Thursday, July 30, 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
If Annointing Oil Was Used in the Old Testament...
...Should It
Still Be Used Today?
A few New Testament passages refer to the practice of anointing with oil, and none of them offer an explanation for its use. We can draw our conclusions from context. In Matthew 6:17 Jesus mentions the everyday practice of anointing oneself with oil. In Mark 6:13 the disciples anoint the sick and heal them. In all four Gospels, a woman anoints Jesus as a sacrificial act of worship (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8). In James 5:14 the church elders anoint the sick with oil for healing. In Hebrews 1:8–9 God says to Christ as He returns triumphantly to heaven, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,” and God anoints Jesus “with the oil of gladness.”
Should Christians use anointing oil today? There is nothing in Scripture that commands or even suggests that we should use similar oil today, but neither is there anything to forbid it. Oil is often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit in the Bible as in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). Christians have the Spirit who leads us into all truth and “anoints” us continually with His grace and comfort. “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 John 2:20). (Source: gotquestions.org)
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Revelation 13:15
Revelation 13:15 describes a future moment when the False Prophet, under God’s permission, animates an image of the Antichrist, compelling worship and punishing those who refuse.
Context and Overview
Revelation 13:15 occurs within the vision of the two beasts during the end times. The first beast represents the Antichrist, a political and worldly power, while the second beast, often called the False Prophet, exercises religious authority and deception under divine allowance (Revelation 13:11-14) to promote idolatry and enforce allegiance to the first beast (Bible Hub) . The verse emphasizes that even evil operates within the boundaries God permits, highlighting His ultimate sovereignty (Job 1:12; Luke 22:31) .
The Speaking Image
The verse states that the second beast is allowed “to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak.” This imagery reflects a counterfeit of God’s life-giving power (Genesis 2:7), where a lifeless image is animated to deceive humanity. The speaking image symbolizes miraculous or supernatural deception, convincing people that the Antichrist possesses divine authority (Revelation 17:8) . Historically, this echoes Daniel 3, where idolatrous statues demanded worship, showing a pattern of human susceptibility to false religious authority (Bible Hub) .
Enforcement and Consequences
Revelation 13:15 also describes the deadly consequences for those who refuse to worship the image. The False Prophet, through the animated image, enforces idolatry and punishes dissenters, illustrating the extreme spiritual and physical pressures during the Tribulation (God's Blessing) . This serves as a warning about the cost of faithful witness and the importance of steadfast loyalty to God in the face of global deception (Bible Repository) .
Spiritual and Theological Significance
- Divine Sovereignty: God permits the events but remains in control, showing that evil cannot act beyond His will (Bible Hub) .
- Satanic Deception: The speaking image represents Satan’s counterfeit miracles and manipulations to lead people away from truth (Bible Hub) .
- Call to Faithfulness: Believers are urged to resist idolatry and remain faithful, even under threat of persecution (Bible Repository) .
In summary, Revelation 13:15 portrays a literal and prophetic scenario where the False Prophet animates an image of the Antichrist, compelling worship and punishing noncompliance. The verse underscores God’s control over evil, the deceptive tactics of Satan, and the spiritual challenge for believers to remain faithful during the Tribulation.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
If Jesus Knew...
John 11:1–45 concerns the death and resurrection of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha and a friend of our Lord. Jesus wept (John 11:35) when He gathered with the sisters and others mourning Lazarus’s death. Jesus did not weep over the death itself since He knew Lazarus would soon be raised and ultimately spend eternity with Him in heaven. Yet He could not help but weep when confronted with the wailing and sobbing of Mary, Martha, and the other mourners (John 11:33). The original language indicates that our Lord wept “silent tears” or tears of compassion for His friends (Romans 12:15).
If Jesus had been present when Lazarus was dying, His compassion would have caused Him to heal His friend (John 11:14–15). But preventing a death might be considered by some to be a chance circumstance or just a “minor” miracle, and this was not a time for any doubt. So Lazarus spent four days in death’s grave before Jesus publicly called him back to life. The Father wanted these witnesses to know that Jesus was the Son of God, that Jesus was sent by God, and that Jesus and the Father had the same will in everything (John 11:4, 40–42). Only the one true God could have performed such an awesome and breathtaking miracle, and through this miracle the Father and the Son were glorified, and many believed (John 11:4, 45).
In Luke 19:41–44 the Lord is taking His last trip to Jerusalem shortly before He was crucified at the insistence of His own people, the people He came to save. Earlier, the Lord had said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it” (Luke 13:34). As our Lord approached Jerusalem and thought of all those lost souls, “He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41). Here, wept is the same word used to describe the weeping of Mary and the others in John 11:33, so we know that Jesus cried aloud in anguish over the future of the city. That future was less than 40 years distant; in AD 70 more than 1,000,000 residents of Jerusalem died in one of the most gruesome sieges in recorded history.
