Alan

One of the highlights of the year is a Thanksgiving day of fellowship and a Dinner with the other IFB missionaries on Taiwan. My wife and I will be traveling (by train the day before) to the Western side of Taiwan and having a day of fellowship, and Thanksgiving Dinner, with the other IFB missionaries on Taiwan. We will have a day of fellowship, spend the night in a hotel, and return to the Eastern side of Taiwan by train the next day.

Daniel, Thank you for bringing out Romans 5:20, "Moreover, the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Romans 5:20 was a welcomed addition to this devotion on the kindness of God. Alan

Due to our situation, we do not do much storage. But, keep us posted. I am not familiar with storage plans. What is a Kiiji food rotation storage plan?

The Hoopie Bird is an very unusual bird. It is not normally on the Eastern coast of Taiwan but is generally on the smaller islands off the west coast of Taiwan. We were able to see it twice. The Hoopie bird has a very distinctive crown and body coloring. Hoopie Bird

Wonderful news! Madison Baptist Church is a huge church to us also. It is also a friendly church with a pastor that loves the Lord, loves souls, and loves people. The folks at Madison also love the Lord and one another. P.S. Madison Baptist Church is a missionary loving church. Glad to hear that the church took on Neal & Kelsie as missionaries. Last week my wife and I was able to visit Keith and Janette Cullers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. They are looking forward in having Neil & Kelsie return back to Taiwan as missionaries.

Thanks for the encouraging remarks on the words of the Lord concerning soul winning on Matthew 4:19

This is the screen shot of the message after I try to edit:

Good message on how the scriptures condemns our sin and convicts us of our sin, and explains how the true saint will repent of known sin in his life.

Today, due to a long post, I had to post the study, "Revelation 20:4-6 The Literal Millennium & the Seventh Day Adventist Erroneous Beliefs," on the thread in three different instalments. On the second instalment, starting from Point 1-5: Points number 3 and 4 were uploaded three times (along with extra footnotes). I tried to edit the extra material out of the post , but I could not. If a moderator could delete the extra material I would appreciate and it would make the study more readable. As it reads now it is confusing. I thought maybe the problem was with the footnotes. If the problem is with the footnotes then delete them. Thanks!

