Why is This Forgiveness Thing So Important? Real Questions that Deserve a Real Answer

 In the last segment we discussed the origins of the heavens and the earth. We talked about Lucifer, also known as Satan and why there is such a spiritual battle going on in the universe. We talked about our place in God's grand plan and how we can either be a part of it or reject it. This is the question we all must answer: Not someday, not later. If this is real, then eternity hinges on this question. And if it's not, then you've lost nothing but lived in hope. But if it is - and Scripture insists that it is - then everything, and I mean everything rides on your response: What are you going to do about Jesus?

My Good Deeds Versus My Bad Deeds

This has been at the crux of how to get into heaven. And the world has created quite the narrative. When we die, we're taken to heaven by an angel. Once there, we meet St. Peter who guards the gates of Heaven. He checks whether our names are written in the book, and if our good deeds have outweighed our bad ones, he finds our name and we are admitted to Heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

That isn't how we handle justice on earth, why would it be different in Heaven? Imagine this: You are sitting in a court room, just as an observer. A man is brought in; he is in chains on his hands and his feet. A lawyer gets up and says, "Your honor, I know my client has done this awful thing. The taking of a human life isn't something that should be tolerated lightly. 

"However, I'd like to point out that my client has lived his life without so much as a speeding ticket. The only involvement with the court system at all is the occasional parking ticket. He has been an upstanding member of society. He owns a very successful business; he sponsors the local middle school basketball teams. He has always contributed to the Chamber of Commerce, the yearly United Way drive, and the yearly festival. So, we can easily see that his good deeds far outweigh this one horrible thing, and I see no reason to ruin his life over one bad decision." 

Of course we do not do that on earth, because we know justice requires punishment. For the majority of the people, we believe actions have consequences. It doesn't matter how a person has behaved prior to a crime being committed, once that crime has been done, there must be justice. The Bible is clear on this one thing: There must be punishment for sin.

In the book of Genesis, we see the beginning of the law. But it wasn't really a law, it was instructions. God hadn't sat down and given a list of commandments but simply one instruction: 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” - Genesis 2:16-17 English Standard Version

The only recorded command Adam received was this: stay away from the tree. Was it God's intention to someday explain the tree, and allow Adam to use it? Who knows? And quite honestly that wasn't Adam's concern. His concern was to submit himself to God and obey. But even here we see the foundations of man daring to question his position in relation to God. 

God's Plan Seen in The Old Testament

In order to understand God's plan, it is necessary to see the origins of sin. There is a lot to be unpacked here:

 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. - Genesis 3:1-7 NKJV

We see that Adam, not Eve committed the original sin. As a young boy in church I had this idea that Eve had been walking through the garden when the serpent approached her. She took a bite of the forbidden fruit and then walked away to find Adam. But the Bible is clear, "She also gave to her husband WITH HER, and he ate. If he would have reached out and slapped the fruit out of her hand before she had taken a bite, none of this would have happened. But Adam committed the original sin, because he knew he was disobeying God in order to satisfy the desire of his flesh. And that desire was to be like the Most High. Sound familiar?

This is a blueprint for something Satan has done time after time throughout history. There is nothing new to his ruse, just new packaging. The first thing he always does is challenge God's word. "Has God indeed said?" This is the same ancient deception, repackaged for modern times. And it works to this day. None of us are immune; to this very day, Satan gets us to doubt God's word by simply challenging what we believe. Bringing doubt into our minds, "Did God really say?" Or casting doubt that He'll do what he says, "You shall not surely die..." 

Even this doubt is enough to be considered a sin to God. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is reviewing the events that led up to this day of their finally entering God's promised land. Moses is reminding them of the time they failed: 29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fights for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

34 When the LORD heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb, son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.” - Deuteronomy 1:29-36 NIV

Moses is recapping the time Israel was ready to take the promised land. But first, they sent 12 spies into the land to get a glimpse of what treasures the land held. Two of them came back with wonderful news, talking about the plentiful land. But 10 of them had bad news. They were afraid of the people and the cities. And instead of the people of Irael trusting in God to deliver them, just as we do today. They were relying on themselves instead of God. 

God was angry at their lack of faith and became angry. This is what led to their wanderings in the desert for 40 years. The point is plain: in God's eyes your good deeds will never be good enough. 

God's justice is straightforward: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23 NKJV). There it is, no ambiguity, no stipulation. But thank God that isn't the end of the verse. "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". 

As the Bible often points out, sin corrupts. In the Old Testament there were many things that were considered clean and unclean. Some of these things were very important and shows us a glimpse of a Supernatural God whose knowledge surpassed the conventional wisdom of the day. For example, while pagan cultures were making potions out of animal parts and excrement, Israelis had a sophisticated quarantine system in place for people who were diagnosed with various diseases. In a time when people had no idea whatsoever about micro-organisms, for some reason the Israelis were smart enough to keep the sick away from the population in order to control the spread of disease.

Other things, however, were more symbolic than anything. For example, walking over a grave would make a person 'unclean' until the evening. Now anyone who has visited a graveyard has probably walked over a grave site with no adverse effects. These things were symbolic, showing the Israelites that corruption could pollute the holy. God was teaching them a valuable lesson: that sin could not be allowed to corrupt that which is holy. In fact, God made it clear that corruption could not stand in the face of the holy.

Dagon Vs. The Ark of The Covenant

In 1st Samuel chapter 5, we read the story of the god Dagon who was worshipped by the people of the city of Ashdod. After defeating Israel in battle, the Philistines captured the Ark of The Covenant and brought it to the city of Ashdod, placing it in the temple of their god Dagon. The next morning, when they rose to worship their god, they found his statue lying face down before the Ark. 

