Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. Isaiah 43:10-11
Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Job 34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
God's Salvation
Salvation is God's willingness to forgive, which is grace. The only stipulation is that we believe in and follow His Son.
Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The Holy Spirit's Guidance
We think of the most extreme examples of sin, like murder and theft. Jesus spoke of the most subtle examples. If we think it in our heart, we have broken the commandment. The point being that no matter how insignificant our sin may seem to us, we are guilty of breaking the whole law. If we do not keep the sabbath according to the letter of the law, we are breaking the sabbath. That is why we need to be like the publican and not like the Pharisee. We need to fall on the mercy of God, and not glory in our own self righteousness.
Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 5:27-28 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
My Holy Spirit guided conscience tells me not to murder. If anger creeps up in me, even for the slightest moment, I have already failed. I would never cheat on my wife, but I am naturally attracted to the beauty in other women. Even if a thought crept into my mind for a second before I reject it, I have already failed. I am guilty of the whole law.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Confidence in God's Son
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus, God's own Son. We can confidently come to Him in repentance and say, "I know I am a sinner, Lord. Thank You for Your tender mercy."
If I am truly loving my neighbor, I will not murder, steal, lie, cheat, or covet. Not coveting is the key. Coveting is selfishness and is the root of all evil.
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Entering God's Kingdom
God is the answer to the existential question, "Why are we here?" No matter how long we may live in this physical creation, it is not a nanosecond of eternity. The reason we are here is to find out how to enter there. Most never find that answer, but I will give it to you for free.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Influenced By the Original Lie
Where will you spend eternity? Have you ever thought about it? There is one belief common to most every religion; the belief that we have immortality in some form. It is the belief that we never really die, but that some part of us is immortal either as: a spirit, an angel, reincarnated, or some variation. What does the Bible say?
Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die : For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
The one thing that sets man apart from animals is the knowledge of good and evil, or conscience! Animals do not have that knowledge. It is that knowledge and our propensity to embrace the evil and eschew the good that leaves us unfit for eternal life. This is why you and I need a savior. Satan has managed to perpetuate this lie in the minds of men ever since. Even much of Christianity holds to this lie by saying at the death of the body, the soul goes either to heaven or hell to spend eternity. Is the real you a spirit trapped in a physical body?
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul : but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
God is the one able to destroy body and soul in gehenna, the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death (Revelation 21:8). Jesus was telling us that if we lose faith because of persecution, we will lose our life, “both soul and body.” The following passages leave no doubt as to the finality of death.
Psalm 146:3-4 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son in mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beast; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
The Hope of Salvation From the Second Death
The Bible is very clear on the meaning of death. Death is just what our logical mind would tell us it is had we not already been influenced by the lie. If we are thinking the second death is any different, Malachi 4:1-3 clearly describes it.
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ecclesiastes 9:1-6 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Although he lived many centuries before Christ, Job looked forward to the hope of salvation from death.
Job 14:1-14 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Job was aware of the promise of salvation; he expected that he would receive it. He knew that he would be dead for a long time before his “change” would come. Job, like everyone else whoever lived and died, returned to the dust.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The spirit came from God; it will return to Him again. The book of Genesis tells us that God formed a man from the dust of the ground, breathed the breath of life into him (spirit), and he became a living soul. To put it plainly, God used the elements of the earth to create a body, infused it with spirit, and it became a person. The spirit is not that person, but is the power from God which quickens and sustains life. When the spirit returns to God at death, it is no more that person than when it was “breathed” into the body at conception.
James 2:26 ...the body without the spirit is dead,...
Ye Must BeBorn Again
Except for in the mind of God, we did not exist before we were born. Why would we continue to exist after we die? Therefore we must be “born” again, if we are to exist again. The way to be born again is to be resurrected.
With the exception of Jesus, no one has yet been resurrected to eternal life. Jesus said,
John 6:39-40 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
What is Salvation?
Salvation is like the word salvage. To salvage is to save something that would otherwise be discarded. That is why we need to be saved, because otherwise we will be discarded in death.
From what are we being saved? It goes all the way back to the beginning of man in the story of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
Death is that from which we need to be saved. Death is the discarding. Each one of us commits this same sin in our own lives. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents us taking to ourselves the knowledge of good and evil. In other words, we decide for ourselves what is good and evil, instead of trusting what God says. In effect, becoming our own god and breaking the first commandment.
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This faith that saves us is not our own will, but is a gift of God.
Romans 10:6-9 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
God's Grace
Grace is forgiveness. Without forgiveness, none of us can be saved. Jesus provided the pardon by being our scapegoat. He voluntarily took the blame for all of us. But if we want to be forgiven, we have to be forgiving. If we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven.
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Romans 4:1-8 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Romans 6:23 …; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 20:29-31 Jesus saith unto him [doubting Thomas], Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Acts 4:11-12 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Grace is God's willingness to forgive. It is His mercy. It is only by God's mercy that anyone will be saved. He does not have to save anyone. Even the most benevolent person whoever lived is still a failure when it comes to being worthy of eternal life. It is not our goodness that saves us. It is God's mercy, which is His grace.
God only extends that mercy according to the faith that He gives us. If we have faith in Jesus and spend the rest of our life in service to Him, it is still only because of God's mercy that we will be saved. If we do not serve Him at all, like the unprofitable servant, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Romans 9:15-16 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
We are only saved because our sins are forgiven. That is what grace means. It is because of our faith in Jesus that we are forgiven. If we expect to be forgiven, we have to practice forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The big, little word "if" has a lot of power behind it.
Grace goes right along with turning the other cheek and loving our enemies. Faith without works is dead. Dead faith cannot save anyone.
Supporting Verses:
Hebrews 12:1-2 …let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Hebrews 2:9-18 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Luke 2:10-12 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
John 14:5-11 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
John 8:48-58 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:...
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:13
Romans 9:31-33 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:9-11 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Galatians 2:16-21 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 3:1-5 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:9-14 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:16-18 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 4:9-11 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Galatians 5:13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
...and yet, there is a reason we need grace.
Romans 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Matthew 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Luke 18:9-14 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Matthew 6:12-15 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5
The book of James answers this question quite well.
James 1:5-8 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
My intention is not to tell you, but to show you what the Bible says by using numerous direct quotations from the King James translation. I could have used a modern English translation of the Bible to make these points, but many people do not like these versions. I feel the King James version is the most acceptable. Though many people think it is too hard to understand, I want to show that it is not as perplexing as you may think.
You Can Understand the Scripture
Please do not assume that the Bible is beyond you. Our ability to understand scripture has nothing to do with our IQ. Our desire to know the truth is the fundamental requirement. In teaching us to be persistent in praying, Jesus gave us an example in Luke.
Luke 11:5-13 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
What we are asking for in this scripture is the Holy Spirit. “Importunity” means a sense of urgency; persistence in praying. It means to keep asking “and it shall be given you,” to keep seeking “and ye shall find,” to keep knocking “and it shall be opened unto you.” God wants us to pester Him in humility. The Holy Spirit is the comforter which Jesus promised in John.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,…
Become a Disciple
I have been a student of the Word for fourty-seven years and have only scratched the surface. It is a lifelong endeavor, but we are not alone. We have a master teacher. Jesus said in John 8:31-32,
…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The word “disciple” simply means student. "To continue in His word" means we have a desire to know the truth and will return persistently to search for it.
The greatest obstacle to understanding the Bible is our mistaken assumption that we already know what it should say. We read a scripture, but it does not agree with the knowledge we presume we already have. Therefore, we become discouraged and blame it on our inability to comprehend. We have an “acceptance block” because of our preconceived beliefs. It prevents us from discerning the truth! If we will let the Bible say what it says and try not to make it say what we think it ought to say, it will make sense.
God gave us the Bible so we can know something about Him and about why we are here. It is certainly not all that there is to know, but it is more than any of us can ever hope to fully understand. We would be in the dark without it; thank God we are not in the dark. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 tells us,
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Desire to Know
God is not being unfair to us by making the Bible too hard to understand. He is offering us the truth on a silver platter. Only by our desire to know, and God’s revealing will we gain understanding. Matthew 11:25-26 says,
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent [wise in their own eyes], and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Understanding the Bible is totally dependent upon revelation from God through His Holy Spirit. Persistent prayer is the key. So keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.
Proverbs 1:5-7 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,...
Mark 4:41 …, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
…, What manner of man is this, that even the wind
and the sea obey him? Mark 4:41
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. Mark 1:11
The Only Begotten Son
Jesus is the Only Begotten Son. Only is singular, meaning there are no others like Him.
John 1:14 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 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him .
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
But we have this promise from God.
1 John 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Prophecy of a Savior
In Matthew, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream saying,
Matthew 1:20-23 …, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
The name Jesus is revered, respected, or despised by billions of people the world over. To many He is God incarnate, divine and commanding worship. To others He was simply a great man, worthy of our admiration and to be a good example. Others are indifferent. Still others hold Him in contempt, or say that there was no such person. I personally know that there was such a person, and that He still is my Savior.
The Word and The Creator
Arguably the most beautiful narrative about Jesus is in the Gospel of John.
John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 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.
The first two sentences tell us that Jesus is the Word of God; that He is God; and that He was with God in the beginning. The third sentence informs us that He is the Creator. The last verse says that He became flesh and lived among us.
Jesus is the One who performed the creation! The first verse of the Bible says,
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
The word "God" in the creation account is the translation of the Hebrew word "elohiym." Elohiym is the plural form of elowahh, which means god. Genesis 1:26-27 shows the plurality of God.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him male and female created he them.
Both the Father and the Word (Jesus) are God. They are both singular and dual. They are singular because They are of the same mind and purpose with one Spirit in common. In John, Jesus said,
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Speaking of His death and His resurrection in John 14:1-4, Jesus told His disciples that He would return to His Father. In verses 5-11 it says,
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
The God of the Old Testament
Jesus said that He and the Father are one. The works that He performed were actually accomplished by the power of the Father. If Jesus is the Word and the One who performed the creation by the power of the Father, He must be the God of the Old Testament. John 8:48-58 gives us another clue to His identity. Jesus was speaking in the temple at Jerusalem to those Jews who would not believe in Him.
Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him, but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Jesus told these Jews that He was “I am.” This offended them to the point of wanting to stone Him, but He escaped. The reason His declaration outraged them is found in the book of Exodus. God appeared to Moses “in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush” and commanded him that he was to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. This passage explains the Jews' outrage.
Exodus 3:13-15 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel. I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Jesus told these Jews that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. He was the God who brought the plagues against Egypt. He led His people out of Egypt with a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He was the One who parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry ground, while the army of Pharaoh drowns behind them. Through miracles He showed them His power in the desert for forty years, yet few of them had faith. In Matthew, Jesus gave the Jewish people one last clue to His identity as He was dying on the cross.
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
The Psalm Narrative
Even as Jesus was dying on the cross, He was quoting a scripture from the Old Testament. This scripture should have convinced many of them that He was the Son of God. Compare this prophecy to all four accounts of the crucifixion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin
The Hebrew Narrative
The book of Hebrews is a great instruction in faith. It presents another glorious narrative of the person of Jesus.
Hebrews 1:1-14 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou has loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
God called His Son, "God" and "Lord". If we believe the Bible is a message given to us from God, then there is no doubt: Jesus is God, He became a man, and He died to save us. Hebrews 2:9-18 explains why He became flesh.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
The Good News
“Succor” means to assist and support. Because Jesus lived as one of us, He is able to understand and to help us. Jesus came not only to perform this sacrifice, but to bring an announcement of good news (gospel) to all the people of the world. The angel of the Lord declared the good news to shepherds saying,
Luke 2:10-12 …, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Relating these good tidings of great joy, the apostle Paul proclaimed,
The good news that Jesus brought is the offer of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Mark 1:14-15 states,
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Speaking to a group of people, some of whom He had healed and from some of whom He had cast out devils, Jesus said,
Luke 4:43 …, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
The coming of Jesus is good news to them that believe. Revelation 19:11-16 is bad news for unbelievers.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Hebrews 4:12-16 restores our hope.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Only One Name
It is not possible to write everything there is to know about Jesus, not even the Bible can do that (John 21:25). The book of Acts reveals the one thing we must know.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
YHVH
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
YHVH is the name of God, as revealed in the Bible.
Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey
The best anyone can tell that is the way the Hebrew letters sound individually. To turn it into a word, it needs some vowels. No one knows what those vowels should be. Some have even made a religion out of how it should be said properly.
The Israelites would never attempt to enunciate it. They thought, superstitiously, that it might put them in danger of breaking the third commandment. Exodus 20:7 says,"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD [YHVH] thy God [Elohim, plural] in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Traditionally, Jews have replaced the name, YHVH, with Adonai (my Lord) or Hashem (the name).
What does it mean to “take the name of the LORD [YHVH] thy God [Elohim, plural] in vain”?
Vain: 07723. awv shav', shawv or shav {shav}; from the same as 7722 in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain):--false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Exodus 20:1-3 And God [Elohim, plural] spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD [YHVH] thy God [Elohim, plural], which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
God (Elohim) says, “I am the LORD, [YHVH] thy God [Elohim]." Elohim and YHVH are the same. They are the same Elohim speaking in Genesis 1:26 who said, “let us make man in our image.” There is more than one person speaking, but speaking as if they are one person.
So what does YHVH mean? God defined it for us.
Exodus 3:14 And God [Elohim, plural] said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
I AM - ( 01961. hyh hayah, haw-ya: to exist, i.e. be)
YHVH – (03068. (the) self-Existent or Eternal)
John 8:58-59 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. Then took they up stones to cast at him:...
YHVH means I AM THAT I AM. It means always was and always will be, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.
YHVH is not one or the other. It is both, and they are one. The reason the Father and the Son are one is because they are the same Holy Spirit.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
When we say God is one we are talking about the Father and the Son, but we can refer to either one specifically. We will never understand the full nature of God until we see Him face to face.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Isaiah 43:10-11 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD [YHVH], and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD [YHVH]; and beside me there is no saviour.
Two in One
Matthew 19:5 ...For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
The Issue
The issue is not that Jesus and His Father are the same person. They are not. The issue is what type of being Jesus and His Father are. Jesus was never any kind of angel. That was Satan's sin. Satan was an angel who wanted to "be like the most High." Jesus is like the most High, and it is not sin because He is "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person." (Heb.1:3). They are the same type of being, so much so, that the Word (Jesus) had the power to create the universe, and all that is in it.
Jesus is..."worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house." Hebrews 3:3
Hebrews 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
Who is it that built all things?
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD [YHVH] the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD [YHVH] of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Revelation 1:11 I AM Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:...
Revelation 1:17-18 ...Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;...
Revelation 22:12-13 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Who is Jesus
Some people take this to mean the opposite of what it actually means. Jesus said He is God. Jesus is the Lamb without blemish; otherwise, His sacrifice would be worthless. Jesus is good, therefore, He is God.
Matthew 19:16-17 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:
Jesus is asking a rhetorical question. The point of a rhetorical question is that we are supposed to read into it. Same with parables, “whoso readeth, let him understand.” That He is God is the point of the question. We call Him good; He is good. Only God is good. Therefore, Jesus is God. It is elementary algebra. Good = God.
Jesus left us with a rhetorical question.
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Besides being a reference to Psalm 22, Jesus is asking a question, not in despair. He is asking what is the purpose of all that happened to Him? The question is really directed to us. The answer is Isaiah 53.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deuteronomy 6:4
The Omnipresence of God
Do you understand how the God, who is one, can appear as a man standing before the tent of Abraham while He is still enthroned in heaven and still be present in every place in creation all at the same time? It is because He is the Father and He is the Son and He is the Holy Spirit. If we do not understand that, He is a stone of stumbling to us.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit.
God's Essence
The Spirit is God's essence. Spirit is what God is, and the Spirit He is is the Holy Spirit. That is the missing key to understanding "the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." The reason the Father and the Son are One is because they are the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is also how we are one in them when we believe. This scripture makes it plain.
Romans 8:9-11 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
1 Corinthians 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
In the exact same way, Jesus said,...
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are [in the same way].
John 17:20-23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, as we are one: [in the same way] I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 17:24-26 Father, I will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The Spirit Permeates Every Place in Heaven and Earth
Jesus comes to us in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not leave them, it emanates from them. That is how God is omnipresent. His Spirit permeates every place in heaven and earth.
John 20:21-22 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you;
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Living Water
In the last two chapters of Revelation, where it talks about the new heaven and the new earth, we find no mention of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit is there in the Father and the Son. What we do see is a river of life flowing out of the throne.
Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
The Trinity Doctrine
Jesus said, “I and My Father are One.” He didn’t say I and my Father are two, and He didn’t say I and my Father and the Holy Spirit are three.
Trinity isn’t a good explanation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Look at these references to the Holy Spirit from the KJV.
The way the Spirit is described in the scripture as being "of God" and "of His Son" and being "His Spirit", it does not sound like a third person. I do not think the Spirit is a third person. I think it is what God is. Just as you and I are human beings, the Father and Son are Holy Spirit. The idea “trinity” was not conceived until about a hundred and fifty years after the crucifixion. It was not until the Synod of Alexandria in 362 A. D. that this hypothesis became doctrine.
Catholic Encyclopedia
Trinity: The Dogma of the Trinity:
"The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of
the Christian religion - the truth that in the unity of the Godhead
there are THREE PERSONS, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, these THREE PERSONS being truly distinct one from another."
"The Persons are CO-ETERNAL and CO-EQUAL: all alike are
uncreated and omnipotent."
"In Scripture there is as yet no single term by
which the Divine Persons are denoted together. The word TPIAS (of
which the Latin TRINITAS is a translation) is first found in Theophilus
of Antioch about A.D. 180. He speaks of “the TRINITY
of God [the Father], His WORD and His WISDOM” (“AD.
AUTO1”., II, 15, P.G., VI, 1078).
The term may, of course have been in use before his time. Shortly
afterwards it appears in its Latin form of TRINITAS in Tertullian (“De
pud”, c. xxi, P.G., II 1026).
In the next century the word is in general use. It is found in many
passages of origin.
"The writers of this school contend that The doctrine
of the Trinity, as professed by the
Church, is not contained in the New Testament, but
it was first formulated in the second century and received final approbation
in the fourth century, as the result of the Arian and Macedonian
controversies."
The New Catholic Encyclopedia - 1967, VOL.
XIV, PAGE 299:
The formulation “one God in three
Persons" was not solidly established, certainly
not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of
faith, prior to the end of the fourth century. But
it is precisely this formulation that first claimed to title “The
Trinitarian Dogma.” Among the apostolic
fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a
mentality or perspective.
God is a Spirit
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Spirit is what God is, and the Spirit He is is the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Luke 11:9-10 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Equal With God
Yes, the Son is equal with, but subordinate to the Father.
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD [YHVH] the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD [YHVH] of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Revelation 1:11 I AM Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:..
Revelation 1:17-18 ...Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;...
Revelation 22:12-13 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Isaiah 43:10-11 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Philippians 2:7-11 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is the Word of God, which is God. When we read the Words of God, we are reading Jesus.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. Matthew 12:8
Sabbath
Exodus 20:9-10 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,...
Is Saturday really sacred? Is sabbath a day of the week, or is sabbath a day of rest? Sabbath is about counting. After we have labored six days, take the seventh day off and stay home. That is how the commandment is written. It says nothing about which day of the week is which. The commandment does not say anything about going to Seventh Day Adventist church on Saturday, or any other church on Sunday.
When Jesus told the people they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood, most of them went away and quit following Him. They did not understand what he was saying. He was speaking spiritually; they were not having the same conversation. When the Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the sabbath, they were not having the same conversation. When Jesus says He is Lord of the sabbath, He is not talking about a day of the week. He is saying He is the Lord of the rest.
Everything that the Old Testament says is a shadow of things to come. Once they are come, there is no more purpose for the shadow. The shadow is a prophetic rehearsal. Jesus is the One who casts the shadow. Once He came He fulfilled it. When it says He fulfilled it, it does not mean He perfectly kept the commands, although He did. Fulfilled means He fulfilled the prophecies. He brought them to pass. Jesus is the Sabbath. He is the rest, which is what sabbath means. When Jesus returns, the millennial kingdom will be the Sabbath rest of the earth. That is what the seventh day represents. It has nothing to do with what day of the week we call the seventh. It is about looking forward to that eternal Sabbath rest.
If we make it about a particular day of the week we are doing the exact same thing the Pharisees did. We make man for the sabbath. The sabbath was a gift to man so that we would not work ourselves to death, and work our employees and servants to death. It was given so we could catch our breath and recharge our batteries spiritually, mentally and physically. Once every seven days, take a break. It is not about making a particular day of the week holy. It is about setting apart one day a week to focus on our relationship with God and not be distracted with the worries and labors of life. When we make it about the day, we completely miss the point; it then becomes a form of idolatry. It is not even about which day of the week. It is about one day in seven, take a rest. It is not the day of the week that is holy, it is the rest. Which day is number seven depends on when we start our work week. It does not say anything about going to church or synagogue. It says stay put.
Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Exodus 16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Exodus 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Colossians 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
If we take up our cross daily, every day is the same. Sabbath does not mean Saturday, and it does not mean seventh. Sabbath means rest. Jesus is the Sabbath. Jesus is our rest. We no longer have to work our way to God, which we never could do.
John 5:16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Matthew 12:5-8 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
A New Covenant
A covenant is an agreement between two parties. In this case, it is a covenant between God and Israel. As long as both parties abide by the terms of the agreement, the covenant will continue. If either party violates the terms of the agreement, the covenant is broken. Israel broke the terms of the agreement because it was too burdensome. They could not keep it. The new covenant is not burdensome at all. It is easy to keep.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
He gives us rest because He is the Lord of rest, or the Lord of the sabbath.
When Jesus says "the law," He is talking about the entire word of God from Genesis to Revelation. He is not just talking about the old covenant. He is not just talking about the first five books of the Bible. Torah does not mean just the first five books of the Bible, the way the Jews look at it. Torah is the whole Bible. If the New Testament says the old covenant has vanished away, it has vanished away. That is the law.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 7:11-12 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
This is how the law is written on our heart.
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
John 13:14-17 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 15:9-12 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Galatians 5:13-16 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
1 John 4:19-21 We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
If you are only looking at it as the Levitical law, you are only thinking carnally.
1 John 5:3-5 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Enter His Rest
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
How did God "declare the end from the beginning"? By giving us the seven day week as a perpetual reminder. The age or genea of man will be six days or six thousand years. The last or seventh day will be the millennial rest of the earth.
Hebrews 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:7
Faith from God
I have always said that faith is most like intuition or instinct. And faith is the gift of God. It is a knowing that is given to us by God, a knowing that we cannot otherwise explain. We just know because God caused us to know. When people do not come to God, I understand it is because God is not calling them.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
It really is all about God!
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Predestination
Have you ever experienced Deja vu? I have experienced it many times in my life since I was a boy and still do at age 65. It always happens when I go to a place I have never been before. I concluded a long time ago that God is showing me glimpses of my future life long before it happens. Now I do not make anything of it except that God knows the future before it happens.
Predestination has to be true, otherwise, God is not omniscient. The thing about predestination is that God is the only one who knows how it turns out. We are not privy to it. Therefore, we have to live our lives one moment at a time constantly making choices that we have no idea we will be faced with, until we are faced with them. We also have no idea what choices we will make, until we make them. However, God already knows.
God knew exactly what would happen in the garden of Eden. That is why He put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there. He did not have to let the serpent in Eden. It was in the plan of salvation from the beginning. Adam's sin was not a failure of God. It was His plan. That is why Revelation says that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. It was already in the plan. It is all about us coming back to God in repentance and falling on His mercy; and who will and who will not.
The Foreknowledge of God
Think of this world as a movie that has an "in the beginning" and a "the end." God is the producer and director of this movie. He has plugged it in, and now it is playing. He already knows the whole epic story. God is not confined to time the way we are. He sees it all at once. The word "freewill" is nowhere in the Bible. But the terms "will of God" or "His will" are found 35 times. God chose us before we chose Him. We are ordained to salvation, even before we believe.
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
1 Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundaiton of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Matthew 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Luke 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 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. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 3:19-22 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
Romans 9:14-24 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:10-12
John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
If there is only one fold, what is that fold called? Israel will not be saved until they come to Jesus. When they come to Jesus, they are the church. So yes, the only Israel is the church, and the only church is Israel.
Physical Israel
Matthew 24:23-27 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 shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
The physical "nation of Israel" is all about antichrist because they are looking for that kind of messiah. The true Israel will be fulfilled when Jesus returns.
Spiritual Israel
The messianic kingdom was never about this flesh. It was always spirit. We were never going to live forever anyway, unless we come through Jesus, who is the only way, truth, and eternal life. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the messiah is Israel. No one who does not believe that Jesus is the messiah is Israel. Therefore, when the last person who will come to belief in Jesus, comes to belief in Jesus, then all Israel will be saved.
When Jesus said, "Ye must be born again, or you cannot see the kingdom of God", He was explaining the resurrection. We had to be born to come into this physical world. We will have to be "born again" in the resurrection to come into the kingdom of God.
John 3:3-6 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [physical birth, born] and of the Spirit [resurrected, born again], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
We are still flesh (dust); we are not yet spirit.
John 3:7-9 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
We are not yet like the wind.
Ezekiel 37:11-14 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
"Replacement theology" is one of those disparaging distinctions thrown around to dismiss an idea without debate, like "anti-semite" and "conspiracy theorist." The church is Israel and is the fulfillment of the promises God made to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israel, and Moses. Not a replacement at all, but a fulfillment and inclusion. The final fulfillment is to be accomplished in the millennial kingdom. His kingdom is not of this world. Any "apparent" fulfillment in this present world is an antichrist counterfeit.
Matthew 21:42-44 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
The Complete Fulfillment
The messianic prophecies were always meant to be fulfilled in the first resurrection and in the millennial kingdom. All Israel will only be saved in a remnant. A remnant is a very small leftover from a much larger whole. The Jewish misunderstanding that the messianic kingdom would be fulfilled in this present time and among the physical nation of Israel was always wrong; which is why they rejected Him the first time.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Romans 11:4-5 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
All believers, Jews and Greeks, will be revived and rule with Christ on the third day. There is no "church age". That is not found in the Bible.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
This idea people have of separating gentile believers from Jewish believers is unbiblical. Unbelieving Jews will not be saved anyway. Neither will unbelieving gentiles. There is no gentile church. There is only an Israel church with whom gentiles have been blessed to conjunct.
John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Matthew 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. -John the baptizer
Galatians 3:16-18 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;...
Luke 3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 8:11-12 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Romans 9:26-29 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
The complete fulfillment will be in the first resurrection.
Ezekiel 37:12-14 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Romans 11:25-26 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved:
Surname Israel
Isaiah 44:1-6 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Most people think that gentile means any people who are not Jews. Gentile means heathen, and heathen are people who do not know the true God. Even the people we call Jews, those who reject Jesus, are heathen or gentile. So even the unbelieving Jews are gentiles treading down the holy city. Luke 21:24 could be translated this way: ...: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the unbelievers, until the times of the unbelievers be fulfilled.
Just as God changed Jacob's name to Israel, He changes our name to Israel when we believe in Jesus. Everyone who believes in Jesus is Israel. No one else is. Therefore, "all Israel shall be saved."
Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary
Israel
03478. larsy Yisra'el, yis-raw-ale' : he will rule as God.
Revelation 2:26-27 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Ephesians 2:11-22 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
And 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. Matthew 24:4-5
Hebrew Roots (Pharisaism)
How strong are your vocabulary skills? When you read, do you have a dictionary handy in case you come across a word you do not understand? Or do you read presumptuously? Nobody is a walking dictionary. If you do not understand something, take the time to research it. Many words have multiple meanings. Many false doctrines have been built upon the foundation of misunderstanding.
When I first believed, almost fifty years ago, I examined many denominations. I thought, certainly they can teach me how to understand the Bible. But the more I read the Bible, and the more I compared it to the various denominational doctrines, the more it seemed to me that they mostly were not teaching the Bible the way it read to me.
In those days, I would listen to radio station WOAI in San Antonio, Texas. All through the night they broadcast one preacher after another from various denominations. One I remember was “The Sacred Name Broadcast” with Jacob O. Meyer. His entire doctrine was based around knowing the original Hebrew names of the Father and the Son, and living according to the Mosaic covenant. Accordingly, if you did not know these things, you did not know the true God.
I knew this was not true, because God had called me long before I knew the names. As time went on I came across others with the same beliefs, but none of them could agree on the actual pronunciation or the spelling of the names. There are so many versions of this doctrine that if you thought you had to believe in it to be saved, you could never know which one got it right.
The truth is, God speaks all languages. He is the one who divided us by language after the tower of Babel incident. All languages were given by God. Languages have different alphabets, with various symbols to represent the different consonant and vowel vocalizations. An approximation of Jesus' name in Hebrew might be Yeshua. But we are trying to use a different alphabet to sound out a Hebrew word. In Greek, Jesus' name was translated Iesous. Not because it sounds like Zeus, but because "ie" was the closet approximation to the "y" sound in the Greek alphabet. The "s" in the middle of Iesous was because they did not have a way of representing the "sh" sound. The "s" on the end was to indicate the masculine form. This is just how different languagues are. Later, when it was translated from Greek into old German, they used a "j" for the "y" sound, because that is what "j" sounded like in German. When it was translated into English, they kept the "j", but in English "j" sounds like a soft "g". It is that innocent. If you ask some Spanish speaking people to pronounce the word "yellow", it will come out "jello". It is simply the difference in the way people speak.
It is the definition of the word that matters. What phonetic symbol you use to represent that definition is irrelevant, as long as you understand the definition. Salvation is not like magic, where you need to say “abracadabra” or “hocus pocus” before the magic will work. If you think you have to speak Hebrew to understand the Word of God, you may need a time machine. What you need is the Holy Spirit, and for that, all you need to do is believe and ask. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament was never written in Hebrew. It was always Greek, and that was God's doing.
So what about this idea that we need to become Jewish and keep the old coventant to be saved?
Galatians 5:3-5 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Did Timothy and Paul fall from grace because Paul circumcised Timothy?
Acts 16:1-3 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.”
It seems hypocritical, since they had settled this exact controversy in Acts 15. But then, Paul was still flesh and blood.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Acts 15:7-10 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Acts 15:19-20 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:24-29 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
The book of Acts was a period of learning. They had not yet understood by the Holy Spirit what was the meaning of the new covenant. It took some time.
Take for instance, water baptism. Jesus never intended for water baptism to continue after His resurrection. John the baptizer made that clear from the beginning.
Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Paul later understood that.
1 Corinthians 1:13-17 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
There are no rituals in Christianity. It is all about walking in the Spirit and in faith. The old covenant was for a specific time, a specific people, and a specific purpose. It was the constitution for a nation to be set apart to the one true God, until the one came who would fulfill that purpose. Jesus fulfilled that purpose. Once the real thing is come, there is no more purpose for the symbolic. The old covenant had an expiration date. How long was that covenant to last, "till the seed should come to whom the promise was made"?
Galatians 3:16-19 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before (Abrahamic covenant) of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;...
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:13-16 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrew roots is not the old covenant. Not even the Jews are living by the old covenant. They cannot, because that system does not exist anymore. What you are doing is practicing Rabbinic Judaism, which is simply modern Pharisaism. They will one day attempt to resume the old covenant. That is when their anti-messiah will appear, because that is the kind of messiah they have been expecting all along. If you are following after Hebrew roots, you may follow him too.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13
Baptism of Repentance
Mark 1:1-4 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
John the Baptist preached the “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” It is not the same baptism that he performed in the river Jordan. John’s baptism could not bring about remission of sins; the baptism of Jesus could.
To “baptize” is to wash completely or cleanse. It is a metaphor for the true cleansing of the soul. In the book of Mark, John the Baptist demonstrates that there is a difference between his baptism and the baptism of Jesus.
Mark 1:7-8 …, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
The two key words in this passage are “with” and “but,” with denoting “by what method” and but showing “exception”. Consider it written this way, “I indeed have baptized you using water, however, he shall baptize you using the Holy Ghost.”
Water Baptism is a Symbol
This will probably offend many, but baptism of water was only a symbol pointing to the real baptism. The rituals of the temple were symbolic of the real sacrifice that Jesus would later make. We do not continue to practice ritual sacrifice to remind us that Jesus died for our sins. Why should we continue to practice water baptism when we have received the Holy Spirit? ( Read Hebrews 8- 10 )
Hebrews 9:8-14 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Christianity is based entirely on faith. There is no ritual requirement prerequisite to being Christian. It is not wrong to perform or receive water baptism. It is wrong, however, to say that it is conditional to salvation. Consider the thief crucified with Jesus in Luke 23:39- 43,
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
The thief did not have a chance for baptism, still Jesus promised him that he would be in paradise.
If you personally feel that you should receive baptism with water, then by all means do so. It would be wrong not to, for conscience sake. (Read Romans 14 )
Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:14-17,
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
If Paul had felt that water baptism was very important, he would not have ceased to practice it. Water baptism was a transitional figure between the old covenant and the new covenant. John was sent by God to perform water baptism while preaching the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which had not yet been given. Jesus said,
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow, rivers of living water. :But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given ( because that Jesus was not yet glorified ).
When the Holy Ghost was given, the need for a symbol was finished.
Hebrews 8:10-13 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Baptism of Fire
The truth is we must be baptized to be saved, but it is with the Holy Spirit that we must be baptized.
There is another baptism mentioned in the Bible, the baptism of fire found in Matthew 3:11-12 and Luke. It says,
Luke 3:16-17 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Mark 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire,…
We will be baptized with fire; it is inevitable. This is not figurative or spiritual symbolism, it is literal. There is an account in Daniel which also serves as a precursor and example of the baptism of fire.
During a time when the kingdom of Judah was overthrown by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the people of Judah were taken captive.
Daniel 1:6-7 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
These young Jewish captives refused to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. For their obstinence, three of them were thrown alive into a “burning fiery furnace.”
Daniel 3:20-25 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Verse 27 and 28 says, “the fire had no power over these men because they trusted their God.” In Revelation 21:8, we see another kind of fiery furnace.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
For we who trust in God, Revelation 20:6 says,
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Psalm 50:4-6
1 Samuel 2:6-10 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth ; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exhalt the horn of his anointed.
The First Resurrection
Have you ever wondered, “Why judgment day?” If all souls go either to heaven or hell at the moment of death, why judgment day? Is God going to take them from heaven and hell for judgment day, only to put them back after their judgment? Of course not! At the return of Christ, as Revelation 20:1-3 tells us, Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years. In Revelation 20:4-6, the apostle John reveals the order of resurrection.
Revelation 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The End of the Thousand Years
We see that we will become judges, rulers, and priests, ruling with Christ for a thousand years. The resurrection of Christians comes a full thousand years before the rest of the dead come back to life. If only Christians can be saved, again we should ask, why judgment day? In Revelation 20:7-10, we read what will come to pass at the end of that thousand years.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Here we see the world after the return of Christ. The earth has been repopulated with mortal people who have formed nations during this thousand years. We also see that the camp of the saints and the beloved city are on the earth. This is the time when we have received the promise of Revelation 2:26-27.
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
At the end of this thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison and will be allowed to deceive the nations once more; after which he will be cast into the lake of fire himself. In Revelation 20:11-15, we see the climax of all human endeavor from creation to Satan’s final deception.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire .
Everyone who ever lived, “the rest of the dead,” from the creation to the end of the thousand years will be resurrected and “judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” If anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life, he is cast into the lake of fire. We know that “the books” contain the works of men, but what else can we learn about these books and the book of life? Let us examine a few passages pertaining to this subject.
Malachi 3:16-18 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Daniel had a dream and saw visions of beasts which represented various empires throughout history. In the time of the final empire, he said,
Daniel 7:9-10 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Speaking of the final persecution of the saints prior to the return of Christ and the events following, Daniel wrote,
Daniel 7:21-27 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
The Book of Life
In Daniel 11:32-39, the glorified Christ relates more about this three and a half year persecution. In Daniel 12:1-3, He informs us of our salvation.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
We must be found written in the book of life at the end of the judgment in order to be saved. In Psalm 69, David prophesied of the distress of Christ prior to His crucifixion.
Psalm 69:21-28 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
Even those who crucified Christ are written in the book of the living. “Let them be blotted out” implies that names which are written in the book of life may be removed. Psalm 139:15-16 implies that our names were written in the book of life before we were even born.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 22:18-19 For I testily unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things, which are written in this book.
Speaking of the final empire, the fourth beast which we read about in Daniel, Revelation 13:6-10 says,
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
This passage suggests that people who submit to the beast government were never written in the book of life, but were fitted for this purpose. Those who refuse to worship the beast will be killed or imprisoned; out of sight, out of mind. Therefore, it will seem to them “all that dwell upon the earth” that everyone on earth worships the beast.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
The Bible does not tell us whether anyone else was never written in the book of life, only those who accept the mark of the beast. This government will be so powerful and in control of all aspects of life that it will seem impossible to resist. “Here is the patience and faith of the saints.”
The book of life is a list of names written before creation. It will be altered in the judgment. Only those whose names remain in the book at the conclusion of the judgment will enter the kingdom of God.
Christians are to be the judges. If Christians are resurrected and receive eternal life one thousand years before the judgment, will the book of life be opened only to find no other names in it? Again we ask, why judgment day? Who are we going to judge?
Those Being Judged
Let us consider the entire human race since the beginning of time. Is salvation only for those who have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life and accepted it? What about the people who never heard about Jesus? There must be billions of them since the creation. Or what about the people who heard something about Jesus, but the message they heard did not ring true; so, they chose not to believe? In order to believe the truth, we must first have heard the truth! Satan wants us to perceive of God as being unfair.
Consider all the people who have suffered a life of poverty, starvation, and enslavement never having experienced anything but misery and deprivation in this life. Yet, they go on striving to survive. Do you think they were all fortunate enough to have had a missionary come and tell them about Jesus? If some of them were so fortunate, were they told the truth? Let us be realistic. The majority of people who have ever lived on this planet have never heard the truth. Are they all going to burn? Jesus said in John 3:18-21,
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
This passage does not condemn everyone who does not believe, only those who have heard the truth and refused to believe. How can we believe or disbelieve something we have never heard. Paul tells us in Romans 10:14-15,
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?…
Not intending to take this scripture out of context, look at verse 18.
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Paul was not saying that everyone has heard the truth about Jesus. He was quoting Psalm 19:4. Examine Psalm 19:1-6.
The heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
This Psalm is referring to the heavens, the creation itself, as being evidence of the Creator. There is no place on earth where we cannot see the evidence of God. Therefore, there is no excuse for not believing in God. What we believe about God, however, is a different story. Just believing that God exists is not enough. Let us consider these following verses:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Only Way
The only way to come to the true God is to become a Christian, but we must first be called by God in order to become Christians. Only those whom God has called even have a chance to become Christians in this life. If Christians are to be judges, priests, and kings, then who are the people of the nations that we are to rule over? Revelation 21:23-27 tells of nations and kings in the kingdom of God.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
We must be found written in the book of life after the judgment to enter the kingdom of God. If Christians are to become “the kings of the earth,” then there must be other names in the book of life besides those who were chosen to become Christians. Who are these people? How can they remain in the book of life without having accepted Christ?
God's Righteous Judgment
Perhaps you have known someone who, although a sinner “for all have sinned,” was basically a good person. This person was generous, kind, and caring, but for some reason never accepted Christ. He or she was certainly no worse, and possibly better, than the average “Christian.” Do you suppose this person deserves to be cast into the lake of fire? The parable of Lazarus and the rich man has a message for Christians.
Luke 16:19-25 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
This parable is not a literal description of heaven and hell, but is given to make two points. Notice that the story never says that either the rich man or Lazarus was a Christian. It only states that the rich man in his lifetime received his good things and Lazarus evil things. The contrast is that the rich man had his heaven while Lazarus had nothing but misery; therefore, Lazarus will be comforted. Referring to Himself, Jesus makes another point in this parable.
Luke 16:31 …,If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Lazarus is a picture of all the suffering people of the world. Their names will be found written in the book of life. They, too, will be comforted. Jesus said in Matthew 5:3-5,
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Jesus put no stipulation on these promises. To those who are already comfortable in this life, He said,
Luke 6:24-26 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Even so, this is not necessarily the end of the matter for those who are rich. Speaking of the rich and how hard it is for them to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus said,
Mark 10:27 …, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
So we see, God’s judgment is a righteous judgment. It is more fair than any human court on this earth. Psalm 9:7-8 tells us,
But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Judges for God
Does God actually judge? As we read in Daniel, chapter 7, judgment will be given to “the saints of the most High.” In John 5:22-23 we find,
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
God has delegated this task of judgment to Jesus; who in turn has assigned us to the job. God is still the judge. He is judging, through us, by His Holy Spirit.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just: because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
I Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels?
What kind of judge will we be? Will we examine their “works” in the books only to disregard their good works? Will we condemn them to the lake of fire? Will we disregard what kind of person they were, because they did not accept Christ in this life? Again, why judgment day?
Why do you suppose God is giving the responsibility of judgment to us? Could it be because we can empathize with our fellow human beings? And what is the criterion for judgment? We know that we will judge them “out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works;” but what are the works by which we will judge them? The parable of the sheep and the goats is a picture of the judgment. Matthew 25:31-46 shows us the criterion by which they will be judged.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not . Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The standard that we will judge them by is whether or not they had compassion for their fellow human beings. It is apparent that none of these people became Christians in this life because they will not understand how they did or did not do these things to Jesus.
More Tolerable
Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Lot, in the land of Sodom and Gomorrha, and the fate of the people there. Jesus instructed His twelve disciples on how to preach the kingdom of God from city to city. He said,
Matthew 10:11-15 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city.
If there is only one outcome of the judgment, how can it be “more tolerable” for one group over another? It is because they are judged as individuals, “according to their works,” as to whether they were compassionate or selfish in this life to even one of the least of His brethren. It is also because people who had heard the truth and rejected it will be judged more harshly than those who had never heard the truth at all.
John 12:47-48 And if any man hear my words, and believe not I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
How can anyone enter the kingdom of God not having accepted Christ in this life? In the judgment it will be impossible to deny that Jesus Christ is Lord. In Romans, Paul upbraids believers for judging others self-righteously in this life.
Romans 14:10-11 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus’ death paid the penalty of sin for everyone who ever lived. This is why people who never had the choice of accepting or rejecting Him can be saved; their sins were paid for.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin,, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation [reconciliation] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 2:11-16 For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
With God, ignorance of the law is an excuse. We, however, do not have this exception. We have heard the truth; we have no excuse. Whether we accept it or reject it is the standard by which we will be judged.
The Purpose of Judgment
Why judgment day? The purpose of the judgment is to show us what a gracious and merciful Father we have. Even to the truly wicked and selfish, He is merciful. Rather than being tormented forever, they will receive a quick and merciful death by fire ( the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone - which is the second death ).
Psalm 67:1-7 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
1 Chronicles 16:23-36 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations. The LORD reigneth . Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:38-40
One Sign
It is three days and three nights. It means exactly what is says. Jesus said that He would only give one sign that would prove that He was who He said He was. His resurrection, after being dead and in the grave for three days and three nights, was the sign. Can you count three days and three nights between "good Friday" sunset until Sunday morning? The most we can count is two nights and one day. If that was the only sign, then Jesus did not fulfill it in the "Catholic Easter" version. In reality He did fulfill the sign in three literal twenty-four hour days.
The Sunday Morning Error
The first problem is that the scriptures do not say that Jesus rose on Sunday morning. Jesus did not resurrect on Sunday morning. He was already gone.
Mark 16:1-6 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Jesus' body was not in the grave on Sunday morning because He had already risen on sabbath evening.
John 18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Luke 23:50-56 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
An High Day
That particular sabbath “was an high day.” The Passover is one of seven annual sabbaths. An annual sabbath can fall on any day of the week, so in that week there are two sabbaths.
Jesus was burried just before sunset on the preperation day in order to avoid breaking the annual sabbath, therefore, in order for Him to rise after three days and three nights, he must have risen just before sunset three days later, which was the weekly sabbath. Jesus was buried on the annual sabbath and rose on the weekly sabbath.
If we count backwards three days and three nights from the weekly sabbath at sunset (see chart), we come to Wednesday sunset. Wednesday evening was the preparation day for the annual sabbath. It was the day when the Passover lambs were killed.
The Significance of the Preparation Day
The reason this is so significant is that it tells us in what year Jesus died and rose again. The only year between 30 A.D. and 33 A.D. where the preparation day for the annual sabbath (Passover) fell on a Wednesday was 31 A.D.
There is another piece of information that solidifies the 31 A.D. date. It says John the baptist began to preach "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar." History tells us that Tiberius began to reign in September of 14 A.D. His fifteenth year would be 28 A.D., that is when John began to preach. All of the information is already in the Bible. John the baptizer came in 28 A.D. Jesus came to be baptized just prior to Passover 29 A.D. According to the gospel of John, Jesus lived through one more Passover 30 A.D. and was crucified on the third Passover, 31 A.D.
Luke 3:1-4 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The Scripture Reveals When Jesus Returns
It also tells us when Jesus will return.
Hosea 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The first two verses of Hosea 6 are obviously salvation verses. In verse 1, Jesus reconciles us to God by taking our sins to the cross. In verse 2, He returns to resurrect us and receive His kingdom. The two day (two thousand years) would be from Jesus' crucifixion. If He was crucified in 31 AD, His coming would be two thousand years from then. The "former and latter rain" are Jesus' first and second coming. If two days is two thousand years, Jesus' coming would be two thousand years from His leaving. 2031.
The Significance of the Seven Day Creation Week
The seven day creation week is the first end time prophecy. God created everything in six days and rested on the seventh. This world was created with an expiration date set in the beginning. There will be six days (6000 yrs.) of man's rule and one day (1000 yrs.) of the Messianic kingdom of God. Until this day the entire world recognizes the seven day week. Every seven day cycle is a perpetual reminder of kingdom come. Remember the sabbath day.
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Matthew 13:37-43 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Revelation 14:14-16 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Romans 14:5
Etymology of Easter
Easter is related to the word Ishtar. The same way all language is related. It goes back to the tower of Babel and the confusion of languages. Easter comes from the Germanic name for their spring goddess Eostre. The Old English version is Eastre. The only difference is the spelling. Etymology does not jump from one word to the next. It is a long process of time and mixing of people. All the spring goddesses are the same demon in different languages. Today she is Gaia or Mother Earth or even the Statue of Liberty, which is Diana Lucifera. Is it just coincidence that Easter and Ishtar are both names for a mother, fertility, sex, spring, dawn, and moon goddess?
The myth of Ishtar and Tammuz goes all the way back through history. The same myth is told in different languages by different people. Easter, Eostre, Oster, Ishtar, Istar, Astar, Astarte are all the same thing. It is the mother goddess. Paul had issues with the cult of Diana, which is the same goddess by another name. In Egypt she was Isis. In the Bible she is Ashtaroth. In Catholicism she is Mary. Why the King James translators chose Easter for pascha in Acts 12:4, I do not know. Every other instance of pascha in the New Testament was translated Passover. If Luke was referring to the pagan spring festival, it seems he would have used the Greek name for their festival, "Anthesteria", instead of pascha. We can kind of see the word easter in there.
God Warns Against Pagan Worship
Does it really matter how we worship God? God told the Israelites how not to worship Him in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 12:29-32 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
The Israelites were attracted to the religions and rituals of their neighboring nations. Time and time again they were found worshiping pagan gods and practicing pagan methods of worship. Time and time again they were punished for their obstinacy.
Ezekiel 8:12-18 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east: and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a Loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
Why will He not hear them? Speaking of the nation of Israel under King Solomon, I Kings 11:33 says,
Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
Cycles of Nature
Like people today, the ancient Israelites worshiped a diversity of gods with various beliefs, traditions, and rituals. As mentioned in the previous texts, two of their favorite deities were the god, Tammuz, and the goddess, Ashtoreth. These two were known throughout the ancient world by various names. Tammuz was also known as Dumuzzi, Baal, Osiris, and Adonis. Ashtoreth was known as Astarte, Astar, Ishtar, Isis, and Aphrodite. Today we would call her mother earth or mother nature. These religions were all concerned with nature.
Life, for people of the ancient world, depended on the continuity and predictability of the cycles of nature. Modern man takes for granted the control these powers hold over our survival. We live by the paycheck and trust that the super center will supply whatever we need. The ancients were farmers and hunters totally reliant on the whims of nature. Therefore, their gods and their religions evolved out of their dependence on the powers of nature.
The god, Tammuz, and the goddess, Ishtar, are depicted as the personification of the powers of nature. Their myth is told in relation to the changing of the seasons. Tammuz was the sun god and the god of vegetation. He brought life to the plant world in spring and summer. In the fall of the year, around the end of October, Tammuz would die. Ezekiel 8:14 states, “there sat women weeping for Tammuz.” Plants and vegetation died. Leaves fell from the trees as if they were dead. Ishtar was the moon goddess and goddess of fertility. Soon after the death of Tammuz, Ishtar descended into the underworld to search for Tammuz, her lost lover. Having found him, they would return together in spring, and life would be renewed. Ezekiel 8:16 says, “about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.”
The ancients held religious holy days or holidays to
commemorate these events. They lamented the death of Tammuz in the
fall of the year. The trappings of our modern Halloween evolved
from ancient rituals deploring the death of Tammuz.
His return was anticipated in the dead of winter. They chose the
winter solstice, near the end of December, for this holiday.
From this point, the days gradually become longer until spring finally
arrives. Anything that remained green year round was brought indoors
to adorn the temples and homes, a reminder that life would return
in spring.
The long winter was climaxed by a celebration of spring. Ishtar had found her lost lover. The people faced the east and worshiped Tammuz, the sun god, as he was resurrected over the eastern horizon.
Christianity Perverted by Paganism
God called these practices abomination. Yet, to this day, we continue to practice these same holidays with many of the same traditions and symbols. We have symbols of death on Halloween, the greenery of Christmas with baubles decorating evergreens to symbolize fruit, and symbols of fertility on Easter. Rabbits, being prolific breeders, and eggs were common fertility symbols.
Easter has not evolved far from Ishtar, the virgin mother goddess of Babylon. Our word, for the direction east, comes from Easter. Many churches today have sunrise service on Easter Sunday. The congregation gathers outdoors, facing the east, to watch the sunrise.
There are many stories in the Bible recounting the idolatry of the Israelites. Has Christianity followed in their footsteps? Deuteronomy 12:30-31 says,
...How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God:...
How did Christianity come to adopt the trappings and traditions of pagan nature worship?
Easter always falls on Sunday, or the day of the sun god. For Easter Sunday, we might as well say Ishtar Sun Day. For the resurrection of the Son of God, we might as well say the resurrection of the sun god. For the virgin mother of the Son of God, we might as well say the virgin mother goddess.
All of these things predated the birth of Christ by thousands of years. These pagan rituals have been practiced annually and perpetually since the days when the earth began to be repopulated after the flood. Rather than converting pagans to Christ, Christianity became perverted by paganism. The people were allowed to keep their religious traditions. They replaced the names of their gods with the name of Christ.
Psalm 96:4-5 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6 …, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? Luke 6:39
Christian or Nicolaitan
What has historically been called Christianity is not biblical Christianity. It is Nicolaism. Whenever you have a "mediator" between you and God, other than Jesus, you are Nicolaitan. Whether that be your local pastor, priest, rabbi, or whomever, anyone you defer to is your mediator. You may listen to a preacher, but he is not the Holy Spirit to you. It is your responsibility to go to the source and find out if he is telling you truth.
Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
nico - to conquer
laos - the laity, the people, the congregation
Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Matthew 24:4-5 And 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.
Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew 23:8-12 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Hyprocrisy
Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Taking God's name in vain does not mean using it as profanity. When you do something in vain it means faked, or feigned, or in hypocrisy. It means it is worthless or pointless. To take God's name in vain means to pretend to represent him, but in actuality you are a hypocrite, or a false prophet, or faking it. You are giving God a bad name by your bad example. This is taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain. This was the sin of the Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, lawyers, and the Levites. They were taking God's name in vain.
Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Hypocrisy may be the most egregious sin to God. I think this is why God made such an example of Annanias and Saphira. A non-believer using the word "god" as profanity cannot take the Lord's name in vain, because they are a non-believer. Only someone who professes to believe can take God's name in vain. If you deny God, you are not taking his name at all. Unbelief has its own condemnation.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
…, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matthew 13:31-32
God Reigns in Heaven
Suppose someone asked you to point to heaven. Which way would you be pointing? Up, right? What about twelve hours from now? What if you were on the other side of the earth, or any place on the planet for that matter? You could be pointing in an infinite number of directions. If you think of it this way, heaven is all around us. The earth is inside heaven. In Isaiah, God says,
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
The Bible mentions three heavens.
Genesis 1:1-8 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the surface of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day. and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
The firmament is the sky. God called the sky, heaven. During the daytime we see the blue sky, the clouds, the sun, and occasionally, the moon. The atmosphere of the earth is the first heaven. At night, we look up and see the moon and the stars. With the aid of a telescope, we may see planets, galaxies, and other celestial bodies all surrounded by darkness. The universe is the second heaven, which also includes the earth and its atmosphere. Therefore, we live in heaven.
Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.
There is nothing in creation that is not in heaven. Then where is the heaven in which God dwells?
The apostle Paul speaks of a third heaven in 2 Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Paul called this heaven “paradise.”
In blessing the temple that he built for Israel, Solomon said,
1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
Even heaven cannot contain God. Although mentioned many times in the Bible, God does not tell us much about this heaven of heavens.
God probably did not tell us more about heaven because it is more than our mortal minds could envisage. It is like trying to imagine infinity or eternity. It is beyond our ability to comprehend. Speaking of our resurrection into the kingdom of God, I Corinthians 13:12 says,
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
We must wait until “kingdom come” to understand.
God Reigns on Earth
Revelation 21 and 22 concisely describes the heaven that is our hope and our eternity.
Revelation 21:1-3 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The Bible tells us that God is going to recreate everything. In this new heaven and new earth, the earth will be the throne of God instead of His footstool. The holy city, New Jerusalem, will be His house and our new home. Jesus said in John 14:2-3,
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself that where I am. there ye may be also.
If Jesus is coming again to receive us unto Himself, where will He be? Where will His Father’s house be? Where will we be? Revelation 20 tells us that the kingdom of God will begin with Christ conquering and ruling this world for a thousand years.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God maybe all in all.
The world that we know is going to become the kingdom of God in two stages. For a thousand years, Christ is going to rule this world with a “rod of iron.” (Revelation 21:1 and Isaiah 65:17-18)
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The earth is our home now; it will be forever. The Bible never promised that we would go to where God is. It promised just the opposite. God is coming to be with us. When Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew, He said,
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
He also said in Matthew 5:5,
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
It seems apparent that the meek do not own the earth at this time. Jesus was quoting Psalm 37:8-11.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea,, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
And verses 28-29,
For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
The World To Come
Jesus gave us a number of parables to help us understand the kingdom of heaven. They can only be understood with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Jesus explained this parable in Matthew 13:37-43.
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so it shall be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
This parable shows that Christ is going to send His angels to take the wicked out of His kingdom, and then the righteous will shine forth in the kingdom of their Father.
Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Proverbs 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
Jesus said,
Luke 18:29-30 …, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
What is life everlasting? It is eternal life. Eternal life where? In the world to come. God did not promise that we would go to heaven when we die if we believe in His Son. He promised everlasting life in the world. In all of these instances, the word “world” is translated from the Greek word kosmos. This simply means the universe or the creation.
The often quoted and much misunderstood John 3:16 is taken out of context without verse 17.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus not only came to save humanity, but He came to save the world. God loves His creation; the earth was not created in vain. When the Bible talks about the end of the world, it is not talking about the end of the earth. It is talking about the end of man’s version of civilization. The earth was created to be inhabited.
Isaiah 45:17-18 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
“Where is heaven” is not really the question because heaven is all there is. The only thing that exists outside of heaven is God. The heaven of heavens is a spiritual dimension, and the physical heaven is in it. We cannot see the spiritual heaven because we are still physical. It is only because of God’s gift of the Holy Spirit that we are able to conceive the fact of a spiritual dimension through faith. The spiritual heaven permeates all of creation.
So where is heaven? It is all around us. It is right here. When Jesus returns, Revelation 11:15 tells us,
…, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
2 Peter 3:7-14 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:20 …Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
How is it that God attributes any significance to mankind?
Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
We are less than a colony of ants to the creator of the universe, yet He loves us just the same. We are only micro-organisms swarming on a tiny speck of dust suspended in a vast expanse. (See comparison). The universe may be infinitely large, we do not know, yet the building blocks of creation may be infinitely small. Matter seems to be composed of things that appear to have no substance at all. At the sub-atomic level is it simply energy? Scientists continue to identify, as yet, undiscovered particles. Will they ever get to the bottom of it the way they are going about it? If they ever could solve the mystery, I submit that what they would discover is spirit, and that Spirit is God. But alas, I do not believe spirit can be discerned by physical science.
Now that we know where heaven is, "What is Hell?"
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. Isaiah 66:15-16
Is hell a burning cavern in the hollow center of the Earth? Is it a place where the Devil and his demons wait eagerly for the death of the "unsaved," to torment them day and night forever and ever? These beliefs are commonly held and taken for granted throughout Christianity. Did these beliefs come from the Bible? If not, then where did they come from?
Three Different Hells
When the translation of the King James version of the Bible began in A. D. 1607, the word hell had a common usage. The Old English word meant a covered hole. In those days, a person might dig a "hell" in the ground, put something in it, and cover it up. Why was it used in the Bible? The word hell is used thirty-one times in the Old Testament and twenty-two times in the New Testament of the King James version.
In the Old Testament, hell is translated from the word sheol. In the New Testament, it comes from three words: hades, tartaroo, and gehenna.
Sheol and Hades, meaning the place of the dead or the grave, are used in the same context in the Old and New Testaments. In this sense, hell simply represents death. A covered hole is a very appropriate description if we are talking about the grave. In the New Testament tartaroo appears only once. In 2 Peter, it is a sort of prison for sinful angels awaiting their judgment.
The last word translated hell in the Bible is gehenna. Gehenna means the valley of Hinnom. Gehenna was the city dump of Jerusalem in Bible times. It burned perpetually in those days. In this context it represents a punishment of burning or fire.
Are there three different hells in the Bible? Yes!
Revelation talks about death and hell "hades"being cast into the lake of fire. It also says that the lake of fire is the second death. If hell is cast into the lake of fire, then it cannot be the lake of fire. Hades "the grave"is cast into gehenna "the everlasting fire". Hades is the first death, and gehenna is the second death after the resurrection and judgment. Read Revelation 20.
Tartaroo is the next hell.
2 Peter 2:4 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;
Without using the word hell, Jude 1:6 says,
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.
This hell is a jail that holds angels waiting for trial.
The Bible gives us only a glimpse of this hell. Revelation 20:13 speaks of Satan being bound with a great chain and cast into something called the bottomless pit for a thousand years. He cannot deceive the world during that time. Verse 10 says that afterwards he is cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. Tartaroo also is not the lake of fire. It is another hole, a bottomless pit. Could it be a black hole in space?
The lake of fire is the final hell, gehenna, "the everlasting fire". God says the wages of sin is death. Does this change after the judgment? Why did God use the name of a city dump to represent the final punishment?
Revelation 20:13-14 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The final hell, gehenna, is the second death.
The Lake of Fire
What is the lake of fire? There is a literal description of it.
2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which now are, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
"Perdition"being destruction or laying waste.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Now we know what the Bible says about hell. There is a hell for humans, which is simply the grave or death; a hell that holds angels waiting for their own judgment; and the final hell, which is the lake of fire or the second death.
The Bible says the penalty or "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This is why Jesus died. He volunteered to pay the penalty for us so we would not have to die the second death; a death we cannot come back from.
Bible Truth
So where did our mistaken beliefs about hell come from? Part of the problem stems from the King James translators' use of one word to describe three different things. Many of those beliefs came from the imagination of Alighieri Dante, an Italian poet who lived from 1265 to 1321 A. D.
In his Divina Comedia or "Divine Comedy." Dante takes us on a fanciful journey through the afterlife down to the lower realms of the next world. His version of hell is a funnel shaped hollow leading to the center of the earth. At the very bottom of this pit is Lucifer, supposedly, Satan's name before he became Satan. None of his narrative is biblical.
Do we just accept our beliefs without searching for the truth? Do we believe Dante's version, or do we believe in the Bible?
Jesus was born and raised a Jew. The Jewish faith never considered that there was life after death. The Israelite religion taught that death was the end of human existence. Jesus never taught differently. That is why He came to earth.
He came with a plan to salvage the human race, "salvation". If humans must die for their sins, then the human race is doomed. We might as well not even exist. If Someone could die in our place, and His death would be sufficient to cover the penalty for everyone, then we could be pardoned from death. Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life. He did not deserve death; He deserved eternal life. He was the only One who could pay the price and live again. Jesus gave His life for ours.
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Two Resurrections
Now, because He died in our place, there is a resurrection of the dead, a "restoration of life."
There are two resurrections.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...
The followers of Christ are resurrected at His coming. The rest of the dead includes every one else. They are resurrected a thousand years later to face judgment.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [the second death]
The lake of fire is not a place. It is a final cataclysmic event that is yet to happen.
2 Peter 3:11-13 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Science theorizes that the universe came into being with a "big bang." God tells us that the present heaven and earth will pass away with a "great noise," and a new heaven and a new earth will be created. This is where the baptism of fire comes in. In the transition from the old heaven and earth to the new heaven and earth, we must of necessity pass through that fire. Just as the Son of God led Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through the burning fiery furnace, so shall He lead us through the lake of fire into the eternal kingdom of God. Death and the grave are symbolically cast into the fire. After the fire, there will be no more death. We will be baptized with fire!
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Isaiah 65:17-18 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create:...
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Revelation 21:5 ...Behold, I make all things new....
Malachi 4:1-3 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
What is a lake of fire? What is eternal fire? Sparks from the creation still burn to this day. Note the size of the sun compared to other known stars in the universe in Fig D. At this scale, the sun is not even visible. You can see the size relationship of the earth to the sun here.
https://www.co-intelligence.org/newsletter/comparisons.html
Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Joel 1:15
The Opening of the Seals
We are nearly two thousand years into prophecies of Revelation. (See FIG E) The first five seals are already open. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, prevailed to open the book and to loose its seals. The four horsemen have been riding ever since. The fifth seal, the martyrdom of the saints, has been going on since the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7.
The Sixth Seal
The first six seals of Revelation harmonize perfectly with Matthew 24:4-29. The Bible does not say "the great tribulation". It says there will be great tribulation. Jesus said in John 16:33, "In the world ye shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." We have not been waiting for tribulation to come. We have been living in it all along. The very end is called "the day of the Lord." Jesus said that until He returns, there will arise false churches, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, persecution and martyrdom. Jesus called these "the beginning of sorrows."
Matthew 24:4-8 And 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 ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:9-13 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye 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. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
We have been living in the time of the first five seals of Revelation ever since Jesus became worthy to open the seals by overcoming the world. The sixth seal is what comes as a thief in the night and begins the day of the Lord. Once it starts, everything will transpire very quickly.
Revelation 6:12-13 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Matthew 24:29 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, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
The sixth seal is a signpost that marks the end of the tribulation and the beginning of the Day of the Lord. There is not really a time called the great tribulation. Tribulation is a general description of the state of the world. It simply means times of trouble. “The tribulation of those days,” before the sixth seal, will be over when the sixth seal is opened. The tribulation of “the day of the Lord” will be much worse.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Revelation 6:14-17 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
Isaiah 2:19-21 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Psalm 76:5-7 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found theirs hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep. Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
Luke 21:25-26 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: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Zephaniah 1:14-17 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Isaiah 24:19-20 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
Psalm 76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.
Isaiah 13:9-11 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations therefore shall not give her light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
The Rapture
People talk about a pre-tribulation rapture. It is too late for that. We were born in the tribulation. It began in the first century and it will end with the sixth seal. But the things that were set in motion by opening the seals will continue through to Armageddon. The tribulation period ends with the sixth seal and the Day of the Lord begins with the opening of the seventh seal and will continue through judgment day.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Christ's Return
The day of the Lord will come just like the flood came in Noah’s day. People went about their lives completely oblivious to what was going on around them; right up until "the flood came, and destroyed them all." Our generation is exactly the same. The day Christ returns, there will be two in a bed; one will be taken, and the other left. There will be two grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and the other left. There will be two working in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Where will the one be taken? Answer: Wherever the corpse is, the vultures will be gathered together. What about the ones who are left? Answer: They are the mortal humans who will repopulate the earth during the thousand year reign.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. Revelation 13:3
The New World Order is nothing new. It is as ancient as Cain and Able. Cain built a city after God exiled him for the murder of his brother. From the very beginning men have sought to rule the world at the behest of the devil. Throughout history there have been many attempts at global empire. The first notable effort after the flood was Nimrod and the tower of Babel.
Genesis 11:1-9 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Seven Empires
As men scattered and repopulated the earth after the flood, they developed city-states wherever they settled, each with a different language. As they grew in population and in strength, they began to vie for territory. The stronger, defeating the weaker, would gain new lands and new slaves, ever becoming more powerful until they controlled the known world and achieved empire. War has been the bane of human "civilization" since Cain slew Able. History tells of empires that have trampled the world to varying degrees of success. The Bible tells of six empires and of a seventh that is yet to come.
Revelation 12:3-4 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:…
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
We know who the great red dragon is, but what about the heads and horns?
Revelation 13:1-4 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Revelation 17:1-3 ...Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
A beast with seven heads and ten horns that gets its power, seat, and authority from the dragon, appears ridden by a woman and rising out of a sea of people. Still, what about the seven heads and ten horns?
Revelation 17:7-10 ...I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
The "seven kings" are the key to this mystery. Who are they? Five kings had already fallen, one king was in existence at the time, and another had yet to come. The five empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece had arisen and fallen prior to the rise of Roman Empire. At the time John received the Revelation, Rome still ruled the world.
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
The beast has only had one head at a time. When one empire died, another would grow up to take its place. From the time of the Egyptian Empire to the fall of the Roman Empire the beast lived on. However, when the Roman Empire fell it was as if the beast had died. (I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death) All the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not put it together again. What about the king that is yet to come?
The beast has had six heads to date. The general consensus says that the Roman Empire will be revived. I disagree. If the Roman Empire is to rise again, the beast will only have six heads. No, the beast is growing a new head as it has always done. It is not the head that is being healed. The beast is being healed by growing a seventh head. This one will have ten horns. (and his deadly wound was healed)
Revelation 17:12-13 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Ten Kings
The earth is being divided into ten regional states with ten governors presiding over them, and one anti-christ is coming to rule them all.
Revelation 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
For the answer to this riddle, we must refer to the book of Daniel. Daniel’s prophecy only speaks of the last four empires. The final empire in Daniel is the same as the seventh of Revelation.
Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Three of the ten kings of the seventh empire will be subdued by an eleventh king. By the eleventh king overthrowing three of the former kings, there will then be eight. “…he is the eighth, and is of the seven…” I know this can be confusing, but the following diagram of the beast should help.
Here is the New World Order - “If they build it, he will come," (anti-christ). The mystery of the harlot, Babylon, that sits upon the beast is another story. Her mystery is that there is an ancient satanic cult behind all of this insanity.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Matthew 16:28
Perhaps you have seen a bumper sticker with this message, “In case of rapture this vehicle will be unmanned.” The scenario goes something like this. One completely unsuspected day, millions of people all over the world disappear, leaving the rest of the world wondering what could have happened to them. Cars rolling down the interstate without drivers, crash and burn. An airline pilot and some of the people on board his plane vanish, leaving the rest of the passengers to die when the plane crashes. At the same instant all around the globe, people from all walks of life disappear leaving their companions in shock. This is how the unbelievers of the world would see the rapture.
To believers in the rapture, they are the ones who will disappear. Jesus may come for them at any moment like a thief in the night. He will come when they least expect it in the midst of whatever they happen to be doing in the coarse of the day. They are changed instantly from mortal to immortal beings without passing through death. Thereafter, they are taken to heaven to be spared from the great tribulation which is about to come upon the people of the earth.
From Genesis to Revelation, the term rapture is nowhere to be found. There are, however, abundant scriptures describing something similar.
The Change
The account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus is only to be found in the Gospel of John, chapter 11. It happened that a very close friend of Jesus, by the name of Lazarus, had been sick. Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus sent a message to Jesus saying, “he whom thou lovest is sick.” But Jesus delayed coming to him for two days until Lazarus had died. When Jesus finally arrived He found that Lazarus “had lain in the grave four days already.”
John 11:21-26 Then Martha said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Here Jesus gave us the first indication of the change of the living believers at His return, but many Bible scholars suggest that the apostle Paul was the first to teach this doctrine.
This passage shows when the change from “mortal” to “immortal” will come about - “at the last trump.” The key word here is last, indicating that there are no more after it. Paul also mentions sleep. Jesus made clear the meaning of sleep in John 11:11-14.
Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Paul mentions this trumpet again in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The change of the living believers at Christ’s return cannot happen before all of the dead in Christ have died. Revelation 14:13 tells us,
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
We now have a sequence for the change. It begins at the “last trump” when the “dead in Christ” are resurrected. After that, “we which are alive” at “the coming of the Lord” shall “put on immortality.” Jesus said,
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
If the “dead in Christ” are not resurrected until the “last trump,” how is it that we believe Christians go immediately to heaven when they die? And concerning the non-Christians, Revelation 20:5 says,
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished…
Why do we believe that the “unsaved” go immediately to “hell fire” at death?
Abomination of Desolation
The Bible gives us signs to watch for to know when the coming of Christ is imminent. Jesus told us,
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
What is the abomination of desolation? The book of Daniel is full of information about the return of Christ. In Daniel 10:5-6, he saw a vision.
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Compare this to John’s vision in Revelation 1:13-18.
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot , and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
It is obvious that they both saw a vision of the glorified Christ. And in Daniel 12:11-13, this man clothed in linen said to him,
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
There are several passages describing what the abomination of desolation is. In Daniel’s vision concerning “the time of the end,” the man clothed in linen said,
Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The last verse is a literal description of the abomination of desolation. Concerning the coming of Jesus and “our gathering together unto him,” we have learned that it will not happen before “that man of sin” causes the abomination of desolation. As Jesus said, “whoso readeth, let him understand.”
Other Signs
We now have two signs which must occur before the “rapture:” “the last trump,” and “the abomination of desolation.” Another group of signs, in evidence of His return, is found in Matthew 24:29-31.
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, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Bible is very specific about when all of this will happen: “immediately after the tribulation,” after the abomination of desolation, and at the last trump. If we will take time to read Revelation, we will find out what comes before the last trump. The “rapture” is not going to get you out of tribulation, but there is still much hope. Speaking again of the man of sin, Revelation 13:5-10 says.
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
If the saints are raptured before the tribulation, there is no way he could “make war with the saints and overcome them.” This is reinforced in Daniel.
Daniel 11:32-35 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know, their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
False Prophesy
2 Thessalonians 2:3 says that there will be a falling away before our “gathering together to Him.” Could belief in a pre-tribulation rapture cause a falling away if the rapture never occurred? It is understandable that anyone would want to avoid these circumstances, but to teach and believe a lie at the risk of being found a false prophet is foolishness.
Jeremiah 23:16-21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 tells the fate of the false prophet, and how we can know if he is true or false,
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die . And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be afraid of him.
By telling us that God will not allow His children to go through the tribulation, they are falsely prophesying as in Jeremiah 23:17, “…No evil shall come upon you.” God did not promise us an easy passage into the kingdom of heaven, on the contrary:
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Taken
Matthew 24:40-41 and Luke 17:34-36 are often misunderstood as having to do with the “rapture.”
Luke 17:34-36 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
In Luke 17:37, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where, Lord?” They wanted to know where these people would be taken, and Jesus answered,
…, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
Matthew 24:28 recounts it this way,
For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
This is referring to an event found in Revelation and Ezekiel.
Revelation 19:17-18 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Ezekiel 39:17-22 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD. And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
If you have any doubt as to what is meant by “taken,” read Matthew 24:36-41,
But that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 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. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:27 leaves no doubt as the meaning of “took them all away,”
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and flood came, and destroyed them all.
It should be obvious by now that we are talking about death here. In this instance, it would be better to be left than to be taken.
Hope
It would be wonderful if we could escape the tribulation. There is a possibility that we may escape in a different way; that God will protect us through tribulation here on earth. Otherwise there would be no Christians left alive at His return to be changed.
Matthew 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
We do have hope in Luke 21:34-36.
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
The return of Christ and our gathering together to Him is not imminent, but it is very near. If we live long enough, we will see the return of Christ. We will put on immortality, but we will endure “much tribulation” before “that day.”
