From the Brazen Altar to the Holy of Holies, every step pointed to Jesus Christ.
Many people ask, “Was baptism in the Old Testament?”
The answer begins with understanding the Tabernacle.
Long before John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness… long before the Day of Pentecost… and long before the Apostle Peter proclaimed Acts 2:38, God had already given Israel a beautiful picture of His plan of redemption through the Tabernacle and its furnishings.
While Christian baptism was fully revealed after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the principles behind God’s plan of salvation had already been illustrated centuries earlier.
God painted the picture long before He revealed its fulfillment.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that the priests served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5). Later he writes,
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come…”
Hebrews 10:1 (KJV)
The Tabernacle was much more than a place of worship.
It was God’s picture book of redemption.
As we walk through the Tabernacle, we’ll discover how each piece of furniture beautifully points us to Jesus Christ and the New Testament plan of salvation.
The Brazen Altar — A Picture of Repentance
The first object every priest encountered was the Brazen Altar.
Everything began with sacrifice.
An innocent animal died in the place of the guilty.
Without the shedding of blood there could be no approach unto God.
This altar beautifully points us to repentance.
Before there is baptism…
Before there is the infilling of the Holy Ghost…
There must first be repentance.
Repentance is more than feeling sorrow for sin.
It is dying to the old life.
Paul wrote,
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him…”
Romans 6:6 (KJV)
Just as the sacrifice came first in the Tabernacle, repentance comes first in God’s New Testament plan of salvation.
The Brazen Laver — A Picture of Baptism
After the sacrifice came the Brazen Laver.
God instructed Moses,
Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not…”**
Exodus 30:19-20 (KJV)
The priest could not ignore the laver.
Before entering farther into God’s presence, he had to be washed.
This beautifully points forward to New Testament baptism.
When Ananias spoke to Saul, he said,
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Acts 22:16 (KJV)
The Brazen Laver was not Christian baptism itself.
Rather, it was one of the Old Testament shadows pointing forward to the cleansing God would accomplish through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Place — The Christian Walk
After passing the laver, the priest entered the Holy Place.
Here the picture changes.
The sacrifice was behind him.
The washing was behind him.
Now began his daily ministry before the Lord.
While Scripture does not specifically identify the Holy Place as representing the Epistles, I believe it beautifully illustrates the Christian life that the Epistles teach after the foundation has been laid.
Inside the Holy Place stood three beautiful pieces of furniture.
The Table of Shewbread
The priests continually ate the holy bread.
Jesus said,
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
After the foundation has been laid, believers continue growing by feeding upon God’s Word.
The Epistles teach us how to grow in grace, wisdom, faith, and obedience.
The Golden Candlestick
The Holy Place had no windows.
Its only light came from the seven-branched golden candlestick.
Likewise, believers today walk by the light of God’s Word and the leading of His Spirit.
The Epistles continually teach us to walk in holiness…
Walk in love…
Walk by faith…
Walk worthy of our calling…
As His light shines upon our path.
The Altar of Incense
The priest continually offered incense before the Lord.
Throughout Scripture, incense becomes a beautiful picture of prayer.
John wrote,
“…golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
Revelation 5:8 (KJV)
Again he wrote,
“And the smoke of the incense…ascended up before God with the prayers of the saints.”
Revelation 8:3-4 (KJV)
Just as the incense continually ascended before God, believers today are encouraged to pray continually.
The Epistles remind us:
“Pray without ceasing.”
“Continue in prayer.”
“Praying always.”
Prayer remains one of the greatest privileges of every child of God.
The Veil Was Torn
Beyond the Holy Place stood a thick veil.
Behind that veil was the Holy of Holies.
Only the High Priest could enter, and only once each year, and never without blood.
The veil constantly reminded Israel that sinful man could not freely enter God’s holy presence.
But everything changed at Calvary.
Matthew records,
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom…”**
Matthew 27:50-51 (KJV)
Notice something beautiful.
The veil was torn from the top to the bottom.
Man did not reach God.
God opened the way for man.
The Old Testament shadows had fulfilled their purpose.
