismatic authority and the danger of attributing divine-like power to human or demonic figures BibleRef.com. It also foreshadows the persecution of the faithful and the global influence of the beast BibleGateway.com.

Summary

Revelation 13:4 highlights the dual worship of Satan (the dragon) and the Antichrist (the beast), portraying the world’s recognition of evil power and the seeming invincibility of the beast. It serves as a warning against idolatry, deception, and the elevation of human or demonic authority above God Bible Hub+1.

Hello Friends.

I hope you are all having a good day so far.

Thank you for coming by today.

Blessings to you and yours!