They set Dagon back up in his place. However, the following day Dagon is face down before the Ark again, but this time his head and hands are broken off and only the torso remained. This is a stunning show of dominance; this is a declaration to the whole world. God doesn't share space with idols. Even in enemy hands, the Ark commands reverence. The unholy cannot stand in the presence of the holy.

New Age Thinking = Old Age Deception

There is one particular prophecy in the Bible that I see coming to pass everywhere I look. "Professing themselves to be wise, they have become fools". (Romans 1:22 NKJV) This is certainly true when it comes to modern religion. Whether it's a church for atheists, or this new age thinking, it seems people have completely dismissed the idea of a real God and decided a 'make it up as you go along' method is just as good. There are several modern-day deceptions in this world and the number grows almost every day. One of these is the idea that there are many paths to God and one path is just as good as the other. 

The one thing this philosophy lacks is the simple wisdom of ownership. Who owns Heaven anyway? If God is real, and we know that He is, then who gets to decide on how to get there? Certainly not us, but God. And God has made it abundantly clear that anyone who approaches him must do so through Jesus Christ the Messiah. This is not optional. No one gets a backstage pass to Heaven. I hate to disappoint Robert Plant, but there is no stairway. Anyone who comes to God must approach him through the Messiah.

And if you think that is very mean of God, then take it up with him; that's his words not mine. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) This is not some sort of idea dreamed up by man in order to promote one religion over another. This is the only way to approach God because unholy cannot stand in the presence of holy. Let's go back to the whole 'good deeds vs. bad deeds' belief.

If this were really a truth, then the question would become whose judgment are we going to go by when it comes to what is a good deed? Are we to judge ourselves on this premise? Are we going to allow God to judge us, or St. Peter or an angel? Let me give you a hint: Do NOT pick God to judge your good deeds. Because God has made it clear what he thinks of your own efforts to become righteous: "All our righteousness are as filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6. Paul echoes this sentiment in the book of Romans: 

"As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." - Romans 3:10-12 ESV

Letting your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds just got a whole lot harder.

And that's why you need Jesus. Not because God is creating this spiritual franchise that requires you to be a Christian in order to get access to him, but because there is only one thing that can stand before holiness, and that is holy. It's time to put this into straight-forward, clear language: God sent the best he had to earth in order to reconcile you to himself. If that isn't acceptable to you, then God isn't the one with the problem.

It's really very easy to understand, once you open your mind. As a human, you are flawed. Sin entered your life, and you are not capable of saving yourself. Your own deeds will never be enough to satisfy the judgement of sin. The wages of sin is death. But Jesus came to pay that debt for you, because only God could pay the debt. That's right: the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.

God himself had to pay the price that no mere mortal could pay. And only if that debt is paid in full can someone approach God. 

The Real Evil Behind Deeds

The Old Covenant or Testament had huge drawbacks. It relied on a combination of deeds and sacrifice in order to be cleansed of sin. However, this wasn't enough; and the sacrifices had to be repeated once a year in order to remain cleansed. However, the bigger problem was the deeds. And even to this day, more people are putting their salvation in jeopardy due to deeds than any other reason. That's right: you can put your salvation in jeopardy by just relying on your own self. 

One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Galatians. Some people might think that to be an odd choice: but not me. Galatians is there to remind me every time I sink back into this mentality that I must do certain things in order to secure my salvation. I don't know what it is about the human condition, but we have this almost obsessive desire to please God by doing things. Let me tell you a story: I grew up in the late 60's and 70's. My mother wanted to be part of everything during my childhood. She was a member of the PTA (I think it's called PTO now). 

One night there was a PTA meeting at school. Now back in the day, it wasn't considered polite to have a meeting without offering people food and refreshments (I kid you not). So, people would bake cookies, cakes, I mean actually make food to take to the PTA meeting. Those were the days! Just about every kid want to go to PTA because we all knew there would be sweets, chips and pop. So, while the meeting is going on, we're all playing hide-and-seek in the school, like it had suddenly turned into the giant indoor playground. 

After a while we all return to the cafeteria, where we expect the meeting to be over and glorious sweets will abound. Except there's my mother in the corner of the room, crying. When I asked what had happened, she tells me that one of the ladies she went to church with was there and had called my mom a hypocrite. Why? Because mom had worn a slacks suit to PTA, and not a dress. And Missionary Baptists did not believe that women should wear pants.

Deeds offer a great source of pride, and a great source of condemnation. To this day I cringe when I see someone doing something, simply because the Old Testament mandates something is supposed to be done. Keep this in mind: Whenever you try to incorporate an Old Testament law into your daily life, you are trying to follow a rule that never applied to you in the first place and certainly doesn't apply to you now as a Christian. In fact, the third chapter of Galatians is something that all Christians need to remember.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? — 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” - Galatians 3:1-6 NKJV

To me, this Scripture is crystal clear. Paul is angry, and I mean angry at the church in Galatia, because while they started their Christian lives in faith in Jesus Christ, they are now reverting back to following the law of the Old Testament as a means to continue their walk with God. So, Paul is asking them point blank: Did you receive gifts from God through faith, or following the law? Are you trying to perfect yourself by your own deeds? Have the things you have gone through as Christians now in vain? And finally, he reminds them that it wasn't the deeds of Abraham that caused God to bless him, but by his faith.

