Recently, Republican Presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson brought attention again to the hypothesis that Joseph might have built the Egyptian pyramids. He added that it is his belief that they were built to store grain. “Experts” dismissed this conclusion, stating that it was “accepted science they were tombs for pharaohs.” Others claimed that no “major Jewish or Christian sect shares his belief about the pyramids’ origins.” Dr. Carson’s own church, the Seventh-Day Adventists, “clarified” that Dr. Carson’s belief about the pyramids were “his own interpretation.”

Could it be, however, that science and Dr. Carson’s concepts might harmonize, to a certain extent? Even though there is no evidence that Joseph built all of the pyramids or that the pyramids were built for the purpose of storing grain during the biblical seven years of famine in Egypt, there IS evidence that Joseph might have been involved with building one particular pyramid–the Cheops or Great Pyramid, together with Pharaoh Khufu. In addition, there is evidence to show that Pharaoh Khufu was none other than the biblical Job.

In his article, “Who Built the Great Pyramid?” (The Plain Truth, May 1964), Dr. Herman Hoeh pointed out:

“At the true entrance to the Great Pyramid we saw the hieroglyphic carving containing the name of the mighty builder of this architectural wonder of the ancient world. His name in Egyptian is spelled Khufu by modern writers. The Greeks spelled his name Cheops. That is why the Pyramid is often called the Pyramid of Cheops today…

“The Egyptian historian Manetho, who lived in the third century before Christ, wrote that Khufu ‘was of a DIFFERENT RACE’ from the Egyptians (Wathen’s Arts and Antiquities of Egypt, p. 54). Herodotus, the famous Greek historian of the 5th century before Christ, states that the builders of the Great Pyramid were SHEPHERDS (Euterpe §128). But the Egyptians were not shepherds! Notice Genesis 46:31-34: ‘And Joseph said unto his brethren… I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house… are come unto me; and the men are shepherds…And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle… FOR EVERY SHEPHERD IS AN ABOMINATION UNTO THE EGYPTIANS.” …

“Cheops was not a polytheist. He was a worshipper of the One God. ‘Cheops closed the temples and prohibited the Egyptians from offering sacrifices,’ wrote Herodotus in book II of his History, §124…

“The facts of history are that Cheops (1726-1663 B.C.) was a young contemporary of King Zoser of Egypt. Zoser (1737-1718 B.C.) built the ‘step pyramid’ shortly before Cheops built the Great Pyramid (Budge, A History of Egypt, vol. II, p. 9)… king Zoser ruled part of Lower Egypt at the same time Joseph was Prime Minister under Pharaoh Amenemhet III, king of Upper Egypt. Ancient Egypt… was a confederation of small city states. Amenemhet III (1741-1692 B.C.) was king of Upper Egypt and Pharaoh of all Egypt. But under him were lesser kings, among whom was Zoser. Cheops was [also] a foreign [lesser] King whose domain extended into the Delta of Egypt.

“King Zoser recorded the seven years’ drought in Joseph’s time. ‘My heart is in great anxiety,’ said Zoser, ‘for in my time the Nile has not overflowed for a period of SEVEN YEARS’ (Cambridge Ancient History, p. 309-310, vol. I). The Bible reveals the seven years of famine extended from 1727 to 1720 B.C. Here is clear evidence that Cheops, a contemporary of Zoser, must have built the Great Pyramid during the beginning of the sojourn (1726-1487 B.C.) of Israel in Egypt and about the time of the seven years of famine!…

“A noted man who helped Cheops in building the Pyramid was named Souf. He was ‘chief of the works of Khufu’ (Rawlinson’s Egypt, ch. 14)… Elsewhere he is called ‘Saf-hotep’ — meaning ‘Saf the servant.’ He was apparently one of 12 brothers who built the Labyrinth — the ‘Pentagon’ of Ancient Egypt — for Amenemhet III (Wathen’s Antiquities, p. 142)… ‘Souf’… could be none other than Joseph!… Egyptians still call Joseph ‘Yousuf.’… A corrupted Egyptian story records an incident in the later life of Cheops or Khufu, in which he calls an aged Egyptian sage to his palace (Budge’s Egypt, vol. II, p. 43). The sage lived 110 years. Joseph died at 110 years of age (Gen. 50:26)…

“Manetho, the Egyptian historian, wrote of Cheops: ‘He was arrogant toward the gods, but repented and wrote the Sacred Book… a work of great importance’ (see Wathen’s Antiquities, p. 268; and Budge’s Egypt, vol. II, p. 31)…

“Cheops has another name — Saaru of Shaaru (Petrie’s History of Egypt, vol. I, p. 37). Saaru is another name ‘for the inhabitants of Mt. Seir’ (Rawlinson’s History of Egypt, ch. 22). Khufu, then, was a foreign King whose domain extended from Mt. Seir to Lower Egypt during and after the time of Joseph… Mt. Seir was famous in history as the ‘Land of Uz’ (Vol. III of Clarke’s Commentary, preface to Book of Job). Uz was a descendant of Seir the Horite (Gen. 36:28). The Arabs preserve a corrupt record of Cheops of Mt. Seir or of the Land of Uz. They call him the ‘wizard of Oz.’ Now what individual who dwelled in Uz [note Job 1:1] was arrogant, repented of his sin and wrote a Sacred Book? None other than JOB!  And the Sacred Book is the Book of Job! …

“The ancient Greeks called Job ‘Cheops’… Plainly, Cheops is but an altered pronunciation of Job! …

“Cheops lived in Joseph’s time. So did Job! Job lived in the generation after Esau, for one of his friends was Eliphaz the Temanite (Job 2:11). Eliphaz was the father of the Temanites (Gen. 36: 11) and the son of Esau, Jacob’s brother (verse 10). Eliphaz and Joseph were first cousins.  Job lived before the Mosaic law which permitted only Levites to sacrifice. Notice that Job sacrificed to God for his family as was customarily done in patriarchal times (Job 1:5; 42:8).  None of the conversation in the book of Job refers to the exodus under Moses…

“Coming into Egypt with Jacob in 1726 was a grandson — named Job! ‘And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons… And the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Phuvah and Job, and Shimron’ (Genesis 46:13)… Cheops or Job was Joseph’s nephew…

“We might also consider whether the pyramid was designed by Job to be the tomb or resting place of Joseph’s mummy, before it was carried up out of Egypt by Moses (Exodus 13:19). Cheops or Job, according to the ancient historians, was not buried in it. The sarcophagus in the ‘King’s chamber’ was empty in ancient times. No treasures were hidden in the Pyramid’s inner recesses…”

We also find some additional biblical statements which might support the conclusion that Job was a king and none other than Pharaoh Khufu or Cheops who built the Great Pyramid.

For instance, we read in Job 3:11-15 that in case of Job’s death at his birth, he would have been buried with kings and princes, showing that he was of royal blood.

In the Plain Truth of October 1957, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in his article, “Why Must Men Suffer?”:

“Some authorities believe that Job was the architect and director of the building of the Great Pyramid—still today the largest building on earth, and prior to the construction of the Woolworth building the tallest. That Job was proud of his righteousness is plain. That he also might have been puffed up over constructing the world’s greatest building clears up much that God says now to him.  Job was too well aware of his righteousness. God now proceeded to deflate his ego. Can it, then be possible God now compares His creation of the earth, and all that is, to the comparatively insignificant accomplishment of building the Great Pyramid? It’s interesting to keep this possibility in mind.

“‘When I founded the earth,’ God opened up on Job, ‘where were you, then? Answer me that, if you have wit to know! Who measured out the earth?—do you know that? Who stretched the builder’s line on it? What were its pedestals placed on? Who laid the cornerstone, when the morning-stars were singing, and all the angels chanted in their joy?’” (Verses 4-7).  It is significant that a pyramid is the only kind of building on earth where the corner-stone is the top stone—the last stone laid—at the COMPLETION of the building! And here God represents the symbolic ‘corner-stone’ of the EARTH as being laid at its completion—when the angels shouted for joy!  And so God continued to deflate poor Job. Job may have been the most righteous man on earth—yet how insignificant he was, compared to GOD!”

Many have responded with ridicule to Dr. Carson’s “personal interpretation” that Joseph might have built the pyramids. Even though it appears that he was “only” involved with building one pyramid—the Cheops or Great Pyramid—and even though it cannot be proven that this was done for the purpose of storing grain (although the construction of the Great Pyramid began apparently about the time of the seven years of famine), this example of a hostile, scoffing and arrogant reaction shows that one should be careful not to reject and dismiss ideas out of hand, labeling them as “odd” or “stupid,” only because they do not seem to fit into the paradigm of commonly held concepts and beliefs. After all, “let GOD be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

“…You shall keep My commandments, and perform them: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 22:31).  God clearly revealed to us what we are to do and He gave us specific laws to keep.  He points out that He is serious about His laws and why they are to be obeyed, and why we need to heed His Word.  He made it very clear from the beginning that His rules were established and that there would be severe consequences if we broke them.  Furthermore, in Matthew 5:17, Christ also assured us that He did not come to destroy the law but rather to fulfill it.  He took it even a step further in verse 19, stating that we are not only to obey the law, but we are to teach it also.

God states many times that we are not only to remember His commandments and keep them in mind, but also to perform and do them (Leviticus 19:37; 22:31; Numbers 15:40).

In this lifetime and the society  we are faced with, rules by man have changed and are changing more and more, and abominations in God’s eyes are now acceptable in man’s eyes.  Severe penalties in Old Testament times were carried out for breaking His laws such as adultery, homosexuality and even cursing one’s parents in Leviticus 20:8-10, 13.  The penalty for violating the Sabbath, which God commands for us to keep holy and observe still to this day, was death (Numbers 15:32-36).  Imagine if these penalties were carried out today.

If Christ didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, then what we read about in the New Testament would apply for us today and in the future.  The same abominations are mentioned in Galatians 5:17-21 and Revelation 21:7-8. The penalty for committing such acts is (spiritual) death.

For those of us who are converted and baptized Church members, we have a much bigger responsibility to fulfill.  We have given our lives into God’s hands, and we are to commit ourselves to Him in everything we do.  We will continue to sin, as we are not perfect, but we will repent and continue to do as God commands so that we will live, not just physically, but also spiritually.  The things that we have put to death at our conversion are the very things that the world still revels in today (compare Colossians 3:5-9).  We need to be aware and “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The question we need to ask ourselves is the same question asked in Luke 10:25, “… what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  Christ’s answer is to keep His commandments!  The law is very much alive, and God expects us to keep it and do as He says.  Even though we will continue to go through trials and will be tested on the very things that we struggle with the most, if we remain faithful and strong, recognize our weaknesses, learn from them and do our best to refrain from sinning, God will continue to be with us.  If we do these things, we will not die, but rather, as it says in verse 28: “… do this and you will live!”

I had the unpleasant experience the other week of going to the emergency room. Thankfully, it did not end up as an emergency.  However, it was during that trip that I couldn’t help but notice the other people around me who were suffering in obvious pain, some more than others. I thought back to the Feast of Tabernacles. This year we enjoyed, for the most part, health and well-being at the Feast. We recognize that the Feast pictures, among other things, a time when sickness and disease will be a thing of the past. It made me sad to see these sick people.

In the subsequent days that followed, I also began to see another lesson emerge. Thinking back on my time in the Emergency Room, I found it interesting how Christ had compassion for sick people (Matthew 14:14). We in God’s Church ought to have that same compassion for others.  In Matthew 9:12-13 we read that it is the sick that need healing. But Christ went on to say that compassion was more useful than sacrifices.

