Cornerstone Baptist Church Batesville, MS

Cornerstone Baptist Church Batesville, MS At Cornerstone Baptist Church we teach the Bible, praise God, and we honor our country.

07/12/2024

It is Friday, just shy of 10 AM, and the end has come. I was going to surprise you with a video of me sitting at Suzanne's kitchen table, where this all began wearing a shirt and tie, but Facebook has changed its format since the birth of Tic Toc - posting long videos has become arduous. So, that was a no go. It is difficult to believe that we started this 4 years and 2 weeks ago. Yep, it has been that long. The journey has been tough and fun.

For the record, this Facebook idea was Suzanne's. She was the producer and director for the first 2 years. I was reluctant to do it. This is our little secret, but I really need an audience...After 30 years, I've learned to hide it, but I'm honestly a showman at heart, a performer, if you will. My true and full personality only a few people get to witness, and that is for the best - I promise. LOL So, you can hold Suzanne to blame for the last 4 years, but without her, it would have never, never happened. If you have been, in some small way blessed from this adventure, please give the thanks to her. Trust me, this was never easy to do. So, it has served its purpose, and all things must come to an end. The site will stay up for the foreseeable future, because, who knows, another global catastrophe could occur. The Revelation study will still be available for the next several months, and then it will be deleted. So, thanks again for tuning in and supporting this endeavor. Enough said, let us jump into the final chapter of Revelation 22.

I guess the easiest words to say is; "Praise God, there is Victory in Jesus!" Essentially, that is the final message of Revelation, and it is the most important truth of all.

John is overwhelmed by what he sees, and no amount of words can do it justice. The Tree of Life, like it was in the beginning in the Garden of Eden, is fully restored. There are 12 fruits of peace, happiness and immortality, representing the 12 months of the year - all of the inhabitants can partake and enjoy. Paradise is continually watered by the river of life, and the saints can freely drink from it. The Son and not the Sun will give us eternal light, and we, the saints, are saturated with the glory and presence of God for eternity.

Let it be said, nothing is to be added or removed from "this" book. This is not a reference to the entire Bible, because the 66 books that constitute our Bible does not come into existence until roughly 400 AD. The Bible was canonized 300 years after the Revelation was written. Sadly, John makes the mistake, as he did in a previous chapter, of attempting to worship an angelic being. It seems it is always challenging for our species not to fall into idolatry. John records that Jesus wants the readers to understand that He is the "one" speaking, and it is He, who will make all these things possible. Christ says; "He is coming soon", and we still wait for his divine appearance two millennia later - our hope should never wane.

Finally, John seldom interjects his own feelings into this document, but he does so in verse 20...when he pleads: "Come Lord Jesus, Come". This same statement should be our prayer and unwavering hope today!

The End!

May God Bless You!

07/11/2024

Tomorrow will be my final post on this site, and we will end it as we began 4 years ago. So, as I sit in my office this Thursday, just prior to noon, I want to speak on Revelation 21.

First, let me say, that Revelation 21 and 22 are inspiring to read. Through all the carnage, we come to this glorious end. The imagery is profound in these chapters, and I could spend weeks talking about the meaning behind each symbol. However. I will save you from that fate, but the beauty of Heaven (New Jerusalem) descending to earth brings a tear to my eyes. It is a sensory overload that John describes, and as lovely as he paints it with his words, it cannot surely do justice to its true magnificence. So, since this is surely the case, I want to concentrate my thoughts on the need for a "new heaven and a new earth".

Heaven and earth had to be cleansed, purified and made new. The simple reason for this is, because they were both corrupted and polluted. Sometimes, people forget that evil and rebellion against God began in Heaven with the betrayal of Lucifer and a third of the heavenly host. Yes, evil started in Heaven, and it has been tarnished ever since, as it still is. Yet, when Lucifer(now referred to as Satan or the Devil) has been cast into the depths of Hell, Heaven can and must be made perfect once again. Essentially, God, Jesus Christ and the saints, all have resided in a "dirty" place, but this changes here.

