The Strand Study Bible

LUKE LUKE 17:34-36 There are some within Christendom who link this statement ( the one shall be taken ) with the Rapture of the Church (I Thess 4:14-17). However, according to the context of the passage (starting at verse 26), this statement deals with the Second Coming of Christ, not the Rapture of the Church. According to Matthew 25:31-34,41-46, when Christ returns, He will separate the sheep (saved) from the goats (unsaved), “ taking the goats ” and sending them to Hell. This illustration is linked to both Noah (who was “left alive” while all the others were taken away in judgment and death - vs 26-27), and Lot (who was also “left alive” while all the others were taken away in judgment and death - vs 28-31). 18:1 Parable #30 is aimed at believers who pray, but fail to keep on praying . The character flaw – assuming God is like man and can thus be bothered. He cannot. We need to learn to pray without ceasing (I Thess 5:17), realizing that God is never too big to be bothered, never too busy to be burdened, and never able to be badgered, bought, or bribed. God is not being compared here with the unjust judge; He is being contrasted, and unlike the unjust judge, God longs to be pestered (Mt 15:21-28, Lk 11:1-13 and I Chro 4:10 ). David Jeremiah in Captured by Grace notes: 1680 NOTE – There are three biblical principles concerning prayer that are rarely understood by the believer: * Principle # 1 – God is not a man that you can trouble Him ... so keep troubling Him –He loves it! Unlike man, God loves to be bothered with your petty pleadings! In fact, nobody is more patience with people than God is. He always has time for you... even when He says, “Wait.” * Principle # 2 – God’s promise (Word) is greater than His presence/person (who He is) ( Psa 138:2 , II Pet 1: 15- 19 -21 and Mt 8:5-10) The difference between all other gods and the God of the Bible is that the God of the Bible bases his entire reputation on His Word, not His name. I mean, if your word's no good, what good is your name? * Principle # 3 – Your patience with God determines His purpose with you ( though he bear long with them - Lk 18:7) 18:5 This word ( weary ) is the Greek word ‘ XSZSLD]K ( hupopiaze ) and means, “ to strike under ( hupo ) the eye ( ops ); to bruise ; to buffet (I Cor 9:27).” To the widow, the delay was worse to her than the original wrong had been, thus she began to give the judge, metaphorically speaking, a “black eye,” she began to “damage his reputation.” The judge apparently had had enough and gave in to the widow’s demands. The idea is this: If reiterated petitions win through with unjust men, how much more with a just God. 18:8 Jesus’ “question” at the end of this passage ( shall he find faith on the earth ) signals His greatest concern. When He comes back, will people have been looking for Him? The implied answer is “no.” The rhetorical question implies that faith, even amongst believers, will be scarce before His return. Billy Graham in StormWarning notes: It should be convicting to all Christians when we realize that much of the confusion in the world is coming from the church itself. There was a time when the church upheld a unified standard of values and beliefs from Scripture. Living separated lives has been exchanged for going the world’s way. The devil has successfully fooled many churches, convincing them to follow the world. Biblical standards have been compromised by convenient social theories. Instead of clinging to the only Lifeboat that can save, we have tossed overboard biblical truths in the name of living on the edge of life, like the man who rides the parameter of a hurricane, daring it to sweep him away. 13 Sound like the church of the Laodiceans, the church of the last days? According to Revelation 3:14-22, the state of the Church, right before the return of Jesus, will be tepid (lukewarm) at best, and thus nauseating to God. There are three reasons why it will be difficult for believers to live for God in the last days before Christ’s return: (1) The lure of the world (Rev 17:8-13); (2) The lust of the flesh (Rev 3:14-17); and (3) The lie of the Devil (II Thess 2:7-12). Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins in Are We Living in the End Times ? note: Never in history have so many legitimate signs of Christ’s return existed. 14 NOTE – There are seven d’s that point to the day when CHRIST will invade our earth via His Second Coming: 1. The decline of the Church ( I Tim 4:1 -2) The New Testament is filled with predictions of a last-days “apostasy” (defection from the faith). Because of wolves in sheep’s clothing (Acts 20:28-30) and false Christ’s and false prophets bringing powerful deceptions to deceive, if possible, even the elect of God, many within Christendom will be led astray (Mt 24:3-5,11,24). Dr. John F. and John E. Walvoord in Armageddon Oil and the Middle East Crisis notes: [Grace] is the x-factor that radically sets Him apart. Our God is “the God of all grace” (1 Pet. 5:10). He is kind, benevolent, and longsuffering. We need not beg Him, bribe Him, or appease Him. He actually longs to bless us every single moment, every single day. He comes down to us rather than demanding that we climb the impossible ladder to infinity to reach Him. Grace is God taking the initiative. 12

The Apostle Paul warned of the coming time of the end in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. The Thessalonians had been confused by false prophetic teaching. Paul clarified the situation by describing four future prophetic events in a definite order which provides a calendar of events for the end time. For informed observers, these events signal the countdown to Armageddon. First, there would be the rise of unbelief and departure from the faith within the church… 15 In numerous churches, the Bible is treated as a collection of fairy tales and fables written by uneducated men froman ancient time. While it offers challenging spiritual myths and wholesome encouragement, some “modern”churches seem to feel that no one should go to the Bible expecting to find absolute truth. Such teaching is an abomination before God. Nothing could be more destructive to true faith and peace on earth. The fiercest storm is taking place in some of our churches–the unbelief and disobedience of God’s Word. In the face of such a growing storm, our changing world desperately needs moorings, and God has given us that anchor in His Holy Word–the Bible–His unchanging truth. 13

Billy Graham in StormWarning notes: