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End Time Sign : Bringing Truth to the People are seen as Judging them about the Doctrine they believe in :
Jesus’ command not to judge others could be the most widely quoted of His sayings, even though it is almost invariably quoted in complete disregard of its context. Here is Jesus’ statement: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Many people use this verse in an attempt to silence their critics, interpreting Jesus’ meaning as “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” Taken in isolation, Jesus’ command “Do not judge” does indeed seem to preclude all negative assessments. However, there is much more to the passage than those three words.
The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean we cannot show discernment. Immediately after Jesus says, “Do not judge,” He says, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs” (Matthew 7:6). A little later in the same sermon, He says, “Watch out for false prophets. . . . By their fruit you will recognize them” (verses 15–16). How are we to discern who are the “dogs” and “pigs” and “false prophets” unless we have the ability to make a judgment call on doctrines and deeds? Jesus is giving us permission to tell right from wrong.
Also, the Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean all actions are equally moral or that truth is relative. The Bible clearly teaches that truth is objective, eternal, and inseparable from God’s character. Anything that contradicts the truth is a lie—but, of course, to call something a “lie” is to pass judgment. To call adultery or murder a sin is likewise to pass judgment—but it’s also to agree with God. When Jesus said not to judge others, He did not mean that no one can identify sin for what it is, based on God’s definition of sin.
And the Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean there should be no mechanism for dealing with sin. The Bible has a whole book entitled Judges. The judges in the Old Testament were raised up by God Himself (Judges 2:18). The modern judicial system, including its judges, is a necessary part of society. In saying, “Do not judge,” Jesus was not saying, “Anything goes.”
Elsewhere, Jesus gives a direct command to judge: “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24). Here we have a clue as to the right type of judgment versus the wrong type. Taking this verse and some others, we can put together a description of the sinful type of judgment:
Superficial judgment is wrong. Passing judgment on someone based solely on appearances is sinful (John 7:24). It is foolish to jump to conclusions before investigating the facts (Proverbs 18:13). Simon the Pharisee passed judgment on a woman based on her appearance and reputation, but he could not see that the woman had been forgiven; Simon thus drew Jesus’ rebuke for his unrighteous judgment (Luke 7:36–50).
Hypocritical judgment is wrong. Jesus’ command not to judge others in Matthew 7:1 is preceded by comparisons to hypocrites (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16) and followed by a warning against hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3–5). When we point out the sin of others while we ourselves commit the same sin, we condemn ourselves (Romans 2:1).
Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. We are “always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:2). It is the merciful who will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7), and, as Jesus warned, “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2).
Self-righteous judgment is wrong. We are called to humility, and “God opposes the proud” (James 4:6). In Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee was confident in his own righteousness and from that proud position judged the publican; however, God sees the heart and refused to forgive the Pharisee’s sin (Luke 18:9–14).
Untrue judgment is wrong. The Bible clearly forbids bearing false witness (Proverbs 19:5). “Slander no one” (Titus 3:2).
Christians are often accused of “judging” or intolerance when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong. Holding aloft the standard of righteousness naturally defines unrighteousness and draws the slings and arrows of those who choose sin over godliness. John the Baptist incurred the ire of Herodias when he spoke out against her adultery with Herod (Mark 6:18–19). She eventually silenced John, but she could not silence the truth (Isaiah 40:8).
Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus commends “right judgment” (John 7:24, ESV). We are to be discerning (Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We are to preach the whole counsel of God, including the Bible’s teaching on sin (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:2). We are to gently confront erring brothers or sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:1). We are to practice church discipline (Matthew 18:15–17). We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Eindtyd Teken: Om Waarheid aan die Mense te Bring word gesien as om hulle te oordeel oor die Leerstelling waarin hulle glo:
Jesus se bevel om ander nie te oordeel nie, is moontlik die mees aangehaalde van Sy woorde, al word dit amper altyd aangehaal sonder om die konteks te ignoreer. Hier is Jesus se stelling: “Moenie oordeel nie, anders sal julle ook geoordeel word” (Matteus 7:1). Baie mense gebruik hierdie vers in ‘n poging om hul kritici stil te maak en interpreteer Jesus se betekenis as “Julle het nie die reg om vir My te sê dat ek verkeerd is nie.” In isolasie geneem, lyk dit inderdaad of Jesus se bevel “Moenie oordeel nie” alle negatiewe assesserings uitsluit. Daar is egter baie meer aan die gedeelte as net daardie drie woorde.
Die Bybel se bevel dat ons ander nie moet oordeel nie, beteken nie dat ons nie onderskeidingsvermoë kan toon nie. Onmiddellik nadat Jesus sê: “Moenie oordeel nie,” sê Hy: “Moenie vir honde gee wat heilig is nie; moenie julle pêrels vir die varke gooi nie” (Matteus 7:6). ‘n Bietjie later in dieselfde preek sê Hy: “Pasop vir valse profete… Aan hulle vrugte sal julle hulle herken” (verse 15–16). Hoe moet ons onderskei wie die “honde” en “varke” en “valse profete” is, tensy ons die vermoë het om ‘n oordeel oor leerstellings en dade te vel? Jesus gee ons toestemming om reg van verkeerd te onderskei.
Ook beteken die Bybel se bevel dat ons ander nie moet oordeel nie, nie dat alle dade ewe moreel is of dat waarheid relatief is nie. Die Bybel leer duidelik dat waarheid objektief, ewig en onafskeidbaar is van God se karakter. Enigiets wat die waarheid weerspreek, is ‘n leuen – maar om iets ‘n “leuen” te noem, is natuurlik om oordeel te vel. Om egbreuk of moord ‘n sonde te noem, is eweneens om oordeel te vel – maar dit is ook om met God saam te stem. Toe Jesus gesê het om ander nie te oordeel nie, het Hy nie bedoel dat niemand sonde kan identifiseer vir wat dit is nie, gebaseer op God se definisie van sonde.
En die Bybel se bevel dat ons ander nie moet oordeel nie, beteken nie dat daar geen meganisme moet wees om sonde te hanteer nie. Die Bybel het ‘n hele boek getiteld Rigters. Die regters in die Ou Testament is deur God self opgewek (Rigters 2:18). Die moderne regstelsel, insluitend sy regters, is ‘n noodsaaklike deel van die samelewing. Deur te sê: “Moenie oordeel nie,” het Jesus nie gesê: “Enigiets is toelaatbaar nie.”
Elders gee Jesus ‘n direkte opdrag om te oordeel: “Hou op om te oordeel volgens die voorkoms, maar oordeel reg” (Johannes 7:24). Hier het ons ‘n leidraad oor die regte tipe oordeel teenoor die verkeerde tipe. Deur hierdie vers en ‘n paar ander te gebruik, kan ons ‘n beskrywing van die sondige tipe oordeel saamstel:
Oppervlakkige oordeel is verkeerd. Om iemand te oordeel gebaseer slegs op voorkoms is sondig (Johannes 7:24). Dit is dwaas om tot gevolgtrekkings te spring voordat die feite ondersoek is (Spreuke 18:13). Simon die Fariseër het ‘n vrou geoordeel op grond van haar voorkoms en reputasie, maar hy kon nie sien dat die vrou vergewe is nie; Simon het dus Jesus se teregwysing vir sy onregverdige oordeel ontvang (Lukas 7:36–50).
