When God returns for the seven-year trial on Earth from Revelation, and they say that in order to eat, you have to get the devil’s signature… if you do that to feed your kids, do you go to hell for getting the signature, or do you still go to heaven?

Sincerely,
For The Children

Dear For The Children,

The tribulation taught by many denominations is based off of a misinterpretation of Matthew chapter twenty-four.  Matt 24 is dealing with the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Jewish temple that would happen in 70 AD.  If we carefully pay attention to the context, Jesus is talking about the Jewish temple’s destruction, not a worldwide trial thousands of years in the future (Matt 24:1-2).  Jesus specifically said that the tribulation would occur within that generation’s lifetime (Matt 24:34).

There will be a day when all the faithful are caught up to meet Christ in the heavens.  The day He returns (Acts 1:11), all mankind will be judged at the same time (Jhn 5:28-29).  In that great day (Jude 1:6), the whole world will be burned up with fire (2 Pet 3:10-12).  There will be no post-tribulation, pre-tribulation, semi-tribulation, etc.; there will only be the great Day of Judgment (2 Pet 3:7, 1 Jn 4:17).  If you would like a more in-depth look at the book of Revelation, we have a series of classes on the book that can be found at sermons.mvchurchofchrist.org.

Jesus will return in the same way He left true or false?

Sincerely,
Looking Up

Dear Looking Up,

True.  When Jesus ascended into the clouds from the Mount of Olives, His apostles were left staring into the heavens with amazement (Acts 1:9).  As they gazed into the sky, two angels appeared by the apostles and told them that Jesus would someday return in the same way that they had seen Him leave (Acts 1:10-11).  Some day, Jesus will return and we shall see Him physically descend from the heavens to claim His own (1 Thess 4:16-18).

Harold Camping and the Family Radio Network predicted that today the world would end.  If you are reading this - he was wrong :-).  Like so many false teachers that use the Bible for their own financial gain and fame, time proved him wrong.  God says the Judgment Day will come like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2), and no man can predict it.

So enjoy a wonderful May 21^st, and we’ll see you tomorrow with more Bible answers to your Bible questions.

Do you think it's wrong for a christian to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden?  I was ecstatic and thankful to God when I heard the news, but then someone showed me Prov 24:17.

Sincerely,
Grateful

Dear Grateful,

There is a balance in the heart of a christian between rejoicing that evil has been vanquished and mourning over the death of a human being.  There are plenty of examples of God’s people rejoicing in national victories.  There is an entire song that was written when the Israelites celebrated the destruction and drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea (Ex 15:1-21).  There is always joy when the wicked are defeated (Pr 11:10).  It is appropriate to be happy when evil is destroyed because it means righteousness is prevailing (Pr 28:28).

However, this also must be tempered with the fact that a human that was made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) perished.  God says that it pains Him when the wicked perish (Ezek 18:23); we should also have that pain.  There is a bittersweet emotion within the hearts of God’s people when an evil person dies.  We rejoice that righteousness has prevailed, but we sorrow that a soul stained with sin has gone to face its Maker.

If the devil influenced Osama Bin Laden to kill so many people, what happened to the people who were killed that had not yet given their lives to Christ?

Sincerely,
No-sama

Dear No-sama,

Osama bin Laden’s death marks a major victory for us Americans, and it brings our minds back to that fateful day on September 11, 2001 when so many perished because of the desire of that man to follow the Quran to its ultimate end – death of all the infidels (non-Muslims).

So, since so many people died so unexpectedly through Osama’s acts of terrorism, what does happen to them?  All death is unexpected, meaning that none of us know when we will die.  Our lives are merely vapors that quickly vanish (Jas 4:14).  Because of the uncertainty of life, David prayed that God would teach him to contemplate his own death and to measure his days (Ps 39:4).  Whether we die quietly in our sleep at a ripe old age or suddenly in a car crash in our early twenties… the effect is the same – we must be ready to meet our God.  We all must ask that all-important question: “What must I do to be saved?”… because we never know when we will go to the judgment (Heb 9:27).