All Articles For Revelation

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. But that which ye have … hold fast till I come. Revelation 2:25 The “Declaration of Principles” was adopted by the Synod of 1950 with what appeared to be a unanimous vote (later one person claimed to have dissented). This adoption was not final. First it was sent for evaluation to the churches; but its reception there was hardly the same. My friends and I, having witnessed the vote of Synod, spent several weeks traveling from Hull to the West coast. On the way we reflected often on...

Rev. Hanko is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.  A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord rendering recompense to his enemies.  Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.  Who hath heard such a thing? who...

Prof. Dykstra is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. God’s covenant is established with believers and their children. This truth is not only the heart of Reformed doctrine and a great comfort to believing parents, it is also the basis of Reformed, Christian education. That God establishes His covenant with believers and their seed means that children are in God’s covenant. Reformed believers confess with the Heidelberg Catechism in Lord’s Day 27 that infants, “as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church of God.” This promise of God profoundly affects...

Mr. Dykstra is a member of Faith PRC, Jenison, MI. The title of this article might seem absurd at first glance. The fact is, however, it is not as absurd as it looks. Jesus’ name is, listed in the genealogies recorded in both Matthew 1 and Luke 3. The genealogy inMatthew 1 traces the royal line of David through Solomon to the birth of Jesus. The genealogy recorded in Luke 3begins with Jesus and traces the genealogy back through Nathan to David. Jesus’ name is recorded in both genealogies. This is important to note, and we will come back to this later. As is evident,...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. When in the early history of the new dispensation church God was pleased to bring the gospel to Europe, the continent was overrun with many different barbarian tribes which were in darkest paganism and were constantly on the move. They were uncivilized, warlike, worshipers of idols, and perpetually fighting with each other. They were a threat to the Roman Empire and finally destroyed the empire in the West in the fifth century. All the institutions of society in the Roman world were destroyed—except for the...

Rev. Lubbers is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward.  I Timothy 5:17, 18 Compare the following Scripture references: Philippians 2:29; Acts 28:10; Deuteronomy 28:29; I Corinthians 9:9; Leviticus 19:13;Deuteronomy 24:14; Matthew 10:10. Some observations on the text and context: 1. It might seem that Paul is digressing from the central theme of chapters 4 and 5. However, when we look...

Nonsensical, Simplistic, Paranoid, Theologically Biased, Rationalistic Re “The Date is 1924” (Standard Bearer, May 15), I find it both distressing and annoying that the editor does the very thing for which he castigates other churches. It is ludicrous to suggest that there is one single date that accounts for all the woes of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). I wish to God that the Protestant Reformed (PRC), Canadian Reformed, and others would stop this nonsense. I wish they would cease being so myopic and realize that church history is far more complicated than suggested by this editorial. Not every thing...

Self-Esteem in the Lord Enclosed is a short poem I recently wrote in response to the many ideas I have encountered concerning “self-esteem.” It seems to me that this subject, which has become so explicit, is so much an implicitly inherent quality of every child of God, that it would be very interesting to have a large number of your readers submit written expressions of their personal experiences of “self-esteem” in the Lord. As I wrote my poem, it seemed that there were endless scriptural passages that flashed across my mind in this connection, and that God’s promises to His...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction The church of Jesus Christ, while in the world, is always in persecution. It is her lot in this life to suffer for righteousness’ sake. We ought not be surprised by this, for the Scriptures speak of it in countless places; and what Paul told the churches he organized on his first missionary journey is true for all time: “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This incessant persecution has produced a list of heroes of faith, saints,...

Rev. VanBaren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. We will be studying, D.V., the short epistle to the Philippians in following articles. In preparation for that study, we should obtain certain background information. For this particular study, read Acts 16:6-40and Acts 20:6. The questions at the end of the article will treat especially these passages. The Apostle Paul with Timothy and Silas went to Philippi on his second missionary journey about A.D. 52. Philippi had not been their intended destination. First, Paul and Silas visited those churches established in the first missionary journey. After leaving the area of...