Skielike oordeel is verkeerd. Jesus se bevel om ander nie te oordeel nie in Matteus 7:1 word voorafgegaan deur vergelykings met skynheiliges (Matteus 6:2, 5, 16) en gevolg deur ‘n waarskuwing teen skynheiligheid (Matteus 7:3–5). Wanneer ons die sonde van ander uitwys terwyl ons self dieselfde sonde pleeg, veroordeel ons onsself (Romeine 2:1).
Swaar, onvergewensgesinde oordeel is verkeerd. Ons moet “altyd vriendelik wees teenoor almal” (Titus 3:2). Dit is die barmhartiges aan wie barmhartigheid bewys sal word (Matteus 5:7), en, soos Jesus gewaarsku het: “Net soos julle ander oordeel, sal julle geoordeel word; en met die maat waarmee julle meet, sal vir julle gemeet word” (Matteus 7:2).
Eiegeregtigde oordeel is verkeerd. Ons word tot nederigheid geroep, en “God staan die hoogmoediges teë” (Jakobus 4:6). In Jesus se gelykenis van die Fariseër en die tollenaar was die Fariseër vol vertroue in sy eie geregtigheid en vanuit daardie trotse posisie het hy die tollenaar geoordeel; God sien egter die hart en het geweier om die Fariseër se sonde te vergewe (Lukas 18:9–14).
Onware oordeel is verkeerd. Die Bybel verbied dit duidelik om valse getuienis te lewer (Spreuke 19:5). “Moenie iemand laster nie” (Titus 3:2).
Christene word dikwels daarvan beskuldig dat hulle “oordeel” of onverdraagsaam is wanneer hulle teen sonde praat. Maar om sonde teen te staan, is nie verkeerd nie. Om die standaard van geregtigheid omhoog te hou, definieer natuurlik ongeregtigheid en trek die slingers en pyle van diegene wat sonde bo godsvrug kies. Johannes die Doper het die woede van Herodias op die hals gehaal toe hy teen haar egbreuk met Herodes gepraat het (Markus 6:18–19). Sy het Johannes uiteindelik stilgemaak, maar sy kon nie die waarheid stilmaak nie (Jesaja 40:8).
Gelowiges word gewaarsku om ander onregverdig of onregverdig te oordeel, maar Jesus beveel “regte oordeel” aan (Johannes 7:24). Ons moet onderskeidend wees (Kolossense 1:9; 1 Tessalonisense 5:21). Ons moet die hele raad van God verkondig, insluitend die Bybel se leer oor sonde (Handelinge 20:27; 2 Timoteus 4:2). Ons moet broers of susters wat in Christus sondig, sagkens konfronteer (Galasiërs 6:1). Ons moet kerklike tug toepas (Matteus 18:15–17). Ons moet die waarheid in liefde spreek (Efesiërs 4:15).
Bible Verse and Prayer for Today
How do we know?
He promised his people this long ago and kept his promise. He drew near to us in the manger with Jesus. He walked among us in ministry as Jesus touched, healed, blessed, raised, mended, and loved. He suffered with us, and for us, in Jesus’ Passion. Many of us have experienced his nearness in tragedy, trial, heartbreak, and brokenness as he drew near to us to save us. Others of us have experienced his presence as we sought to share the message of Jesus, as he gave us words through the Holy Spirit and strength and courage to stand up to those who opposed us.
The bigger questions are these:
Will our hearts be open to him and his presence?
Will we seek him and ask him to draw near?
Will we obey him and invite him to live in our daily lives?
We must not let troubles and heartache lead us to pull away from God or doubt his nearness. Let’s believe the promise that as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8, 10).
Prayer
O Lord, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith and with broken and disappointed hearts. They feel so alone. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known in tangible ways to sustain them in their times of trial. In Jesus’ name, I ask you to fulfill this promise in people who are precious to me. Amen and Amen.
Bybel Vers en Gebed vir Vandag
Hoe weet ons?
Hy het dit lank gelede aan sy mense belowe en sy belofte nagekom. Hy het nader aan ons gekom in die krip saam met Jesus. Hy het onder ons gewandel in bediening terwyl Jesus aangeraak, genees, geseën, opgewek, heelgemaak en liefgehad het. Hy het saam met ons en vir ons gely in Jesus se Lyding. Baie van ons het sy nabyheid in tragedie, beproewing, hartseer en gebrokenheid ervaar terwyl Hy nader aan ons gekom het om ons te red. Ander van ons het sy teenwoordigheid ervaar terwyl ons die boodskap van Jesus wou deel, terwyl Hy ons woorde deur die Heilige Gees gegee het en krag en moed om op te staan teen diegene wat ons teengestaan het.
Die groter vrae is die volgende:
Sal ons harte oop wees vir Hom en sy teenwoordigheid?
Sal ons Hom soek en Hom vra om nader te kom?
Sal ons Hom gehoorsaam en Hom nooi om in ons daaglikse lewens te leef?
Ons moenie toelaat dat probleme en hartseer ons lei om van God weg te trek of aan sy nabyheid te twyfel nie. Laat ons die belofte glo dat soos ons nader aan God kom, Hy nader aan ons sal kom (Jakobus 4:8, 10).
Gebed
O Here, wees asseblief vandag naby my. Maak u teenwoordigheid in my lewe bekend. Vader, ek vra ook dat U diegene wat ek ken, seën wat sukkel met hul geloof en met gebroke en teleurgestelde harte. Hulle voel so alleen. Wees asseblief aktief in hul lewens en maak u teenwoordigheid op tasbare maniere bekend om hulle in hul tye van beproewing te ondersteun. In Jesus se Naam vra ek U om hierdie belofte te vervul in mense wat vir my kosbaar is. Amen en Amen.
Bible Teaching of the Day
“Judge not lest you be judged” is a snippet from Christ’s great Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3—7:27). In Matthew 7, Jesus turns to the topic of judging others. Sadly, the passage is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied teachings in Scripture by believers and non-believers alike. In his commentary on Matthew, Stuart Weber gives this excellent summary of the correct meaning of Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge others until you are prepared to be judged by the same standard. And then, when you exercise judgment toward others, do it with humility” (Holman New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 96).
When Jesus said, “Judge not lest you be judged,” He wasn’t issuing a blanket rule that people are never to judge others. A closer look at the rest of the passage illuminates the real issue Christ wanted to address: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye” (Matthew 7:1–5, NLT).
Christ’s teaching was primarily directed to believers, but the principle can be applied to anyone. Jesus does expect us to “deal with the speck” in our friend’s eye, particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ. He wants us to discern sin in others so we can help them get rid of it. The purpose of judging someone else’s weakness is to help him or her walk in freedom (1 Corinthians 5:12). But how can we help someone else if we are not free? We must first be willing to look honestly at our own lives and exercise the same judgment toward ourselves. When we do this, we judge from a position of humility.
