St. Dominic

St. Dominic was born in 1170 in Spain. His father was Felix Guzman and mother Blessed Joan of Aza. He was named after the saint Dominic of Silos. He joined in the congregation of St. Augustine and did social work. He founded a congregation of “the Order of Preachers” popularly called the Dominicans (Friar Preachers). He abstained from meat and was wearing only meanest clothes. He also lived in very inconvenient and worst accommodations. He walked with barefoot in the villages. It is also believed that the Holy Mary appeared to St. Dominic and asked him to preach the Rosary throughout the world and also told him that reciting rosary is the best way to get the grace of God. Hence Rosary of Mary is the foundation of the Dominican Order. He died on August 6, 1221.

He is the patron saint of Astronomers.
#faith #saint #Catholic #bible #patron #patronage #world #astronaut #astrology #astronomer #church #dominican

St. Dominic

St. Dominic was born in 1170 in Spain. His father was Felix Guzman and mother Blessed Joan of Aza. He was named after the saint Dominic of Silos. He joined in the congregation of St. Augustine and did social work. He founded a congregation of “the Order of Preachers” popularly called the Dominicans (Friar Preachers). He abstained from meat and was wearing only meanest clothes. He also lived in very inconvenient and worst accommodations. He walked with barefoot in the villages. It is also believed that the Holy Mary appeared to St. Dominic and asked him to preach the Rosary throughout the world and also told him that reciting rosary is the best way to get the grace of God. Hence Rosary of Mary is the foundation of the Dominican Order. He died on August 6, 1221.

He is the patron saint of Astronomers.
#faith #saint #Catholic #bible #patron #patronage #world #astronaut #astrology #astronomer #church #dominican

God's creation = 100 /evolution = 0
How Science Led a World Leading Astronomer, Allan Sandage, to God.

For decades, the late Allan Sandage was heralded as the successor to Edwin Hubble, standing as a renowned astronomer and cosmologist who spent his life measuring the expansion of the universe and peering into the depths of deep time. As a giant in his field, Sandage was the first to accurately estimate the age of the universe and the rate of its expansion. Yet, the more he quantified the cosmos through the lens of high-level physics, the more he found himself confronted by a reality that telescopes alone could not explain. He famously transitioned from a state of scientific skepticism to a profound belief in God, concluding that the exquisite order of the universe was not a product of chaotic chance, but the deliberate fingerprint of a Master Architect.

Sandage’s shift was driven by the realization that science is exceptional at explaining how things work, but remains utterly silent on why they exist at all. As a world-class cosmologist, he observed that the mathematical precision required for the universe to sustain life—often referred to as "fine-tuning"—was so improbable that it defied naturalistic explanation. He argued that the existence of such a complex, coherent system pointed toward an underlying intelligence. In his view, the biological and cosmological evidence didn't just suggest a higher power; it made the existence of God the most rational deduction for a mind committed to following the evidence wherever it leads.

"It was my science that drove me to the conclusion that the world is much more complicated than can be explained by science. It is only through the supernatural that I can understand the mystery of existence." — Allan Sandage

Sandage’s journey proves that the more we learn about the heavens, the more we find the heart of the Father. He showed the world that true scientific inquiry doesn’t lead away from faith—it leads straight to the realization that we are not here by accident. By recognizing the limits of cold equations, this renowned astronomer joined a long line of great thinkers who saw the stars as a celestial testimony. His life stands as a powerful reminder that when we study the origin of the universe, we are truly beholding the handiwork of God.

Amazing Facts
Daily Devotionals

The True Center.

May 11th, 2026

It was a step in the right direction. When Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus suggested that the planets in our solar system do not revolve around the earth, but around the sun, it was revolutionary. Actually, the concept that the sun is the center of the universe (heliocentrism) can be traced back to Aristarchus of Samos, a Hellenistic writer from the third century bc.

Copernicus’s system had several shortcomings, and it would take many later astronomers to fine-tune his model—including Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton. Kepler introduced the concept of elliptical orbits, and Galilei gave supporting evidence through the use of the telescope. Galilei was also summoned to Rome in 1633 and put on trial for his beliefs.

Later astronomers, like William Herschel and Friedrich Bessel, demonstrated that the sun is not at the center of the universe. To be even more precise, the Bible teaches that Christ is the center of all things. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1–4).

The great controversy between Christ and Satan can be understood as a desire by the devil to push Jesus from the center and to make himself the focal point of the universe. The wilderness temptations of Christ bring this out when Satan suggested, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9).

While the devil would love for us to see the earth, humans, or even the church as the center of all things, only in Christ do we find the true focus of the universe.

Apply It:

Look up the word heliocentrism in an encyclopedia. Learn how this view shook some church leaders.

Dig Deeper:

Luke 24:25–27; Ephesians 4:21; Revelation 1:8

Key Bible Texts
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 KJV)

AMAZING FACTS
Daily Devotionals

A Hint from Space.

April 15th, 2026

From 3.7 billion miles away, it shows up smaller than the size of a pixel. The famous photograph Pale Blue Dot was taken by the Voyager 1 space probe on February 14, 1990. It’s a picture of the earth set against the vastness of space. Voyager 1 had finished its primary mission and, as it was leaving the solar system, turned its camera around and took one last picture.

Carl Sagan, the famous American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and agnostic, shared his reflections on that dot. He stated in a speech at Cornell University, “Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity—in all this vastness—there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us.”

On the contrary, the Bible describes a God who is not distant or indifferent. He is not only a careful planner, but He has deep concern for His creation. God created people to freely choose to be in relationship to Himself or to reject it. (See Joshua 24:15.)

Each member of the Godhead was personally involved in Creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1, 2).

The New Testament describes both the Father and the Son involved in Creation. “God … has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1, 2).

Many have perceived God as an uninvolved cosmic force, either as the laws that govern the universe or somehow the essence of all things. But the Bible reveals to us One who is intimately connected to those inhabiting this speck of dust in the vastness of space. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (v. 14).

Apply It:

Find a picture of the Pale Blue Dot. As you study the photo, repeat the words from today’s Scripture text.

Dig Deeper:

Psalm 8:1–9; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 13:8

AMAZING FACTS
Daily Devotionals

Accurate Truths

February 10th, 2026

He never intended to initiate an avalanche of science-fiction literature, but a simple misunderstanding sparked a theory that wouldn’t die for decades. In 1877, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli was mapping the surface of the planet Mars. He called the dark and light areas he observed as “seas” and “continents.” Then he labelled what he thought were channels using the Italian word “canali.”

Schiaparelli’s peers translated this word as “canals” and launched a theory that these had been created by intelligent life on the Red Planet. U.S. astronomer Percival Lowell mapped out hundreds of these “canals” and published three books on the supposed artificial structures that were supposedly built to carry water. Lowell influenced another writer, H. G. Wells, to create his famous The War of the Worlds, which describes Martians invading Earth. NASA has since assured that there are no alien- made channels crisscrossing Mars.

Some critics claim that the Bible is filled with errors. They believe the copied manuscripts changed over the centuries and cannot be trusted. It is true that scholars have found minor variations made by copyists, but the essential truths have not changed. Archaeology has proven that many supposed errors were misunderstandings on the part of translators—somewhat like Schiaparelli’s peers—who were unfamiliar with biblical customs.

In the same way that Jesus “became flesh and dwelt among us,” the Bible was given to us in the language of humanity so that we could understand divine truth. But people are limited in their ability to perceive heavenly realities. Despite efforts to destroy the Bible, it has been miraculously preserved and still accurately reveals God’s perfect will for our lives.

Apply It:

Some words change meaning over time. Look up a few of these words in the King James Version and then study a Bible dictionary or commentary for their modern meaning: “carriages” in Acts 21:15, “charger” in Mark 6:25, and “leasing” in Psalm 4:2.

Dig Deeper:

Psalm 25:5; Daniel 8:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Key Bible Texts

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 KJV)

BIBLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS # 69
Section 7- Coming Events and Signs.

CHAPTER 69, Signs of the Times.

1. For what did Christ reprove the Pharisees and Sadducees?

"O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matt. 16:3.

2. What sign had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah by which Christ, at His first advent, might be known as the Messiah?

"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa. 7:14. For fulfillment, see Matt. 1:22,23.

3. Where had the prophet said Christ should he born?

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel." Micah 5:2. For fulfillment, see Matt. 2:1.

4. What prophet had foretold Christ's ride into Jerusalem?

"Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King comes unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zech. 9:9. For fulfillment, see Matt. 21:4,5.

5. What question did the disciples ask Christ concerning His second coming?

"And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3.

6. How, according to Luke, did Christ answer this question?

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things Which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:25,26.

7. What, according to Matthew's account, did Christ say were to he the signs in the sun, moon, and stars?

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." Matt. 24:29.

8. In what language had some of the Old Testament prophets already foretold these signs?

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and he terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:30,31. "The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining." Joel 3:15. "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." Isa. 13:10. "I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in a clear day." Amos 8:9.

9. When were the sun and moon darkened?

May 19, 1780.

NOTES.- "The nineteenth of May, 1780 was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at hand. The legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being unable to transact business, adjourned."-President Dwight, in "Historical Collections."

"In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. Birds sang their evening songs, disappeared, and became silent the barnyard; and candles were lighted in the silent; fowls went to roost; cattle sought the barnyard and candles were lit in the houses. The obscuration began about ten o'clock in the morning, and continued until the middle of the next night, but with differences of degree and duration in different places. The true causes of this remarkable phenomenon are not known." Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, edition 1883, page 1604, in article "The Dark Day."

Herschel, the great astronomer, says: "The dark day in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain."

The darkness was not caused by any eclipse of the sun by the moon, for it was full moon only the night before, and consequently the moon was on the opposite side of the earth from the sun. "The darkness of the following evening was probably as deep and dense as ever had been observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light; it wanted only palpability to render it as extraordinary as that which overspread the land of Egypt in the days of Moses. If every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, it was thought the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper, held within a few inches of the eyes, was equally invisible with the blackest velvet." - "Our First Century," by R. M. Devins, Page 94.

The darkness of the night was as supernatural as that of the previous day, from the fact, as stated by Dr. Adams, that "the moon had fulled the day before."

10. When was there a remarkable display of falling stars?

November 13, 1833.

NOTES. The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Professor Olmsted, of Yale College, says: "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of November 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history. . . . The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's surface, from the middle of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west; and from the northern coast of South America to undefined regions among the British possessions on the north the exhibition was visible, and everywhere presented nearly the same appearance."

"At Niagara the exhibition was especially brilliant, and probably no spectacle so terribly grand and sublime was ever before beheld by man as that of the firmament descending in fiery torrents over the dark and roaring cataract."-The American Encyclopedia, edition 1881, article "Meteor." Upon reading a statement that modern fireworks excel this greatest exhibition of shooting stars, Mr. Clarkson, father of the former editors of the paper from which the following quotation is made, and himself agricultural editor of it, said: "The writer of that sentence did not witness the glorious meteoric shower of November, 1833, when the display was so much superior to any artistic display of fireworks that neither language nor any element in nature can furnish comparisons. The comparison of the sheet-iron thunder of the theatres to the electric display of Providence when the heavens are all on fire, and the earth trembles would be tolerable. But the awful grandeur of the display on the night of the thirteenth of November, 1833, which made the stoutest heart stand in awe, and the most defiant infidel quake with fear, is never to he compared with the most brilliant fireworks. Those who witnessed the meteoric shower named saw the greatest display that man ever will see until the day that Peter speaks of when the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The agricultural editor of the Register was out alone with a team and load of lumber all night on that never-to-be forgotten night. And he cannot now consent to hear of human fireworks being superior to that most grand and sublime spectacle ever before or since beheld by man. Patent fireworks are no nearer this wonderful phenomenon than a lightning-bug is equal to the Sun." -Iowa State Register, July 12, 1889.

Frederick A. Douglas, in his book "My Bondage and My Freedom," page 186, says: "I witnessed this gorgeous spectacle, and was struck with awe. The air seemed filled with bright descending messengers from the sky. It was about daybreak when I saw this sublime scene. It was not without the suggestion at that moment that it might be the harbinger of the coming of the Son of man; and in my state of mind I was prepared to hail Him as my friend and deliverer. I had read that the stars shall fall from heaven, and they were now falling." A single star appeared to the wise men, and directed them to the Savior, at His first advent. Myriads of stars have announced the nearness of His second advent.

It will be seen that these signs produced the very impression that God evidently intended that they should-that the day of judgment, Christ's coming, and the end of the world are near at hand.

11. Have we reached the time when there is "distress of nations, with perplexity"?

Every intelligent person knows that the world is in a state of unrest at the present time, and that men are troubled and perplexed at the outlook of present conditions throughout the civilized world.

