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5-22-06
STUDY SUPPLEMENTfor the “Projection for Survival”
Power Point Showby Leon Bates
PP ShowLeon’s CommentsSuggested QuestionsSuggested Answers
Page #(in Green)for discussion (in red).for discussion(in Black)
1- 4These first few pages are not designed to be shown as part of the Power Point Show. They are information pages for the viewer or teacher for preparation inpresenting the show to a group or class.
Teachers: You can use many more Scriptures and questions for discussion in your classes. Those in this “Study Supplement” are just to help you get started.Questions make people think. It has been said, “We can’t think without learning and we can’t learn without thinking.” Christ often answered questions - with a question to get people to think. As a good teacher, I’m sure you want people’s minds open to the Holy Spirit’s teaching. I hope you will use lots of questions for class participation and the most effective learning. This Study Supplement is available off our web site in both PDF and Word formats. If you get the WORD format you can easily add your own questions, comments and Scriptures, then print it all out for your use. Leon
(P.S. Teacher, be aware… I have inserted some “tricky” questions to help challenge people to think.)
Section One… “Eternity Past to the Cross”
9.No one knows when newspaper headlines will blaze the message about Multitudes Missing. It may be interesting to read the “theories” about WHY so many people, babies and children have suddenly disappeared.
What are some of the “theories” you think the remaining people will suggest happened?
Perhaps some will say “UFO’s or Aliens came and got them.” Perhaps some will say it is the Biblical prophecy referred to by “religious fanatics” as the “Rapture.” It will be especially interesting to note how many “Religious Leaders, Pastors and other clergy” are NOT among the missing. In some cases, most of the congregation members of various churches will be GONE. In other cases, most of the congregation members of some churches will be LEFT.
Why do you think some churches will be nearly empty while others will be nearly full after the Rapture?
It all depends on whether or not they preached and taught the truths of Scriptures and whether or not the majority of the people believed those truths and trusted Christ 100% as their personal Savior.
In any case, this event will bring perplexity, confusion, chaos, panic, disasters, even anarchy and lawlessness world wide. Just look at what happened in New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina in Sept. 2005.
What are some of the things YOU can imagine will happen when the Rapture occurs?
10.Leon’s Comments: I commissioned artist Charles Anderson to paint this “Rapture Picture” in 1974. Shown in the center foreground is a yellow, 1969 Chevy Suburban which was ourvehicle at the time. We tried to keep it until the Rapture. However, after 300,000 miles, it became too difficult to get parts, so they traded it for a new vehicle. When preaching, I often said, when the Rapture occurs, God is not going to say, “OK, Leon, it’s time to go. Park your car on the side of the road.” 1stCor. 15: 51, 52 says this event is going to happen in the “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” So, it’s just logical that pandemonium will happen on the highways. We’ll see more about this later in the show with more detailed pictures and discussion.
11.First, let’s see a “bird’s eye view” or overall BIG picture of God’s Plan of the Ages. It shows TIME as we know it on earth from… Eternity Past to Eternity Future.
How many of YOU believe the Bible is God’s Word?
WHY do YOU believe the Bible is God’s Word? If someone asked you for a reasonWHY, what would you tell them?
Over the years during my 20 year career in Electronic work, engineers (who were trained to think logically) would often ask, “Leon, why do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?” I replied, “The amazing HARMONY of the Bible is an undeniable proof. The Bible is not just one book, but 66 books, written by 40 human writers over 1500 years time, in three different languages, by men who for the most part, did not know each other or what each other were writing. Yet, when you study it, it all fits together like a hand in a glove in perfect harmony. How could that happen? Only one answer. It has to be the Word of God, written by 40 human writers but only ONE author, the Holy Spirit, who directed those 40 human writers as claimed in 2ndPeter 1:20, 21. The mathematical probability of this happening by chance would be astronomical. So… the amazing HARMONY of the Bible is a most meaningful proof that the Bible is the very Word of God.” The logically thinking engineers agreed, “That is indeed very strong logical evidence!”
In addition to the amazing HARMONY of the Bible, what other evidences do we have proving the Bible to be the Word of God?
1. Fulfilled Prophecy such as the virgin birth of Christ (Isa. 7:14).
2. Christ’s suffering and death (Isa. 52:3-10).
3. The scattering and regathering of Israel (Ezek. 36:16-38).
4. Historical Evidence such as archeological discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls.
5. Geological Evidence such as from a Universal Flood, (sea fossils found in desert areas far
away from the oceans) and…
6. Millions of changed lives by faith alone in Christ.
The “Bible Map – God’s Plan of the Ages” chart shows the overall UNITY and HARMONY of the Bible. It shows how the Old Testament (Creation to the Cross) ties in with the New Testament (Cross to Eternity Future) and how it all meshes together revealing God’s overall plan for mankind, past, present and future on earth.