Jesus’s statement to “judge not lest you be judged” zeroed in on the problems of spiritual hypocrisy and self-centered pride. He compared these offenses to giant logs that blind us to our own faults while we laser in on shortcomings in others.
Humility is a mega theme throughout Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. It is impossible to carry out these kingdom teachings without maintaining authentic humbleness in our attitude toward others. In Matthew 5:7–11, Jesus encouraged His followers to show mercy, cultivate peace, and bless those who persecute them. To enter the kingdom of heaven, Jesus said that our righteousness had to exceed that of the teachers of the religious law and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).
These Pharisees and teachers of the law were considered to be the pinnacle of moral integrity at the time. Jesus stopped this misconception right in its tracks. He saw through the outer veneer into the reality of their self-righteousness, spiritual pride, and moral bankruptcy.
Jesus challenged the people not to retaliate when someone wronged them (Matthew 5:39); to love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them (verse 44); to model themselves after their heavenly Father’s perfection (verse 48); and to forgive those who sinned against them (Matthew 6:14–15).
A faithful servant of God will see himself as accurately as he sees others. He will recognize his own sinfulness and need for God’s mercy—a need he shares with his brothers and sisters in Christ. He will have no reason to consider himself better than others but will follow Paul’s teaching to the Philippians: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
When Christ taught, “Judge not lest you be judged,” He countered the human tendency to take spiritual truth and twist it into hypocritical superiority as the Pharisees had done. Our pride makes us criticize and judge others so that we feel better about ourselves. James warned believers, “Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11–12, NLT)
The apostle Paul cautioned, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?” (Romans 2:1–3, NLT, see also Romans 14:4, 10–13).
Jesus requires true followers to apply His teachings first to themselves and then to others. When God reveals His truth to us, whether in Scripture or in some other way, our immediate response must be to say, “How does this apply to me? How do I appropriate this truth in my own life?” In following Jesus’ command to “judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1, NKJV), we avoid drawing conclusions that are superficial, proud, hypocritical, or self-righteous.
Bybel Lering vir die Dag
“Moenie oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie” is ‘n uittreksel uit Christus se groot Bergpredikasie (Matteus 5:3—7:27). In Matteus 7 wend Jesus hom tot die onderwerp van die oordeel van ander. Ongelukkig is die gedeelte een van die mees misverstane en verkeerd toegepaste leringe in die Skrif deur gelowiges en ongelowiges. In sy kommentaar op Matteus gee Stuart Weber hierdie uitstekende opsomming van die korrekte betekenis van Matteus 7:1: “Moenie ander oordeel voordat julle bereid is om volgens dieselfde standaard geoordeel te word nie. En wanneer julle dan oordeel oor ander, doen dit met nederigheid” (Holman New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1, bl. 96).
Toe Jesus gesê het: “Moenie oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie,” het Hy nie ‘n algemene reël uitgereik dat mense nooit ander mag oordeel nie. ’n Nader kyk na die res van die gedeelte belig die werklike kwessie wat Christus wou aanspreek: “Moenie ander oordeel nie, en julle sal nie geoordeel word nie. Want soos julle ander behandel, sal julle behandel word. Die standaard waarvolgens julle oordeel, is die standaard waarvolgens julle geoordeel sal word. En hoekom sou julle bekommerd wees oor ’n splinter in julle vriend se oog as julle ’n balk in julle eie het? Hoe kan julle vir julle vriend sê: ‘Laat ek julle help om ontslae te raak van daardie splinter in julle eie oog,’ as julle nie verby die balk in julle eie oog kan sien nie? Huigelaar! Haal eers die balk in julle eie oog uit, dan sal julle goed genoeg sien om die splinter in julle vriend se oog te hanteer” (Matteus 7:1–5, NLT).
Christus se lering was hoofsaaklik op gelowiges gerig, maar die beginsel kan op enigiemand toegepas word. Jesus verwag wel dat ons “met die splinter” in ons vriend se oog moet handel, veral ons broers en susters in Christus. Hy wil hê dat ons sonde in ander moet onderskei sodat ons hulle kan help om daarvan ontslae te raak. Die doel om iemand anders se swakheid te oordeel, is om hom of haar te help om in vryheid te wandel (1 Korintiërs 5:12). Maar hoe kan ons iemand anders help as ons nie vry is nie? Ons moet eers bereid wees om eerlik na ons eie lewens te kyk en dieselfde oordeel teenoor onsself uit te oefen. Wanneer ons dit doen, oordeel ons vanuit ‘n posisie van nederigheid.
Jesus se stelling om “te oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie” het gefokus op die probleme van geestelike skynheiligheid en selfgesentreerde trots. Hy het hierdie oortredings vergelyk met reuse-stompe wat ons blind maak vir ons eie foute terwyl ons op tekortkominge in ander fokus.
Nederigheid is ‘n megatema dwarsdeur Christus se Bergpredikasie. Dit is onmoontlik om hierdie koninkryksleerstellings uit te voer sonder om outentieke nederigheid in ons houding teenoor ander te handhaaf. In Matteus 5:7–11 het Jesus Sy volgelinge aangemoedig om barmhartigheid te betoon, vrede te kweek en diegene te seën wat hulle vervolg. Om die koninkryk van die hemele binne te gaan, het Jesus gesê dat ons geregtigheid dié van die leraars van die godsdienstige wet en Fariseërs moes oortref (Matteus 5:20).
Hierdie Fariseërs en wetgeleerdes is destyds as die toppunt van morele integriteit beskou. Jesus het hierdie wanopvatting dadelik stopgesit. Hy het deur die buitenste laag in die werklikheid van hul selfgeregtigheid, geestelike trots en morele bankrotskap gesien.
Jesus het die mense uitgedaag om nie terug te betaal wanneer iemand hulle onreg aangedoen het nie (Matteus 5:39); om hul vyande lief te hê en te bid vir diegene wat hulle vervolg het (vers 44); om hulself na hul hemelse Vader se volmaaktheid te modelleer (vers 48); en om diegene wat teen hulle gesondig het, te vergewe (Matteus 6:14–15).
’n Getroue dienaar van God sal homself net so akkuraat sien as wat hy ander sien. Hy sal sy eie sondigheid en behoefte aan God se genade erken – ’n behoefte wat hy met sy broers en susters in Christus deel. Hy sal geen rede hê om homself beter as ander te ag nie, maar sal Paulus se lering aan die Filippense volg: “Moenie iets doen uit selfsug of uit ydele eer nie. In nederigheid moet julle die ander hoër ag as julleself” (Filippense 2:3).