NOTES.- "Those who study the map of Europe at the present moment, and the condition of things in Europe, must feel that there is hanging over us a war-cloud greater than any that has hung over Europe before. It means when it bursts, and burst it will as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow, a war of extinction of devastation, between great nations whose populations are armed and trained to fight."-Lord Wolseley.

"It is impossible for anyone to contemplate the present naval and military arrangements without the gravest forebodings. . . . In fact, we never now have any real peace; we live practically in a state of war." -Sir John Lubbock.

"The danger, if the Ottoman Empire fall; would not merely be the danger that would threaten the territories of which that empire consists; it would be the danger that the fire there lit should spread to the other nations, and should involve all that is most powerful and civilized in Europe in a dangerous and calamitous contest." -Lord Salisbury, in Mansion House Speech, London, Nov. 9, 1895.

"There can be no division of either of those countries [Turkey or Persia] without setting all the nations of Europe at the throats of each other." -Washington Post, April 24, 1909.

"This is the most unsettled condition of the world since the crucifixion of Christ. The stability of government is no longer a fact. Change is in the atmosphere. . . . Statesmen are at their wits' end. Philosophers speculate In Vain." - The Late Bishop Newman.

12. Are men's hearts now "failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth"?

Everyone familiar with present-day conditions knows that this is the case.

NOTES.- "We are marching toward the unknown. Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us?"- Signor Crispi, ex-Prime Minister of Italy.

"In regard to the future I am filled with disquietude when I think how easy it is to fan these international jealousies, and how difficult it seems to allay them." -Lord Balfour, of England.

"In this world of ours we seem to ' be borne down by commercial and spiritual controversy. We grope in the daytime with fear and trembling for the future. Poor, distracted man is tossed over the night to a more distraught tomorrow." -John Wanamaker, ex-Postmaster-General of the United States.

"The bonds of society are relaxed; traditional principles are losing their sacredness, and perils hitherto unknown are menacing the life of the social organism."- Archbishop Ireland.

These, with forebodings of coming droughts, famines, fires, storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, and pestilences, are filling men's hearts with fear.

13. What may be said of "the sea and the waves roaring"?

Great tidal waves and storms at sea, with cyclones and tornadoes on land, have become fearfully frequent of late years, making men apprehensive of still greater calamities to come.

14. What, according to the prophecy of Daniel, was to characterize the time of the end?

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.

NOTES.- The time of the end began in 1798. See Dan. 7:25; 11:35; 12:4- 9, and the reading "The Kingdom and Work of Antichrist," pages 25, 26, under questions 5-8. Since 1798 there has been a most wonderful increase of all kinds of knowledge, both scientific and religious. Men have been "running to and fro" through both the world and the Word of God. The prophecies of Daniel are now themselves understood. Since 1798 five great Bible and tract societies have been organized; namely, the London Religious Tract Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, and the International Tract Society, besides many, smaller societies of the same kind. From these have gone forth to the world hundreds of millions of copies of the Bible, and countless pages of tracts and pamphlets, disseminating knowledge upon the truths of salvation. Besides these, millions of copies of religious papers are being circulated annually in the various countries of the world. Missions have been established in all parts of the world. All this has been accomplished since 1798. Concerning the increase of knowledge in the material, scientific, and intellectual worlds, see the next reading.

15. What is predicted of the moral condition of the world in the last days?

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

16. How did the Apostle Peter say the message of the Lord's coming would be treated by some?

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3,4.

17. What will God's faithful servants be doing at this time?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?" Matt. 24:45.

NOTE.- The "meat in due season" here spoken of evidently refers to the proclamation of the message based upon the signs which indicate the near approach of the Lord. The preaching of this message is what causes scoffers mockingly to ask, "Where is the promise of His coming?"

18. What are all admonished to do when these signs have appeared?

"Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes." Verse 44.

19. How will Christ's coming overtake those evil servants who say in their hearts, "My Lord delays His coming"?

"The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder. And appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verses 50, 51.

We know not the hour of the Master's appearing,

Yet signs all foretell that the moment is nearing

When He shall return,-'tis a promise most cheering,-

But we know not the hour.

There's light for the wise who are seeking salvation,

There's truth in the Book of the Lord's revelation,

Each prophecy points to the great consummation,-

But we know not the hour.

We'll watch arid we'll pray, with our lamps trimmed and burning,

We'll work and we'll wait till the Master s returning,

We'll sing and rejoice, every omen discerning,-

But we know not the hour.

F. E. BELDEN.

I would like to thank God for using the Bible Reading for the Home Circle to bless millions of souls. To the author and original producer, (though in truth and reality it's God's) “No Copyright Infringement Intended.” What I have found which are available online I made them available offline...

BIBLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS # 68
Section 7- Coming Events and Signs.

CHAPTER 68, Our Lord's Great Prophecy.

1. How did Christ feel concerning Jerusalem, as He was about to make His final visit to the city before His crucifixion?

"And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou had known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from your eyes." Luke 19:41,42.

2. In what words did He foretell its destruction?

"For the days shall come upon thee, that your enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knew not the time of thy visitation." Verses 43,44.

3. What pitiful appeal did He make to the impenitent city?

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the prophets, and stones them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her chickens under her wings, and you would not!" Matt. 23:37.

4. As He was about to leave the temple, what did He say?

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." Verse 38.

NOTE. That which was to fill up their cup of iniquity was their final rejection and crucifixion of Christ, and their condemnation and persecution of His apostles and people after His resurrection. See Matt. 23:29-35; John 19:15; Acts 4-8.

5. Hearing these words, what questions did the disciples ask?

"Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3.

NOTE. Christ's answers to these questions are worthy of the most careful study. The destruction of Jerusalem and the overthrow of the Jewish nation attending it are a type of the final destruction of all the cities of the world, and the overthrow of all nations. To some extent, therefore, the descriptions of the two great events seem to be blended. When Christ referred to the destruction of Jerusalem, His prophetic words reached beyond that event to the final conflagration when the Lord shall rise out of His place "to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and when the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Isa. 26:21. Thus the entire discourse was given not for the early disciples only, but for those who were to live during the closing scenes of the world's history. During the discourse Christ did, however, give definite signs, both of the destruction of Jerusalem and of His second coming.

6. In His reply, how did Christ indicate that neither the end of the world nor of the Jewish nation was immediately at hand?

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Verses 4-6.

7. What did He say of the wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes which were to precede these events?

"All these are the beginning of sorrows." Verse 8.

NOTE. These were to precede and culminate in the great calamity and overthrow, first, of Jerusalem, and finally of the whole world; for, as already noted, the prophecy has a double application, first, to Jerusalem and the Jewish nation, and secondly, to the whole world; the destruction of Jerusalem for its rejection of Christ at His first advent was a type of the destruction of the world at the end for its rejection of Christ in refusing to heed the closing warning message sent by God to prepare the world for Christ's second advent.

8. In what language did Christ briefly describe the experiences of His people previous to these calamities?

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Verses 9-12.

9. Who did He say would be saved?

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Verse 13.

10. When did Christ say the end would come?

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Verse 14.

NOTES. In A.D. 60 Paul carried the gospel to Rome, which was then the capital of the world. In A.D. 64 he wrote of the saints of "Caesar's household" (Phil. 4:22); and the same year he says that the gospel had been "preached to every creature which is under heaven." Col. 1:23. Very soon after this (October, 66 A.D.) the Romans began their attacks against Jerusalem; and three and one-half years later the overthrow of the city and of the Jewish nation followed in the notable five months' siege under Titus, in the spring and summer of 70 A.D.

Thus it was respecting the end of the Jewish nation; and thus it will be in the end of the world as a whole. When the gospel, or good news, of Christ's coming kingdom has been preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, the end of the world-of all nations-will come. As the end of the Jewish nation came with overwhelming destruction, so will come the end of the world. Armageddon, the battle of the nations, will be fought, and the world will be swept with the besom of destruction under the seven last plagues. See readings in Chapters 65. and 66. of this book.

11. What sign did Christ mention by which His disciples might know when the destruction of Jerusalem was near?

"And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." Luke 21: 20.

12. When this sign appeared, what were the disciples to do?

"When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains." Matt. 24:15,16.

