1ISBN: 0-937661-28-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011924520
The New English Bible (NEB). Copyright © the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the
Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970. Reprinted by permission.
Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984. International Bible
Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJ). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

2and over thirty years of research I have done on
biblical proofs and prophecies.
This summary was written at the end of my teaching
career. I dedicate it to some 9,000 students I had the
honor of instructing in my 32 years of teaching at two
universities.
The Evidence for Jesus is also dedicated to all
Christians who have the desire and the courage to step
out of their comfort zone of tradition, who are willing to
examine unpopular ideas, who are not the kind about
whom this prophecy was uttered:
The time will come when men will not put up with
sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires,
they will gather around them a great number of
teachers to say what their itching ears want to

1physical sciences have advanced in prestige, the spiritual sciences have declined. The
main reason is this: Scientists accept and apply only testable and provable standards. This
principle is often violated in spiritual sciences. The violation often comes from blending
the authority of Scripture with personal views.
In religion, unlike science, the opportunities for abuse are abundant. Anyone with
ambition and desire for fame can create his own brand of faith. Dependence on testable
and provable standards prevents such abuses.
The purpose of The Evidence for Jesus is to restore a sense of objectivity to religion, to
introduce the kind of evidence that would appeal to saints and scientists alike. It begins
by offering a set of testable and provable standards by which we can demonstrate, with
absolute certainty, the divine station of Jesus Christ. It then discloses the popular but
untestable standards that have led to widespread abuse of religion and sheer deception
throughout the centuries. And finally, it introduces a totally novel interpretation of the
prophecies of the second Advent, marked by the principle of absolute consistency.
I have no desire to be known as a founder or promoter of a new theory or school of
interpretation of biblical prophecies. Yet I cannot remain silent; I have found one theory,
one school of thinking, completely absent in all biblical studies. That theory is by far the
most reasonable and comprehensive. It explains everything, yet has never been taken
seriously. I can think of two reasons: It is not rooted in tradition, and it is not sensational.
Those are the two most beloved and the most desired features of all theories of the second
Advent. Together they capture and sustain the attention of the masses of believers.
The new theory proposed here is so radically different from all other theories or schools
of interpretation that it deserves a new name: The School of Metaphoric Miracles. Think
of all the prophecies of the second Advent as pieces of a grand jigsaw puzzle spread
throughout the Scripture. Each school tries to put the pieces together to create the most
complete and harmonious picture. Which school is worthy of attention? The one that
finds a place for every piece of the puzzle and shows absolute harmony among all the
pieces.
Would God contradict Himself? As you will see, all the other schools of interpretation
either ignore prophecies that fail to fit into their theories or alter their meanings to make
them fit. In those schools, you will find many rules, and countless contradictions and
exceptions. In this book, you will find only one rule with no contradictions or exceptions
of any kind. The one rule it follows is this: All the prophecies that link the second Advent

2What if this theory turns out to be true? Should we refuse to examine the evidence that
supports it? The implication of ignoring this theory is awesome: we may end up denying
our Lord! This book is written to minimize or perhaps prevent such a possibility. It
attempts to inspire and instill a sense of reality, wholeness, and balance in our
understanding of prophecies.
The prevailing narrow view of interpretation allows us to see only a limited range of
reality. Which nights reveal the stars’ splendors? Clear nights or cloudy? This book
presents much evidence to show that the extreme literalism so popular in our time has
created vast clouds of confusion. By presenting overwhelming biblical evidence, it
removes the clouds and allows us to see the splendid stars unhampered, in a way we have
never seen them before. The Evidence for Jesus stretches our vision and lifts our hearts
and minds beyond the drifting clouds of narrow-mindedness and petty arguments. Only
by leaving our comfort zones of tradition, only by soaring with the wings of courage and
detachment can we arise and witness God’s grand and glorious heavens of harmony.
The book’s most urgent message is this: We must approach prophecy in a spirit of
absolute humility. How can we do this?
• By acknowledging that prophecies are extremely complex and understanding their
intended purposes is often beyond the comprehension of the most astute scholars.
• By recognizing that no one, no scholar, no religious leader, however intelligent or
educated, has the right to regard his personal, private interpretation as the only version
of truth:
…no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation… II Peter 1:20 NKJ
As long as we speak with total humility and open-mindedness, as long as we put forward
our ideas only as theories—never as absolute truths—we are under God’s grace. But
when we cross the line—from theory to truth—we become worshipers not of God but of
our own egos.
As human beings, we must constantly guard against an inborn tendency to think we are
always right and others are always wrong. Is it not human to err? Is it not in our nature to
sin and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23)? When we speak with absolute
confidence, when we tell others that we are certain of the true meaning of prophecies, by
our attitude we show pride; we imply that we are the Glory of God. It is in this spirit—
that of absolute humility—that this book is written and offered to all lovers and seekers
of truth.
The message of The Evidence for Jesus can be summarized in the following statement
from the noted Christian author Dr. James Kennedy, who quotes Dr. Charles Hodge,
regarded by some scholars as the greatest Christian theologian of the last century:
The great Princeton theologian of the last century, Dr. Charles Hodge, said…that
though the Old Testament is filled with some 333 prophecies concerning
the first coming of Christ; in spite of that…they crucified Christ because of a
misunderstanding about what the Messiah was really coming to do. And we should
because of that be somewhat humbled and modest in our attempts to interpret

3[Christian leaders] are wrong as well. [Emphasis added.]1
The Evidence for Jesus shows the possibility that Jesus may return the second time as
He did the first time: as a humble human being. Is this far-fetched? I invite you to read
the biblical evidence presented here and see this possibility for yourself.
By far the most distinguishing feature of the view presented here is consistency and
harmony. After showing absolute harmony among the prophecies, this book presents a set
of 19 standards by which we can know the Lord at both of His Advents, standards that no
human being can ever copy, no deceiver can approach even remotely. To demonstrate our
Lord’s supreme distinction over all human beings, to show the infinite gap that separates
the divine from the human, Jesus is compared, in relation to each of those 19 standards,
with four significant religious leaders of the last two centuries.
While writing this book, I prayed to Jesus Christ to be my guide in my search for true
knowledge. I pleaded with Him to teach me to speak the truth in love, to present my
message in a language that will be understood and appreciated by all Christians who truly
know Him and love Him.
I do not know if He answered my prayers and pleadings. Only the future can tell. Yet I
have absolute hope in His promises:
What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or
if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven
give good things to those who ask Him! Christ (Matthew 7:9-11 NKJ)
May the Son bless you with His everlasting Glory and Grace.
Hugh Motlagh

Prove All Things

1I Thess. 5:21

1If someone asked you, “Why are you a Christian?” How would you answer? Do you
know a set of objective standards by which you can prove your faith to someone without
faith? This book will offer you such knowledge. It will present a set of standards not only
for the first Advent of our Lord but also for the second—standards that no human being,
no deceiver can ever copy, no matter how ingenious he may be.
Why are there so many claims and so much confusion in religion? All the confusion and
chaos can be traced to a lack of testable and provable standards. In the absence of
objective standards, every belief looks as valid as every other. The vacuum—lack of
standards—offers ample opportunities for abuse. In the last two centuries, many have
taken advantage of it. Just like starting a new business, anyone with a little ambition can
start his own branch of faith.
A good family and a good government are blessings from heaven. What about abusive
ones? Surely it is better to have no family than a bad one, no political system than a
corrupt one. Is this not also true with religion?
Religion in its pure form is the most glorious gift from God. What if it is abused? What if
it leads to bigotry, hatred, separation, fanaticism, and war? What if it turns into a business
venture?
Where does the abuse come from? Religion is a lamp and faith its light. Today we have
many lamps, but little light. Consider this cycle:
• Lack of faith leads to fear of the loss of faith.
• Fear closes the mind by preventing critical thinking and true understanding.
• A closed mind leads to ignorance. It protects and preserves the accumulated and
compounded ignorance of present and past ages!
How can we break the closed cycle? By detecting or opening a crack at any of the four
levels in this closed system:

Lack Of Faith

Fear

Closed Mind

Ignorance

Protection Of The Status Quo

1Let us see how the closed system can be opened. We can either start from the top by
strengthening the dimension of faith or from the bottom by strengthening the dimension
of knowledge:

1encourages constant searching and fearless evaluation of new knowledge through critical
thinking.
Through knowledge shall the just be delivered. Proverbs 11:9
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… Hosea 4:6
…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…
Proverbs 1:5 NIV
The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
Proverbs 15:14 NIV
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
Proverbs 18:15 NIV

2open minds. What then? How can they seek the truth? How can they come to points of
agreement?
In no system of knowledge can we find as much chaos as in religion. Discovering the
spiritual truth is like detecting one masked person among millions of others! The only
way we can succeed is to unmask everyone. How can we do this? By following the
scientific method, by using our rational powers along with a little common sense. All
those resources—science, reason, and common sense—agree on this prime principle: to
be recognized as true or false, an idea or a claim must be both testable and provable. As
we shall see, the Scripture also supports this principle.
If there were no testing and proving, there would be no science and little if any
advancement in human life. Suppose you claim you have invented a car that avoids
accidents. What would common sense ask you to do? To make a testable model. Suppose
you claim you have made a toothpaste that prevents cavities. You may be a good
salesman and may persuade many people to buy your product. But does that prove your
claim? No. The only proof worthy of attention is evidence based on objective testing.
Human beings make many of their critical choices by feelings, by personal needs and
convenience. As long as we apply subjective tendencies and preferences and ignore
objective testing and proving, the religious chaos will continue. In that environment,
every claim looks as good as every other.
Can we find a testable and provable system in religion as we have found in science? Can
we agree on a set of standards by which we can discover or detect the one masked person
among millions? Yes, this book will do just that. It will present a set of such standards by
which you can separate truth from falsehood with ease and confidence and with absolute
certainty.

I Am The Bread
Of Life

1Christ (John 6:35)

1they were disappointed, Jesus told them what they did not want to hear! The following is
one of the most direct and definitive responses our Lord gave to those who asked Him to
prove Himself:
What sign (miracles, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may see it and
believe and rely on and adhere to You?… [Jesus responded:] I am the Bread of
Life . He who comes to Me will never be hungry. John 6:30, 35 AB

2Imagine yourself giving the response Jesus gave! Someone asks you to prove yourself,
and you defend yourself by saying, “I am a wonderful bread. Taste me!” That is what, in
effect, our Lord said. That response contains a world of wisdom. It teaches us a critical
lesson. We want quick fixes, an instant revelation of physical power. God simply asks us
to taste His Bread! How different is God’s way from the human way! And how different
the way He speaks!
…as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and

3hunger. How could He do that? By His Word and teachings. In effect, He said, “If you
want proof, try my Word and teachings. Examine them in the laboratories of your hearts
and minds. Only by putting them to the test can you discover their richness and know
their heavenly origin. Only then can you tell that the Breadmaker is indeed from God.”
How can we know something is good or bad? Only by putting it to the test. Why did God
give us the gift of understanding? To separate good from bad. How can we do this? By
testing:
Test the spirits to see whether they are from God… I John 4:1 NIV
Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.. Matthew 7:7
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. I Thessalonians 5:21
Did our Lord give us the same standard for recognizing those who come after Him? Yes,
once again, He offered the metaphor of food:
Watch out for false prophets…By their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:15-16 NIV

God’s Wisdom Is Proved

1by its result.
Christ (Matthew 11:19)

I Am The Bread Of Life : He
That Cometh To Me Shall

1never hunger ;
Christ (John 6:35)

1their fruits.
Christ (Matthew 7:16)

2What are “the fruits” of a Redeemer from God? First and foremost are His spiritual
fruits, which come from His Spirit—the Spirit of God. They consist of His Self, His
teaching, His example, and His influence on others. Then there are His physical fruits,
which consist of the unfoldment or fulfillment of specific prophecies in His earthly life,
such as the place and the date of His birth and ministry. Examining “the fruits” is the
central topic of this book.
The first critical fruits of a Redeemer from God are the virtues He manifests in Himself
and inspires in others. Virtues are the most distinctive mark of our humanity. With them
we are as noble and luminous as angels; without them we are as lowly as amoebas.

3Examples of virtues include: love, peace, justice, joy, hope, wisdom, humility, courtesy,
gentleness, patience, trust in God, honesty, chastity, self-respect, self-control, self-
sacrifice, unity, cooperation, loyalty, holiness, generosity, courage, and purity of heart.
Producing good fruits is at the very heart and soul of religion. If this is lacking, nothing
else matters. The prime purpose of the Tree is to bear good fruits. “A fruitless tree is fit
for fire” (Matt. 3:10).
The following verses contain a world of wisdom. They explain this critical question: Who
was Jesus Christ and what was His purpose of coming?
…my Father is the gardener…I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in
me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone
does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned…This is to my Father’s glory,
that you bear much fruit , showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has
loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands,
you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain
in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you…You did not
choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit –fruit that will
last…This is my command: Love each other. John 15:1-17 NIV
What metaphors and messages did Jesus present?
• God is the Gardener.
• Jesus is the true Vine, the Tree of Life.
• Human beings are branches.
• The ultimate purpose of the Gardener, the Tree, and the branches is to produce
fruits worthy of the Gardener.
• Love is the richest fruit of that Tree; everything good comes from love.
• Love is a gift from the Gardener to the Vine. From the Vine it passes through the
branches to produce heavenly fruits, lives laden with virtues.
• The evidence of our love for the Lord is obedience to His commands.
The following verses further clarify the meaning and give examples of fruits:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance—let your lives prove your change
of heart… Christ (Matthew 3:8 AB)

4…walk as children of light…For the fruit —the effect, the product—of the
Light…[consists]…of kindly goodness , uprightness of heart and trueness of
life . Ephesians 5:8-9 AB
Thus the ultimate purpose of our Lord was to give us spiritual nourishment. That
nourishment raises us from the depths of despair to the heights of joy and hope; it
changes spiritual death into everlasting life. What more can anyone expect or hope for?

5I am come that they might have [spiritual] life, and that they might have it more
abundantly. Christ (John 10:10)
How can we connect our souls to the Tree of Life? The link is the Word of God:
…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Christ (John 6:63)
If a Redeemer manifests perfect virtues in His life and inspires others by His example to
live virtuous lives, that is a supreme sign. However, this sign in itself does not present the
full profile of a Redeemer from God. To leave no doubts, to assure the truth seekers, God
offers not one but many signs and proofs. He makes the heavenly fruits so superb, so
divine, that everyone who seeks can recognize them. He wants to help us separate truth
from falsehood and see their difference as clearly as day from night. We may make
mistakes if we consider only one sign, but when we put them all together, the possibility
of making a mistake is reduced to zero. The zero possibility holds true only if these two
conditions are met:
• If we are spiritually ripe and pure.
• If we follow God’s standards, His Map , rather than our own.
A comparison between our Lord’s two statements, the one about future Messengers or
Prophets from God (Matthew 7:15-27), and the one about Himself (John 15:1-17) shows
these common links:
The standard our Lord used for You, my disciples, are my fruits. Your lives must
HIMSELF: “ I am the true reflect the Vine. They should manifest the same
vine” (John 15:1): purity and perfection. The power that binds you to
me and gives you everlasting life is love. That
power must become manifest in you, who are my
fruits. The evidence of your attachment and your
love for me is your obedience to my commands.
The standard our Lord offered for The ultimate evidence of a Prophet or Redeemer
knowing FUTURE Messengers: from God is the fruits He produces. In judging
“ By their fruits you will God’s future Messengers, use this standard. If you
recognize them” (Matthew obey this and all other commands, you are my true
7:20): disciples.

6Comparing the preceding two statements, we can draw this conclusion: Producing good
fruits is the ultimate goal of a Redeemer from God. And the ultimate evidence of a good
fruit is obedience to the commands of the Tree. If a fruit refuses to obey—such as coming
up with his own list of standards of judging a Redeemer—that fruit falls from grace and
loses its connection to the Tree.
A study of the four Gospels clearly shows that when our Lord spoke to the Jews, He used
the following words more than any others to prove His divine distinction: “works,”
“deeds,” “bread,” and “water.” He asked the Jews repeatedly to look at His “works.”
What did He mean by that word? His responses show that He used “works” in the same
sense He used “fruits” and “bread.” He applied that word to everything He manifested
in Himself and produced in others. Consider these references:

7Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the
sake of the [very] works themselves. If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works
that I do in My Father’s name convince you. John 14:11 AB

8…the works that the Father has appointed Me to accomplish and finish, the very
same works that I am now doing, are a witness and proof that the Father has sent
Me.
John 5:36 AB
If we replace “works” with “fruits” in the preceding verses, we will find no change in
their meaning.
The Gospel of John presents a most fascinating dialogue between our Lord and the Jews,
who just like today’s Christians, before submitting their souls, wanted to see some
physical signs or miracles from Him. Jesus told them that He Himself was the miracle. If
they saw Him without veils and clouds, if they “watched” Him with pure hearts, they
would see His heavenly glory, they would realize that everything about Him was a
wonder. Jesus’ response clearly shows that physical feats are not needed. The Redeemer’s
“works,” “fruits,” or the spiritual food He brings is the most convincing evidence of His
divine station. In this dialogue, our Lord used the words “bread” “the heavenly Bread,”
“the Bread of God,” and “the Bread of Life” in place of “fruits.” If we replace one word
for the other, there will be no change in His message:
The Jews: What are we to do to carry out what God requires? John 6:28 AB
Jesus: This is the work (service) that God asks of you, that you believe in the One
Whom He has sent—that you cleave to, trust, rely on and have faith in His
Messenger. John 6:29 AB
The Jews: What sign (miracles, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may
see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What [supernatural] work
have You to show what You can do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the
wilderness. As the Scripture says, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.
John 6:30-31 AB
Jesus: I assure you, I most solemnly tell you, Moses did not give you the bread
from heaven—what Moses gave you was not the Bread from heaven—but it
is My Father Who gives you the true, heavenly Bread. For the Bread of
God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.
John 6:32-33 AB
The Jews: Lord, give us this bread always—all the time! John 6:34 AB
Jesus: I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry and he
who believes on and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never
thirst any more—at any time. But [as] I told you, although you have seen
Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith. [All brackets and
parentheses as original.] John 6: 35-36 AB
Bread and fruit look different but they serve the same purpose: they nourish us. As
bearing fruits is the ultimate purpose of a plant, so is bearing grain, from which bread is

9made. They are virtually identical in both their origin and purpose. As Jesus said, “I am
the Bread of life,” so could He say, “I am the Fruit of life.”
In the preceding dialogue, our Lord does not say, “I can’t perform miracles.” We know all
powers were in His hands (Matthew 28:18). That is not the point at all. Jesus had the
power to bring down a million loaves of bread from the sky in an instant. He could cover
the entire planet with bread. The question is this: Why would He need to bring bread
from the sky? The question is so easy that even a child can answer. Jesus compared
Himself to the Bread that came from heaven. Which “bread” would you want? Jesus’
Spirit, who was the Lord, or a million loaves of bread, even if they poured down from the
sky?
Should we not be able to see the face of God hidden behind the barrier of flesh, in a
humble human being? If you had the choice, which would you prefer to see? The spiritual
Bread—the Spirit of God in our Lord—or pieces of bread that poured down upon you
like hail?
Consider also this conversation:
Tempter: If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
Matthew 4:3 NKJ
Jesus: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 NKJ
Once again Jesus refused to respond to a request for a miracle. We can discover all these
gems of truth and knowledge in His brief response: True bread is spiritual; it is the Word
of God. I have come neither to impress nor to entertain you. My evidence is the Bread of
Life. Once you taste it, you will recognize its miraculous powers. I have come to offer
spiritual wonders, to change the gloomy and stony hearts into the glorious light of love
and joy and peace. That is a true miracle, and that is my mission.
On still another occasion, the Jews did not specify what they wanted from the sky. They
asked for any sign as long as it came from the sky. Notice how strongly our Lord
condemned their seemingly innocent request:
One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus’ claim by asking him to show
them a miraculous sign from heaven. He replied, “…only an evil, faithless generation
would ask for a miraculous sign…” Matthew 16:1-4 NLT
We find still another refusal from Jesus to perform miracles as a sign of His divine
station:
Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign
from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this
generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this
generation.” Mark 8:11-12 NKJ
Why did Jesus not depend on His supernatural powers as the proof of His divine mission?
Mostly because miracles have been, and still are, the most widely abused evidence. They
are the weapons cult leaders and false prophets have always used to attract the gullible
masses.