12.In the Scofield Bible Reference Notes (at Gen. 1:28), a “Dispensation” is defined as “a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.”
There are SEVEN “Dispensations” or ages of time in the outworking of God’s overall eternal purpose. For identity, they are often named, Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Law, Grace and Kingdom.
13.Notice the cycle that distinguishes these ages or dispensations. In each age, man is given a specific test or RESPONSIBILITY.
14.In each of the seven ages, the majority of the people DISOBEY God and each ends in the FAILURE of obeying the specific responsibility given to them in that age.
15.In each age, the dispensational FAILURE ends in divine JUDGMENT.
During this study, we’ll see take a closer look at this cycle of Responsibility, Failure and Judgment in each of these ages. Evidences of the first five past judgments remain in the world today. That is another proof that the Bible is the Word of God.
16.The end conclusion and overall revelation of the seven tests show that man is utterly sinful AND LOST. It’s very important to understand that these tests are NOT seven different ways or methods of salvation. Salvation has ALWAYS been the same way. Salvation in EVERY dispensation is by GRACE (the un-deserved, un-earned, un-earnable GIFT of God).It has ALWAYS been and will ALWAYS be… received BY FAITH alone. In the Old Testament, people simply SHOWED their faith (or lack thereof) by their obedience (or disobedience).
How should people show their faith in the age we are living in today?
The same way… obedience to God’s Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(See “The Christian Walk” Power Point Show for further study on this issue, free from
17.Read Gen. 1:27-31. It shows how wonderful the environment and blessings were for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Read Gen. 3:8-A. God must have come to them for fellowship (perhaps often).
Why do you think God allowed anything to change that situation of fellowship between each other?
Love that is forced is not as meaningful as love that is spontaneous. God gave them a test so they could CHOOSE to obey Him and continue fellowship with Him. After they chose to sin and break that fellowship, God demonstrated His LOVE for us by the redemption that would be paid for by Christ’s death on the cross.
18.Compare what God told them (Gen. 2:16, 17), how Eve distorted what God said and how Satan lied to them (Gen. 3:3-5). Eve added “neither shall ye touch it” (vs. 3). Satan said, (vs. 4) “Ye shall not surely die” (blatantly contradicting what God said). (vs. 5) … your eyes shall be opened… knowing good and evil.”
Was Gen. 3:5 truth or a lie?
Truth. It was the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17). They would gain the knowledge of good and evil.
What was Satan doing with this truth that He still does today?
Mixing truth with lies to confuse people and mislead them.
How does Satan still mix truth with lies today?
He mixes doctrinal truth and error with people in many world religions and cults where the Holy Spirit does not indwell them for guidance. He even does it in Christian groups to confuse and weaken their faith. That’s why God’s Word gives Christian believers a promise and a command to safe guard against this. See John 15:26; 16:13 and 2nd Tim. 2:15.
Notice in John 15:26 and 16:13, God’s Word says the Holy Spirit would “testify of Christ” and “glorify Christ.” A test of any ministry, music or message is, “Does it glorify Christ?” If not, it may not be of the Holy Spirit. Even more subtly, does it glorify the Holy Spirit or Christ? The true ministry of the Holy Spirit will never glorify the Holy Spirit, but Christ. God said it clearly in these passages! Please always remember this TEST… “Does it testify of and glorify Christ?”
See Gen. 3:6
Why did Adam and Eve sew fig leaves together to hide their nakedness?
Because they had gained the knowledge of good and evil. See also Gen. 3:22.
What are their “fig leaves” a type of today?
“Works for salvation.” People are still trying to do human efforts, like trying to live a good life, trying to keep the Ten Commandments, to offset their sins and help pay for their salvation.
Will Adam and Eve be in Heaven?
See Gen. 3:21 God made them coats of skins. This implies the bloodshed of animals. Hebrews 9:22 says, “… Without shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness) of sins.” In the Old Testament, atonement(temporarilycovering for sin, to hold off God’s judgment) was made with the bloodshed of animals. Adam’s coats of skins is the first picture of shed blood for atonement, pointing forward to Christ’s shed blood for our salvation, not to temporarilycover, but to permanentlytake away our sins, once for all and forever.
“And God clothed them.” They accepted God’s coats of skins as a covering of their nakedness and sins. This is the first picture of Salvation BY GRACE (an un-deserved, un-earnable GIFT of God.)
Yes, we expect to see and meet Adam and Eve in Heaven.
What was God’s “Terms for salvation” in this first age?
“To receive God’s Provision for their salvation BY FAITH.” (The coats of skins.)
What is God’s “Terms for salvation” in our present age?
The same. “To receive God’s Provision for our salvation BY FAITH.” (John 1:11, 12) (The finished work of Christ on the cross.)
See Gen. 3:23, 24 How is this another picture of God’s GRACE?
God drove them out of the garden and prevented them from partaking of the “Tree of Life” whereby they would have remained in their fallen condition forever.
Today, when a person accepts Christ’s shed blood as the only payment for their sins, God turns the key, as in the Garden of Eden, and refuses to let their soul return to their former unsaved, lost status. (John 10:27-29)
What evidences do we still have in the world today of the judgments from the dispensation of Innocence?
See:
Gen. 3:14 Snakes crawl
Gen. 3:16 Women’s child birth? No! Child birth in sorrow (and pain?)
Gen. 3:17, 18Ground cursed with thorns and thistles
Gen. 3:19 Man shall sweat and work for his daily bread and return to the dust of the ground (physical death)
From this point on, all the rest of the Bible is about the details of God’s redemptive work in the behalf of fallen, sinful mankind and the restoration of fellowship between people and Himself.
Why after this fall of man is he doomed to be separated from God eternally?
Rev. 21:22-27 Because God and Heaven are absolutely holy and sinless and no sin can ever enter there.
19.Fact: God gave us brains to think with. The more education, the better we should be able to think. (However, sometimes too much education clouds people’s brains from simple faith, such as in God’s Promises in the Bible.)
Question: How many of you agree, it’s LOGICAL that if we do the best we can and what we think is RIGHT that will surely be good enough to please God and enter Heaven?
Answer: YES, it is LOGICAL! But does our logic override God’s Word? See Prov. 14:12
Many people believe and say the world is getting better and better, trying to prove that Conscience is a sufficient guide for our self improvement.
How many of you agree? If not, why not?
What is the predicted trend? See 2nd Tim. 3:13
20.In this age, people were left to their own devices and thinking. There was no law or human government. Crime was unpunished. People’s conscience (without the Holy Spirit) was their only guide
Gen. 4:3-5 What was the difference between Cain’s offering and Abel’s offering?
They understood what God taught them about blood sacrifices for atonement.
Abel obeyed, offered a slain animal and God accepted it.
Cain rebelled, made a bloodless offering and God rejected it.
How do Abel and Cain picture or represent the two types of two gospels today?
Abel brought a blood offering for Atonement for his sin, which pictures and represents the true Gospel God’s grace and Christ’s future sacrifice for our sins.
Cain rebelled at seeing himself as a helpless, hopeless sinner. He brought a thank offering from his crops, representing the Social Gospel of human efforts for salvation. He did not bring a blood offering like Abel did, representing and foretelling Christ’s payment for our sins.
How did Conscience work out to be for a guide for their living in that age?
Gen. 4:8 The first murder.
Gen. 6:5; 11,12 Great wickedness, evil imaginations, corruption and violence.
What is the result of unsaved people living today… apart from obeying God’s Word?
Great wickedness, evil imaginations, corruption and violence.
What is the evidence in the world today of the insufficiency of Conscience as a guide?
Great wickedness, evil imaginations, corruption and violence still exist and are in fact increasing.
Gen. 6:6 Can you imagine it being so bad it grieved God He’d even made man in the first place?
How do you think God feels about the wickedness, evil imaginations, corruption and violence today?
He’s still grieved about the sinfulness of people.
21.Is there any evidence of a Universal Flood?
Written flood legends from all over the world.
The fact that there are written records of the great Flood found in hundreds of nations and tribes from all parts of the world is firm evidence that these people groups all originated from the one family preserved through the cataclysm. All of these accounts are similar in one way or another to the Genesis record. The widespread nature of flood accounts throughout the entire human race is excellent evidence for the fact of a worldwide flood from a legal/historical point of view. It is important to note that 95% say the flood was universal; 70% say survival depended upon a boat; 66% say the wickedness of man was the cause; 88% say there was a favored family; 66% say the remnant was warned; 67% say animals were also saved; 57% say the survivors ended up on a mountain; 35% say birds were sent out; 9% say eight people were saved; and 7% mention a rainbow.
22.Read Gen. 2:6 and Heb. 11:7 It had not rained upon the earth before the flood.
Having not seen rain, perhaps not even knowing what rain was… how many of you think you would have believed God’s warning of a coming flood?
Would that not have been a simple case of “lack of faith” in God’s Word and warning of coming judgment against their sin?
Why do you think so many people today are refusing to believe God’s warning of Hell?
23.Read Visual Text
24.Read Visual Text
25.When the water got up to their nostrils, do you think some people may have wanted to be saved?
Could Noah have opened the door and let some of the unsaved people in?
Gen. 6:3; 7:16 No! God’s day of salvation ended for the unsaved people of that day. God shut the door on the Ark, shutting Noah in and the unsaved out.