Being saved by deeds isn't an option. In fact, Paul is telling us that deeds can be a stumbling block to your salvation. He uses some pretty harsh language and quite frankly no one wants to preach or teach on this because it is so harsh. But Paul is asking a question that needs to be answered, and answered in our hearts: Is your salvation in vain, because you are relying on your own works to save you, rather than the completed work of Jesus on the cross?

I wrestled with these things for a long, long time. Then one night, as I prayed over these things, God gave me a simple word that solved this mystery once and for all: 

"Learn from the Old Testament but live by the New".

Once again, we clearly see from the Bible that our own deeds won't save us, nor can we earn forgiveness.

The River of Truth

One of my favorite Bible teachers was Chuck Missler. In fact, I measured my growth in Scripture by my ability to disagree with something Chuck said. But one of the many sayings that has forever been logged into my brain is this: "The river of truth flows between the banks of two extremes."

On the other bank of forgiveness is Universalism. This universalism is a crafty thing; be very careful that you don't get tangled up in the tentacles of this teaching. Because like many false teachings, there is enough truth in it to be considered dangerous. Universalism is the idea that everything has been done; you don't need to do anything at all in order to be saved. Yeah, it might be nice if you followed the teachings of Jesus, showed a genuine change of heart. But all those things are works, and you're not saved by works, you are saved by grace. And you're going to Heaven whether you like it or not.

This is one of most dangerous teachings out there. And that's because it gives people a free pass to live their lives as they see fit, without any accountability. Considering the present mentality of this younger generation to blame anything and anyone else for their own bad choices, there's obvious reason why this is becoming more prevalent in the world today. The ultimate Universalism that I've ever heard comes from this idea that someday, we will all be forgiven and received into Heaven to be with God forever.

Universalism is the belief that all souls will eventually be reconciled to God, including those previously condemned in traditional theology. In fact, some go as far as to say eventually even Satan himself will be forgiven. While this is what I call a "nice, warm, fuzzy sentiment", even the furthest stretches of the word of God wouldn't cover this deception. This has to be based on personal theology, not Scripture. The Bible says the complete opposite. "Because narrow is the is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few that find it" - Matthew 7:14 NKJV

Can Satan be saved? The principle of forgiveness is clear; absolutely not. In order for Satan to be saved, Jesus would have to have died in his place. But before that, Jesus would have had to be born or created as such a being as Satan. Since Satan is an immortal being, he cannot die, nor could Jesus be able to die in his place. The reason for our salvation is clear. Jesus died as a sacrifice for us. He became one of us and lived as one of us for 33 years. And when the time came, he offered his sinless body up as a one-time sacrifice for us all.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” - John 1:12

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9

“For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” - Acts 16:31

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” - John 3:36

Where else shall I go? Jesus, who said at the time of the end, the angels will separate the righteous from the unrighteous, and send the unrighteous into everlasting punishment? Or the book of Proverbs that tells us there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is destruction? The continuous theme throughout the Scriptures is a difference between those who followed and obeyed God, and the rewards they received due to their faithfulness, and the destruction of the wicked who followed the lusts of their own flesh. If there is no punishment for sin, then why did so many things have to happen in order to redeem man?

But the most troubling hurdle for universalism is the age-old double-edged sword of freedom of will. There are people out there who genuinely believe in Allah, the god of the Muslims. There are people out there who worship various gods, animals, mythical creatures and some who worship the planet. There are some who worship nothing at all, some who worship their money. And you know what? They have every right under God to do just that. But God will never take away their rights and force them to spend eternity with him if that isn't what they want to do.

People make a conscious decision every day. Some want to spend their time on earth fulfilling every carnal desire their flesh can dream up. And they have every right to do that. They can decide to live this life on earth and sacrifice their future for a good time right here, right now. But God doesn't reward such selfish behavior. In fact the Scriptures are full of warnings to those who do so. God isn't a liar and his word isn't void. And that is the bottom line of every universalist; in order to be faithful to universalism you have to abandon the Scriptures.

The Deepest Bottom Line

Bottom of the most bottom line, the very deepest bottom of them all is what are you going to do about Jesus? You can go about your life putting off a decision; you may make an alternate decision to ignore the Bible and follow another path. But there is only one path that leads to eternal life, and there will be few that find it. Not because God has hidden the path, but the world has. The Bible says that in the last days false prophets and false teachers will emerge and deceive many. And those days are here. But there is only one Gospel. Only one message of Good News. 

And that message deserves every bit of praise and accolade we have laid on it over the years. The message that your sins are forgiven. They were forgiven 2,000 years ago on a cross near the city of Jerusalem. When a man who had healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, given countless people hope and still does to this day. When that man was nailed to a cross due to the voices of a few dozen religious leaders who feared the people who were listening to this man. Little did they know their anger and their hatred was fulfilling God's plan, not derailing it, thereby setting the stage for the greatest event in human history: The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If you’ve been relying on your own goodness, it’s time to lay it down. The cross isn’t a backup plan—it’s the only plan. What will you do with that truth today?

Did you miss part one? Read it HERE

Our next segment will deal with you and your purpose on this earth. 

*If this article has helped you, or answered your questions, please support us by sending this article to someone you know who might need to hear this message. 

Bible prophecy is unfolding in today's headlines - clear Signs of the Times.

 

Revelation's Sixth Seal and The Ring of Fire

Seismic prophecy is no longer symbolic. The earth is echoing Revelation’s warning.

The Sixth Seal isn’t poetic anymore. It’s geological. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and atmospheric signs are no longer rare—they’re synchronized. And they’re screaming Scripture. 

