The Strait Gate

The Bible Bus with J Vernon McGee

2009-07-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

"where the rubber meets the road"

Climb Aboard!

The Bible Bus is set to embark on journey number eight through the whole word of God!

Your seat is waiting, there's gas in the tank and a fresh set of tires for the road as we look forward to beginning another exciting five-year excursion Thru The Bible. As always, Dr. J Vernon McGee is our teacher, but as he was quick to point out, the true bus driver is the Holy Spirit. Lord willing, and by His grace, on March 31, 2006, the Bible bus will make it's scheduled stop at the first of Dr. McGee's introductory lessons, "Guidelines for the Understanding of the Scriptures".

The first guideline is to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. Would you join us in that prayer, not only for the listeners here in North America starting this eighth trip, but for our audience around the world?

The final guideline is - "Pass it on!" So we encourage you to invite others to join us as we discover the loveliness of Jesus Christ, from Genesis to Revelation. They can listen by radio or online, request notes and outlines by phone, mail, or Internet sign-up, and even download the notes for free at www.ttb.org. What better time to introduce a loved one to this life-changing Book? And we pray that the Lord will bring new insights into His Word for our returning passengers as well!

We echo Dr. McGee's oft-stated desire for our listeners, "May God richly bless you, my beloved."

In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. (John 1:1; 1Revelation 22:21)

reproduced from "May I Say!" March 2006 newsletter

Front Page

2005-10-23T22:12:00.015-05:00

An Ex-Faith Healer Explains The Tricks Used

This is an interview on Way of The Master Radio with Todd Friel interviewing an ex faith healer, Mark Haville, who, after reading the Bible, realized the unbiblical nature of it. He explains the tricks used to make people think they are healed and how they make people fall over.

TODD BENTLEY - NIGHTLINE

A false "profit" and a liar!

Visit The Berean Chronicles with Kelly McGinley for more about these false prophets and liars!

FEATURED ARTICLES

FAITH UNDER FIRE

From torturing to tears: A prison warden repents

False Tombs and Gnostic Tales
Mocking the heart of Christianity
By Berit Kjos

Cool Pictures

Photo credit: Steve Cullen at Green River Lake, Wyoming

Around Town

Season of Lights

2005-10-21T12:36:00.003-05:00

Lights

2005-10-20T17:55:00.000-05:00

Lights

Grand Thoughts

2005-10-17T15:32:00.000-05:00

Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends
John 15:13

All grand thoughts come from the heart.
~Vauvenargues

OTHERS
There is a destiny that makes us brothers. None goes his way alone.
All that we send into the lives of others. Comes back into our own.
~Markham

FRIENDSHIP
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
~Emerson

FALSE FRIENDS
Are like our shadow, keeping close to us when we walk in the sunshine,
but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade.
~Bovee

THE LOSS OF A FRIEND
Is like that of a limb; time may heal the anguish of the wound,
But the loss cannot be repaired.
~Southey

FRIENDSHIP
Is, strictly speaking, reciprocal benevolence,
which inclines each party to be solicitous
for the welfare of the other as for his own.
This equality of affection is created and preserved
by a similarity of disposition and manners.
~Plato

He who does kindness to an ungrateful person,
sets his seal to a flint and sows his seed upon sand;
on the former he makes no impression,
and from the latter finds no product.
~South

FLATTERY
The friend who holds up before me the mirror,
conceals not my smallest faults,
warns me kindly, reproves me affectionately,
when I have not performed my duty,
he is my friend, however little he may appear so.
Again, if a man flattering praises and lauds me,
never reproves me, overlooks my faults,
and forgives them before I have repented,
he is my enemy, however much he may appear my friend
~Herder

IT TAKES TWO
Labor and trouble one can always get through alone,
but it takes two to be glad.
~Ibsen

BENEVOLENCE
God is positive. Evil is merely primitive, not absolute.
It is like cold, which is the privation of heat.
All evil is so much death to nonentity.
Benevolence is absolute and real.
So much benevolence as a man hath,
so much life hath he; For all things proceed out of this same spirit,
which is differently named love, justice, temperance,
in its different applications,
just as the ocean receives different names on the several shores it washes.
~Emerson

Friends are like autumn leaves, found everywhere
True friends are like diamonds, precious and rare

no man is useless while he has a friend
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Friends are like rainbows
words cannot explain the true beauty of them.
~Rachel Quinn

Who is Jesus?

2005-10-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

Source: Christianity.com

JESUS – literally, “God saves.” In the original Hebrew, the name is Yeshua, “salvation,” and/or “The Lord who is salvation.” It is the name the Angel of the Lord told Joseph to bestow upon Him (Matthew 1:20-21).

And there is power in His name: “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11).

CHRIST – Not His last name. It’s a Greek title meaning “Anointed Messiah.”

It denotes that He was… consecrated to his great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King of his people… To believe that ‘Jesus is the Christ’ is to believe that He is the Anointed, the Messiah of the prophets, the Savior sent of God, that He was… what He claimed to be. This is to believe the gospel, by the faith of which alone men can be brought unto God. That Jesus is the Christ is the testimony of God, and the faith of this constitutes a Christian (1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 John 5:1). (Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary).

MESSIAH – The deliverer whose coming was foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament. Jews still await the coming of their Messiah today (link to MessiahRevealed.org).

SALVATION – The condition of being redeemed by faith, saved by grace from an eternity of damnation. Salvation is also the belief that the death and resurrection of Christ accomplished:

* Substitution – Christ sacrificed Himself in the place of sinners, just for unjust
* Redemption – He paid the price of sin for each individual who accepts it
* Reconciliation – Man is no longer alienated from God
* Propitiation – God is satisfied with the sacrificial death of His perfect lamb as payment for sin
* The Fulfillment of The Law

Who is this Jesus? by Charles Stanley

What difference does it make who Jesus is? He lived 2,000 years ago, so how could that matter today? The truth is, knowing who Jesus is can mold your character, impact your belief system, and change your lifestyle. And more than that, it will determine your eternal destiny.

Free Online Studies

2005-10-15T12:04:00.000-05:00

Bible 101 by Sylvia Cochran

BIBLE 101 is an introductory course dealing with the “who”, “where”, “when“, “what“, and “why” of the collection of scriptures we know as The Bible. It is written for the general public in easy-to-understand language, with an emphasis on understanding the origins and mission of The Bible; it is not designed to convert any participant. Those who already believe in the Bible will enjoy the "back to basics" approach.

Bible Study 102 by Virginia Marin

These readings will carry you through the exciting study of Biblical dispensations. The first seven lessons will cover the seven dispensations, time periods involved for each, man's testing in each age, his failure to pass testings known as stewardship, and the results of his failure. The eighth lesson will overview Believers to dispensationalism. This course will help students understand that God has different requirement for different people in different ages

Bible: 5 Poetic Books by Chuck Baker

Get Poetic! One poet's walk through the poetic books of the Bible...

Looking for inspiration? Solid teaching? Then join Christian writer and poet Chuck Baker as he winds his way through the five poetic books of the Bible: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs (Song of Solomon).

Together, we'll learn about the people and events, but we'll also take time to appreciate the poetry. Chuck will show you how these books of the Bible have influenced his own award-winning poetry, and he'll encourage you to write some too! Let's enjoy getting the "meat" from the poetic books, and "meet" each other along the way...It promises to be fun and educational!

Bible Study Methods by Michael A. Sharp

The purpose of this course is to train the learner in distinct methods of studying the Bible with the outcome of developing realistic, specific, measurable applications. Each method learned will train the learner to observe what a text says, interpret it in light of its context and history, and develop applications for practical spiritual living. Learners should posses a high school education but no prior biblical training is necessary. They will receive information on online and on shelf resources that will aid in their study.

Bible Study: Genesis by Michael Sacasas

The course will be a theologically informed survey of the first 11 chapters of Genesis. It will explore the themes of man's origin and his present condition as developed in the stories collected within these early chapters of the Bible.

The course is aimed at any students of the Bible seeking to better understand the essential thrust of the text and consider whether or not the text presents a truthful picture of the human condition.

Christianity for Kids by Denise Oliveri

Have you ever wondered what being a Christian means and how to become a Christian? This course is designed to teach you the wonders of God's love and take the mystery out of being a Christian. You will learn what the Bible is and why it was written. In addition, you will learn about prayer. And, you will see the exciting events of Jesus' life, and the huge sacrifice he made for us. This course is designed for children ages 6-8, with parental involvement.

Coping with Grief by Sylvia Cochran

This course will cover the following topics:

Understanding Grief (including the various stages of grief, as well as grieving during the holidays)
Different Kinds of Grief (an exploration of the grief felt for the loss of a pet, the loss of self-esteem and dignity as is the case with child abuse, the loss of a child, and a loss due to suicide or murder)
Children and Grief (a special section that will explain the ways in which children grieve for adults as well as peers)
Helping Others to Overcome Personal Grief (a practical approach on how to be the shoulder to cry on without feeling awkward or at a loss for words, while tactfully avoiding mistakes in the process)

Christian Parenting 101 by Sylvia Cochran

CHRISTIAN PARENTING 101 is an 8-lesson course, spread out over 4 weeks, dealing with the nuts and bolts of parenting a child within the framework of the scriptures we know as The Bible. It is written for the general public in easy-to-understand language, with an emphasis on understanding and applying Biblical concepts to the art of child rearing; it is not designed to convert any participant to a denominational point of view. Those who already parent according to Biblical principles will enjoy this "back to basics" approach.

The Da Vinci Code - Fact or Fiction?

2005-10-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE DA VINCI CODE?
by Mart De Haan
free download (pdf format)

THE DA VINCI CODE: Separating Fact From Fiction
by Martin R. De Haan II

Released in March 2003, the book The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown quickly made The New York Times bestseller list. A year later, it was declared a bestseller in 100 countries, while Doubleday, its publisher, called it “the all-time bestselling adult novel.” Why such interest? The author claims to have given the world a fictional, fact-based conspiracy theory alleging “scientific evidence that the New Testament is false testimony” (p.341).

Because a “good read” combined with bad history is not something to stake your life on, we have asked RBC research editor Dennis Fisher to help us sort out the facts from the fiction.

THE DA VINCI CODE FRAUD: Cracked by the Critics
by Phil Porvaznik

Breaking The Da Vinci Code
by Collin Hansen

Deconstructing the 'Da Vinci Code'
by Kenneth Swanson

The Da Vinci Code: Of Magdalene, Gnostics, the Goddess and the Grail
by Byron Barlowe; Leadership University

Not InDavincible: A Review and Critique of The DaVinci Code
by James Patrick Holding, Tekton Apologetics Ministries

The Da Vinci Code
Dallas Theological Seminary

Denver Journal—The Da Vinci Code: A Novel

The Da Vinci Code: Probe Ministries Power Point presentations

What's Wrong With The Da Vinci Code
by Steven Tsichlis

Decoding The Da Vinci Code
Christian History & Biography - Christianity Today

Solid critiques expose sloppy, ludicrous Da Vinci Code
by W. Ward Gasque; President, Pacific Assoc. for Theological Studies, Seattle

Resources refuting The Da Vinci Code
by Spero News

Crash Goes The Da Vinci Code
by Dr. Ron Rhodes

The Da Vinci Code Cracks
by Stand to Reason

'Da Vinci Code' Errors: A Quick List
This commentary is adapted from
"The Da Vinci Myth vs The Gospel Truth"
by D. James Kennedy, Ph.D., and Jerry Newcombe

The Da Vinci Code Decoded
by Chuck Missler
part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4
Radio Broadcast

Your Heavenly Father Speaking To You

2005-10-07T14:57:00.000-05:00

My child, your words do not have to be clever to please me; all you have to do is speak from the heart.

Just speak to me as you would to anyone of whom you are fond.

What is it that you want today? Tell me, for I long to do you good. What are your plans? Tell me about them. Is there anyone you want to do well for? What do you want to do for them?