Jesus Christ had become the perfect sacrifice.
The way into God’s presence had been opened.
The Holy of Holies — God’s Presence
Beyond the veil was the Holy of Holies.
This was the dwelling place of God’s presence above the Mercy Seat.
Only the High Priest could enter, and only once each year.
Under the New Covenant something wonderful happened.
God no longer dwells in temples made with hands.
Instead, He fills His people with His Spirit.
Paul wrote,
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16 (KJV)
What was once pictured in the Tabernacle now finds its fulfillment through Jesus Christ as God dwells within His people.
The Book of Acts Lays the Foundation
For many years I have often said,
“The Book of Acts lays the foundation. The Epistles build the house.”
The Tabernacle beautifully illustrates that pattern.
The Brazen Altar reminds us of repentance.
The Brazen Laver points us toward baptism.
The torn veil reminds us that Jesus Christ has opened the way.
The Holy of Holies reminds us of God’s Spirit dwelling within His people.
Then the Holy Place beautifully illustrates the Christian life that the Epistles teach after that foundation has been laid.
We feed upon God’s Word.
We walk in His light.
We continually lift our prayers before Him.
We grow in grace.
We become more like Jesus Christ every day.
Conclusion
The Tabernacle was God’s picture book.
Every piece of furniture pointed forward to Jesus Christ.
The Brazen Altar pointed to sacrifice.
The Brazen Laver pointed to cleansing.
The Holy Place illustrates a life of worship, prayer, and spiritual growth.
The torn veil declared that the way into God’s presence had been opened.
The Holy of Holies reminds us that under the New Covenant, God now dwells within His people by His Spirit.
The Old Testament contains the shadows.
The New Testament reveals the fulfillment.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.John 1:17 (KJV)
Not because the Law was bad—but because the Law pointed forward.
The Tabernacle was God’s inspired picture, and in Jesus Christ, that picture comes into full view.
As we study both together, we see the beautiful harmony of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation.
May we never stop searching the Scriptures, for they testify of Jesus Christ.
When a man sets out to build a house, he does not begin by pouring concrete or raising walls. The first thing he must do is buy the land. Ownership must be settled before anything else can take place. Until the land is purchased, no foundation can be laid and no house can be built. In the same way, before salvation could ever be applied to mankind, the price of redemption had to be paid.
The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—record how Almighty God stepped into His creation to do just that. Through His birth, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ purchased what was lost. “For ye are bought with a price.” The Gospels show us the cost of redemption being fully paid.
After land is purchased, preparation begins. The ground must be cleared, leveled, and made ready. Stones are removed, debris is cleared away, and the soil is examined. This stage is very important and essential. Without preparation, even the best foundation will fail. In the same way, the Lord prepares the heart. In John chapter 3, Jesus speaks with Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again. This was not about outward religion, but inward readiness. Before anything could be built, the heart had to be prepared. This ingredient in the foundation is called Repentance.
Only after the land is bought and the ground prepared does the foundation come. This is where permanence begins. The foundation determines the stability of everything that follows. The Book of Acts shows us where that foundation was laid. On the Day of Pentecost, when the people asked what they must do (Acts 2:37), Peter declared repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the receiving of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). This was not merely a theory of salvation, but obedience to the Gospel. This is the laying of the foundation.
Once the foundation is laid, the house can be built. Walls go up, rooms take shape, and the structure becomes a place to live. Rooms of holiness, righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, and spiritual maturity begin to take form.
This is the role of the Epistles. They do not purchase the land, nor do they lay the foundation again. Those things have already taken place . The Epistles were written to believers who had already obeyed (Acts 2:38). They instruct, correct, reprove, and guide the Church in how to live and build upon the foundation laid in the Book of Acts.
When the order is followed, everything fits together as God intended. But when Scripture is taken out of order or read without context, confusion follows. A house without a foundation cannot stand, and a foundation without purchased land has no rightful place. When God’s Word is rightly divided, however, the beauty and clarity of salvation come into full view.
The Gospels: The Land Is Purchased
Before a house can be built, the land must first be purchased. The Gospels reveal how God Himself came into the world in the person of Jesus Christ to purchase redemption for fallen mankind.