John 16:33 …In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The Rapture Doctrine
The rapture doctrine says that Jesus will come down into the clouds, without coming all the way to earth. He will take the living believers out of the earth and back to heaven for three and a half, or seven, or possibly more years. Jesus will then return to earth with the changed believers.
It takes a great stretch of the imagination to create such a doctrine. When Jesus comes He will come one time, and He will come all the way! “The dead in Christ shall rise,” we will be changed, and we will all “be caught up” to “meet the Lord in the air” as He returns to claim His kingdom! There is an indication of a forty-five day period, after the first resurrection, before we return to earth on the day of Armageddon.
Daniel 12:11-12 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Subtract twelve hundred ninety from thirteen hundred thirty-five; we get forty-five. These last few days occur after the last trump. The seventh trumpet of Revelation sets off a series of “seven last plagues, aka the seven vials of the wrath of God”; a course of judgments that climax with the battle of Armageddon.
The First Resurrection
Matthew, Mark, and John tell of Jesus’ return to Jerusalem after the resurrection of Lazarus. The triumphal entry, as it is called, sets a precedent.
John 12:12-16 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried. Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. These things understood not the disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
Mark 11:8-10 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying. Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Matthew 21:8-11 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying. Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
This event was deliberately symbolic of the return of Christ at the end of time. The dead in Christ are resurrected and the living believers are changed to their immortal bodies. Just as the believers in Jerusalem went out to meet the Lord and escort Him into the city, we shall rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds and escort Him as He returns to claim His eternal kingdom. What is being called the rapture is really the first resurrection as written in Revelation 20:4-6.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
“This is the first resurrection.” If the dead in Christ rise first, what about the rapture? The word rapture has a dual meaning. In one sense it means to take away, but the best definition of rapture is ecstasy. Revelation 15:2-3 shows our ecstasy.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Verily I say unto you, This generation [genea] shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Luke 21:32
Span of Time
Did Peter believe the end would come in his generation? If he did, why would he say this?
2 Peter 3:8-9 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Jesus said,
Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation [genea] shall not pass, till all these things be done.
That one little scripture is what caused the false doctrines of preterism, which claims that all of the prophecies were fulfilled by 70 A.D.
The Greek word "genea" which was translated generation in English does not just mean the span of a man's life. It also means an age, or an era, as well as a nation. Obviously it did not mean the span of that generation because all prophecies are not fulfilled. So choose one of the other definitions of genea. Jesus was saying this current state of the world will not end until every prophecy is fulfilled.
Verily I say unto you, that this age [genea] shall not pass, till all these things be done.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages [genea], world without end. Amen.
Genea is plural or singular. It can refer to any span of time. It depends on the span of time you are referring to. It could be the span of time from creation to the end of time, or it could be the span of time from Jesus' resurrection till His return, or it could refer to the span of a man's life. It is apparent and obvious that all of these things have not yet taken place. They continue to this day, and there are things that have definitely not yet happened.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Time is Relevant
It begins like this.
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,...
We are given that admonition before we are given this information.
2 Peter 3:8 ...that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
It means more than just that God is eternal, so time is irrelevant to Him. It means what it says.
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
How did God "declare the end from the beginning"? By giving us the seven day week as a perpetual reminder. The age or genea of man will be six days or six thousand years. The last or seventh day will be the millennial rest of the earth.
So that we will not get discouraged and wonder why it has not come yet, He gave us Hosea 6:1-3.
Hosea 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Hebrews 4:8-10 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:18
Against Christ
Let us begin with a definition. Antichrist simply means against Christ or opposed to Christ. The word is only found in four scriptures in the epistles of John. The first is quoted at the top of this page. Here are the others.
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
A World Redeemer
What does it mean to “…confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”? Most religions teach of a coming world redeemer. The following is an excerpt from The Reappearance of the Christ by Alice A. Baily.
Throughout the ages the coming of an Avatar, the advent of a Coming One and the reappearance of the Christ have been the keynotes of the prevalent expectancy. The reappearance of the Christ, the Avatar, has long been anticipated by the faithful in both hemispheres--not only by Christians, but by those who look for the Maitreya and for the Bodhisattva as well as those who expect the Imam Mahdi. The doctrine of Mediators, of Messiahs, of Christs and of Avatars runs like a golden thread through all the world faiths and scriptures. When the times are ripe, the invocation of the masses is strident enough and the faith of those who know is keen enough, then always He has come and today will be no exception to this ancient rule, a universal law.
The Coming One
Alice Baily says there is a universal law that messiahs or christs come throughout history “when the times are ripe,” and that today is no exception. She is not talking about the one and only Jesus Christ; she is saying that He was just one of many. The following is from the Lucis Trust (formerly Lucifer Publishing) website. Lucis Trust is the United Nations version of the Theosophical Society.
Today there is an increasing expectancy regarding the return of the “World Teacher,” the Coming One Who will return to lead humanity into a new age and into a heightened consciousness. In fact, some claim that the Christ has already reappeared in physical form and has been “sighted” in various parts of the world. Yet the teachings of the Tibetan Master, given in the books of Alice A. Bailey, make it clear that humanity itself must first produce the conditions in consciousness and in world affairs essential to the eventual physical appearance of the Christ.
In other words, “if they build it, he will come.” They deny that Jesus Christ has come in “physical form.” Neither do they refer to the only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but to a sort of generic “christ” who they say will “lead humanity into a new age and into a heightened consciousness.” Would you find it odd that Judaism holds an almost identical view of the coming of “messiah” (moshiach) as the Theosophical Society?
The Moshiach
This is from the website Judaism 101:
The moshiach will be a great political leader
descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5).
The moshiach is often referred to as “moshiach ben David” (moshiach,
son of David).
He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments. (Isaiah
11:2-5)
He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his
example.
He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel.
He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah
33:15).
But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god
or other supernatural being.
It has been said that in every generation,
a person is born with the potential to be the moshiach. If the time
is right for the messianic age within that person’s lifetime,
then that person will be the moshiach. But if that person dies before
he completes the mission of the moshiach, then that person is not
the moshiach.
This is another denial that Jesus was the moshiach in the flesh.
The World Teacher
Pagans and Jews alike are looking expectantly for the “world teacher.” They are right about one thing. All of these religions are looking for the same “world teacher”: the antichrist. According to Micheol Drazin, in his essay “The Messiah and the Messianic Era in Prophecy,” in order to determine whether a particular person is the Messiah he must:
Be a King, i.e. a spiritually eminent
world Jewish leader.
Constantly be learning both the Written and Oral Law.
Do the commandments that are applicable to him.
Cause all Jews to be fully Torah observant.
Cause Israel’s hostile neighbors to become friendly, and cooperative.
Cause the Third Temple to be built on its site in Jerusalem.
Cause all Jews to live in Israel.
If he does these things and is fully successful, rebuilds the Third Temple on its location, and gathers the exiled Jews, he is beyond doubt the Messiah. But if he is not fully successful, or if he is killed, he is not the Messiah.
According to Maimonides, Jesus was killed; therefore, He could not be the Messiah. There is a problem with this method of proving if a particular person is the messiah. Should you wait before you follow Him until you are convinced that He has successfully fulfilled all of the qualifications of messiah or is killed? What if you follow him and he turns out to be an evil imposter? What if He is the Messiah, and you hesitate to follow Him until you feel sure? Either way you have made a mistake.
The False Prophet
Revelation 13:11-12 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
I do not think there is an antichrist and a false prophet. I think the false prophet is the antichrist. The beast with seven heads and ten horns that comes first is the government itself. The antichrist / false prophet comes after to usurp the kingdom and exercise all the power of the first beast.
The beast has only ever had one head at a time. Whenever one head would die, another would rise up to take its place. But when the Roman empire, the sixth head fell, it was as if the beast had died. "I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ...Revelation 13:3.
Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Not Rome. The seven mountains are seven periods of time.
Revelation 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
[The Beast]
five are fallen: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece
one is: Rome
the other is not yet come: new world order
Revelation 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
He is an eighth and is of the seven: the antichrist / false prophet becomes king of the seventh head
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
The final head of the beast is a confederation of ten, with ten individual governors.
Daniel 7:23-25 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
He shall subdue three kings: three of the ten horns are overtaken by an eleventh horn, thereby leaving them eight horns. "...he is the eight, and is of the seven..." (Revelation 17:11) The eighth horn becomes the king of the seventh head.
"If they build it, he will come."
The Anti-Messiah
The Bible says there is an impostor coming to rule the world a few years prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had a dream of a giant statue whose various body parts represented empires that would rule the world until the end of time.
Daniel 2:41-45 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
That “stone cut out of the mountain without hands” is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, coming to “…break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” Daniel had his own revelations of the end time. The ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream correspond to the ten horns in Daniel’s vision.
Daniel 7:19-28 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
The horns represent kings. This passage speaks of "ten kings that shall arise" and of “another” that will arise after them. These ten kings prepare the world for the coming of antichrist. Jews, and the pagans alike, are looking for a “messiah” who will come when “the times are ripe” and world conditions are right for him. This anti-messiah will “wear out the saints of the most high.”
Revelation 13:5-7 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Daniel 11:32-37 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Daniel 8:23-25 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
The True Messiah
Jesus Christ, the “Prince of princes”, is coming to destroy the “king of fierce countenance.” The true messiah is coming to destroy the false messiah. Christians are not looking for Jesus to return as a man. He has already “been there and done that.” Is there any Biblical evidence that the mission of Messiah would involve death, resurrection, and a later return?
Daniel 9:24-27 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns there will be no wondering if it is Him.
Matthew 24:23-27 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 shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Acts 1:6-11 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Be careful to choose the genuine Messiah. A mistake will result in grave consequences.
Revelation 14:9-12 …If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Mark of the Beast
The mark of the beast is indicative of the totalitarian nature of the new world order. It means total slavery to the state for anyone who accepts it. God has warned us against pledging our allegiance to this coming United States of Earth. The consequences are eternal.
Revelations 14:9-12 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Strong’s Greek Dictionary
mark:
5480.caragma charagma, khar’-ag-mah from the same as 5482; a scratch or etching, i.e. stamp (as a badge of servitude), or scupltured figure (statue):—graven, mark.
5482. carax charax, khar’-ax from charasso (to sharpen to a point; akin to 1125 through the idea of scratching); a stake, i.e. (by implication) a palisade or rampart (military mound for circumvallation in a siege):—trench.
666:
5516. cxv chi xi stigma, khee xee stig’-ma the 22nd, 14th and an obsolete letter (4742 as a cross) of the Greek alphabet (intermediate between the 5th and 6th), used as numbers; denoting respectively 600, 60 and 6; 666 as a numeral:—six hundred threescore and six.
4742. stigma stigma, stig’-mah from a primary stizo (to "stick", i.e. prick); a mark incised or punched (for recognition of ownership), i.e. (figuratively) scar of service:—mark.
Or maybe a stick with a needle!
http://home.iae.nl/users/lightnet/world/mark2.htm
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:). Matthew 24:15
A Misunderstanding
A number of cults were spawned from a bad interpretation of the following scripture:
Daniel 8:13-14 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days [evenings and mornings]; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
The 2300 days in Daniel 8:14 was wrongly taken to mean 2300 years, based on the day for a year prophecy in Ezekiel 4:6. The day for a year does not apply here. It was only for Ezekiel's prophecy.
The word “days” in verse 14 is translated from two Hebrew words, “ereb” (evening) and “boqer” (morning). The first time we find these words in the Bible is in Genesis 1:5.
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening [ereb] and the morning [boqer] were the first day.
So we see that it takes an evening (ereb) and a morning (boqer) to make one day. This is where we get the Biblical idea of a day ending and the next day beginning at sunset. Evening is the beginning and the ending of the day.
When Daniel 8:14 says 2300 ereb and boqer or 2300 evenings and mornings, it is actually saying 1150 days. It takes an evening and a morning to make one day. This is reinforced by Daniel 8:26.
Daniel 8:26 And the vision of the evening [ereb] and the morning [boqer] which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
Let There Be No Doubt
God has given us some very specific details concerning the last days. Jesus said, “when you see the abomination of desolation,...(whoever reads, let him understand).” For Jesus to emphasize this point, it must be pivotal information. Daniel 8:13 says the vision is concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation. It also says “the sanctuary and the host will be trodden under foot.”
The abomination or transgression of desolation is a marker to the count down until the second coming of Christ. From the transgression of desolation until the second coming will be forty two months, 1260 days, or three and one half years.
Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
The reason we know this is talking about forty-two, thirty day months is because God gave us the same number in several different ways. Forty-two months is three and a half years.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Daniel 12:6-7 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel 12:11-12 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
A time (one year), times (two years) and a half a time (one half year) equals three and one half years. A thousand two hundred and threescore days equals three and one half years. Forty-two months equals three and one half years. The midst of the week is half of seven years or three and one half years.
Three and One Half Years
It is guaranteed by God that Messiah Jesus will come three and one half years after the abomination of desolation. God repeatedly emphasized the removal of the daily sacrifice and the abomination of desolation.
Daniel 9:24-26 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
This prophecy is about Jesus' first and second comings. The word “weeks” here is actually “sevens”. It is seventy sevens, or seventy times seven years, which is four hundred ninety years. It is divided by events. The first sixty-nine times seven or four hundred eighty-three years was until Jesus' first coming and crucifixtion when He was “cut off, but not for himself.”
The last seven years is counting down to His second coming.
The middle of that last seven years, three and one half years is marked by the abomination of desolation.
The last part of this prophecy is about antichrist, “the prince that shall come.” We see this in Daniel 8:9-12 and Daniel 11:31:
Daniel 8:9-12 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Abomination of Desolation
Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 8:11-12 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Revelation 13:5-6 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
The Sum Of It All
There it is. Jesus said when we see this happen we will know it is three and one half years until his return. To sum this up, I made a timeline showing how it breaks down. The last seven years begins with a covenant that allows temple sacrifices to begin. The daily sacrifices will continue for 1150 days or 2300 evening and morning sacrifices. At the end of this time, the antichrist will stop the sacrifices (1290 days) and thirty days later will commit the transgression of desolation (1260 days). This will begin the last three and one half years.
Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away [1290 days], and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
At the end of the 1260 days or three and one half years, the last trump will sound, we will be resurrected. The seven vials of wrath will be poured out on the kingdom of the antichrist for the last forty-five days.
Daniel 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Revelation 15:1-4 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Proverbs 30:4
The “Book of Enoch”
I used to have a “Book of Enoch”. After reading it, I realized why it is not in the Bible. It is not Bible. If the “Book of Enoch” was really written by Enoch, it would be the oldest book in the world. Noah would have brought it with him on the ark. The “Book of Enoch” is a gnostic book written much later. That is why the Freemasons and New Agers have a high opinion of it. Too many people are using the "Book of Enoch" to interpret their Bibles, instead of using their Bibles to discern that the "Book of Enoch" is not Bible. The "Book of Enoch" is more akin to the Babylonian "Talmud" that the Jews love so much. Why do you suppose they want to convince you to trust the "Book of Enoch?"