Do not hesitate to ask me for blessings for the body and mind; for health, memory, and success. I can give everything and I always do give everything needed to make souls holier.

Are there any people you want to pray for? Say their names to me and ask of me as much as you like. I am generous and know all their needs, but I want you to show your love for them and Me by trusting Me to do what I know is best.

Tell me about the poor, the sick, and the sinners, if you have lost the friendship or affection of anyone. Tell me about that too.

Do you need anything for your spirit or your soul? If you like, you can write out a list of all your needs and come and read it to Me.

Just tell me about your pride, your touchiness, self-centeredness, meanness, and laziness. Do not be ashamed; there are many saints in heaven with the same faults as you; they prayed to me and little by little, their faults were corrected.

Tell me about your failures and I will show you the cause of them. What are your worries? Who has caused you pain? Tell me about it and add that you will forgive and forget and I will bless you.

Are you afraid of anything? Have you any torments or unreasonable fears? Trust yourself to Me. I am here. I see everything. I will not leave you.

Do you want to do anything for Me? Don’t you want to do a little good to the souls of your friends who perhaps have forgotten Me?

Are you determined to run into no temptations? Have you made your mind about unhealthy entertainment and unhealthy relationships? They disturb the peace of your soul. Are you going to be kind to honor Me with your words and deeds?

Have you no joy’s to tell Me about? Why do you not share your happiness with Me? Tell Me what has happened since yesterday to cheer and comfort you? Whatever it was, however big, however small, I prepared it. Show me your gratitude and thank Me.

Well, go along now. Get on with your work. Try to be quieter, humbler, more submissive, and kinder; and come back soon and bring Me a more devoted heart. Tomorrow I shall have more blessings for you.

Herein is love…..
“Not that we loved God, but He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins”.

God's Paint Spill

2005-08-17T18:43:00.000-05:00

If you have ever been to this area, the photograph is even more amazing. This was one of the most barren hillsides we have ever seen. This is near the San Andreas Fault line and pretty hot now, maybe truly a shake and bake location. A result of the unusually wet winter in the desert areas of the southwest. An occurrence said to occur about every 20 years or so. Long dormant seeds erupt to color the usually barren landscapes. This almost looks unreal in its beauty! Desert Flowers on the east side of the Carrizo plain, in the Temblor Range (about 50 miles due west of Bakersfield, California).

Someone said it looks like God spilled his paints

This was sent to me email by a friend.....

footnote: Photo taken by Barbara Mathews May 14. 2005
PURPORTED ORIGIN OF 'God's Paint Spill'
http://www.stmattsultreya.com/formation.htm

Katrina – Nothing "Pure" About Her

2005-08-16T17:44:00.000-05:00

part two Katrina - The Question Is - Why?

...This article series is inspired by the expository teachings of the books of Habakkuk and Zephaniah, by Dr J Vernon McGee...

Luke 21:25-26
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

The Death of an American City

As the world watched the historical city of New Orleans come to ruin, many people are asking obvious and important questions. From the government's response, to the will of God, the speculation is only bound by our wisdom, knowledge and desire for the truth. This article series will attempt to answer the most vital spiritual question of; why - why did this happen. The politics of the aftermath of Katrina will be debated by political pundits for a long, long, time to come.

Nearly ten days after hurricane Katrina destroyed 90,000 sq miles of the Gulf Coast, the blame game began to take place among the politicians, aired out in the 24/7 news programs. Many have stated (myself included) that which seems obvious – we cannot depend on our government to help us in the time of imminent disaster.

It now does appear as a fact that government, from the bottom up, was inept and ill-prepared and that a total and complete breakdown in the chain of government collapsed, resulting in the unnecessary suffering and death of untold thousands.

The question from politicians and theologians alike is quite simple: who is to blame? We can be sure that the politics will be debated till kingdom come, even though changes have now been made and that the government finally responded. Even more importantly, an entire nation from all walks of life and beliefs responded with compassion and the sincere desire to help. There is no doubt that compassion and generosity is alive within the human spirit. The world has been moved by this catastrophe. The obvious is true; humanity has been moved with compassion and that many, at least for the moment, have become their brothers keeper.

It is also evident that humanity turned violent, destructive and down right wicked. I pose a simple question – is anyone really surprised? Is anyone surprised that humanity could descend into such an animal, even lower than an animal in such short time? Can anyone name any animal, besides man, that would treat his own in such a way? Perplexing is it not?

Let's take a quick look at the various points of view.

The Political

I will not spend much time on this part because we can watch the politics unfold on our television screens non-stop. The politics of Katrina will forever change the way in which America, as a Federal Union, will respond to natural or man-made disasters in the future. It is apparent to me, at least, that what we are actually watching unfold is the federalization of all components necessary to respond - all responses in the future will come from the military. Personally, I find this to be nothing more than the intentioned militarization of the federal government, as verified by the secretary of Homeland Security; "we have to have seamless interaction with military forces as we move forward with our critical work". I believe there is more here than meets the eye, and that our government does not really have our best interest in mind. I will leave those opinions to your own subsequent interests though, as this article is not intended to concentrate on this particular subject.

The Theological

The obvious question has been asked and is now an ongoing debate; Did God judge the city of New Orleans? The simple answer is; we do not know, nor can we know. The reason this is true is because we have no prophets of God to declare to us the most basic answer of all; why - why did this happen? I can promise one thing though, there will be no authoritative answer that will be given, because there are no prophets to answer the question. So then, how can we know what the answers are, or better yet, can we even understand what are the right questions to consider and what should be the biblical response? I believe we can answer these questions. In this series, I will also examine some of the statements made by various Christian leaders as to what they are claiming and examine if they are right. So far, from what I have seen, some are and some are not.

As of the publishing of this article, most all authorities agree that a three fold catastrophe struck New Orleans: 1) Nature 2) Flooding - man made failure because the levees collapsed 3) Inability from government - all failed to respond quickly, which is their duty as paid civil servants.

To gain a biblical perspective, it is necessary then to concentrate on the most obvious - the natural event. The other two positions, for the most part, reside within the political, although not exclusively. The Bible has much to say about, why and how, government should operate in the affairs of men.

The Mythical - What's In a Name?

To grasp an understanding, biblically, of Katrina, I feel it is important to at least start by taking a look at the name given to this hurricane:

Katrina (German) is a form of Katherine or Catherine and means; pure. There are several different forms of this name, so for those who are interested, I encourage you to do the research.

Source: Behind The Name The etymology and history of first names

Katherine: From the Greek name Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name ‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from ‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess HECATE; it could be related to Greek αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". The Romans associated it with Greek καθαρος (katharos) "pure" and changed their spelling from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this. The name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on the famous Catherine wheel. Another saint by this name was Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic. This name was also borne by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great, and by three of Henry VIII's wives.

Source: Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft

In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, tombs, demons and the underworld. Hekate is a complex Goddess. She is Crone but also Maiden. She brings abundance as well as storms and She has a key role in birth as well as death.

"O well done! I commend your pains; And every one shall share i' the gains; And now about the cauldron sing, Live elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in."
Hecate in Macbeth

Hekate is traditionally worshipped on the eve of the New Moon or the 30th of the month, when 'Hekate's Suppers' would be prepared. The Greeks originally reckoned time by lunar months, so this day originally fell on the 30th. Later, when Greece adopted a reformed calendar which no longer took account of the lunar cycle, the 30th remained sacred to Hekate. The 30th of the month was also sacred to the dead. This was the time to purify the house and to take offerings to Hekate.

It is interesting to note that hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on the morning of August 29th, and it is of no small coincidence that as of the 30th, the levees in New Orleans began to collapse, bringing forward the second and most destructive part of this hurricane - the flooding. It is no coincidence that this occurred on the eve of the 30th and before the New Moon. In fact, the moon phase at the time of Katrina was a crescent moon. Mythology makes this claim about the goddess Hekate; she is said to appear when the ebony moon shines. How ironic is that?

An overview of the City of New Orleans (prior to Katrina)

Source: Reference.com

New Orleans is well known for its Creole culture and the persistence of Voodoo
The City has the nicknames, the Crescent City, the Big Easy, the Paris of America, and the City that Care Forgot. The city's unofficial (but commonly touted) motto is "Laissez les bons temps rouler", translated to: "Let the good times roll."
It is an industrial and distribution center, and a major U.S. seaport. New Orleans is one of the busiest seaports in the United States and as well in the world
The Port of New Orleans handles about 145 million short tons (132 million metric tons) of cargo a year and is the largest faction of the Port of South Louisiana, the latter being the largest and busiest shipping port in the western hemisphere and the 4th busiest in the world.
Chief exports are grain and other foods from the Midwestern United States and petroleum products. The leading imports include chemicals, cocoa beans, coffee, and petroleum.
The port handles more trade with Latin America than does any other U.S. gateway, including Miami.
There are a substantial number of oil companies that have their regional headquarters within New Orleans' corporate limits, such as: BP,Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch/Shell
The federal government and military, especially the Navy and NASA, has a significant presence in the area with a NASA facility, Michoud Assembly Facility
Lockheed-Martin also has a large manufacturing facility located in the Greater New Orleans area that produces external fuel tanks for space shuttles.
New Orleans is one of the most visited cities in the United States, thus tourism is a major staple in the area's economy. The city's colorful celebrations include, Mardi Gras, The Sugar Bowl college football bowl game, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Southern Decadence, one of the largest annual Gay/Lesbian celebrations in the nation and world, hundreds of thousands of participants descend upon the city during the Labor Day weekend, when the festival is traditionally held.

That Was Then

Obviously today, most of the city of New Orleans lay in ruins, as the world and our nation has witnessed the destruction of an American city. Was this because of nature, or was it man-made? We will examine those questions in the following article, but one thing is sure - death has come to New Orleans. In the mythological desciption of Katrina, the goddess Hecate, we can be sure of one certainty; out of the witches brew of the toxic waters, a new city will arise.

"The good news is - and it's hard for some to see it now - that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before.

"It - for those who have not - trying to conceive what we're talking about, it's as if the entire Gulf Coast were obliterated by a -- the worst kind of weapon you can imagine"

~President Bush

Consider the Lilies

2005-08-10T15:59:00.000-05:00

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not;
and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.

Anemone coronaria

I've been thinking about my tulips that did not bloom this spring. I planted them in late summer when they should have been planted in the fall. So, my long awaited tulip explosion for spring 2005 will just have to wait until spring 2006 as my anticipation came and went, realizing my error in the proper planting techniques of these beautiful flowers. Yet I couldn't help thinking about them as summer is near and the tulips have faded away. So I decided to do some research! The first thing I discovered is that the tulip is part of the lily family, or better known to science types as Liliaceae. An easier name to remember would be Lilium. At one time the Onion was considered part of this group, but I think they have now moved that around some. So tulips and lilies are related to each other!

This is called the yellow lilium. Many think this is the lily mentioned in Matthew and Luke as the lilies of the field, but after looking into this some, many that study botany believe that these are not the ones mentioned. Granted, my quick research is probably not that accurate, but it is not my intent to educated anyone on the history of lilies or tulips, as my thoughts are centered around the verse above and the fact that my tulips did not bloom this spring. You're probably wondering how I went from lilies to tulips? Don't worry, I was wondering the same thing myself!

I'm not trying to document the lily through a crash course from this little article! No, my thoughts are on what Jesus meant when he said "yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these". So I decided to take a closer look and see if I could find some common ground. After all, I certainly know how beautiful my tulips would have been if only I had planted them the right way the first time. I'll get back to the lilies in just a moment but first I want to offer some understanding what was meant in the verse above. After looking around some, I found that John Gill gives a pretty good explanation. He says in Matthew, these words are premised to it, "and why take ye thought for raiment? there will be no need of it, when it considered how the lilies, or tulips, or any other flowers grow up out of the earth, and in what a fine beautiful dress they appear, without any care or labour of their own, and even without the care and management of a gardener; for flowers of the field are here meant.

