Results 1-10 of 204 articles
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: October–December 2011
In our last article we carefully observed how Satan became the “prince power of the air.”
Although this event seems to have taken place at his fall, since then, he has endeavored to
become part of the workings of man on earth. As men began increasing on the planet, various
sins became prominent; some of these are exampled in Genesis 6 (the time of the Flood) and
Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel). More and more, men sought to collaborate with this “prince
power of the air” in order to become greater authorities and powers in the earth. Through
this allegiance, Satan became the “god of this world.” …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: October–December 2011
In chapter 9, Daniel wondered if the times of the Gentiles would soon be over, at least
concerning the deliverance of the Jews. Nevertheless, he learned that another seventy weeks
of years were appointed for them. During this appointed “Times of the Gentiles,” what would
be the relationship now between the Gentiles and the Jews?
This burden culminates in chapter 12, where Daniel is told of a coming time, a time of
trouble, such as never was since there was a nation of Israel. The nation of Israel has had
several times of great trouble throughout its history leading up to this final trouble
prophesied; these times must be noted with care. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: October–December 2011
Continuing our burden from the Book of Daniel, in this article we are drawn to chapter 10,
the beginning of a vision of Daniel that continues unbroken to the end of the book. In this
chapter Daniel is once again seen as a man who would not cease from prayer. Previously in
chapter 6, when threatened with the lion’s den, this prophet continued to engage in his holy
vocation of prayer. He never ceased from praying; he never vacated his devotions to his God.
It was through this channel of prayer that Daniel kept in touch with heaven and by which he
received his revelations of coming events. Without his habit of prayer Daniel would have
succumbed to being a typical Jew in the captivity. Prayer opened heaven to his prophetic gaze
and unrolled the panorama of coming events to his sight. In chapter 9, for example, during
Daniel’s daylong prayer God revealed to him the vision of the seventy weeks. This vision has
become a critical key-insight concerning the End Time for the Christian. How we must all
watch and pray! …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: July–September 2011
No other book in the Bible has been attacked like the Book of Daniel. Since Porphyry, a
Syrian, some 1700 years ago, the book has been in the Critic’s Den. Porphyry claimed that
instead of being written by Daniel about 533 B.C., it was a forgery written in the time of
the Maccabees about 168 B.C., after Antiochus Epiphanes (whose appearance is so clearly
foretold in the book), in order to comfort the Jews in their trying times. Ironically, the
Septuagint (the Greek rendering of the Old Testament) of 285 B.C. included the Book of
Daniel, over one hundred years before the critics declared its writing. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: July–September 2011
As a preacher of the Gospel, I am becoming more aware of the fact that I may be preaching to
the last generation of young men and women before the coming of Christ in a rapture as well
as the coming of Antichrist and the final kingdom of man in prophecy. It is the worst, the
darkest, and the most deceptive generation of human history. It may well be the prelude
generation before the coming of the Tribulation Period. This is why it is crucial that God’s
remnant people today come to an understanding of the Book of Daniel. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: July–September 2011
The powers converging on the planet Earth should cause every true Christian to be in a
posture of watching and praying, yea, in a posture of readiness for the coming of our
Glorious Saviour. This Blessed Hope should ever be purifying our souls as part of the
preparation for that event in which He will call us unto Himself.
The burden for the next few articles in Straightway will be drawn from the Old
Testament prophet Daniel concerning what the Lord permitted him to see down through the ages
of time. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: May/June 2011
Christ makes it very plain in this epistle to the messenger of the church of the Laodiceans
that lukewarmness is a spiritual state or condition. It is evident the pastor was to reveal
to his congregation that they were in a state of lukewarmness. Although there is the
implication that this condition possibly could change, it seems clear by the end of the
epistle that they will choose not to change. The statement is obvious: “I will,” or in the
original Greek, “I am about, I’m on the verge, I’m at the point of spewing you out of my
mouth.” The church of the End Time is in a state of lukewarmness, a state far more dangerous
than coldness. The state of lukewarmness is another term in the Bible for
apostasy. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: May/June 2011
In the previous article we observed that Christ addresses His message of Revelation 3:14–22
to the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans. He declares to this messenger that his
congregation has become “lukewarm.” The Greek word used here for lukewarm occurs only
this one time in the New Testament; it carries the meaning of “tepid water.” In this address
Christ refers to three different spiritual states: a state of coldness, a state of warmth or
fervor, and a state of lukewarmness. There are many in the world who are cold to the things
of Christ; the Gospel leaves them totally unmoved and uninterested as to any aspect of
spiritual fervor. Every believer once knew this cold state that gave no evidence of grace. By
contrast, those who are described as hot are ones who show genuine spiritual fervor and leave
no question as to the presence of eternal life, the sanctifying power, and the presence of
the Holy Spirit; they have a fervent testimony. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: May/June 2011
The Book of Revelation, like the Book of Daniel, is apocalyptic. Apocalyptic is
a term meaning “to unveil” or “to uncover” and thus “to reveal” something which has been
beforehand hidden. Apocalyptic writings are usually written in times of trouble and distress
of God’s people. It becomes evident from reading this particular apocalyptic book that
persecution and difficulty were already threatening the Church. Both without and within,
serious problems and sufferings were present. …
Dr. H. T. Spence | Publication Date: July–October 2010
Coming to the fourth article in this edition concerning Post Fundamentalism, we must be
cognizant of what the Scriptures say concerning the End Time. Sad but true, Fundamentalism as
a movement is in the final throes of entering into its own apostasy. When Fundamentalism
began, it was a pure river with the call from heaven to stand without apology for the Faith
“once delivered unto the saints.” Its early leaders knew the Liberals and Modernists were
trying to arrest the Faith and spread its own faith through its seminaries into the pulpits
of the denominations. How often we read in Scripture, “And in process of time it came to
pass.” Often this phrase marks a change for the worse. …