When we go through physical pain and suffering, it is an opportunity for us to do a few things. God sometimes uses physical pain and suffering as an opportunity to help us draw closer to Him. Think of the Apostle Paul whom God blinded for a few days (Acts 9:9). Think of King Hezekiah, who was told he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1-5).  What about the grievous trial Job went through, including the loss of family, possessions and health, leading to genuine repentance (Job 42:5-6).  Just using these three examples, out of many, one of the main outcomes was that of humility. They each learned in a different fashion what it means to come to have Godly humility.

This new-found humility allowed God to work with them in even more powerful ways. God gave compassion to these men once they turned fully to Him. God HAS called us NOW (Isaiah 55:6-9). No matter what God tells us and what may be at stake—when we turn to Him with humility, He can and will forgive us. He will have compassion for us, His children (Isaiah 44:22).

Our physical sufferings can be for our benefit and for the benefit of others, if we stop and carefully consider our ways, and if we take the opportunity to find compassion and empathy for others who go through similar suffering. Let us never forget that God loves the humble person, who is willing to lean on Him for all things, including our physical health and well-being.

As we enter another season of mankind’s holidays, it is critical that we steel ourselves against the un-Godly attitudes that surround these festivities.  It’s obvious to us that Christians should forgo decorating our houses in the macabre for Halloween or the gaudiness that surrounds Christmas.  We must also be careful to keep the subtle yet insidious influences at bay as well. No matter how beautiful the trappings of the season are or the good intentions of those who celebrate them—these holidays are detested by God.

It was revealed to John where the influences of these holidays originate.  “And he (an angel) cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!’” (Revelation 18:2).  These holidays are inspired by and originate from Satan.

While this understanding is clear to those who have an ear to hear, the world is completely overwhelmed by Satan’s influence.  According to several retail websites, it is estimated that 157 million Americans will be celebrating Halloween this year, spending nearly 6.9 billion dollars.  “After a long summer, consumers are eager to embrace fall and all of the celebrations that come with it,” said National Retail Federation president and CEO Matthew Shay.  Our world is increasingly embracing these practices, when clear warning is given by God to remove ourselves from them.  John continues in Revelation 18:3, “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

Our retail economy has gradually become bound to the monetary gains of these holidays.  The world has vested so much that it is increasingly becoming more difficult, if not impossible, to turn away.  Satan’s bondage is growing stronger and mankind is reveling in it!  But this great deception will be short–lived.  God’s Judgment is at hand for a world that seeks their own will in lieu of God’s Will. John’s vision continues, “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

Everything about these holidays is contrary to God.  In order for us to come out of this deceitful season and not partake of it in any way, we must be spiritually focused on God’s Will.  It’s not by luck or our own strength that we overcome Satan, but by drawing close to God so that He in turn will draw close to us.

When we travel to the ministerial conference and the Feast of Tabernacles in the United States, I fill up my van with gas and I know that it will get me to Goldendale in Washington, which is about 557 kilometers from our home.  We stop there, take a break and re-fill the gas tank.

As God’s people, we have had the opportunity at the Feast to fill up our spiritual tanks by drinking in the messages which had been prepared for us.  Our spiritual tanks have to take us through the long winter months up to the next Holy Days in the Spring.

In order to do that, we had to take full advantage of the blessings that God provides for us at the Feast.  One manner to maximize the effectiveness of the spiritual benefits was to ensure we remained in good health in order to attend all the services so we were able to benefit from the messages which we received.  This ensured our spiritual tanks were topped up in order to carry us to the Spring Feasts.

Another benefit was the fellowship we were able to enjoy with one another. Since some of us who are more remote and isolated only see each other once a year at the Fall Festival, this was a time to renew and refresh the friendships we have with one another. We had opportunities to eat in fine restaurants with one another and sharpen one another through good conversations while rejoicing of being together on this occasion.