Without care or management? Hmm.. that explanation does make a lot of sense. You see, the tulips that I planted came from the yard of an old lady that lived across the street from me. She has since moved and I haven't seen her for about three years now. Her son comes by often enough to keep things in order. Long ago she had told me if I ever wanted something from her yard to come on over and take what I wanted. Some thirty five years later, I finally took her up on that offer. The strange thing is, not only six years ago I never noticed her tulips! Only after I accepted the Lord Jesus as my savior did I even begin to notice flowers.

These are my Red Tulips. They're called Red Triumphs. Long before I decided to claim her tulips as my own, the thought kept coming to me; what if they sell that house? Those tulips would need a good home. Now I know that sounds strange so allow me to explain my thoughts on this. A house down the street was recently sold and the new owners dug up the whole yard. Not so strange I know, but if they had known what they had done they probably would not have done it! What did they do you may be wondering? They dug up the Moss Phlox!

These are Moss Phlox. For several years, I would watch them come alive, flowing over the stone walls in an eruption of spring color. I don't think the new owners knew much about them, probably thinking they're weeds or something. My grandma had them on the side of her house for as long as I can remember. Okie, I know what your thinking, this has nothing to do with lilies or tulips, right? Well it does. You see, I wanted to claim those tulips long before any new owners would start digging up the yard, not realizing they were there, waiting for spring so they would burst into full bloom, if only for a few short weeks of brilliant glory!

So, last summer I devised a plan and waited anxiously for spring to arrive. I watched and waited for them to pop out of the ground so I could locate where they were. Finally, the moment had arrived! My plan was ready to be put into action. I decided to go for it, setting out haphazardly to Margaret's yard with spade in hand. My neighbor across the street, who lives next door to Margaret's house, started laughing at me as he watched me go into her front yard and began to dig them up like a true tulip solider of fortune. Boy, did I feel like a little flower thief! Now I know why the Dutch got so crazed with this flower. I knew that Margaret would want me to have them though. I have known her all my life and she was the perfect neighbor. I often think about her and hope all is well. She must be around 90 or so by now.

No care or management? That is true as every year her red tulips would pop up with no effort at all, and noticeable to me like a bright beacon shining my way. My thoughts were on Margaret and how her house seems so empty now. Yet those tulips gave the house life, a warm look, as if I could still see her working in the yard. But those days are long gone as she has moved away. Whatever grows in her yard now is on its own. Reminds me of the verse above; they toil not, they spin not.

Balfour's Plants of the Bible states: The lilies spoken of in the New Testament (Matthew and Luke) were probably the scarlet martagon (Lilium Chalcedonicum) or "red Turk's-cap lily", which "comes into flower at the season of the year when our Lord's sermon on the mount is supposed to have been delivered. It is abundant in the district of Galilee; and its fine scarlet flowers render it a very conspicous and showy object, which would naturally attract the attention of the hearers"

These are the Red Turk's Cap lilies Lilium Chalcedonicum. They have an interesting history and would be worth the time to look into it if that is your passion. As for me, I simply am reminded of the verse given in Matthew and Luke concerning these most beautiful flowers. Jesus said a few verses before he mentions the lilies:

"And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

"Take no thought" The Hebrew word used for thought is merimnavw, which actually translates to; anxious. The thought in this parable is not to be anxious and to put your trust in God. As I sat in my front yard considering my tulips, indeed it was true, I was anxious for nothing, knowing that if I would give a little thought to the things that are evident, my heart and soul would be calmed, for I can do nothing to bring forward even one day.

Well, I think I will go back outside to consider the flowers and not be so anxious as I sit back and look at the lilies of the field. What great lessons there are to be learned, even from the tulips. They do speak to us in clear and revealing ways. Have you stopped and noticed the wildflowers of the field? If not, maybe today would be a good day to start. Consider the lilies of the field, they toil not, they spin not. How about you friend, are you toiling in anxiety today? If so, then do as I have discovered! Plant a few tulips and enjoy their majestic beauty.

Oh, and by the way, I did leave a few tulips in Margaret's yard for next spring and for the new owners who are sure to come. Maybe that would help them not be so anxious as well. I wonder if Margaret has any idea how her red tulips have lived on in such a way. I suspect that she just might.

Yellow lilium and Red Triump's courtesy of Edenpics.com

"Edenpics.com are a group of Christians coming from various parts of the French speaking part of Switzerland. The Creation of God amazes us so much that we want to share it with you. This site is therefore dedicated to offer you some samples of His wonders of nature in pictures. Do you see these marvellous landscapes which express the greatness of God? Do you see the gentleness of those little animals, which express the tenderness of God"?

Anemone coronaria, from The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
Moss Phlox from Valleybrook International Ventures Inc
Red Turk's Cap lilies from Van Bourgondien Bros

Is God Really In Control?

2005-08-07T18:32:00.000-05:00

On the way to my favorite coffee shop earlier this afternoon, I passed several churches. One was a real nice building with a beautiful lawn. It's a Christian Science church, or at least that is what the sign reads. I drive by this church all the time and is near my house. All I can say is; what a dead place that church, but what a beautiful lawn they have. (ironic sad chuckle).

Moving forward I came up to the area of The Country Club Plaza. Ritzy, high class, lots of shoppers out spending big bucks on things they have the luxury to afford. I just bought some shoes today myself, getting a 2 for 1 deal! They're not so pretty nor much in style but I only spent 28 bucks for a pair of tennis shoes and some sandals. While sitting in my car at the intersection, I noticed all the people walking around with so much money in their pockets, willing to just splash it out on things of no real value. My Nissan was the only 'old' car (265,000 miles) sitting there idling wasting gas. All around me were some very expensive cars, a Lexus, a Cadillac, several big SUVs. I saw a real nice Corvette, all shined up. Man was it nice.

While waiting for the light to change (only about 3 minutes) I noticed across the street in the park there was a protest going on for the war in Iraq. I'd say there were about 50 people or so, not so big. Just three days ago the gay rights crowd was also there, demonstrating for free rights, with all the horns honking in support, lots of noisy cheers and all that sort of thing. I did see a few people drive by that had the look of amazement and shock, but they were few and hardly noticeable.

The protestors had many signs that read: UN n US out - NO TO BUSH - Troops out NOW. I saw an American flag disgraced with a peace symbol over it and all that sort of thing. They were quiet and peaceful, standing there holding their signs. It was busy because today was a beautiful day, as we just got through two days of heavy rain. Probably the storm that just passed through Illinois earlier this week and killed some folks. I was thinking in my mind while waiting for the light to change and looking at the shoppers and all the nice cars, I was thinking, 'out of Iraq' .. OK.. that seems reasonable to me, after all, its mainly just kids over there dying. I thought, if we leave Iraq and come home it would not be long before they come here, whoever they are. It would be considered intolerant and offensive of me to name them, so I better not.

I thought, is God in control?. He forewarned us of these days did He not, still thinking about the war in Iraq and how small this world really is. I know, and so does everyone else, that there is really no way out anymore. I mean death and war will not be avoided with all the terrorism causing nation to go against nation, kingdom against kingdom. It is sure here is it not? My faith holds though and I know that God said these things would come.

Man cannot save himself. Our problems are out of control and we are the reason. Too many voices, so much violence, war, disease, climate problems, the works. Its here no doubt, just as God warned us, and we know because we keep saying that God is in control, as we look around and see it all coming our way, like the light at the end of our tunnel, like a freight train coming our way. The warm and fuzzy folks say, "snuggle up and say nothing, be nice and tolerant, don't rock the boat and don't be such a fear monger".

Is God really in control?

As for me, I cannot say what is right or wrong anymore, as politics, religion and globalization are on a head on collision. If we do not defend our freedoms, they will be lost, as others would really like to see us not wasting the worlds resources, as our way of life is an affront to most all, except us Americans. We water our lawns, plant flowers, making everything so neat and nicely manicured. Many just look the other way as if all is out of sight and out of mind. All things come from God, even my 600 sq ft shack (called the thejedshed). I finally did some remodeling, turning into what I call "a glorified garage". Sometimes, when I watch the Discovery Channel or something similar, I often see houses much larger than mine, even way out in the middle of Africa! The world is not as big as it seems. When I was a kid it seemed so big and endless. I suppose that is true for all of us though.

The light finally turned green and I put on the gas. As I pass the protesters (I support their courage for what they think is right) I do not understand why they cannot perceive that their way of life is nearly finished as they do not think that terror and war will not find them in their own back yards, as all these problems come boiling to a head, ready to explode, forgetting about our own problems with all the crime. Today, a man was arrested for being a serial killer. This war I face every day as my home is locked in the attempt to keep them out. On my front door is a plaque quoting Joshua 24:15: "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”. I know I'm the rich man on the hill, even though I do not have much, but I know I'm rich in all things.

Moving forward, driving alongside the park, I noticed people off in the background, a little further down from the protesters, and what looked to be the yoga people. They seemed so peaceful as they stretch, probably not saying much. I thought, I probably should get out there and do some stretching myself. I'm sure they were aware of the protesters but they seemed content in their part of the park doing their stretching and also probably meditating on God, just as I have been doing in my thoughts as I pass them on the drive to my place of destination, not so much different than theirs, just down the street from my favorite place, yet seemingly worlds apart, even in this boring, Midwestern city of Kansas City sitting out in the middle of the plains. I wonder, do they know that God is in control?

Finally I arrive at the coffee shop. Looks kind of deserted, not many people sitting outside. I walk up to go in but decided not to buy anything and instead, turned around to go back outside and just sit for awhile and watch the world go by. To the left of me were two lesbians and their gay friend. They were discussing politics. I knew they were gay because they don't hide it, and that's kewl because, it’s the coffee shop you know, we’re all tolerant of each other. Of course, they know me as the Bible thumper, so all is fair I suppose. I thought to myself, I sure have seen a lot of homosexuals out lately, doing their thing and enjoying themselves just as I'm doing. They probably have no idea I was just like them, for nearly 25 years.

I know God is in control because he delivered me from that destructive lifestyle. If I had said 'destructive lifestyle' without saying what I came from, I would probably been labeled a bigot, hateful, intolerant, ignorant, uneducated, narrow-minded and so on. I wonder if God is really in control, because of the persecution I have gone through for more than 5 years now, because I state the truths of God and declare myself, saved by Jesus. I most definately see the need for us Christians to be in a church, for we will not find fellowship out here, in this world.

I thank my Lord for visiting me personally and delivering me from that hell, a realization that one such as myself could explain because my personal experience testifies to that. Now that I have, I'm sure to be labeled as something, although not sure what that might be. Whatever it is they will say, I will remember that they hated my Lord long before they hate me. "The world will hate you" God has declared. Funny, I just quoted that verse yesterday!

In my mind I wonder, am I'm the only one who has heard this message? My friends are still in that place of death. Did I go enough times to visit them, to help rescue them from their own hell that I know they exist in. They know it too as they have told me so and I have seen it. I was one of them once. But.. they too laughed and mocked me. I still like them, although I'm not so sure that they really like me all that much anymore.

After hanging out for about ten minutes or so I decided to leave the coffee shop. So, I got up crossed the street and got in my car, doing a u-turn in the middle of the street. I noticed another car had moved quite fast and had to slow so not to hit me. It was safe as we each had time to react. I thought, I wonder if that guy thinks I'm a reckless driver? He was doing 35mph in an area that should be 10mph, and I just did a u-turn! Funny how things bring home truth, as we both were wrong, him a little more so. Nothing came of it though as I looked in the rear view mirror and watched his car slowly fade away.

I'm back to the protesters again, waiting for the light to change. I did look at some of them face to face this time, as they are on my left and standing at the corner. They look just about like anyone else you would know. Who can tell what is in their hearts and if they even know what time it really is. All I know is they were sincere and have the right to do something, which seems nobody can do anything about, bringing peaceful change as we near the point of no return, stepping into the latter day and the coming of Revelation. While looking at each other I was thinking, do they really think I am going to blow my horn so I could be heard? Naa... I thought, why bother. Usually it just creates a traffic mess. While sitting waiting for the light to change, I thought about writing this message.

