Dr. John C. Reddy

Home  “ A nd I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”   [Revelation 21:3-4]  New Jerusalem  J ohn sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The fact that it is never said to land on the earth leads some to see it as hovering over the new earth. The fact that the names of the tribes of Israel are on the gates indicates that redeemed Israel will have access to the city, even if they are not part of the church itself. The distinction between the church (the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, v.9), Israel (v.12), and the Gentile nations(v.24) is maintained throughout. John...

Home  “ S o Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.  Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”   [1 Kings 18:20-21]  "How long will you waver between two opinions?"    K ing Ahab went to meet Elijah and accused him of being a trouble-maker for Israel, not realizing that the man of God was one of the best friends Israel ever had. Not fearing for his own life, Elijah answered Ahab fearlessly and accusingly. He blamed the king for mixing the worship of Jehovah with Baal-worship and challenged him to assemble his idolatrous prophets for a contest on Mount Carmel to determine who was the true God. Addressing the assembled representative of Israel, Elijah accused them of wavering between two opinions; they should choose either the Lord or Baal. Then the contest began. Two bulls were to be killed and l...

Home  “ B ut about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.  It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.”   [Mark 13:32-34]  The Day and Hour Unknown    J esus said, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.  It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” It is well known that this verse has been used by enemies of the gospel to prove that Jesus was nothing more than a man with limited knowledge like ourselves. It has also been used by sincere but misguided belie...

Home  “ P eter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world,... Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.”   [1Peter 1:1,17]  Sojourners and Pilgrims    P eter reminds believers that they are sojourners and pilgrims in the world and that this fact should leave its stamp on all their behavior. They are sojourners in the sense that they are living in a foreign country where they do not have the rights of citizens. They are pilgrims in the sense that they are obliged to live for a while in a place which is not their permanent home. The meaning here is, that Christians have no permanent home on earth; their citizenship is not here; they are mere sojourners, and they are passing on to their eternal home in the heavens. They should, therefore, act as become such persons; as sojourners and travelers do. They should not: •    regard the earth ...

Home  “ A sk and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”   [Matthew 7:7-8]  The Parable of the Persistent Widow    T hen Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’    “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”   And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God b...