Earth is no different. Satan and many of his demons were excommunicated to earth, and it was here that they have done their finest diabolical work. Evil started in Heaven, but sin and the fall of man began in an earthly paradise called Eden. The fall of man poisoned everything on earth, and the evil that came from Heaven corrupted everything above the earth. Thus, everything must be rectified. It would be impossible for Heaven and Earth to become one, until both were totally and completely made suitable for God's presence and glory to exist. In this "New Eden", Heaven and Earth will exist as one, and all that was...is gone, and everything has been restored to its true and natural state, as it was in its original creation.

07/10/2024

It is 6 pm Wednesday evening, and I'm setting on Suzanne's porch, a lovely day, so I want to flesh out one of the great chapters in the Bible, Revelation 20. So, here we go.

I think it is pretty clear that the Archangel Michael is the one who incarcerates Satan in the bottomless pit, or as it is often called the abyss. This imprisonment is to last for 1,000 years. As most know, this is called the Millennium. There are different interpretations of its actual duration. To me, this is irrelevant . Others take a far more symbolic view, and take the position, it represents the time from the death, burial and resurrection of Christ through his second return. In otherwords, it is the time and end of the Church Age. To be clear, I reject this particular interpretation. In the latter part of verse 3, there is this obscure fragment of words that insists that Satan will be freed from his captivity to once again deceive the people who remain during the reign of Christ during the Millennium. In all honesty, this is very difficult, if not impossible, to truly understand. However, it does tell us that mortal people will live, bear children and die during this time. It is, as if God, is always giving humankind the chance to repent.

In verse 4, the martyrs are resurrected (the first resurrection) to reign with Christ during this period. Very possibly, these are Jews who had converted to Christ during the Great Tribulation. Also, I conclude that all the saints will be a part of this celebration. The rest of the dead, who had perished during this thousand year period without Jesus will suffer the second resurrection and ultimately the second death. At the end of the Millennium, as I have stated, Satan will be loosed to create dissension once more among the mortal people and nations that remain. The nations of Gog and Magog will gather at the valley of Meggido to do battle with the Christ and his saints. Again, these hostile armies are devoured by the fire of God. The identity of Gog and Magog have been speculated for centuries. Some say Russia and China or Russia and Persia (Iran) have all been mentioned, but there is absolutely no way to accurately determine their identity.

The battle is over before it begins, and Satan and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. There is no escape. In the Greek language, this word actually describes "in the belly of the earth".

Finally, John sees a Great White Throne and the spiritually dead of all the ages must stand before Christ and await their final judgment. To me, this one of the most terrifying images in the Bible. There is no plea bargaining or compromise, Judgement is cast, and it is final! There is no evidence that the Saints must endure this, because we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Death, sin and evil are simply no more.

07/09/2024

Today, I want to finish up Revelation 19, and the beginning of the end is near. Obviously, these images are symbolic, but the reality of the moment is not.

We are told a man on a white stallion, who is called "Faithful and True", breaks open the clouds, as he descends upon the earth. Eventhough, his name is unmentioned, we must conclude it is Christ himself, who is leading the charge. The King no longer is coming - He has arrived! The imagery is of a triumphant general, Caesar, who is leading his army (the Saints) into battle. At this time, every believer from every age, is coming with Christ. Can you imagine what a glorious seen this will be? The armies of the Beast are positioned for battle, but in truth, the war is over before it begins. There is no mention of a normal armed conflict, with weapons, tanks or missiles. In fact, the rider on the mighty steed needs only one weapon - it is the word that proceeds from his mouth. Christ (King of Kings and Lord of Lords) vanquishes his foes by simply speaking it to be so. His sword is his word. There is power in the Word of God!

The Armies of the Beast and the False prophet are destroyed. It is no contest. The Beast and the False Prophet (who represents the apostate church) are thrown into the Lake of Fire, and they are kept in this hellish abode for a thousand years (millennium). The Saints do not fight we simply accompany. Notice, it is Christ who slays the armies and imprisons the diabolical tandem.

Finally, I want to mention verse 17. It says that an "angel sits on the Sun." What you may not realize is that every planet and all of the stars in heaven has an angel that is assigned to govern it. Thus, "all the heavens declare the glory of God".

07/08/2024

It is 2 pm, Monday Afternoon, and I want to speak on Revelation 19:1-10. Please...read my lecture on Revelation 18, before you go any further.

The first segment of Revelation 19 is an Interlude preceding the return of Christ. It takes place in heaven around the throne. Rome (Babylon) has fallen and the host of heaven rejoices. This includes "all" the saints of God that have been taken from the earth. The saints, God's elect, are eventually going to return with Christ and reign with him on earth for a thousand years. The Elect (the redeemed) are all clothed in white, as a symbol of their righteousness and purity.

Now, I find the dialogue in verses 9 and 10 very interesting. It seems that John is overwhelmed with such exuberance and emotion that he does the unthinkable - he begins to worship at the feet of the angel. The identity of the angel is not given, but we could speculate it was Michael or Gabriel. Without hesitation, the angel begins to scold John for this irreverent act. In truth, John had committed a great and cardinal sin - it is the sin of idolatry. The angel tells John essentially, "I am like you!"

For many years, at least for 2 decades, I have theologically conjectured that the identity of the various "gods" in every culture throughout History were in fact demons (fallen angels) that had accepted the adulation of men in substitute of Jehovah, God. If you consider this thought, it explains a great deal. I don't think the average Christian can fathom or cares to know the influence of demonic forces in our world. Let me be clear, they are real!

07/06/2024

It is Saturday around 12:30, and I want to continue with Revelation 18.

My goal is to finish the Revelation this week, and this will conclude my Facebook presence on this site. All things must come to an end.

Revelation 18 is a continuation of Chapter 17. There is more detail given about the fall and destruction of Babylon, which of course is a code word for Rome. I will not repeat my interpretation from several days ago, but I want to tackle something else...and that is the notion of the Rapture.

Buckle up, here we go.

Now, if you are someone who truly believes in the Rapture, and most of you would argue for a Pre-Trib event, I'm here to tell you that the Bible, if you follow the Revelation as a chronology of future events, there are actually 3 separate Raptures in Scripture.

Let me explain:

If you take 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 as the Rapture, it is when the 1st Trump sounds. This would be a Pre-Trib event.

Now, in the Revelation, there are 7 Trumpets, and we must conclude these are the same as Paul writes in Thessaonians 4, with Trumpet number 1. At the end of the 7th Trumpet in Revelation 11, which would be Mid-Trib, verse 11:15 seems to indicate a second event. I have tended to typically fall here.

However, if you read Revelation 18:4-5, this seems to be a 3rd Rapture event, and it would be Post-Trib.

Three Raptures in all...meaning that the Church, those who are the followers of Christ (the Saved) would have a continual presence throughout the Tribulation, and like the Hebrews in the Exodus narrative, God would protect his own through the last 3.5 years, which is technically the Great Tribulation.

Three separate events would be in line with number 3, which stands for the Trinity, and it would keep the Gospel front and center for the duration of the Tribulation.

After much, much thought and study, I'm beginning to lean in this theological direction. Hopefully, you will take a hard look at this post.

07/04/2024

It is 11 pm on Wednesday Night, and my mind is working at full capacity. Sleep eludes me, as I ponder Revelation 17. This chapter is saturated with images that every Christian two millennia ago would have roughily comprehended. The identity of the "W***e of Babylon" is obviously the Roman Empire and the Emperor himself. Rome, under Nero (54-68 AD) was the murderer of Peter and Paul. In AD 70, Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome, and the Jews were dispersed. From 81 to 96 AD, Domitian ruled Rome, and this was presumably when John scribed the Revelation on the Island of Patmos. By the mid 2nd century. Roman persecution of Christians had grown intense, but by 325 AD, Rome, under Constantine the Great, had converted to Christianity. Christianity had full legal status. Just prior to this mandate, in 286 AD, the Roman Empire had split into two halves, the Western and Eastern Empires. In 476 AD, the Germanic Goths, who were Christian, had conquered Rome proper, and the Eastern Empire continued for another 1,000 plus years from the modern city of Istanbul, Turkey. The rise of Islam would finally cripple the Eastern Empire, just as Germanic Christians had earlier conquered the West.

So, what is your point? Well, the judgment didn't come! Rome fell as a Christian Empire! Modern Rome (Italy) is no major world power, and the European Union (28 countries) has roughly the same GDP as the United States. So, nothing fits! By the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church became the "Great W***e" that seduced the people and the nations. This was widely taught by Baptist until the early and mid 20th century, but it has no merit. By 9-11, Islam had become the "Great W***e", but again, this has no legitimacy.

So, who or what is the real Beast? The truth is; we do not know. The United States has been mentioned, but for some reason that thought is an anathema to many. Russia could fit the bill, but this again is pure speculation. Maybe, the modern, apostate church, who claims to profess little doctrine and teaches no moral standards, might apply. Yet again, we just don't know.

Christ is surely coming back, and there will be a judgment, but the exact identity of the "Great W***e", "the Beast" is still a mystery.

06/28/2024

It is Friday afternoon, around 3:30, and I want to speak on Revelation 16.

By now, we have gone through 14 judgments and in Chapter 16, the last seven are poured out. We have come to the end of this torrid affair from God, and the final act is now in sight.

If you read this chapter, any student of the Bible will recognize that these judgments are nearly identical to the plagues that afflicted the Egyptians in the Exodus narrative. Essentially, they are the same. It is as if, John lifted this from the Book of Exodus or God chooses the same measure to inflict his wrath upon sinful and unholy human beings. Obviously, the entire earth is adversely effected. There is no indication that humankind is sorrowful or seeks repentance. Without the Holy Spirit, our sins and evil doings cannot be recognized. We are blinded by the hardness of our hearts and minds. This sad fact resonates throughout the Bible.

Over my 30 years of preaching, I've taught through the Revelation 7 times, and this will be my last. In truth, it is just too depressing. I've often wondered how God can be so cruel to his creation. In this vein, logic escapes me. Could I be this harsh to my children? Well, obviously, I can only see this from a mere human perspective. The mind of God is far above my pay grade, but the Revelation reveals overtly that God hates sin, and all, who refuse to repent, will be judged. The holiness of God must be preserved.

06/22/2024

Chapter 15 is the shortest chapter in the Revelation. It is the introduction of the final seven plagues or judgments from God. If you are counting, there are 21 in total, and this number carries with it significant meaning. Obviously 21 is 3(7). Three is the number of the Trinity, and seven is the Holy number for God. Again, you need to understand that it is God who is perpetuating these judgments on earth. The earth must be purified - the corruption of sin is ubiquitous (everywhere), and it has saturated every facet of this planet.

The song of Moses constitutes several passages from the OT, primarily from the Book of Psalms, which was the hymnbook of the early Church. The martyrs are singing praises unto God, as in fact, all will sing his praises in the end. God will not be denied!

Finally, the seven angels proceed from the heavenly temple to unleash the last horrors upon the earth. In other words, God is in the driver's seat. Holiness cannot reside with unholiness, and this has been the case starting with the rebellion of Lucifer and his minions, and the sin and disobedience of Adam and Eve - all leading ultimately to the death, burial, resurrection and the eventual return of Christ.

06/13/2024

This coming Sunday is Father's Day, so this will be my post for next week. Everyone needs a little break from writing, and maybe, all of you will read and catch up.

I want to finish Revelation 14, because in many ways, this chapter reads like the final judgment. In some regards, it seems, by the language used, John is tired of writing, and he has see enough from his heavenly perch. Honestly, who can blame him. It is terribly depressing. Even modern war movies have little on these images. Death and blood is constant. I think we are all yearning for something pleasant, but unfortunately, it is yet to come.

In verse 8, Babylon is used as a code word for Rome. If you know an ounce of OT History, Babylon figures greatly into the demise of the 586 BC destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. During the Great Tribulation, all, who worship the "Beast" (meaning Rome and the False Christ), will be judged most harshly. There is no grace extended to these heretics. Those, who persevere, will be preserved and rewarded. Blessed are these who have kept the faith...remember, they have endured the Great Tribulation. Notice in verse 13, the saints are simply removed. Is this another rapture? Many scholars believe; there are several raptures or resurrections preceding the final judgment. In some ways, this does make sense. God will always need a remnant to carry forth his gospel.

At the end of this chapter, the reapers (angels) come to harvest the earth. The lost or apostates are harvested. One is like the "son of man", crowned as he is, to harvest, and the other emerges from the Temple - this is the heavenly Temple in verse 17. The earthly Temple has been gone for over 2 decades. The evil of the world faces the terrible wrath of God. The image is brutal and nearly unbelievable - their blood stretches for 200 miles and reaches 5 feet in depth. Yet, we still have more to go...

06/08/2024

On this nice Saturday morning, I thought I would go ahead and write my Revelation Bible study. We are on Chapter 14, and I just want to spend a few moments speaking of the mysterious 144,000. In many respects, Chapters 14 and 7 are very similiar. The 144,000 figures greatly into both. In Chapter 7, John indicates these 144,000 come from the 12 tribes of Israel. Each tribe has 12,000 that are redeemed from the Great Tribulation. As I said previously, the 12 tribes listed in Revelation 7 are not the same found in the OT. Of course, this seems odd. Scholars differ to the true identity of this number. Some say; it represents just Jewish believers, who according to Revelation 14, are male and virgins. I do not think their virginity is sexual but "spiritual". They are faithful to God, and to him alone. Other scholars argue that the 144,000 represents all people (male and female), who are saved out of the Great Tribulation. In other words, it is highly symbolic. In numerology, if you drop the zeros, 144 adds up to 9. The number 9 is a mathematical oddity. All numbers multipled by 9 can only be consistently divided by 9. If you divide 144,000 by 9, it equals 16,000. Again, if you drop the zeros, 1+6=7. Seven is obviously the number of God, just as 666 (also adds up to 9) is the number of the beast. If we take this approach, the 144,000 represents simply "God's Own". You can obviously decide how you choose to interpret. I will finish up Revelation 14 next week.

06/02/2024

We are going to finish Chapter 13 with the number of the beast. Get ready, here we go.

Scholars are at odds about which alphabet is the oldest. Most agree that Phoenician (modern Lebanon) or the Hebrew dates to at least 1500 BC. This corresponds to the time the Hebrews were in Egypt. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters; Greek and Latin 24, and English 26, but this did not occur until the 16th century. From the most ancient times, people associated numbers with each letter of the Alphabet. Essentially it was 1-9, 10 - 90, and 100 - 400. It was a way to code a message, and each letter and corresponding number had a spiritual significance. In the case of Revelation 13, it is 666, eventhough some texts have 616. However, 666 is most often the translation. The Hebrew has no vowels as English and most modern languages, just consonants. Spelling could differ from one person to the next. So, how do we arrive at 666 for the beast, and who was he based on this alphabetical/numerical system? Actually, it is quite simple. If you were take the Hebrew equivalent consonants of (N/50, R/200, W/6, N/50, Q/100, S/60, R/200) with their appropriate numbers attached, it adds up to 666. The letters aforementioned spell the word Nero Caesar and 666. For the early Christians, Nero was the beast. Nero had been dead for nearly 30 years, when John penned the Revelation. Therefore, we must conclude many believed Nero would be resurrected or some future emperor, like Nero, would be the Anti-Christ.

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