Toe Christus geleer het: “Moenie oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie,” het Hy die menslike neiging teëgewerk om geestelike waarheid te neem en dit in skynheilige meerderwaardigheid te verdraai, soos die Fariseërs gedoen het. Ons trots laat ons ander kritiseer en oordeel sodat ons beter oor onsself voel. Jakobus het gelowiges gewaarsku: “Moenie kwaad van mekaar spreek nie, liewe broers en susters. As julle mekaar kritiseer en oordeel, dan kritiseer en oordeel julle God se wet. Maar julle taak is om die wet te gehoorsaam, nie om te oordeel of dit op julle van toepassing is nie. God alleen, wat die wet gegee het, is die Regter. Hy alleen het die mag om te red of te vernietig. So watter reg het jy om jou naaste te oordeel?” (Jakobus 4:11–12, NLT)
Die apostel Paulus het gewaarsku: “Julle dink dalk julle kan sulke mense veroordeel, maar julle is net so sleg, en julle het geen verskoning nie! Wanneer julle sê hulle is goddeloos en moet gestraf word, veroordeel julle julleself, want julle wat ander oordeel, doen dieselfde dinge. En ons weet dat God, in sy geregtigheid, enigiemand wat sulke dinge doen, sal straf. As julle ander oordeel omdat hulle hierdie dinge doen, waarom dink julle dat julle God se oordeel kan vermy wanneer julle dieselfde dinge doen?” (Romeine 2:1–3, NLT, sien ook Romeine 14:4, 10–13).
Jesus vereis van ware volgelinge om Sy leringe eers op hulself en dan op ander toe te pas. Wanneer God Sy waarheid aan ons openbaar, hetsy in die Skrif of op ‘n ander manier, moet ons onmiddellike reaksie wees om te sê: “Hoe is dit op my van toepassing? Hoe pas ek hierdie waarheid in my eie lewe toe?” Deur Jesus se opdrag te volg om “nie te oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie” (Matteus 7:1), vermy ons om gevolgtrekkings te maak wat oppervlakkig, trots, skynheilig of selfvoldaan is.
Today’s Devotional
Second Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (ESV). The previous verse describes Scripture as “sacred writings” that impart wisdom for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15, ESV). Among the many functions of Scripture is the role of rebuking us when needed. The Bible is profitable—that is, it is useful and beneficial—for rebuking.
The Greek term translated “reproof” or “rebuke” is elegmos, derived from the verb elegcho, which can be translated as “to convict”, “to expose,” or “to bring to light.” Thus, to rebuke is to correct someone by clarifying his or her faults, with the intention of prompting change. This type of rebuking can “make us realize what is wrong in our lives” (2 Timothy 3:16, NLT).
As Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, He says the Spirit will convict (elenxei) the world of sin (John 16:8). The word for “convict” is closely related to the word for “rebuke.” In other words, the Spirit will rebuke the world and bring to light disobedience and rebellion within sinful hearts. The goal is to prompt repentance.
Scripture is profitable for rebuking in that it provides clear standards for right and wrong. Sinful humanity tries to set their own standards but in a way inconsistent with God’s character and will. Cain felt it was right to kill Abel (Genesis 4:1–8), and Lamech followed suit, committing a murder himself (Genesis 4:19–24). At the time of Noah, the earth was filled with violence (Genesis 6:11–13). In the time of the judges, “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25). We need Scripture to reveal what is truly right and wrong.
Scripture is profitable for rebuking in that it forces us to see ourselves as we really are. The Bible is a mirror in which our own faults and flaws and failures are evident (James 1:23–24). “It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). In its pages we read of the sin of David, the cowardice of Peter, and the greed of Gehazi, and we know instinctively that their stories are ours.
Scripture is profitable for rebuking in that it showcases Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Jesus’ moral character and impeccable integrity stand in stark contrast to our own sinful nature. When we contemplate the words and actions of Jesus, we cannot help but cry out with Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8, ESV). It is in rebuking sinners for their sin that Scripture brings them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Scripture is also profitable for rebuking in that it contains stories and penalties that highlight the gravity of sin. In modern culture sin is often trivialized, but Scripture provides a wake-up call. Fornication, greed, lies, and other “acceptable” sins today are shown in Scripture to be grievous acts against a holy God. Paul writes that examples of God’s judgment in the Old Testament serve as a deterrent, so “we would not crave evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6, NLT). Sin is more than just human weakness, and Scripture reveals its rebellious nature and destructive effect. It is a profitable thing to reveal sin for what it is.
The rebuking role of Scripture is as important as its role in encouragement and teaching. To be grounded as Christians, we must be open to the Bible’s rebuke of our wrong actions. We must allow Scripture to define the standard by which we are to live.
Vandag se Bemoediging
Tweede Timoteus 3:16 sê: “Die hele Skrif is deur God ingegee en is nuttig tot lering, tot weerlegging, tot teregwysing en tot onderwysing in die geregtigheid” (ESV). Die vorige vers beskryf die Skrif as “heilige geskrifte” wat wysheid tot redding gee (2 Timoteus 3:15). Onder die vele funksies van die Skrif is die rol om ons te bestraf wanneer nodig. Die Bybel is nuttig – dit wil sê, dit is nuttig en voordelig – om te bestraf.
Die Griekse term wat as “berisping” of “bestraf” vertaal word, is elegmos, afgelei van die werkwoord elegcho, wat vertaal kan word as “om te oortuig”, “om bloot te lê” of “om aan die lig te bring”. Dus, om te bestraf, is om iemand reg te help deur sy of haar foute te verduidelik, met die doel om verandering teweeg te bring. Hierdie tipe teregwysing kan “ons laat besef wat verkeerd is in ons lewens” (2 Timoteus 3:16, NLT).
Terwyl Jesus die koms van die Heilige Gees belowe, sê Hy dat die Gees die wêreld van sonde sal oortuig (elenxei) (Johannes 16:8). Die woord vir “oortuig” is nou verwant aan die woord vir “bestraf”. Met ander woorde, die Gees sal die wêreld bestraf en ongehoorsaamheid en rebellie in sondige harte aan die lig bring. Die doel is om bekering aan te spoor.
Die Skrif is nuttig vir bestrafing omdat dit duidelike standaarde vir reg en verkeerd bied. Sondige mensdom probeer om hul eie standaarde te stel, maar op ‘n manier wat nie ooreenstem met God se karakter en wil nie. Kain het gevoel dat dit reg was om Abel dood te maak (Genesis 4:1–8), en Lameg het gevolg en self ‘n moord gepleeg (Genesis 4:19–24). In die tyd van Noag was die aarde vol geweld (Genesis 6:11–13). In die tyd van die rigters het “elkeen gedoen soos hy goeddink” (Rigters 21:25). Ons het die Skrif nodig om te openbaar wat werklik reg en verkeerd is.
Die Skrif is nuttig vir teregwysing omdat dit ons dwing om onsself te sien soos ons werklik is. Die Bybel is ‘n spieël waarin ons eie foute en gebreke en mislukkings duidelik is (Jakobus 1:23–24). “Dit oordeel die gedagtes en gesindhede van die hart” (Hebreërs 4:12). In die bladsye daarvan lees ons van die sonde van Dawid, die lafhartigheid van Petrus en die gierigheid van Gehasi, en ons weet instinktief dat hulle stories ons s’n is.
Die Skrif is nuttig vir teregwysing omdat dit Jesus se lewe, dood en opstanding uitbeeld. Jesus se morele karakter en onberispelike integriteit staan in skrille kontras met ons eie sondige natuur. Wanneer ons die woorde en dade van Jesus oordink, kan ons nie anders as om saam met Petrus uit te roep nie: “Gaan weg van My, want Ek is ‘n sondige mens, o Here” (Lukas 5:8). Dit is deur sondaars te bestraf vir hulle sonde dat die Skrif hulle tot bekering en geloof in Jesus Christus bring.
Die Skrif is ook nuttig vir teregwysing omdat dit stories en strawwe bevat wat die erns van sonde beklemtoon. In die moderne kultuur word sonde dikwels getrivialiseer, maar die Skrif bied ‘n wekroep. Hoerery, gierigheid, leuens en ander “aanvaarbare” sondes word vandag in die Skrif getoon as ernstige dade teen ‘n heilige God. Paulus skryf dat voorbeelde van God se oordeel in die Ou Testament as ‘n afskrikmiddel dien, sodat “ons nie soos hulle na slegte dinge sou verlang nie” (1 Korintiërs 10:6). Sonde is meer as net menslike swakheid, en die Skrif openbaar die rebelse aard en vernietigende effek daarvan. Dit is voordelig om sonde te openbaar vir wat dit is.
Die teregwysende rol van die Skrif is net so belangrik as die rol daarvan in aanmoediging en onderrig. Om as Christene gegrond te wees, moet ons oop wees vir die Bybel se teregwysing van ons verkeerde dade. Ons moet toelaat dat die Skrif die standaard definieer waarvolgens ons moet leef.
The Collectors of Manna – Women of the Word // Gaarders van Manna – Vroue van die woord
Dilize Light has Managed a TruLight Ladies Group on Telegram for the Past 6 Years and from Today . she will be Sharing her Manna with the Ladies in The TruLight Daily Manna Platform . Dilize is the only Daughter of Pastor Dirk and has been part of the Ministry since the age of 11 . Dilize is also the Radio Host for the Popular TruLight Top 10 that airs on TruLight Radio XM saturdays at 17h00′
Dilize Light bestuur die afgelope 6 jaar ‘n TruLight Damesgroep op Telegram en van vandag af sal sy haar Manna met die Dames deel op die TruLight Daaglikse Manna-platform. Dilize is die enigste dogter van Pastoor Dirk en is deel van die bediening sedert die ouderdom van 11. Dilize is ook die radio-aanbieder vir die gewilde TruLight Top 10 wat Saterdae om 17:00 op TruLight Radio XM uitgesaai word.
Liefdeslotte:
Liefdeslotte is ‘n groeiende verskynsel. Duisende verliefde mense het hierdie liefdeslotte aan brûe, hekke en heinings regoor die wêreld vasgemaak. Paartjies graveer hul name op ‘n hangslot en heg dit dan in ‘n openbare plek vas om hul ewige liefde te simboliseer. Owerhede van sommige landmerke frons oor hulle as gevolg van die gevaar wat hulle kan veroorsaak as te veel vasgemaak word. Sommige dink dit is dade van vandalisme, terwyl ander dit as pragtige kuns en ‘n beeld van toegewyde liefde beskou. Die Here het ons ware ewige liefde in ‘n openbare plek getoon. Hy het Sy liefde aan die kruis getoon toe Hy Sy lewe gegee het om vergifnis van sonde te verskaf. En Hy hou aan om ons daagliks Sy liefde te toon. Redding is nie net ‘n belofte dat ons die ewigheid met God sal hê nie, maar dit is ook ‘n daaglikse ervaring van vergifnis, versekering, voorsiening en genade in ons verhouding met Hom. Jesus se liefde vir ons is die basis van Paulus se uitdaging om in die weg van liefde teenoor ander te wandel (Efesiërs 5:2). Die liefde van ons Vader stel ons in staat om geduldig en vriendelik te wees. In Sy Seun het Hy ons die beste voorbeeld en middel gegee om mekaar lief te hê – vir ewig.
Jesus wys ons hoe om lief te hê !
Love Locks:
Love locks are a growing phenomenon. Thousands of people in love have attached these love locks to bridges, gates, and fences around the world. Couples engrave their names on a padlock and then attach it in a public place to symbolize their eternal love. Authorities at some landmarks frown on them because of the danger they can cause if attached too often. Some consider them acts of vandalism, while others view them as beautiful art and a symbol of devoted love. The Lord has shown us true eternal love in a public place. He showed His love on the cross when He gave His life to provide forgiveness of sin. And He continues to show us His love daily. Salvation is not only a promise that we will have eternity with God, but it is also a daily experience of forgiveness, assurance, provision, and grace in our relationship with Him. Jesus’ love for us is the basis of Paul’s challenge to walk in the way of love toward others (Ephesians 5:2). Our Father’s love enables us to be patient and kind. In His Son, He has given us the best example and means to love one another—forever.
Jesus shows us how to love!
TruLight Ministries Daily Entertainment
TruLight TV – God’s Faithfulness Through The Years
Who is your family serving? Families who serve the Lord together, flourish and receive the Lord’s guidance together. Be inspired by Joshua to be a family who serves the Lord together through your local church or community. Today’s guest artist on Gospel Music USA (The Sneed Family) Award winning Gospel Music family group, The Sneed Family have been singing for over 32 years! Enjoy The Sneed Family on today’s show and Listen to some great music. Thanks for watching and Share this Video with your Friends.
Today on TruLight Radio XM
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00:15 Words to Live By Testimonies
01.15 Science Scripture and Salvation
02.15 Ground Works
04.00 Gospel Concert of the Day
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5:55 It is Today devotional
6:00 Gaither Homecoming Morning Show
7:15 Discover the Word
8.15 Destined for Victory
8:55 Science Scripture and Salvation
9:00 Holy Spirit Hour – Normally Sermons
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11:15 Unshackled
11.45 Words to Live By
12:15 Truth for Life
13:15 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram
14:15 Focus on the Family
15:00 Kids Hour
16:00 In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley
16:30 Groundwork
17:15 Live in the Light
18:15 Renewing your Mind
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21:15 Adventures in Odyssey Radio Drama
21:45 Bible Reading
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BIBLE PROPHECY IN THE NEWS
SIN HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
1ST it was satan handing Eve a forbidden Fruit , Now its Ai handing Internet Users a forbidden Fruit !!!!!
The Coming Flood Of Evil: ChatGPT’s Adult Content Will Create Digital Babylon
If OpenAI’s plan for adult content moves forward this December, we will be witnessing not innovation, but invasion — of hearts, homes, and souls. And no algorithm, no age gate, no “verification system” can contain the darkness that will follow.
When Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced that ChatGPT would begin allowing “erotica for verified adults” starting December 2025, the world crossed a moral line that should never have been approached. His defense — “We are not the elected moral police of the world” — was meant to sound neutral and enlightened. But in reality, it was the digital equivalent of Pontius Pilate washing his hands.
This plan is being sold as a matter of “adult freedom,” but make no mistake: this is about normalizing sin, monetizing lust, and expanding the reach of evil under the guise of technology. What began as a tool for knowledge and creativity now risks becoming a factory for temptation — and the spiritual consequences could be catastrophic.