NOTE. In October, 66 A.D., when Cestius came against the city, but for some unaccountable reason suddenly withdrew his army from it, the Christians discerned in this the sign foretold by Christ, and fled. After the departure of Cestius, Josephus, in his "Wars of the Jews," chapter 20, says that "many of the most eminent of the Jews swam away from the city, as from a ship when it is going to sink." It is a remarkable fact that in the terrible siege which occurred under Titus three and one-half years later, not a single Christian is known to have lost his life, while 1,100,000 Jews are said to have perished in it. Here is a most striking lesson on the value and importance of studying and believing the prophecies, and giving heed to the signs of the times. Those who believed what Christ had said, and watched for the sign which He had foretold, were saved, while the unbelieving perished. So it will be in the end of the world. The watchful and believing will be delivered, while the careless and unbelieving will be snared and taken. See Matt. 24:36-44; Luke 21:34-36; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.

13. When the sign appeared, how suddenly were they to flee?

"Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes." Verses 17,18.

14. Besides telling His disciples when to flee, how did Christ further show His solicitude and tender care for them?

"But pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day." Verse 20.

NOTES. The winter would be an unfavorable time in which to flee, entailing discomfort and hardship; and an attempt to flee on the Sabbath day would doubtless have been met with difficulty, so false and pharisaical were the notions of the Jews respecting the true character and object of the Sabbath. See Matt. 12:1-14; Luke 13:14-17; Mark 1:32; 2:23-28; John 5:10-18. The prayers of Christ's followers were heard. Events were so overruled that neither Jews nor Romans hindered the flight of the Christians. Upon the retreat of Cestius, the Jews pursued after his army, and the Christians thus had an opportunity to leave the city. The country also had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavored to intercept them. At the time of this siege, the Jews were assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and thus the Christians of Judea were able to escape unmolested, and in the autumn, a most favorable time for flight.

15. What trying experience did Christ then foretell?

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Verse 21.

NOTES. In paragraph 4 of his preface to his "Wars of the Jews," Josephus, referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, says: "The misfortunes of all men, from the beginning of the world, if they be compared to these of the Jews, are not so considerable." In this terrible calamity, the prophecy of Moses recorded in Deut. 28:47-53 was literally fulfilled. He said: "Thou shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, . . . in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith your enemies shall distress thee." For an account of the fulfillment of this, see Josephus's "Wars of the Jews," book 6, chap. 3, par. 4.

Following the destruction of Jerusalem came the persecution of the early Christians under the pagan emperors during the first three centuries of the Christian era, that begun under Diocletian in 303 A.D., and continuing for ten years (Rev. 2:10), being the most bitter and extensive persecution of God's people the world had yet witnessed. Following this came the still greater and more terrible persecution of the saints during the long centuries of papal supremacy, foretold in Dan. 7:25 and Rev. 12:6. All these tribulations occurred under either pagan or papal Rome.

16. For whose sake did Christ say the period of papal persecution would be shortened?

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Verse 22.

NOTE. Through the influence of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, and the movements which grew out of it, the power of the Papacy to enforce its decrees against those it pronounced heretics was gradually lessened, until with the exception of Spain, persecution ceased almost wholly about the middle of the eighteenth century -the beginning of an epoch of freedom.

17. Against what deceptions did Christ then warn us?

"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Verses 23, 24.

18. Answering the question as to what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the world, what did Christ say?

"There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth, distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:25,26.

19. When were the first of these signs to appear, and what were they to be?

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." Matt. 24:29.

20. How is this expressed by Mark?

"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken." Mark 13:24,25.

NOTE. As already noted, papal persecution almost wholly ceased about the middle of the eighteenth century. Then, true to Christ's words, the signs of His coming at once began to appear.

21. When was there a wonderful darkening of the sun?

On May 19, 1780.

NOTE. May 19, 1780, is known in history as "the dark day." On this day over a large portion of the New World, upon which at this time the eyes of all the world were centered, there occurred, at midday, a remarkable darkness. "Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls retired to roost." In harmony with the impression God evidently designed should be made by the sign, many thought the day of judgment was at hand. See next reading.

22. When did the moon refuse to give her light?

The night following the darkening of the sun, May 19, 1780.

NOTE. Although it was full moon only the night before, the darkness of this night was so intense that for a time no luminous body whatever appeared in the heavens, and a sheet of white paper could not be seen when held within a few inches of the eyes. See next reading.

23. What sign was to follow the darkening of the sun and the moon?

"And the stars shall fall from heaven." Matt. 24:29.

24. When did the stars fall, as here predicted?

November 13, 1833.

