LET THE READER UNDERSTAND
By Rev. C.J. Barry Kentner
I love the way in which Jesus phrased a discourse that both Matthew and Mark included in their Gospels.
The Oxford Dictionary interprets the word “apostasy” to mean the “abandonment of a principal or a belief.”
Well, the Bible is full of instances of apostasy from Genesis to Revelation. The first apostasy of course was when Eve yielded to Satan. However, Eve, no matter what may be said, was fully responsible for the debacle. Adam somehow slipped up and let Satan in. You remember I’m sure, that Adam had charge of the Garden. It was largely his fault.
Major examples of apostasy are of course the Flood, or the situation that led to the Flood. And then The Saga of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then there was the Captivity of Israel in Egypt, and again in First Samuel, chapter 3 verse 1 we read of how “The light was dim in that day…the Word of the Lord was Rare….there were not many visions.”
There are the 70 years of captivity in Babylon…the 400 silent years between Malachi and Matthew, And the condition of the Priesthood during Jesus’ time on earth. Remember he called them “Whitewashed Tombs!”
Now let’s turn to Revelation where we have a letter from Almighty God to each of the 7 churches.
How are these letters ending? “He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Obviously there was apostasy to some extent in each church. Non one of them ws perfect!
Could it be the real threat to the world is….and always has been….apostasy?
In the book of Daniel. the “abomination that causes desolation” is apostasy.;
In Matthew chapter 24, verse 11, and again, in Mark chapter 13, verse 14 the same phrasing Is used….”Let him who readeth understand…”
Apostasy leads to death and destruction, Christ is our Jerusalem. In this life, we are in Judea…. and when we recognize the “abomination that causes desolation” we are …. flee from sin, Flee from apostasy. If we are Christians, we are surrounded by Satan’s armies. Desolation is near.
“When you see Jerusalem (us) surrounded by armies……”