10For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to
deceive the elect… Mark 13:22 NIV
What does Jesus imply? He implies that miracles are so tempting, so deceptive, so
unreliable that potentially they can deceive even the best among the Christians—the most
righteous ones—if they put their confidence in them. What about the masses of people
who are at best mediocre? They can certainly be deceived by miracles.
Jesus’ prediction that even “the elect” can be deceived has come true. We find a number
of Christian denominations founded by leaders or prophets who have claimed unproven
miracles. In those denominations, we find many righteous and sincere Christians, whom
Jesus called “the elect.” If those leaders or prophets had not claimed miracles, they would
not have succeeded in attracting millions of followers.
Consider also these verses:
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you
a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes
place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us
worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord
your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with
all your soul. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 NIV
The preceding verses indicate that:
• False prophets can perform miracles.
• God allows false prophets to perform miracles to test the depth of our faith in Him
as the Lord.
• Those who base their faith on miracles rather than on teachings (such as the
oneness of God) are likely to fail in their heavenly test.
According to the Scripture, Aaron performed some of the most astonishing miracles:
But the magicians did the same thing by their secret arts. Exodus 8:7
If we put our faith in miracles, how could we separate the One who speaks for God from
the magicians who can perform wonders by their “secret arts”?
People are deceived only when they disregard God’s guidance, when they put tradition
above the divine directions. Unfortunately that is the norm:
You neglect the commandment of God, in order to maintain the tradition of men.
Christ (Mark 7:8 NEB)
Preferring miracles as an evidence over “Fruits” or “the Bread of Life” is a classic
example of “neglecting the commands of God in order to maintain the tradition of men.”
Why do people prefer miracles? Because they excite the imagination and entertain the
eyes. Wouldn’t you love to see someone walk on water or fly through the sky by flapping
his arms? But what is God’s way? Does the Lord of the visible and invisible come down
to our level? Does the Creator of the universe turn Himself into a master of a magic
show? Does He play to our wishes and weaknesses or depend on His supreme wisdom?
Notice the enduring harms miracles can inflict on religion:

11• They change religion from a spiritual experience to entertainment. They turn it into
a magic show.
• They destroy or undermine the gift of faith.
• They encourage fraud and abuse.
• They lower the supreme station of religion by bringing it down from the scientific
realm, where every claim must be tested and proved, to the level of blind faith,
conformity, mere claims, and counterclaims of all kinds.
Depending on the supernatural is exciting, but its consequences have been devastating.
Much of the prevailing confusion in religion has resulted from exchanging the testable
and provable standards, which God has given us, for our own preferred magical and
childish standards. How can we prove or disprove the records of miraculous acts claimed
by many cult leaders? Suppose there were a hundred cult members with various beliefs,
each of them claiming a bigger and better miracle for his leader. Is this the way God
wants us to recognize His supreme Redeemers?
To see the critical significance of depending on testable and provable standards, consider
one more example. In recent years, a famous Christian leader repeatedly claimed, before
millions of viewers on national TV, that God spoke to him often and told him precisely
how he should resolve a problem or run his ministry. He remained popular for many
years until one of his trusted friends turned against him and divulged his well kept secret.
The friend produced and offered to the court videos to show that the famous charismatic
leader, who frequently heard messages from God, also frequently visited prostitutes!
Those millions of wonderful but gullible Christians accepted every word he uttered as the
truth. They really believed him. They did not have the slightest idea that they were being
deceived. Why? They were all depending on untestable and unprovable standards.
How can we prove or disprove claims such as, “The Holy Spirit talks to me all the time!”
“Jesus showed me in a vision!” “I discovered golden plates in earth with messages from
heaven!” “An angel told me so!”? By accepting untestable and unprovable claims we
open the door to abuse and sheer fraud. We send this invitation to every opportunist: “If
you have any ambition, any desire for fame and fortune, come in and start a new sect or
denomination. All you need is a letter of recommendation from God. As long as you
merely claim that God has put His seal of approval on your letter by giving you an
unprovable miracle, you are assured of success!”
If we pay attention to the way our Lord responded to those who doubted His authority,
we find again and again this fundamental truth: He shied away from the untestable and
the unprovable. Ponder also the following verses. Once again our Lord refers to His
“works” as the evidence of His divine mission, and then links His works to His “voice:”
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My
Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not
of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me.” John 10:25-27 NKJ
What does our Lord mean by “voice”? Where can we hear His voice? Only in His words
and teachings. As we can see, once again Jesus presents His words as the ultimate

12evidence of His mission. Never does our Lord tell the doubters: “What miracle do you
want as proof of my mission? I will do it for you.” He constantly refers to His “works,”
His “fruits,” or “the heavenly Bread” as the ultimate evidence of who He was. By His
words and deeds, He showed us that miracles were simply an EXPRESSION of His divine
nature, but not a PROOF of it.
Here once again Jesus emphasizes His good works—His good fruits—as evidence of His
divine distinction:
“Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do
you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone
You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
John 10:32-33 NKJ
Let us replace “works” in the preceding quotation with “fruits” to see if there is any
change in Jesus’ message:
“Many good fruits I have shown you from My Father. For which of those fruits do
you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For good fruits we do not stone
You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
The Jews did not care what fruits Jesus was offering them. They saw no connection
between “bearing good fruits” and “being divine.” Many Christians of this age are
following their example. They show no appetite for “fruits.”
What is the purpose of “bread” and “fruit”? To satisfy hunger and thirst. If they
accomplish this purpose, that is the most convincing evidence of their goodness. What
more can we expect from food? What is the purpose of spiritual bread and fruit? To
satisfy spiritual hunger and thirst. If a Redeemer accomplishes that, why should we have
doubts? What more should we expect from Him? Jesus told the Jews that He could
satisfy both their hunger and their thirst. All that God required from them was to taste the
sweetness of His Word. All that God asked them was to obey this rule: By their fruits ye
shall know them. All that God asked them to do was to test this claim: “He who comes to
Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35 NKJ).
How can anyone test this claim except by tasting the “food,” except by investigating,
except by following this universal and unchanging law: “Test the spirits” (I John 4:1 NIV),
“Prove all things” (I Thess. 5:21), “Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7)?
Which is more important? To have a drawing of the physical features of our Lord or an
image of His Spirit. His Word is His spiritual image. We can see His spirit in every word
and sentence He spoke. That spiritual image always remains pure and perfect. That is
where we must look for Him, and that is where we can find Him. He was and always will
be His Word:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 NKJ
How can we bear the fruits of life? By planting “the seed” in our soul:
The seed is the Word of God. Christ (Luke 8:11 NIV)

13This question can be asked: Were not miracles an element of Jesus’ “works,” a part of His
“fruits”? Yes, they were, but not the essence of His fruits. They counted perhaps as
much as the color or shape of “the fruits” He produced, but no more. They mattered as
much as the shape or the package of His “Bread of Life,” but no more. The true
nourishment came from our Lord’s teachings, from His Word, from His commandment to
love God and all His creatures. That is what really matters, that is what changes the hearts
and heals humanity.
Consider this example. Suppose you have a wonderful mother, much admired for her
character and wisdom. Suppose she also has an exquisite taste for dress and jewelry that
adorn her body and provide an aura of credibility for her wisdom. Now suppose that after
a while people forget your mother’s character and wisdom and begin to admire her dress
and jewelry. How will she feel? Slighted and offended. In people’s minds, she will begin
to lose her spiritual beauty and be appreciated for her appearance.
Today we find many people who pay more attention to looks than to character. Instead of
being viewed as spiritual beings, models are seen as physical objects who dress well and
walk with grace. In a way, that is what happened to our Lord. He became known first and
foremost as a miracle maker, who could change the weather in an instant. People were
interested in seeing Him do what they always dreamed of doing themselves: “breaking”
the laws of nature. Jesus became an object of entertainment and curiosity instead of a
source of spiritual wisdom and wonder. Otherwise, why would He ask people not to
spread the news of His miracles? If they were important, then He would have drawn
attention to them, rather than conceal them. Note the number of times Our Lord had to
remind the people to keep quiet about His miracles:
And Jesus earnestly and sternly charged them, see that you let no one know about this
[miracle]. But they went off and blazed and spread His fame abroad throughout that
whole district. Matthew 9:30-31 AB
See also Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; 5:43; 7:36
We can see two opposite sets of instructions from our Lord. We see Him reminding the
people repeatedly to consider His “works” as evidence of His divine mission; we also
see Him reminding them repeatedly not to speak about His miracles. What does this
mean? That our Lord did not wish to be known as a wonder worker, that He did not base
His heavenly glory on His miracles, and that He did not want to use them as evidence of
His supreme station.
Human beings are attracted by material objects and events. A rumor of miracles attracts
thousands. What about a rumor of wonderful deeds? What about a rumor of wisdom?
Some years ago two con men from India conceived a well-planned plot to make money.
They paid several people to claim to have been healed by their miraculous powers.
According to their own testimony given later, the con men were pleasantly surprised:
People went out of their way to believe them. The con men were amazed by their own
easy success. They made a fortune from this scheme before divulging it. This is human
nature. People see themselves as helpless pawns, at the mercy of natural laws. They
dream of “breaking” or overcoming those laws, and admire anyone who can break them.
People gain a sense of power by associating themselves with the powerful. And
sometimes their expectation of a miraculous healing helps them heal faster.

14Using miracles as evidence is undignified for still another reason. It serves as a bribe for
enticing people to believe. It sends this message: “I will do something in exchange for
making you love me and believe in me.”
Let us consider one more statement from our Lord. In the following passage, instead of
mentioning His “works,” Jesus refers specifically to His “teaching” as the evidence of
His divine mission:
If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from
God or whether I speak on my own. Christ (John 7:17 NIV)
Study Jesus’ words carefully; they contain two critical points. He declares:
• What you need to do, your ultimate goal, is to verify if my teachings are from God
or from my imagination. My teachings should be the focus of your attention.
• There is a way that you can reach your conclusion. That way is to obey God.
What is God’s will? In that verse, our Lord does not specify. But the study of the
Scripture reveals that there are two sets of rules that must be obeyed:
• The spiritual rule: investigating with pure motives and absolute love for truth.
• The factual rule: choosing the right map, accepting and applying the divine
standard for knowing the truth, tasting “the bread” or “the fruit” of the tree of life.
Jesus’ statement communicates this message: A Redeemer’s teachings and their
consequences should be the focus of your attention.
The verses quoted so far clearly indicate that our Lord applied the standard of “By their
fruits you shall know them” not only to the truth of future Messengers but also to the
truth of His own mission. He wanted to be judged by spiritual wonders, not material.
This chapter revealed the first and foremost ingredient of the Bread of Life: the ability to
cultivate and offer a food that manifests its supreme richness not only in the One who
cultivates it but also in countless millions who consume it. The next chapter reveals the
entire recipe for the Bread of Life.

I Am The Bread
Of Life

1Christ (John 6:35)

1standards that clarify the meaning of “good” and help us to separate truth from falsehood
as clearly as we can separate day from night. By knowing and applying them, we can
readily recognize the distinctions of the Bread that can be baked only in heaven and the
wonders of the fruits that can grow only in God’s garden.
All the features presented here are testable and provable. Every person interested in
testing the bread can instantly find the ingredients, blend them, bake them, and come to
the same conclusion: a heavenly bread is infinitely superior to the earthly bread. The
presence of all those features or standards will leave no room for doubt, no chance for
error.
This chapter examines 10 of the 19 features of the heavenly Bread. It reveals 10 objective
and testable standards by which we can separate the heavenly Bread from the earthly. It
specifies the precise level of goodness we must expect from the Bread of Life. Chapter

2togetherness. None of them alone, in separation from others, can be sufficient or be fully
convincing to most people. In our journey of the search for truth, this critical point should
never escape our attention. If we did not need them all, our Lord would not have given
them to us.

3As discussed in the last chapter, the first and most critical feature of the Bread of Life is
setting a perfect example in one’s life and inspiring a harvest of virtues in others. A good
harvest is an evidence of the goodness of the seed and the wisdom of the gardener. This is
a universal law as dependable as the law of gravity.
In seeking truth and knowledge, this is our first and foremost guiding principle. Every
fact, every rule must be judged in the light of this universal, and self-evident truth:

1tree cannot bear
good fruit.
Christ (Matthew 7:18)

2Aside from producing a harvest of virtues in Himself and others, the One who makes a
claim must prove His sincerity and spiritual purity by accepting and enduring every pain
and suffering imaginable. The One who comes to inspire devotion, service, and love in
others cannot use His position of honor for selfish gains. He must reveal His celestial
strength by making every sacrifice conceivable, even by laying down His life to save
others.

1good shepherd
lays down his
life for the sheep.
Christ (John 10:11)

2The relevance and significance of self-sacrifice is self-evident. A deceiver wants to gain
something rather than to give. But if someone is willing to make every sacrifice to prove
himself, even offer his very life, this is a positive sign. It adds to our confidence. If this
feature is lacking, nothing else matters. For self-sacrifice is an essential fruit of the Tree
of life. A Tree planted by God must bear every good fruit imaginable. It must be as
perfect as God Himself. This sign alone eliminates most if not all deceivers.

3What other features can we find in the Bread of Life? The Seed that God sows for the
bread grows deep roots and endures. Endurance against the ravages of time and the winds
of change is one more evidence of divine power at work.

1by the roots.
Christ (Matthew 15:13)
…every tree that does not
produce good fruit will be
cut down and thrown into
the fire. Christ (Luke 3:9)

2As we noted earlier, Jesus compared religion to a plant and what it produces to “fruits.”
Here He talks not only about the fruit but about the plant itself. He promises that God
does not allow a bad Tree with bad fruit to endure. This is one more sign of the prophetic
profile. (For a detailed examination of this topic, study a book by this author titled:
“Come Now, Let Us Reason Together” (Isaiah 1:18).

3In the Bread of Life we also find this heavenly ingredient:

1so that when it does
happen you will
believe that I am He.
Christ (John 13:19)

2can accurately predict the future, this too is a positive sign, a good fruit but not sufficient
in itself.

3Are there still more signs? With a little effort, we discover another feature of the Bread.
We find that the Word of God is crowned with incomparable power and authority:

1word was with
authority . Luke 4:32
Jesus of Nazareth, who
was a Prophet mighty in
work and word …
Luke 24:19 AB

2The whole Scripture manifests God’s supreme authority and power:
I have set before you [spiritual] life and [spiritual] death, blessings and curses. Now
choose life. Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV
I have come to bring [spiritual] fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already
[spiritually] kindled! Christ (Luke 12:49 NIV)
Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the
angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of
God. Christ (Luke 12:8-9 NKJ)
Those who heard our Lord’s marvelous teachings acknowledged His gracious words of
authority:
So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out
of His mouth (Luke 4:22). The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!
(John 7:46).

3Himself the Word (John 1:1; Revelation 19:13). Is there any way to know Jesus except
through His Word?

4What other signs or features can we find in the Bread of Life? We find absolute love and
harmony among the Ones sent by God. We discover that instead of competing, they
confess and glorify one another:

Acknowledging The Station Of
Those Sent By God

Do Not Think That I Have Come To

1abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I Have Not Come To Abolish Them

1but to fulfill them.
Christ (Matthew 5:17 NIV)

1…when He, the Spirit of truth, has
come…He will glorify Me.
Christ (John 16:13-14 NKJ)

2If we continue our search for truth, we also discover this essential ingredient in the Bread
of Life: The One who calls Himself a Redeemer declares that everything He teaches
comes from God, that He says nothing on His own, and therefore His Word is the
absolute truth:

Declaring God As The Source
Of Every Act And Every Word Spoken

The Words That I Speak To
You I Do Not Speak On My

1own authority; but the

1Christ (John 14:10 NKJ)
I do nothing of Myself; but
as My Father taught Me, I
speak these things.
Christ (John 8:28 NKJ)

2In our journey of the search for the Bread and Fruit of Life, we also discover this sign or
standard:

3Honoring God, not One’s Self

1but he who works for the honor
of the one who sent him is a
man of truth…
Christ (John 7:18 NIV)
I crave no human honor, I look
for no mortal fame.
Christ (John 5:41 AB)
I am gentle and lowly in heart…
Christ (Matthew 11:29 NKJ)

2Note the extent of Jesus’ humility before God:
Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. Matthew 19:17 NKJ
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that
bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even
more fruitful. John 15:1-2 NIV
Jesus Christ was absolute perfection. He was the Lord—a heavenly tree laden with
abundant fruits. He had no branches without fruits, yet He spoke of branches in Him that
may bear no fruit. Humility is itself a sign of protection. The heavenly tree bears every
fruit of goodness.

3If the we continue our search, we find that a Redeemer from God manifests supreme
knowledge and wisdom, and yet He is unschooled and uneducated. We discover the Tree
laden with an abundance of heavenly fruits of knowledge and wisdom:

1get such learning without
having studied ?” Jesus
answered, “My teaching is
not my own. It comes from
him who sent me.”
John 7:15-16 NIV

2Are there still more ingredients in the Bread of Life, more signs or standards by which we
can know the One sent by God? Yes, we will find one more sign that can set the seal of
approval on all the other standards, that can reassure every sincere and faithful believer,
that can convince every careful, concerned, and critical doubter that his or her choice is
accurate without the least possibility of error. What is that sign? It is a long list of
prophecies that predict the time and the critical events of the life of the One sent by God.
Prophecies are, for the most part, the earthly fruits of the tree of life; they are not
nutrients in the bread but the physical features of the bread:

Fulfilling Many Specific
And Literal Prophecies

Surely The Sovereign Lord
Does Nothing Without
Revealing His Plan To His

1servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7

1refuse to come to me to have
life. Christ (John 5:39-40 NIV)

2Jesus fulfilled many prophecies, but only He had the key to their inner meanings. Only
He knew that when the Hebrew prophets predicted that the Jewish Messiah would be a
king, they meant a spiritual king, not an earthly king. No one except Jesus had any
knowledge of this great mystery. Even His disciples, who were the most spiritual and
enlightened people of their time, did not know this secret.
Let us now review the main ingredients of the Bread of Life and the supreme power of
the Plant that produces the Bread. Let us see how those ten signs or standards set apart, as
day from night, a divine Redeemer from even the most gifted deceiver:
1. His power to set a perfect example of virtues in His life and to give rise to an
abundant harvest of virtues in the world, like those produced by Jesus in countless
millions of wonderful Christians, the ones who find more blessings in giving than
in receiving.
2. His willingness to prove His sincerity by enduring every pain and suffering
imaginable, even by giving His life.
3. His spiritual power to spread His message and establish a Faith that endures in
the name of God to produce love and joy and all the other fruits of the Spirit.
4. His ability to make accurate predictions.
5. An expression of supreme authority and power in His words, spoken
spontaneously, without pause or change of mind.
6. His acknowledgment of God’s Messengers sent before Him.

3comes from God.
8. His glorification of God rather than Himself.
9. His supreme knowledge and wisdom in spite of a lack of education.
10. His earthly fruits: the fulfillment of many literal and specific prophecies in His
earthly life, especially events over which He has no control, like the year and
place of His birth.
The preceding ten signs are the prime pieces of the biblical jigsaw puzzle that form the
profile of a Redeemer from God. They are the standards that the Lord Himself has given
us. They are the ingredients of “the Bread of Life,” the features of “the fruits” of the Tree
planted by the supreme Gardener. If we reject them, we face only one choice; we must
depend on our own standards that reflect our weaknesses—our selfish desires, needs,
illusions, and prejudices. That is the reason people have always failed to acknowledge
their Redeemers:
Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? Acts 7:52 NKJ
The failure of people to accept and apply God’s standard led to the cruel death of Jesus.
The Jews ignored all the fruits of perfection manifest in Jesus. The only thing they could
appreciate was physical power. That seemingly innocent but dangerous expectation was
the domino that caused incalculable suffering, not only for the deniers, but for all
humankind for centuries. That is how perilous it is to exchange the heavenly signs for
human wishes and desires.
The common habit and the prevailing tradition of preferring human standards over
God’s does not change from age to age, because human nature does not change. When we
study ancient books, we suddenly discover ourselves in them. We learn that we are
identical in our thoughts, wishes, desires, vices, and virtues to our ancestors. Noah came
thousands of years ago, yet our Lord said that at the time of His Return people will act
just the way they did in ancient times:
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:37 NIV
Are not the people of this age as apathetic as they were in Noah’s days? They manage to
find time to work, to travel, to shop, to play golf, to read popular magazines and novels of
all kinds, to gamble, and spend hours watching their favorite shows, but somehow they
can’t find time to devote to their everlasting destiny. I know because I give books and
manuscripts to people all the time. Seldom do I find someone who is willing to read even
a small book such as this! If you have read this far, you are very special, you are not the
average person, like the ones who lived in Noah’s times. Congratulations for taking your
spiritual life seriously!
Have you found any flaws in the message offered so far in this book? Any contradictions?
Anything unreasonable? If you have, please take time and bring them to my attention. I
will be honored to hear from you and to respond to your questions.

4Before studying those ingredients, let us first examine the celestial Map that should guide
our spiritual journey of the search for truth.

1truth and knowledge; it is a map to guide our spiritual journey; it is the divine touchstone
that separates truth from falsehood. It contains the most critical instructions He ever gave
to help His faithful followers recognize Him on His Return. His statement contains a
warning to protect our faith from deceivers, and the most definitive way of telling the
divine from the deceptive.
This brief instruction from Jesus, found in Matthew 7:15-27, contains precious gems of
wisdom and knowledge seldom recognized. It is unique, the only statement of its kind. It
should be written in gold and placed on a wall in every home and every church. The
wisdom, the counsels, and the warnings it contains are the key to our everlasting
salvation:
A critical warning: Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
The standard of By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes
knowing the truth: from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good
tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree
cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

1into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Obeying God’s Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the
standard is the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my
evidence of true faith: Father who is in heaven.

2becoming preoccupied prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons
with supernatural acts and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I
or expectations are never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
forbidden:
Obeying the standard Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
of “fruit” is essential. them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on
It is the sign of the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds
wisdom: blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it
had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these
words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a
foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came
down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:15-27 NIV
See also Matt. 12:33-35; Luke 6:43-45
Let us see an outline of Jesus’ pronouncement, the critical points He covered, their
connection and conclusion:
• Be critical in choosing your spiritual destiny. Beware of deceivers, who claim to
speak the Word of God.
• This is the way you can separate the divine from the deceptive: By their fruits, by
what they produce in their words and lives as well as the lives of others.
As your biological instincts guide you to tell the difference between good fruit and
bad fruit, so can your spiritual instinct guide you to tell the difference between the
divine and the deceptive.
• The way you can enter heaven is to obey my commands.
• There is no honor for those who prophesy in my name, perform miracles, or engage
in mystical or supernatural acts. Such acts indicate deviation from my commands.
• If you practice “these words of mine,” these instructions, you are wise; otherwise
you are foolish.
What is the connection between all the points covered in Jesus’ pronouncement?
Consider this picture:

F R U I Ts
F R U Its
S
U It
Fr

To Separate The Divine
From The Deceptive:
Ts
F Rui F Ru
I Ts

Prophesying In The Name Of Jesus

Trying To Perform Miracles

1Engaging in the occult, any
supernormal or mystical acts

The Tree Of Life
Human Beings Have A Fascination For Making Predictions And Controlling Or Breaking The

1laws of nature, and a preoccupation with the occult (such as witchcraft, the demonic, the
mystical, and psychic forces). All these tendencies and desires move us away from reality.

1assumptions, illusions, desires, and theories, as our Lord declared, is like building the
house of our faith on sand. Depending on God’s fruits, which are testable and provable,
our Lord declares, is like building that house on solid rock.
What conclusion can we draw from all the points covered by Jesus?
To know the truth, we must rely on what our own powers of reasoning and “spiritual
instinct” tells us. In the path of the search for truth, we should not depend on the
mystical, the magical, and the supernatural. Neither should we depend on prophesying.
Only God knows the future. Human beings are unable to decode or unseal the prophecies.
Would a faithful believer ignore our Lord’s warnings against prophesying?
What does Jesus mean by, “Everyone who hears these words of mine”? What words? The
only instruction contained in the entire passage is this: In separating truth from
falsehood, depend on “fruits,” not the magical, the mystical, and prophesying. Only by
examining and pondering our Lord’s instructions repeatedly can we discover their critical
points, their connection, and their final conclusion.
Our Lord’s instructions are absolutely critical to our spiritual safety and survival.
Consider the analogy the noted author Stephen Covey presents in his book The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People. To succeed in any task, he states, the first rule is to find and
then follow the correct map:
Suppose you wanted to arrive at a specific location in central Chicago. A street map of
the city would be a great help to you in reaching your destination. But suppose you

2were given the wrong map. Through a printing error, the map labeled “Chicago” was
actually a map of Detroit. Can you imagine the frustration, the ineffectiveness of
trying to reach your destination?
You might work on your behavior—you could think more positively. You still
wouldn’t get to the right place, but perhaps you wouldn’t care. Your attitude would be
so positive, you’d be happy wherever you were.
The point is, you’d still be lost. The fundamental problem has nothing to do with your
behavior or your attitude. It has everything to do with having a wrong map.
If you have the right map of Chicago, then diligence becomes important, and when
you encounter frustrating obstacles along the way, then attitude can make a real
difference. But the first and most important requirement is the accuracy of the map.1
Our Lord’s instructions, as cited in Matthew 7:15-27 and repeated several times in similar
words throughout the Gospel, is the only statement of its kind in the Scripture. It is the
only map that shows the way, that can guide us to our destiny. If we ignore God’s map,
we get lost, no matter how hard we try.
Understanding the exact meaning and purpose of our Lord’s instructions is absolutely
essential to our spiritual safety. Knowing precisely what He means is so critical that even
a minor change in its meaning will totally reverse its intended purpose. Suppose you have
the right map, but at some point make a left turn instead of a right. Will you find your
destination?
Sometimes slight variations in a message can make a big difference in its meaning.
Consider the difference between the following sentences:
• Beware of murderers in your town.
• Everyone in your town is a murderer.
The words in the two statements seem similar, yet they convey totally different meanings.
On a scale of 1 to 10, what number would you select to show their difference?
Suppose you were a devout Jew living at the time of Jesus. One day while out walking,
you met St. Paul who greeted you with great excitement and declared, “I have heard
some amazing news! Do you have time to hear me?” Suppose you answered yes, and St.
Paul continued, “ As you know, God promised to send us a Prophet like Moses. I have
heard about a humble young man who claims to be a Prophet or Redeemer from God,”
and then he quoted you this prophecy about His coming:
And the Lord said to me [Moses]: “…I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from
among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to
them all that I command Him.” Deuteronomy 18:17-18 NKJ
Suppose, in his desire to motivate you, St. Paul paraphrased and amplified Moses’
prophecy and encouraged you to listen, to pay attention to the news of the advent of the
new Prophet:
Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how
God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets…For Moses said, ‘The
Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people;

3you must listen to everything he tells you…Indeed, all the prophets…have foretold
these days. Acts 3:17-24 NIV
After listening to St. Paul, which of the following thoughts is most likely to pass
through your mind? And which of those thoughts is in harmony with the commands of
the Scripture?
A thought based on I will ask Paul: “What evidence do you have?” I will say to
reason and sense of myself, “I should pay attention to this news. No harm will
duty: come from knowing.”
A thought based on I will be alarmed and take a defensive position for self-
negative or evasive protection. I will say to myself, “One more deceiver. No
emotions: wonder, our Scripture warns us of many false prophets. This
news is not worth my time. It may even jeopardize my faith
in Moses.”
A thought based on I will try to use theology as my defense. I will look for some
doctrines or verses that will help me ignore the news. I will prophesy. I
theological will say to myself, “All the prophecies point to a Messiah
positions who will come with great power, who will conquer our
(prophesying): enemies. A humble young man can never qualify for a
Jewish Messiah.”
Which of the three sources of influence—reason, emotions, or theology—determined
your choice? Think for a moment about all the religious wars and the millions of people
killed in the name of God. What caused those wars? In virtually every case, they were
activated by the twin forces of:
• Emotions
and
• Theology
When negative emotions such as fear, anger, insecurity, and prejudice are fueled by
personal theological positions, they turn into the most powerful explosive weapon in the
universe. They persuade a young Muslim to go to an Israeli market, pull a trigger and kill
himself along with many innocent shoppers, all in the name of God! It was this same
deadly combination that caused the crucifixion of our Lord and the death of thousands of
Christians.
If all those who heard about the advent of a humble young man, named Jesus, had used
evasive emotions and theology as their guide, if they had all abandoned reason, if they
had all assumed, without investigation, that He was a deceiver, would there be a single
Christian in the world today?
So far you heard about St. Paul and how you would have responded as a Jew to his news
of the first Advent. Suppose the exchange between St. Paul and you as a Jew is happening
now! Suppose you are a devout Christian living in this age. One day you meet a friend
who greets you with excitement and says, “I have heard some amazing news! It is about a
humble young man who claims to be a Prophet or Redeemer from God.” Which of the

4following choices is in harmony with Jesus’ intention of saying, “Beware of false
prophets,” and which choice is quite likely to cross your mind?
Reason: I should investigate, but be careful and critical.
Emotions: Everyone is a deceiver. I should not investigate.
Theology If Jesus had come, I would have seen Him. He will come with great
(prophesying): power and take me to heaven.
Which choice is in harmony with Jesus’ instructions? The first one. But which choices do
most people follow? The second and the third.
Let us now consider the latter part of our Lord’s instruction—the standard He gave us for
knowing the ones sent by God:
Ye SHALL know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16
Examine the following statements to see how meanings can be drastically changed by a
minor alteration of words:
• Let us get married, I think I love you.
• Let us get married, I do love you.
• Leave your baby with me. I may protect her.
• Leave your baby with me. I will protect her.
In guiding us, our Lord used a word of commitment. He said, “Ye will know them.” But
how do most people interpret that word of commitment? Do they view it as “surely,” or
do they subconsciously change “will” into “maybe,” or even ignore the instruction
altogether? How a believer interprets “will” is, of course, a test of his faith. The one who
does not truly trust his Lord sees the word “will” as “maybe”; a trustful believer accepts it
as his Lord meant: for sure , or without a doubt .
Let us consider one more example of how the mind can distort meanings to engage in
selective seeing or understanding. Bible scholars often interpret prophecies with full
confidence. Seldom do they acknowledge that they may be totally wrong in their views
like the Jewish rabbis and scholars at the time of Jesus. Even today after 20 centuries,
Jewish theologians continue to see what they prefer to see.
Nowhere in the Old Testament can we find a sentence like this: “Ye will know the true
meaning of prophecies on your own.” Why then did so many Jews at the time of Jesus
act as if there were such a verse? Can we find that message in the New Testament? As we
shall soon see, we find just an opposite message. Why then do so many people of our
time ignore God’s sure promise, “Ye shall know them by their fruits , ” and replace it
with the desire of their hearts: “Ye shall know them by the way ye interpret the
prophecies ” and “Ye shall know the true meaning of prophecies on your
own”? Is not such an alteration of the Word of God a deviation from divine guidance? Is
not minimizing or disregarding the significance of fruits and creating a fictitious verse to
imply that we can know on our own the meaning of prophecies as an evidence of the
fulfillment of our Lord’s prediction that in our time, “Many will turn away from the
faith” (Mat. 24:10)? What faith? Faith in God’s Word. Who are “the many” who turn

5away from the faith? Can anyone say with clear conscience: “I am an exception”? Is there
anyone who does not look clean in his own eyes (Proverbs 16:2)?
Most people ignore the supreme significance of “fruits,” and then they create these verses
in their mind as substitutes:
• Ye shall know them by prophecies.
• Ye shall know the true meaning of prophecies on your own.
Without knowing, they create those two verses in their minds, they make those two
unfounded assumptions, and then begin to build their everlasting destiny on “sand!” No
wonder our Lord said:
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them…Therefore everyone who hears these
words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on
the rock…But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into
practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Matthew 7:20, 26 NIV
It is amazing to find so many wonderful Christians, who show nothing but fruits of love
and charity in their lives, and yet they are so negligent about their faith, about their
everlasting destiny. They build their eternal life on sand—on verses that do not exist, on
two false assumptions! This is incredible, yet it is the rule of the day. It is the way human
beings have always acted and probably always will.
Prophesying in the name of our Lord is so popular in our time and its consequences are
so devastating that it is examined in detail in the next chapter.

Did We Not Prophesy

1in Your Name?
Christ (Matthew 7 : 22 NIV)

1Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in your name…Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never
knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Christ (Matthew 7:22-23 NIV)
Why did our Lord condemn so harshly Christians who prophesy in His name? This
chapter will clarify the reasons for His disapproval of using His name to make
predictions.
God has given us a set of standards by which we can know His Redeemers. The standards
must be followed step by step like a blueprint, without any alteration. Just as there is an
order for building a house—from the foundation up—so is there an order for building the
house of our salvation. In that house, prophecy is the roof; it must come last, not first.
Most people reverse the order. They want to build the foundation with prophecy. This
leads to nothing but failure. The consequence of this failure will be the same the second
time as it was the first.
Over the course of centuries, Christian theologians have built certain expectations based
on their personal interpretation of the prophecies. They assume that their interpretation is
right, and that anyone who makes a claim but fails to fulfill their expectations must be a
deceiver.

2God has given us a set of specific directions on how to find and recognize His
Redeemers. If we deviate from His directions, we will get lost. Obedience is the key;
without it, the treasures of truth will remain forever hidden to us.
What is the divine direction? What is His blueprint? It is this: Begin your search with
“works,” “bread,” or “fruits” and end it with prophecies. To dramatize the point, assume
that our Lord has come exactly as He did the first time, as a humble human being.
Suppose a Christian author, Dr. Martin, with several publications on biblical prophecy,
hears His message and tries to argue with St. John who represents Him just as the
Pharisees argued with Jesus’ disciples in the first Advent.
St. John: I speak for the Lord. I have come to bring to light the meaning of
prophecies. Only the Lord is worthy of removing the seal of
mysteries:
“Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one
in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or
even look inside it. Revelation 5:2-3 NIV
Jesus is the One promised by God. Only He can bring to light what is
hidden in darkness. Only He can unseal the mysteries:
He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Revelation 5:5 NIV
Dr. Martin: The One you call Jesus cannot be the Lord. The Lord must come from
the sky. Jesus is an earthly being.
St. John: Then you must be the Lord, because you are interpreting the
prophecies, you are opening the scroll, and you are removing its seven
seals.
Dr. Martin: I am not interpreting. I am just repeating what the Bible says.
St. John: If understanding the Bible is easy, if you and other biblical authors and
scholars can comprehend the Scripture, why does the Bible declare
that only the Lord can unseal the book, and that others are not even
worthy to look at it, let alone open it or interpret it?
Dr. Martin: Then how can we know that Jesus is the Lord?
St. John: Only by applying the standards that God has authorized you: By His
fruits, by His works, by tasting the Bread of Life that He offers you.
First examine His works. After you have recognized their perfection,
supremacy, and divine distinction, then listen to His interpretation of
prophecies. If you follow God’s command, you will find that He has
fulfilled every sign, not according to your fallible judgment, but by
His flawless and infinite knowledge.
Dr. Martin: But how can thousands of Christian leaders and people of wisdom and
intelligence—Popes, Bishops, priests, pastors, Greek and Hebrew
scholars—who have lived over the course of 20 centuries be wrong?

3St. John: They can be wrong for all the following reasons. Be fair in your
judgment, and see if you can prove any point, any principle, in the
entire Scripture with as much evidence as I can prove this most
undeniable truth to you. Judging Jesus by your traditional
interpretation of prophecies is absolutely unsound and unbiblical for
many reasons.
Let us once again bring St. John into this drama. Let us assume that he is present and he
goes on to cite the following eight reasons to prove his point. Ponder in your heart if there
is any truth, any principle in the entire Bible, for which you can find as much support as
there is for the inability of fallible human beings to understand the meaning of prophecy.
Christian author: I am quite sure I can understand the meaning of prophecies.
St. John:
1. Consider the historical evidence. Ponder the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of
the Jews. Like you, they also thought they could understand the prophecies. But did
they? What biblical passage gives you the right to believe that you are more worthy
than the Jews, that you are more open-minded, fair, and righteous? What makes you
feel you are different? Do you have enough faith to believe in the predictions of the
Scripture about the people of this age? Note these prophecies among many others:
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Christ (Matthew 24:37 NIV)
They [those who live at the end of the age] are the kind…who are…always
learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. II Timothy 3:6-7 NIV
Can you say you are an exception, and that this verse does not apply to you? You are a
published author and scholar who is “always learning.” Does that mean that you also
have the gift of acknowledging the truth? Then to whom does the prophecy apply?
Many prophecies indicate that the people of this age are at least as unfaithful as the
people of past ages. If they are like the people who lived in Noah’s time and the
people who lived at the time of my first Advent, what do you expect? Do you expect
pride or humility? Open minds or closed minds? Fearful hearts or fearless hearts?
Faith or lack of faith? Acceptance or denial? Why did Jesus in His first Advent ask this
question?
When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth? Luke 18:18 NEB
Dr. Martin: What more evidence do you have?
St. John:
2. Consider the biblical evidence. Can you find a single verse that says: “You shall know
Me by your interpretation of prophecy”? Can you find a single verse that gives you the
authority to interpret prophecies? Just the opposite. You are asked to refrain from
interpreting prophecies. Can a command or counsel be more clear than the following?
…no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. II Peter 1:20 KJ
But first note this: No one can interpret any prophecy of Scripture by himself.
II Peter 1:20 NEB

4Do the preceding passages even imply that there is one exception? It authorizes no
one, and makes no exception for any verse. It says, “no prophecy.” Can anyone claim
to be above this rule? Then who has the right to interpret? Who has full knowledge of
the mysteries? Only the Lord:
…pass no premature judgment; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light
what is hidden in darkness. I Corinthians 4:5 NEB
The verse asks you to wait for Him to interpret the prophecies for you. If you already
know, why should you wait?
Jesus is the Lord. He is All-Knowing. Only He is authorized to interpret the
prophecies. Your disagreement with His interpretation results from your fallible state
of mind as a human being.
Once again ponder this prophecy, and ask yourself, “Why was it given?”
“Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on
earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
Revelation 5:2-3 NIV
He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Revelation 5:5 NIV
If you are not even worthy to look inside a scroll so sacred that it has been sealed
seven times, how can you make such fantastic claims? How can you transgress your
authorized boundaries? If you do, does it not indicate disobedience and lack of faith in
His Word?
Dr. Martin: What more evidence do you have?
St. John:
3. Consider the principle of human fallibility. This evidence does not pertain directly to
prophecy; it simply dramatizes the human weakness in understanding the coded
language of prophecy. To experience humility, consider these simple examples.
Christians are divided on the issue of immediate survival after death. Some of them
quote the following verses to show that after death, the soul remains dead or
unconscious until the day of resurrection:
…none can keep alive his own soul. Psalms 22:29
…the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4
Others quote this verse to show that after death, the soul remains conscious and alive:
…today you [the thief] will be with me [Jesus] in paradise. Christ (Luke 23:43 NIV)
Some of the theologians who hold the opposing views are among the best biblical
scholars, yet they cannot resolve this question. A third group rejects both of these
views. It claims people exist in a waiting station called purgatory. What does this
indicate? The inability of sincere, educated, and intelligent Christians to open the
scroll.
Consider also the following simple and practical question: Are church leaders
authorized to get married? Christian theologians with the best minds and education

5have been divided on this issue for centuries. If as human beings, you are so incapable
of resolving such a simple and practical question, how can you claim to understand the
true meaning of prophecies, which are far more complex? Just open the Book of
Revelation to see for yourself. Why then would you claim to know for sure something
you are powerless to know?
Let us assume that the drama continues, that St. John presents still more evidence:
Dr. Martin: What more evidence do you have?
St. John:
4. Use a little practical wisdom. Visit a Christian bookstore or library. Examine several
books of prophecy by Christian scholars from various denominations and schools of
interpretation to see the conflicting views of the best thinkers. Is not this observation
in itself a clear evidence of this critical point: human beings lack the wisdom to know
the true meaning of prophecies? Does it not indicate that they are unable to break the
seven seals?
Dr. Martin: What more evidence do you have?
St. John:
5. Consider the clear testimony of Christian scholars. If you are unable to compare
books of prophecy written by various authors, then listen to what those authors say
about each other. Consider the works of Dr. Robert Lightner, professor of systematic
theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. He wrote a book titled The Last Days
Handbook with the sole purpose of promoting peace among the various schools of
interpretation. Notice this statement from him on the cover of his book:
You [lay people] have a right to know why men of God who agree on all the
essential fundamentals of the faith differ so widely and battle so tenaciously over
prophecy [emphasis added].1
The publisher then adds:
Lightner’s heartfelt concern is over the unChristlike fierceness of the battle.2
If there is so much confusion among the most eminent and educated scholars, among
the most brilliant Bible teachers and leaders, how then can any reasonable and faithful
Christian build his or her everlasting house of destiny on such shallow and shifting
sands? Once again recall the guiding words of celestial Wisdom in Jesus’ works:
…by their fruit you will recognize them…everyone who hears these words of
mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. Matthew 7:20, 26 NIV
Dr. Martin: Do you have more evidence?
St. John:
6. Ponder the example Jesus set in His first Advent. Did He not show that prophecies
can be understood after they have been fulfilled and interpreted by God’s Redeemer
rather than before or as understood by rabbis and Jewish scholars? Have you
forgotten this verse?

6And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what
was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:27 NIV
That was the example He set in His first Advent. What makes you think this time is
different? What makes you think that Jewish scholars failed but Christian scholars
cannot fail? What makes you think that this time Jesus must ask you what the
prophecies mean?
Once again, let us assume that the drama continues, and St. John presents even more
evidence:
Dr. Martin: Do you have more evidence?
St. John:
7. Note this most critical warning Jesus addressed to interpreters of prophecy:
Many will say to me…’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?’…Then I
will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:22-23 NIV
Could a warning be more severe? Why are so many believers ignoring it? Ask
yourself: Why would God condemn so harshly those who prophesy in His name?
There must be something evil about prophesying, especially when Jesus’ followers use
His authority and His name, by saying, “This is what our Lord says,” and then tell
people what they should expect. Suppose a rabbi makes this statement in his
synagogue: “Our Lord God has prophesied in plain, literal, and unmistakable language
that a king like David will come to save us from our humiliation. Jesus of Nazareth
cannot be that king. He did not have even a home. How can he qualify for our Messiah
and Savior?”
What is the rabbi doing? He is prophesying in the name of Jehovah. He is taking
advantage of people’s trust in God and then telling them his own personal opinion
of what God means. What if, based on St. Paul’s prophecy (II Thess. 1:7-8), you said,
“The Bible teaches that the Lord will come from the sky with fire to burn all those
who do not obey the Gospel, and to take all of us wonderful Christians to heaven!”
Are you not doing the same thing the Jewish rabbi did? What has been the result of the
rabbis’ prophesying in the name of the Lord? Denial of the Lord. What do you think
will be the result of your prophesying? Will it not also be the same? Now do you
understand why such a harsh warning—wicked! Away from Me—was addressed to
those Christians who would repeat the mistake and follow the illusion that caused the
Jews to deny their promised Messiah? Note Jesus’ statement once again to remember
the harsh consequences of prophesying in His name:
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?’…Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I
never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:23 NIV
Dr. Martin: Do you still have more evidence?
St. John:
8. Ponder in your heart upon the question of fallibility and infallibility. You often quote
the following verse. Do you also believe in its meaning?

7…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23 NIV
Do you claim to be the glory of God? Jesus, the One who sent me to proclaim His
Advent to you and all other Christians, is the Lord your God. He is His supreme
splendor and glory. Only He can be infallible. Are you authorized also to make that
claim? How can you discover that He is truly the glory of God? You can attain that
honor only by obeying God, by using His standards, rather than the forbidden
standard: prophecy. What are God’s standards? His Heavenly Bread, His infinitely
glorious Fruits, His supreme spiritual distinctions, His divine and unmistakable Words.
What do you expect if you start with prophecy, the forbidden fruit? You will fall from
grace and fail just as the Jews failed and are failing to this day to recognize Him. Note
Jesus’ impatience with the Jews, with their ignorance and their inability to understand
the prophecies:
How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
Luke 24:25-26 NIV
In the preceding statement, Jesus rebuked the Jews both for their narrow minds by
calling them foolish, and for their entangled hearts by calling them slow.
What has changed since the days of His first Advent? Can you claim to be superior to
the Jews who have failed and are still failing to recognize their Messiah? If you read
the Scripture, you will find numerous prophecies that proclaim the spiritual and moral
decline of those who live at the time of His second Advent. The Scripture condemns
more harshly those who live at the time of His second Advent than the first. Who are
those who live at the time of His second Advent? All of you who claim His name and
call yourselves Christians. Remember also this verse and be humble:
They [those who live at the end of the age] will turn their ears away from the truth
and turn aside to myths. II Timothy 4:4 NIV
How can you disregard such prophecies? How can you set yourself apart? Are you
humble enough to admit that these prophecies refer to you and other scholars who
disregard the biblical commands that prophecies should be left to the Lord to
interpret? Will you continue to appear pure in your own eyes?
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes… Proverbs 16:2 NKJ
Let us assume St. John summarizes the
evidence and concludes the discussion:
The time has come to summarize my definitive and undeniable evidence. Note once
again the power of these most convincing and perfectly harmonious proofs that I have
put forth here. All of them confirm a critical principle, one that may cause you to deny
Jesus at His second Advent just as the people like you denied Him long ago. All of
them proclaim this lesson: In building the house of your faith, in recognizing Jesus at
His second Advent, you must begin with works and end with prophecy. Reversing the
order is as irrational as building a house from top to the bottom; it is as catastrophic
the second time as it was the first time. Remember and practice all these instructions
and warnings that He has given you in plain literal language:

8• Only the Lord can break the seal of the scrolls (Revelation 5:2-5).
• Christians who live at the time of the Second Advent lack true faith in their
Master’s Word (Luke 18:18).
• No one has the right to claim that his private interpretation of prophecies is right (II
Peter 1:20).
• Only the Lord can reveal the mysteries and resolve the points of disagreements.
Christians must not rush to judgment, but wait for Him to come and teach them the
true meaning of the Scripture (I Corinthians 4:5).
• The inability of Christians to resolve even simple issues such as “What is the true
day of rest, Saturday or Sunday?” and many others should teach them a lesson of
humility. For prophecies are far more complex than doctrines.
• The diversity and conflicting interpretation of Bible teachers proves how difficult
prophecies are. This realization must also make every Christian humble.
• The testimony of some Christian scholars that prophecy is complex and often
beyond human understanding. Their acknowledgment that the interpreters of
prophecies harbor so much prejudice that they often engage in wars of words
against one another.
• The example Jesus set in His first Advent to show that prophecies can be
understood after they have been fulfilled and after they have been interpreted by
the promised Redeemer (Luke 24:27). If you start with the assumption that your
interpretation is right, and if He fulfilled them differently, what do you think will
happen? You will reject Him instantly. That false assumption prevents you from
examining His Bread of Life, His works and teachings, and His way of fulfilling
the prophecies. Your false assumptions will turn into thick and dark clouds that will
prevent your eyes from seeing His glory. That is exactly what happened at His first
Advent.
• Jesus’ harshest threat to and condemnation of those who use His name to make
predictions (Matthew 15:15-27).
• Only the Glory of God, only Lord of Lords and King of Kings is infallible. Anyone
who insists in the accuracy of his own interpretation has shown pride and has
claimed to be the Glory of God. All human beings are fallible except Him (Romans
3:23).
Can you prove any point in the entire Scripture with this much evidence? If you
continue to insist that you must begin your search according to your personal
understanding of prophecies, what does that indicate? Does not your insistence show that
you are fulfilling all the following prophecies, that all these predictions manifest the low
state of your soul?
At that time many will turn away from the faith… Matthew 24:10 NIV
They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make
them godly. II Timothy 3:5 NLT

9For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit
their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn
aside to myths. II Timothy 4:3-4 NIV
You have freedom of choice. You can deny the Lord for any reason you wish, but
remember the consequences:
…whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in
heaven. Matthew 10:33 NKJ
Once again remember the analogy given earlier: Finding and building evidence for a
Redeemer from God can be compared with building a house. How is a house built? From
the roof down or from the foundation up? Prophecy is an essential segment of the house,
but it is not its foundation; it is its roof. You must raise the structure, put all the other
essential pieces together, and then crown your search and efforts with prophecy. If you
follow God’s direction, you will be astonished by your spiritual achievements. You will
find that knowing a Redeemer is a thousand times easier than you think. You will be able
to build the house of your faith on solid rock with ease and confidence.
God’s way of building is simple. Humans make it complicated by changing the blueprint,
by disregarding any evidence that undermines the desire of their hearts. They try to build
their everlasting house of joy and peace from roof down rather than from foundation up!
They have never succeeded nor will they ever succeed.
May my blessings descend upon all those who obey His Word.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love… Christ (John 15:10)
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed… Christ (John 8:31)

Is This A
Crystal Ball
Or Just A

1circle?

Did We Not Prophesy

1in Your Name?
Christ (Matt. 7 : 22 NIV)

1…the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Daniel 12:9 NIV
But who can unseal and open the words?
He [the Lord] is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Revelation 5:5 NIV

2He [the Lord] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness. I Corinthians 4:5 NIV
Why did our Lord condemn those who prophesy in His name? Because no human being
has the wisdom to understand the mysterious language of prophecy. Only the Lord has
that wisdom. To claim something that we are unqualified to do can be perilous. Claiming
that we can navigate the mysterious and uncharted spheres of prophecy is like boasting
that we can fly an airplane safely without any experience. No subject in the entire
Scripture is more critical and yet more universally ignored. Because of its critical
significance, and the resistance on the part of most theologians to acknowledge their lack
of qualification, it deserves repeated and extensive studies.
This chapter presents many specific examples to show the complexity of the prophetic
Word. Let us begin our study of the mysterious language of prophecy by an example of
seemingly opposite predictions. One prophecy declares that Jesus will descend from the
sky, the other predicts that He will come like a thief.

From The Sky:
They Will See The Son Of Man Coming On The Clouds Of

1heaven. Christ (Matthew 24:30 NKJ)

1I am coming as a thief. Christ (Revelation 16:15 NKJ)
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
I Thessalonians 5:2 NIV
How do most people resolve these opposites? Here are the alternatives they have:
• Do not think about the conflict; simply ignore it.
• Choose the one you like, and find a reason or an explanation to justify your choice.
• Look at all the pieces of the biblical puzzle, and then make an objective choice with
total freedom from traditional views or the influence of theologians, who serve as
“the authority figures.”
How do most people resolve the conflict? As a rule, they cast their vote for the first two
choices: either they ignore the issue or choose the one that presents an aura of
superhuman power and majesty: Jesus shall come from the sky with supreme power
surrounded with angels. Because of the overwhelming powers of tradition, most people
do not even consider the third choice; they simply fail to carry out an independent and
objective search.
But why? Consider this analogy. If you had to make a choice between two friends, which
would you prefer?
• A humble friend who looks ordinary and can disappear in a crowd “like a thief.”
• An extremely powerful and famous friend who can work wonders.
Perhaps one in a hundred or even a thousand would choose a thief over a heavenly
angel, a carpenter over a king, an ordinary friend over an extraordinary friend.
Ordinary friends are easy to make; most people have at least one. Why do so many
people stand in the street for hours, sometimes for days, to set their eyes on a Pope, a
president, or a pop singer?
The choice between a carpenter and a king is easy and almost natural. The followers of
every religion would like to think that the One they worship is One of a kind; no other
Prophet or Redeemer can even come close to Him. Who cares for spiritual gifts and
glories, for heavenly virtues? It is the physical powers and distinctions that carry real
prestige.
To resolve the puzzle or paradox of the two sets of seemingly opposite predictions, we
can make a third choice: Before coming to any conclusion, we can examine the entire
jigsaw puzzle of biblical prophecies without any regard for tradition or personal desire.
But who would take this less traveled road? This is by far the hardest choice. Carrying
out a thorough investigation of prophecies requires a great deal of time and mental effort.
Further, such a choice takes a supreme sense of self-confidence and a sense of absolute
loyalty and devotion to the Word of God. It requires from the truth seeker a commitment

2to resist, with all his heart and soul, any inclination toward personal desires, such as “I do
not like a ‘thief ’ for my Redeemer. I would rather have One who can work wonders,
who can destroy His enemies and rescue His friends in an instant.” Who would think or
act this way? Only a rare believer who puts the Master’s words above personal wishes,
who discards all preconceived notions; the believer whose sole desire is the truth; the
faithful lover of the Lord who has no preference for a king over a carpenter, no
preference for someone who descends from the sky over someone who is born on earth in
a slum.
How does such a believer resolve the puzzle of the opposites? He starts with an open and
clear mind. He knows that the traditional or the prevailing view was adopted and
promoted by fallible people like himself, who have always suffered from this enduring
human weakness: a desire for dramatic display of glory and power. In fact, he is quite
distrustful of tradition; he knows it can make him totally blind to new visions of truth. He
remembers these critical and most enlightening words of our Lord:
You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to
observe your own traditions! Mark 7:9 NIV
This human tendency to favor tradition does not change from age to age. It reflects our
lower nature. By searching the Scripture, the sincere seeker who wants to resolve the
seeming opposites, who wants to make a choice between coming from the sky and
coming as a thief, discovers a fundamental principle: he finds that the use of “the
metaphoric miracles”—metaphors that imply or predict supernatural events—is as
common in the Bible as “figures of speech” are in all great works of literature. He learns
that it is hard to look at a page in the Scripture, without noticing an example of such
language. With a little search he can even find an example from the past that is virtually
identical to the puzzle of seemingly opposite prophecies about the future. He comes
across this incredible claim from our Lord in His first Advent:
I have come down from heaven… John 6:38 NKJ
The Greek word used in the Gospel means “sky.” But the translators of the Bible into
English choose “heaven” instead of “sky.” It is easier to pass over “heaven” and not be
shocked by it. It is a poetic word, but Jesus was not speaking in poetry. He in fact did say:
I have come down from the sky …
How did our Lord come to this world? Through the process of birth from Mary. Why then
did He make that incredible claim? Because “the metaphoric miracles” are a distinctive
sign of God’s universal language. They are His hallmark.
Hundreds of examples can be given from Genesis to Revelation. Let us examine a few of
them to see if by human standard “the metaphoric miracles” make any sense. Study the
following verses. They contain many metaphors identical with those found in prophecies
of the second Advent, metaphors such as: “heavens,” “clouds,” “fire,” “darkness,”
“brightness,” “smoke,” “coming down,” and “lightning:”
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven quaked and were
shaken, because He [the Lord] was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and
devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also,

3and came down with darkness under His feet. He rode upon a cherub, and flew; and
He was seen upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness canopies around Him,
dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him coals of
fire were kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His
voice. He sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning bolts, and He vanquished
them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations of the world were
uncovered, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
II Samuel 22:8-16 NKJ

4• Does the Lord have nostrils?
• Does smoke pass through His nostrils when He is angry?
• Does He need to ride upon “the wings of the wind” to travel?
• Does fire pour out of God’s mouth?
• Does He surround Himself with “dark waters”?
• Does the brightness of His face kindle coal?
• Does God shout or “thunder” from above?
• Does God throw arrows at His enemies?
• Does the universe have a foundation to be uncovered?
• Does God show His power by “blasting His nostrils”?
Consider the next verse. It declares that the Lord in His second Advent will carry a sword
in His mouth. Will He really?
Now out of His [Lord’s] mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the
nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. Revelation 19:15 NKJ
Ponder the following promise from our Lord; it has a metaphoric message just the
opposite of “coming down from heaven:”
But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. John 12:32 NIV
Did our Lord keep this promise literally? Did He draw even one person from the earth, let
alone all the peoples of Palestine or of our planet?
Consider also the next prophecy. Did our Lord also literally fulfill this promise?
And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you
see me, the Son of Man, coming in my Kingdom. Christ (Matthew 16:28 NLT)
Is this a false prophecy, or is it an example of “metaphoric miracles” a mode of speech
that is the hallmark of God’s most common language?
If you made the following promise to a loved one, would not he or she take it literally?
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Christ (Matthew 28:20 NIV)
This is the end of the age. Did our Lord stay with us to this age physically or spiritually?
Consider also the next example. We know thousands of Christians have been killed by
their enemies. Was the following statement from our Lord a false promise or an example
of “metaphoric miracles”?

5All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By
standing firm you will gain life. Christ (Luke 21:17-19 NIV)
Consider also these examples of seemingly conflicting instructions and prophecies:
• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• Unto them that look for Him shall he appear the second time (Hebrews 9:28)
Question: Do you need to look for someone who is supposed to be seen by “every eye”?
Do you need to look for someone who comes from the sky? Is it possible that by “every
eye shall see him” is meant every “inner eye”? That meaning is in perfect harmony with
“Unto them that look for him…”

6• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• On that day…Whoever has my commands and obeys them…I…will…show myself
to him (John 14:20-21 NIV).
Are not both promises from our Lord? Are not both of them equally valid? Why does our
Lord say that He will show Himself to those who obey Him? What commands are critical
and relevant to finding and seeing Him? Can you think of any commands other than
these:
• Use God’s standard: By their fruits you shall know them.
• Do not use the unauthorized standard: Prophecy. You cannot unseal them.
• Remember the Jews and keep your inner eyes detached and pure from all
preconceived notions, from all traditional powers.

7• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!” (Mark 13:37).
Question: What does “Watch!” mean? Pay attention! Why would “paying attention” be
considered urgent? And when would a person need to pay attention? Answer: Only when
an event can be missed, such as the coming of a thief, while the householders are asleep.
Is that not the way Jesus came in His first advent? He was the light of the world, yet most
people did not “see” His light. How can a person “watch”? By paying attention to the
news of the coming of the Master, and by testing Him according to His standards.

8• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14 NIV).

9Question: Who was the real Jesus? Flesh and bone or a Spirit? Who saw His Spirit the
first time? The holy ones, those with hearts pure from prejudice (preconceived notions)
and selfish desires. Will not they be the ones the second time also?

10• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man
(Matthew 24:37 NIV). The coming of the Son of Man will repeat what happened in
Noah’s time (New American Bible).
Did every “eye” see Noah? Noah also came like Jesus: as a thief. He too was seen by
every “eye.” Unfortunately, He too found only a few with open or healthy eyes. If Jesus
came with His awesome fire power, could people ignore Him as they did during Noah’s
time? The hallmark of the people to whom Noah came was denial. If Jesus came from the
sky with thousands of angels, would anyone dare deny Him?

11• Behold, he cometh with clouds; and
• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
Ask yourself this simple question: Why did our Lord use the word “cloud” in His
prophecy? Can that word give us the critical clue to the whole puzzle? Yes indeed.
Consider these questions:
• If a person wants to be seen by every eye, would he choose to come on a clear
day or a cloudy day? Obviously on a clear day.
• What purpose do clouds serve? They conceal the light.
• What purpose do metaphors serve? They conceal the spiritual truth.
• How can we see the light of the sun? By passing beyond the clouds.
• How can we see the light of truth? By passing beyond the clouds of Metaphoric
Miracles.
With this perspective, note how clear Jesus’ prophecy becomes:
• He comes with clouds: all kinds of misconceptions surround His Return.
• Every eye shall see Him: But anyone who has an inner eye will be able to break
through the clouds and see His Light.
Aside from using the jigsaw puzzle of biblical prophecies and clues to detect the true
meaning of “sky,” “eye,” and “seeing,” think also about these practical questions:
• The sun is more than a million times bigger than the earth. Yet to be visible by
earthly beings, it must be that big. In spite of its size and the speed with which the
earth moves (1,000 miles an hour at the equator), it takes several hours for the sun
to become visible to most—but not all—earthly beings. Those at the poles live for
six months at a time in darkness. In addition, much of the earth is covered by

12clouds. Hence, to make Himself visible, Jesus must descend below the clouds and
shrink His size wherever it is cloudy, and then expand His size and go thousands
of miles up to be seen over large areas where it is sunny. Remember also that
countless people live in deep forests, where they see only trees, some live in
submarines, and millions are blind or suffer from poor eyesight. All these people
have eyes but will be unable to see the Lord. What about people who are asleep or
are bed-ridden in hospitals and hospices?
• If we are literal about “seeing,” we should also be literal about “killing.” As we
shall see, prophecies predict the wholesale slaughter of billions of unbelievers. Ask
yourself this simple question: Why would Jesus, the loving Lord of the universe,
go through the effort of making Himself visible to the people He is going to kill
later? We can always rationalize, but God asks us to reason: “Let us reason
together, says the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18).
Those who draw a beautiful picture of a man floating in the clouds with a wonderful
Christian family looking up, extending their hands, and smiling, never raise the other
questions. And believers who see the picture, do not like to hear those questions either.
Hearing those unwelcomed questions destroys all the fun! That is exactly what happened
to the Jews. They pictured a glorious king, who by magical powers, would kill all his
enemies, especially the non-Jews, and would establish a splendid kingdom. Should we
not learn from their example? Should we not make an effort to break through the clouds
of Metaphoric Miracles?
This parable explains clearly the meaning of the coming of the Lord like a thief:
At that time the kingdom of heaven [the second Advent] will be like ten virgins
[Christians who have a desire to be spiritually married to the Bridegroom] who took
their lamps [the Church, the Christian label] and went out to meet the bridegroom [the
Lord at His second coming]. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The
foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil [of wisdom and insight] with
them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became [spiritually] drowsy
and fell asleep. At midnight [the dark of unawareness] the cry rang out: “Here’s the
bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up [heard the news of
His coming] and trimmed their lamps [prepared themselves for the search]. The
foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”
“No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those
who sell oil and buy some for yourselves [everyone must gain his own wisdom; it
cannot be borrowed].”
But while they were on their way to buy the oil [were spiritually absent], the
bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were [spiritually] ready went in with him to the
wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others [who were not fully ready
and failed to recognize Him] also came. “Sir! Sir!” they said. “Open the door for us!”
But he replied, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Therefore keep watch [pay
attention to the news of the thief who comes in the dark of unawareness], because you
do not know the day or the hour [the hour arrives, the Bridegroom comes, but you do

13not know because you fail to pay attention to the news of His coming].
Matthew 25:1-13 NIV
Questions:
• Who were the five virgins who missed Jesus? They were Christians; they too
were waiting for His arrival.
• Why did they miss Him? What was wrong with them? According to Jesus, they
were fools.
• Who is a fool? The believer who lacks true faith, who pays lip service to the
Lord but does not follow His instructions.
• What instructions?
By their fruit you will recognize them….Therefore everyone who hears these
words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his
house on the rock…But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not
put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
Christ (Matthew 7:16-26 NIV)
• Who builds his house on sand? The one who exchanges the standard of “fruit”
for “personal or traditional interpretation of prophecy.” The one who disobeys
his Lord.
• What does Jesus call such a believer? A fool!
Does this parable in any way imply that “Every eye shall see Him”? No! It clarifies the
meaning of eye and seeing. It indicates that only a wise, faithful, prepared, and pure eye
will be able to see the Bridegroom and enter His banquet, exactly as it happened the first
time. Those who lacked the oil of wisdom saw nothing but the clouds of their own
prejudices and illusions, nothing but darkness.

14• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• I [Jesus Christ] counsel you to buy from me…salve to put on your eyes, so you can
see (Revelation 3:18).
Question: What is “the salve” or the ointment that helps the believers “see”? Wisdom and
insight, not eyesight. A blind person may have perfect eyes and a seeing person may be
perfectly blind.

15• Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).
• The words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end…those who are wise
will understand (Daniel 12:9-10 NIV).
Who are the wise who can understand? The ones who obey their Master’s commands and
instructions. What are the Master’s critical commands and instructions?

16• Keeping one’s heart free from selfish clouds. What selfish clouds kept the Jews
from recognizing Jesus? Conformity to tradition, fear of change, worldliness,
complacency, lack of courage, and lack of faith.
• Keeping the mind free from ignorance. How? By knowing and using the only
authorized standard: “By their fruits you shall know them.” What unauthorized
standards prevented the Jews from recognizing Jesus? Prophesying in the
name of Jehovah and glorifying miracles.
Why do most Christians pay attention to “Every eye shall see Him,” but ignore all the
other instructions, parables, and prophecies that clarify the meaning of that promise? For
the same reasons that the Jews living at the time of Jesus ignored the profile of “a
suffering Servant,” but kept focusing on the glorious image of “a king like David.” For
that reason—their failure to see the whole picture—Jesus called them fools (Matthew
24:25-27).
Are Christians of this age wiser than the Jews who lived at the time of Jesus? Can anyone
make that claim and prove it? The picture that the Scripture portrays of the people of this
age is as bad as anyone can imagine. It shows that the Christians of this age lack faith in
the words of their Lord. It shows that they turn their hearts away from the truth. It
indicates that they become preoccupied with “myths” (II Timothy 4:4 NIV). What is a
“myth”? Anything that is not rooted in reality. Is it possible that the greatest of all myths
Christians of this age cherish and promote relate to the way our Lord will return? Could
the following be the myths prophesied in the Scripture?
• We Christians are wise; we know the true meaning of prophecies.
• We are authorized to prophesy in the name of the Lord.
• Prophecies about the return of Jesus from the sky are literal.
• The last time He came like a thief ; this time He must come with physical glory and
power.
• Fruits are irrelevant. To know Jesus the second time, we must depend only on
prophecies according to our interpretation exactly as did the Jews.
• What our ancestors have believed is true. We will continue to support the
traditional interpretations of those who came before us. We will ignore anyone who
deviates from this perspective, anyone who takes away from us the pleasure of
hoping for the miraculous and heavenly Return of our Lord. We will only publish
and promote books and articles that support orthodox interpretation of prophecies.
We will reject works that deviate from orthodoxy or offer a fresh perspective.
• Christians of this age are wiser than the Jews who lived at the time of Jesus.
• Prophecies in the past were both literal and symbolic. After the Advent of Jesus,
God changed this rule. All miraculous prophecies are now literal.
• The Jews were the chosen people of God at the time of the first Advent. We are
now the chosen people. Jesus will take us to heaven and leave the rest of humanity
to suffer.

17One of the best known prophecies of the second Advent is given by St. Paul. In the light
of the new perspective we have—the common language of “metaphoric miracles”—let
us put that prophecy to the literal test. Here is his prophecy from The Amplified Bible
(AB)—a translation that offers a few aids, such as adding the various shades of the Greek
words in parentheses:
…[when] the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in a flame
of fire ; to deal out retribution—chastisement and vengeance—upon those who do
not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and [upon those] who ignore
and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such people will pay the
penalty and suffer the punishment of everlasting ruin (destruction and perdition)
and [eternal exclusion and banishment] from the presence of the Lord and from the
glory of His power. II Thessalonians 1:7-9 AB
Take the word fire. Is it literal or symbolic? Most Christian scholars take it literally. Let
us put that idea to the literal test.
God is both loving and just. Could He also be sadistic? Does He enjoy torturing His
children? Certainly there is a better way of getting rid of all “the bad” people than
burning them to death. The God who created the universe by His Word, should also be
able to make all the bad people disappear by that very Word.
What happens if we take the word “fire” literally? How many people will be spared from
the flame? Some literal-minded theologians have estimated the total number of people
who qualify for the fire—atheists, non-Christians, and disobedient Christians, such as
believers who engage in divorce or any form of sex outside marriage. They estimate the
number of all these people to be about five billion. They believe only 1 in 10 residents of
our planet will survive the global fire that our Lord will bring. There is much
disagreement about who deserves to die. For instance, what should be the cutting age, or
the birthdays, under which children and young people will be saved from the fire and
everlasting ruin, and what level of opportunities people must have had before they qualify
for the fire?
Ponder the implications of the following act to recognize the absolute senselessness of
literal interpretation of “metaphoric miracles.” Hitler slaughtered six million Jews. For
this horrible act, we label him the most evil tyrant in human history. An implication of
the literal interpretation of St. Paul’s prophecy is this: When Jesus returns, He will
eliminate the adult Jews! We do not know what is the year and the birthday from which
our Lord will choose to spare or kill people. Why would He eliminate those Jews?
Because they are among the billions who have refused “to obey the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” The moral implications of this act alone should awaken every sincere and
thoughtful Christian to the common use of “metaphoric miracles” in all prophecies,
whether they pertain to the first Advent or the second.
All miraculous speculations and expectations have resulted from literal-mindedness,
from a failure to recognize the most common language spoken in the Scripture: that of
“the metaphoric miracles.” To save yourself from the agony of picturing our most gentle
and loving Lord engaging in the slaughter of hundreds of millions of people by fire, all

18you need to do is look for a verse that covers the same topic in relation to the first
Advent. With a little effort, you will find this verse:
He [Christ] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11 NIV
Did our Lord baptize anyone with fire? Consider also this statement from our Lord:
I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Christ (Luke 12:49 NIV)
Did our Lord accomplish His stated mission of setting the earth on fire? Did He set any
person or any house on fire? No! Jesus came to cleanse the world by setting fire to the
decayed and destructive traditions and beliefs. Would the one who “died for the ungodly”
(Romans 5:6) return to burn the ungodly? Would the One who came to save the sinners
return to destroy them? Did Jesus not say:
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the
righteous, but sinners. Christ (Mark 2:17 NIV)
Our Lord and Master manifested perfect love and mercy. He said, “I am gentle and lowly
in heart.” “How blessed are those of a gentle spirit…How blessed are those who show
mercy” (Matthew 11:29; 5:5-7). Would the One who taught us to shine on all people like
the rays of the sun (Matthew 5:45), the Savior who asked us to love our neighbors and
even our enemies, change, on His return, as a literal interpretation of St. Paul’s prophecy
indicates, into a global arsonist? Is such an act conceivable from our most gentle and
loving Lord?
If “fire” can be a metaphor, cannot “heaven” also be a metaphor? Could not the Lord be
born on earth the second time as He did the first time, and once again make that same
claim, that He indeed has descended from the sky?
I have come down from heaven [sky]… Christ (John 6:38 NKJ)
Should we reject our Lord if He manifests all the fruits of perfection, but fails to bring
fire to burn the bad people? Should we ignore His call if He is as gentle and loving the
second time as He was the first time, but refuses to scorch even an ant, let alone millions
of people? Should we deny Him because we fail to understand His unique metaphoric
language? Should we ask Him for nuclear fire that destroys the structure of the physical
world? Or should we expect from Him the fire of Spirit that burns the veils of separation
from God, that destroys the prevailing apathy, complacency, and the age old and corrupt
traditions and institutions that perpetuate ignorance, worldliness, war, hatred, poverty,
fear, prejudice, and separation? Should not our Lord be able to do what He did the first
time and still make this claim:
I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Christ (Luke 12:49 NIV)
But why does God, in His prophecies, often speak in the language of “metaphoric
miracles”? For many reasons, such as:
• Drawing a sharp contrast between divine language and the human.
• Testing our obedience to His commands.
• Separating those who love “the letter” from those who love “the spirit.”

19• Protecting the prophecies from abuse.
Let us explore these reasons in detail. God tests us in many ways. Every encounter and
every decision is a test. He wants to assess those who claim loyalty to their Lord, so that
He can separate the sincere from the insincere. He wants to manifest the hidden motives
of His servants, to show who obeys His commands, who disobeys. He wants to
distinguish those who follow His standards from those who pursue their selfish desires.
God utters His prophecies in two languages: literal and symbolic. He then informs us that
understanding the meaning of mysteries and symbols is beyond our ability; that they are
sealed, and that no one can break the seal except Himself. He asks us to wait for Him to
come and solve the riddles. Then He watches to see who obeys and who disobeys.
Consider this analogy. You ask a little girl to finish her meal, the main course, but not
touch the dessert. You say, “Finish your soup, salad, and sandwich, but do not eat the
dessert. Wait for me; I have to do some shopping before the stores close and will be back
in an hour. When I return, I will give you your share of the dessert.” Now suppose you
return after doing your shopping and see to your utter amazement that the little girl has
finished all the dessert, including your share, but has not touched the main course! What
does this indicate? Disobedience to your request and lack of respect for your wishes.
Prophecy, in most mouths, tastes as sweet as dessert. Almost every Christian loves it and
wants a part of it. But fruits and bread, which are quite nutritious, are left virtually
untouched! Check any Christian bookstore in your town. You will find no book that
speaks about the ingredients of the Bread of Life or the Fruits of Perfection as the
evidence for our Lord either in the first or second Advent. But you will find countless
books of prophecy, each competing with the other! This same analogy applies to
miracles. In fact, the sweetness of prophecies lies in their supernatural displays of power.
If we remove the supernatural from prophecies, they lose virtually all their appeal, all
their flavor. They may taste no better than salad or cooked vegetables!
This simple test separated the faithful Jews from the unfaithful at the time of the first
Advent. It will serve the same purpose at the time of the second.
God tests us by His prophecies in still another way. He wants to distinguish those who
prefer spiritual glories and blessings from those who prefer worldly powers and honors.
He wants to know who has set his mind over a powerful king, and who is willing to
accept even a poor carpenter for his Redeemer. It is easy to fall in love with “the letter” of
the metaphor and most people do. No wonder Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are
chosen” (Matthew 20:16). The literal side—power—always gets far more attention and
followers than the spiritual.
How can our faith be tested? It can only be tested through adversity, only when events
happen contrary to our wishes and wants. Recognizing a Redeemer who looks like a
friend or a neighbor is contrary to our expectations and selfish desires. In effect, God
says, “Here is a treasure concealed in a field. To find the treasure you must do some
digging.” The sincere seeker of truth instantly starts digging. The one who has little faith
refuses to dig. There may be a hundred reasons why he refuses, but they are all selfish.
Notice how clearly our Lord confirmed this point:
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Matthew 13:44 NIV

20The metaphor of treasure is in perfect harmony with the metaphor of thief. The heavenly
thief looks like any other human being. His physical form is His mask . Our test is
to un-mask Him. We cannot find or know a treasure simply by looking at the field. We
must do some digging. And this is the sole purpose of this book: To Un-Mask the Thief.
Does the Master have the right to test the servant, or does the servant have the right to
test the Master? When we say to our Lord:
I don’t care what spiritual glories and distinctions you present, what “fruits” or
“bread” you produce. Before receiving my vote of confidence, you must prove
yourself by doing something physical. You can be my Lord only if you do something
miraculous.
Does not setting such a condition violate the commandment that:
Do not test the Lord your God… Deuteronomy 6:16 NIV
Starting with or demanding miracles and signs reverses the roles of the Master and the
servant. It is the Master’s right to test His servant. And how does He do this? Through
“metaphoric miracles.”
Jesus demonstrated this same strategy not only in the way He appeared (as a poor
homeless man), but also in the way He spoke. To the literal-minded Pharisees, He often
spoke in metaphors and parables, but to His sincere disciples in plain language. His
disciples had already passed their tests; they had already demonstrated their sincerity
and loyalty. They had already fallen in love with the Spirit, with the heavenly treasure
hidden in a seemingly ordinary person, in a poor young man. But the literal-minded
Pharisees needed a test to expose their hidden motives. The following pronouncement of
our Lord presents a world of wisdom. It shows how God protects His beautiful Bride of
wondrous meanings with the veil of metaphors from the eyes of the strangers. Read it
many times and ponder its meaning to discover its profound pearls of knowledge and
truth:
Then the disciples came to Him and said, why do You speak to them in parables? And
He replied to them, to you it has been given to know the secrets and mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has [spiritual
knowledge], to him will more be given and he will be furnished richly, so that he will
have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This
is the reason that I speak to them in parables, because having the power of hearing
they do not hear, nor do they grasp and understand…But blessed—happy, fortunate
and to be envied—are your eyes, because they do see, and your ears, because they do
hear. Matthew 13:10-16 AB
Jesus’ disciples had done their share of digging. They had already reached the treasures of
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but the Pharisees not only had refused to dig,
they had even closed their eyes and plugged their ears! They did not deserve to see the
pearls of truths unprotected.
Faith is a struggle between “the spiritual” and “the material,” between “the visible” and
“the invisible.” We manifest our true essence by our choices. Unless we wear spiritual
glasses, we cannot see the inner beauty and harmony of the Word of God.

21But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
I Corinthians 2:14 NKJ
With spiritual glasses, all prophecies fit perfectly; without them, there is nothing but
conflict and chaos. Prophecies are from God; they are “the things of the Spirit of God.”
As Paul declares, anything that comes from God, must be “spiritually discerned.”
The use of “metaphoric miracles” serves still another purpose: It protects prophecies
from abuse. Imagine if all the deceivers in Israel knew the true meaning of all the
prophecies of the first Advent. Imagine if they knew the appointed year of the Advent of
the Lord and all the other details. Imagine how many deceivers and mockers would try to
fulfill those prophecies in their lives! How many would have called their sons Jesus, and
claimed to have had them from virgin daughters! Metaphors, like a jewelry box, protected
the gems of truths from the strangers and abusers.
As a rule, the meaning of prophecies become clear only after they have been fulfilled. No
one knew what the Hebrew prophecies meant until our Lord fulfilled them and explained
them.
Then beginning with Moses and…all the prophets, He [Jesus] went on explaining and
interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to
Himself. Luke 24:27 AB
Human ignorance is so deep and preconceived notions are so difficult to overcome, our
Lord had to continue to enlighten His disciples even after His resurrection. As Christian
scholar Herbert Lockyer notes:
After His Resurrection, meeting His disciples, He began by interpreting the Scriptures
to them, and then went on to “unseal the barred doors of their perceptions…1
If people had known what the prophecies meant, would they have denied their Lord?
Why this rule—that the true meaning of prophecies is known AFTER they are fulfilled
and explained by the One who knows them—should suddenly change in our time? Can
you think of any reason?
The sincere seeker intent on resolving “the puzzle of the opposites” continues his search
for further facts. With a little persistence, he finds this most critical verse:
But first note this: no one can interpret any prophecy of Scripture
by himself. II Peter 1:20 NEB

22The Amplified version of the same verse:
[Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of
any personal or private or special interpretation [brackets as original].
Are not the interpretations of theologians their personal views? No wonder they disagree
about so many issues. What value do those personal views have? Should we base our
everlasting destiny on the interpretations of people who have no right to interpret?

