Junior Tate

By: Junior Tate Ministries God’s Pattern – Ordinary People, Extraordinary Work From Genesis to Revelation, God delights in using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. The twelve men whom Jesus chose as His apostles were not famous scholars, political leaders, or wealthy influencers. They were fishermen, a tax collector, a former zealot, and men with weaknesses, fears, and failures—just like us. Yet under the hand of Christ and in the power of the Holy Ghost, these ordinary men were sent on an extraordinary mission: to take the gospel from a small region in Israel to the “uttermost part of the earth.” The Bible describes God’s method plainly: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.”  (1 Corinthians 1:26–29, KJV) The story of the Twelve is a living example of this truth. Jesus Chooses the Twelve The choosing of the Twelve was not random, rushed, or accidental. It was done in perfect obedience to the Father’s will, bathed in prayer. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.” (Luke 6:12–13, KJV) Mark tells us more about their purpose: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.” (Mark 3:14–15, KJV) Notice three key things: They were ordinary men—but chosen and ordained by an extraordinary Lord. Their Ordinary Backgrounds Fishermen: Peter, Andrew, James, and John Several of the Twelve were fishermen—hard-working, common men with calloused hands and simple lives. “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18–22, KJV) There was nothing remarkable in the world’s eyes about these men. Yet when Jesus called, they immediately left what was familiar to follow Him. A Tax Collector: Matthew (Levi) Tax collectors were despised in Israel as collaborators with Rome and sinners.  “And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.” (Mark 2:14, KJV) Matthew’s former life as a tax collector shows that Christ can redeem even a hated profession and turn a man into a Gospel writer and witness of grace. A Zealot: Simon the Canaanite Simon is called “Simon the Canaanite” in Matthew’s list of the apostles (Matthew 10:4, KJV). Luke identifies him as “Simon called Zelotes” (Luke 6:15, KJV). These titles refer to the same disciple and highlight the idea of zeal—an intensity of conviction and passion that, in that era, was often associated with strong resistance to Roman rule. It’s important not to confuse Simon with Judas Iscariot. Matthew lists them one after the other: “Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4, KJV). Judas is a different man, and the phrase “who also betrayed him” is describing Judas, not Simon. Luke makes this distinction explicit by listing “Simon called Zelotes” and then separately naming “Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor” (Luke 6:15–16, KJV). Jesus took a man known for intensity and redirected that zeal toward the kingdom of God. Whatever Simon’s passions had been before, Christ formed him into a witness whose loyalty was no longer driven by politics, but by the Person of Christ and the mission of the gospel. Their Weaknesses and Failures These twelve were not spiritual super-heroes. The Scriptures honestly record their arguments, fears, doubts, and failures. Peter: Bold and Broken Peter is often the spokesman of the group, quick to speak and quick to stumble. After Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:16), he later denied Him three times. Before this failure, Jesus warned him: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:31–32, KJV) When Peter did deny Christ, the Bible describes his deep sorrow: “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:61–62, KJV) Peter was an ordinary man prone to fear, yet Jesus prayed for him and later used him mightily. Thomas: Doubting Then Declaring Thomas is often remembered as “doubting Thomas,” but Scripture gives us a fuller picture. When Jesus was going back toward danger in Judea: “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16, KJV)  Later, after the resurrection, Thomas struggled to believe: “Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and … Read more

A Biblical Examination of the Last Days Through Scripture alone (KJV) By Junior Tate Ministries Introduction The return of Jesus Christ is the blessed hope of every believer. Scripture teaches that the coming of the Lord will be sudden, visible, and global. Jesus Himself gives us one of the clearest indicators of the timing and character of His return when He says the last days will resemble “the days of Noah.” This is not a vague or mystical comparison. Jesus points us to a historical period filled with specific moral conditions, spiritual realities, and global events. In Matthew 24, Jesus does not direct us to speculation, philosophy, or human opinion, but to divine history recorded in the Word of God. By understanding the days of Noah, we gain insight into the world conditions leading up to Christ’s Second Coming. This article will examine: This study is rooted in complete KJV Scripture, carefully explained with Scripture interpreting Scripture. Jesus’ Own Warning: “As the Days of Noah Were” The foundation for this entire study is found in Jesus’ words: Matthew 24:37–39 (KJV) 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.38 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,39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Jesus teaches four essential truths about the last days: This is not speculation. Jesus makes the comparison Himself. So we must ask: What exactly were the days of Noah like? To answer that, we go to Genesis 6. The Moral and Spiritual Condition of Noah’s Day Extreme Wickedness Filled the Earth Genesis 6:5 (KJV) 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The wickedness of mankind was: When Jesus said the last days would be like this, He meant moral corruption would not be occasional or limited, but worldwide and constant. The Earth Was Filled With Violence Genesis 6:11–12 (KJV) 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Violence was not regional; it was global. Society had normalized it. Humanity had “corrupted his way,” meaning people rejected the ways of God and embraced their own ways. Jesus says the world before His coming will mirror this. The Fallen Angels and Their Offspring in the Days of Noah Another defining characteristic of the days of Noah was the unnatural corruption brought into humanity when fallen angels; referred to in Scripture as “sons of God” left their proper place and took human women as wives. This union produced a race of giants, contributing to the deep moral decay that filled the earth. The Bible states clearly: Genesis 6:1–4 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters of men were born unto them,2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. These “sons of God” are understood in Scripture to be angels. Job uses the same term: Job 1:6 (KJV) 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. Jude explains that certain angels left their original habitation—their God-given order—and committed great sin in the days before the Flood. These angels are now held in chains awaiting judgment. Jude 6 (KJV) 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Peter also refers to this same incident when he writes: 2 Peter 2:4 (KJV) 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment… This angelic rebellion, combined with human wickedness, filled the earth with corruption and violence, accelerating God’s judgment. Jesus’ comparison of His return to “the days of Noah” means that the world will again experience widespread spiritual rebellion, demonic deception, and intensified supernatural darkness, just as it was when fallen angels influenced humanity before the Flood. Humanity Rejected the Preaching of Righteousness Noah was not simply a builder; he was a preacher. 2 Peter 2:5 (KJV) 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. For over a hundred years, Noah warned the people of God’s judgment. The world ignored him. They dismissed his message. Likewise, in the last days: 2 Peter 3:3–4 (KJV) 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,4 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. Mockery and unbelief will fill the earth; just like in Noah’s day. Noah Found Grace, Not Because of Merit But Because of God’s Favor Genesis 6:8 (KJV) 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Even in … Read more