His miraculous birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, burial, and victorious resurrection secured what no man could ever obtain on his own. The Gospels are the record of redemption being purchased. The price was paid in full at Calvary.
Without the purchase of redemption, there could be no salvation. Before the foundation could be laid, the land had to be bought.
Preparing the Ground
Once land is purchased, it must be prepared. Trees are removed, rocks are cleared away, and the ground is made ready to receive the foundation. This is how repentance looks.
Salvation is not merely accepting a religious belief. It begins with a heart that is willing to obey God. Repentance softens the soil of the heart and prepares it for what is to come.
A foundation cannot be poured upon ground that has not been prepared.
The Book of Acts: The Foundation Is Laid
Every house depends upon its foundation. If the foundation is weak, the entire structure is at risk.
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)
An important note: Peter specifically commanded baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19 records Jesus instructing His disciples to baptize “in the name of” the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The word name is singular. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are descriptive titles, while the name revealed and invoked by the apostles throughout the Book of Acts was Jesus Christ.
This pattern continues throughout the Book of Acts. Whether Jew, Samaritan, Gentile, or disciple of John, the foundation remained the same.
The Book of Acts is not merely church history. It is the record of how the New Testament Church began and how believers entered into the salvation purchased by Jesus Christ.
The Book of Acts lays the foundation.
The Epistles: Building the House
After the foundation is laid, construction begins.
Walls are erected. Rooms take shape. The house becomes a place where life is lived.
This is the purpose of the Epistles.
The Epistles were written to people who had already obeyed Acts 2:38. They were not written to explain how to lay the foundation again. Rather, they teach believers how to live upon the foundation already established.
The Epistles teach holiness.
They teach separation from sin.
They teach faithfulness, Godliness, Holiness, Righteousness, Humility, Prayer, Worship, and Christian conduct.
The Apostle Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude were building upon the foundation that had already been laid by Peter in the second chapter of Acts.
The Epistles build the house.
Why Rightly Dividing the Word Matters
Confusion often arises when believers attempt to build the house before laying the foundation.
Many turn to the Epistles while neglecting the Book of Acts. Others quote instructions written to established believers while overlooking how those believers first entered the Church.
God’s Word is perfect when it is read in its proper order and context.
The Gospels reveal redemption purchased.
The Book of Acts reveals salvation applied.
The Epistles reveal believers growing and living upon that foundation.
When the Scriptures are rightly divided, the plan of God becomes clear and beautiful.
Conclusion
The Gospels show us the land being bought and prepared.
The Book of Acts shows us the foundation being laid.
The Epistles show us the house being built.
When these portions of Scripture are understood in their proper place, the message of salvation becomes clear.
The Book of Acts lays the foundation.
The Epistles build the house.
Learn More
For a deeper study on how the Book of Acts lays the foundation and the Epistles build the house, visit our Books Page:
👉 View Our Books Here — https://anchorofhopepublication.com/books/
A friend once shared a story with me that happened many years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it.
The year was 1979. He was a young Christian in his mid-twenties, still learning what it meant to trust God completely. Life was not easy, and money was scarce. There were days when he wasn’t sure where the next meal would come from.
One Saturday morning, he walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet doors. He looked inside and found only two cans of green beans to feed his family.
That was it.
No hidden groceries tucked away in the back. No money to run to the store. Just two cans of green beans staring back at him.
He quietly closed the cabinet doors and walked into the living room. There, he knelt down and began to pray.
“Lord Jesus, You already know my situation. You know there are only two cans of green beans in the cabinet. I know You see our need, and I know You will provide.”
After praying, he spent time worshipping and thanking the Lord for His goodness. Then he got up and went about his day, leaving the matter in God’s hands.
A few hours later, there was a knock at the door.
When he opened it, a woman he had never met before was standing there.
“Sir,” she said, “I know you don’t know me, but the Lord Jesus told me to bring something to you.”
She then asked him to help carry some things from her car.
When they reached the vehicle, he was astonished. The trunk was filled with groceries. Three large bags of food had been purchased specifically for his family.
Think about that for a moment.
The only One who knew about those two cans of green beans was the Lord.
Yet God had spoken to a complete stranger, and she obeyed.
As wonderful as that was, the miracle was not over.
Later that same day, a neighbor came by. They had never really talked much beyond a friendly wave.
The neighbor said, “We have so many vegetables growing in our garden that we can’t possibly use them all. Please come and take as much as you want.”
Before the day ended, God had sent not one person, but two.
A stranger arrived with bags of groceries.
A neighbor arrived with fresh vegetables.
The Lord had provided far more than two cans of green beans.
Looking back after all these years, my friend still speaks about that day and how the Lord Jesus astounded him. It became one of the landmarks of his Christian journey—a reminder that God sees every need, hears prayer, and remains faithful to His promises.
The lesson has stayed with him throughout his life:
When God’s children place their trust in Him, He is able to provide in ways they never expected.
Miracles are not confined to the pages of Scripture.
The same Lord who cared for His people then still cares for them today.
And sometimes, a miracle begins with nothing more than two cans of green beans and a simple prayer.
Sometimes we pray for God to move mountains, while He is teaching us that He is faithful in the smallest details of life. The God who sees two cans of green beans in a kitchen cabinet is the same God who numbers the hairs of our head and knows every need before we ask. If you are struggling today, don’t give up. The Lord is faithful.
As we look around our world today, many Christians are asking a serious question: Where are we on God’s Time Clock?The Lord Jesus pointed us back to the days of Noah as a prophetic signpost. He wanted future generations to recognize the spiritual condition of the world before His return. By examining Noah’s generation, we gain insight into our own and can better understand the times in which we live.
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.”
When many people read these verses, they often focus on the words eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. Yet there is nothing sinful about any of these activities. People must eat, drink, work, raise families, and plan for the future. The Lord Jesus was not condemning these things. Rather, He was revealing the condition of the hearts of the people living in Noah’s generation. And would be the same in ours.
Life continued as normal.
People woke up each morning, went about their business, made plans, celebrated weddings, raised children, and pursued their own interests. Meanwhile, Noah was faithfully preaching God’s warning of coming judgment. Yet the vast majority of people paid no attention.
The Apostle Peter referred to Noah as “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). For many years Noah proclaimed God’s message while building the ark. Every hammer strike and every board placed upon that vessel testified that judgment was coming. Yet the people continued with their lives as though God’s warning would never come to pass. Even though Noah preach for 100 years.
The tragedy was not that they were eating and drinking. The tragedy was that they were doing these things while completely ignoring what God was saying.
The World Before the Flood
Genesis describes a world that had become corrupt and filled with violence.
Genesis 6:5 (KJV)
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
The people of Noah’s day had become so consumed with their own desires that they no longer feared God. They lived as though there would never be a day of accountability.
Does this not describe much of our world today?
Modern society is consumed with entertainment, pleasure, wealth, technology, and self-gratification. Many people have little interest in the things of God. While there are more Bibles available than at any time in history, many remain indifferent to God’s Word.
The world is busy.
People are making plans for next year, next decade, and retirement, yet few stop to consider eternity.
Noah Entered the Ark
The Lord Jesus said something very important:
“until the day that Noe entered into the ark.”
There came a moment when the opportunity to enter the ark ended.
The door remained open for years while Noah preached and prepared. Anyone could have believed God’s warning and entered the ark. Yet the day arrived when Noah and his family entered, and God shut the door.
Genesis 7:16 (KJV)
“and the LORD shut him in.”
Once that door was closed, there was no second opportunity.
The rain began to fall.
The floodwaters rose.
Those who had mocked Noah suddenly realized that his message had been true all along.
Just as the flood came suddenly upon an unsuspecting world, the coming of the Son of Man will catch many by surprise. The problem will not be a lack of warning. The problem will be that many people will be too occupied with the affairs of this life to pay attention.
The Gospel continues to be preached.
God’s Word continues to be proclaimed.
The invitation to salvation remains open.
Yet many continue with life as usual, assuming there will always be more time.
Are We Prepared?
