"God sent his word and healed them for their destructions"(Ps.107:20;1-2) God established his mercy and Psalmist speaks,"His mercy endureth forever/ Let the redeemed of the lord say so." Here the word of God covers the entire world. Water serves as a symbol for their deliverance as well as for destruction. "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."(Ge.2:6). In the wilderness the Spirit foreshadows the Advent of Jesus Christ, "What shall we drink?/ And he( Moses) cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." Later we have Elim "twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."(Ex.15:25-25). The Spirit uses it to develop on of the Two witnesses of cloud and pillar of fire and these are angels ("Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire"-Ps.104:4-6) Martyrdom of Two Witnesses shall explain culmination of Gospel outreach from heaven(fire) and the earth (water)." And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."(Re.11:7) Their power is backed by the Word become flesh,"and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days," The number is a clue to him.
v.4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Zechariah vision is about Zion and by Min-Max mode of narrative Zerubbabel refers the specific to the end times."These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."(Ze.4:14)
In today's society; we have found a way to extricate our minds from within when it comes to the subject of slavery. What happened hundreds of years ago is someone else's problem or said to be our fault by default as to our race. Closer to home now; of course is the continuing servitude particularly of the sex trade today and that brings attention to the revenue of such a trade.
That; of course comes from those who would exploit such an industry who themselves in actuality are slaves to sin.
Revelation makes it clear; unfortunately that slaves will exist in the end times will exist ( Rev. 6:15). At that time they will be clumped together with all those who attempt to hide from God.
Christ has redeemed us from our state of hopelessness and given us a new life. We have turned from Satan as our master to the Living God ( Ephesians 2:2). A truly redeemed child of God can read a passage such as Isaiah 66:24 and understand how they themselves were an abhorrence in their lost; sinful state. To know that we were under His wrath we proclaim the salvation message. Those who are condemned already ( John 3:18) are not known to us immediately; eventually it will be clear who is saved and who isn't at least by judgment Day. Such amazing love of Christ should motivate us to share the Gospel with others.
I am convinced one reason more people aren't sharing with much conviction is because they have become dumbed down to just how wicked they were; forgotten what they were saved from or in the worst case scenario are really not saved at all but following a form of godliness but denying the power thereof ( 2 Tim. 3:5). It is sobering to remind ourselves that as believers that scripture warns us to stay AWAY from such people.
Satan; I always say is an equal opportunity destroyer. He will take any sin; as seemingly innocuous as gossip and turn it into a full scale conflagration (see warnings in James 3:6). Only Christ frees us from slavery.
9 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,
10 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:
11 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.
About 15 years ago and several times before that I had a vision of the pure terror involved with the mark of the Beast. I have since told people that I would ask the Lord would give them such insight but not for those who aren't spiritually strong. The Lord has held back the day of Judgment, but it is promised to be worse than any time in the past and future. Mark 13:19 as well as other New Testament passages and Daniel 12 show proof of this. Without Christ we are dragged in; to the sieve of destruction ( Isaiah 30:28). Suddenly the wicked are broken and that without remedy ( Prov. 6:15).
To realize how fearful judgment is apart from Christ I cannot put into words. When we see Mystery Babylon we can't help but be reminded of the American Pie song with its lyrics
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
These remind us of Ecclesiastes 12:4 as well as Lamentations 5:14 along with other stanzas in this song about the Lord taking off and no more joyful music as stated in Revelation 18:22. We are hypnotized by music and media today and its demonic mantras and dulled in our senses with the vulgar obsenities that increasingly assail the rightous. The agenda is out in the open at this point; Satan's hour is about to arrive. Christ comes soon so rejoice
Thanks for your reply. I will do my best to answer and give my understanding, it is an important discussion and to clearly explain my understanding even if we disagree. It will probably be sometime tomorrow, just want you to know I will reply.
Question: The first chapter in Genesis, I've been taught that earth and heaven were already established and THEN it became void and without form when Satan decided he wanted to rule. Any thoughts?
Hello Francene777. The answer you seek is difficult to give since the Bible does not divulge any more information than what is given in the first chapter of Genesis. In regards to what you learned about this, that the Earth lost its form & became void when Satan decided to rule, we have been given no timeline as to when Satan was cast out of Heaven & whether being cast out, the Earth became uninhabitable. So, it can only be speculation on this matter.
For your thoughts though: the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4 wrote, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them". Satan is considered the 'god of this world', not that he usurpes the True God's creative, sustaining ownership of this Earth, but that Satan as a roaring, prowling lion, constantly seeks to infiltrate the minds of people towards sin & estrangement from God. So I ask myself, 'if Satan is still free to roam & deceive the hearts of men, why doesn't this beautifully formed & filled Earth become corrupt again as it did in Genesis 1:2?" Surely, if the Earth was created by God in perfect form & fullness at the first, then became corrupted by Satan's presence, it follows that it should then return to a corrupted formless state. But as far as I can see, this is still a beautiful Earth that we have been given, to which Satan has no power over. Maybe worth considering.
Please check an early reference to Michael, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."(Dan.10:13). Again fast forward to post-Rapture. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,"(Re.12:7) The entire chapter as seen by St John is a series of vignettes, The church called to hold a position in heavenly places. After the man-child is caught up to the throne the same war in heaven spills over to thee earth. The left behind church is brought to the wilderness. One swallow does not make a summer. Dan.12:1 refers to the great tribulation, which great as it is indeed tribulation is bearable. Having quenched the indwelling Spirit the apostate church has no remedy for the age of grace is at an end. Death for a martyr is joyous since the grace of God makes his vision as in case of St Stephen beatific. (Ac.7:56)
Good evening Bennymkje, I think too Michael as an angel of God had purpose in provisional protection of the people of God before Christ was born. Even true if and when the people of God opposed themselves being led by God to Christ. Have wondered if Daniel's three weeks of mourning was in the way? Perhaps Michael in 12:1 separated natural Israel from spiritual Israel as he added that he stands "for the children of thy people" thinking of new born. I think of Michael like a dam that attempts to divert Israel to spiritual first before a natural destruction.
Where the Spirit has chosen to draw a veil over matters like angels, he has done for a purpose. 2 Ti.3:1r. Does knowing the identity of ministering angels and under which order they operate help instructing us in righteousness?(Ps.104:4) Neither does the 666. He is son of perdition denying glory of God in body,spirit and soul Nothing more we need know. When we are asked to judge angels all matters shall be given so we judge them as the Son himself would do. (1 Co.6:3). First win salvation of our souls, and not before.
Till then Michael is a just a name, a prince of angelic order; so is Gabriel.
Good morning Bennymkje, I can agree with your thought on our need to know much more than what the scriptures themselves reveal regarding the Angels. I noticed you mentioned a beautification vision as Stephen was martyred. We do not know much more than what God reveals to us by the way of the scriptures as He pleases.
Gabriel is the Angel of the Lord and also he reveals his name to Zacharias. "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee,"( Luke 1:11, 19) He might have had certain freedom 'to play by the ear as it were; so he strike him dumb, "And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season."(v.20). The same after six months at Nazareth,"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee."
From Daniel's book Michel seems to be associated with Persia as Gabriel over Palestine. " and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz" He is same as the mighty angel (Re.10:1) representing the Son, in Dan.12 we see him. He refers to Michael as his helper, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia./Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days."(10:13)
Compare with"Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates./And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." (Re.9:14-15)
The four angels are released on command from heaven. They were prepared for partial judgments. " In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,"(Ge.7:11)God's Time has its hour, day, month and year. But not the same our time scale. fountains of the deep work at tandem so we read flood came from above as well.'The windows of heaven were opened'.
One of the difficult things for me , in regard to forgiveness , is being able to let go of the pain . If someone has done something very bad to you ,and you decide to forgive them , that's good but , how do you let go of the pain that they have caused you ? Your forgiveness might be genuine but what if the pain of what they did to you is still there ? How do we get rid of that pain ? In my experience the only way to ease these pains is through prayer to God to ask Him to heal the painful wound . Thy Kingdom Come .
This is a great topic, being that we all have dealt with having to forgive someone and also have had to be forgiven ourselves.
Your question, "How do we let go of the pain" is a good question!
I believe a good example of what is expected of us is seen in
Matthew 18:21-35.
The problem is how do we accomplish this?
I believe you answered your own question. PRAYER!
I would add humility to that.
If we humble ourselves and be truthful we all trespass against the Lord and we beg for his forgiveness.
God don't just forgive us, he is longsuffering and he has mercy on us.
We don't measure up to that standard so we also trespass in return.
To demonstrate this kind of display is a virtue of Love.
This is a area we grow in.
When we put forward the effort to perform it, by the enrichment of the Spirit we achieve it.
Pain turns into compassion.
When that person hurts over what they've done, you share that hurt with them and feel sorry for them.
However, when they're not sorry for what they do this may be something we can not get over without God's strengthening.
When this trespass is done over and over again this act becomes a reckoning.
It is who that person is and it defines the times we live in.
It is who we once were also and probably behave that way still.
This is where we examine ourselves considering Galatians 6:1
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED.
If this is not a Brother or Sister it may be a chance to witness.
Galatians 6:9 "And LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
God bless you Jema.
I'm sure this is an area we all come up short in but we all should be growing in.
The correct is to say: GOD gave to John the Baptist the same spirit He had given to Elijah, like was also with Elisha- 2Kings 2:13-15. Take a look.
GOD BLESS
I agree, how ever you want to say it.
Ephesians 4:4 .... ONE SPIRIT ....
God Bless YOU!
v.4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Zechariah vision is about Zion and by Min-Max mode of narrative Zerubbabel refers the specific to the end times."These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."(Ze.4:14)
We haven't heard from Giannis for awhile. I pray everything is well with him and will be back with us soon.
In today's society; we have found a way to extricate our minds from within when it comes to the subject of slavery. What happened hundreds of years ago is someone else's problem or said to be our fault by default as to our race. Closer to home now; of course is the continuing servitude particularly of the sex trade today and that brings attention to the revenue of such a trade.
That; of course comes from those who would exploit such an industry who themselves in actuality are slaves to sin.
Revelation makes it clear; unfortunately that slaves will exist in the end times will exist ( Rev. 6:15). At that time they will be clumped together with all those who attempt to hide from God.
Christ has redeemed us from our state of hopelessness and given us a new life. We have turned from Satan as our master to the Living God ( Ephesians 2:2). A truly redeemed child of God can read a passage such as Isaiah 66:24 and understand how they themselves were an abhorrence in their lost; sinful state. To know that we were under His wrath we proclaim the salvation message. Those who are condemned already ( John 3:18) are not known to us immediately; eventually it will be clear who is saved and who isn't at least by judgment Day. Such amazing love of Christ should motivate us to share the Gospel with others.
I am convinced one reason more people aren't sharing with much conviction is because they have become dumbed down to just how wicked they were; forgotten what they were saved from or in the worst case scenario are really not saved at all but following a form of godliness but denying the power thereof ( 2 Tim. 3:5). It is sobering to remind ourselves that as believers that scripture warns us to stay AWAY from such people.
Satan; I always say is an equal opportunity destroyer. He will take any sin; as seemingly innocuous as gossip and turn it into a full scale conflagration (see warnings in James 3:6). Only Christ frees us from slavery.
Revelation 14:9-11
9 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,
10 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:
11 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.
About 15 years ago and several times before that I had a vision of the pure terror involved with the mark of the Beast. I have since told people that I would ask the Lord would give them such insight but not for those who aren't spiritually strong. The Lord has held back the day of Judgment, but it is promised to be worse than any time in the past and future. Mark 13:19 as well as other New Testament passages and Daniel 12 show proof of this. Without Christ we are dragged in; to the sieve of destruction ( Isaiah 30:28). Suddenly the wicked are broken and that without remedy ( Prov. 6:15).
To realize how fearful judgment is apart from Christ I cannot put into words. When we see Mystery Babylon we can't help but be reminded of the American Pie song with its lyrics
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
These remind us of Ecclesiastes 12:4 as well as Lamentations 5:14 along with other stanzas in this song about the Lord taking off and no more joyful music as stated in Revelation 18:22. We are hypnotized by music and media today and its demonic mantras and dulled in our senses with the vulgar obsenities that increasingly assail the rightous. The agenda is out in the open at this point; Satan's hour is about to arrive. Christ comes soon so rejoice
i was wondering what the mystery of god is
best regards
randall
God bless you.
I appreciate your candid replies.
Thanks for your reply. I will do my best to answer and give my understanding, it is an important discussion and to clearly explain my understanding even if we disagree. It will probably be sometime tomorrow, just want you to know I will reply.