The whole thing about Enoch going to heaven, witnessing all these things and then coming back to tell about it is fantasy, like "Dante's Inferno". All we need to discern that the “Book of Enoch” is not Bible, nor was it written by Enoch, is that Enoch never went to heaven. The Bible does not even say he did. But The “Book of Enoch” is highly regarded among Freemasons, New Agers, Kabbalists, and Satanists.
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Enoch and Elijah are often sited as examples of people who have gone to heaven, but is that what the bible says? The apostle Paul included Enoch in his list of people of faith from the old testament.
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated [metatithemi] that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Enoch
"Enoch was translated that he should not see death." What does it mean to be translated?
Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [metatithemi] us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
"Enoch was translated that he should not see death." Did Enoch die?;
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES, but having seen them afar off [future], and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Taken in context, the same scripture that tells us Enoch was translated also tells us he died, as did everyone in Paul's list. So what death is it that Enoch "should not see?"
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,...
Hebrews 9:27 ...as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
No exceptions!
Elijah
What about Elijah?
2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
A chariot and horses of fire came between Elijah and Elisha to separate them and then a whirlwind swept Elijah away into heaven. Which heaven? The bible speaks of three heaven. The first being the earth's atmosphere, the daytime heaven. The second heaven is the universe that we see at night, and the third is the spiritual heaven. In which heaven do whirlwinds (tornadoes) appear? What became of Elijah?
2 Kings 2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
John 3:12-13 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is from heaven.
Hebrews 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
They must wait to be resurrected with us. As for the appearance of Moses and Elijah with Jesus on the "mount of transfiguration," I only offer this.
Matthew 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
When I began reading the Bible, I asked a friend where I should start. He suggested I begin with the Gospel of John. I believe he was right. The Gospel of John is a fitting introduction to Christ.
This may seem like a bit of Bible trivia, but there is a lesson to learn from it. There is nothing trivial about the Bible. The first four books of the New Testament are the gospels. They are biographies of Jesus’ time on earth. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are the synoptic gospels because of the similarity in their accounts of Jesus. The Gospel of John, however, is unique from the other three.
Authorship of the Gospel of John
None of the gospels identify their authorship. It is only by tradition that we presume to know who wrote them. The Gospel of John is the only one that gives us a hint of who its author might be. Let us begin with the end. After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to some of His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias “the Sea of Galilee”.
John 21:20-25 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
These verses tell us a few things about the author. He was that “disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was the disciple leaning on Jesus at the last supper. He was the disciple coaxed by Peter to ask the Lord who would betray Him. It also tells us that he “is the disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote these things.”
John was one of Jesus’ chosen twelve disciples. Why would Peter, another one of the twelve, single out John to ask the Lord, “and what shall this man do?” If the writer of this book were one of the twelve disciples, there would have been no reason for Peter to ask what the Lord had intended for this man to do. If we go back to the beginning of chapter 21, we find who all was present at this meeting with the Lord.
John 21:1-2 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
We see here that seven brethren were present at this encounter with the Lord: Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples. John was one of the sons of Zebedee, along with his brother James. The writer of this book, therefore, could have been one of the “two other of his disciples.”
The Lord had many disciples other than His inner circle of twelve.
John 19:38-40 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved
The writer mentions the “disciple whom Jesus loved” several times throughout the Gospel of John. Let us go back to the first mention of him at the last supper.
John 13:23-25 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
The author refers to himself anonymously out of humility. The next time he appears is at the time of Jesus’ arrest.
John 18:15-16 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
When he is a part of the story, the author refers to himself as “the disciple whom the Lord loved” or “that other disciple.” Note that he was known to the high priest. We will understand why later. He next mentions himself at the crucifixion.
John 19:25-27 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Just prior to his crucifixion, Jesus told His twelve disciples,
John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
The disciple at the cross was not one of the twelve. They were scattered “every man to his own.” Jesus would not have given the responsibility of caring for His mother to one of the twelve disciples. Their mission was to spread the gospel around the world. We find the author at Jesus’ tomb in John 20:1-10.
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
After His resurrection when Jesus appeared to the seven disciples at the sea of Tiberias, the author was the first to recognize Him.
John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord…
Review
Now let us review what we know about the author. He sets himself apart as “that disciple whom the Lord loved.” He was not one of the twelve. He was at the last supper. In at least two of the encounters, he and Mary Magdalene were both present. The high priest knew of him. Jesus gave him the responsibility of caring for His mother. And he was the one who wrote the Gospel of John.
Lazarus
Some years ago my dad and I were discussing the Bible. My dad brought up the subject of the disciple whom the Lord loved asking, "who do you think he is?". At the time, neither of us knew there was any controversy over the authorship of the fourth gospel. His question intrigued me so I began to read the gospel over and over until one day I had an epiphany. As I was reading John 11 a realization came over me that this was the "disciple whom Jesus loved."
John 11:1-26 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. “It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.” Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Remember in John 21:20-23, Peter asked Jesus of the disciple He loved, “Lord, what shall this man do?” Jesus responded, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee.” Then the brethren thought that that disciple would never die. In their minds, it reinforced what He said in John 11:26, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
John 11:27-36 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
The author was the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” In John 11:3, Lazarus’ sisters said, “…Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick” and in John 11:36 the Jews said, “Behold how he loved him.”
John 11:37-46 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Remember after Jesus’ arrest they took Him to the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest? John 18:15 said that the other disciple that followed Him was known to the high priest. Why did the high priest know him? The resurrection of Lazarus was a famed event.
John 11:47-53 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
The high priest was aware of the resurrection of Lazarus. In John 12:10-11, the connection is more specific.
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
Was Lazarus the one who leaned on Jesus at the last supper? It was common for Lazarus and his sisters to be among the inner circle of disciples as we see in John 12:1-2.
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Jesus Authors All the Books of the Bible
Whether you accept, or not, the contention that Lazarus wrote the Gospel of John, you must admit that you cannot simply accept traditional beliefs without question. The titles of the Bible are not part of the original texts, neither are the chapter and verse divisions. The translators added them later when they compiled the books of the Bible. The authorship of the various books of the Bible is irrelevant. The same person wrote all of them! Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is the true author of the entire Bible. Through His Holy Spirit, He inspired individuals of God to record His message to us.
2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?? Matthew 16:26
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Medium of Exchange
Money is the way they control the world. Money does not really exist. It is an IOU. It always has been. Money itself has no value. It is only a medium of exchange. The only value it has is the value we agree to. These trillions of dollars in debt do not really exist at all. They create it from nothing, and we agree to it.
https://thehustle.co/how-much-is-a-billion-dollars/
They have deliberately created this situation where people have no morals. They have taught children for decades that there is no God (evolution), and fed them debauchery through government school, movies, TV, and music, leaving them with no moral compass. This has been done deliberately and systematically, knowing how it would turn out. The chaos in the world is exactly the agenda. They want the masses out of control. Once they have the entire world wallowing in chaos, and after they have killed off most of us by many methods, including getting us to kill each other, they will finally unveil their goal of one world government. It will not work though, because the people instigating it are the most evil people on the planet.
Secret World Government
Democracies do not exist. There already is a world government. But right now, it is sort of secret. Look at the pyramid on the back of a dollar.
That is how the world is run. The eye at the top is Satan or Lucifer, but it also represent his earthly subordinates, who are the handful of richest, most powerful families in the world; the people who control the money. Money is the power that rules the world. That is what they meant when they put, "In god we trust" on the money. They were telling us that their money is our god.
Secret Societies
Below that are the secret societies such as Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Jesuits etc. It is through these that they run everything else in the world. People in the highest levels of these secret societies are chosen to run everything in the lower parts of the pyramid. The pyramid is built of many smaller pyramids run and controlled by these secret societies. The smaller pyramids would be individual "governments", religious institutions, corporations, agencies and bureaucracies, military branches, educational institutions, science institutions, media and entertainment (propaganda and mass mind control). They plot their globalist strategies and agendas in think tanks, such as the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission and The Rand Corporation, where they recruit "the brightest and the best" from their military ranks and educational institutions. There is no "of the people, by the people and for the people." We the people are not even in the pyramid. We are beneath it and they are using it to crush us.
Everything they do is spell casting. Propaganda (lying) is spell casting. If they can lie to us and get us to believe it is true, we will think and act according to the lie we believe to be true. They have cast a spell on us. We are under their spell. Spell casting is more deception than magic or sorcery. As a matter of fact, sorcery is simply lying.
Re 18:23 ...: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Matthew 13:22-23 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
1 Timothy 6:6-11 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Love of money is another way of saying greed. Greed is the root of all evil. The Biblical word for greed is coveting. That is why the commandment says "thou shalt not covet". Coveting is the root of all evil. Coveting is selfishness. Selfishness is the root of all evil.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world:... John 18:36
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
This country has changed a lot in my lifetime. It is certainly not the country it was when I was a kid. I think it was changing a long time before most people noticed. Most of it was done incrementally so that we would not notice so much that it was happening. When did they begin teaching evolution in school and not allowing talk of God? When did they begin to abort our babies as a form of birth control so that you could have your fun without the "consequences" of responsibility? When did the drug culture become "cool"? When did they begin trying to force people to accept homosexuality as a normal behavior? When McCarthy said communists were infiltrating everything in this country, was he right? This did not just happen last week. It was done by design so that people would beg for more government intervention.
When a nation by policy denies God, what do we have? When people are taught that God does not exist and evolution is how we got here, there is no basis for morality. Your morality is whatever you decide you want it to be, or whatever you can get away with; survival of the fittest. Or as Alistair Crowley, the prophet of the new age said, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." Which means the most conscientious are at the mercy of the most ruthless, and the ruthless have no mercy. The ruthless run this country. In this country we swear oaths with one hand on the very book in which Jesus Himself said not to swear oaths. America may just be evidence of what you can get in the short term if you sell your soul to the devil. I do not think America is so great, but I think we are headed for a great fall.
Never Forget!
There are lots of theories about 9/11. Many are just disinformation. I have never been convinced of the "no plane" theory. I have seen all of the conjecture, which sounds convincing, but not completely. I think some of the theories are a big distraction from the basic, undeniable facts. Like, what actually caused the destruction. I think it has been conclusively proven that massive amounts of nano-thermite was used. But I think there were other things used in conjunction. What those were I do not believe has been conclusively proven. Whether it was nuclear, directed energy, or whatever, it was definitely explosive. Saying "explosive" does not necessarily define what kind of explosives were used.
There are many ways of exploding things. But the fact is, whatever they used was explosive. It was more powerful than gravity in that it could propel multi-ton steel beams laterally and impale them into neighboring buildings. I have found the quickest way to convince the unconvinced is with the most basic, understandable, undeniable truth.
Why the Official Version of 9/11 Cannot Be True: Conservation of Momentum!
The Twin Towers were blown up in a cascading, floor by floor, from the top down demolition, like lighting a pack of firecrackers.
Even if the floors which had fire had gotten hot enough to weaken the steel in those areas, and those floors collapsed, the collapse would not have proceeded any further. Because the floors below, which were not heated or weakened and were progressively larger and stronger structurally, would have stopped the collapse. It could not happen. Even if it could have (it could not), it would have taken minutes, not seconds, because every floor would have presented resistance and slowed the collapse until it stopped. Just like stepping on the brakes in your car.
The Twin Towers were 110 stories tall. They came down in ten seconds each. That is eleven floors per second. Try to clap your hands eleven times in one second. It is physically impossible to have a gravitational collapse at that speed. The speed of the collapse is key. Imagine an eleven story building disintegrating into a cloud of dust in one tick of a clock. It cannot happen unless it is blown up. Explosives were used. Which begs the question, "Who could have had that kind of access to the buildings?"
There is an old saying that goes something like this, "The best way to rob a bank is to own one."
How did there come to be massive pools of molten steel which remained molten for weeks afterward? You do not get that from any ordinary fire.
Evidence of Molten Metal at World Trade Center
"as if they were planned to take down a building.. boom boom boom boom boom boom"
9/11: Molten Metal at Ground Zero
World Trade Center 7, also known as the Solomon Brothers building, was not hit by a plane, yet, it inexplicably collapsed at 5:20 pm 9/11.
Compiled Footage of Building 7's Collapse
Youtube keeps removing this video of WTC 7.
BBC Reports 911, WTC 7 Collapse BEFORE it Happens
This is why people do not talk.
Must See: Mysterious Deaths of 911 Witnesses
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:17
We now live in "A Brave New World" in which it is impossible to survive without science as our life support system. At least that is what they want us to believe. Did I say science? I meant sorcery.
Revelation 18:23 ...for thy merchants [Pfizer et al.] were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries [pharmakeia] were all nations deceived.
1 Timothy 6:20-21 ...avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
The original Covid virus was deliberately created and deliberately released. There was no "Operation Warp Speed". The vaccines were already produced. The vaccines are not a failure. They are doing exactly what they were designed to do: reduce population, time released mass death so as to allow for plausible deniability. The whole thing is a globalist genocide. The propaganda was immediate and globally coordinated. The great reset and build back better program went right along with it, and every world leader was using the same propaganda at the same time. No conspiracy theory. It is just plain old conspiracy to commit genocide. Facts!
A New 9/11
We are in the middle of a new 9/11, just as deceitful and more deadly. If people do not look at this situation as a war and only see it as a human rights issue, we will be attacked again in the not too distant future. If we leave the same people in power, we do not win. This is world wide. Billionaires who want to control the world are the problem and the enemy.
The virus was more a scare tactic than anything else. Its purpose was to scare as many people as possible into taking the shot and now shots. Those who did not get scared into it were being coerced into it by the threat of losing their jobs. The real purpose of the shots is that they are a ticking time bomb that will kill several billion people in the next few years.
They could control the number of people they want to kill by having a certain percentage of the shots be the kill shot and the rest be something more innocuous or placebic. How much do you trust them?
This is gigantically bigger than Anthony Fauci. Fauci is a minion, albeit a high level minion. But they are using him as a scapegoat to draw attention away from the bigger picture that this is a globalist takeover of the world and genocide. This calls for a Neuremberg style trial. The problem is finding who is in on it to prosecute them, and who is not in on it to conduct the trial.
Just My Opinion
Jesus is the only refuge from the storm that is coming. Take it seriously. This is your Christmas present. The following is just my opinion about what happened. So, if you do not like what I'm saying just ignore it. Its just what I believe about what I see happening among us.