The question before us is not whether we are eating, drinking, marrying, or working. The question is whether we are listening to God’s warning and preparing our hearts for eternity.
Noah believed God when the rest of the world did not.
He acted upon God’s Word.
He entered the ark.
The Lord Jesus pointed to Noah’s example and warned that His return would come in a similar manner.
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” — Matthew 24:37
While no man knows the day or the hour of the Lord’s return, Jesus did tell us to observe the signs. The comparison to Noah’s generation was not given merely as a history lesson but as a prophetic warning. As the moral and spiritual conditions of our world continue to mirror those ancient days, the question remains: Where are we on God’s Time Clock? Only God knows the exact moment, but the signs remind us that His return is nearer than when we first believed.
Continue Your Study
If you found this article helpful, you may enjoy my book:
A Sure Word of Prophecy: Where Are We on God’s Time Clock?
This book explores biblical prophecy, the signs of the times, the rise of global powers, the Mark of the Beast, and what Scripture reveals about the days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ.
When the Lord Jesus spoke to Peter in Matthew 16:19, He made one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture:
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
But what were those keys for?
Were they merely symbolic? Did they represent earthly authority? Or did they serve a far greater purpose connected to salvation itself?
Keys are given to unlock doors.
The Lord Jesus was not speaking of a natural kingdom built by human governments or earthly power. He was speaking of the Kingdom of God and the entrance into the New Covenant Church through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Keys of the Kingdom were not given to Peter by accident.
They were given to him to unlock the door of salvation through the Gospel.
The Scriptures reveal two categories of people upon the earth: Jews and Gentiles.
And remarkably, Peter was chosen by God to open the Gospel door to both.
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” — Acts 2:38
This was not accidental. This was the opening of the door.
But the Lord was not finished opening the Kingdom.
Because Peter had been given the Keys of the Kingdom.
The angel declared that Peter would come and tell him “words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.”
When Peter arrived at the house of Cornelius, he preached Jesus Christ unto them. As Peter spoke, the Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles just as it had upon the Jews in Acts chapter 2.
Peter then commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord.
The same Gospel. The same Spirit. The same salvation.
Most Bible chronologies place approximately 7 to 10 years between Acts chapter 2 and Acts chapter 10.
Yet during all of that time, the Gospel message had not changed.
When Peter opened the door to the Jews in Acts 2, the message was repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And years later, when the door was opened to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius, God poured out the very same Holy Ghost upon them.
The time changed. The audience changed. But the Gospel did not change.
The same Peter. The same Keys. The same salvation.
Peter unlocked the door first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles, fulfilling the very purpose for which the Lord Jesus had given him the Keys of the Kingdom.
Matthew 16:19 was not an empty statement hidden in mystery. It became a living reality through the preaching of the Gospel in the Book of Acts.
From that moment forward, the door of salvation stood open to all who would believe and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to study this subject deeper, including the Biblical foundation of repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the receiving of the Holy Ghost, you may also enjoy my book:
Faith Unto Salvation: Is It a Confession or an Experience?
This book examines whether salvation in the New Testament was merely a verbal confession, or a genuine spiritual experience rooted in obedience to the Gospel.”
Modern Christianity often presents salvation as little more than a moment of verbal confession—simply believing in Jesus and declaring Him as Lord. Romans 10:9–10 is frequently isolated from its setting and used as a complete formula for salvation in the modern church world today, while the foundation established in the Book of Acts is often overlooked entirely. As a result, faith is commonly reduced to intellectual agreement rather than a life-changing response to the Gospel.
This raises an important question:
If confession alone is the complete plan of salvation, why did the apostles in Acts consistently preach repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and the receiving of the Holy Ghost?
The contrast between modern doctrine and the apostolic message becomes especially clear on the Day of Pentecost. After Peter preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the people were “pricked in their heart” and asked the apostles and brethren:
“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” — Acts 2:37 (KJV)
Peter did not answer by telling them to simply confess faith alone.
What Did Peter Actually Preach?
