The promise of God is, "Ask of me" Our possession can be only in the Son."Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."(v.8)
The prayer of Jesus in the Gospel of John gives the fulfillment of this. Especially the vv.20-24. "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."( John 17:24-25) So knowing that God sent his Son is one part but we have to be made perfect for which we have to abide in him. " in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;" He who has the Son has the Father as well. This is the church in eternity, the body of Christ.
The bone from Adam led to the creation of Eve, and the Spirit sets her as a symbol for this church in eternity. A close study of the Vision of Dry Bones (Ez.37) shall help us understand the ongoing church- building is in the world of the Spirit as much as the Spirit of Christ working with human agencies on the earth.
'The open valley' is a clue for us to include the two worlds as one. "And, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. "(37:2) Ezekiel is not required to prophesy to what is in the mind of God. So we have to take the lead of the Spirit and see the church how these dry bones may put on flesh and sinews "And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."(37:8)
Second point is in the matter of breath. Of this v.9 is different than v.3. "Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live" This refers to God breathing into the nostrils of Adam. These dry bones became living soul so bone joins to one another. (1 of 2)
." Look at the history of mankind in order to see what carnal wisdom has given the world.
" But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth./ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish./ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."(Jas.4:14-16)
How did Constantine1 transform the early church but in strife and in his sensual pride? The history of his reign gives us ample evidence where he promoted heresies and set differing camps of Orthodoxy against heresies fight it out? There was 'confusion and every evil work.' The pagan Empire was all iron and the church bought by the blood of Jesus Christ after the State had got into the act was miry clay. This is devilish since it is steered by foolish shepherds with their carnal wisdom. Before this state of evil work could go further God shall step in, and we are seeing the curl of a tsunami shaping up.
God has not changed his doctrine because the churches are all led helter-skelter by reason than faith. We see a great army of dry bones. The Spirit presents them as a vision meaning they exist only in the divine Will or the world of the Spirit. God shall use these dry bones to control the events narrated in the ch.38.
"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him," This we shall discuss in the coming post, which concludes our meditations on the psalm.
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings" We are called to be priests and kings. So we shall discuss the kind of wisdom we ought to cultivate. In Jesus Christ is the fulness so we shall learn of him. As the true and faithful witness he can be the only way, the truth and the life. "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,/ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (Re.1:5-6)
The Spirit has presented Adam as a stand-in for the Son. The deep sleep of Adam refers to the death of Jesus Christ. Till his Advent we have several heroes of faith and each of them reveal an aspect of the Son. God fashions the woman from one of his ribs, and how does Adam respond?
"And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man./ And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Ge.2:22-23) Whence did his knowledge come from? Isn't it from God and he thought as His son. ( Luke 2:38) The Spirit makes him as a double for the Son where wisdom from heaven is freely given to him. It is for this reason God commanded him not to eat of the fruit of the tree. As son of God knowledge of good and evil was superfluous. His sin was in obeying the doctrine of Satan. As a son and as the double for his Son diobedience was no option. For wisdom from heaven to work in anyone the condition is to be led by Jesus Christ.
Wisdom from heaven is to be led by the word of God. It creates peace all around. 'But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
Once the reverence for God and his word was gone what was left? "For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works./ Therefore their days did he consume in vanity," (78:32-33). This is plain addiction. Overindulgence and craving are signs of a consumer society given to be consumed in vanity. In a permissive society man degrading so love is more a bondage. Are we being tricked or are we free citizens exercising healthy appetites, given by God?
Fools rely solely in their rational faculties, which is under the department of 'wisdom of this world'. In the Four horsemen figuring in the vision of St John what have we coming in the rear?
"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."(Re.6:8) Jesus Christ the rider on the white horse is pre-eminent in all things so we see him ahead of the cavalcade. By his death and resurrection Jesus Christ overcame death so we ought not be afraid. We are secure. "All things were created by him, and for him:/And he is before all:/And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."(Col.1:16-17)
'With the beasts of the earth' Hell following death gives pestilence a place. Does anyone by reason foresee pandemic as they hit us?
"And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit./ And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power./And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. (Re.9:2-5)
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth./ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling."
Salvation is in none other than in the Son who is the heir of all things. The two worlds framed by God reveals faith which is one; the other is the word of God. The Word of God, as the Law or the constitution is a sound as well as a sign. In short the world made to appear is a sign. Jesus Christ as the slain Lamb, the Lamb of God and the Throne of God and of the Lamb are all one and the same.(He.11:3)
"If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it." (Pr.9:12) The Spirit has given us the God document, the Bible is inerrant. So you cannot cut and paste passages from Scripture to make the nation of Israel as the central plank for your religion and practice. Jesus Christ, who of God is become our Savior Lord so all our glory should be in him. "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."(1 Co.1:30-31)
"Judge not, that ye be not judged./ For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."(Matt.7:1-2) God is the God of both poor and rich and absolutely impartial. "Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:/For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them." (Pr.22:22-23)
As with man so with His creation. " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father."(Matt.10:29) The Spirit instructs how Israel murmured against divine Providence. "And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust."(Ps.78:18).
Good Question Daruled, and welcome to this forum. I'll let others speak to your question for now. may you be blessed by those who reply to your question.
How this placement of the Levites among the people typifies Christ who resides with His people and ever makes intercession for us to the Father. How dependable He is and how intimate is His priestly work for us. He knows what is going on in each of our lives, being ever-present and everywhere present. His ministry far exceeds that of the priest of Israel. They, being sinful, became corrupted with greed, pride, and puffed up. They became self-righteous and did not want to "mingle" with the unclean common folk. They added requirements to the law, amending what God decreed, and inserted traditions that led people further away for God rather than helping them draw near to God and practice service and worship to God that is according to what God has stated to be righteous. They became burdensome to the people rather than Jesus, who said to take His yoke upon us, which is easy and light. Jesus does not yoke us to enslave us, rather, He calls us to cleave to Him and live in freedom to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. He takes upon Himself our burdens and makes our hearts glad.
In this chapter, YHWH instructs Moses to tell the people to set aside cities in each of their allotments for the Levites to reside in and have room to tend their flocks outside the city walls. There will be 48 cities in all, 6 of them will be cities of refuge for oen who kills by accident can flee for safety until they have a trial.
If one outright kills someone intentionally, this is murder, and the murderer is to be put to death. God takes it seriously when one is murdered. He did when Cain murdered Abel, bit let Cain live. For the Israelites, they are to carry out this death sentence on murderers without partiality. no murderer can be "bailed out" with money, bribe, or other type of exchange to rescind the death penalty.
YHWH says that unrequited murder defiles the land. It perverts justice and leads to wanton killing. This happens every week in so many cities, think of the many young men who are gunned down in Chicago, L.A., and other big cities every week. These murders are often done by other young people. How perverted our society has become when such young people have no value for life and think nothing of taking life from another. And then there are the drug cartels who murder so readily. Let's mention all of the babies aborted without the mom or doctors blinking an eye. There is so much blood-letting happening in our streets and the blood of the innocent cries out to God as Abel's did. God knows when every life starts and ends. He cares. And He wants society to deal justly with murderers. Yet in His mercy, He makes a way here for those who kill unintentionally to be safe until proven to have done so by accident or purposefully.