23Peter’s clear warning that no one has the capacity to interpret “any prophecy of
Scripture” is clearly confirmed by the words of Jesus. As we noted, our Lord condemned,
in the harshest words, the Christians who use His name to predict the future:
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name…?
Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Matthew 7:22-23 NIV
God in His supreme Wisdom has given us further guidelines. The following is not only an
instruction but a clear commandment:
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till THE LORD comes. He
will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and WILL EXPOSE THE
MOTIVES OF MEN’S HEARTS. I Corinthians 4:5 NIV
Read the preceding verse again and again and ponder its meaning. It indicates that the
Lord will accomplish two goals:
• He will expose or manifest the inner meaning and mysteries of the Scripture and
whatever people cannot understand.
• He will also expose or manifest the inner motives of those who hear His
interpretation.
The following message is clearly implied in the preceding counsel and commandment:
The Lord’s interpretation of mysteries—issues that need explanation—EXPOSES THE
MOTIVES OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HEAR THEM. It will put to the test their faith and sincerity.

24The preceding verse is the most clear and critical verse in all the Scripture about our
right, as fallible humans, to interpret God’s word, especially issues that need clarification,
such as prophecies. Why is the command so critical? Because we will deny our Lord if
we fail to observe it. We may say to Him, “If Your interpretation is not the same as mine,
You are a deceiver!” That is how critical that verse is, and how significant the
consequences of disregarding it.
The verses cited clearly show that human beings are unqualified to know the meaning of
prophecies, that they are unable to decipher the inner treasures of mysteries and
metaphors. Biblical history proves this point beyond any doubt. Why did the Jews deny
Jesus? Because of a failure to reach the pearls of inner meanings of prophecies concealed
in metaphors. The people of Israel were in the precise position we are today. They also
had two opposite sets of prophecies. One set predicted the coming of “a suffering
servant,” the other “a powerful king.” Which set did they choose, and which did they
ignore? They acted as people always act and perhaps always will. They cast their vote in
favor of a powerful king. They took the prophecies that contained messages of a
“metaphoric miracle” literally and ignored the other set of prophecies that pertained to
“the suffering servant.”
Consider this statement from a Christian author about the Jews of the time of Jesus:
Two completely different portraits of a coming Messiah were described by the Old
Testament prophets. The portraits, painted by the sure hand of God, were placed on the
same canvas, framed in one picture…One portrait of the Messiah depicts Him as a

25humble servant who would suffer for others and be rejected by His own countrymen.
This portrait we may call “the Suffering Messiah.” (Look into the prophecies of Isaiah
53 for the perfect picture of this Messiah.)
The other portrait shows the Messiah as a conquering king with unlimited power, who
comes suddenly to earth at the height of a global war and saves men from self-
destruction. He places the Israelites who believe in Him as the spiritual and secular
leaders of the world and brings in an age free of prejudice and injustice. It’s easy to
see why this would be the most popular portrait [emphasis added].2
Bible interpreters often acknowledge the twin portraits of the Jewish Messiah, but I have
never seen any of them ask, “Why were the twin portraits given?” Why was it not made
clear which portrait would appear first? Why did God not warn the Jews that their
Messiah would begin His Kingdom with poverty and suffering? As we noted, this was
done to separate the sincere from the insincere, the faithful from the unfaithful. This
purpose was achieved; the strategy worked perfectly. The narrow- and literal-minded
Pharisees denied our Lord; the humble and the pure hearted ones recognized Him.
Let us go back again to that most significant and yet most widely ignored instruction in
the entire Bible—this time from The Amplified Bible—about the role and authority of
human beings in understanding the mysteries of the Word of God. The following passage
contains the most clear and critical commandment concerning the right of human
beings to interpret the Word of God. It is one of those verses that few Bible teachers and

1will both bring to light
the secret things that
are (now hidden) in
darkness, and disclose
and expose the (secret)
aims (motives and
purposes) of hearts
[brackets and parentheses
as original].
I Corinthians 4:5 AB

2The preceding passage should be at the beginning of every book of prophecy. It should be
memorized by every Christian. Yet I have never seen it quoted in any book of Bible
prophecy. Why? The mere mentioning it would undermine the value of the book. It
would make void the interpretation of every interpreter! It would even indicate that the
author has no regard for a command of the Bible. Anyone who makes any statement with
any degree of certainty is making a premature judgment. That is exactly what he or she
is asked not to do.
The preceding verses ask every believer to let the Lord unravel the inner mysteries.
Resolving the puzzle of “coming from the sky” or “coming like a thief ” is certainly of
this category, just as was resolving the puzzle of “a conquering king” versus “a suffering
servant” was at the time of Jesus’ first Advent. Observing the preceding command or

3leaders and scholars. Few believers would want to admit to ignorance, few would want to
say, “I really don’t know. I have not yet made up my mind about the way our Lord
returns. I have not carved my decision in stone.” Questioning a tradition that has endured
for centuries is not easy. Acknowledging a sense of humility, open-mindedness, and
detachment from tradition puts every believer to the most trying test. This is why our
Lord said:
…the hour of TRIAL that is going to come upon the whole world to TEST those who
live on the earth. Revelation 3:10 NIV
The TRIAL and the TEST may be this:
• Jesus returns in the form of a humble human being as He did in His first Advent.
• Jesus again asks us to know Him by His inner light, by His heavenly fruits, and
celestial bread, by His spiritual glory and power, not physical.
Is this far-fetched? Read on!

1What is meant by “false prophets”? How can we know them? What are the signs? Many
people use the word “false” as a reason to fear any claim no matter who makes it, and
how much evidence may support it. This chapter demonstrates that it is absolutely
essential to be careful and watchful, but never be fearful of investigating new ideas or of
being deceived, because the line that separates a true Christ from a false christ is as clear
as day from night.
Suppose someone came to you and said, “I am Jesus Christ. I have come the second time
to save you!” How would you respond? Would you run away in fear, call him a deceiver,
or would you start asking some questions? This chapter demonstrates that the best choice
is the last one.
In this age, everything has been multiplied. Whether we want to buy a car, a camera, or a
loaf of bread, we face a wide range of choices. What is the key to making a good choice?
Wisdom! In the past, there were only a few ways to make a living; today there are
countless ways. In the past, there were only a few ways to God; today those ways have
multiplied. We have a vast assortment of religions, denominations, pseudo-religions, and
cults to suit every taste, to satisfy every temperament imaginable. The ways to God are
produced as rapidly as recipes. In Christianity alone, we have anywhere between 2,000 to
25,000 denominations! People are overwhelmed. Some have given up; others are in
search of a compass that can guide them through life’s turbulent waters. Many have lost
their inner guide and self-confidence to separate truth from half truths, and half truths
from sheer deception. The spiritual scene is foggy; the view is blurred and shady:
…the day God visits…is the time of their confusion (Micah 7:4 NIV). It will be a
unique day, without daytime or nighttime—a day known to the Lord (Zechariah 14:7
NIV).

2Consider this example. Suppose you faced a huge mountain of gravel. You hear each bit
of gravel shout: “Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!” How would you feel? Overwhelmed,
frustrated, and stressed. Your inner instinct tells you to walk away or even to run away
from the scene, holding on tightly to what you already have. At least you feel some sense
of loyalty to the gift of faith you have received from your parents and grandparents. Why
exchange the known for the unknown?

3Now suppose there is a precious jewel somewhere in that huge mountain of gravel. Could
you find it? How would you even suspect that there may be such a jewel in that pile?
Even if you knew there was one, would you have the time, the patience, and the
persistence to keep looking in that huge mountain for that one precious piece? This
chapter presents standards and teaches skills that will make the job of digging, sifting,
and searching at least a thousand times easier. Just read on and see! In the past, finding
and digging for gold was hard work; modern technology has made that job much easier.
That is the purpose this chapter serves.
Just as God hides treasures of gold, so does He hide treasures of truth! In searching lies
the hope, the honor, and the joy of finding.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. Christ (Matthew 13:44 NIV)
But God does not leave us alone. He asks us to dig and then waits and watches to see who
obeys Him, who takes the pick and the shovel! When He sees any sign of digging, He
rushes to the aid of the diggers! In His supreme wisdom, He commands us to “Seek!”
Then as a token of His infinite grace, He crowns that command with the glorious promise
of “You shall find!”
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those
who ask him! Christ (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)
Our chief responsibility is to find the right tools and begin digging. The tools we need
most are courage, thirst for truth, patience, persistence, trust in our Lord, and many
prayers. When we raise the pick, the guiding angels rush to our aid.
Much of the confusion, disappointment, and difficulty in finding the gem of truth comes
from making two false assumptions:
• There is no clear line between an independent faith and a denomination.
• There are no clear standards by which we can separate the truth from half truths and
falsehood, no way to tell the difference between a jewel and gravel.
If you liberate your mind from those two false assumptions, you will experience a
dramatic change of perspective. You will suddenly see the jewel of truth emerging with
dazzling brightness from the pile and shining with supreme splendor. You will discover
that the fault does not lie in the jewel but in your eyes. Note this instruction from our
Lord about the critical significance of having good eyes:
…anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Revelation 3:18 NKJ
Your awareness of those two false assumptions will enhance your insight immensely.
Like an ointment, the awareness will remove the defects and allow your eyes to see with
perfect clarity. Just as a little chip of wood in the eye can totally distort the vision, so can
those false assumptions.
The first step to find the jewel is to look at today’s mountain of beliefs and see if we can
progressively reduce its size. The best way to do this is to classify the stones. Our goal is
to get closer to the jewel of truth through a process of elimination.

4All religious systems that claim to be the true source of spiritual guidance can be
classified into three categories:
• Cults
• Denominations
• Independent religions
Cults carry distinctive marks; they can be instantly identified and eliminated from the
pile. Anyone with a little common sense can recognize them without any effort. At the
center of every cult lies a charismatic leader who displays human weaknesses, yet claims
superhuman powers. Every cult manifests some or all of these distinctive features:
secrecy, brain washing, mind control, deception, worldliness, isolation, narrow-
mindedness, emotionalism, fraud, violence, and suicide. Cult members also often engage
in drug, alcohol, and sexual abuse. Anyone with even a trickle of common sense can
instantly recognize the rotten fruits of cults.
This awareness substantially reduces the size of the mountain. The next step is to
examine the next group on our list: denominations. Which one is the true one? What do
they have in common? The belief that binds them together is loyalty to Jesus Christ as
their Savior and reverence for the Bible as the Word of God. Besides this, we find a
diversity of opinion, interpretation, and varied theological positions on every issue
expressed in the Bible.
Let us now look more closely at their differences. Christians can be classified into two
main categories: those who recognize the Bible as the only source of spiritual guidance,
and those who add at least one extra book to the Bible. Let us call the first group
orthodox, the second non-orthodox. The orthodox denominations include Catholics and
Protestants with various doctrines, such as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians,
Episcopalians, and many others.
The non-orthodox denominations consider their extra book an extension of the Bible and
a valid source of enlightenment and spiritual guidance. This analogy will clarify their
position. Consider the Bible as a tree. They believe the tree remained inactive for
centuries. Then it suddenly started to produce a new branch sometime during the 19th and
20th centuries. Each of those denominations considers its own extra book the only true
branch grown out of the Bible since ancient times.
Orthodox Christians consider those extra books a product of human imagination and
totally unreliable. They regard each of those branches as a stick of dead wood attached to
the tree.
Denominations with the extra book are few. The best known are these:
• The Mormons or the Latter Day Saints, who revere and use The Book of Mormon, by
Joseph Smith, along with the Bible.
• The Jehovah Witnesses, who use the works of Charles Russell, the founder of their
church, as authentic teachings.
• The Seventh-day Adventists, who consider Ellen G. White a “prophetess” with
authentic visions and views.

5• The members of The Unification Church, known as the Moonies, who follow
Reverend Sun Myung Moon. They consider his book The Divine Principle a source of
authentic teachings added to the Bible. Some of Mr. Moon’s followers regard him as a
Messiah, although he has not openly made such a claim!
The purpose of setting these denominations apart is not to imply that the ones who
founded them were equal in integrity and devotion to God. The only reason for setting
them apart is that they attach at least one extra book to the Bible.
There may be others who may fall into this category, but the four groups cited are the best
known and the most highly respected. They represent the finest in their category. You can
find a cross section of believers, from the most pious to the least, in each of those
denominations. I have not known any Moonies, but have friends from the other three.
The ones I have known are people of integrity, sincere in their beliefs, and convinced
they are doing the work of the Lord.
Let us now test both groups of denominations, those who follow only the Bible, and those
with at least one extra book. Let us begin with the first group: orthodox Christians.
Which is the true denomination? Do they differ substantially? Does it really matter which
denomination one follows? The answer lies in the following statement from our Lord to
someone who wanted to know God’s greatest commandment:
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the
greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law
and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:35-40 NKJ
Did Jesus set any theological conditions? Did He cite any doctrines? In that brief
conversation, He taught us that the sign of a true Christian is to love the Lord and prove
the depths of that love by good deeds. In effect, our Lord told us that our everlasting
destiny hangs on the law of love. Would God reject a truly loving person because he or
she was Lutheran and not Baptist, or was Roman Catholic and not Eastern Catholic?
Would God send someone to hell because he or she was not baptized?
Next question: Are these orthodox denominations independent faiths? No, they all
function under the authority of Jesus Christ. None of them can be considered an
independent faith. They are all branches on the Tree of Life.
Let us now examine the second group, the denominations with at least one extra book. In
the Christian world, most of the prevailing confusion, doubt, skepticism, and fear of
being deceived can be traced to these few denominations. First, most of them are
extremely active, and they often use aggressive methods to “witness for the Lord,” and to
convert and recruit new members.
Human beings cherish their freedom and privacy. They instinctively resent pressure,
whether it comes from the one who sells real estate or redemption. The unrelenting
pressures from these few denominations to gain converts have made most people
resentful toward anyone with an invitation card! When they see one, they suspect a
hidden agenda. In the Western world, it is hard to find someone who has not had several
encounters with the followers of at least one of these denominations with that extra book.

6It is also hard to find anyone without some negative feelings toward at least one of the
four. If we put the total members of all four groups together, we will find that they total
only about one percent of all Christians. Yet their impact is far greater than their numbers.
Surely each of them is unique, and not all of them use the same strategies for getting new
converts. Yet orthodox Christians perceive them as being the same, because of their extra
books attached to the Bible. That overrides everything else. Attaching any book to the
Bible is seen as a sign of betrayal.
Aside from being perceived to be aggressive, the non-orthodox denominations add yet
another negative dimension to the spiritual confusion of our time: Because of their extra
books, they appear as independent faiths. But are they? Does any of them present a
figure who fulfills the promise of the Return of Jesus Christ? No! All of them are twigs
and limbs branched out of Christianity. They have extra books, but their main Scripture is
still the Judeo-Christian Bible.
None of the ones who founded these denominations claims to be the Lord, the Return of
Jesus Christ. Even if one of them made such a claim, would he have any evidence to
prove himself?
To see more objectively the status of the founders of the four non-orthodox
denominations, let us put them to the test, let us compare them with Jesus Christ
according to the many standards the Bible presents as evidence of divine authority. Let us
see how many of these standards the founders of those denominations can satisfy. The
comparison sharpens our sense of spiritual vision, it brings us from the clouds of
confusion down to the firm ground of certainty and clarity:

The Claim To Be The Lord

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

Speaking With Absolute Authority

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

Testifying That Every Word Spoken
Comes From God

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

Claiming To Be Absolutely Pure
And Sinless

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

Absolute Self-sacrifice

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

1by a mob of armed men. Why was he killed? According to The Encyclopaedia of
Britannica:
In February 1844, when he [Joseph Smith] announced his candidacy for the U.S.
presidency, however, suspicion and rivalry began to close in upon him. A handful of
Mormon dissenters attacked him in their opposition newspaper on grounds of
polygamy and political ambition. Mr. Smith thereupon ordered their press destroyed.
Threats of mob violence followed. After Mr. Smith called out the Nauvoo militia to
protect the town, he was charged with treason and imprisoned, along with his brother
Hyrum, in the Carthage city jail. Despite promises of protection from the governor of
Illinois, Thomas Ford, a mob of armed men with blackened faces stormed the jail on
June 27 and murdered the brothers.1
Does such a death fulfill the requirement of self-sacrifice? It is quite doubtful. First, Mr.
Smith was killed mainly for political reasons; and second, he did not know he would be

2himself a candidate for presidency. At the time of his death, he had grand political
ambitions for the future. There is an infinite difference between a wise person who
chooses death with full awareness and a person who is attacked and killed in any other
way. As we know, many cult leaders are killed in this way.

Establishing An Independent Faith

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

1The founders of all four denominations produced a branch from the Christian Faith. They
used the authority of Jesus Christ to attract followers to their side. They have all
considered themselves Christians and have looked forward to the return of Jesus Christ.

Making Accurate Predictions

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No
There Is No Evidence That The Founder Of Any Of Those Denominations Has Made Any

1specific predictions that have come true. Jesus’ predictions will be examined later.

No Fear Of Danger

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

1It is very doubtful if any of the four figures could fairly claim no fear of danger. Yet, this
is difficult to judge. Here the best answer may be a question mark.

Speaking Without Pause Or
Change Of Mind

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

1It is doubtful if any one of the four figures could make and support such a claim.

Acknowledging And Glorifying
Previous Messengers

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

1Jesus acknowledged and glorified Moses and Hebrew Prophets.
Since the founders of these denominations are Christians, they have all glorified Jesus.
They used His authority to establish their church. It is doubtful they could have had any
success without this acknowledgment.

Refusing To Gain Personal Honor
And Fame

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

1It is hard to judge people’s motives. Many orthodox Christians attribute selfish motives to
the founders of the four denominations. An accurate judgment requires a detailed study of
their lives. Let me invite such a study by an impartial source. At this point, we should
give them the benefit of the doubt and pass no judgment about their motives.

Lack Of Education And
Lack Of Need For Human Knowledge

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

1All four figures acquired knowledge from available sources.

Fulfilling Prophecies

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

1I have seen no evidence that any of these figures has fulfilled any specific prophecies.

Speaking In A Unique
And Novel Language

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

1Jesus’ language has an indescribable, yet unique flavor. He did not imitate His
contemporaries. His language has served as a model for countless authors and speakers.

The Authority To Bestow
The Gift Of Grace

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

The Authority To Forgive Sin

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

The Authority To
Bestow Eternal Life

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

Manifesting Superhuman
Knowledge And Wisdom

1Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

Christ: Smith: Russell: White: Moon:

Yes No No No No

1Having Miraculous Powers,
but Refusing to Use Them as Evidence
Jesus Joseph Charles Ellen G. Sun Myung

1Why not use miracles as an evidence? To have any value, an evidence must pass two
requirements:
• It must be present at all times for everyone to see. No seeker of truth should enjoy an
advantage over others.

2ever live.
Bringing miracles into the picture directs the attention away from reason and evidence to
hearsay, suppositions, assumptions, personal desires, superstitions, illusions, and all
manner of false but untestable and unprovable claims. This is where cults have the upper
hand; that is the way they prosper. The followers attribute all kinds of supernatural
powers to their leaders. Gullible people, who lack critical thinking, believe what they
hear. That is how cult leaders manipulate people and make themselves look credible:
They know they are safe as long as they are not required to present testable and provable
evidence.
Even if someone produced a miracle, would it have any spiritual value? No, as our Lord
said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit” (John 3:6). Miracles are entertainment for the eye, not food for the soul.
We know for sure our Lord had supreme miraculous powers and sometimes used them to
heal people. What was His motive? Could it be anything other than to help those in pain
and suffering? Although the report of those miracles attracted huge crowds and impressed
the viewers the most, Jesus never singled them out as the evidence of His divine mission.
On the contrary, He repeatedly asked people to hide them. Why would a person hide an
act? So that he would not be identified by that act. Jesus’ efforts to hide His miracles in
itself point to His divine distinction and nobility: He refused to use the very evidence that
impressed the people the most and could work in His favor better than any other
evidence! Only the divine acts with such magnanimity; human beings behave in just the
opposite manner.