Instead, he gave a direct response:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” — Acts 2:38 (KJV)
This was not presented as optional discipleship, nor as a secondary step after salvation. It was the apostles’ response to men seeking salvation under the New Covenant.
Yet much of the modern church world now teaches something far different. Salvation is often presented as a one-time confession apart from repentance, apart from baptism, and apart from the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Faith becomes merely acknowledging facts about Jesus rather than obeying the Gospel.
Biblical Faith Always Responds
But throughout Scripture, biblical faith was never passive agreement alone.
Faith moved Noah to build. Faith moved Abraham to leave his familar surroundings. Faith moved Israel to step into the sea. Faith moved sinners in Acts to repent, be baptized in Jesus name, and receive the Holy Ghost.
The apostles never separated faith from obedience because true faith always responds to God.
Paul himself spoke of:
“the obedience of faith” — Romans 1:5 (KJV)
and again:
“they have not all obeyed the gospel.” — Romans 10:16 (KJV)
Even within Romans, the very book often used to defend salvation by confession alone, Paul continually connects faith with obedience, transformation, holiness, and walking in newness of life.
Romans and Acts Must Remain Together
The modern doctrine that reduces salvation to a verbal confession creates a serious contradiction with the pattern established throughout the Book of Acts. The early church did not preach faith apart from repentance, nor belief apart from obedience. They preached a Gospel that called men and women to surrender their lives fully unto Jesus Christ.
The issue is not whether salvation comes by grace through faith. Scripture clearly teaches that it does. The real question is this:
What did the apostles understand saving faith to be?
Modern religion often defines faith as a verbal agreement alone. But the apostles taught a faith that responded, obeyed, repented, was baptized, and received the promised gift of the Holy Ghost.
When Romans is separated from Acts, confusion follows. But when the Epistles are read in harmony with the foundation laid by the apostles, the message remains consistent from beginning to end:
Jesus Christ not only calls men to believe the Gospel— He calls them to obey it.
The Lord Jesus Christ clearly enumerated various signs that would indicate the approaching time of the End. In Matthew 24, He warned His disciples of deception, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and spiritual confusion that would increase as the world moved closer toward the final days.
These prophecies were not given to create fear, but to awaken discernment and spiritual readiness among the people of God.
Let us examine these warnings carefully through the Scriptures and consider how they are unfolding before our eyes today.
Don’t Be Deceived
The very first warning the Lord Jesus gave concerning the End Times was deception.
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” — Matthew 24:4
The Lord knew there would be countless voices claiming to speak for God while leading people away from the truth of His Word. Throughout history—and especially in our time—many pastors, teachers, prophets, and religious organizations have diluted or altered the Gospel in order to fit denominational traditions and man-made doctrines rather than preaching the full counsel of God.
In John chapter 5, the Lord spoke directly to the religious leaders of His day:
“And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.” — John 5:38
Then the Lord gave this solemn instruction:
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” — John 5:39
The Lord did not tell people to blindly trust religious systems. He said to search the Scriptures.
Satan has not changed his tactics. Deception remains his greatest weapon. One of the greatest deceptions of our generation is the rejection of the original Gospel message preached by the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost.
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Yet many modern religious systems claim these things are no longer necessary or no longer happen today. Such teachings contradict the pattern established in the Word of God.
The Lord’s first prophetic warning was clear:
“Take heed that no man deceive you.”
This warning about spiritual deception is just as significant as His prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple later in Matthew 24.
Wars and Rumors of Wars
The Lord then warned that the world would become increasingly filled with conflict, instability, and fear among nations.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” — Matthew 24:6
Jesus declared that nations and kingdoms would rise against one another, and that famines, pestilences, and earthquakes would occur in various places throughout the world.
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” — Matthew 24:7
Every generation has witnessed wars to some degree, but modern technology now allows the entire world to watch global conflicts unfold in real time. Fear, uncertainty, political unrest, and international tension continue to increase across the earth.
Yet the Lord also gave comfort to His people:
“See that ye be not troubled…”
These events are not random. They are part of the prophetic framework leading toward the final fulfillment of End-Time prophecy.
These wars and global conflicts are helping prepare the world for the conditions described throughout biblical prophecy.