1. The Wrath of the Lamb: Scripture’s Seismic Symbol

...Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” - Revelation 6:15-17 New Living Translation

The wrath of the Lamb; a mixed metaphor in the book of Revelation. Usually, we think of lambs as small, gentle creatures. Not an animal that one would fear in the least. But here we have kings, rulers, generals and other powerful people, right along with the free and enslaved hiding themselves, begging for death rather than face the wrath of a lamb.

But this is no ordinary Lamb; no, this Lamb is done being meek and lowly. This Lamb has come prepared to claim his divine inheritance, the earth itself. "I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places." - Revelation 6:12-14 New Living Translation

For centuries this Scripture was openly mocked by skeptic and more recently by scientists. "How can a world-wide earthquake take place?" People would ask. But now some of these same scientists are asking, "what is happening with the Pacific Rim's 'Ring of Fire'?"

2. What the Earth Is Saying: Seismic Statistics

• 15,000+ earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher recorded in 2024 alone—a 23% increase from the previous year
• 47 volcanoes in active eruption status as of May 2, 2025—one of the highest counts in recorded history
• Japan: 3,200+ tremors in Q1 2025, a 340% increase over the previous decade’s average
• Japan: Experts on high alert: July 17, 2025, there was 19 earthquakes in 17 hours
• Philippines: 47 significant quakes in Q1 2025—highest since monitoring began in 1972
• Indonesia: Magma chambers expanding 40% faster than historical norms
• Mount Rainier: Over 330 quakes in two days—the largest swarm since 2009.
• Aleutian volcanic arc showing synchronized magma movement across 12 volcanoes
• Mount Fuji showing signs of awakening after 300 years of dormancy
• Taupo Super volcano in New Zealand heating up, with ground uplift and magma expansion
• Cascadia Subduction Zone entering a “critical phase” with silent quakes and methane emissions

3. What the Experts Are Saying: Scientific Statements

• USGS: Mount Rainier’s 334-quake swarm in 2 days is the largest since 2009
• GNS Science (New Zealand): Alpine Fault has reached “critical stress accumulation levels”
• Japan Meteorological Agency: Mount Fuji may be in a “critical state” due to ground deformation and sulfur emissions
• European Space Agency: Magnetic field weakening over volcanic zones may be influencing magma movement
• Volcanologist Sarah Chen: “Extremely rare and deeply troubling” levels of concurrent volcanic activity

Photo courtesy of the United States Geological Survey (USGS)

For nearly 2,000 years, biblical prophecy has often been dismissed as symbolic—images like the sun going dark, the moon turning to blood, and stars falling from the sky relegated to metaphor. But now, the Ring of Fire is forcing even geologic skeptics to reconsider. Scientists are no longer ruling out the possibility of a chain reaction within the Pacific Rim. In fact, volcanic and seismic activity are erupting across the Ring right now—and not randomly, but with striking synchronicity. When one volcano stirs, others seem to answer.

We’re not crying apocalypse—we’re connecting dots. The darkening of the sun and the blood-red moon aren't abstract symbols anymore; they’re geological consequences of eruption. Ash clouds and atmospheric scattering do exactly what Revelation foretells. What was once symbolic is sounding literal. The earth is preparing—because the Sixth Seal may not be far off.

The Sun is Blotted Out

On May 18, 1980, photographer Robert Landsburg was just four miles from the summit of Mount St. Helens when the volcano erupted. As the pyroclastic flow raced toward him at 400 mph, he captured a series of photos showing the ash cloud growing larger and darker in every frame. Within seconds, the sky was blacked out, and Landsburg was engulfed in total darkness.

Meanwhile, KOMO photographer Dave Crockett, who survived the eruption, described the moment like this:

“Oh, dear God, my God this is hell. I just can't describe it, it's pitch black. Just pitch black. This is hell on earth I'm going through.”

He filmed himself walking toward the only speck of light on the horizon, surrounded by a suffocating blackness. That single point of light in a world gone dark mirrors Revelation’s imagery:

“The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood… the sky was rolled up like a scroll.” — Revelation 6:12–14

 The Moon Became as Red as Blood

For centuries, the “blood moon” has captured imaginations—glorified in films, referenced in prophecy, and witnessed during lunar eclipses. But beyond symbolism, this is a real atmospheric phenomenon. In recent history, volcanic eruptions have cast ash and sulfur into the skies, turning the moon an eerie crimson. 

Mount Pinatubo, Philippines (1991): A colossal eruption released ash and 17 megatons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. The resulting haze dimmed sunlight and triggered blood-red moons visible across the globe.

Mount Tambora, Indonesia: In 1815 this is the most powerful eruption in recorded history. Tambora darkened skies worldwide and is famous for its impact on global climate, ("The Year Without A Summer"), and also contributed to eerie red lunar appearances due to ash scattering.

Mount Krakatoa, Indonesia (1883) This eruption sent ash around the planet, producing vivid sunsets and blood moons for months. The atmospheric veil was so thick, it altered global temperatures.

"The stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind." - Revelation 6:13 NIV

Flaming pieces of lava get thrown high into the air and come falling back to earth are known as 'volcanic bombs'. They can fall to earth just like fruit trees being shaken and the fruit falling all around to the ground. These flaming rocks could very well appear as 'stars falling from the sky'. These 'bombs' are not just a terrifying spectacle; these are extremely dangerous and have been known to kill. They also can destroy buildings spread wildfires and kill livestock.

Kilauea, Hawaii (2018): During a Lower Puna eruption, a basketball-sized lava bomb crashed through a tour boat roof, injuring 23 people.

Mount Asama, Japan (1935): During a Vulcanian eruption, bombs up to 6 meters (20 ft) in diameter were hurled 600 meters (2,000 ft) from the vent.

Galeras, Colombia (1993): During a Sudden eruption, lava bombs killed six scientists near the summit during a field study.

The sky being rolled up like a scroll

This could easily be explained by a very natural phenomenon.  Thermal columns rise above a volcano creating powerful updrafts that can vaporize or displace cloud layers directly above a volcano. Suddenly what initially sounds like fanciful symbology, now looks like a colorful description of a very real event.

Atmospheric Reality Meets Prophetic Symbolism

• Volcanic ash can blot out the sun for hundreds of miles, turning day into night. Volcanic ash can also travel high into the atmosphere, where light filtration could make the moon appear blood red. It happens now from time to time during certain conditions.

• Thermal columns from eruptions can vaporize clouds, creating a visual “scrolling back” of the sky. It is not uncommon to see photographs of an erupting volcano and see a halo-type cloud above it. 

• Volcanic bombs—molten rock hurled into the air—fall like fruit shaken from a tree, just as Revelation describes.

These aren’t poetic guesses. They’re documented phenomena that match the biblical language with eerie precision. (NOTE: Just now, as I am writing this, there was a news article about another 5.4 magnitude earthquake occurring in Burma (Myanmar)).

Now it's time to put this all into context. According to the best interpretations of the Bible and the scholars who spend countless hours poring over Scripture (certainly more than me), the book of Revelation speaks of a specific period of time known as the Tribulation. Some call it 'Daniel's 70th week' due to the visons he had speaking to an angel who brought him messages from the Lord God.

24 “A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times. (This predicted the beginning of Nehemiah's ministry, who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and the city).

26 “After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One* will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. 27 The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.” - Daniel 9:24-27 New Living Translation (*the Anointed One is a literal translation of the Greek word, Christos, where we get the word 'Christ')

There are a lot of very fascinating things in this little passage of the Bible. This Scripture predicts the 1st coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ and predicts his rejection by the Jewish people. It predicts his death and even goes as far as to say why the Jews will reject him, and that is exactly what happened. How absolutely fascinating is the Bible! How awesome it is to sit down and read the Bible and be able to compare it to history and see time after time those predictions come to pass exactly as foretold!

But the subject of this matter is the 70th week. In this prophecy, a week refers to a cluster of seven. Not seven days like we would call a week, but in this case, Daniel's 70th week refers to a seven-year period of time. As you can see in verse 27, 'the ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven'. The signing of this treaty will mark the beginning of Daniel's 70th week.

It's important you know this because it makes the point of what I'm about to say. According to scholars, this starts the 7-year Tribulation. I will tell you now not to get caught up in this phraseology. There are Christians out there who love nothing more than to find something to argue about. So, whether they believe the Tribulation is 7 years long or 3 1/2 years long, is honestly like arguing over the shade of color of a banana; it proves nothing. Daniel's 70th week is a period of 7 years. And the wrath of the Lamb is set to occur in that 7-year period of time.

It is not our intention to make the statement that this could occur at any moment. But even if it were, this is good news for the Christian. It might not be very good to the worldly, but this marks the beginning of the end of this present age, and a new dawn for mankind. 

This passage of Scripture is yet another signpost; 'TURN AROUND. The Bridge Ahead Is Out'. How much farther down this road would you like to travel, dear reader? Don't you think it's time you heeded the warnings? This present age will come to an end and only one thing will matter: What did you do with this gift of forgiveness that was purchased for you by Jesus Christ? Are you going to pick it up, open it and receive it, or are you going to continue down this road disregarding the signs of the times?

If you would like to see Bible prophecy coming to pass on a daily basis, please take time to read my other blog, Signs of the Times.

 

Where Did God Come From? Questions That Deserve a Real Answer

Part One: Echoes of Creation - in The Beginning

I'm starting a series today answering basic questions about the Bible and its implications on the world we live in, and to you, the reader. Want to know how Bible prophecy is happening today? Read my new blog page "Signs of the Times".

I feel it is necessary to apologize to the atheist on behalf of modern civilization. After all, you have been set up in a system that has stacked the deck against you. As a child, you were told many things: First of all, you were told about a fat, jolly, bearded man in a red suit who lives at the North Pole. There, he has a toy workshop where he builds toys for all the ‘good’ boys and girls all over the world, despite the fact that those toys say, 'Made in China'. Then once a year, he uses 8 tiny reindeer to make a delivery to every single house in the world. 

Then you’re told about a beast known as the Easter Bunny. This human-sized rabbit jumps fences in every backyard during Easter, without alerting the family dog or the security system in order to hide decorated, hard-boiled eggs as a game for you to find. He also drops off baskets of candy while he’s there. Then you lose your first tooth, and you’re told to put it under your pillow and go to sleep with it there. Sometime during the night, a magical fairy called the Tooth Fairy will come to your house and replace the tooth with money.

Then you’re told about a being that lives in space. He has a place there called Heaven. And he watches over you day and night, making sure you’re good. Then one day, when you die, he will meet you and take you to live in Heaven with him forever. Oh, by the way, this isn’t like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy, this one is real.

I saw an article recently that stated, ‘16 things atheists would like religious people to answer’, and it got me thinking: Oh, that it was true! How I would love the opportunity to sit down, not in some adversarial role, but to genuinely answer real questions. So, I thought it would be appropriate to write this article and explain things to someone who is truly curious. Not someone whose mind is closed, but to someone who has some real questions on Christianity and why we not only believe but know in our hearts that this is real.

People of The Book

The best place to start is the Bible. So, let’s do that. Let’s start off with what is the Bible and why we believe it. The first religious text is the first 5 books of the Bible known as the Torah, although that isn’t literally true. Torah means ‘to teach’ or ‘to guide’. While it is commonly accepted to refer to the 5 books of Moses as the Torah, it can literally be applied to all books of the Old Testament. But among scholars, the entire Old Testament is called the Tanakh. 

This is the core of Jewish scripture. While Jews rely on other writings for the entirety of their religion, Christians hold fast to 66 books, often condensed into one book, known as the Bible. We are well known for our dedication to the book, even among Muslims who often refer to Christians as “People of the book” meaning the Bible.

So why do we hold this book in such high esteem? Very simply, we believe this book contains the very words of God himself. While I’m not doing it in this article, very frequently in Christian writings you will see someone capitalize the letter ‘W’ when referring to the Bible, making their belief quite clear that the writer believes in the Bible as the Word of God.

Right now, you’re asking yourself, ‘don't all religions claim their writings are from God?’ That is a broad question with just as broad of an answer, but basically no. Many religions hold certain writings as sacred, some more than others, but the Bible is unique in that we as Christians believe that this Bible was inspired by God himself and was written and carefully recorded over the centuries to remain as close to the original texts as possible. In fact, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered between 1947 and 1956 archaeologists and scholars alike were amazed to see just how closely the modern scriptures compared with the ancient writings of the scrolls.

The principle behind this is simple. We believe that God took steps to make sure his word would never be corrupted throughout history; by entrusting his scriptures to those people he could trust to hold scripture in such high esteem as to make sure copies were made literally letter by letter without error. And frankly, if a god were unable to preserve his message across generations, it would raise questions about his power and sovereignty. We rely on the power of God himself to keep his word pure, handed down from generation to generation, without error. We are the ‘People of the Book’.

The Bible is unique in all the world. There isn’t another document of its kind known to man. The Bible literally tells the story of mankind, from our creation to the present day, giving us a reason for our very being, a purpose, and answering the age-old question, what happens to us when we die. Over the years, many, many people have tried to discredit and even corrupt the Bible, but every single attempt has failed. Many people have misunderstood the scriptures, claiming it is full of contradiction; but I can assure you, if you find a contradiction in the Bible, it is only because it is being misunderstood. The Bible flows in an invisible harmony; like a symphony played on unseen instruments, the Bible’s messages resonate - not in contradiction, but in cohesion, once the listener is attuned.

The Bible is also unique, because it’s the only document known to man that makes predictions of the future, and those predictions have come true 100%. That’s right; there are no failed prophecies in the Bible. There are some that have yet to come to pass, because they are talking about future events. But the Bible has predicted events that have come true in modern day history. Right now, the Bible is coming true with remarkable clarity and precision; modern events we see in the news were foretold thousands of years ago and we now have the privilege to see them take form while watching the evening news.   *Take a peek into the world of Bible prophecy - Signs of the Times

Other books may make various claims as to its authenticity, but the Bible stands alone in its class; it answers the age-old questions of who we are, why we’re here and what happens to us when we die. It gives us a guideline on what to expect in these very days that we live in right now, and it offers us hope that no other book can promise. No, these aren't the writings of so-called prophets such as Nostradamus; these are clearly written, easily understood words of comfort to some and warning to others.  

Hidden Patterns in Scripture: A Tribute to Chuck Missler and Ivan Panin

In exploring the divine nature of the Bible, few have illuminated the mathematical intricacies of Scripture like Chuck Missler and Ivan Panan. Missler, known for his almost obsessive deep dives into Biblical codes and prophetic symbolism, often stated his belief that every single word of the Bible was divinely inspired. He often referenced Panin's word on something know as heptadic structures - patterns based on the number seven found in the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

Ivan Panin, a Russian-born literary scholar and former agnostic, converted to Christianity in 1890 after discovering a numerical pattern in John 1:1. He spent over 50 years meticulously analyzing Scripture, producing more than 43,000 hand-written pages of research. His findings revealed astonishing consistencies. 

In the book of Matthew, the first eleven verses may seem boring to the average reader. After all, one of the many things that turn people off about the Bible are the seemingly endless genealogies and listings. The first eleven verses deal with the genealogy of Jesus. But perhaps Chuck Missler had a point after all: 

• Matthew 1:1–11 contains 49 Greek words (7×7)
• The total letters: 266 (7×38)
• Nouns: 42 (7×6), Proper names: 35 (7×5)
• Only one city mentioned: Babylon—7 letters in Greek
• Words beginning with vowels: 28 (7×4)
• Words beginning with consonants: 21 (7×3)
• Male names: 28 (7×4)

And that’s just scratching the surface. Panin reportedly documented over 43,000 pages of these numerical patterns, arguing that such precision couldn’t be the result of chance or human design. Missler used this to support the idea that Scripture bears the fingerprint of divine authorship.

What Happened in The Beginning?

Just the other day, I heard of a young man standing up to ask a question of a speaker who had come to a college campus to give a lecture. The young man stood up and asked, “Ok, but where did God come from?”

Perhaps this young man was serious in his question; perhaps this was a sticking point in his mind, that the origin of God needed to be ascertained in order to have the world make sense to him. But for whatever the motives, this is not the right question to be asking. Because to ask this question implies that God only resides in this matter-filled dimension that we inhabit.

Remember science class? Remember the things you were asked to memorize for the upcoming quizzes you were subjected to? The 1st Law of Thermodynamics, I remember from Junior High: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, just transformed from one state to another. But I want you to think about that. Carefully consider the wording. The phrases. If energy cannot be created, then it must exist outside of time. After all, in this matter-filled universe of ours, everything has a beginning. Think about it; can you even conceive of something existing without a beginning?

We are always trying to point backward to the origins of our earth, or the origins of our universe. But before all of that was energy. If energy has no beginning or ending, that is, it can’t be created, because creation implies a beginning. It can’t be destroyed because destruction implies an ending. Therefore, for anything to simply exist without a beginning or an ending, it has to exist outside this particular dimension, because everything in this dimension has both a beginning and an ending.

If that is the case, and the truth is the 1st Law of Thermodynamics proves it, then energy has the ability to exist both in and out of this dimension. Just like God. God doesn’t have a beginning, because he always was. God doesn’t have an ending because he always will be. Therefore, to ask a question ‘where did God come from’ simply reflects a misunderstanding of the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. God doesn’t have a past because he doesn’t exist in a linear time dimension like we do. To God, everything is, right now. As the Bible says, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” - 2 Peter 3:8 KJV

The Bible gives us a precise, albeit short version of the creation of everything. Seven Hebrew words that encompass all existence - not a theory, but a declaration: Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  End of sentence, end of paragraph. God created the heavens, not the sky as we know it today, because the heavens came before the earth. On many occasions in the book of Isaiah, God describes creating the heavens by ‘stretching out the heavens’ much like a curtain, or a tent to dwell in. Not that God simply threw heaven together but formed and molded everything with a purpose. Like a divine stage being prepared for the unfolding drama to take place. And along with it, the Bible is a cloak of mystery.

Not everything in the Bible is laid out precisely, as a history book. You can’t turn to Genesis alone, for example, and expect to see the detailed layout of the creation of the universe in one tidy package. The Bible itself alludes to this principle in the book of Proverbs: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” - Proverbs 25:2 KJV

But Was That the Beginning?

And if you love a good mystery, if you like looking for clues, if you’re the type of person who loves to get a hold on a certain matter and not stop until you get an answer, have I got a book for you! The Bible. Because the Bible has a lot more to say about the creation of the universe, but it’s not in Genesis. You see, there was a world prior to this one. Shocked? You shouldn’t be; although this is a subject of vast debate, the scriptures clearly point to a time when another supernatural being ruled a planet, and many believe it was earth. And if this is true, it certainly explains a lot of things.

In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 28, we find God angry, very angry at the king of a city called Tyre. He is listing the sins of the king and declaring what the outcome of his sins will be. But then, at one moment, something changes. God no longer continues talking about the king of Tyre but starts talking about this supernatural being.

“You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.

“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.” - Ezekiel 28:12-15 NKJV

Suddenly God is no longer talking about an earthly man. No earthly man was present when God created Eden, the garden of God. Since when does God talk about anyone with such language as “the seal of perfection”? No, this is one of those mysteries. One of those hidden passages in the Bible when God decides to give us a glimpse into eternity. Now, as we go on to Isaiah, we find something else about this mysterious creation. In Isaiah, God is talking about the fall of the king of Babylon, and his kingdom, but once again, God breaks away from his pronouncement of judgment and gives us another look at the universe before man.

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’” - Isaiah 14:12-17 NKJV

These aren’t just poetic flourishes; they’re fingerprints on eternity - Clues stitched into judgement narratives that whisper of a world before ours. Like Chuck Missler, I believe there isn’t a single word that wasn’t designed by God himself. He wasn’t just trying to fill up a book with words. Instead, he’s crafting, sculpting, and designing a hologram of his plan; and looking into that hologram we see the purpose of eternity itself; God wants to spend eternity with his family.

While some scholars view these descriptions as symbolic or hyperbole, others - like me - see a deeper, prophetic layer: glimpses into pre-Adamic history woven into divine lament. What we believe is simple. It doesn’t take a college degree to understand, in fact, even small children could easily understand. We take the Bible at face value; we believe what it says. We don’t need someone to explain some complicated interpretation; we read what it says and believe it. The Bible isn't meant to be held in some cloistered room, where its words are subjected to unnecessary symbolism. It's meant to sit nearby and read frequently, and its meaning taken literally whenever possible.

Now we have a clear picture of something taking place long before the world that we know coming into being. God created a being he considered to be perfect. And then God adorned him in some type of special garment crafted with some of the most beautiful gemstones of the world that this creature was to inhabit. Not only that, but this creature had the musical talent to play various instruments and God himself prepared those musical instruments. 

Lucifer, the name of this beautiful creation of God. Literally the name is ‘Light bearer’; Luci (or Lux) means light, -fer from the Latin Ferre, meaning to carry or to bear. So, this creation of God, more than just an angel, carried the very light of the glory of God shining through him. Imagine the beauty!

This inner light shining from his very core, these amazing gemstones, filtering and reflecting that light until it was as dazzling as a brilliant rainbow. Furthermore, we see a familiar tone ringing through on these amazing adornments given to Lucifer. These are the very stones that are mentioned several times throughout the Bible.

• Jasper - Purity, divine presence - Ezekiel, Exodus, Revelation
• Sapphire - Heavenly truth, divine favor - Exodus, Revelation
• Emerald - Covenant, majesty, eternal life - Ezekiel, Exodus, Revelation
• Onyx - Strength, remembrance, priestly duty - Ezekiel, Exodus
• Topaz - Radiance, protection, divine brilliance - Ezekiel, Exodus
• Amethyst - Royalty, spiritual wisdom - Exodus, Revelation

These stone aren't just decorations - they're spiritual markers. Lucifer's original glory was adorned with them. The High Priest bore them as a symbol of intercession and covenant. And in Revelation, they become the foundation of eternity - a city built on restored glory.