1This chapter further examines the difference between the divine and the human. It shows
how anyone with ambition can make himself a prophet by using the two untestable and
unprovable evidences: prophesying in the name of the Lord, and claiming miracles in the
name of the Lord. What kind of evidence did the founders of the four denominations with
an extra book produce?

1the plates? No one knows! Mr. Smith used both of the forbidden evidences to appear as
authentic: miracles and prophesying. According to The Encyclopaedia of Britannica:
Smith grew up in western New York at a time of intense religious revivalism…His
neighbors at Palmyra, N.Y., remembered him as a diviner [a person who engages in
prophesying or telling the future] who dug for buried treasure. One day in the woods,
at the age of 14, Joseph Smith experienced what he conceived to be an intense
spiritual revelation of God and Jesus Christ. In 1827 he claimed that an angel had
directed him to buried golden plates whose engraved surfaces contained a history of
the American Indians describing them as descendants of Hebrews who centuries
earlier had sailed to North America by way of the Pacific. This Book of Mormon he
translated from “reformed Egyptian” with the aid of special stones. Published in 1830,
the book was offered by him as scientific evidence of his divine calling. Most non-
Mormon scholars, however, regard the book as a collection of local legends of Indian
origin, fragments of autobiography, and current religious and political controversies
(especially that connected with the Anti-Masonic movement), all transformed with
remarkable ingenuity into a religious document.1
Joseph Smith claimed that in a vision he asked a heavenly being, “Which of all the sects
is right?” and “Which should I join?” This is the response he received about all Christian
denominations (called sects at that time):
…all their creeds were an abomination in his [God’s] sight; that those professors were

2evidence:
As the entire foundation of the new movement was based on the authenticity of the
gold plates, Smith’s closest associates (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin
Harris) began to press him for the privilege of seeing them. With that prodding Smith
received a revelation for them: “Ye shall testify that you have seen them, even as my
servant Joseph Smith, Jun., has seen them, for it is by my power that he has seen them,
and it is because he had faith.”3
Apparently the commandment that “Ye shall testify…” exerted its power. Smith’s
associates did as they were told; they served as his witnesses. They claimed:
…an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our
eyes…the plates…4
Joseph Smith not only claimed miracles but special gifts that even Jesus did not have:
I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been
able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the
whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that
no man ever did a work as I [emphasis added].5
Mr. Smith’s claim of being the only leader to create a unified church failed immediately
after his death:
Following Smith’s death, his followers split into many factions, the largest being those
who acknowledged Brigham Young as their prophet and who settled in the Great
Basin. The second largest segment of Mormons, including Joseph Smith’s widow
Emma, later emigrated to Missouri and became known as the Reorganized Church.
The remaining Mormons were split into a number of factions, each with a prophet
claiming God’s blessing.6

3Ellen G. White

4Ellen G. White claimed she received special knowledge in numerous visions. She also
used the two forbidden evidences to appear authentic: miracles and prophesying. “A
distinctive feature of Seventh-day Adventists is its reliance on the ‘spirit of prophecy’—
specifically coming through the visions of Ellen G. White.”7
Mrs. White has been criticized for plagiarism, especially claiming previously published
works of Christian authors as messages she received in her own visions:
Such “plagiarism” was not uncommon in the nineteenth century. But what some
Adventist leaders found particularly disturbing was that “she utilized the words of
prior authors in describing words she heard spoken while in vision. In a few
instances, she uses the writings of a 19th-century source in quoting the words of Christ
or of an angelic guide.” This concern threw a shadow over the very foundation of the
Seventh-day Adventists, but the highest officials of the church strongly defended their
founder/prophetess. “President Neal Wilson,” according to a Time magazine article,

5“holds to the position that a prophet’s thoughts can be divinely inspired even though
they are not original.” At the denomination’s General Conference in 1980, Mrs. White
was confirmed as a prophetess whose “writings are a continuing and authoritative
source of truth.”8

1miraculous powers and gifts, but made a daring prophecy. He said Christ would make a
visible Return in 1914:
Basing his judgment on complex biblical calculations, he preached from 1877 that
Christ’s “invisible return” had occurred in 1874 and that the end of the Gentile times
would come in 1914, followed by war between capitalism and communism or
socialism, after which God’s kingdom by Christ would rule the earth…Russell’s
movement survived the embarrassment caused by the apparent failure of his
apocalyptic prediction…9
Russell’s successor Joseph Rutherford also made predictions:
He downplayed the year 1874, in favor of 1914; he then focused on 1925 for “the
completion of all things.” Taking his cue from the Book of Revelation, he
reinterpreted the Battle of Armageddon, describing it as a universal war during which
time all people outside the Watch Tower organization would be destroyed. Only a
remnant of 144,000 would then go to heaven, and the remainder would spend eternity
on earth… “Many gave up their businesses, jobs, and even sold their homes in the
expectation that they would soon be living in an earthly paradise…Numerous Bible
Student farmers in both Canada and the United States refused to seed their spring
crops and mocked their co-religionists who did.”10
The Jehovah Witnesses learned a painful lesson: That prophesying in the name of the
Lord along with a date that will test the prophecy is unwise. In a 1968 issue of their
widely distributed magazine—Awake—they wrote:
True, there have been those in times past who predicted an “end to the world,” even
announcing a specific date. Some have gathered groups of people with them and fled
to the hills or withdrawn into their houses waiting for the end. Yet, nothing happened.
The “end” did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was
missing?
Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Missing from such people were God’s truths and the evidence that he was guiding and
using them.11
We also find this admission in their earlier publications:
There was a measure of disappointment…concerning the years 1914, 1918, and
1925…and they also learned to quit fixing dates.12

2We should note that Jehovah Witnesses, like many other Christians, continue to prophesy
in the name of the Lord, but refuse to set fixed dates.

1Sun Myung Moon, like many others, claimed visions to appear authentic. He also used
the two forbidden, untestable, and unprovable evidences to support his claim. According
to The Encyclopaedia of Britannica:
In his book The Divine Principle (1952), which is the basic scripture of the church,
Moon wrote that at the age of 16 he had a vision of Christ in which he was told to
carry out Christ’s unfinished task. Moon believed that God chose him to save mankind
from Satanism…13
Did Mr. Moon also make predictions?
Moon and His close associates, like so many other leaders of new religions, have not
been averse to setting dates. Young Oon Kim initially declared that 1967 would be
when the Millennium would begin…14
In his book, The Divine Principle, Mr. Moon predicts that Jesus Christ will return from
his native land, Korea:
Now we know…that Christ would not come again among the lineal descendants of
Abraham…the nation of the East where Christ will come again would be none other
than Korea…The Korean people will become the “Third Israel,” God’s elect.15
In all the examples presented, we see a common thread: The founders of all these
denominations resorted to untestable and unprovable evidence to establish themselves.
Consider the following incidence. It was reported recently in the news media that an
investment club of elderly ladies, grandmothers, had substantially outperformed the Dow
Jones Industrial Average. Their story soon captured the attention of the entire country
and beyond. The ladies appeared on countless TV shows and documentaries. They signed
a lucrative book contract and became instant celebrities. While this was going on, no one
checked the numbers, no one asked for testable and provable evidence. By “coincidence”
a reporter grew suspicious. When he checked the numbers, he found the story utterly
false. He discovered that the ladies had performed substantially below Dow Jones
Industrial Average, not above it! By then the ladies had made a fortune not on the Dow
Jones, but on gullible news media and the rest of us who trust the news media!
This is a classic example of how even a whole country can be deceived when testable and
provable standards are set aside. If this can happen in the stock market, where precise
numbers are involved, how much more it can happen in the market of belief systems,
where everything looks fuzzy.
The four examples provided clearly show that our Lord had perfect knowledge of the
events of our time. He knew how His followers would use His name, and how they would
take advantage of His authority to look authentic. This is the reason He issued this grave
warning:

2Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name..?
Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Christ (Matthew 7:22-23 NIV)
Many people are gullible; they believe whatever they are told. If someone shows love for
our Lord and looks sincere, they go out of their way to believe him, especially if he uses
the name of the Lord to guarantee his product. This abuse is not limited to the four
figures already introduced. The abuse is widespread and is found in every Christian
denomination. The four figures simply give us well-defined examples of the
consequences of disobeying our Lord. They clearly show us what happens when people
depend on two untestable and unprovable evidences:
• Prophesying with confidence—a knowledge no human being has.
• And claiming the gift of the supernatural: receiving visions, conversing with God,
having a private line to the Holy Spirit, and discovering golden plates in the earth
with special messages from heaven!
People who claim visions, miracles, and the gift of prophesying look very authentic until
we ask them for testable and provable evidence. Suppose someone claims to have
discovered thousands of ancient coins. Let us assume that he shows us a sample that
looks authentic. How can we be sure he is telling us the truth? Only by seeing many
samples of the coins. As we noted, Joseph Smith did not leave any sample of the buried
golden plates for impartial scientists to test. Why not?
How did the four figures, the authors of the extra books score? In comparison with Jesus,
they failed in all the critical areas. When we use testable and provable standards, we see
infinite contrast between the Speaker of the Gospel and the authors of those extra books.
We see them like little candles flickering against the bright light of the sun!
And how do those extra books compare with each other? We know the denominations
that regard them as authentic differ sharply in their teachings. The contents of their extra
books contradict each other radically.
We cannot deny that God in His infinite Wisdom bestows many gifts and honors on
human beings. Indeed St. Paul speaks of such gifts (I Corinthians 12:9-10). We know that
some people have dreams of the future. Several years before my mother passed away, I
was shown in a dream that the span of her life would be 86 years. The dream did come
true. But does this give me any status or authority? Suppose I also “healed” several
people. Does that make me a credible person? Never! Anyone who uses any gift to
establish himself as an authority, by his very action, shows pride and falls instantly from
grace.
Once again, the main source of confusion and chaos in religion is: using and accepting
untestable and unprovable claims as messages from God. Obedience to our Lord’s
instructions eradicates all the confusion and establishes order and clarity. Further, it
discourages ambitious people from starting new denominations.
Recently I met a young man who appeared to be a devout Christian. He began to
prophesy and describe how the Lord will come. When I told him that no one has
knowledge of the true meaning of prophecies, he replied, “How would the Lord who

3gives me the power to heal so many people let me make false predictions?” I found his
response a classic example of religious abuse. He represented precisely the kind of people
who have undermined the supreme dignity and honor of believing. He spoke for all
fanatical believers who have erased the clear line between religion and cult. In response I
told him, “That is exactly how cult leaders influence their followers. They begin their
careers by claiming miracles to make them look authentic. Gullible people then believe
everything they say.” This Christian who claimed miraculous powers could not use those
powers to produce a rational response to my simple objection! He appeared puzzled, and
did not know what to say. I assume others, instead of questioning him, had simply praised
him for his claims.
Do you know Steven Hill? According to a recent documentary shown on national TV, he
was formerly a heroin addict with a long criminal record. Then he decided to become an
evangelist and establish his own Church in Florida. He knew exactly what to do. He
knew what it takes to attract and mesmerize huge crowds. Today thousands seek his
presence.
We saw him on TV shouting to the crowd, “You need Jesus!” “You need Jesus.” He knew
how to use those magical words. Many sick people surrounded him to be healed from
their physical, mental, and spiritual maladies. He would touch their foreheads, and
command: “Down!” The sick and the disabled would fall instantly on their back into the
hands of supporters as if they were lifeless. There was such a stir in the air.
Mr. Hill makes two of the three popular claims others have made before him:
• That he heals the sick by the power of the Holy Spirit
• That he casts the devil out of the possessed in the name of Jesus
Another successful evangelist is Benny Hinn who claims that God speaks with him.
According to a documentary,16 he has millions of followers who offer him at least
million dollars a year. He also bases his claims on miracles.
How amazing is the power of these unproven claims if they are advanced by a
charismatic leader. When the authority of Jesus Christ is blended with Charisma and
showmanship, it produces magical, even miraculous effects. The two unproven claims
have given Mr. Hill such an authority that even kings may envy. He is being worshipped
as a prophet of God.
The context in which our Lord used the words “prophesy,” “miracles,” and “cast out
devils” tells us clearly how we should not use those gifts. He prefaces His
pronouncement by “Beware of false prophets.” Who is a false prophet? Anyone who
presents his own personal views or agendas as messages from Heaven. Who is a true
prophet? Anyone who brings an authentic message from God. Whatever a true prophet
teaches is the absolute truth. It is God’s Word.
Jesus Christ had many spiritual positions and honors. He was the Word of God by which
the universe was created. He was also a prophet. The Scripture calls Him a prophet like
Moses. We should never underestimate the word prophet. The message of a true prophet
is the Word of God, and the message of a false prophet is sheer falsehood and illusion.
The content in which our Lord spoke shows a clear link between the three claims of

4“performing miracles,” “prophesying,” and “casting out devils,” on the one hand, and
using those claims to appear an authentic prophet from God, on the other.
If a person, in a spirit of humility, makes an innocent prediction, such as “The moral state
of the world will decline,” there is nothing wrong with this. But if he abandons the spirit
of humility and ventures to make critical and specific prophecies—such as specifying the
way our Lord will come—and then blends his authority as a leader or scholar and
believer with the authority of the Lord as if he really knows what the Lord meant, as if
he has received messages from the Holy Spirit, he should be considered a false prophet.
The evidence against such a “prophet” multiplies, if he uses his predictions as a means of
gaining status or establishing a denomination. As we noted, the authority to interpret the
prophecies or making predictions is given to no one except to the Lord Himself. The
same is true with using miracles and visions to look authentic and then engage in
prophesying.
Predictions can be made in two ways:
• Under one’s own authority
• Under God’s authority, by bringing Him into the court as a sure witness to
predictions
The first is innocent and will have little if any consequences. The second, if presented as
the only version of truth, is extremely serious and has the gravest consequences. Note
Jesus’ statement, “Many will say, ‘Did I not prophesy in your name…’“ Jesus does not
condemn all predictions. He condemns only those who use divine authority, the authority
of the Lord to look authentic in their predictions. And He makes that statement in the
context of recognizing false prophets. The only way anyone can do this—prophesying in
the Lord’s name—is to claim true knowledge of the inner meanings of the Lord’s
prophecies. This was the illusion the Jews had—and still have—and it is the illusion
many Christians of this age have. The consequences of this illusion are as devastating and
deadly today as they were 2,000 years ago. The same actions have exactly the same
consequences.
Many people fear being deceived. They act as if they are buying a used car from a
disreputable dealer! But can we blame them? They hear every stone in the mountains of
belief systems shout, “Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!” The need for self-protection leads
them to natural reactions: fight or flight. Most people choose flight; it is a lot safer and
easier! As a result of widespread abuse of religion and rampant fraud, many people run
away from a new message as if they have seen a snake or a lion:
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to
you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and
a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and
a serpent bit him! Amos 5:18-19 NKJ
People run away, yet there is no rational reason for their fears. We compared Jesus Christ
with the seemingly four best candidates that the last two centuries have produced. We
compared Him with the most successful and persuasive leaders, those who could move
masses of people to their sides to establish new denominations. But when we applied a
set of objective standards to them, they all failed miserably. If the differences are so clear

5in every case, why have people so much fear of being deceived? Why run away? The
difference between a true Redeemer sent by God and a deceiver is like the difference
between the sun and a flickering candle.
Try to search for the most distinguished figure in the entire history of the Christian Faith
and compare him with Jesus Christ by applying the 19 standards presented here. You will
find that he fails and falls short miserably. Take any of the Popes—past or present—and
the best known and most highly respected Protestant leader of our time—reverend Billy
Graham—and compare them with Jesus Christ, according to those objective standards,
and behold the infinite gap that separates the divine from the human.
As long as we use God’s standards, we should have no fear. The reason is this: Anyone
who falsely claims to be the Lord is either crazy, evil, or both. If he is crazy, the fruits of
his life will betray him. They will show that he is even less coherent and capable than any
ordinary human being. Can you picture an insane or mentally disturbed person? If you
cannot, just visit the psychiatric ward of a hospital! A mentally disturbed person cannot
take care of himself ; let alone guide others. Any intelligent person with any degree of
common sense will see the signs of disturbance written plainly everywhere. Of course, if
someone closes his eyes, then that is his problem. Millions of people walk through life
with “drunk eyes” all the time! That is how cults prosper.
Similarly, if the person who makes a claim is evil, or evil and insane, once again the fruits
of his life will betray him. Anyone with a sound mind, who falsely claims to be the Lord
must be infinitely deceptive and evil. It is hard to imagine a lie bigger and more
destructive than this. Such an infinitely evil person cannot hide himself. The enormity of
his lie and the infinite requirements for being the Lord leave no room for mistake. The
gap between the divine and the deceptive is so vast any thoughtful person will instantly
recognize it. A mere glance at the lives of the deceivers will betray them. We do not even
need to look for other signs. We do not need to see if they have fulfilled any prophecies
or made any accurate predictions. We will see in their lives the many signs of deception
and selfishness.
If the gap between a true Christ and a false Christ is so vast, why did our Lord say,
“Beware of false prophets”? At the end of His pronouncement, Jesus gave clear and
specific ways of knowing false prophets. What are the signs He gave? These three:
• Prophesying in the name of Jesus
• Claiming control over demonic powers in the name of Jesus
• Performing miracles in the name of Jesus
By false prophet our Lord did not refer specifically to anyone who claims the station of
the Lord. He rather referred to Christian leaders, teachers, and scholars who prevent
Christians from recognizing the Lord at His return. They are not the ones who claim to be
the Lord but use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to make predictions. People take their
personal interpretation as the truth, as if they are coming from the Lord Himself. The
predictors occupy positions of honor that only the Lord can claim. They are totally
fallible leaders and authors, yet are considered by lay people as infallible or authoritative.
Christians give them the kind of reverence that only the Lord deserves. Many high
ranking religious leaders, who carry a variety of religious titles, are treated this way.