God bless,
RLW
For your thoughts though: the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4 wrote, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them". Satan is considered the 'god of this world', not that he usurpes the True God's creative, sustaining ownership of this Earth, but that Satan as a roaring, prowling lion, constantly seeks to infiltrate the minds of people towards sin & estrangement from God. So I ask myself, 'if Satan is still free to roam & deceive the hearts of men, why doesn't this beautifully formed & filled Earth become corrupt again as it did in Genesis 1:2?" Surely, if the Earth was created by God in perfect form & fullness at the first, then became corrupted by Satan's presence, it follows that it should then return to a corrupted formless state. But as far as I can see, this is still a beautiful Earth that we have been given, to which Satan has no power over. Maybe worth considering.
My thoughts on your question is , what you seemed to of been taught is not scripturally sound.
No where in the Bible is there scripture stating what you referenced.
Therefore it has no scriptural Foundation.
Scriptures say, it (was) void
Not that it (became) void
Let the Holyspirit guide you ,and pray for understanding.
I pray that the lord Bless you greatly.
I love you all.
4 I will not know a wicked person.
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:"
Only Jesus stands for the children of thy people. Jesus, the great I AM.
Isaiah lists 26 names for our LORD.
Please check an early reference to Michael, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."(Dan.10:13). Again fast forward to post-Rapture. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,"(Re.12:7) The entire chapter as seen by St John is a series of vignettes, The church called to hold a position in heavenly places. After the man-child is caught up to the throne the same war in heaven spills over to thee earth. The left behind church is brought to the wilderness. One swallow does not make a summer. Dan.12:1 refers to the great tribulation, which great as it is indeed tribulation is bearable. Having quenched the indwelling Spirit the apostate church has no remedy for the age of grace is at an end. Death for a martyr is joyous since the grace of God makes his vision as in case of St Stephen beatific. (Ac.7:56)
Where the Spirit has chosen to draw a veil over matters like angels, he has done for a purpose. 2 Ti.3:1r. Does knowing the identity of ministering angels and under which order they operate help instructing us in righteousness?(Ps.104:4) Neither does the 666. He is son of perdition denying glory of God in body,spirit and soul Nothing more we need know. When we are asked to judge angels all matters shall be given so we judge them as the Son himself would do. (1 Co.6:3). First win salvation of our souls, and not before.
Till then Michael is a just a name, a prince of angelic order; so is Gabriel.
Gabriel is the Angel of the Lord and also he reveals his name to Zacharias. "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee,"( Luke 1:11, 19) He might have had certain freedom 'to play by the ear as it were; so he strike him dumb, "And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season."(v.20). The same after six months at Nazareth,"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee."
From Daniel's book Michel seems to be associated with Persia as Gabriel over Palestine. " and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz" He is same as the mighty angel (Re.10:1) representing the Son, in Dan.12 we see him. He refers to Michael as his helper, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia./Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days."(10:13)
Compare with"Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates./And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." (Re.9:14-15)
The four angels are released on command from heaven. They were prepared for partial judgments. " In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,"(Ge.7:11)God's Time has its hour, day, month and year. But not the same our time scale. fountains of the deep work at tandem so we read flood came from above as well.'The windows of heaven were opened'.
This is a great topic, being that we all have dealt with having to forgive someone and also have had to be forgiven ourselves.
Your question, "How do we let go of the pain" is a good question!
I believe a good example of what is expected of us is seen in
Matthew 18:21-35.
The problem is how do we accomplish this?
I believe you answered your own question. PRAYER!
I would add humility to that.
If we humble ourselves and be truthful we all trespass against the Lord and we beg for his forgiveness.
God don't just forgive us, he is longsuffering and he has mercy on us.
We don't measure up to that standard so we also trespass in return.
To demonstrate this kind of display is a virtue of Love.
This is a area we grow in.
When we put forward the effort to perform it, by the enrichment of the Spirit we achieve it.
Pain turns into compassion.
When that person hurts over what they've done, you share that hurt with them and feel sorry for them.
However, when they're not sorry for what they do this may be something we can not get over without God's strengthening.
When this trespass is done over and over again this act becomes a reckoning.
It is who that person is and it defines the times we live in.
It is who we once were also and probably behave that way still.
This is where we examine ourselves considering Galatians 6:1
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED.
If this is not a Brother or Sister it may be a chance to witness.
Galatians 6:9 "And LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
God bless you Jema.
I'm sure this is an area we all come up short in but we all should be growing in.
Praise God for his longsuffering and Mercy.