Let’s look at five ways this new direction will be deeply harmful to both society and the soul — and why Christians must see this as a moral emergency.
- The corruption of intimacy and the slow death of love
Artificial intelligence has already blurred the lines between reality and illusion. But AI-generated erotica will go further — offering people simulated lovers, “custom” fantasies, and seductive conversations designed to satisfy fleshly cravings rather than heal the heart.
This is not freedom. It is digital slavery dressed up as personal liberty.
When machines start whispering to lonely souls, what happens to the sanctity of marriage? To the discipline of chastity? The more people engage with fantasy, the less capable they become of genuine human connection. AI erotica doesn’t create love — it counterfeits it. And the soul that settles for imitation begins to lose its hunger for the real thing.
Scripture warns, “The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world” (1 John 2:16). AI erotica takes all three and packages them into a glowing screen.
- The objectification of humanity — and the gateway for darker corruption
Even with all the promises of “safe” and “consensual” use, the truth is simple: when technology becomes a vehicle for lust, it trains people to see others as objects. Every simulated act becomes a rehearsal of sin. Every generated fantasy deepens the neural grooves of addiction.
And what begins as adult entertainment will inevitably leak downward. Filters fail. IDs are faked. Teens share accounts. Once the technology exists, it spreads like wildfire — faster than any moral system can contain it. The exploitation that already thrives in digital pornography will multiply. This is not a possibility; it is a certainty.
When a society invites artificial lust into its daily rhythm, it opens the gates to an infection of the spirit. What begins in secret on a private screen soon becomes visible in the collapse of families, in desensitized children, and in the corrosion of conscience.
- The addiction of the mind and the slow death of the soul
We already live in a world drowning in pornography addiction. Now imagine something infinitely more dangerous — a machine that adapts to your temptations, remembers your preferences, and feeds them back to you in ever-more alluring ways.
That is what AI erotica will be: temptation personalized.
Such technology won’t merely entertain sin — it will engineer it. Millions will fall into deeper isolation and shame. Marriages will falter. Depression will soar. The human mind, designed to be renewed by the Word of God, will instead be rewired by an algorithm trained to corrupt it.
And once the soul is trapped in an endless feedback loop of desire, repentance feels harder to reach. That is the very definition of bondage.
- Evil will spread faster than ever before
Sin has always found ways to multiply, but AI gives it rocket fuel. The moment OpenAI opens this door, armies of developers will rush in to build their own erotic chatbots, each pushing further, darker, and more explicit boundaries.
This isn’t theoretical. Every time a moral wall comes down in technology — whether through pornography, violent gaming, or online exploitation — imitators rush to fill the space. The result is a moral contagion.
Christians must understand that evil does not stay in its lane. It spreads. It normalizes. It numbs. And in the digital world, it travels at the speed of light.
- The false promise of “verified adults” — and the road to digital control
To be clear, age verification is absolutely necessary when technology deals with adult content. Children must be protected — full stop. But what troubles many is what follows next. Once society accepts that “verification” is the price of access, we begin normalizing a future in which you must prove your identity not only to view content — but to exist online.
Today it’s “verified adults.” Tomorrow it could be “verified citizens.” Eventually, “verified beliefs.”
This move edges us closer to a fully regulated internet, where access is controlled by a global digital ID framework. Once that door opens, the same system that keeps children out of erotic content could easily be used to silence dissent, monitor speech, and classify faith. Freedom can vanish in the name of safety.
The moral battle before us
Altman insists that OpenAI is “not the moral police of the world.” But that statement itself reveals the problem: the idea that morality can be optional in a world where every click, word, and whisper can now be generated by machines.
This is not a technological question. It is a spiritual one.
Will humanity allow its tools to serve darkness, or will it draw a line — a line that defends purity, family, and the holiness of human life?
Because if we do not, we are not entering an age of liberation — we are entering an age of temptation, isolation, and moral decay.
AI is not evil by nature. But when the architects of this new digital world treat sin as a business model and moral limits as obstacles, evil spreads quickly. And this time, it will not creep — it will flood.
THIS IS NOT JUST BIBLE PROPHESY COMING TRUE BEFORE OUR EYES , IT A CLEAR SIGN OF THE TIMES = THE END TIMES.
BONUS TEACHING
How concerned should Christians be about artificial intelligence (AI)?
How should Christians view artificial intelligence? Should Christians fear/oppose the development of artificial intelligence? Does the Bible say anything that would apply to AI? Is there any way artificial intelligence could be used for the advancement of God’s kingdom?
An “artificial intelligence” is a program or computer system mimicking aspects of human communication. Artificial intelligence is usually abbreviated as AI. The ultimate expression of this is labeled “artificial general intelligence,” or AGI. A synthetic system would be considered AGI when it thinks, reasons, and learns in the same way as a human being. AGI has long been a theme of science fiction. For instance, the droids from Star Wars films are sentient, emoting machines. Fictional AGI often takes on a villain’s role, such as HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the machines of The Matrix, or the character Ultron from Marvel Comics.
Today, the term AI is most often associated with language-based systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Watson, Copilot, and Grok. It is also connected to the idea of a technological singularity: the point at which artificial reasoning, problem-solving, and self-development overtake that of humans. This second concept, more associated with AGI, generates both hopes and fears. Yet there is no reason to think that “true” artificial intelligence—a self-aware, sentient, “living” program—is possible, let alone actual.
Tools
God allows us to use our minds to create useful tools (1 Timothy 4:4). The general concept of AI is not morally different from using a kitchen knife or driving a car. AI can be used appropriately or inappropriately. As with any other technology, AI has upsides and downsides that should be understood.
Recent generations of AI are incredibly complex, analyzing tremendous amounts of data. New AI models are much better than former iterations at correctly interpreting human language. They are narrowly tuned toward creating new content based on user instructions and a large database of background data.
These developments have led to an explosion of AI use for all sorts of tasks. Some uses of AI are wonderful, such as sorting and summarizing huge databases. Other AI impacts are concerning. Academic cheating is one. Creating even greater dependence on machines for basic knowledge and skills is another. The generation of false yet convincing pictures and voices raises alarm. A growing number of people are becoming emotionally addicted to custom-tuned AI models and struggling to relate to actual humans.
There has long been speculation that computer intelligence could eventually eclipse human ability. Computers store, recall, and manipulate bulky data far more efficiently than a person can. Computers have beaten human opponents in contests such as chess and the TV game show Jeopardy. The possibilities excite some people, but others are unsettled by the idea of machines that think as well as or better than the average person.
Efficiency vs. Intelligence
For all their potential, every “artificial intelligence” is still a machine limited by its own creators. AI serves the same basic functions of all machines: to make a task easier and faster. Industrial robots are stronger and work longer than people. Computers sort data more quickly and accurately. But extending these ideas to say that AI can become equal or superior to humans falls short. Computers occasionally appear intelligent, but their actual mechanism is performing extremely low-level thinking extremely quickly in extremely long chains. They aren’t truly “smart” but complete certain tasks in less time than people. Some things they cannot do at all. If a person defines intelligence in a way that eliminates concepts such as morality, emotion, empathy, humor, relationship, and so forth, then the term artificial intelligence is not so meaningful.