The cities for the Levites puts the priests in the midst of each tribe. They are there to be available to the spiritual needs of the families abiding around their cities. The High Priest, ark, and tabernacle are in one set place, but the other priests are to be in the midst of the people. They are to be readily available
Hi Daruled. And welcome to these Discussion pages & hope you will enjoy fellowship with us around God's Word.
Your question would require a very long answer, beyond the scope of these pages, & you may have noticed that this matter is being presently addressed & does come up often here (because it is so important & often so misunderstood). So just a quick answer to your "quick question": when we read that the believer is 'freed, or delivered, from the Law' ( Romans 7:6), we should understand that to mean that the Law given to Israel has no more rule & binding on the one who is now 'IN Christ'.
So, those of Israel & of the Gentiles who have been saved by Christ's Blood, have entered into a New Covenant relationship (in His Blood), that not only abrogates that old Law that only revealed sin & ended in death ( Romans 7:9-11), but brings forth a New Law within this New Covenant that we are now to hear & obey. Where the Old Law written on stones demanded total obedience by one's own power or else face death, the New Law of the Spirit ( Romans 8:2) is now embedded deep in the believer, & now is given the Holy Spirit energized power to obey, not just a set of 10 Commandments, but all the Law of God. And this New Law covers every aspect of the believer's life, which means that God's Commands are no longer limited to a number, but the Spirit brings every thought, word or deed into the believer's spiritual view & applies conviction & understanding applicable to the individual.
So yes, the believer IN Christ, can never be "lawless", for if he is & seeks to live his life separate from the workings of God's Spirit in him, he should then question whether real salvation is his actual experience. And I would venture further to state, that a child of God, led of His Spirit in him, would hardly be able to go through his waking moments each day without regular testings & examinations by the All-searching, All-ministering Holy Spirit residing in him. Blessings.
Hello Rrscaccia. I think you have misread this portion. If I might write it as I understand this passage ( Romans 1:1-3):
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he (i.e. God) had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning his (i.e. God;s) Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh..."
So Paul is stating that even as he Paul was called by the Lord to be Jesus' apostle, the Gospel which Paul had to preach was of Jesus Christ, God's Son Whom God had "promised afore by His prophets..."). So where are these promises? You can look at Deuteronomy 18:18; Isaiah 9:6,7; Isaiah 53:1-12; Isaiah 61:1-3; Jeremiah 23:5 (yet a future fulfillment): these prophets all spoke of Jesus (though they didn't know Him by that Name but that One would be sent from God), Who would come from Heaven through the Davidic line, being called the Son of God by His Divine Birth.
In this chapter, YHWH designates the borders of the land promised to Abraham that the Israelites will possess. Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had already chosen the land east of the Jordan river as their allotment. (God had promised to Abraham the land east of the Jordan east to the Euphrates River), The rest of the 9 tribes and half tribe of Manasseh were to settle west of the Jordan river. The allotments were to be divide by lots (which God chose the outcome). This way, the distribution of the land will be fair and according to God's wisdom, not man's desires. Eliazar and Joshua would be the ones to work the lot to determine the allotments. Even though these two were godly, they could easily have sinful motives creep in if they were to decide on the distribution from their own desires. A prince (leading elder) from each tribe was named by YHWH to represent their tribe during this part of the allotting of land. With God doing all the choosing, no Israelite could accuse any other Israelite of being unfair nor could any Israelite have cause to bicker about what they received nor could they bribe or coerce anyone. It was God's choosing from start to finish.
In defining the borders, I noticed that Mt. Hor at the edge of Edom is mentioned to be where Aaron died, but another Mt. Hor was mentioned as being part of the northern boundary. These are two different mountains. The northern one is near the coast in northern Palestine. Notice the land that Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Mannaseh were to possess the land east of the Jordan eastward to the sun's rising. So, it seems they could possess the land as far eastward as they wished up to the Euphrates River.
This receiving of the land allotments reminds me to be content with what God has provided for me in this life. It is all only temporal, and like Abraham, we look to be inheritors of the city built by God kept for us in heaven, the New Jerusalem.
This chapter recaps the journey of the Israelites when the LORD God delivered them from their enslavement in Egypt in miraculous and at times fearsome ways. The LORD God went before them in the pillar of fire or cloud leading them through the desert to bring about their readiness to enter the promised land. He feed them with manna and quail, made water to flow from rocks where there was no flowing water before. At Sinai, He covenanted with them to be their God and they His people. Over forty years the people who came out of Egypt died in the wilderness as God had said would occur because of their unbelief. This new generation would be the ones who enter the land promised under Joshua and Caleb's leadership.
Aaron had died on Mt. Hor when God had called him up the mountain to breathe his last. Now, encamped east of the Jordan River in Moab, God tells Moses to instruct the people to drive the people out of the land completely, to destroy all items involved in idol worship. He also warns them that if they do not do these things, the people they allowed to remain would be a source of vexation to them as long as the Israelites occupied the land. God also said that if they fall into the same idolatry as those they drive out, then God will drive them out of the land also.
God did not give a lengthy speech to these people here. he was very concise and pointed in His instructions. What He wanted the people to do was very plain. Yet, God knew that the people will not follow his commands fully. And He especially knew that the Israelites would repeatedly turn to idolatry, divination, witchcraft, and sorcery over the time He allows them to possess the land. Even so, He puts forth His commands and that is that!
The Israelites are so, so close to receiving the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham. They have encountered the LORD God in amazing ways that should have burned into their hearts the worthiness of God who they are to worship alone. How many will stay true?
IN FACT, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 is a revealing letter from Paul the Apostle.
By the way, all GOD's people must remember Acts 1:11 - Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same JESUS, which is taken up from you into HEAVEN(into the 3rd heaven. HEAVEN? Ephesians 1:3 combined with Philippians 3:20-21 among other biblical references. Take a look.), shall so COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen Him go into heaven(3rd heaven, that is the next world- Luke 20:35-36. Take a look). JESUS was on Mount called Olivet in the day when He was taken up, right? and shall COME in like manner( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), and the SAME CLOUD will be there in His return, understand? For better understand, compare with Matt.17:5 and Isaiah 4:5.
What does the Word of GOD say? The Word is GOD, self-executing, understand? The Word says: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Dan.12:v.12 - Yeah, day 1335, the Ineffable, Wonderful, Indescribable, Unspeakable day, the day 1.335. Hallelujaaah!!! It means: 45 days after the period of 1290 days. Get ready you all, as JESUS WARNED: Matthew 25: 6-13.
so, when I heard the gospel preached to me since infancy, I know that God made it efficacious to me because of what is said in Romans 1. Being an infant did make the hearing of it ineffective because it depends on God's power and will, not on someone's age, will, or even ability to comprehend what God has done for us in Christ. I am thankful for my upbringing and the witness of my parents and church from the time I was born on.