So the Feast provided both spiritual and physical benefits. We drew closer to God and reached a better understanding of His plan and laws through the messages and we drew closer to each other via the fellowship we enjoyed with one another.

God knew through His plan of salvation, which incorporates all seven of His Holy Days, that there would be a long duration of time between the Fall and Spring Holy Days, and He expects of us to take full advantage of the Fall Festival to ensure that we will have enough spiritual fuel to take us to the Spring Festivals.

The question is, did we take full advantage of the blessings which God offered us? Or did we neglect to attend the Feast even though we could have done so? Did we neglect to listen carefully to the messages and to fellowship joyfully with brethren of like mind? If we did not do this, then we will have a much more difficult time to cope with the long winter months until the Spring Feast Days. In that case, perhaps heart-rending repentance and prayer to God for extra strength would be very important.

Those who will be able to look much more confidently in the future are those who faithfully obeyed God’s command to observe the Feast in the right way and with the right attitude; who will dwell and meditate on the messages that they have heard; and who will be diligent to practice what they were taught. We pray that you belong to that category.

We—through the Holy Days of God—are able to get a sense of what God has done and will do in His dealings with mankind. I am struck by something Jesus said about His own anticipation in fulfilling the Passover meal with His disciples:

“Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…’” (Luke 22:15).

Knowing explicitly that He would suffer during the hours following this Passover and die, Jesus nonetheless focused on the bigger picture, for He understood that His actions would open up salvation to the world. This had been His message from the start of His earthly ministry:

“‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved’” (John 3:15-17).

But there is more to what Jesus revealed, and this has to do very directly with the Feast of Tabernacles—a time that pictures His return and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. Recall that Jesus taught that we should pray, “‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven’” (Matthew 6:10).

Note how Jesus also emphasized another event during that Passover with His disciples and this one will take place in the future:

“‘[F]or I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God’” (Luke 22:16); “‘for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes’” (Luke 22:18).

There is a time ahead when the reality of what we are about to observe at the Feast of Tabernacles will come! Indeed, all that Jesus Christ spoke of will be fulfilled!

As we keep this year’s Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day, let us also do so with fervent desire for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s marvelous plan—eternal life in the Family of God!

During my children’s summer vacation I’ve had the opportunity to spend a little more time than usual doing things together with them. Usually that means running an errand or doing something that’s just a little bit out of the ordinary. None of those activities are very noteworthy, but what stands out to me is their willing attitude to join me in the activity. Most of the time, these activities are very new to my kids and involve the risk of doing something differently. I usually present the opportunity to be my companion without requiring them to join me, so I’m pleased when they demonstrate the willingness to try something new and tag along with me. Their willing attitude is what pleases me the most.

This kind of willing attitude is something that God requires of us too. As human beings, we have free will to choose how we will behave, whether to follow God, or not. While the choice is freely ours to make, the Bible is very clear about what the right choice is. The decisions we make about obeying God or following other competing desires have drastically different rewards and consequences. There may be a short-term benefit of worldly satisfaction by following our own desires, but the ultimate consequence of not following God is death. Just as a parent is pleased when his children heed instruction, God is pleased when we follow Him. On top of that, He offers an eternal reward!

Our attitude is very important to God. We’ve heard this before, but it is good to be reminded. Even when our actions have the appearance of obedience and righteousness, it is our attitude that is judged. Proverbs 21:2 describes this in elegant terms, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.”  God is not going to be fooled by the mere appearance of our behavior, but our intentions and willingness to submit will be judged.

With the Fall Holy Days upon us, we will undoubtedly find ourselves under all kinds of pressure, putting our attitudes to the test. Knowing that our hearts will be judged under such pressure, now is the time to make sure that we are willing to follow God with joy and gladness. If we follow God begrudgingly or bitterly, it will be plain to Him and the consequence will be severe.