NOTE. On the morning of November 13, 1833, there occurred the most wonderful exhibition of shooting stars the world has ever seen. Those who witnessed it, says Professor Olmsted, the celebrated astronomer of Yale College, "probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history." The extent of this shower, he says, was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's surface." And, like the darkening of the sun and moon, it was considered by many who saw it as "the harbinger of the coming of the Son of man."

25. What were to be the signs on earth of Christ's coming?

"And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:25,26.

NOTE. This is an exact picture of the condition of things in the world today. Through greed of gain, lawlessness, licentiousness, increasing violence, trouble between capital and labor, international complications, and the awful horror of modern wars, the nations are perplexed, and men's hearts tremble with fear as they look into the future. The elements are also disturbed, as seen in great earthquakes and storms on land and sea.

26. What did Christ say was to be the next great event following these signs?

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Verse 27. See Matt. 24:30.

27. When these things should begin to come to pass, what did Christ tell His people to do?

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh." Luke 21:28.

28. When the trees put forth their leaves, what do we know?

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." Matt. 24:32.

29. What may be known with equal certainty when these signs have been seen?

"So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Verse 33. "So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know you that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Luke 21:31.

30. What did Christ say of the certainty of this prophecy?

"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away." Matt. 24:34,35.

NOTE. Everyone at all acquainted with history knows that what Christ foretold concerning the destruction of Jerusalem came true to the very letter. So likewise may we be assured that what He has said concerning the end of the world will as certainly and as literally be fulfilled.

31. Who alone knows the exact day of Christ's coming?

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Verse 36.

32. What did Christ say would be the moral condition of the world just preceding His advent?

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Verses 37-39.

33. In view of the fact that we do not know the exact time of Christ's coming, what important admonition has He given us?

"Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh." Verse 44.

34. What will be the experience of those who say in their hearts that the Lord is not soon coming?

"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder [cut him off, margin], and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verses 48-51.

In the sun, and moon, and stars,

Signs and wonders have appeared;

Earth has groaned with bloody wars,

And the hearts of men have feared.

But, though from His awful face

Heaven shall fade and earth shall fly,

Fear not you, His chosen race,

Your redemption draws nigh.

REGINALD HEBER.

I would like to thank God for using the Bible Reading for the Home Circle to bless millions of souls. To the author and original producer, (though in truth and reality it's God's) “No Copyright Infringement Intended.” What I have found which are available online I made them available offline...

Pastor Robin Stephen Aldrich:
PLEASE don’t take this as criticism, but I had to address a sentence in your blog. It was too much for a comment.
About the statement : ‘Science has no equipment to handle relationship with God.’
Science may not can explain the RELATIONSHIP with God, but it can prove His hand upon creation. Look at the mathematical regularity in the planets being set apart in ‘astronomical units.’ (see picture)
Even atheistic scientists have had to admit it.
“Now we see how the astronomical evidence leads to a biblical view of the origin of the world. The details differ, but the essential elements in the astronomical and biblical accounts of genesis are the same: the chain of events leading to man commence suddenly and sharply at a definite moment in time, in a flash of light and energy" (Jastrow; God and the Astronomers, 14).
"The scientists pursuit of the past ends in the moment of creation. This is an exceedingly strange development, unexpected by all but theologians. They have always accepted the word of the Bible: `In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'" (Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, 115).
"That there are what I or anyone would call supernatural forces at work is now, I think, a scientifically proven fact" (Jastrow; Christianity Today,8-6-83, p. 15)
The anthropic principle is the most interesting development next to the proof of the creation, and it is even more interesting because it seems to say that science itself has proven, as a hard fact, that this universe was made, was designed, for man to live in. It is a very theistic result" (Jastrow, Christianity Today NORAH WAFUBWA , 17).
Astronomer Victor J. Stenger: "The universe exploded out of nothingness" (Free Inquiry, Winter, 1992-93, 13).
(there was nothing, and bang—there was something!)
“It is not to be conceived that mere mechanical causes could give birth to so many regular motions, since the comets range over all parts of the heavens in very eccentric orbits.... This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being" ("Scholium," 369).
-Sir Issac Newton
"The anthropic principle is the most interesting development next to the proof of the creation, and it is even more interesting because it seems to say that science itself has proven, as a hard fact, that this universe was made, was designed, for man to live in. It is a very theistic result" (Jastrow, Christianity Today NORAH WAFUBWA , 17). (Jastrow was an atheist)
The Universe was Fine-Tuned for Human Life
1. 21 % of oxygen in air is just right for human life. *
2. Gravitational force is perfect for life to exist.
3. Distance from the sun provides the right heat for life.
4. Expansion rate of universe is just right for life.
5. Thickness of earth’s crust is the correct amount for life.
6. Tilt of the earth offers the best condition for life.
7. The speed of light is proper amount for life.
8. The strong nuclear force holds the atoms together.
9. The distance between stars is necessary for life.
10. The cosmological constant (energy density of space)
is minutely right for matter to exist.
11. The right amount of seismic activity is needed for life.
12. The position of Jupiter protects life on earth.