Our Lord wept differently in these two instances because the eternal outcomes were entirely different. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus had eternal life because they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, but most in Jerusalem did not believe and therefore did not have life. The same is true today: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies’” (John 11:25).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Revelation 13:13-14 depicts the second beast, or false prophet, performing miraculous signs to deceive humanity into worshiping the first beast and creating its image.
Context and Overview
In these verses, the Apostle John describes a vision of the end times where two beasts appear. The first beast rises from the sea, symbolizing political or worldly power, often associated with the Antichrist. The second beast, emerging from the earth, is commonly identified as the false prophet, whose role is to promote the first beast and lead people into idolatry through miraculous signs and wonders (Revelation 13:11-12, 19:20) .
The Miraculous Signs
The second beast performs great signs, including calling down fire from heaven, reminiscent of Elijah’s miracles in 1 Kings 18:38. These signs are supernatural works permitted by God but energized by Satan, intended to lend credibility to the first beast and mislead the inhabitants of the earth . The passage emphasizes that these miracles are deceptive, not divine validation, and are designed to manipulate those predisposed to reject God’s truth (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Matthew 24:24) .
Deception and Idolatry
The key purpose of these signs is to deceive “those who dwell on the earth”, a phrase referring to the unbelieving world. The false prophet instructs people to make an image of the first beast, which had been wounded but came back to life, symbolizing the allure of counterfeit resurrection and authority. This act of creating and worshiping the image represents a pivotal moment of idolatry and spiritual compromise, echoing historical examples like Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue in Daniel 3:1-6 .
Theological Implications
Revelation 13:13-14 warns believers to discern between authentic divine works and deceptive miracles. Genuine faith is not based on spectacular signs but on adherence to God’s Word. The passage highlights that hearts rejecting truth are susceptible to deception, and Satan’s most potent weapon is the imitation of Christ’s saving work through counterfeit miracles . Believers are called to remain vigilant, grounded in Scripture, and resistant to the allure of false prophets and idolatry.
Summary
Revelation 13:13-14 portrays the false prophet using miraculous signs to mislead humanity, compelling them to worship the first beast and create its image. The passage underscores the themes of deception, idolatry, and spiritual discernment, reminding readers that miracles alone are not proof of divine authority and that steadfast faith in God’s Word is essential to resist end-times deception .
Thanks for coming today, Friends. Have a wonderful day in Jesus and be blessed by Him!
Monday, July 27, 2026
If God Knew...
.. that Satan was going to be evil, does He still love him?
Jesus’ command that we love our enemies (Matthew 5:44) is meant to govern interpersonal relationships in this world. We love God, and we love people (even our enemies), who are made in God’s image. Angels are not made in God’s image. We are never told to love the holy angels, and we are certainly never told to love the evil angels.
Since Satan is everything that is antithetical to the God we love, we cannot love Satan. If we loved Satan, we would be forced to hate God, because holiness is the opposite of sin.
God has already determined that there will be no forgiveness for Satan; we are the objects of God’s sacrificial love, shown on the cross. As God was lovingly redeeming mankind, He was putting Satan “to open shame” (Colossians 2:15, ESV). God’s judgment of Satan will be part of His great love for us.
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Revelation 13:11-12 describes a second beast rising from the earth, appearing gentle like a lamb but speaking with the authority and malice of a dragon, enforcing worship of the first beast.
Text Overview
The passage reads: "Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed" (NIV) . The second beast is often interpreted as a false prophet or deceptive authority that supports the first beast, which represents oppressive or blasphemous power.
Symbolism
- Two horns like a lamb: This imagery suggests an appearance of innocence, gentleness, or religious legitimacy, implying that the second beast seems harmless or righteous at first glance .
- Spoke like a dragon: Despite its lamb-like appearance, its speech reflects the malice and deception of Satan, indicating that its true nature is corrupt and manipulative .
- Authority of the first beast: The second beast acts as an enforcer, compelling people to worship the first beast, whose "fatal wound had been healed," symbolizing the revival or resilience of oppressive power .
Theological Interpretation
The second beast represents deceptive leadership or false religious authority that persuades people to follow corrupt powers. It performs signs and miracles to convince the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast, illustrating the danger of being misled by appearances or charismatic figures . This passage warns believers to remain vigilant and discerning, recognizing that evil can present itself under a guise of goodness.
Practical Implications
- Discernment: The passage encourages critical evaluation of leaders and ideologies, especially those that appear noble but promote harmful agendas .
- Spiritual vigilance: It serves as a reminder to resist blind obedience and to uphold faith and values even when confronted with persuasive deception.
- Prophetic context: In the broader narrative of Revelation, this vision emphasizes the struggle between divine authority and deceptive worldly powers, highlighting the ultimate triumph of God despite temporary appearances of evil .
In summary, Revelation 13:11-12 portrays a deceptive power that enforces worship of corrupt authority, using the imagery of a lamb and a dragon to illustrate the contrast between outward appearance and true intent, urging vigilance and discernment in spiritual and moral matters.
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