There may be unpleasant consequences for obeying God as well, but those consequences are worldly and temporary. Paul served jail time and was physically beaten for standing up for the Truth. Jesus Christ laid down His whole life in the ultimate act of obedience. How severe are these “bad” consequences relative to the good things that we face? I think that it’s clear that the vast majority of difficulties that we may encounter pale in comparison. When we read about Paul’s or Christ’s examples, we see how courageous and how willing they were to fulfill their purpose. This is the kind of willing attitude that we must have.

We need to be encouraged, especially as we enter the Fall Holy Day season, knowing that we can trust in God and that the worldly consequences that we may face are relatively insignificant. David reflects on this when he writes, “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Are we willing to put our trust in God and stand up firmly for the Truth? We must!

A while ago when I was musing on the prayer requests that we have, I thought particularly of someone who had cancer.   It is not a new disease to me and my family.   My maternal grandmother died of cancer; my mother died of liver cancer; and my wife had ovarian cancer twenty-five years ago from which she has fully recovered.  We have known a number of church members and personal friends who have been hit by this dreadful disease.

One report on the internet stated that “Each year nearly 300,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK.  It has been estimated that more than 1 in 3 people (33%) will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.  Cancers can occur at any age, but the risk of developing cancer increases with age.”

At this time I was reading a book which wrote about chemicals and their effect on health.  It said: “We typically assume that somebody else is minding the shop, making sure all these chemicals are safe.   Yet the truth is that out of 75,000 chemicals now in common commercial use, only about 1,200 to 1,500 have been tested for carcinogenicity.   Dr Sandra Steingraber writes in her book ‘Living Downstream’ that ‘the vast majority of commercially used chemicals were brought to market before 1979, when federal legislation mandated the review of new chemicals.   Thus many carcinogenic environmental contaminants likely remain unidentified, unmonitored, and unregulated.’”

The book also pointed out that the average American hosts up to 500 different chemicals in his or her body.

All of this reminded me of an article that was printed in “The Millennial Times” – a magazine in full color for the Feast of Tabernacles that we produced and published a couple of years ago, where brief articles were written about how it will be after the return of Christ in the Kingdom of God.   One article was entitled “Chemical Companies Out of Business” by Phyllis Bourque, which stated the following (amongst other comments):

“At last, the chemical companies have permanently met their demise!   After being destroyed in the last great war, the facilities that produced such deadly poisons will NOT be rebuilt!   In the meantime, the ruling God Family has effectively neutralized the effects of thousands of years of poisoning the air, the water, the land, the vegetation, and all living creatures.

“The land , which had been drenched with poison in the form of ‘pesticides’ and ‘fertilizers,’ has been decontaminated and restored to the Creator’s specifications so that it can sustain all life – plant, animal and human.”

There will be no more cancer and other diseases, caused by man’s misuse of the earth and him ignoring the instruction that was given in Genesis 2:15: “The LORD God placed the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”   Down through the last 6,000 years, man has generally, with few exceptions, ignored that instruction and greatly to his detriment.

We will be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles soon, which pictures the coming Kingdom of God.   And we can rejoice that in the Kingdom, there will no longer be any chemicals or contaminants that, today, cause so much pain and suffering through cancer and other illnesses.   We will be able to look forward to a time when man will no longer have dominion over the earth under the sway of Satan.

What a joy it will be when God—His ruling Family—hold sway!

When we lack self-control, negative consequences are often times the result. Have we been victimized and/or reciprocated in kind by being too quick to respond; quick to raise the fist; seeking revenge; quick to anger; losing control of our emotions; giving in to sin; not thinking before we act; acting on assumption rather than reality; falsely accused when put on the spot for our mistakes or even our beliefs; and questioned by the things that we do?

Taking control of our actions in the way we respond requires composure, which is the state of feeling or being calm and in control of oneself. We are supposed to be peacemakers, having self-control (Matthew 5:9).  We can’t let ourselves fall apart, but need to stay intact when we are faced with adversity.

How did Christ react when He was constantly put on the spot and tested to see how He would respond? Notice some of the things which He said in a given situation:

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone… first” (John 8:7).  “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).  And after He was mocked, beaten and crucified, His response was to forgive, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

We are to imitate Christ.  When He was accused many times, He showed tremendous self-control, and in all the pressures with which He was faced and the demands of the ministry, He managed to maintain His composure to do the Will of His Father.  Are we not supposed to do the same?  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to help us, and it is through God’s power and grace in our lives that we are able to respond to pressures with the same composure and self-control that Jesus showed in similar situations.  As Christ walked through the storms of life, keeping His composure, we are to do the same.  This is what God expects of us—that we are to conduct ourselves both inwardly and outwardly with the same character and grace that Jesus showed when He was on this earth.  Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He shares His compassion with us, because He has experienced the same trials and temptations that we go through.

How do we show our self-control?  “… let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).  Prayer helps us in this regard and is a valuable tool that we should never be without and that can most certainly help us in any given situation. Prayer can be applied at any time; at any moment; in any environment; whenever we need help for even the quickest and simplest things, like when we are put on the spot and need to give a quick response.  So instead of seeking to respond in a way which is typically our initial reaction, if we are not careful, let us try another approach—that of self-control and composure.

This Update (No. 702) includes several warnings against demonic teaching and activities. This is no coincidence. The Bible warns us that in these last days, Satan and his demons will launch a massive attack against mankind with the ultimate goal of wiping out all human life from the face of this earth.

Satan—the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)—has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9), and nominal Christianity is not exempt. Neither are true Christians; quite to the contrary, they are the biggest targets in Satan’s devilish plan. It is therefore critical for God’s disciples to be very circumspect as to what they watch, listen to and read; what they allow their minds to embrace; and what they do. They are warned not to participate in false religious worship services (1 Corinthians 10:14-22); not to welcome or engage in doctrinal debates with those of a different persuasion (2 John 10); and not to delve into doctrinal confusion–the “depths of Satan” (Revelation 2:24).

The Holy Scriptures speak of “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).  Satan is a liar (John 8:44), and his teachings are opposed to the truth. The biggest lie is the belief that he and his abominable hordes of evil spirits do not even exist. The first lie, which was recorded in the Bible, is the false doctrine that humans are immortal. You will recall that the serpent lied to Eve when he told her that she would not surely die; in other words, that she could not die, because she had or was an immortal soul. But the Bible is consistent from beginning to end: The soul which sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

Rightly understood, every human teaching is a teaching of demons when it is opposed to God and His doctrines (Matthew 15:1-9; 16:12).

Satan and his demons will influence the leaders of this world to fight against the returning Christ (Revelation 16:13-14), and most people will follow their lead. Without perhaps knowing it, they will actively worship demons and embrace their demonic teaching (Revelation 9:20). Demons are anxious to pervert the straight ways of God (Acts 13:10), and even though it might not appear that way to the carnal human mind, God says that the wisdom of this world is sensual and demonic (James 3:15).

True Christians are exhorted not to give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27) and to his distorted teachings (Ephesians 6:11). Rather, they are to “test the spirits, whether they are of God,” because many false prophets and ministers “have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Some came to or arose within the Church of God, pretending to be ministers of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:4, 15). However, only those who are of God and stay loyal to Him will be able to “know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). They will understand that those who claim that Christ did away with the Law and that we do not have to keep His commandments are of the devil, and the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4; 3:8).

The Bible teaches that in these end times, just prior to the return of Christ, a falling away from the truth will occur in the Church of God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). Those who do not receive the LOVE of the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, will become victims of “strong delusion, that they should believe the lie” (verses 10-12). False christs and prophets will arise and attempt to deceive the elect (Matthew 24:24). And because lawlessness will abound, godly love of many in God’s Church will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). They will become followers of demonic doctrines and practices.

You have been warned! Are you one of the very few who recognize the doctrines of demons?