Microbiologist Michael Behe:
"No one at Harvard University, no one at the National Institutes of Health, no member of the National Academy of Sciences, no Nobel prize winner--no one at all can give a detailed account of how the cilium, or vision, or blood clotting, or any complex biochemical process might have developed in a Darwinian fashion." "Other examples… abound, including aspects of DNA reduplication, electron transport, telomere synthesis, photosynthesis, transcription regulation, and more" (Behe, Darwin’s Black Box, 187, 160).
"The conclusion of intelligent design flows naturally from the data itself--not from sacred books or sectarian beliefs. Inferring that biochemical systems were designed by an intelligent agent is a humdrum process that requires no new principles of logic or science…. Life on earth at its most fundamental level, in its most critical components, is the product of intelligent activity" (Behe, 183).

Or the universal appearance of the Fibonacci Spiral, sometimes called the Golden Spiral. Or the fact that leaves appear on branches in a Fibonacci Sequence, in odd numbers.
n . From Astronomy (Anthropic Principle)
– a. Anticipatory design shows an intelligent Designer.
– b. Human life shows anticipatory design.
c. Hence, human life shows an intelligent Designer
Teleological Argument:
n A. From Astronomy (Anthropic Principle)
– 1. Anticipatory design shows an intelligent designer.
– 2. Human life shows anticipatory design.
– 3. Hence, human life shows an intelligent designer.
n B. From Micro Biology (Argument 1)
– 1. Specified complexity has an intelligent designer.
– 2. First life had specified complexity.
– 3. Hence, first life had an intelligent designer.

The Reactions of Some Scientists:
Arthur Eddington: "Philosophically, the notion of a beginning of the present order of Nature is repugnant to me…. I should like to find a genuine loophole" (in Heeren, Show Me God, 81).
Einstein: “This circumstance [of an expanding Universe] irritates me." And "To admit such possibilities seems senseless" Why? "I believe in Spinoza's [pantheistic] God, who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists" (in Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, 28).
Robert Jastrow: "There is a kind of religion in science. It is the religion of a person who believes there is order and harmony in the universe.... There is no first cause.... This religious faith of the scientists is violated by the discovery that the world had a beginning under conditions in which the known laws of physics are not valid, and as a product of forces or circumstances we cannot discover. When that happens, the scientist has lost control" (GA 113-114).
Harvard’s Richard Lewontin: “We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs… because we have a prior commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a materialistic explanation of the phenomenal world but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes…. Moreover that materialism is absolute for we cannot allow a divine foot in the door” (New York Review of Books, 1/9/96).
"The scientists pursuit of the past ends in the moment of creation. This is an exceedingly strange development, unexpected by all but theologians. They have always accepted the word of the Bible: `In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'" (Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, 115).
Conclusion:
But God does exist (as the evidence shows from):
1. The beginning of the universe.
2. The intelligent design of life.
3. The moral law
4. The need for God.
Therefore, —
1. Miracles are possible
2. Truth is absolute
3. Morality is absolute
4. The Bible is credible
5. Life has ultimate meaning
Objection: Things could have happened by chance, not by design.
Answer: First, the chances are virtually zero. Second, science is not based on chance but on regularity which demands an intelligent cause of life. Third, chance is not a cause. The only causes are natural forces are intelligent ones. And life needs an intelligent cause.
So, my point is don’t reject science. True science, and honest scientists, prove the existence of God because the mathematical regularity, and how everything is fine-tuned, cannot have happened by chance. Many top-level scientists have come to faith in God by the science itself, but their voices are suppressed.
The word says that God shows Himself in creation. Science is a study of what He created. It’s not evil. Evil scientists aren’t always honest.
I’ve been meaning to record my apologetics class and put it on my video platforms. I’ll try to work on that next year. This year has been busy.