When someone says, “Machines and AI (or AGI) will be better or smarter than human beings,” it’s like saying, “Animals are better than humans. Cheetahs are faster. Elephants are bigger. Birds are more agile.” Of course, those are all separate animals, and they are only “better” than humans in separate categories. A single AI program might be “better” at chess or cooking or even making music. But for AI to be legitimately as smart as or smarter than people, a single program would need to excel in all those things at once.
Modern AI systems are adept at some of these multi-disciplinary tasks. Yet none of them are “thinking” the way a person does. Large Language Models (LLMs) are used in AI to imitate human speech patterns. But they do so via an algorithm matching inputs to mathematically preferred outputs. This is why modern AI often fumbles answers to speech-based questions. AI is also known to “hallucinate”: to combine information incorrectly and present false statements as truth.
This is key to understanding AI: even the most advanced computer is still a product of human intelligence. Thus, it is limited by human intelligence. A computer playing chess or Jeopardy is not smarter than the people it beats. ChatGPT is not better educated on literature or philosophy than actual experts. They do not “understand” their interactions any more than a gasoline engine, a mousetrap, or a digital bathroom scale. These systems are simply machines tuned to give automated results according to a complex set of manmade rules.
The Singularity
The phrase technological singularity specifically refers to a theoretical moment when artificial intelligence reaches a tipping point. Once it moves from “artificial intelligence” to “artificial general intelligence,” the system then self-improves without human input and beyond human ability. Some people anticipate great benefits from discoveries made by a vastly superior intellect. In most cases, however, the singularity is feared as the downfall of humanity. A common staple of science fiction is an AGI computer system that outruns the human mind and eventually dominates the world. The resulting dystopia is depicted in movie franchises such as The Terminator and The Matrix.
The concept of technological singularity also assumes that processing power will advance infinitely. This is contrary to what we know about the natural laws of the universe. Advancement in computing technology eventually runs into the limits of physics. Scientists and computer experts agree there is a “hard limit” to how fast certain technologies can operate. Since the complexity required to simulate a human mind is so far beyond even theoretical designs, there is no objective reason to say that sentient artificial intelligence can exist, let alone that it will exist. Even in its current form, modern AI requires mind-boggling levels of electrical and computing power.
The Creations and the Creators
On an abstract level, math and logic suggest that AI can never exceed the human mind. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem is a powerful argument that a system can never become more complex or more capable than its originator. To make an AI better than a human brain, we’d need to fully understand and then surpass ourselves, which is logically contradictory.
Spiritually, we understand our own limits because, being creations of God (Genesis 1:27), we can’t outdo God’s creative power (Isaiah 55:8–9). Also, God’s depiction of the future does not seem to include any kind of technological singularity (see the book of Revelation). It’s possible, however, that the false prophet’s “living” image and the mark of the beast may be enabled by some form of artificial intelligence.
In the meantime, as researchers continue to develop AI systems, humanity continues to react in bizarre and unfortunate ways. Scripture describes idolatry as man worshiping his own creation (Isaiah 2:8; Habakkuk 2:18–19). This may sound absurd to the modern reader. Yet it’s already being embraced by some. A new religion, called Way of the Future, was started by a former Google engineer as a means to worship AI as mankind’s caretaker and guide. Such strangeness is nothing new; humanity has often been guilty of worshiping the work of their own hands. The Way of the Future is just a modern version of carving an idol.
The Choice
In short, AI might be able to perform certain tasks faster than a human being. Yet there is no logical, philosophical, or biblical reason to think it can be “better” in a meaningful sense. AI might emulate human thought patterns, but it can never replace the prowess, dexterity, and creativity of the human mind. Overdependence on AI legitimately threatens to make those traits weak and undeveloped. If AI is “good enough” for complex tasks, fewer people may choose to undertake hard projects, and human competence may regress. God called us to steward the created world (Genesis 1:28). This can include use of AI, but it excludes misuse of artificial intelligence the same way it excludes abuse of any tool.
Despite fears and speculations, the possibility of fully sentient AGI or a technological singularity is refuted by science, observation, and Scripture. The concept of self-aware, sentient, superhuman AI makes for entertaining fiction but not much else.
Many people over the years have proposed that there would be an increase in technology as the end times approach. Among those espousing this view were renowned scientists Isaac Newton and Francis Bacon. On the frontispiece of Bacon’s Instauratio Magna, ships of learning were depicted passing by the limits of human knowledge, with a quote in Latin from Daniel 12:4. In more recent times, this belief has been supported in books like Future Shock by Alvin Toffler and The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin.
In Future Shock, first published in 1970, Toffler described the results of the rapid advancement of technology he had observed in the 1950s and 1960s. As technology brought ever faster changes in society, certain people were left on the sidelines, unable to cope with the speed of change. That stress and disorientation in people was dubbed “future shock.” Toffler did not attempt to use the Bible in his work, but the concept of future shock was alluded to in works like Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth, which was also published in 1970. Mr. Lindsey has made frequent mention of Daniel 12:4 as a prophecy of this rapid technological advance.
The Bible Code was based on the work of Eliahu Rips and others, who proposed that the history of all mankind was encoded in the text of the Torah and could be found by the process of “equidistant letter sequencing” or ELS. This concept was first proposed by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher in the 13th century, a man who is recognized as introducing the use of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) into the study of the Torah. According to this theory, the Hebrew word for “computer” is encoded in Daniel 12:4, thus giving apparent confirmation that technology would indeed have exponential advances with the advent of computers.
With this background information, we are still left with the question, “Does the Bible say that an increase in technology is a sign of the end times?” The short answer is “No.” Working backwards through the previous information, the concept of ELS has been heavily debated in both academic and religious circles. Intriguing discoveries have been made, but the methods by which they appear are suspect at best. The concept proposed by Rabbi ben Asher is related more to divination than to Bible study, and God condemns any method of discerning hidden knowledge (Deuteronomy 18:10,14).
But, as Toffler observed, there certainly has been an exponential increase of technology, and it appears to be gaining ground even more quickly. So what does the Bible have to say on this matter? Let’s take a look at the text in question, Daniel 12:4, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel was told that the meaning of his prophecy would be sealed until the time of its fulfillment was near. The majority of Bible scholars through the ages have understood the last two phrases to reference the prophecy itself. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s critical commentary (published 1871) identified the meaning as scrutinizing every page to discover God’s purposes in the events foretold. John Darby translated the passage “many shall diligently investigate,” and Samuel Tregelles rendered it “many shall scrutinize the book from end to end.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary (c. 1700) said, “Then this hidden treasure shall be opened, and many shall search into it, and dig for the knowledge of it, as for silver. They shall run to and fro, to enquire out copies of it, shall collate them, and see that they be true and authentic. They shall read it over and over, shall meditate upon it, and run it over in their minds.”
