There are many religious philosophies in
the world today. There is the Methodist philosophy, the Baptist
philosophy, the Lutheran philosophy, the Presbyterian philosophy,
the Catholic philosophy, the Jewish philosophy and many, many
others. Unconsciously, believers often derive their understanding
of the Bible and eternal realities through the filter or lens
of one of these philosophies rather then from the inspired word
itself. Men, supposing themselves competent to understand the
meaning or intent of the scriptures, apart from the Holy Spirit,
devise religious philosophies to explain what is often crystal
clear to the reader, thus interposing themselves between the believer
and their God.
When I began writing this account of the
second advent of Christ, I choose to set aside all religious philosophies
in favor of the inspired word of God as communicated to us through
the agency of the Holy Spirit. When Christ presented His gospel
to the Jewish community, many accused Him of preaching a new and
radically different gospel. He seemed to upset the established
religious order because He spoke truth direct from the throne
of God, rather then truth filtered through the mind of man.
When we grow accustomed to the dark, a sudden
exposure to the light is often uncomfortable and is even rejected.
Thus it was with the Jewish nation in Christ’s day, and thus
it shall be with many believers today. The presentation of truth,
in these volumes, may seem strange or disturbing for one accustomed
to truth filtered through human speculations or philosophies.
As the light of truth breaks upon the sin-darkened
heart, it is often seen as threatening, frightening, or disturbing.
Thus Christ experienced rejection from those who thought themselves
to be the expositors of sacred truth, for they failed to discern
the error of their purely human judgment in favor of heavenly
light. Consequently, they killed their Savior and Messiah, believing
themselves to be doing the will of God. We shake our heads in
bewilderment at their stubborn opposition, saying, in our confidence,
that we would never make such a tragic mistake, while unconsciously
committing the same error. Truly it is said that the heart is
deceitful and desperately wicked and who can know it.
The Portrait Gallery is not a missionary,
evangelistic, or witnessing book. It was specifically written
for the secular market, for non-Christians or nonbelievers. It
is intended to set fourth the transforming power of the Holy Spirit
in the lives and characters of believers and nonbelievers in the
context of last day events, which is a Christian technical term
meaning those events of a spiritual significance that herald or
announce the soon return of our Savior as distinct from common
or ordinary every day events. Events, of a national or global
nature, should be considered as a backdrop to the work of the
Holy Spirit in the transformation of character which is the focus
of this narrative.
The reader should understand that I am not
a prophet or gifted by the Holy Spirit with the prophetic gift
or have any special information or access to information beyond
what the average Christian could obtain through a study of God’s
inspired word. Therefore, the secular events, described in these
books, such as the political campaign of 2000, should be regarded
as my own creation, based on my reading of our society.
Politically speaking, I am a conservative,
religiously speaking, I am a fundamental Christian which I define
as a person who attempts to base his or her life upon the inspired
word of God.
Many Biblical scholars agree that America
is portrayed in Revelation as a lamb like beast with two horns
who shall speak with the voice of the dragon. This nation shall
be foremost in persecuting Christians around the world, but beware,
the persecution, predicted by John the Revelator, is not the persecution
many suppose and Christians, who are forced to endure this persecution,
are not the ones many suppose. Deception is the watchword of the
day. Spiritual deception shall destroy America. Christians, supposing
themselves to be doing the will of God, shall act the part of
the persecutor. You don’t believe me, read on!
In the pages of these books, I describe
sins and evils of many hues and colors. When describing sinful
acts or thoughts, I attempted to follow two basic principals.
First, I attempted to present sinful behavior in such a way that
those who read these books will not take inspiration from the
account and commit the same sins. Secondly, when describing sin,
I attempt to portray it within the contest of God’s love
and mercy or set these attributes in counter point to the sin.
Whether I succeeded or not, only eternity will reveal.
I should mention a word about my reasons
for placing these events in the year 2000 and 2001 A.D. I believe
the Bible clearly teaches that the second advent of Christ is
pre-millennial, that it will occur before the millennium for reasons
that I describe in the appropriate volume. For several years,
the Holy Spirit has been warning us, that is my wife and myself,
and other Christian believers, of the nearness of Christ’s
return. Biblical signs are fast fulfilling. His return can not
be long delayed. I choose the year 2000 and beyond, as the setting
for this book, based on the heightened interest in end time events
that seem to be gaining strength as the present millennium draws
to an end. However, if you will do justice by me and allow me
to know my own mind, these books ARE NOT MILLENNIAL BOOKS. I am
not a millenialist, that is one who expects Christ’s return
at the end of the millennial. For reasons, I state, through the
voices of fictional characters, it is my belief that Christ would
have returned before 1892 had the brothers and sisters, at that
time, been ready to receive him. A delay has occurred, such as
occurred when the newly formed Jewish nation rejected Christ as
their Guide at the anticipated crossing of the Jordan river after
their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. They failed the text
of faith in the same fashion as our brothers and sisters, over
a hundred years ago failed their moment of test. Just as the Jewish
nation had to endure another 38 years of desert wondering, because
of unbelief, so we are alive, today, because of unbelief during
the, pre-1892 era.
Christ is not waiting for the end of the
millennium before He returns, rather He is waiting for the reproduction
of his righteous character in the lives and hearts of his faithful
children. When this is accomplished, whether it be today, March
8,1999 or January 1,2000, when He sees His character faithfully
and fully reproduced in our hearts, then, and not before then,
He will return. Christ is not dependent on the fulfillment of
certain signs, for these will occur, in their appointed order,
when we, his saints, have perfected our characters. In other words,
the placement of this narrative within the time frame of the end
of the millennium is purely a marketing device designed to sell
books.
Many readers may object to the portrayal
of heaven as a material place. This is not anti-Biblical. Christ
does not dwell upon the material side of eternity that we should
not value heaven solely for its material pleasures, but may view
it as the place where Christ dwells. Our desire to go to heaven,
therefore, must, first and foremost, be a desire to spend an eternity
with Christ. However, if He is an unwelcome guest in our hearts
and homes now, we won’t desire to be with Him in heaven.
Granting our desires, Christ does not propose to take to Himself
any who have not honored Him as a welcome guest while we live
on earth.
You may strongly object to the events and
their sequence that I have portrayed. I make no apology or further
explanation then I offer in these volumes. If you disagree with
me, please save your time and mine with your objections. I would
invite you to wait and compare the unfolding events with those
described in these volumes, for the time, of Christ’s advent,
is at hand and events shall uphold or refute my writings.
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, it is
my hope that, through these pages, you may become better acquainted
with your Savior, who is loving, kind, compassionate, and exceedingly
merciful, not as some preachers, who are destitute of the love
of Christ, may present Him from their pulpits as harsh, demanding,
or unmerciful.
Lay aside all preconceived opinions of Christ’s
character and learn of Him, for he says of Himself that he is
meek and mild and all who believe upon Him as their Savior shall
find rest unto their souls.
May God bless you.
Allen A. Benson
March 8,1999
