A Sure Foundation

II Timothy 2:19-20

About 1957 or 58, a well known ‘evangelist’ preached on the second coming, and stated that “the Lord will return before 1960.” Being just a child, and not knowing very much scripture, it was a scary message. Since that time, there have been hundreds of prophecies about when the Lord will return.

Some, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, have preached that he already came. A third group have preached that we need to resolve the worlds problems so he can come and set up his kingdom. The resulting confusion has led many to decide that the whole thing is just a figment of someone’s imagination, or an attempt to manipulate people to do certain things.

Programs by various writers and groups have cast doubt on many of the commonly accepted beliefs about what the Bible says, especially when they are contradicted by scientific discoveries and claims of supposed experts. It has led to the Bible being considered by many as unreliable at best. Even human attempts to prove Biblical statements have contributed to the problem.

Bishop Ussher was considered the authority on Biblical dates, and using his dates, historians could find no evidence of Israel going into or leaving Egypt, and other historical events did not match the records of other ancient civilizations, casting doubt on the authenticity of the Old Testament.

Ussher shows a period of approximately 279 years for the period of the judges. The book of Judges itself describes a period of about 410 years between Israel’s being attacked by others and delivered by Othniel and the death of Samson. In addition, we have an unspecified period for Joshua’s leadership and the elders that outlived him, which probably could not have been less than about 30 years, and an unspecified period under Eli and Samuel before Saul became King.

The only thing we know about Eli’s age is that he was old when he died and Samuel took over as prophet and Judge. Samuel was very young and he judged up until shortly before his death, when he anointed Saul as King. This would imply the dates should be 200 or more years earlier than Ussher proposes and makes many of the conflicts disappear. It also places the dates of Israel’s entrance to and exodus from Egypt in periods where Egypt did not keep records due to other influences. While this does not prove the Bible is true, it negates claims that it cannot be true.

As Paul advises Timothy, despite the attacks, God’s word has not been undermined or changed. One of the key provisions is that God knows who his children are, and will not forget. Our obligation to do what is right has not changed.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (II Timothy 2:19)

The law of gravity does not change regardless how hard one throws the rock. If one throws a rock fast enough at the right angle, it may go into orbit. It is still falling, it just misses the earth, falling around it. Ignoring the Law of Gravity may result in someone being injured. God’s Law is not some made up story, but is the result of personal observation coupled with Gods direction. We ignore it at our own peril.

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:16-21)

John makes a similar statement, Stressing their actual experiencing the things they share so that we trust their statements and experience the same things ourselves.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (I John 1:1-3)

If we have received this message, and have had our sin removed, we ought to live as if it were gone. Romans 6:1-6 explains, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

The main purpose in saving us was to deliver us from the power of sin. Why should we go back into slavery to it?