I say all this to emphasize that the gospel has always been a part of my life as well as the teachings of the ten commandments. Like most parents, they taught me what God said is right and wrong. As a child, I never doubted my salvation in Jesus even when I was convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit. I always knew I could go to Jesus and admit I did wrong against Him and others. My life was shaped by both Law and Gospel. They each have their place in the life of a believer. The Law shows us our sin and need for forgiveness. It shows us the moral path we are to follow to glorify God. The gospel brings us the message of salvation in Jesus Christ and causes us to become born again by the Holy Spirit. Oh, how gracious God has been to me all of my life!
The Holy Spirit giving me the desire to do God's will by living a godly life brings blessings to those who live this way. We do not do this to earn salvation because that is impossible. But we live this way because we love God above all others and love others as Jesus did in His earthly life. We can never love as God loves. His love is far beyond how we could ever love in this life. But, by the power of the gospel, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the teachings of the living word of God in Scripture, I can become more and more like Jesus,
Any righteous moral command of God is for us. It reveals His holiness and will for us to be "holy as He is holy." We owe Him our obedience, not to pay for our salvation, but as gratitude for all He has done to redeem us as His children.
as for me, I will follow the commands of my Lord because He tells me to in His word. I believe him! it is the Holy spirit in me that causes me to desire to do God's will and having these commands show me the kind of character we ought to have because it is the character of Jesus whom we are to imitate, be a light to the nations, that others will see the good that we do and glorify God.
So, I have no problem at all in leaning on the Holy Spirit to help me have the mind of Christ, to do what He has said is the loving thing to do against what He said is not loving actions towards God or humans. From a very young age I have loved the commands of God because by knowing them, the Spirit reminds me of the command I am breaking when I am acting against loving Him and others. Being a believer all of my life, knowing what God says is righteous actions has helped to shape my character and approach to life.
I know that the law is good, but that we cannot meet its demands by along shot. I know that it is only Jesus who has done so perfectly. So I, and all believers, need to cast ourselves onto the mercy and grace of Jesus to receive righteousness before God now and on the day of final judgment. I know that the law was given to drive us to Jesus for salvation because we realize by the working of the Holy Spirit that we are sinful and in need of God's mighty work of salvation in Christ.
I don't know how it is for those who came to Christ as adults, but for me, having come to Him even before I could understand it all has blessed me. The earliest memory I have of the gospel and the character of God is when I was 6 and we talked about why God made me and what Jesus did for us. I know that I had been told this repeatedly by my parents and church prior to 6 years old, but that is as far back as I can remember. I believe what Paul wrote in Romans 1: that the preaching and hearing of the gospel is the power of God to save. ...cont.
Thank you. Galatian 1:6-9 is certainly a supporting amplification of John 1:10. There were many then who were teaching falsely. Needless to say it was rampant then. All who today who accurate read the same word we still have in the N. T. will agree we are deluged with likely even more false teaching today. The only answer the Bible seems to give us on this is only a few really do understand it correctly and will be included those who are resurrected and Born again at his coming.
Chris
Thank you. Galatian 1:6-9 is supporting & amplification of John 1:10.
There were many then teaching falsely. It was common if not rampant then. All who accurately read the N. T. today will agree it is likely even more false teaching today. The only answer the Bible seems to give us; only a few correctly understand and live the way Jesus was teaching.
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
There will still be relative few who will be resurrected when Christ returns. At that point only the few will receive eternal life, be Born again, and made a Spirit Being.
I Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
I Thessalonians 4:16-18
16. 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:
17. 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.
18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
I have one question for you David if you don't mind answering it.
You think God preserved His Word only in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts yet God graciously provided tools such as the Strongs Concordance to double check the meaning of words in the original languages.
Question: Why would God preserve the manuscripts but not preserve His Word in a translation for the people living in the world during the last generation?
That makes absolutely no sense to me. Nothing is impossible with God!
(Truth is Christ) will show you God preserved His Word in the KJB, If you will check it out.
You mentioned me in your post above, so I felt that I should respond to you, as you have always been honest, sincere, and open regarding the scriptures.
Jesus informs us and provides us with warnings in the following in scripture:
Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
Jesus tells us above if we want to enter into life - keep the commandments.
Revelation 22:14"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."
If we want to have the right to the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the city we will do His Commandments. Jesus is stating: will do His Commandments. Who is Jesus referring to when he say His? God.
Both of these verses are spoken by Jesus, and both are commanding us (Christians) to keep God's Commandments if we wish to receive eternal life.
It can't get much clearer than this scripture, and the scripture itself will convict unbelievers.
The only possible argument on the above scripture would be how do we accomplish following God's Commandments. A Born Again Christian is following these Commandments via God's Holy Spirit, not of their own accord. Per this verse: 1 John 3:24
"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."
So this really puts to rest the argument by a few on this site; that believe following God's Commandments aren't necessary, or that when we follow them, or encourage others to do so, we are trying to create/work for our own salvation. As you implied, we are living in the Spirt and being obedient to our God. Amen
Jesus/God shines the light for us, all we have to do is believe and follow it!
This principle is employed to bring realities of the world of the Spirit and of the body in terms of the Son. It is in his Son that all fulness should dwell. It is thus we bring our thoughts on the same page as that of God in his Son. Without abiding in Jesus Christ and walking under his light it is impossible for anyone to be called righteous. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord./ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."(Is.55:8-9)
Gog and Magog shall fail miserably because they set themselves against the Son. In Ez.39:17 we have the Lord God inviting fowls to his sacrifice. "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;... that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood." In v.21 he declares why, "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."
The Spirit gives the similitude of a supper in the Vision of St. John.(Re.19:17-18)
God sent an east wind to feed the Israel and their lust for meat serves how God rewards the fowls, "And all the fowls were filled with their flesh."(19:21)
Principle of Similitude serves us a lesson. In the secular world we have this truth: 'Any man's gain is not every man's gain.' Nations may aggrandize themselves preying upon the weak nations. But the Just God shall not let go man's injustice unpunished. In the post 'Iron' the quail is a symbol. The Spirit has incorporated the man's ungodliness, his lust in a manner he shall understand. In rejecting manna God shall repay in a manner he did not foresee. God has given all things needful for his life and godliness. Let us be content with a grateful heart.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
The Bible as the God document holds everything in the visible world as the mirror image of the mind of God. The worlds framed by the word of God admits nothing else. So the strategy of Satan to rake up kings from the east to do his bidding shall not stand. The Son is the heir to all.("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,-He.1:2-3; 11:3)
In the narrative mode the Spirit brings all events persons and nations in direct frame of reference to the Son.
How Joab killed Amasa was not a singular act of treachery. (2 Sa.20:8-10).Thus when the Spirit warns 'Kiss the Son' this action is with reference the kiss of Judas Iscariot. "But Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?""( Luke 22:48-NIV). Such betrayal on the part of man has its other side reconciling with him with a kiss. This principle of Similitude we have seen elsewhere. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."(Ps.85:10)
"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."
This rod of iron is to smash earthen pots as a farmer smashes clods of earth with a wooden mallet in order to prepare the ground for sowing. "Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick."(Is.28:27-NIV) The allegory of the Potter's yard ought to help us in this context. God's message came to Jeremiah at the Potter's house, "I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity."(Je.18:17). Historically Israel was cast to the winds in successive exiles under Assyria Babylon and Rome. Here also kings of the east bear upon the nation as east wind.
The Spirit employs principle of similitude where lust for meat is balanced by their chastisement hangs on the east wind. God sends Israel quails in this memorable lines/"He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow." (Ps.78:26-27 NIV; Nu.11)
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
What is the quality of iron? "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."(Pr.27:17) In the context we are considering divine displeasure has its own weight. "Tit for tat' it says. The Lord has the enemies to Christ in derision. "Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." For the context look at the manner miry clay in the King's Dream has sought the weight of iron but it shall be in vain.
"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay,...but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." (Dan.2:43-44)
In Re.6 the horseman on the red horse carried a big sword. "And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword." (Re.6:4) He is what eggs on the kings of the east from the first ever skirmish to the final battle described in Ch.19. What the rider on the red horse does not know is that the rider on the white horse has already gone before him and we meet him in the same chapter. "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."(Re.6:2;; 19:13-16)
I have never said that one needs to keep the 10 commandments to be saved.
So, if Adam and Bro Dan say this, then I disagree with this belief.
I agree with you that it is only by grace are we saved. It is a gift from God we receive with open hands, bringing nothing to God as to earn this salvation.
And I agree that we obey God as a result of this gift of salvation by grace. This I have always stood for.
My point in my post was that I think that people saying that God's moral commands do not apply to us can lead people to think that we are free to sin without repentance since we are no longer under law but grace. I know people who think this way.
As for me, the Holy Spirit leads me to live a godly life of faith in the finished work of Christ. My obedience to the moral commands of Jesus to love God wholly and to love others deeply from the heart so as to do them no harm is done in obedience to the Holy Spirit in me, not as a legalism, but as one who has been given the liberty to walk God's way in obedience.
In my post I did state how I agree with you and how I agree with Adam. I was not taking any person's "side" on this issue.
I am not sure what you mean be me having a "carnal" approach. Please explain.
I do not wish to rehash past conversations here because any offenses have been forgiven and settled from my perspective.
I know that there are many things we agree on and some things we don't. This is the way with all believer's who study God's word. That is why we attempt to discuss what we think we've learned from Scripture here. So, instead of evaluating one another's hearts and minds, we should be judging what we write here according to what the Scriptures say. And we should be careful of any hostility towards one another in our thoughts, hearts, and words spoken on here.
Take care, Steven, I know that you are working, so I do appreciate the time you take to respond.
Revelation 1:1 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST ........ and he (the Spirit of Christ) SENT and SIGNIFIED IT (the REVELATION of himself) to his servant John:
Most think Revelation is a prophecy of anti-christ; even though, the WORD says it's the REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST.
The ENTIRE word of God is the voice and words of JESUS CHRIST, different men through the ages have taken pen in hand and recorded the WORDS of Christ, yet, they are Christ's words, not the words of the one who penned them.
These are Christ's words, REVEALING himself to the carnal mind of man:
Revelation 4:7 And the FIRST BEAST was like a lion, and the SECOND BEAST was like a calf, and the THIRD BEAST had a face as a man, and the FORTH BEAST was like a flying eagle.
Are these FOUR BEAST four different things, or, are they four descriptions REVEALING JESUS CHRIST?
Scripture says, NO VERSE is the private interpretation of the verse itself, but has to be understood by applying other verses of scripture to understand.
We have to find the interpretation of Revelation 4:7 in other scriptures to understand.
Numbers 24:7 He (the Spirit) shall pour the water out of his (Christ's) buckets, and his (Christ's) SEED shall be as many waters (peoples, tongues, and nations) and his (the Spirit's) king (Christ) shall be higher than Agag, and his (Christ's) kingdom shall be exalted.
Numbers 24:8 God brought him (Christ) out of Egypt; he (Christ) hath as it were the strength of a unicorn (ox): he (Christ) shall eat up the nations his (Christ's) enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows (words).
Numbers 24:9 He (Christ) crouched, he lay down LIKE A LION, and as a GREAT LION: who shall stir him (Christ, a lion) up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee (Christ, the Spirit of prophecy), and cursed is he that curseth thee (Christ, the spirit of prophecy).
LOOK to the scriptures; all FOUR BEAST, the lion, the calf, the man, the eagle, are CHRIST.
All these three we find in this verse. "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, Express image, the will when translated is either as an emblem or as man so the only begotten Son explains it. secondly is the glory of his body. thirdly in this clause,'when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:' It is life everlasting.'(He.1:3)
The Spirit employs Law of Gradation to club together events for instance wars persecutions with frame reference to the Son who is appointed the heir of the world 'made to appear.' . The writer to the Hebrews records,"his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (He.1:2-3). An example we have in this verse,"That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."(Matt.23:35)
Satan amasses an army the number of which is clubbed together from the beginning till he is cast into the lake of fire, "Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea."(Re.20:8). The same Satan lending his authority to the beast who is shown having one characteristic, '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.'(Re.13:3) If God dealt a fatal blow to Hitler the next beast shall have that fatal wound and who is darkening the door of 2ist Century?
The number 7 is a sure signal that we are looking at events as a continual process into which the word of God steps in to control events so Hitler is knocked out to give His children a time to get their acts straight. Gospel of salvation and of judgment.
" I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee."
A covenant is between two parties. We shall look at two worlds which are framed by the word of God. The will of God or what signified His holiness, what is unseen becomes visible. Faith is reconciling the one world unseen with what is made to appear. There is no other intermediary, "so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." This covenant in short is the Law since the eternal word of God gave expression. The world of the Son is on one part and "Who is the image of the invisible God." The Word was God ( John 1:1) is a sound as well as a sign. Everlasting Covenant is between God the Father and the Son where he serves as a sign.
While translating the everlasting decree in terms of visible symbols we have three components that are established by the eternal word (Ps.119:89)
A symbol or the emblem in the will of God the Father. This is the slain Lamb before the worlds began. Secondly the body: glory of God gives the body of his Son a likeness so every thing visible,- made to appear by faith, would correspondingly relate. Adam was created in his image so God places His creation in his charge. Thirdly his life. In him was life, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Here John is referring to the humanity of Jesus Christ. The everlasting covenant is between God and Man who is the same. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."(He.13:8) (1 of 2)
What readers of Scriptures must understand is that there is a great difference between the letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law.The letter of the Law that was given by GOD to the people of Israel through Moses, it was and is dead, so what did matter and still matters and prevails was and is the Spirit of the Law given by GOD,the Word,Father of my Lord JESUS Christ,GOD is Spirit, as all can see by the doctrine of JESUS in Mat.5:17-48.
The dead letter of the Law says:Thou shalt not kill .period
Christ's Spirit says:Mat.5:21-26
21Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time,Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment:
22But 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.
23/24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother,and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou are in the way with him;lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge,and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26Verily I say unto thee,Thou shalt by no means come out thence,till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
The letter of the Law says:Thou shalt not commit adultery .period
JESUS said:Mat.5:28-32
28 Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
31 It was said,Whosoever shall put away his wife,let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you,That whosoever shall put away his wife,saving for the cause of fornication,causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
"Dry Bones"
The promise of God is, "Ask of me" Our possession can be only in the Son."Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."(v.8)
The prayer of Jesus in the Gospel of John gives the fulfillment of this. Especially the vv.20-24. "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."( John 17:24-25) So knowing that God sent his Son is one part but we have to be made perfect for which we have to abide in him. " in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;" He who has the Son has the Father as well. This is the church in eternity, the body of Christ.
The bone from Adam led to the creation of Eve, and the Spirit sets her as a symbol for this church in eternity. A close study of the Vision of Dry Bones (Ez.37) shall help us understand the ongoing church- building is in the world of the Spirit as much as the Spirit of Christ working with human agencies on the earth.
'The open valley' is a clue for us to include the two worlds as one. "And, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. "(37:2) Ezekiel is not required to prophesy to what is in the mind of God. So we have to take the lead of the Spirit and see the church how these dry bones may put on flesh and sinews "And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."(37:8)
Second point is in the matter of breath. Of this v.9 is different than v.3. "Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live" This refers to God breathing into the nostrils of Adam. These dry bones became living soul so bone joins to one another. (1 of 2)
"Be Ye Wise" (2 of 2)
." Look at the history of mankind in order to see what carnal wisdom has given the world.
" But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth./ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish./ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."(Jas.4:14-16)
How did Constantine1 transform the early church but in strife and in his sensual pride? The history of his reign gives us ample evidence where he promoted heresies and set differing camps of Orthodoxy against heresies fight it out? There was 'confusion and every evil work.' The pagan Empire was all iron and the church bought by the blood of Jesus Christ after the State had got into the act was miry clay. This is devilish since it is steered by foolish shepherds with their carnal wisdom. Before this state of evil work could go further God shall step in, and we are seeing the curl of a tsunami shaping up.
God has not changed his doctrine because the churches are all led helter-skelter by reason than faith. We see a great army of dry bones. The Spirit presents them as a vision meaning they exist only in the divine Will or the world of the Spirit. God shall use these dry bones to control the events narrated in the ch.38.
"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him," This we shall discuss in the coming post, which concludes our meditations on the psalm.
"Be ye wise"
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings" We are called to be priests and kings. So we shall discuss the kind of wisdom we ought to cultivate. In Jesus Christ is the fulness so we shall learn of him. As the true and faithful witness he can be the only way, the truth and the life. "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,/ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (Re.1:5-6)
The Spirit has presented Adam as a stand-in for the Son. The deep sleep of Adam refers to the death of Jesus Christ. Till his Advent we have several heroes of faith and each of them reveal an aspect of the Son. God fashions the woman from one of his ribs, and how does Adam respond?
"And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man./ And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Ge.2:22-23) Whence did his knowledge come from? Isn't it from God and he thought as His son. ( Luke 2:38) The Spirit makes him as a double for the Son where wisdom from heaven is freely given to him. It is for this reason God commanded him not to eat of the fruit of the tree. As son of God knowledge of good and evil was superfluous. His sin was in obeying the doctrine of Satan. As a son and as the double for his Son diobedience was no option. For wisdom from heaven to work in anyone the condition is to be led by Jesus Christ.
Wisdom from heaven is to be led by the word of God. It creates peace all around. 'But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
"Be Ye instructed"
Once the reverence for God and his word was gone what was left? "For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works./ Therefore their days did he consume in vanity," (78:32-33). This is plain addiction. Overindulgence and craving are signs of a consumer society given to be consumed in vanity. In a permissive society man degrading so love is more a bondage. Are we being tricked or are we free citizens exercising healthy appetites, given by God?
Fools rely solely in their rational faculties, which is under the department of 'wisdom of this world'. In the Four horsemen figuring in the vision of St John what have we coming in the rear?
"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."(Re.6:8) Jesus Christ the rider on the white horse is pre-eminent in all things so we see him ahead of the cavalcade. By his death and resurrection Jesus Christ overcame death so we ought not be afraid. We are secure. "All things were created by him, and for him:/And he is before all:/And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."(Col.1:16-17)
'With the beasts of the earth' Hell following death gives pestilence a place. Does anyone by reason foresee pandemic as they hit us?
"And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit./ And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power./And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. (Re.9:2-5)
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth./ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling."
Salvation is in none other than in the Son who is the heir of all things. The two worlds framed by God reveals faith which is one; the other is the word of God. The Word of God, as the Law or the constitution is a sound as well as a sign. In short the world made to appear is a sign. Jesus Christ as the slain Lamb, the Lamb of God and the Throne of God and of the Lamb are all one and the same.(He.11:3)
"If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it." (Pr.9:12) The Spirit has given us the God document, the Bible is inerrant. So you cannot cut and paste passages from Scripture to make the nation of Israel as the central plank for your religion and practice. Jesus Christ, who of God is become our Savior Lord so all our glory should be in him. "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."(1 Co.1:30-31)
"Judge not, that ye be not judged./ For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."(Matt.7:1-2) God is the God of both poor and rich and absolutely impartial. "Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:/For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them." (Pr.22:22-23)
As with man so with His creation. " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father."(Matt.10:29) The Spirit instructs how Israel murmured against divine Providence. "And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust."(Ps.78:18).
How this placement of the Levites among the people typifies Christ who resides with His people and ever makes intercession for us to the Father. How dependable He is and how intimate is His priestly work for us. He knows what is going on in each of our lives, being ever-present and everywhere present. His ministry far exceeds that of the priest of Israel. They, being sinful, became corrupted with greed, pride, and puffed up. They became self-righteous and did not want to "mingle" with the unclean common folk. They added requirements to the law, amending what God decreed, and inserted traditions that led people further away for God rather than helping them draw near to God and practice service and worship to God that is according to what God has stated to be righteous. They became burdensome to the people rather than Jesus, who said to take His yoke upon us, which is easy and light. Jesus does not yoke us to enslave us, rather, He calls us to cleave to Him and live in freedom to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. He takes upon Himself our burdens and makes our hearts glad.
If one outright kills someone intentionally, this is murder, and the murderer is to be put to death. God takes it seriously when one is murdered. He did when Cain murdered Abel, bit let Cain live. For the Israelites, they are to carry out this death sentence on murderers without partiality. no murderer can be "bailed out" with money, bribe, or other type of exchange to rescind the death penalty.
YHWH says that unrequited murder defiles the land. It perverts justice and leads to wanton killing. This happens every week in so many cities, think of the many young men who are gunned down in Chicago, L.A., and other big cities every week. These murders are often done by other young people. How perverted our society has become when such young people have no value for life and think nothing of taking life from another. And then there are the drug cartels who murder so readily. Let's mention all of the babies aborted without the mom or doctors blinking an eye. There is so much blood-letting happening in our streets and the blood of the innocent cries out to God as Abel's did. God knows when every life starts and ends. He cares. And He wants society to deal justly with murderers. Yet in His mercy, He makes a way here for those who kill unintentionally to be safe until proven to have done so by accident or purposefully.
The cities for the Levites puts the priests in the midst of each tribe. They are there to be available to the spiritual needs of the families abiding around their cities. The High Priest, ark, and tabernacle are in one set place, but the other priests are to be in the midst of the people. They are to be readily available
Your question would require a very long answer, beyond the scope of these pages, & you may have noticed that this matter is being presently addressed & does come up often here (because it is so important & often so misunderstood). So just a quick answer to your "quick question": when we read that the believer is 'freed, or delivered, from the Law' ( Romans 7:6), we should understand that to mean that the Law given to Israel has no more rule & binding on the one who is now 'IN Christ'.
So, those of Israel & of the Gentiles who have been saved by Christ's Blood, have entered into a New Covenant relationship (in His Blood), that not only abrogates that old Law that only revealed sin & ended in death ( Romans 7:9-11), but brings forth a New Law within this New Covenant that we are now to hear & obey. Where the Old Law written on stones demanded total obedience by one's own power or else face death, the New Law of the Spirit ( Romans 8:2) is now embedded deep in the believer, & now is given the Holy Spirit energized power to obey, not just a set of 10 Commandments, but all the Law of God. And this New Law covers every aspect of the believer's life, which means that God's Commands are no longer limited to a number, but the Spirit brings every thought, word or deed into the believer's spiritual view & applies conviction & understanding applicable to the individual.
So yes, the believer IN Christ, can never be "lawless", for if he is & seeks to live his life separate from the workings of God's Spirit in him, he should then question whether real salvation is his actual experience. And I would venture further to state, that a child of God, led of His Spirit in him, would hardly be able to go through his waking moments each day without regular testings & examinations by the All-searching, All-ministering Holy Spirit residing in him. Blessings.
"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he (i.e. God) had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning his (i.e. God;s) Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh..."
So Paul is stating that even as he Paul was called by the Lord to be Jesus' apostle, the Gospel which Paul had to preach was of Jesus Christ, God's Son Whom God had "promised afore by His prophets..."). So where are these promises? You can look at Deuteronomy 18:18; Isaiah 9:6,7; Isaiah 53:1-12; Isaiah 61:1-3; Jeremiah 23:5 (yet a future fulfillment): these prophets all spoke of Jesus (though they didn't know Him by that Name but that One would be sent from God), Who would come from Heaven through the Davidic line, being called the Son of God by His Divine Birth.
In defining the borders, I noticed that Mt. Hor at the edge of Edom is mentioned to be where Aaron died, but another Mt. Hor was mentioned as being part of the northern boundary. These are two different mountains. The northern one is near the coast in northern Palestine. Notice the land that Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Mannaseh were to possess the land east of the Jordan eastward to the sun's rising. So, it seems they could possess the land as far eastward as they wished up to the Euphrates River.
This receiving of the land allotments reminds me to be content with what God has provided for me in this life. It is all only temporal, and like Abraham, we look to be inheritors of the city built by God kept for us in heaven, the New Jerusalem.
Aaron had died on Mt. Hor when God had called him up the mountain to breathe his last. Now, encamped east of the Jordan River in Moab, God tells Moses to instruct the people to drive the people out of the land completely, to destroy all items involved in idol worship. He also warns them that if they do not do these things, the people they allowed to remain would be a source of vexation to them as long as the Israelites occupied the land. God also said that if they fall into the same idolatry as those they drive out, then God will drive them out of the land also.
God did not give a lengthy speech to these people here. he was very concise and pointed in His instructions. What He wanted the people to do was very plain. Yet, God knew that the people will not follow his commands fully. And He especially knew that the Israelites would repeatedly turn to idolatry, divination, witchcraft, and sorcery over the time He allows them to possess the land. Even so, He puts forth His commands and that is that!
The Israelites are so, so close to receiving the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham. They have encountered the LORD God in amazing ways that should have burned into their hearts the worthiness of God who they are to worship alone. How many will stay true?
IN FACT, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 is a revealing letter from Paul the Apostle.
By the way, all GOD's people must remember Acts 1:11 - Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same JESUS, which is taken up from you into HEAVEN(into the 3rd heaven. HEAVEN? Ephesians 1:3 combined with Philippians 3:20-21 among other biblical references. Take a look.), shall so COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen Him go into heaven(3rd heaven, that is the next world- Luke 20:35-36. Take a look). JESUS was on Mount called Olivet in the day when He was taken up, right? and shall COME in like manner( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18), and the SAME CLOUD will be there in His return, understand? For better understand, compare with Matt.17:5 and Isaiah 4:5.
What does the Word of GOD say? The Word is GOD, self-executing, understand? The Word says: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Dan.12:v.12 - Yeah, day 1335, the Ineffable, Wonderful, Indescribable, Unspeakable day, the day 1.335. Hallelujaaah!!! It means: 45 days after the period of 1290 days. Get ready you all, as JESUS WARNED: Matthew 25: 6-13.
pt. 2
so, when I heard the gospel preached to me since infancy, I know that God made it efficacious to me because of what is said in Romans 1. Being an infant did make the hearing of it ineffective because it depends on God's power and will, not on someone's age, will, or even ability to comprehend what God has done for us in Christ. I am thankful for my upbringing and the witness of my parents and church from the time I was born on.
I say all this to emphasize that the gospel has always been a part of my life as well as the teachings of the ten commandments. Like most parents, they taught me what God said is right and wrong. As a child, I never doubted my salvation in Jesus even when I was convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit. I always knew I could go to Jesus and admit I did wrong against Him and others. My life was shaped by both Law and Gospel. They each have their place in the life of a believer. The Law shows us our sin and need for forgiveness. It shows us the moral path we are to follow to glorify God. The gospel brings us the message of salvation in Jesus Christ and causes us to become born again by the Holy Spirit. Oh, how gracious God has been to me all of my life!
The Holy Spirit giving me the desire to do God's will by living a godly life brings blessings to those who live this way. We do not do this to earn salvation because that is impossible. But we live this way because we love God above all others and love others as Jesus did in His earthly life. We can never love as God loves. His love is far beyond how we could ever love in this life. But, by the power of the gospel, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the teachings of the living word of God in Scripture, I can become more and more like Jesus,
Any righteous moral command of God is for us. It reveals His holiness and will for us to be "holy as He is holy." We owe Him our obedience, not to pay for our salvation, but as gratitude for all He has done to redeem us as His children.
as for me, I will follow the commands of my Lord because He tells me to in His word. I believe him! it is the Holy spirit in me that causes me to desire to do God's will and having these commands show me the kind of character we ought to have because it is the character of Jesus whom we are to imitate, be a light to the nations, that others will see the good that we do and glorify God.
So, I have no problem at all in leaning on the Holy Spirit to help me have the mind of Christ, to do what He has said is the loving thing to do against what He said is not loving actions towards God or humans. From a very young age I have loved the commands of God because by knowing them, the Spirit reminds me of the command I am breaking when I am acting against loving Him and others. Being a believer all of my life, knowing what God says is righteous actions has helped to shape my character and approach to life.
I know that the law is good, but that we cannot meet its demands by along shot. I know that it is only Jesus who has done so perfectly. So I, and all believers, need to cast ourselves onto the mercy and grace of Jesus to receive righteousness before God now and on the day of final judgment. I know that the law was given to drive us to Jesus for salvation because we realize by the working of the Holy Spirit that we are sinful and in need of God's mighty work of salvation in Christ.
I don't know how it is for those who came to Christ as adults, but for me, having come to Him even before I could understand it all has blessed me. The earliest memory I have of the gospel and the character of God is when I was 6 and we talked about why God made me and what Jesus did for us. I know that I had been told this repeatedly by my parents and church prior to 6 years old, but that is as far back as I can remember. I believe what Paul wrote in Romans 1: that the preaching and hearing of the gospel is the power of God to save. ...cont.
Thank you. Galatian 1:6-9 is certainly a supporting amplification of John 1:10. There were many then who were teaching falsely. Needless to say it was rampant then. All who today who accurate read the same word we still have in the N. T. will agree we are deluged with likely even more false teaching today. The only answer the Bible seems to give us on this is only a few really do understand it correctly and will be included those who are resurrected and Born again at his coming.
Chris
Thank you. Galatian 1:6-9 is supporting & amplification of John 1:10.
There were many then teaching falsely. It was common if not rampant then. All who accurately read the N. T. today will agree it is likely even more false teaching today. The only answer the Bible seems to give us; only a few correctly understand and live the way Jesus was teaching.
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
There will still be relative few who will be resurrected when Christ returns. At that point only the few will receive eternal life, be Born again, and made a Spirit Being.
I Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
I Thessalonians 4:16-18
16. 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:
17. 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.
18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
bedbugg - James
I have one question for you David if you don't mind answering it.
You think God preserved His Word only in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts yet God graciously provided tools such as the Strongs Concordance to double check the meaning of words in the original languages.
Question: Why would God preserve the manuscripts but not preserve His Word in a translation for the people living in the world during the last generation?
That makes absolutely no sense to me. Nothing is impossible with God!
(Truth is Christ) will show you God preserved His Word in the KJB, If you will check it out.
I pray you do David.
May God pour Blessings upon you.
You mentioned me in your post above, so I felt that I should respond to you, as you have always been honest, sincere, and open regarding the scriptures.
Jesus informs us and provides us with warnings in the following in scripture:
Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
Jesus tells us above if we want to enter into life - keep the commandments.
Revelation 22:14"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."
If we want to have the right to the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the city we will do His Commandments. Jesus is stating: will do His Commandments. Who is Jesus referring to when he say His? God.
Both of these verses are spoken by Jesus, and both are commanding us (Christians) to keep God's Commandments if we wish to receive eternal life.
It can't get much clearer than this scripture, and the scripture itself will convict unbelievers.
The only possible argument on the above scripture would be how do we accomplish following God's Commandments. A Born Again Christian is following these Commandments via God's Holy Spirit, not of their own accord. Per this verse: 1 John 3:24
"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."
So this really puts to rest the argument by a few on this site; that believe following God's Commandments aren't necessary, or that when we follow them, or encourage others to do so, we are trying to create/work for our own salvation. As you implied, we are living in the Spirt and being obedient to our God. Amen
Jesus/God shines the light for us, all we have to do is believe and follow it!
GBU
"Kiss The Son"
This principle is employed to bring realities of the world of the Spirit and of the body in terms of the Son. It is in his Son that all fulness should dwell. It is thus we bring our thoughts on the same page as that of God in his Son. Without abiding in Jesus Christ and walking under his light it is impossible for anyone to be called righteous. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord./ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."(Is.55:8-9)
Gog and Magog shall fail miserably because they set themselves against the Son. In Ez.39:17 we have the Lord God inviting fowls to his sacrifice. "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;... that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood." In v.21 he declares why, "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."
The Spirit gives the similitude of a supper in the Vision of St. John.(Re.19:17-18)
God sent an east wind to feed the Israel and their lust for meat serves how God rewards the fowls, "And all the fowls were filled with their flesh."(19:21)
Principle of Similitude serves us a lesson. In the secular world we have this truth: 'Any man's gain is not every man's gain.' Nations may aggrandize themselves preying upon the weak nations. But the Just God shall not let go man's injustice unpunished. In the post 'Iron' the quail is a symbol. The Spirit has incorporated the man's ungodliness, his lust in a manner he shall understand. In rejecting manna God shall repay in a manner he did not foresee. God has given all things needful for his life and godliness. Let us be content with a grateful heart.
"Kiss The Son"
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
The Bible as the God document holds everything in the visible world as the mirror image of the mind of God. The worlds framed by the word of God admits nothing else. So the strategy of Satan to rake up kings from the east to do his bidding shall not stand. The Son is the heir to all.("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,-He.1:2-3; 11:3)
In the narrative mode the Spirit brings all events persons and nations in direct frame of reference to the Son.
How Joab killed Amasa was not a singular act of treachery. (2 Sa.20:8-10).Thus when the Spirit warns 'Kiss the Son' this action is with reference the kiss of Judas Iscariot. "But Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?""( Luke 22:48-NIV). Such betrayal on the part of man has its other side reconciling with him with a kiss. This principle of Similitude we have seen elsewhere. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."(Ps.85:10)
(1 of 2)
"Iron"
"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."
This rod of iron is to smash earthen pots as a farmer smashes clods of earth with a wooden mallet in order to prepare the ground for sowing. "Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick."(Is.28:27-NIV) The allegory of the Potter's yard ought to help us in this context. God's message came to Jeremiah at the Potter's house, "I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity."(Je.18:17). Historically Israel was cast to the winds in successive exiles under Assyria Babylon and Rome. Here also kings of the east bear upon the nation as east wind.
The Spirit employs principle of similitude where lust for meat is balanced by their chastisement hangs on the east wind. God sends Israel quails in this memorable lines/"He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow." (Ps.78:26-27 NIV; Nu.11)
(1 of 2)
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
What is the quality of iron? "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."(Pr.27:17) In the context we are considering divine displeasure has its own weight. "Tit for tat' it says. The Lord has the enemies to Christ in derision. "Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." For the context look at the manner miry clay in the King's Dream has sought the weight of iron but it shall be in vain.