6The most specific sign of a false prophet is false prophecy. Among the signs of false
prophets, which one is most common? Prophesying in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is both easy and tempting to become a predictor as long as there will be no
testing. Even a child can engage in making predictions. It is hard to find any Christian
who does not engage in the pleasure and pastime of prophesying! Have you met any
Bible teacher who said, “Prophecies are hard to understand. I really don’t know if Jesus
will come from the sky with fire to burn millions of people, or if He will come like a thief
as He came the first time.” The temptation to prophesy is extremely powerful, especially
if the predictor can use the name of Jesus Christ to support His claim. And it is absolutely
safe—untestable and unprovable—as long as the one who prophesies is not foolish
enough to set a date that would fall within his or her life span!
What happens when these false prophets are reminded that they have no right to
prophesy? In response they say, “I am not prophesying. I am simply repeating what the
Lord says. Jesus spoke in plain language. How can we deny what the Lord Himself
predicts?” But that is exactly the way the Jews reasoned. The prophecies about the
coming of “a ruler” or a “king like David” were spoken in plain language. Yet Jewish
leaders and scholars, who like today’s Christians prophesied in the name of Jehovah,
failed miserably in all their predictions. Are not the following prophecies in “plain”
language?
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon
His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJ
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His
name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord
God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:31-33 NKJ
The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your
throne the fruit of your body.” Psalms 132:11 NKJ
The following statement from Dr. James Kennedy, quoted earlier, teaches a lesson of
humility to anyone who dares to prophesy in the name of the Lord:
The great Princeton theologian of the last century, Dr. Charles Hodge, said…that
though the Old Testament is filled with some 333 prophecies concerning
the first coming of Christ; in spite of that…they crucified Christ because of a
misunderstanding about what the Messiah was really coming to do. And we should
because of that be somewhat humbled and modest in our attempts to interpret
prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ. It is quite possible that all of us
[Christian leaders] are wrong as well.17
Can anyone know the future, even if he or she uses the Lord’s name? Only God has such
knowledge. What does this imply? It implies this: Anyone who tries to prophesy is a false
prophet. Thus by “false prophets” who deceive people, our Lord does not refer to
outsiders who come and establish a new independent Faith. By the evidence presented
here, no one has ever dared to call himself the Lord, let alone establish a faith based on

7that claim. There is no justification for such a fear. God will not allow a rotten tree to
grow and endure in His name.
Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
Matthew 13:15 NKJ
Thus all the fears Christians have for being deceived by someone who claims to be the
Lord are unjustified, because no sane person with any sense of decency can consider even
the thought of being the Lord, let alone claim it and promote it. As we noted, none of our
four candidates, who established significant denominations, made such a claim. Do you
know anyone who has claimed to be the Lord and has also established an independent
religion?
Let us summarize the prime points of this chapter:
• The warning to fear false prophets is not directed at anyone who calls Himself the
Lord and establishes an independent faith. Several reasons were presented to show
that no sane person even dares to call himself the Lord, let alone establish a false
faith under that title. We noted that none of the four candidates has made such a
claim. Even if one of them did, he would fail utterly in comparison with Jesus.
• Similarly, the warning is not directed at cults. Any person with any degree of sanity
can recognize the evil fruits of cults, such as brain washing, isolation, control of
people’s wealth, deception, violence, fraud, sexual abuse, etc.
• The warning does not apply to outsiders, but to Christian leaders who appear in the
guise of Christianity and use our Lord’s authority to claim various positions of
honor for themselves. They use His name to appear authentic. How can we
recognize them? By these signs:
• Prophesying in the name of the Lord and telling people that their
understanding of prophecies is correct.
• Claiming miraculous powers and engaging in supernatural acts to appear
authentic.
• Today, prophesying in the name of the Lord has reached epidemic proportions and
can serve as the greatest obstacle to the recognition of Jesus Christ at His second
Coming.
The realization of the preceding facts should reduce the size of the mountain of confusion
to virtually nothing:
• We can easily remove cults from the mountain of “pebbles.”
• We can remove Christian denominations from our pile. For as long as a person
obeys the Lord, it does not really matter what denomination he or she follows.
• The true test of being a Christian is obedience. Anyone who uses the standard of
works, also called the ingredients of the Bread of Life, or the 19 wondrous fruits
of heaven, identified and described in this book, need not have any fear of being
deceived. That is God’s promise. Anyone who disobeys our Lord and builds his
house on “prophesying” and on miracles must live in constant fear.

8• We should not close the door to the possibility that our Lord will return again as a
humble man as He did the first time. If someone fulfilled all those 19 signs to the
fullest, should we deny him? If we do, what is the difference between us and the
Jews who denied our Lord in His first Advent?

1Sun Myung Moon, like many others, claimed visions to appear authentic. He also used
the two forbidden, untestable, and unprovable evidences to support his claim. According
to The Encyclopaedia of Britannica:
In his book The Divine Principle (1952), which is the basic scripture of the church,
Moon wrote that at the age of 16 he had a vision of Christ in which he was told to
carry out Christ’s unfinished task. Moon believed that God chose him to save mankind
from Satanism…13
Did Mr. Moon also make predictions?
Moon and His close associates, like so many other leaders of new religions, have not
been averse to setting dates. Young Oon Kim initially declared that 1967 would be
when the Millennium would begin…14
In his book, The Divine Principle, Mr. Moon predicts that Jesus Christ will return from
his native land, Korea:
Now we know…that Christ would not come again among the lineal descendants of
Abraham…the nation of the East where Christ will come again would be none other
than Korea…The Korean people will become the “Third Israel,” God’s elect.15
In all the examples presented, we see a common thread: The founders of all these
denominations resorted to untestable and unprovable evidence to establish themselves.
Consider the following incidence. It was reported recently in the news media that an
investment club of elderly ladies, grandmothers, had substantially outperformed the Dow
Jones Industrial Average. Their story soon captured the attention of the entire country
and beyond. The ladies appeared on countless TV shows and documentaries. They signed
a lucrative book contract and became instant celebrities. While this was going on, no one
checked the numbers, no one asked for testable and provable evidence. By “coincidence”
a reporter grew suspicious. When he checked the numbers, he found the story utterly
false. He discovered that the ladies had performed substantially below Dow Jones
Industrial Average, not above it! By then the ladies had made a fortune not on the Dow
Jones, but on gullible news media and the rest of us who trust the news media!
This is a classic example of how even a whole country can be deceived when testable and
provable standards are set aside. If this can happen in the stock market, where precise
numbers are involved, how much more it can happen in the market of belief systems,
where everything looks fuzzy.
The four examples provided clearly show that our Lord had perfect knowledge of the
events of our time. He knew how His followers would use His name, and how they would
take advantage of His authority to look authentic. This is the reason He issued this grave
warning:

2Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name..?
Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Christ (Matthew 7:22-23 NIV)
Many people are gullible; they believe whatever they are told. If someone shows love for
our Lord and looks sincere, they go out of their way to believe him, especially if he uses
the name of the Lord to guarantee his product. This abuse is not limited to the four
figures already introduced. The abuse is widespread and is found in every Christian
denomination. The four figures simply give us well-defined examples of the
consequences of disobeying our Lord. They clearly show us what happens when people
depend on two untestable and unprovable evidences:
• Prophesying with confidence—a knowledge no human being has.
• And claiming the gift of the supernatural: receiving visions, conversing with God,
having a private line to the Holy Spirit, and discovering golden plates in the earth
with special messages from heaven!
People who claim visions, miracles, and the gift of prophesying look very authentic until
we ask them for testable and provable evidence. Suppose someone claims to have
discovered thousands of ancient coins. Let us assume that he shows us a sample that
looks authentic. How can we be sure he is telling us the truth? Only by seeing many
samples of the coins. As we noted, Joseph Smith did not leave any sample of the buried
golden plates for impartial scientists to test. Why not?
How did the four figures, the authors of the extra books score? In comparison with Jesus,
they failed in all the critical areas. When we use testable and provable standards, we see
infinite contrast between the Speaker of the Gospel and the authors of those extra books.
We see them like little candles flickering against the bright light of the sun!
And how do those extra books compare with each other? We know the denominations
that regard them as authentic differ sharply in their teachings. The contents of their extra
books contradict each other radically.
We cannot deny that God in His infinite Wisdom bestows many gifts and honors on
human beings. Indeed St. Paul speaks of such gifts (I Corinthians 12:9-10). We know that
some people have dreams of the future. Several years before my mother passed away, I
was shown in a dream that the span of her life would be 86 years. The dream did come
true. But does this give me any status or authority? Suppose I also “healed” several
people. Does that make me a credible person? Never! Anyone who uses any gift to
establish himself as an authority, by his very action, shows pride and falls instantly from
grace.
Once again, the main source of confusion and chaos in religion is: using and accepting
untestable and unprovable claims as messages from God. Obedience to our Lord’s
instructions eradicates all the confusion and establishes order and clarity. Further, it
discourages ambitious people from starting new denominations.
Recently I met a young man who appeared to be a devout Christian. He began to
prophesy and describe how the Lord will come. When I told him that no one has
knowledge of the true meaning of prophecies, he replied, “How would the Lord who

3gives me the power to heal so many people let me make false predictions?” I found his
response a classic example of religious abuse. He represented precisely the kind of people
who have undermined the supreme dignity and honor of believing. He spoke for all
fanatical believers who have erased the clear line between religion and cult. In response I
told him, “That is exactly how cult leaders influence their followers. They begin their
careers by claiming miracles to make them look authentic. Gullible people then believe
everything they say.” This Christian who claimed miraculous powers could not use those
powers to produce a rational response to my simple objection! He appeared puzzled, and
did not know what to say. I assume others, instead of questioning him, had simply praised
him for his claims.
Do you know Steven Hill? According to a recent documentary shown on national TV, he
was formerly a heroin addict with a long criminal record. Then he decided to become an
evangelist and establish his own Church in Florida. He knew exactly what to do. He
knew what it takes to attract and mesmerize huge crowds. Today thousands seek his
presence.
We saw him on TV shouting to the crowd, “You need Jesus!” “You need Jesus.” He knew
how to use those magical words. Many sick people surrounded him to be healed from
their physical, mental, and spiritual maladies. He would touch their foreheads, and
command: “Down!” The sick and the disabled would fall instantly on their back into the
hands of supporters as if they were lifeless. There was such a stir in the air.
Mr. Hill makes two of the three popular claims others have made before him:
• That he heals the sick by the power of the Holy Spirit
• That he casts the devil out of the possessed in the name of Jesus
Another successful evangelist is Benny Hinn who claims that God speaks with him.
According to a documentary,16 he has millions of followers who offer him at least
million dollars a year. He also bases his claims on miracles.
How amazing is the power of these unproven claims if they are advanced by a
charismatic leader. When the authority of Jesus Christ is blended with Charisma and
showmanship, it produces magical, even miraculous effects. The two unproven claims
have given Mr. Hill such an authority that even kings may envy. He is being worshipped
as a prophet of God.
The context in which our Lord used the words “prophesy,” “miracles,” and “cast out
devils” tells us clearly how we should not use those gifts. He prefaces His
pronouncement by “Beware of false prophets.” Who is a false prophet? Anyone who
presents his own personal views or agendas as messages from Heaven. Who is a true
prophet? Anyone who brings an authentic message from God. Whatever a true prophet
teaches is the absolute truth. It is God’s Word.
Jesus Christ had many spiritual positions and honors. He was the Word of God by which
the universe was created. He was also a prophet. The Scripture calls Him a prophet like
Moses. We should never underestimate the word prophet. The message of a true prophet
is the Word of God, and the message of a false prophet is sheer falsehood and illusion.
The content in which our Lord spoke shows a clear link between the three claims of

4“performing miracles,” “prophesying,” and “casting out devils,” on the one hand, and
using those claims to appear an authentic prophet from God, on the other.
If a person, in a spirit of humility, makes an innocent prediction, such as “The moral state
of the world will decline,” there is nothing wrong with this. But if he abandons the spirit
of humility and ventures to make critical and specific prophecies—such as specifying the
way our Lord will come—and then blends his authority as a leader or scholar and
believer with the authority of the Lord as if he really knows what the Lord meant, as if
he has received messages from the Holy Spirit, he should be considered a false prophet.
The evidence against such a “prophet” multiplies, if he uses his predictions as a means of
gaining status or establishing a denomination. As we noted, the authority to interpret the
prophecies or making predictions is given to no one except to the Lord Himself. The
same is true with using miracles and visions to look authentic and then engage in
prophesying.
Predictions can be made in two ways:
• Under one’s own authority
• Under God’s authority, by bringing Him into the court as a sure witness to
predictions
The first is innocent and will have little if any consequences. The second, if presented as
the only version of truth, is extremely serious and has the gravest consequences. Note
Jesus’ statement, “Many will say, ‘Did I not prophesy in your name…’“ Jesus does not
condemn all predictions. He condemns only those who use divine authority, the authority
of the Lord to look authentic in their predictions. And He makes that statement in the
context of recognizing false prophets. The only way anyone can do this—prophesying in
the Lord’s name—is to claim true knowledge of the inner meanings of the Lord’s
prophecies. This was the illusion the Jews had—and still have—and it is the illusion
many Christians of this age have. The consequences of this illusion are as devastating and
deadly today as they were 2,000 years ago. The same actions have exactly the same
consequences.
Many people fear being deceived. They act as if they are buying a used car from a
disreputable dealer! But can we blame them? They hear every stone in the mountains of
belief systems shout, “Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!” The need for self-protection leads
them to natural reactions: fight or flight. Most people choose flight; it is a lot safer and
easier! As a result of widespread abuse of religion and rampant fraud, many people run
away from a new message as if they have seen a snake or a lion:
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to
you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and
a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and
a serpent bit him! Amos 5:18-19 NKJ
People run away, yet there is no rational reason for their fears. We compared Jesus Christ
with the seemingly four best candidates that the last two centuries have produced. We
compared Him with the most successful and persuasive leaders, those who could move
masses of people to their sides to establish new denominations. But when we applied a
set of objective standards to them, they all failed miserably. If the differences are so clear

5in every case, why have people so much fear of being deceived? Why run away? The
difference between a true Redeemer sent by God and a deceiver is like the difference
between the sun and a flickering candle.
Try to search for the most distinguished figure in the entire history of the Christian Faith
and compare him with Jesus Christ by applying the 19 standards presented here. You will
find that he fails and falls short miserably. Take any of the Popes—past or present—and
the best known and most highly respected Protestant leader of our time—reverend Billy
Graham—and compare them with Jesus Christ, according to those objective standards,
and behold the infinite gap that separates the divine from the human.
As long as we use God’s standards, we should have no fear. The reason is this: Anyone
who falsely claims to be the Lord is either crazy, evil, or both. If he is crazy, the fruits of
his life will betray him. They will show that he is even less coherent and capable than any
ordinary human being. Can you picture an insane or mentally disturbed person? If you
cannot, just visit the psychiatric ward of a hospital! A mentally disturbed person cannot
take care of himself ; let alone guide others. Any intelligent person with any degree of
common sense will see the signs of disturbance written plainly everywhere. Of course, if
someone closes his eyes, then that is his problem. Millions of people walk through life
with “drunk eyes” all the time! That is how cults prosper.
Similarly, if the person who makes a claim is evil, or evil and insane, once again the fruits
of his life will betray him. Anyone with a sound mind, who falsely claims to be the Lord
must be infinitely deceptive and evil. It is hard to imagine a lie bigger and more
destructive than this. Such an infinitely evil person cannot hide himself. The enormity of
his lie and the infinite requirements for being the Lord leave no room for mistake. The
gap between the divine and the deceptive is so vast any thoughtful person will instantly
recognize it. A mere glance at the lives of the deceivers will betray them. We do not even
need to look for other signs. We do not need to see if they have fulfilled any prophecies
or made any accurate predictions. We will see in their lives the many signs of deception
and selfishness.
If the gap between a true Christ and a false Christ is so vast, why did our Lord say,
“Beware of false prophets”? At the end of His pronouncement, Jesus gave clear and
specific ways of knowing false prophets. What are the signs He gave? These three:
• Prophesying in the name of Jesus
• Claiming control over demonic powers in the name of Jesus
• Performing miracles in the name of Jesus
By false prophet our Lord did not refer specifically to anyone who claims the station of
the Lord. He rather referred to Christian leaders, teachers, and scholars who prevent
Christians from recognizing the Lord at His return. They are not the ones who claim to be
the Lord but use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to make predictions. People take their
personal interpretation as the truth, as if they are coming from the Lord Himself. The
predictors occupy positions of honor that only the Lord can claim. They are totally
fallible leaders and authors, yet are considered by lay people as infallible or authoritative.
Christians give them the kind of reverence that only the Lord deserves. Many high
ranking religious leaders, who carry a variety of religious titles, are treated this way.

6The most specific sign of a false prophet is false prophecy. Among the signs of false
prophets, which one is most common? Prophesying in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is both easy and tempting to become a predictor as long as there will be no
testing. Even a child can engage in making predictions. It is hard to find any Christian
who does not engage in the pleasure and pastime of prophesying! Have you met any
Bible teacher who said, “Prophecies are hard to understand. I really don’t know if Jesus
will come from the sky with fire to burn millions of people, or if He will come like a thief
as He came the first time.” The temptation to prophesy is extremely powerful, especially
if the predictor can use the name of Jesus Christ to support His claim. And it is absolutely
safe—untestable and unprovable—as long as the one who prophesies is not foolish
enough to set a date that would fall within his or her life span!
What happens when these false prophets are reminded that they have no right to
prophesy? In response they say, “I am not prophesying. I am simply repeating what the
Lord says. Jesus spoke in plain language. How can we deny what the Lord Himself
predicts?” But that is exactly the way the Jews reasoned. The prophecies about the
coming of “a ruler” or a “king like David” were spoken in plain language. Yet Jewish
leaders and scholars, who like today’s Christians prophesied in the name of Jehovah,
failed miserably in all their predictions. Are not the following prophecies in “plain”
language?
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon
His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJ
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His
name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord
God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:31-33 NKJ
The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your
throne the fruit of your body.” Psalms 132:11 NKJ
The following statement from Dr. James Kennedy, quoted earlier, teaches a lesson of
humility to anyone who dares to prophesy in the name of the Lord:
The great Princeton theologian of the last century, Dr. Charles Hodge, said…that
though the Old Testament is filled with some 333 prophecies concerning
the first coming of Christ; in spite of that…they crucified Christ because of a
misunderstanding about what the Messiah was really coming to do. And we should
because of that be somewhat humbled and modest in our attempts to interpret
prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ. It is quite possible that all of us
[Christian leaders] are wrong as well.17
Can anyone know the future, even if he or she uses the Lord’s name? Only God has such
knowledge. What does this imply? It implies this: Anyone who tries to prophesy is a false
prophet. Thus by “false prophets” who deceive people, our Lord does not refer to
outsiders who come and establish a new independent Faith. By the evidence presented
here, no one has ever dared to call himself the Lord, let alone establish a faith based on

7that claim. There is no justification for such a fear. God will not allow a rotten tree to
grow and endure in His name.
Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
Matthew 13:15 NKJ
Thus all the fears Christians have for being deceived by someone who claims to be the
Lord are unjustified, because no sane person with any sense of decency can consider even
the thought of being the Lord, let alone claim it and promote it. As we noted, none of our
four candidates, who established significant denominations, made such a claim. Do you
know anyone who has claimed to be the Lord and has also established an independent
religion?
Let us summarize the prime points of this chapter:
• The warning to fear false prophets is not directed at anyone who calls Himself the
Lord and establishes an independent faith. Several reasons were presented to show
that no sane person even dares to call himself the Lord, let alone establish a false
faith under that title. We noted that none of the four candidates has made such a
claim. Even if one of them did, he would fail utterly in comparison with Jesus.
• Similarly, the warning is not directed at cults. Any person with any degree of sanity
can recognize the evil fruits of cults, such as brain washing, isolation, control of
people’s wealth, deception, violence, fraud, sexual abuse, etc.
• The warning does not apply to outsiders, but to Christian leaders who appear in the
guise of Christianity and use our Lord’s authority to claim various positions of
honor for themselves. They use His name to appear authentic. How can we
recognize them? By these signs:
• Prophesying in the name of the Lord and telling people that their
understanding of prophecies is correct.
• Claiming miraculous powers and engaging in supernatural acts to appear
authentic.
• Today, prophesying in the name of the Lord has reached epidemic proportions and
can serve as the greatest obstacle to the recognition of Jesus Christ at His second
Coming.
The realization of the preceding facts should reduce the size of the mountain of confusion
to virtually nothing:
• We can easily remove cults from the mountain of “pebbles.”
• We can remove Christian denominations from our pile. For as long as a person
obeys the Lord, it does not really matter what denomination he or she follows.
• The true test of being a Christian is obedience. Anyone who uses the standard of
works, also called the ingredients of the Bread of Life, or the 19 wondrous fruits
of heaven, identified and described in this book, need not have any fear of being
deceived. That is God’s promise. Anyone who disobeys our Lord and builds his
house on “prophesying” and on miracles must live in constant fear.

8• We should not close the door to the possibility that our Lord will return again as a
humble man as He did the first time. If someone fulfilled all those 19 signs to the
fullest, should we deny him? If we do, what is the difference between us and the
Jews who denied our Lord in His first Advent?