It started in February 2020 with "two weeks to flatten the curve." Everything they did was designed to turn this into a pandemic. The masks, shut downs, social distancing, and vaccines which did nothing but drag out a virus that should have been finished within months, if they had let nature take its natural course. It never even would have begun if they had not created the virus in the first place.
Trust God or Trust The Science
Once you start taking the shots, you will have to take them for the rest of your life, which probably will not be that long. They are already saying you may have to take them every year, which means you will. What this will do is destroy your natural immunity, and you will be dependent like a drug addict. It is already resulting in deaths from strokes and heart attacks. In the longer term, it will result in cancers and autoimmune diseases.
You cannot get herd immunity by taking a vaccine. You cannot get herd immunity by vaccinating 100% of the people on earth. By taking a vaccine, you only turn your immune system into a one trick pony. As soon as the virus mutates, the vaccine becomes useless. Then you have to come up with a new vaccine. That is exactly what is happening with the delta variant. The ONLY WAY to get herd immunity is through the natural immune system. So if you want this thing to drag out indefinitely, take the vaccine. Guess what! The people pushing the vaccines know that.
Plannedemic!
I'll go one further. The U.S. did fund the development of deadly viruses in Wuhan, China. The Covid 19 pandemic did begin in Wuhan, China. But that was just a little coincidence. Of all the places in the world that the virus could have emerged, it just happened to be there. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. They develop deadly viruses so they can study them and then develop vaccines to combat them. Does that make any sense? It sounds like a protection racket to me. You are taking your health advise and mandatory orders from the same people who I believe made the virus in the first place.
ModeRNA (mRNA) never had a single drug on the market before they came up with this vaccine. Three different drug companies were somehow able to simultaneously develop the vaccines in record time. That is because the vaccine formula was already developed before the genocide. I'm not afraid to say it. This was never a pandemic. It is a genocide.
Frankenscience! Where do people think the mRNA comes from in the vaccines? The problem is they do not think about it. They cannot make mRNA from scratch. It is grown in the cloned cells of aborted human babies. Basically they have a test tube baby farm, growing human cells in vitro, from which they extract the DNA and RNA.
Timeline of Events
DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is the mad scientist branch of the U.S. Defence Department. They are responsible for developing all of the mass murder technologies that the U.S. has at its disposal.
In 2014, DARPA funneled over $3 million through an NGO called Eco Health Alliance to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for gain of function research. Gain of function is engineering a virus to be more contagious to humans.
In November of 2019, the World Economic Forum, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security hosted "Event 201", wargaming a pandemic preparedness exercise which "predicted" the current "pandemic."
The first cases of Covid-19 began appearing in December 2019 in, of all places, Wuhan, China. The propaganda spread faster than the virus. By January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a "public health emergency of international concern."
In March of 2020, Trump gave ModeRNA (mRNA) $482 million to develop a vaccine under what he called "Operation Warp Speed". Sure enough, they had a vaccine ready for trial by July 2020. Amazing! Of course all of that money came from DARPA, because that is what they do.
Earlier in 2019, before the pandemic, before anyone ever heard of Covid 19, the World Economic Forum in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation started the "Commons Project" to create an electronic vaccine passport system called "CommonPass".
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Isaiah 66:1
It is a Small World?
People have a hard time envisioning how large the earth really is, and how small we really are. They claim the earth is 24,901 miles in circumference. Just presuming that is true and rounding it up, I drew a 25 inch circumference circle and divided it into 1 inch increments. Each increment would be about 996 miles.
A while ago someone posted a video from the year 1946. It was from a rocket the US government sent up. It supposedly went 65 miles high. On the scale in the picture, 65 miles would be equal to 1/15th of an inch. If you look at the circle I drew, you will see 996 mi. written in a space at the top. In the space to the right of it, you will see a little black dot just above the circle. That is what 65 miles looks like above the earth. Your view of the horizon would be about 690 miles. A little more than 2/3 of one of those one inch spaces is all you would be able to see of the Earth in any direction from an altitude of 65 miles.
That 690 miles is how far you could see straight in front of you. It is your peripheral vision that you would use to detect any curvature. But the distance you can perceive side to side, without turning your head, is not enough to detect the curvature. Do you see why the earth looks flat from our microscopic point of view?
Passenger planes only fly at the most about 6 miles high. At that altitude (about 1 / 200th in.) you could not even represent it on this scale without touching the line. At that height, your view of the horizon is only about 215 miles, about 3/8 of an inch on the drawing. It is like having your face up against a building and trying to see the whole building.
Standing on the surface of earth, looking out over the ocean, your horizon is only about three miles in any direction. In relation to the size of the earth, three miles would amount to less than that dot on the picture.
It is Relative
Let us talk about 1000 mph. Imagine that circle representing the equator. The center of the circle would be one of the poles. The outside of that circle is moving at 1000 mph. But it takes 24 hours for it to go around one time and return to the same spot. Can you see the edge of the earth moving?
The hour hand on your clock goes around twice as fast as the earth spins. Can you see it move? The minute hand goes around 24 times as fast as the earth spins. Can you see it move? Relative to its size, 24,901 miles circumference, the earth spins very slowly.
If you could make an hour hand 6000 miles long, it would be moving at 2000 mph at the long end. But it would not be moving any faster than the center in reality. Everything is relative to its size. If you were shrunk down to microscopic size and placed on the hand of a 12 inch clock, the effect would be the same. From your new perspective, that 6 inch clock hand would be spinning the same as 2000 mph to you, but you would not even notice the movement, unless there was something above you that you could notice was slowly changing its position as the minutes pass.
Think of it another way. If you could take a 12 inch globe, like you might have on your bookshelf, and put a clock mechanism inside it to make it turn, but geared to turn half as fast as a clock, it would take 24 hours for that globe to turn around one time. That is pretty darned slow. The Earth turns around pretty darned slow.
Some try to wow you with the claim that "if the earth was spinning 1000mph, we would all be flung off into space." You only feel g forces under acceleration, because your body is trying to catch up to the accelerating speed. If you are moving steadily at the same speed you will not feel it, because you are already moving at the speed of the earth. As in a vehicle, you feel the acceleration or direction changes, but once you level off to a set speed you will not feel it anymore.
How about the idea that airplanes should arrive at their destination faster when they fly west than when they fly east due to the earth rotating eastward? The actuality is the opposite. Wind currents generally move from west to east. It is wind resistance that causes westbound flights to take longer, and east bound flights are faster because they have the wind at their backs. The same thing will happen when you are driving your car. A head wind will slow you down and cause you to burn more fuel. A tail wind will speed you along and save you fuel.
A plane flying around inside the earth's atmosphere is similar to an insect flying around inside your car while you are driving down the road. The insect flies around in your moving car same as if the car was parked.
No Satellites?
I installed Dish Network five days a week for two years. The dish had to be tuned to a specific coordinate in the sky, or no signal. Satellite TV requires line of sight. If there is anything between the dish and the satellite, then no signal. Dish Network used two different satellites when I worked for them. It required two different dishes that had to be tuned in different directions and needed to be very precisely positioned to pick up the signal.
Sunrise / Moon Rise and Sunset / Moon Set
According to the flat earthers, the Sun and Moon disappear into diminishing perspective. This is very easily disprovable with your own eyes. The Sun and Moon never change size throughout the day / night. Check it with the Sun throughout the day. Get yourself a pair of welding goggles and some kind of caliper and compare the size of the Sun from sunrise to sunset. You will see it never changes size, and you will see it appearing gradually over the eastern horizon and disappearing behind the western horizon. How many times in your life have you watched that big orange ball disappear behind the western horizon?
There is a very good reason Venus has since forever been called the morning star or the evening star. You can only ever see it at dawn or dusk. Venus is not always visible. When it is in the right geometry in relation to earth, you can see it just before sunrise. Once the sun rises you cannot see Venus anymore, because of the brightness of the morning sky. In the evening it is visible just after sunset, as Venus will also be setting shortly after the sun sets. The fleeting times when we can see Venus it will be in phase. We can never see a full Venus. When we see the outer planets, they are always fully lit.
The Bible Proves It?
Some assert, "the Bible is a flat earth book. The Bible says the earth is God's footstool." Such scriptures are metaphorical. If you take them literally, you miss the point. A metaphor is intended to make you think more deeply.
Isaiah 40:22 says that God "sitteth upon the circle of the earth." But a circle is not a three dimensional shape. A circle is a two dimensional line drawing, like in my picture. For a circle to have shape in three dimensions, it has to be a cylinder, a cone, or a sphere. A sphere is the only shape that is circular in every possible direction.
The word firmament in Genesis 1:6 is from the Hebrew word "raqiya" which means an expanse. It has nothing to do with the word firm. The firmament is not a solid dome. It is an expanse, which means it goes on and on. Metaphors are not meant to be taken literally, circles do not have four corners, and the earth is not a footstool.
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:17
Acts 17:10-11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
| Psalm 91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. |
| Psalm 22 [To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.] My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. |
| Isaiah 53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. |
| 1 Corinthians 15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. |
Take Heed John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Mark 8:35-37 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Romans 10:8-10 …The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. Amos 8:11-12 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. Hebrews 3:7-8 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:12-15 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:16-19 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews 4:6-9 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. Do not count anyone out. As long as you are still alive, there is the chance to repent. Calling sin what it is is not judging. Telling people they need Jesus to be saved is not judging. John 3:17-21 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. |
James 4:6-10 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. |
Yah is Salvation This was a fun and enlightening exercise. I went through the Old Testament looking for the word salvation and replaced it with the word Yashuah. The Hebrew word for salvation is Yashuah which means "Ya or God is salvation". Of course Yashuah is also the Hebrew name of Jesus. Enjoy. Genesis 49:18 I have waited for thy Yashuah, O LORD. Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the Yashuah of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and heis become my Yashuah: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. 2Sa 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my Yashuah, my high tower, and my refuge, my Yasha; thou saved me from violence. 2Sa 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy Yashuah: and thy gentleness hath made me great. 2Sa 22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my Yashuah. 2Sa 22:51 He is the tower of Yashuah for his king: and sheweth mercy to his Mashiach, unto David, and to his seed for evermore. 1Ch 16:23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his Yashuah. 1Ch 16:35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our Yashuah, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 2Ch 6:41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with Yashuah, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. Job 13:16 He also shall be my Yashuah: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. Psalm 3:8 Yashuah belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Psalm 9:14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy Yashuah. Psalm 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy Yashuah. Psalm 14:7 Oh that the Yashuah of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my Yashuah, and my high tower. Psalm 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy Yashuah: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Psalm 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my Yashuah be exalted. Psalm 20:5 We will rejoice in thy Yashuah, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. Psalm 20:6 Now know I that the LORD Yasha his Mashiach; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Psalm 21:1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy Yashuah how greatly shall he rejoice! Psalm 21:5 His glory is great in thy Yashuah: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. Psalm 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his Yashuah. Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my Yashuah; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my Yashuah; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my Yashuah. Psalm 35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy Yashuah. Psalm 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his Yashuah. Psalm 37:39 But the Yashuah of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalm 38:22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my Yashuah. Psalm 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy Yashuah: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Psalm 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy Yashuah say continually, The LORD be magnified. Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Yashuah of God. Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy Yashuah; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my Yashuah: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Psalm 53:6 Oh that the Yashuah of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my Yashuah. Psalm 62:2 He only is my rock and my Yashuah; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. Psalm 62:6 He only is my rock and my Yashuah: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:7 In God is my Yashuah and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Psalm 68:20 He that is our God is the God of Yashuah; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death. Psalm 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy Yashuah. Psalm 69:29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy Yashuah, O God, set me up on high. Psalm 70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy Yashuah say continually, Let God be magnified. Psalm 71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy Yashuah all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. Psalm 78:20-22 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his Yashuah: Psalm 85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy Yashuah. Psalm 85:9 Surely his Yashuah is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Psalm 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my Yashuah. Psalm 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my Yashuah. Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our Yashuah. Psalm 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his Yashuah from day to day. Psalm 98:2 The LORD hath made known his Yashuah: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. Psalm 98:3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the Yashuah of our God. Psalm 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy Yashuah; Psalm 116:13 I will take the cup of Yashuah, and call upon the name of the LORD. Psalm 118:14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my Yashuah. Psalm 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and Yashuah is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. Psalm 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with Yashuah. Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my Yashuah; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my Yashuah. Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Yashuah. Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his Yashuah. Isaiah 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting Yahsuah: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. Isaiah 46:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my Yashuah shall not tarry: and I will place Yashuah in Zion for Israel my glory. Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my Yashuah unto the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of Yashuah have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; Isaiah 51:5 My righteousness is near; my Yashuah is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my Yashuah shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth Yashuah; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the Yashuah of our God. Isaiah 56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my Yashuah is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought Yashuah unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of Yashuah, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy Yashuah cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Revelation 22:11-21 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. |
Watch Ye! Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Mark 13:33-37 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. A day and an hour is a very specific point in time. But God left us lots of indications of its nearness. 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. All of the information is already in the Bible. John the baptizer came in 28 A.D. Jesus came to be baptized just prior to passover 29 A.D. According to the gospel of John, Jesus lived through one more passover 30 A.D. and was crucified on the third passover, 31 A.D. Luke 3:1-4 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Sept. 28 A.D.), Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Hosea 6:1-3 is about the first resurrection and Jesus' second coming. The first verse is about Jesus dying on the cross to reconcile us to God. The second verse tells us how long it will be until he returns to receive us unto himself. And the third day is the millennial kingdom when we will live in his sight. Hosea 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. 2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The "former and latter rain" are Jesus' first and second coming. If two days is two thousand years, Jesus coming would be two thousand years from his leaving - 2031. The seven day creation week is the first end time prophecy. God created everything in six days and rested on the seventh. This world was created with an expiration date set in the beginning. There will be six days (6000 yrs.) of man's rule and one day (1000 yrs.) of the Messianic kingdom of God. Until this day the entire world recognizes the seven day week. Every seven day cycle is a perpetual reminder of kingdom come. Remember the sabbath day. Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: |
New Heaven and New Earth I believe the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace from Daniel, Chapter 3, happened as a prophecy of the transition from this heaven and earth to the new heaven and earth. Luke 3:16-17 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. Malachi 4:1-3 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Daniel 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Daniel 3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:13-15 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Daniel 3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Science says that the universe was created with a "big bang", meaning an explosion where everything was on fire. The Bible says that God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth by fire. Anyone who is not resurrected as a spiritual being will be burned up. The reason this world was first created physical and not spiritual is because God is sorting out people of faith from everyone else. Who you need to put your faith in is Jesus. That day of fire is coming. |
Babylon Has Many Daughters What the Roman church actually is is a fulfillment of these prophecies. But it does not stop with the Roman church. Babylon has many daughters. Matthew 24:4-5 And 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. Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Acts 20:28-30 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 2 Peter 2:1-2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. |