Many passages of Scripture refer to what will happen at the end of the age, but no other passage seems to deal with increasing knowledge or technology as a sign for us. A greater sign is the advancement of the gospel which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:14 and which He commanded us to proclaim in Matthew 28:19-20. God’s goal for mankind isn’t to advance as far as we can or to know all we can discover, but rather that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Parents Stripped Of Foster License For Christian Beliefs
The state of Massachusetts has stripped another Christian foster care couple of their foster licensing after they declined to sign a state-enforced gender affirming policy.
GOG AND MAGOG UPDATE
Will the Real Magog Please Rise !
Turkey Wants To Replace Iran And Encircle Israel
If Erdoğan’s plan to take over Syria in the military domain succeeds and he receives approval for a military force, legitimacy and Qatari money for construction in Gaza, Turkey will largely replace the Iranian dream of enclosing Israel in a more dangerous military and political ring.
Under the personal and ideologically-driven Islamist direction of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey aspires to actively construct a strategic encirclement of Israel, an Israeli terrorism expert has warned, days after reports emerged stating that the Trump administration is weighing allowing Ankara to purchase F-35 fighter jets.
Turkey’s willingness to back U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point truce plan has reportedly increased its chances of acquiring the stealth aircraft, though this has yet to be confirmed.
Dr. Ely Karmon, a senior research scholar at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University in Herzliya and a member of the Israeli non-partisan group Coalition for Regional Security, told JNS in recent days, “If Erdoğan’s plan to take over Syria in the military domain succeeds and he receives approval for a military force, legitimacy and Qatari money for construction in Gaza, Turkey will largely replace the Iranian dream of enclosing Israel in a more dangerous military and political ring.”
Karmon warned that “when it comes to Israel, Erdoğan is the one who sets Turkey’s policy and he is personally responsible for the deterioration of bilateral relations between the countries for years. Erdoğan has strong anti-Israel feelings, based on deep-rooted religious beliefs. Erdoğan simply despises Israel.”
Karmon explained that this animosity is channeled through a calculated political strategy. “President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attaches great importance to the Palestinian issue, presenting himself as the protector of the Palestinians and of the holy Islamic sites in Jerusalem,” he said. “By exploiting the Palestinian issue, Erdoğan is trying to present Turkey to the Arab public as a leading power in the Middle East and to achieve Islamic legitimacy in the region.”
This strategy has included long-standing and overt support for the Hamas terrorist organization. In March 2006, Erdoğan invited a high-ranking Hamas delegation to visit Turkey, immediately after its success in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, Karmon recalled, contrary to the advice of his advisers and the positions of the Turkish media.
“Since then, political and operational relations with Hamas have continued to grow,” Karmon said.
He noted that this backing became tangible when, in May 2010, the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship carrying a large Turkish militant group from the Foundation for Human Rights and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), led an international flotilla that tried to break the Israeli security blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Ankara’s influence campaign has also extended into Israel itself. “Relations with the northern wing of the Islamic Movement in Israel [itself banned in 2015] also strengthened, as both share a common ideology and their goal is to promote Jerusalem as an issue in the radical Islamic discourse,” Karmon stated.
“About 63 million dollars donated by the Turkish government were transferred to organizations in East Jerusalem dedicated to the protection and strengthening of the Muslim heritage and character of Jerusalem. Some of the money financed the Murabitun movement (which includes male radical Islamist activists) and the Murabitat (which includes female activists), who harassed and physically attacked Jews visiting the Temple Mount.”
Following the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas, Erdoğan’s rhetoric reached a new level of vitriol.
“On Oct. 11, 2023, Erdoğan said that Israel’s siege and bombing of Gaza in response to the Hamas attack was a disproportionate response, a ‘massacre’ in his words, but he did not condemn the Hamas massacre of civilians,” Karmon said.
This escalated significantly when Erdoğan stated in March 2024 that Ankara “firmly supports” Hamas.
“‘No one can make us declare Hamas a terrorist organization,’ the Turkish president said in a speech in Istanbul, while comparing Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government to ‘Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, like the Nazis of today,'” Karmon said.
This rhetoric was followed by action, with Erdoğan severing all economic ties with Israel in April 2024 and joining South Africa’s ICJ petition accusing Israel of genocide.
Karmon warned that Turkey is now leveraging the collapse of the Assad regime to dramatically increase its influence in Syria, with direct implications for Israel.
“With the fall of the Assad regime and the decline in the status of its two major allies, Russia and Iran, in Syria, Turkey seized the opportunity to significantly increase its influence in the country in the field of defense (among others), in an apparent attempt to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate,” he said.
He pointed to a January 2025 statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who declared that in this “new era … Turkey is the shepherd and protector” of all groups in Syria.
This ambition is backed by force, with some 90,000 fighters of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) operating in the country, an organization that surrounds Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and which has been accused of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes.
According to an Oct. 10 report by the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Erdoğan left a previous trip to Washington empty-handed on his request for F-35 fighter jets.
However, a report in The National Interest from Oct. 10 noted that Turkey is moving to purchase Eurofighter Typhoons from Qatar, signaling its intent to upgrade its air force regardless.
As part of the recent U.S.-brokered hostage deal, the American compensation appears particularly far-reaching. According to an October 8 report in the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper, Erdoğan was promised the supply of F-35 aircraft, and he is slated to a legitimate player in the Gaza agreement’s implementation process.
Oded Ailam, a former head of the Counterterrorism Division in the Mossad and currently a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCSFA), has warned of Turkey’s destructive role.
In a recent analysis for Mako, Eilam argued that it “is difficult to ignore the deep aspirations of the current Turkish president,” which he described as the wish to resurrect the Ottoman empire and turn into a modern sultan.
He added that this is occurring alongside a strengthening of the Turkish-Egyptian military cooperation, which included meetings this year between the chiefs of staff of both countries and discussions on joint development of military industries, and maneuvers.
“In the past decade, Turkey has not only strengthened its fleet with purchases of advanced submarine types, developed a light aircraft carrier, and purchased naval attack weapons, it has also strengthened its cooperation with other countries in the Middle East,” Eilam said.
Israel is not the only country facing this neo-Ottoman vision, he said, naming Greece and Cyprus as others that must deal with increasing Turkish dominance.
“Israel can celebrate the Gaza agreement, but not fall asleep instead of standing on guard,” Eilam cautioned. “If the Mediterranean Sea is a game board, Erdogan has already placed more than a queen on it. He placed a whole fleet.”
TruLight Ministry News
TruLight Ministries orders from God since 2012 . Teach Them , Comfort Them and Warn Them!
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TruLight Ministries opdrag vanaf God sedert 2012. Leer hulle, Troos hulle en Waarsku hulle!
In Christianity there is No Place for Arrogance . Arrogance is to Look Down at others but also Looking Up to Others= Place nobody but God on a Pedestal
In die Christendom is daar geen plek vir arrogansie nie. Arrogansie is om af te kyk op ander, maar ook om op te kyk na ander = Plaas niemand behalwe God op ‘n voetstuk.
Pastor Dirk – TruLight Ministries International
Syria & The End Times
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