The light changed and on I go heading home through the maze of lights, when all of a sudden there comes an ambulance. I could hear it easily as it was near and moving fast. This was near St Luke's hospital (great name) and just across the street from the park I just passed. Suddenly *BOOM* there it was just like that. My first reaction was simply to get over, but by that time the ambulance had passed and that was that.

Thinking about that ambulance and the hospital on my drive home I was thinking, I know someone was either dying or waiting for death to come, in need of some type of immediate care, and how fortunate we are to have such great hospitals, even an ambulance to come screaming in a mad rush to help save the sick and dying. I thought about my friend who was 36 and died about a month ago from alcohol. I thought about my stepbrother and my sister-in-law's 12 yr old daughter, both of them attempting suicide several times, seemingly more depressed than me (mine is of the heart). I did preach to both of them about salvation, they each had tears you know. Maybe you have seen this type of witness, another's utter agony, by looking into their eyes. I wonder, does crying a river of tears ever solve anything?

I was thinking that whoever it was in that ambulance were about as close to knowing what absolute truth is all about and quickly. I am only 42 and on average would have another 35 years to live, if I'm lucky. I wondered if their heart was right with God, did they know and accept the Lord Jesus? The Bible reveals that many will die and go to Hell. By saying this in public, I am sure to be called all sorts of things, rejected by those who do not hold my faith in God and Jesus Christ.

Do they believe God is in control?

As I sit here contemplating either the PUBLISH or DELETE button I'm wondering; what is the point in writing something like this anyway. Will anyone listen or try to understand? Or will those who hear not listen and instead, label others while not listening to themselves and what God has declared. I suppose it would be considered intolerant to say such a thing to those who reject these words, claiming that one such as myself is only spewing venom. Others will claim that I preach "take this religion or die". On and on it seems to go, without any rest as the battle rages in every direction.

Well, I've been home for a while now and just got back from having Sunday dinner with my mom and step dad. Knowing that I ate today while half the world will have nothing. Yes, I think God is in control, for me, but what about the other half that did not eat. I wonder if they believe that God is in control? I do thank God for giving to me the food that others will not see, while others will die because they have none. Many will look the other way and could careless, while others try in vain to help, with some ease of suffering. Others lie and steal, claiming they will do something, but only end up stealing everything. Do they know that God is in control?

I wonder, while sitting here listening to the Smashing Pumpkin's tune Drown, what is the point in engaging the heathen? What does light have to do with darkness? Many of my friends and family are lost to eternity, separated from God, and that churns the heart you see. What does it take to do these things, knowing that we will be hated, despised and ridiculed for doing so. The Bible says that our brothers and sisters before us, went through the same Strait Gate and went down the same narrow path. It is difficult because, what is the point in discussing these things with those who do not want to listen, even those who are fooled by the flatteries of liars.

Yes I know God is in control, as others have verified the same and we agree. So what is the point, as I consider and choose the Publish button, knowing I have declared God's word to all who care to hear it, even those who want nothing to do with it, rejecting this as blind intolerance, driven by bigotry and hate. I am considered offensive for standing against the blindness that has claimed my family, friends and neighbors, who I care for very much. God said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you;" "They hated me without a cause". What is the point as I press the button and wonder if anyone will listen?

Well... I'm off to finish the laundry.

Clipart courtesy of Free Flower & Plant Clipart
"salt of the earth graphic" courtesy of Ministry clipart

LINKS

2005-08-05T23:13:00.018-05:00

Thru The Bible with J Vernon McGee
Thru The Bible is a 30-minute Bible study radio program that takes the listener through the entire Bible in just 5 years, going back and forth between the Old and New Testaments. This Bible study program has been aired on radio stations in the U.S. since 1967, and is now being produced in over 100 languages around the world.

Pool of Bethseda
Environmental Gardening by Traute Klein -aka- biogardner

Apologetics Index
Crosswalk.com
Into Thy Word
Institute for Creation Research
Last Trumpet Ministries
Lambert Dolphin's Library
Ray C. Stedman Library
RBC Ministries
Prophecy In The News
Study Well
Stand To Reason
The EU and the Final World Empire
The Cutting Edge
Way Of The Master

Favorite Suite101 Topics

Sylvia Cochran Practical Christianity * Pro-life * Christian Parenting
Tina Coruth Birdwatching in My Backyard * Amateur Astronomy for Kids
Rodolfo Astrada Astronomy and Astrophysics
Minnie Yamashita Protestant Christianity
Bob Kuhn Religious Humor & Satire
Joy Butler Extraordinary Animals
Virginia Marin Seniors on the Move * Messianic Judaism
Traute Klein, biogardener Natural Health
Mary Alred History For Children
Regenia Butcher Learning is Fun
Henry L. Lefevre Retirement

Computer Stuff

Trend Micro
Ease your mind and scan your PC for viruses. It's Free! A global leader in network antivirus and Internet content security software and services.
Gibson Research Corporation
Internet security and privacy. Extensive site, worth the time to check it out!
Picasa
A free software download from Google. Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC
Zone Alarm
Personal or Business Firewall, Zone Labs, a leading creator of endpoint security solutions protecting millions of PCs and the valuable, personally-identifiable information on those PCs, from hackers, spyware and data theft.
System Mechanic
Fixes stubborn computer errors; clean-up, compact, and defragment your registry; defragment your hard drive and memory; speed-up Windows and the Internet; protect your e-mail and computer from viruses, worms, spyware, and hackers; secure your PC; or perform a variety of critical system maintenance tasks

Network

A1Transmission
Aeroskyn
Al's Small Engine inc
American Gutter Inc
aroundKC
ashes to ash-tronauts
electricalcontractorkansascity
eLocalclassified
First Page Results
freight graffiti
gingivitiss
graffiti kansas city
hdvmanagement
Herrington Auto Inc
Industrial Surplus of Kansas City
JES Automotor
John Marr Bobcat and Top Soil
jukeboxlarry
Kansas city graffiti
kansas city paint
kansas city paint 2
kansascitycomputerservices
kansascityonline | wordpress |
kc graffiti 2
Keystone Heights Online
KeyWest Lock and Safe
LBA plumbing heat cooling | wordpress |
Master Transmission
nite scenes
Northtown Auto Service | wordpress |
O'Gormans Automotive | wordpress |
Phone Biz On Hold
Pro Circuit Incorporated | blogger | wordpress |
Reasons to vote all of them out
Recruit Look | wordpress |
SBH Foklift and Material Handling
skeptics annotated bible - a response
SportsRecruiting.net
stickerz of kansas city
the strait gate
the strait gate II
the strait gate III
The Transmission Shop
thejedshed
thejedshed.myphotoalbum.com
Toothy Grins Publishing
weather wars
Well Done Plumbing Sewer and Drain Service | wordpress

Kansas City

2005-08-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

see more pictures of Kansas City

My Favorite Coffee Shop
KansasCity.com
Kansas City Zoo
Union Station
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City Symphony
City of Kansas City

The Country Club Plaza
The Plaza's Season of Lights
Live Plaza Webcam

Plaza Lights -2005

Kansas City, City of Fountains

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Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p4

2005-08-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

The Priest and the Prophet

Exodus 19:6
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

The Book of Deuteronomy is layed out in this fashion.

I: Chapters 1-4: Reviewing the journeys
II: Chapters 5-26: Restating the Law - Love and obedience. (This series)
III. Chapters 27-30: Regarding the future of the land. The blessings and the curses.
IV. Chapters 31-34: The book of Deuteronomy ends with a requiem to Moses.

An overview

Before addressing the idolatry of other nations and the command from God not to partake of those abominations, we should look at the beginnings of the priesthood (Levites) and the mention of the prophets that would come to Israel as the voice for the Lord of Hosts to deliver His word. In the fullness of time, God's word was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus, as The Word became flesh (John 1:1).

God chose the office of priesthood to minister His word and ordinances. The Prophets were to deliver God's true word to Israel first, then finally given to the whole world (Romans 1:16). God chose Israel to be a Holy nation unto Himself and the Jews would be His witness unto the world.

God was gradually preparing the people of his choice for a more perfect revelation of Himself and a more explicit code of laws for their government. He was gradually cutting them off from other nations in order to preserve the blood of Abraham. During the sojourn in Egypt the chosen people largely fell into the corruptions of their surroundings. Tribal relations and conditions had to some extent been developed and preserved, even during the enslavement; but there is no proof that there was any general bond of union or any public worship. Crosswalk.com

Exodus 14:2 for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

From the above verse we find:
1) An holy people unto the Lord. 2) The Lord chose them. 3) A peculiar people (set aside) for a witness to all the nations.

Exodus 19:6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

The idea of a priest and his intercessory work underlies all religion. Ancient History.

Why did God choose to deliver His word through the prophets?

2Chronicles 36:15 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent {word} to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place;

Prior to Moses, we find several who are mentioned that gave prophecy. Enoch (Gen:5:21-24; Jude 1:14) Noah (Gen:9:25-27) Jacob (Gen:49:1). Abraham saw what appears to be most of God's divine plan as revealed to him.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. John 8:56

It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, Jude 1:14

Moses (Moshe)

Moses was chosen to deliver God's people (the Jews) to the promised land, from bondage and slavery in Egypt through the 'strong arm' of the Lord God (Christ). Moses delivered God's laws to His people (the lawgiver). Moses was a Christ like image for the nation of Israel. He was the chosen mediator between God and man and it was Moses who delivered the Mosaic law. The only religion ever ordained by God on earth.

Moses was indeed unique of all men of Israel, even perhaps of all men. He was a deliverer, he was a priest, he was a prophet, he was the lawgiver. He was the mediator between the Lord God and His people. These are all titles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the transfiguration, we see Moses and Elijah conversing with the Lord Jesus (Matt:17:2-3). This is a unique part of scripture and has a more deeper meaning than when first looked at. In the transfiguration, Moses is present because he represents the Law, one aspect of God's divine plan for redemption. Elijah is present because he represents the prophet, another aspect of God's divine plan and revelation to the world. These two divine plans are seen as the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, prior to his forthcoming death. The transfiguration is interpreted rather as a glimpse of the future glory of the Son of God at his second coming (Matt:24:30)

The Gospel writers seem also to have understood this account as the fulfillment of Jesus' words with respect to the disciples seeing the kingdom of God coming with power in their lifetime. Robert H. Stein - Crosswalk.com

Moses was transfigured: Exodus 34:29-35

Moses brother Aaron was also with him when they confronted Pharaoh to 'let my people go' and would be chosen as the bloodline of the priesthood. Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi.

Exodus 6:13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Who were the Levites

Levi (meaning; adhesion)

The third son of Jacob by Leah. (Gen: 29:34)
He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Gen:34:25-31).
He and his three sons went down with Jacob (Gen:46:11) into Egypt, where he died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years (Exodus 6:16).
The father of Matthat, and son of Simeon, of the ancestors of Christ (Luke 3:29).
One of the apostles, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27,29), called also Matthew (Matthew 9:9). The striking feature of Matthew's Gospel is that he presents the King, the Lord Jesus.

Numbers 1:50 But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle.

The Twelve tribes of Israel: The 12 sons of Jacob. Genesis, Chapter 49.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin.

The Priest

The first occurrence of "priest" in the Old Testament is the reference to the pre-Israelite "Melchizedek king of Salem … priest of God Most High".

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High (Gen:14:18).

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and the priest of Midian, was also recognized as non-Israelite priest of the true God of Sinai by Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel (Exod 2:16; 3:1; 18:1, 10-12).

Part 5 of this series will look at The Custody and Administration of the Mosaic Law by the Levite priesthood, starting with Aaron and why God sent his Holy Prophets to Israel. "Thus saith the Lord".

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p3

2005-08-05T20:21:00.000-05:00

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet

"THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE NATIONS ARE TO BE AVOIDED."

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
He who does good is of God,
but he who does evil has not seen God.
John 1:11

Deuteronomy 18:9-14
(9) When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

From verse 9 we find three things:

I. Come into the Land: The Promised Land (Gen:32:24-32)

Covenant made with Abraham (Gen:15:7-18) Isaac (Gen:17:19-21) Jacob Israel (Gen:28:13-14)

Psalms 89:3-4 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

II. Thou shalt not learn: Idolatry

Consists of: Bowing down to, worshipping, sacrificing to images. Worshipping, swearing by, walking after, speaking in the name of, looking to, serving, fearing, sacrificing to other gods. Worshipping the true God by an image. Worshipping angels or the host of heaven. Worshipping demons and dead men. Setting up idols in the heart, covetousness, sensuality.

Exodus 20:2-3 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.

III. of those Nations: The Canaanites

Canaan means = "lowland"
The 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine. The land west of the Jordan peopled by the descendants of Canaan and subsequently conquered by the Israelites under Joshua.
Descended from Ham (Gen:10:6)
An accursed race (Gen:9:25-26)
The 11 Nations of the Canaanites: (Gen:10:15-19)

Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, and Heth and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite;

and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

(10-11) There shall not be found among you any one that: his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

From verse 10 and 11 we find that these nations were practicing idolatry long before the Mosaic law was given to Moses. Why did God give this command to the Israelites?

Exodus 14:2 for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

A brief look back at the contest between Moses and Pharaoh.

1. (Exodus 7:8-12) And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent (most likely means crocodile). Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

2. (Exodus 7:20-22) And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. : And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

3. (Exodus 8:16-19) And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

The magicians were able to duplicate the turning of the rod into a serpent and water being turned into blood

Why the plagues on Egypt?

They were God's battle with the gods of Egypt. Each plague was directed against a particular god in Egypt.
Exodus 12:12 For I will pass though the land of Egypt this night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both men and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD
The Nine Plagues of Egypt

1. The Nile was turned to blood - The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and sacred to Osiris.
2. Frogs - Heka was the frog-headed goddess. It was an offense to the goddess to kill frogs.
3. Lice - Geb was the earth god.
4. Flies (beatles or scarabs) - were sacred to Ra (the sun god), Ra-Ammon, and Khepara. Gold scarabs have beeen found in tombs.
5. Murrain on the cattle - Egypt was a land of "zoo-ology". They worshipped animals. Apis was the black bull that was worshipped. Mumified bulls have been found in a pyramid near Memphis, Egypt. There is a note of humor that God injects here. Imagine the Egyptians worshipping a sick cow!
6. Boils - The priest had to be spotless. The could not serve in their temples with boils.
7. Hail - Egypt is a land of no rainfall. There is less than one inch a year in Cairo. Isis was the goddess of the air.
8. Locusts are a judgment from God (compare locusts in Joel and Revelation).
9. Darkness - Egyptians worshipped the sun (Ra).

Death of the firstborn - the firstborn in Egypt were set aside for the service of the gods.

(12) For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Deuteronomy 12:31 You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

(13) Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Without hypocrisy or mixture or false religion.

(14) For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

CHRIST THE PROPHET IS TO BE HEARD.

In Part 4 of this series, we will compare the Priesthood and the Prophets of Israel with those of the surrounding nations and why God ordained these two holy offices for His choosen people and the world.

Bio

2005-08-05T19:59:00.000-05:00

name Wendell
age 44
status single - no children
location Kansas City Missouri

Some Favorites
place to live The Beach
time of year Summer
place to visit in the USA Pacific Coast
American city San Diego
place to visit in Europe South of France
European city Monte Carlo
food Mash Potatoes
junk Food Cheez-it
drink Ice Coffee
sport Poker
car Nissan Maxima
hobby sitting at the coffee shop
movie Lord of the Rings, Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, Shindlers List, Signs, Good Will Hunting, The GodFather,
TV series MASH, All in the Family, Golden Girls
comedian Robin Williams, Jerry Lewis
actor Robert Deniro, Anthony Hopkins, Jody Foster
politician The American Founding Fathers
Christian leader Dr J Vernon McGee
athlete Shun Fugimoto
author Paul Copan
book The Bible
website Crosswalk.com
tree Scotch Pine
plant all
flower Portulaca

My biggest secret
I'm not that smart
Biggest turn offs
people who lie, steal, who do not brush their teeth, or occasionally shower, people who are wilfully ignorant
What I'm thinking at this moment
wish I was at the beach!...
Biggest turn ons
friends and family
What most people do know about me
I'm an ole softy and a true romantic
What irritates me the most
mosquitos - impatient and hard-headed people
My secret desire
to marry the love of my life
Something I have never told anyone
??? you will have to email me for that one (smile)
worst quality
impatience
best quality
I know people well, loyalty, friendship
worst habit
smoking
best habit
watering my plants

Favorite Musical group/artist
Al Green, Allman Brothers, Alan Parsons, Anita Baker, America, Alanis Morissete, Atlanta Rhythem Section, Bad Company, Beatles, Ben Folds, Beth Orton, Bob Seger, Bread, BT, Carly Simon, Carol King, Casting Crowns, Cranberries, Eric Clapton, Chicago, Coldplay, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Jim Croce, Dan Fogelberg, Doobie Brothers, Eagles, Elton John, ELO, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Elvis, Finley Quaye, Firefall, Fleetwood Mac, Foo Fighters, Genesis, Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, Gordon Lightfoot, Green Day, George Harrison, Heart, Journey, Kansas, Little River Band, Madonna, Matchbox 20, Mercy Me, Nirvana, Oasis, Paul McCartney and Wings, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, REM, Queensryche, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rush, Sade, Seal, Simple Minds, Six Pence, Skynard, Smashing Pumpkins, Steely dan, Police, Stone Temple Pilots, Styx, Supertramp, Talk Talk, The Church, The Fix, Third Eye Blind, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Todd Rungren, Toto, Traffic, Triumph, U2, Velvet Revolver, Yes

Favorite Songs
Sleeping Satellite - Tasmin Archer
Take A Picture - Filter
How Soon is Now - The Smiths
Still You Turn Me On - Emerson Lake and Palmer
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
In My Life - The Beatles
Jazz Man - Carol King
Help Me - Joni Mitchell
Skating Away - Jethro Tull
Barely Breathing - Duncan Sheik
Brandy - Dr Hook
Goin To California / When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
Jane Says - Janes Addiction
I Got a Name - Jim Croce
Another Park, Another Sunday - Doobie Brothers
Its a Shame About Ray - The Lemonheads
Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Satellite - BT
Linger - Cranberries
Can't You See - Marshall Tucker
Seagull - Bad Company
Thinking About Tomorrow - Beth Orton
Burning in the Sun - Blue Merle
Who Am I - Casting Crowns
Beginnings - Chicago
Daylight - Coldplay
As the Raven Flies - Dan Fogelberg
Sunset Grill - Don Henly
Caught by the River - The Doves
The Last Resort - The Eagles
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Dice - Finley Quaye
Strange Way - Firefall
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Your Own Special Way - Genesis
I Found Out About You - Gin Blossoms
Name - Goo Goo Dolls
September - Green Day
Steppin Out - Joe Jackson
Song For America - Kansas
If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot
Live to Tell - Madonna
Back 2 Good - Matchbox 20
Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
Sweet Freedom - Michael McDonald
Thank You - Natalie Merchant
Wonderwall - Oasis
My Love - Paul McCartney and Wings
Jeremy - Pearl Jam
Salsbury Hill - Peter Gabrial
Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins
Us and Them - Pink Floyd
Under the Bridge - Chili Peppers
Cry for Help - Rick Astley
It Don't Come Easy - Ringo Starr
Smooth Operator - Sade
Bring It On - Seal
Summer Breeze - Seals and Crofts
Safe and Sound - Cheryl Crow
Last Chance - Shooting Star
Landslide - Stevie Nicks
Drown - Smashing Pumpkins
Cystal Ball - Styx
Even in the Quietest Moments - Supertramp
Its My Life - Talk Talk
What You Give - Tesla
Something Always Wrong - Toad the Wet Sprocket
Can't Find My Way Home - Traffic
Lay it on the Line - Triumph
Changes - Yes

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p2

2005-08-05T19:37:00.000-05:00

An Overview of Deuteronomy
"The Book of Experience and Obedience"

Jesus Christ - Promise of The coming Prophet.
It is He that is to be heard!

DEUTERONOMY
Notes and Outlines: written by J V McGee of Thru the Bible
WRITER: Moses
Moses talked with God face to face. Moses knew God.

He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. Psalms:103:7
The children of Israel saw the acts of God but did not know Him. Moses knew His ways. Deuteronomy is the result of this intimate knowledge plus the experience of 40 years in the wilderness.

Deuteronomy 34:5-12 was probably written by Joshua and belongs to the Book of Joshua. When the Book of Joshua was written it was placed on the scroll of the Pentateuch, making a Hexateuch.

TITLE
Deuteronomy means, "Second law". This is not to infer it is a repetition of the Law as given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It is the Law interpreted in the light of 38 years of experience in the wilderness. New situations and problems arose that were not covered by the Law specifically. There needed to be an application of the Law to life situations. (A notable example of this [Numbers 27] is the case of the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad, who had left no sons.) Specific laws that needed emphasis are repeated and enlarged upon (e.g., the Ten Commandments in chapter 5). Deuteronomy is a commentary of the Mosaic Law.

There are 4 Hebrew titles of Deuteronomy

1. Debarim - "The Words" or "these be the Words".
2. or the Fifth of the Law. [1]
3. The Book of Reproofs.
4. The Iteration of the Law

KEY WORDS Love and obey
Love God - Deut:4:37; 7:7-8; 23:5
Obey God - Deut:4:37; 11:26-28; 30:8-20
Love for God - Deut:6:4,5; 30:6,16,20

The word "love" occurs 22 times; "obey" occurs 10 times.

The motive for obedience is love. The Lord Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). The true motive for obedience is stated in Deut 6:4,5. God's love for man is the motive for His government and the giving of the laws. Man's love for God is the motive for his obedience. This is not the Gospel, but the principle of it is here. This is the pathway of blessing. It is likewise the answer to those who do not find love in the Old Testament. There is love in the Old Testament, and there is law in the New Testament. Moses pleaded with them to obey.

Why obey? Pleading of Moses:
1. Israel belonged to God (14:1)
2. God loved them (4:37)
3. God wanted to preserve and prosper them (4:1)
4. Their show of gratitude (4:7,8)

COMMENT
A new generation had arrived on the east bank of the Jordan River (Deut. 1:5) one month before entering the Promised Land (Deut. 1:3). Those of the generation that had left Egypt were dead and their bones were bleaching beneath the desert skies because of their unbelief and disobedience.

They had broken God’s law--sins of commission; they had failed to believe God --sins of omission.

The law was "weak through the flesh."

Moses gives to this new generation his final instructions from the Lord before he relinquishes leadership of the nation through death. He reviews the desert experiences, reemphasizes certain features of the law, reveals their future course in light of the Palestinian Covenant, teaches them a new song, blesses the twelve tribes, and then prepares to die. A requiem to Moses concludes the book.

This new generation was unfamiliar with the experiences of Mt. Sinai, and they needed to have the law called to their attention and interpreted in the light of their experience and future dwelling in the Promised Land.

The book of Deuteronomy has been the center of attack by the critic. First the authorship of the book was challenged. The original criticism was that Moses could not have written it because there was no writing in existence in Moses' day. That has been soundly refuted. Next the critic stated that the purpose of the book was to glorify the priesthood at Jerusalem, but neither the priesthood nor Jerusalem is mentioned in Deuteronomy.

The probable reason for the satanic attack upon the book of Deuteronomy is that the Lord Jesus Christ quoted exclusively from this book in beating back Satan’s temptation. Little wonder he hates the book.

1st temptation--Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4 (compare Deut: 8:3).
2nd temptation--Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12 (compare Deut:6:16).
3rd temptation--Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8 (compare Deut:6:13 and Deut:10:20).

The Old Testament prophets quoted from Deuteronomy frequently. There are also over 80 references to it in the New Testament.

Deuteronomy exalts the Word of God

"And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deut:6:7).

STRIKING FEATURES
1. Greatest doctrinal statement in Old Testament:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one LORD (Deut:6:4)

2. First mention of the Great Tribulation

But if from there thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice (for the LORD thy God is a merciful God), He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore unto them (Deut. 4:29-31).

3. Promise of a coming Prophet

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall harken, according to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying: Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. (Deut: 18:15-18).

4. Test for determining true and false prophets

But the prophet, who shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him (Deut: 18:20-22).

(Every prophet had to speak into a local and immediate situation.)

5. Pre-written history of Israel in the land before they enter the land: Deut:28-30

6. Palestinian Covenant: Deut:29:1 - 30:10

7. The Song of Moses--Prophetic: Deut:32

a) Call to hear, v.1-4. b) The nation returns evil for the grace of God, v.5,6. c) Jehovah's goodness, v.7-14. d) Apostasy of the nation, v.15-18. e) Judgment of God upon them, v.19-25. f) Longing of God for His people, v.26-42. g) Nations of the world blessed with Israel, v.43,44.

8. Lonely and strange death of Moses:

Deuteronomy 34:5-8 (One translation has it, "...died by the kiss of God" - God kissed Moses and put him to sleep. What a lovely thought!)

[1] COMMENTARIES ON THE FOUR LAST BOOKS OF MOSES Translated from the original latin, and compared with the French edition, with annotations, etc. By the REV. Charles William Bingham, M.A., Rector of Melcombe-Horsey, Dorset, and formerly Fellow of New College, Oxford.
Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition)
Book Introduction - Deuteronomy

More Pics

2005-08-05T19:21:00.001-05:00

These pics were take Dec 04

Back to Summer Pics 2005
Back to Front Page

Click to enlarge

my nephew Shane sleeping on my couch
(whatya think of that Chris*mas tree)

brother Bill sitting at thejedshed

My niece Stevie, my nephews Tyler, Chad and Shane

yours truly and Stevie making funny

Tyler wins the big Texas Holdem game
This pic was taken the moment of the win

Tyler snoozing in my chair

Max and Neko catchin some zzz...

Neko at his station

...Shaner...

Shane and Tyler @ thejedshed

my planets
(the bottom right one has long since perished)

Neko on my front porch

There's Mom - Suzie Q...

my backyard
(not much of a sight)

There's my buddy Neko
(I think he wants to eat again)

back patio - and look - theres Neko

....The following pics were taken with Stephen's cellphone
December 03...

Backyard Tree

my moms dogs, Max and Missy

Stephen

me under my tree

The Infamous Broadway cafe. Had a front page article on the WallStreet Journal for taking out the Starbucks that moved in next door to try to take its business. They failed - We one!! A David and Goliath story of mom and pop buisness taking on the Corp giants

A floating Sword?

Me on the side of the house. My grandfather built this house after he came back from WWII.
(picture is kinda fuzzy)

"The Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"

Time Standing Still

Stephen sitting in my rocker

me (kinda fuzzy)

My Tree. I planted this tree 38 yrs ago.

again.....

Hmmm....

Attack Attack .... Personal attack (an inside joke)

Stephen sitting at my puter

plants in the window

Responding to a message on the Suite

In front of my house
Stephen (TwicePardoned) and yours truly (thejedshed)

My cat Neko

My living room

In deep thought?

Neko again.....

Rock On!!

Neko again....

Top of Page

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p1

2005-08-05T19:20:00.000-05:00

part 2: An Overview of Deuteronomy
part 3: The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet
part 4: The Priest and the Prophet
part 5: Out of Egypt Have I called My Son
part 6: The Spiritual Condition
part 7: MOLECH (1 of 2)
part 8: MOLECH (2 of 2)
part 9: Molech Worship and Blood Eating
part 10: Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me
part 11: Woe Unto Them! For They Have Gone In The Way of Cain (6 parts)
part 12: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart

The Basics
This series examines Idolatry and Witchcraft

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that:

1. Maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire

Molech = "king" also called Malcham Moloch Milcom The name of the national god of the Ammonites and Phoenicians, to whom children were sacrificed by fire. He was the consuming and destroying and also at the same time the purifying fire, to whom some Israelites sacrificed their infants in the valley of Hinnom. This god became Chemosh among the Moabites. Solomon erected a high place for this idol on the Mount of Olives, and from that time till the days of Josiah his worship continued.

Hinnom A valley west and southwest of Jerusalem. Known also as "Hill of Evil Counsel."

It came to signify Hell as the place of the wicked. "It might be shown by infinite examples that the Jews expressed hell, or the place of the damned, by this word. The word Gehenna [the Greek contraction of Hinnom] was never used in the time of Christ in any other sense than to denote the place of future punishment. . (Matthew 5:29; 10:28; 23:15; Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5)

2. That useth divination (Soothsayer, Sorcery) Witchcraft of the nations, of false prophets, prohibited. Balaam. Mentioned in Acts 16:16.

New Testament Greek Lexicon: (puvqwn)

From Putho (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located) in Greek mythology the name of the Pythian serpent (or dragon) that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, and was said to have guarded the oracle at Delphi and been slain by Apollo, a spirit of divination.

3. An observer of times (Astrologer) An enchanter, one who professes to divine future events by the appearance of the stars. This science flourished among the Chaldeans.

4. An enchanter To practice divination by observing signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen.

5. A witch
The masculine form of the word, meaning "enchanter."

6. A charmer
Means a dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object.

7. A consulter with familiar spirits
Sorcerers or necormancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a "familiar spirit" Such a person was called by the Hebrews an 'ob , which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho of the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which possessed him.

The word "familiar" is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household servant," and was intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands.

8. A wizard
A pretender to supernatural knowledge and power, "a knowing one," as the original Hebrew word signifies. Such an one was forbidden on pain of death to practise his deceptions.

9. A necromancer "One who interrogates the dead," as the word literally means, with the view of discovering the secrets of futurity.

THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE NATIONS ARE TO BE AVOIDED.

9-14. thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices.

CHRIST THE PROPHET IS TO BE HEARD.

15-19. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet--The insertion of this promise, in connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the application (which some make of it) to that order of true prophets whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct, and warn His people; and in this view the purport of it is, "There is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, as I shall afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets, for judging of whose credentials a sure criterion is given" (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the Messiah, for He alone was "like unto Moses" "in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety, and magnitude of His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in His being the author of a new dispensation of religion." This prediction was fulfilled fifteen hundred years afterwards and was expressly applied to Jesus Christ by Peter (Acts 3:22,23), and by Stephen (Acts 7:37).

19. whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him--The direful consequences of unbelief in Christ, and disregard of His mission, the Jewish people have been experiencing during eighteen hundred years.

Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary

Acts 3:24-26

Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

The Covenant

Christ, the substance of
Isaiah 42:6; 49:8
Christ, the Mediator of
Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24
Christ, the Messenger of
Malachi 3:1
MADE WITH
Abraham
Genesis 15:7-18; 17:2-14; Luke 1:72-75; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:16
Isaac
Genesis 17:19,21; 26:3,4
Jacob
Genesis 28:13,14; 1 Chronicles 16:16,17
Israel
Exodus 6:4; Acts 3:25
David
2 Samuel 23:5; Psalms 89:3,4
Renewed under the gospel
Jeremiah 31:31-33; Romans 11:27; Hebrews 8:8-10,13
Fulfilled in Christ
Luke 1:68-79
Confirmed in Christ
Galatians 3:17
Ratified by the blood of Christ
Hebrews 9:11-14,16-23
Is a covenant of peace
Isaiah 54:9,10; Ezekiel 34:25; 37:26
Is unalterable
Psalms 89:34; Isaiah 54:10; 59:21; Galatians 3:17
Is everlasting
Psalms 111:9; Isaiah 55:3; 61:8; Ezekiel 16:60-63; Hebrews 13:20
All saints interested in
Psalms 25:14; 89:29-37; Hebrews 8:10
The wicked have no interest in
Ephesians 2:12
Blessings connected with
Isaiah 56:4-7; Hebrews 8:10-12
God is faithful to
Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Kings 8:23; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4
God is ever mindful of
Psalms 105:8; 111:5; Luke 1:72
Be mindful of
1 Chronicles 16:15
Caution against forgetting
Deuteronomy 4:23
Plead, in prayer
Psalms 74:20; Jeremiah 14:21
Punishment for despising
Hebrews 10:29,30

The words of Stephen, the first Martyr (Acts 7:51-60)

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Top of page

The Three Temptations

2005-08-05T18:12:00.000-05:00

Gross immorality (godlessness) is that which has brought down all the great empires of history. In fact, John has revealed what this really is:

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Of the world means, the world system (Matt:4:8). Not God's material creation....

Ephesians 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

1John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

These three are the same temptations that Satan brought to Eve when she ate from the tree (Gen:3:6) and are the same temptations that Satan brought Jesus, and are the same temptations that Satan brings to all men.

For all that is in the world

1) the lust of the flesh
Eve saw that the tree was good for food
2) the lust of the eyes
Eve saw that the tree was good to look at
3) the pride of life
Eve saw the tree was to be desired to make one wise

Jesus stands between this world (Anti-Christ system, Mystery Babylon) and God's kingdom. This is the same as serving only one master (Matt:6:24)

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

The Bible Contains

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3,566,480 letters
733,746 words
31,163 verses
1,189 chapters
66 books
The longest chapter is the 119th Psalm
The shortest chapter is 117th Psalm
The middle verse of the bible is the 8th of the 118th Psalms

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

The longest name is in the 8th chapter of Isaiah
The word “and” occurs 46,227 times
The word Jehovah occurs 6,855 times
The 37th chapter of Isaiah and the 19th chapter of the 2nd book of Kings are alike
The longest verse is the 9th of the 8th chapter of Ester
The shortest verse is the 35th of the 11th chapter of John
In the 21st verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra is the alphabet
The name of God in not mentioned in the book of Ester
The Bible contains two testaments
The Old is Law, The New is Love
The Old is Bud, The New is Bloom
In the Old, man is reaching up for God
In the New, God is reaching down for man
In the Old, man is in the valley but can see the sun shining on the mountain tops
In the New he is on the mountain top basking in the sunlight of God’s infinite love

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p12

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Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart

Deuteronomy 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

What is idolatry? Simply, idolatry is the making of an image, representing a form in which to project an image of a deity (a god or gods) for which such deity has no form. This image is not god nor does it retain any power. Witchcraft (divination) is a form of idolatry, yet much different in practice and purpose, such as with the worship of Moloch. (We will look more closely on the subject of divination in the next article)

Idolatry, as described from the Old Testament, is creating an image (in various forms) offering to the person something in which he is able to witness towards himself, to see and to touch, to grasp hold of, to experience. The golden calf the Israelites made is the perfect example of idolatry. Believing Moses was dead, they created an image, a golden calf. They used their finest jewelry and metals to mold it. They were satisfying their need and desire to have god within their presence.

When Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play (Ex:32:5-6).

Exodus 32:8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, 'Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Idol worship attempts to bring forward the representation of a deity by the use of images, in which to offer substance to that which stands in place of the idol, that which defines a deity. Put another way, worshipping an idol is motivated by the want and desire to worship god using the idol in the effort to represent the deity. Yet the idol is not the deity. In essence, idolatry seeks to worship god by the use of images created by human hands; an idol. The Bible teaches clearly this is deception (Lev:19:4, Deut:29:17, 2Kings:23:24, 1Chr:16:26, Psalms:106:36, Isa:2:8, Eze:14:6, Hos:13:2, Zec:10:2, Acts:21:25, 1Thess:1:9, Rev:9:20)

Idolatry: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

Religious zeal; willingness to serve God.
The worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God.

The forms of idolatry are: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Fetishism The worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.
Nature worship The worship, of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature.
Hero worship The worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes.

Idolatry is simply worshipping deity through the use of images, from the desire to communicate with god by offering sacrifice and seeking favor. Many are lost to the true living God, because they continue to use dead images, made by their own hand, attempting to bring god towards them, on their terms, that which feels right to them because it is pleasing to that which soothes the intellect, the mind, based upon feelings and emotions.

Yet, they continue to deny truth, because the heart remains hardened and in rebellion towards God, denying Jesus Christ as The Savior and the only way to God. This is unbelief and it is unbelief that brings forward sin. Here is the mind which sets itself first, the very definition of pride; covetousness. This is what God declares as sin. That man does not believe God, denying truth, creating his own god, his own truth.

Here is Satan's effort, taking from God that which God desires to bring unto himself; redemption of the individual soul. God forces no person to accept his declared, written truth. God does have a plan and a program, in which He will carry though to the very end. None are able to stay his purpose as He rides victoriously in his own chariot, moving forward with his program to redeem those whom He has called. They are those who will answer that call and repent of their sin. This is; the will of God.

Habakkuk 2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

Man is a freethinking, moral agent. He is able to make his own decisions; he is the captain of his soul. His heart belongs only to himself. The totality of the soul is embodied within the heart. [From] the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man (Matt:15:19-20).

God clearly revealed himself, visually, to the Israelites as He delivered them out of Egypt, from slavery and bondage, working miracles and dwelling in their presence. This event happened to no nation or people, except the Israelites and the surrounding nations which witnessed those events (Josh:2:9-11). God revealed himself during the time of the Exodus, He revealed his Shekinah glory, He revealed himself through dreams and visions. God ultimately revealed himself in human form through the person of Jesus. Immanuel, God with us (Isa:7:14). The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary describes Image - worship as: Divine honour paid to any created object.

Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1:21-25: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (1:28).
In Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported among the Hebrews through contact with heathen nations.
The first and second commandments are directed against idolatry of every form.
No facts are more strongly declared in the Old Testament than that the extermination of the Canaanites was the punishment of their idolatry (Ex. 34:15, 16; Deut. 7;12:29-31; 20:17), and that the calamities of the Israelites were due to the same cause (Jer. 2:17). "A city guilty of idolatry was looked upon as a cancer in the state; it was considered to be in rebellion, and treated according to the laws of war. Its inhabitants and all their cattle were put to death."

Here is where we find Satan, working in opposition to God, attempting to deceive mankind by denying the truth of the living God: and Eve said: "of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen:3:34).

We see clearly within these verses of Deuteronomy 18:9-14, the historical record of ancient Israel, that God declares we are not to hearken unto the spirit world. Yet Israel did not listen to God and turned unto idols. As a result, they were taken into captivity by Babylon and their Temple was destroyed. This is a living testimony to the truth of God's word, given for our benefit. We are to turn from idolatry and listen to the Prophet that Moses said would come. Jesus did come and fulfilled that prophecy, revealing the true living God. He showed what we must do to find God, because mankind seeks to find, that which is impressed upon our hearts; that God is.....

The following is an example of a pagan man (a gentile) named, Cornelius. We find that he has genuine motivation in seeking truth because his heart is right. Cornelius is lacking in the knowledge of who God is and what He has declared.

Acts 10:1-2 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

We find that, in his heart, Cornelius was seeking truth even though he was idolatrous in his practice (pagan worship). That he is genuine in his desire to know and please God. Cornelius was ignorant of God's truth simply because he did not know the true and living God.

This is Satan's work, to deny truth, attempting to keep the word of God away from those who seek truth. God only speaks to mankind through his written word. Once we are grounded in these truths, then our relative experience can be looked at according to the word of God.

Matthew 4:4 ....Jesus answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

In this day, people continue in idolatry through a variety of ways. It may be the picture of Jesus hanging on the wall or the Buddha statue that sits quietly. Idolatry today is not so much the making of an idol as much as it is covetousness; the desire for possession, material wealth, worldly things, desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good, infatuation, immorality, possessiveness, envy, pride.

We covet what is guarded; the very care invokes the thief. Few love what they may have. ~Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) Amorum (III, 4, 25)

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if me my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive. ~William Shakespeare The Life of King Henry the Fifth

Many people simply remain in rebellion to the truth of God's word. They reject Jesus Christ as God. This is Satan's work, clearly revealed throughout scripture. This is the testimony of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament. Their testimony, their history, is a revelation of the true spiritual condition of mankind today. Man's spiritual condition has not changed since those days. There is nothing new under the sun, that which has not already been revealed.

Cornelius was called a devout man who feared God. Clearly he was seeking God within his heart. God's word makes known, that when a person seeks truth, God will reveal truth to that person. We see that the issue of truth starts with the heart first, because it is the heart that seeks truth. The New Covenant, which Jesus declared, is clearly revealed throughout the New Testament.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

We find that, even though idolatry is not necessarily intentionally evil, it is indeed in rebellion to God's written truth. The example of Cornelius is of a man who was seeking God in his heart but that, he did not know the true God, he did not know Jesus Christ. God makes known that any person who desires to find truth, He will reveal himself to that person. God did this with Cornelius, eventually sending Peter to him. Cornelius, a pagan idol worshipper, was used of God to reveal truth to Peter, God's chosen apostle. Peter's testimony of Jesus to Cornelius, is what the great commission is all about, declaring the Gospel message to all the world. That Jesus proved he was God, was put to death and rose from the dead. To believe in God but deny Jesus Christ, is nothing more than idolatry, blindness and deception.

These scriptures are given for any person such as Cornelius. God does answer the sincere search to find truth, to find God, because it is the heart that seeks truth.

Job:38:36
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?
or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Our Senses Cannot Always Be Trusted

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Our mind is the final arbiter of truth

Perpetually ascending staircase. How can the man go up all the time and come back to the same place over and over?

The red squares are the same color in the upper part and in the lower part of the "X"

The diagonal lines are parallel

There are no gray spots at the corners of the squares

The rows of black and white squares are all parallel

Impossible Triangle

Parallel lines at sunrise

The center circles are both the same size

The Vertical lines are both the same length

Three-prong fork

There are only white circles at the intersections

Wavy Squares? No!
The background of concentric circles makes the squares appear distorted

Rotating Wheels
The circles appear to rotate when you move your head closer and further away from the screen while looking at the dot in the center

Warped Square? There are no curved lines in this figure

So never make a decision based on your observations...
Think of what you saw and what you heard...
Analyze the facts and make the decision.

See more illustrations

What is God's Love? p3

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Series on 1Corinthians 13:4-13
part 1

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart,do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. James 3:14

In Part 1 of this series, we briefly looked at human emotion, asking the question: What is love to you? We looked at the word Perfect and what the meaning of this word represents and how it is defined.

Today I ask you to consider this question: Is it possible from imperfect human emotion and feeling to describe what pure love is? Or better asked, do we humans have any understanding or wisdom as to what "perfect" really means? Has any person ever truly seen purity? Are we able to know perfection when we see it?

A daunting thought in the attempt to define such essence, is it not, friends? What does "perfect" mean to you? Ask yourself this simple honest question: Am I perfect? As for myself, I honestly know and willingly admit, I am not perfect, as I consider to myself in all honesty, am I really any different than you? The apostle Paul describes Agape love or, as translated in the KJV, Charity by means of contrast.

Charity in the original Greek is Agape [1] and means: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.

Agape originates from Agapao and means: to welcome, to be fond of, to love dearly, to be well pleased, to be contented.
Agapao originates from Phileo and this means: To love; to approve of, to sanction, to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend. To show signs of love; to kiss.
Phileo originates from Philos [a primitive word] meaning: Friend. [2]

Charity envieth not, vaunteth not itself (rash), is not puffed up (pride), doth not behave itself unseemly (conduct), seeketh not her own,(self-denial) is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, never faileth.

Song of Solomon
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm:
for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave:
the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

Envy (zhlovwto): To burn with zeal, to be heated or to boil with envy, hatred, anger.
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 14:30

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:6

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. Romans 13:3
Vaunteth (perpereuvomai): This is the only time in the Bible this word is used, essentially described as Vanity. To boast one's self, a self display, employing rhetorical embellishments in extolling one's self excessively.
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. Lamentations 4:17
Evil (kakovß): In general, of persons, of thoughts, deeds, actions: bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, displeasing sad, unhappy, hurtful, unkind (vicious in disposition), wicked (ethically), giving pain, unhappiness, misery, distress, injury, calamity, adversity.

The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. John 7:7
Think no evil: Of a bad nature, not such as it ought to be, of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting, base, wrong, wicked, troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful.

Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellers of peace is joy. Proverbs 12:20

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Isaiah 57:20
Inquity (Adikia): Perversity, depravity, guilt
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Psalms:5:5

For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Isaiah 32:6

The Woe's of Isaiah....

Woe [3] unto them..... that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! (5:8) Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! (5:11) Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: (5:18)

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (5:20)

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (5:21) Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink (5:22) Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; (10:1) Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 29:15

The Gospel of Matthew
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

The prophet Isaiah described the visualization of divine love some 2800 years ago when he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, as his train [4] filled the temple. Listen now to one of the few men of all humanity describe what he witnessed. Isaiah 6:

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; [5] because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

In this verse it is clear that what Isaiah saw caused him immediately to declare his own sinful heart, claiming himself not only sinful but as though he were dead. Why did Isaiah declare his own sinful heart immediately? The Bible is very clear on the different visual experiences between Jesus Christ and that of angels.

When men have described angels in spirit form, they were immediately afraid and frightened (Daniel 10:11). Angels are described in the Bible as messengers of God and they serve Him. They may be seen or unseen, but according to the Bible they are all around us. God uses them as His servants to protect and help those who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14)

When men have described seeing the Lord Jesus Christ, they describe their souls as undone and their sin manifest within their mind as they all saw themselves as fallen, unclean, unrighteous. Their sin was revealed immediately as they describe, not being frightened, but that of their own iniquity and sorrow. Woe is me... the prophet of God said of himself. Daniel was a man greatly beloved in heaven and on earth. When seeing the Lord Jesus he declared himself as corrupt. Imagine then as these great prophets of God describe their own personal visions. All these great men describe the same exact experience.

Ezekiel saw the Lord and fell upon his face (1:28). Ezekiel declares he was fallen upon his face and asked to stand. It is obvious he was unable on his own strength:

And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. (2:1)

Daniel describes his visitation:

And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. (10:7-8)

The Biblical record describes what men have seen when looking upon perfection, the Lord Jesus. These descriptions are not the same as when angels appeared unto men. The differences of these visualizations and experiences are as of night and day, even life and death themselves. What is claimed today by "spiritual mediums" is that they communicate with spirit beings, as they are here to help mankind with a variety of problems which seem to plague us but only growing worse and worse, and that that they are friendly in their purposes and loving towards us. Friends, in all the Biblical accounts, not one person summoned up an angel (spirit being) as to communicate with them. The Bible is clear and exact that they are sent forth of God to deliver His messages to those who are chosen.

If you believe in angels, then you must believe that some of them are fallen and condemned because of their sin against God. Who is man to discern a being far greater than himself, when he himself is not perfect? I ask you this question: If you believe in God, why would you trust a spirit being to guide your level of spiritual understanding when they themselves worship Jesus Christ and they are used to help man towards salvation, through Jesus Christ?

The practice of communicating with the spirit world is forbidden in the Biblical record, and if you are practicing such then you are deceived already by rejecting what God has clearly declared. The Bible is absolute in the workings of angels in this world and their purpose as ministering spirits of God. [6]

The prophets of God are clear as to their experience of seeing the Lord Jesus Christ in their presence having described perfection, through their own hearts and minds as they themselves fell on their face declaring their own personal iniquity. "Woe is me," said Isaiah, a great prophet of God. "I am corrupt and undone," claimed a man greatly beloved of God. Quite a contrast. Friend, are you a sinner? The Bible declares you are a sinner. The proof of this judgment as witnessed by these men of God is a reverse axiom: Are you perfect?