"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay,...but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." (Dan.2:43-44)
In Re.6 the horseman on the red horse carried a big sword. "And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword." (Re.6:4) He is what eggs on the kings of the east from the first ever skirmish to the final battle described in Ch.19. What the rider on the red horse does not know is that the rider on the white horse has already gone before him and we meet him in the same chapter. "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."(Re.6:2;; 19:13-16)
You are correct 2 Thessalonians 2 is a parallel; with Mosses and the prophets, as well as Revelation.
God Bless YOU!
I have never said that one needs to keep the 10 commandments to be saved.
So, if Adam and Bro Dan say this, then I disagree with this belief.
I agree with you that it is only by grace are we saved. It is a gift from God we receive with open hands, bringing nothing to God as to earn this salvation.
And I agree that we obey God as a result of this gift of salvation by grace. This I have always stood for.
My point in my post was that I think that people saying that God's moral commands do not apply to us can lead people to think that we are free to sin without repentance since we are no longer under law but grace. I know people who think this way.
As for me, the Holy Spirit leads me to live a godly life of faith in the finished work of Christ. My obedience to the moral commands of Jesus to love God wholly and to love others deeply from the heart so as to do them no harm is done in obedience to the Holy Spirit in me, not as a legalism, but as one who has been given the liberty to walk God's way in obedience.
In my post I did state how I agree with you and how I agree with Adam. I was not taking any person's "side" on this issue.
I am not sure what you mean be me having a "carnal" approach. Please explain.
I do not wish to rehash past conversations here because any offenses have been forgiven and settled from my perspective.
I know that there are many things we agree on and some things we don't. This is the way with all believer's who study God's word. That is why we attempt to discuss what we think we've learned from Scripture here. So, instead of evaluating one another's hearts and minds, we should be judging what we write here according to what the Scriptures say. And we should be careful of any hostility towards one another in our thoughts, hearts, and words spoken on here.
Take care, Steven, I know that you are working, so I do appreciate the time you take to respond.
Revelation 1:1 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST ........ and he (the Spirit of Christ) SENT and SIGNIFIED IT (the REVELATION of himself) to his servant John:
Most think Revelation is a prophecy of anti-christ; even though, the WORD says it's the REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST.
The ENTIRE word of God is the voice and words of JESUS CHRIST, different men through the ages have taken pen in hand and recorded the WORDS of Christ, yet, they are Christ's words, not the words of the one who penned them.
These are Christ's words, REVEALING himself to the carnal mind of man:
Revelation 4:7 And the FIRST BEAST was like a lion, and the SECOND BEAST was like a calf, and the THIRD BEAST had a face as a man, and the FORTH BEAST was like a flying eagle.
Are these FOUR BEAST four different things, or, are they four descriptions REVEALING JESUS CHRIST?
Scripture says, NO VERSE is the private interpretation of the verse itself, but has to be understood by applying other verses of scripture to understand.
We have to find the interpretation of Revelation 4:7 in other scriptures to understand.
Numbers 24:7 He (the Spirit) shall pour the water out of his (Christ's) buckets, and his (Christ's) SEED shall be as many waters (peoples, tongues, and nations) and his (the Spirit's) king (Christ) shall be higher than Agag, and his (Christ's) kingdom shall be exalted.
Numbers 24:8 God brought him (Christ) out of Egypt; he (Christ) hath as it were the strength of a unicorn (ox): he (Christ) shall eat up the nations his (Christ's) enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows (words).
Numbers 24:9 He (Christ) crouched, he lay down LIKE A LION, and as a GREAT LION: who shall stir him (Christ, a lion) up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee (Christ, the Spirit of prophecy), and cursed is he that curseth thee (Christ, the spirit of prophecy).
LOOK to the scriptures; all FOUR BEAST, the lion, the calf, the man, the eagle, are CHRIST.
God Bless You!
The Decree
All these three we find in this verse. "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, Express image, the will when translated is either as an emblem or as man so the only begotten Son explains it. secondly is the glory of his body. thirdly in this clause,'when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:' It is life everlasting.'(He.1:3)
The Spirit employs Law of Gradation to club together events for instance wars persecutions with frame reference to the Son who is appointed the heir of the world 'made to appear.' . The writer to the Hebrews records,"his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (He.1:2-3). An example we have in this verse,"That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."(Matt.23:35)
Satan amasses an army the number of which is clubbed together from the beginning till he is cast into the lake of fire, "Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea."(Re.20:8). The same Satan lending his authority to the beast who is shown having one characteristic, '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.'(Re.13:3) If God dealt a fatal blow to Hitler the next beast shall have that fatal wound and who is darkening the door of 2ist Century?
The number 7 is a sure signal that we are looking at events as a continual process into which the word of God steps in to control events so Hitler is knocked out to give His children a time to get their acts straight. Gospel of salvation and of judgment.
The Decree
" I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee."
A covenant is between two parties. We shall look at two worlds which are framed by the word of God. The will of God or what signified His holiness, what is unseen becomes visible. Faith is reconciling the one world unseen with what is made to appear. There is no other intermediary, "so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." This covenant in short is the Law since the eternal word of God gave expression. The world of the Son is on one part and "Who is the image of the invisible God." The Word was God ( John 1:1) is a sound as well as a sign. Everlasting Covenant is between God the Father and the Son where he serves as a sign.
While translating the everlasting decree in terms of visible symbols we have three components that are established by the eternal word (Ps.119:89)
A symbol or the emblem in the will of God the Father. This is the slain Lamb before the worlds began. Secondly the body: glory of God gives the body of his Son a likeness so every thing visible,- made to appear by faith, would correspondingly relate. Adam was created in his image so God places His creation in his charge. Thirdly his life. In him was life, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Here John is referring to the humanity of Jesus Christ. The everlasting covenant is between God and Man who is the same. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."(He.13:8) (1 of 2)
Who is "we" ?
You are right.
What readers of Scriptures must understand is that there is a great difference between the letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law.The letter of the Law that was given by GOD to the people of Israel through Moses, it was and is dead, so what did matter and still matters and prevails was and is the Spirit of the Law given by GOD,the Word,Father of my Lord JESUS Christ,GOD is Spirit, as all can see by the doctrine of JESUS in Mat.5:17-48.
The dead letter of the Law says:Thou shalt not kill .period
Christ's Spirit says:Mat.5:21-26
21Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time,Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment:
22But 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.
23/24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother,and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou are in the way with him;lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge,and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26Verily I say unto thee,Thou shalt by no means come out thence,till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
The letter of the Law says:Thou shalt not commit adultery .period
JESUS said:Mat.5:28-32
28 Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
31 It was said,Whosoever shall put away his wife,let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you,That whosoever shall put away his wife,saving for the cause of fornication,causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.