Scriptural Interpretation of Revelation 20:4-6 The Old Testament Covenants given to Abraham, then given to Isaac and Jacob and extended to King David, and the covenant given in Ezekiel 37:1-28, will be fulfilled literally as promised. None of these covenants are annulled or in any way given to the church. The apostle Paul, twice, expressly states that the promises given to Abraham and his descendent's cannot be annulled or added to. “Galatians 3:15-18, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that is should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” The doctrine of Replacement Theology as practiced by the Seventh Day Adventist, believed by Philip Mauro, the Reformed Theologian, and Pastor Steven Anderson, is a false teaching. The only time these covenants can, and will, be fulfilled is when the Lord Jesus sits as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS on His throne in Jerusalem as Revelation 20:4-6 depicts. Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; chapter 15: 17:1-14. The resurrected Abraham, and his saved, descendants, will at this time inherit the land that God promised Abraham, “... and to thy seed for ever.” Genesis 15:18, “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” David. “And I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning.” 1 Chronicles 17:9 Please note that David is asleep and that there are no conditions of this Covenant. It will be fulfilled by God whether or not the children of Israel follow the Law or not. It is an un-conditional covenant: 1 Chronicles 17: 3-15 Ezekiel 34:20-31; verse 23, “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God [this is a direct reference to the Lord Jesus Christ as God], and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.” 2 Samuel 7:4-17 and Psalm 89:3 and 4 According to Acts 2:29 and 30 David the body of David is still in the grave. Therefore, only after his resurrection from the dead (all of the Old Testament saints were not raised from the dead in Matthew 27:52 and 53 The Vision and the future Covenant of Peace given to the descendants of Jacob in Ezekiel 37. the covenant given to the descendant’s of Jacob is still future. This chapter gives the vision of the, ‘Dry Bones,’ (a picture of the future restoration of the nation of Israel in the Millennium), God gave this Covenant. Ezekiel 37:24-26, “And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be prince their prince for ever.” Since the time of Ezekiel this Covenant of Peace has not been fulfilled in any sense of the word. The only time in the body of scripture that this Covenant of Peace will be fulfilled is during the reign of Christ on the earth as depicted in Revelation 20:4-6 In Ezekiel 37:28 we read these words, “And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” In the New Heaven and the New Earth as depicted in Revelation 21:1-27 we fully understand that there will be no “heathen” and no “temple” or “Sanctuary.” Therefore, the Covenant of Peace has to start in the 1000 year reign of Christ as depicted in Revelation 20:4-6 and after the events of Revelation 20:7-15, the reign of Christ, with God Himself on the earth, will extend into eternity. Confirmed to the Nation of Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 4-32 Confirmed by the Lord Jesus, as revealed to Paul the Apostle. “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” Romans 15:8. This is a specific reference to Romans 9:4, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.” According to Paul the Apostle, these promises of the Covenants given to the Jews,were confirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ and thus so far unfulfilled. In other words, these Covenants are still in effect and will one day, as depicted in Revelation 20:4-6, be fulfilled as promised. All of the Covenants and promises of God to the Jews in the Old Testament are literal and will be fulfilled in the Millennium and, after the events of Revelation 20:7-15, extend into eternity. The Apostle Paul taught, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Romans 11:15 The nation of Israel is God’s elect. The church did not replace the Elect sons of Jacob nor do the promises to the Church in the New Testament negate the promises to Israel. The Lord Jesus confirmed all of the promises, which includes the covenants, as recorded by Paul the Apostle. “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.” Romans 15:8 We will briefly glance at some of these promises as prophesied by the prophets. Isaiah 11:6, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” The animal kingdom will be changed.” The change in the behavior of the animal kingdom has not changed since Isaiah made this prophecy, nor can it be applied to the saints in the church age in any manner; spiritual or physical. After the horrific happenings in the 7 Year Tribulation Period that Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 24:122 we read in Isaiah 24:23, the, “... LORD of hosts shall reign in Mt Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Therefore, the reign of Christ in Revelation 20:4-6 is on the earth in Jerusalem. Isaiah 30:18-26 tells us of many blessings that will be wonderful to behold. Included in the many physical blessings in Isaiah chapter 35, we read of this blessing, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” Isaiah 35:5 Isaiah chapter 60 tells us that the Lord will not only restore the nation of Israel but He will glorify the nation of Israel. Isaiah 60:12, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” May I at this juncture remind the saved Gentiles that the church did not, ‘replace,’ Israel, but the Saved Gentiles are, ‘grafted,’ into the nation of Israel. Romans 11:1425 The Apostle Paul taught in Romans 11:17, “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree.” Among numerous physical and spiritual blessings recorded in Isaiah chapter 65 we read this particular one, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” Isaiah 65:20 The prophecy of Isaiah has to take place in the 1000 year on earth as written in Revelation 20:4-6 as during the New Heaven and New Earth, and New Jerusalem, as described in Revelation 21:1-27, there will be no “sinners” nor any “death.” Zechariah 8:1-8 and Ezekiel chapter 47 tells us further great physical changes and blessings. In Hosea 3:5 we learn that King David will be raised from the dead and will be King over Israel. These great changes to the earth are all physical and literal. And, they cannot be a reference to the New Heaven and the New Earth as the land was not cleansed by fire. In Micah 4:1-7 we learn that all the nations will come to the Millennial Temple. This is also a direct reference to Revelation 20:4-6 and not to Revelation 21:1-27 as the New Heaven and the New Earth will have no temple. In Zechariah 3:1-10 and 6:9-15 the LORD will take away the filthy garments of the Joshua the High priest in order to serve, ‘... my servant the BRANCH.’ The, BRANCH,’ is the Lord Jesus as KING. As king, the Lord Jesus will “… sit on and rule upon his throne: ...” Zechariah 6:13 The 1000 reign of Christ, on the earth in Jerusalem, as depicted in Revelation 20:4-6, is the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy. The above verses are just a portion of the many physical and spiritual promises that will be fulfilled during 1000 Millennial reign of Christ in Revelation 20:4-6 as prophesied by the Old Testament prophets. The teaching of the Seventh Day Adventist’s is totally in error. The 1000 year reign of Christ as King will take place on the earth as described by the Old Testament prophets, confirmed by Christ and expressly taught by the apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:15, that they cannot be annulled nor added to: in other words the covenants and promises cannot be given to anyone else; including the church in a spiritual manner.