Continue Reading in A Sure Word of Prophecy
This article is an excerpt adapted from Chapter 2 of my book:
A Sure Word of Prophecy — Where Are We on God’s Time Clock
If you would like to continue this prophetic study in greater depth, you can learn more about the book here:
Which church is right? What Bible translation is best? Why is the world changing? What do the prophecies mean?
But there is one question most people avoid asking altogether:
“Will I actually be saved?”
In Luke 13:23, a man asked Jesus a question that still echoes through every generation:
“Lord, are there few that be saved?”
Jesus did not avoid the question. He did not soften the answer. And what He said next may be one of the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture.
“And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” — Luke 13:24 (KJV)
Jesus did not say: “Do not worry about it.” He did not say: “Everyone will make it.” And He did not say salvation would come casually or effortlessly.
Instead, He said: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”
The word “strive” carries the idea of effort, urgency, discipline, and determination. It paints the picture of someone pressing forward with purpose, refusing to quit, and understanding the seriousness of what is at stake.
This is not speaking of earning salvation through human works, but rather revealing the seriousness of pursuing the Kingdom of God with sincerity, obedience, faith, and perseverance.
The gate is called “strait” because it is narrow. It is not the broad path of popular opinion, worldly compromise, or comfortable religion.
Jesus gave a similar warning in Matthew 7:13-14:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Perhaps the most sobering part of Luke 13:24 is this:
“Many… will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
Many will seek. But not all will strive.
Many will desire heaven, yet refuse surrender. Many will want eternal life, yet reject obedience to the Word of God.
The man in Luke 13 asked the most important question a person could ever ask: “Who will actually be saved?”
And Jesus answered with a warning that still speaks to every generation today.
Luke 16:16 gives more detail — The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Salvation is not something to approach casually. It is worth seeking with all of our heart, all of our faith, and all of our obedience while there is still time.
God, in His manifold wisdom, made the beginning of the salvation journey simple and clear. He placed the foundation of the New Birth experience within a single verse of Scripture in the Whole New Testament.
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
This happened during our Missionary work in Thailand 2018-2024. In early 2020, a young lady from our church in Chiang Mai, Thailand, contacted my wife and explained that she and several friends planned to travel to Chiang Rai to bring her mother back to Chiang Mai for baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ.
My wife gladly agreed.
That Saturday afternoon, after a four-hour drive, they called to let us know they were about an hour away. We had already prepared the baptismal water and were praying in anticipation of their arrival.
At that point, we knew nothing about her mother’s condition.
When they arrived, we walked outside to greet them. As the back passenger door opened, three young people carefully helped this precious Thai mother into a wheelchair.
It was immediately clear that she could not walk.
As we entered the baptism room, I realized her condition was even worse than I first thought. Not only could she not walk—she could not speak. The only sounds she could make were grunts.
She was visibly terrified.
Her eyes reflected fear and confusion as she looked around the room. At that moment, I knew she did not need questions—she needed peace.
I stepped into the baptismal waters beside her and began to pray, asking the Lord Jesus Christ to calm her fears and touch her life.
As we prayed, peace slowly came over her.
Holding her gently in my arms, I said, “Mom, I now baptize you in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
Then something happened that none of us will ever forget.
As she came up out of the water, she suddenly stood upright on her own. She stepped out of the baptismal tank and began walking around the room saying, “I’m hungry! I’m hungry!”
Tears filled the room as we witnessed the miracle the Lord Jesus had performed for this precious mother.
Until that day, she had only known Buddhism, as is the case for most Thai people. Yet on that day, Jesus entered the room, saw the faith of these young believers, and responded with a miracle that astonished everyone present.
Later, her daughter explained that her mother had spent years in a mental institution before eventually becoming bedridden for many more years at home.
We had known none of this beforehand.
But the Lord Jesus knew.
Over the years, I have witnessed many miracles and healings, but I can honestly say this was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Continue Reading
This testimony is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of my book, Faith Unto Salvation, where I share personal experiences, biblical teachings, and the transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you would like to learn more, you can explore the book here:
