JOHN R. RICE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

The reason why the restoration of the kingdom to Israel is not told us is that it must follow the return of Christ. And concerning the return of Christ the Saviour plainly said, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt. 25:13). - John R. Rice

Preachers and Bible teachers have fallen into an evil way of spiritualizing the Word of God, explaining away the promises and making the Bible mean what it does not say. In many editions of the Bible, men have defiled the Word of God with their opinions which explain away the literal meaning of the inspired Book. At the top of pages or chapters where God promised good to Israel, men have written "God's promise to the church." When God's Word prophesies good to Jerusalem or to Mount Zion, or prophesies about the future of Mount Zion, such learned teachers and preachers often say that God did not mean what He said at all, but referred to Heaven. They are wrong, utterly, foolishly, presumptuously, wickedly wrong! The Bible says what it means and means what it says. - John R. Rice

If you would understand the Scriptures and know God's plans and promises, then take literally His promises about Jerusalem and Mount Zion. - John R. Rice

Those of us who live now, having trusted Christ for salvation, will not see the Man of Sin nor suffer under his rule of Satanic power and wickedness. We will be with Christ at the wedding supper, prepared by the Father for His dear Son and for us, the Son's bride. The Man of Sin cannot be revealed until after the rapture of the saints. - John R. Rice

Christ's coming is imminent. That means that Jesus may come at any moment. That means there is no other prophesied event which must occur before Christ's coming. Nothing else needs to happen before Jesus may come. No signs need precede it. Jesus may come today. He could have come at any time since Pentecost. It is a glad event hanging over us for which we should expectantly await. The coming of Christ is imminent. - John R. Rice

I do not mean that "Jesus is coming soon," as so many people say. He may come soon; He may not come for five hundred years. I do not know, no one knows. But His coming is possible at any moment and we should expect it. - John R. Rice

I do not mean that certain signs have appeared which indicate that Christ is coming soon. We do not need signs; we simply need to believe and heed His plain statements in the Bible. He commanded us to watch, and we should watch, knowing that He may come at any time. - John R. Rice