1. The Seventh Day Adventist claim to be King James Version only, but, in their quotation of Matthew 19:28 it was not taken from the King James Version of the Bible nor did they give the version they quoted from. Here is the quotation from the King James Version, “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28 The Seventh Day Adventist did not quote the entire words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19:28. The Seventh Day Adventist left out the most important phrase in the passage, “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration ...” The 1000 year reign of Christ is “… the regeneration ...” “The regeneration is the restoration of the nation of Israel in the land of Israel with the Lord Jesus sitting as KING on the throne of David as prophesied by Isaiah. God is going to restore the land promised to Jacob to the sons of Israel, ‘forever.’ The prophet Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 1:25-27 that the nation of Israel would be restored. “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.” Isaiah 1:25-27 None of these promises given by the prophet Isaiah has been fulfilled; including after the return of the Jews after the Babylonian Captivity. The books of Nehemiah and Ezra is very clear that this prophecy of Isaiah was not fulfilled after the Captivity. Nor, has any of these promises been given to the church in a spiritual way. These specific promises given by God will be fulfilled to the nation of Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. 2. In the Seventh Day Adventist statement on the 1000 year of Christ they do not mention any of the Old Testament prophets. Except for some passages in Daniel, on most of the Seventh Day Adventist materials the Old Testament prophets are ignored. In the, “Methods of Bible Study” found on the official Seventh Day Adventist website, we can discover some, not all, or the reasons, why. The Seventh Day Adventists have 7 pages of “Presuppositions, Principles, and Methods.” listed. One of the “Presuppositions” that they list is: “There are two general types of prophetic writings: nonapocalyptic prophecy as found in Isaiah and Jeremiah, and apocalyptic prophecy as found in Daniel and the Revelation. These differing types have different characteristics: (a) Nonapocalyptic prophecy addresses God's people; apocalyptic is more universal in scope. Apocalyptic prophecy is highly symbolic and should be interpreted accordingly. In interpreting symbols, the following methods may be used:”ii The Seventh Day Adventists consider only the prophecies in Daniel are “apocalyptic” and thus are considered future prophesies fulfilled in the book of Revelation and they consider the prophecies of the other Old Testament prophets “nonapocalyptic prophecy” or prophecy that does not need to be considered when studying the Book of Revelation. This is one of, not all, the reasons why EvangAlive ignored my charts and Old Testament references (besides Isaiah 9:6). The Seventh Day Adventist’s attitude, and the attitude of EvangAlive, the Reformed Theologian, the preterist, Philip Mauro, and Pastor Steven Anderson,, are similar. They consider the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets as for Israel in the past and have been fulfilled historically and not to be fulfilled as depicted in the Book of Revelation. As a side note. I must also note that Pastor Steve Anderson on his study on Revelation 20:4-6iii does not include any references at all from the Old Testament that the Lord Jesus will reign as King in the restored nation of Israel. Anderson ignores the references to Christ as prophesied in passages as Zechariah 14:9, “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” And, Zechariah 14:16, “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” As with the Seventh Day Adventist, Preterists, and others, Pastor Anderson will not mention the restored nation of Israel with Christ reigning as King. 3. The Seventh Day Adventist Church believes that the events of the book of Revelation are symbolic and not literal. As an example, the Seventh Day Adventist’s believe that the Second Coming of Christ to the earth in Revelation 19:11-21 is symbolic and not literal. “Revelation 19:11-21 describes Christ riding out of heaven on a white horse, and He is followed by the armies of heaven, who are also riding white horses (verses 11, 14). Their purpose is to make war with the kings of the earth and their armies (verses 11, 19). Chapter 19 concludes with the enemies of Christ being defeated (verses 20, 21). This symbolic description of the second coming of Christ is immediately followed by the millennium in chapter 20. From this it's evident that Christ's second coming will occur at the beginning of the millennium.”i Therefore, according to the Seventh Day Adventists, Christ did not literally come to the earth as written in Revelation 19:11-21 and He is still in heaven in Revelation 20:4-6 4. EvangAlive, as with the Seventh Day Adventists, adhere to the “Parallel” method of Bible study. The Seventh Day Adventists state, “When parallel passages seem to indicate discrepancy or contradiction, look for underlying harmony.”ii Due to EvangAlive, and the Seventh Day Adventist, adopting the parallel method of interpretation, and not the full body of scripture and ignoring the promises given to the Jews and different promises given to the saints in the Church Age, they confuse Matthew 24:21-35, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 1:7 and Revelation 19:11-21. As a side note. The same mistake is made by new IFB Movement, Pastor Steven Anderson, and his disciples. The new IFB Movement ignores critical prophetical passages in the Old Testament of God’s specific, and literal, promises concerning the Jews, concerning the Second Coming of Christ and Matthew 24:21-35, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 1:7 and Revelation 19:11-21. As with the Seventh Day Adventist, when it comes to prophecy, the cannot, “rightly divide” the scriptures and ignore the Old Testament prophets when the prophesied the restoration of the nation of Israel. i Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 1. Copied October 30, 2018 As with the Seventh Day Adventist, Preterists, and others, Pastor Anderson will not mention the restored nation of Israel with Christ reigning as King. “Revelation 19:11-21 describes Christ riding out of heaven on a white horse, and He is followed by the armies of heaven, who are also riding white horses (verses 11, 14). Their purpose is to make war with the kings of the earth and their armies (verses 11, 19). Chapter 19 concludes with the enemies of Christ being defeated (verses 20, 21). This symbolic description of the second coming of Christ is immediately followed by the millennium in chapter 20. From this it's evident that Christ's second coming will occur at the beginning of the millennium.”i Therefore, according to the Seventh Day Adventists, Christ did not literally come to the earth as written in Revelation 19:11-21 and He is still in heaven in Revelation 20:4-6 i Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 1. Copied October 30, 2018 ii Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 6. Copied October 30, 2018 i Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 1. Copied October 30, 2018 ii Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 6. Copied October 30, 2018 ii Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 6. Copied October 30, 2018 5. As with prophecy of the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformed theologian, the Replacement Theology theologian, Philip Mauro, Pastor Steven Anderson and the new IFB brethren, the Seventh Day Adventist believes that the church (the Seventh Day Adventist church), has spiritually replaced the nation of Israel and the promises given to them. The Seventh Day Adventists state, “In the New Testament application of Old Testament prophecies, some literal names become spiritual: for example, Israel represents the church, Babylon apostate religion, etc.”i To summarize the belief of Revelation 20:4-6, according to the Seventh Day Adventist, Revelation 20:4-6 occurs in heaven, and not literal, the Old Testament prophets that promised a literal restoration of the nation of Israel is symbolic and are given to the church. The nonapocalyptic prophecy written by the major and minor prophets is historic and has no prophetic fulfillment as recoded in the book of Revelation. Furthermore, this includes the words of the Lord Jesus when He stated, “… in the regeneration ...” . As with prophecy of the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformed theologian, the Replacement Theology theologian, Philip Mauro, Pastor Steven Anderson and the new IFB brethren, the Seventh Day Adventist believes that the church (the Seventh Day Adventist church), has spiritually replaced the nation of Israel and the promises given to them. The Seventh Day Adventists state, “In the New Testament application of Old Testament prophecies, some literal names become spiritual: for example, Israel represents the church, Babylon apostate religion, etc.”ii To summarize the belief of Revelation 20:4-6, according to the Seventh Day Adventist, Revelation 20:4-6 occurs in heaven, and not literal, the Old Testament prophets that promised a literal restoration of the nation of Israel is symbolic and are given to the church. The nonapocalyptic prophecy written by the major and minor prophets is historic and has no prophetic fulfillment as recoded in the book of Revelation. Furthermore, this includes the words of the Lord Jesus when He stated, “… in the regeneration ...” i Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 5. Copied October 30, 2018 ii Seventh Day Adventist, https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/restoration/the-millennium-and-the-end-of- sin/article/go/-/making-sense-of-the-millennium/ Page 5. Copied October 30, 2018

Revelation 20:4-6 The literal Millennium & the Seventh Day Adventist Erroneous Beliefs Revelation 20:4-6, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” The Errors of the Seventh Day Adventist and Revelation 20:4-6 The Seventh Day Adventist religion believes that the reign of Christ, and of those He has chosen to reign with Him as written in Revelation 20:4, is not literal, takes place in heaven and not on the earth. The following quote is from the full doctrinal section of the Seventh Day Adventist, “During the Millennium,” statement from their website. “During the Millennium From what we've already learned, we can draw several conclusions about what will happen during the millennium. Satan will be confined to this earth, where he can spend the time contemplating the terrible mess he's made of things. The bodies of the wicked will be strewn all over the earth. The righteous, on the other hand, will be in heaven, and Revelation 20 says that they will be "given authority to judge. . . . They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years" (verses 4, 6). Other verses in the New Testament give us some idea of the nature of this judgment. Paul said that "the saints will judge the world" and "we will judge angels" (1 Corinthians 6:2, 3). Also, Jesus said that "when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). In this verse, Jesus combined both the idea of reigning with Him and judging that John spoke about in Revelation 20:4.” This article, before the Seventh Day Adventist uploaded in onto their official website, was written in the Seventh Day Adventist official publication, “Signs of the Times magazine.” in the July 2011 issue. Before I continue, I need to stress the following important items.