It's as if God is saying: "What was corrupted in pride will be redeemed in glory."

But what can we learn here? We know this creature; Lucifer was created to rule over a land made by God himself. We know that this could have been earth itself, and probably was, because the jewels used to create Lucifer’s covering are the same gemstones found here on earth. But then something terrible, something sinister happened.

We know that Lucifer was given a throne, which is a symbol of power and authority, but that throne was not in heaven. Notice carefully; Lucifer said in his heart, “I will ascend my throne into heaven”. Contrary to popular belief it was never Lucifer’s intention to take over heaven. He wanted equal billing: “I will be like the Most High”.

So, all this hints at a time before man walked this earth. We don’t know what the earth was like then, but we do know some very definite things. We know that the glory of God shone through Lucifer and was probably the source of light for the entire world at that time. We know that Lucifer was given a number of angels under his authority, and we can speculate that this was God’s first attempt at creating a family. 

How can we know that? Because it is very plain to see that these beings were given free will and not only free will, but a right to use that free will. God doesn’t immediately exact punishment on Satan right there and then. No, he tells Satan what his rebellion will cost him, but Satan was allowed to continue to exist and was even present at the creation (or recreation) of earth itself. 

This is speculation on my part; feel free to disagree. But when Jesus returns to earth there will no longer be a need for the sun, the Bible says that God’s glory will shine through Jesus to light the world. I believe Lucifer was illuminating the early earth the same way. Again, let’s dig up another mystery:

Genesis: The Beginning or a Re-creation?

Now this is when Bible study gets exciting! Let’s start out with the King James Version and see what we find out. In the very first words of the Bible, it says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:1-2 KJV

Notice carefully, 'And the earth was without form'. Keep that in mind; in the book of Isaiah we read, "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." - Isaiah 45:18 KJV

The phrase “not in vain” translates from the Hebrew word tohu, which also appears in Genesis 1:2 as “without form.” So, Isaiah is directly countering the idea that God made the earth as a chaotic wasteland — instead, He shaped it with purpose, intention, and habitation in mind. 

Some people take it a step further, and they have a good bit of evidence to do so. They claim that in the book of Genesis 1:2 ‘and the earth was’... could and should have been translated ‘and the earth became’. This is the feminine form of the verb הָיָה (hayah), which means “to be” or “to become.” In biblical usage:

• It can mean “was” — a simple state of being.
• It can also mean “became” — a transition or change.

The context determines which meaning fits best. But couple Genesis 1:2 with Isaiah 45:18 and we come up with a thought-provoking conclusion. That God did not create the earth without form and void, but it became that way. Now, let’s take all these strings and tie them up in one big bow.

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. He gave this planet to Lucifer and gave him a number of angels under his command to live and rule upon the earth. And for who really knows how long, that is exactly what happened. Then one day, Lucifer’s heart became swollen with pride, and the thought came to his mind that he no longer deserved to be 2nd in command, but he wanted to be 'like the Most High’. As a result, God brought a deluge of water on the planet. And he took away his glory from Satan, which plunged the earth into darkness. “And the earth was void and without form, and darkness was on the face of the deep.’

Now, there is something I found in Genesis that I thought was very curious. Let's take a look at God's promise to Noah, after the flood. "And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. - Genesis 9:11-15 KJV

In this short passage, God uses the word 'covenant' five times. A covenant is a formal, binding agreement between two or more parties, often involving promises, responsibilities, and conditions. Why is God not only remorseful over the flood but appears to be trying to convince Noah that he would never do it again. Why is he doing this? Could it be this was the second time he destroyed the earth by water?

This line of reasoning gives rise to what many call the ‘Gap’ theory; the idea that between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 there is a sizable gap of time in which Satan's rule came crashing down and plunged this earth headlong into a need for redemption.

And there is more evidence of this actually being the case. In the book of Jeremiah, God revists this very time. Before we dive in however, I think it's prudent to give a little bit of a background into the writings of Jeremiah itself. Jeremiah is known as 'the weeping prophet' because of the time he wrote. He even conceived another book, Lamentations, which is just that; his lamenting over the city of Jerusalem and Israel itself, during the Babylonian exile. In that context, God joins him in the lamenting, saying this:

 23 I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth. 25 I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. 26 I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, by His fierce anger. 27 For thus says the Lord: “The whole land shall be desolate; yet I will not make a full end. 28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken. - Jeremiah 4:23-28 New King James Version

That’s not creation chaos — it’s post-judgment devastation. Cities imply civilization. Fruitful land implies life. Jeremiah’s vision looks like a rewind — a glimpse into a time before Adam when something cataclysmic happened.

This lends real weight to the idea of a gap theory, where a pre-Adamic world fell under judgment — possibly even connected to Lucifer’s rebellion. It would explain why the earth is in ruins before God begins His six-day restoration. Genesis wouldn’t be describing initial creation, but reconstruction after cosmic upheaval.

*****

It is time I explain something about myself to you. There is nothing special about me. In fact, I am a symbol of something very real and relevant and something God specifically wanted people to understand. If God will bless me, then he will bless anyone who simply asks to be blessed. I have done everything in my power over the years to completely ruin my life. But every time, God comes along, stands me back up on my feet, and says, “sigh… Ok, let’s try this again.”

The Bible is nothing short of a genuine supernatural collection of books; and those who take up the challenge to learn its secrets are rewarded with the best prize of all, eternity. There is no shortage of forgiveness to those who ask for forgiveness. But you may ask, why doesn’t God just forgive everyone and turn earth into heaven? This is the next part of Questions That Deserve a Real Answer - Forgiveness.