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (13:10)

Matthew Henry Commentary
To sum up the excellences of charity, it is preferred not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith and hope. Faith fixes on the Divine revelation, and assents thereto, relying on the Divine Redeemer. Hope fastens on future happiness, and waits for that; but in heaven, faith will be swallowed up in actual sight, and hope in enjoyment. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But there, love will be made perfect. There we shall perfectly love God. And there we shall perfectly love one another. Blessed state! how much surpassing the best below! God is love (1John 4:8-16). Where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height; there only will it be perfected.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (13:1)

Geneva Bible Study
He reasons first of charity, the excellency of which he first shows by this, that without it, all other gifts are as nothing before God. And this he proves partly by an induction, and partly also by an argument taken of the end, for what reason those gifts are given. For, to what purpose are those gifts but to God’s glory, and the profit of the Church as is before proved? So that those gifts, without charity, have no right use. (a) A very earnest amplifying of the matter, as if he said, "If there were any tongues of angels, and I had them, and did not use them to the benefit of my neighbor, it would be nothing else except a vain and prattling type of babbling." (b) That gives a rude and uncertain sound.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (13:2-3)

Very clearly the apostle Paul is describing all things known, yet demonstrating that without love we are nothing. Love is revealed to humanity as we are able to witness love within ourselves. Love is a true gift that God has bestowed upon all His creation. This gift is evidenced in our own lives as we possess love within our being, our soul. For those who reject the sovereignty of God and His providence, I ask you this simple question: How can love evolve or be learned if there is no creator?

Who taught us to love? If life is relative and all things are subjective as humanism declares, then how could emotions, feelings, desires and passions evolve from a primordial soup of an evolutionary being, with no hope of an everlasting future? Indeed absurd if you attempt to take a deeper look at this wonderful gift that is inherent to all living human souls, given to us by an all-loving and gracious heavenly Father who is the essence of pure agape love.

Chapters 12-14 of this epistle to the Corinthians is in fact the section where the Apostle Paul describes Spiritual Gifts. These gifts are given to those who choose Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, seeking repentance of personal sin, becoming born again (baptised) through the Holy Spirit. Indeed, it is remarkable how unique and revolutionary the Holy Bible is among all books ever known, from eternity past to our eternal future. Nothing compares to the magnificence of love revealed through this book. For it is the revelation of perfection itself, the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Solomon and Paul said it best as each agreed to their own paradigm, one thousand years removed from each other. All things under the sun (earth) is vanity and vexation of the spirit, death. To be born again under the sun comes from only above (heaven) and this is the wisdom and understanding of the gift of love to all mankind. For God so loved the world....

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18: I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

In this section of Gifts (chapter 13), we have the very definition of love itself, what God's love is and what precious gifts He will bestow upon His creation. Friends, there is nothing, but nothing, that could ever achieve such magnificence as these words we have just looked at. This whole series of articles on (chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians) is the very biography of Jesus Christ himself. No human knowledge or wisdom could describe that which is not describable. If you cannot understand this, then please describe to me what love is to you. I am afraid that you will be just like me when comes the time to describe such an awesome thing. There are no words for such. The only possible word to describe Jesus as man and as God is simply that He is lovely. Friend, have you witnessed this truth of the Living Christ?

This is the manifest record of the man Jesus. While he was alive on this earth, the Lord Jesus demonstrated to the world what perfect love is and what the price of perfect love would require us to pay for the penalty of sin and destroy evil and iniquity forever. His blood purchased all the souls that declare Him Lord and King. There is no love greater than this as He is the complete and total essence of pure agape love. There is no religion, faith, or belief on earth that is to come, or that which has past, that has equated and demonstrated such love as our Lord Jesus did for all of humanity. A man himself and forever a man, as we are men and created in His image (1 John 3:2). This is truly a gracious gift that such depths cannot be known by the human mind. The Bible has declared and all has been revealed. There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)

Overview of Gifts [7] 1 Corinthians

Chapters 12-14 concerns spiritual gifts. This series of articles concentrates on this 13th chapter, looking at God's Love and the gift of love to humanity. Chapter 13 is a biography of Christ. The energy of God's gift is Agape Love

v.1-3 - the Preeminence of love - Value
All gifts are a string of zeros. Love placed before them is a figure that gives value.
v.4-7 - Prerogative of love - Virtue
"Love" is an abstract noun. It must be translated into life and action. Love expresses itself in patience, kindness, absence, of envy or boastfulness, etc.
v.8-13 - Permanence of love - Victory
"Love never faileth" (v.8), negative; "Love abideth" (v.13), positive.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways (13:11)

When I was a child... We all were children once. I am sure anyone reading this verse can understand what the Apostle Paul is stating here. Growing through reasoning and understanding. The Bible claims that we are judged on the amount of light, or truth, that we have received. It states that we receive this light in the manner in which we can absorb. It is not difficult to understand love at an early age. Love is an inherent quality of our existence that is designed into our human capacity so as to enable us to have conscience, the awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong.

As science means knowledge, conscience etymologically means self-knowledge . . . But the English word implies a moral standard of action in the mind as well as a consciousness of our own actions. . . . Conscience is the reason, employed about questions of right and wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments of approbation and condemnation. --Whewell.

This is really the summation of our total soul. We consider these emotions in our thoughts and our bodies react to these things, deep within the bowels of our hearts, our souls. Friends, love is something that could not have possibly evolved as is being preached today in our secular culture of humanism, enlightenment and spiritual understanding. Love is the single most relative object truth of our personal experience, as we interact within this creation belonging to an eternal God described as "Abba Father" or "Daddy." God is the totality of agape love, having expressed love towards His crown creation, humanity, as any good father would towards one of his own. A natural and chosen response of our effection towards each other.

What a privilege it is to know and realize that Jesus is the true living God. This is what the Bible calls The Beginning of Wisdom and this can only be a gift from God for those who ask Him. It is a free gift offered for all to achieve and attain, for it is a free gift to those who seek truth. The superscription written over him on the cross, in the letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. He was the rightful male heir as King of the Jews, passed through the bloodline of King David as Jesus is called the son of David. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer [8] as he is titled The Son of Man [9].

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. [10] (Ruth 4:6)

God imparts His wisdom upon our hearts and minds. We are able then to see the light that He has made available for mankind to discover and take freely unto himself through the Holy Spirit. Love is the gift of God through the works of the Lord Jesus. This is the truth that we true regenerate born-again believers attempt to teach to a lost and blinded world. Are you really able to comprehend a just and holy God that has declared all souls are His and that all of humanity will be judged for everything he has done in his lifetime? You can count of it, friends, as you yourself judge all things that are relative to your experience, always and without fail.

We are created in the image of God in three ways: Mind (God the Father), body (God the Son) and spirit (God the Holy Spirit). The problem with humanity is that our spirit is dead. It is evident through early life that we correspond to that which is in our physical and mental capacity. Yet who can reveal anything of their spirit? Who can know anything of the eternal? No person can, and the Bible makes this clear. Man is but a soul that will perish. It is so because we are not eternal beings, unable to deliver ourselves from all sorts of diseases, birth defects, illness, human emotions of hate, revenge, selfishness and so forth. Humans are unable to travel between time and space and we do not live in the presence of God, having all knowledge. This, friends, is not where humanity dwells. We dwell in a world that is corrupt and fallen, rejecting God's authority, morality and judgment.

Our physical bodies require food and water for life. Our spirit requires food and water as well. Jesus said that He is the living waters and that He is the spiritual food we need, I am the bread of life. God only speaks through His word, the Holy Bible, which reveals the living Christ. The Word become flesh as they witnessed His glory and life. We believe their testimony as truth. Jesus is the single absolute standard for all human experience. We know this is truth because we know what love is in our own experience as we place absolute judgment on what is truth in our own lives. What person does make not make absolute judgments in his daily life? We hold all things we know and understand up to some measure. What is your measure, friend? What have you used to measure what is truth in your experience?

This is what it means to pass from a child to an adult in terms of spiritual truth. We now know that these relative truths of ours are to be considered and compared to some form of standard. Knowing the truth of humanity from our present and past corrupt condition of pride and selfishness, of contempt and disregard to others, of spiritual blindness and flawed human wisdom, of inequity and injustices, of immorality and wanton perversion, of bitterness and revenge, of secrets and deception, of death and war, of murder and anguish, of theft and greed, of self-consumption and feeble comforts, of apathy and spiritlessness, of lust and pleasing desires. Behold humanism... nothing but vanity and vexation of the spirit.

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lamentations 3:19-22

No wonder Jesus tells us that if we had faith of a child we would possess the kingdom of heaven. Indeed a child's knowledge is but love, trust and faith. For how is it possible to reject such convicting truths of the human condition, knowing the way we treat our fellow man? A child is taught these things of inquity as he grows into a corrupt and fallen world, ruled by wickedness in high places (Eph:6:12). He loses his innocence of youthful ignorance (protected so to speak) from the knowledge and corruption of man. We came into this world naked and we leave it just the same. Yet as we exit this life we are indeed the captains of our souls, willingly choosing our destinations, unlike our birth. We came into this world not choosing the things that we are known for in life, our birth date, eye and hair color, height, all our unique features, all the things that make us unique as individuals, from our voices to our fingerprints, from our chosen written hand to the music and art we create. True qualities of a living conscience, our hearts and souls. Yet we did not choose any of these things at birth. Faith of a child!

Our spirit is dead for certain and it is agape love that holds all things in balance through righteous judgment. These determinations have nothing to do with our decisions or efforts to change a thing, of what we feel or think is right or wrong. We frail humans can do nothing to this creation that is sustained all around us other than regard it and react to it. This is true for every culture of every time frame, in totality of all earthly existence, from eternity past to eternity future. This is true as well for the written word of God, The Holy Bible, The Word of God.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Revelation 19:13

Man is a fallen and inherently sinful creature. It is only the lasting and enduring pure love of God that can deliver us from our current state of death and decay even though we have life. Delivering us to a complete and fulfilled condition of mind, body and spirit, as God intended in the beginning and as God will bring though for all those who will listen to what He has declared. Are you are true, reborn child of God? If not, why not ask God today to help you find Him? Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. (13:12)

We see dimly because we are unable to breach this time and space to that which is not time and space, that which is eternal. God has declared to all of mankind that only love is enduring and lasting. We can easily see that there is no possible way that we are able to sustain such an impossible task of enduring and lasting love, towards our neighbor, ourselves, or towards God with all our heart, mind and strength, the three things which we are made of.

Absolute judgment and perfection determine love. It cannot be any other way. If love is subjected to emotion and feeling, then love cannot remain because our love is tempered by faulty judgment and uncontrolled emotion, caused by personal feeling and held accountable through those whom we love. This is selfishness and pride as we do not love our neighbors and we don't love God with all our mind, soul and strength. We only love that which pleases ourselves, for we are dead to the spiritual and cannot even perceive it, for we are blinded to truth. Human knowledge, wisdom and understanding, these are but mortal things that will pass away. Only love remains.

So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (13:13)

So love then abides, it remains. Love dwells and continues. Love endures. Faith and Hope will eventually be carried up into love, as love will be all that remains, for of these three, two are enclosed unto the greater, to form the completeness of agape love. A Triune work and our blessed Hope. By faith in Christ, we have hope for eternal life through love.

Another interesting look at this word abide. Abide means: To dwell; settle, to pervade, prompt, govern it to dwell in, inhabit. God is said to dwell in the temple, i.e. to be always present for worshippers. inhabitant.

Consider this verse:

In my Father's house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The word [mansions] in the original Greek is Mone (monhv) and means: staying, abiding, dwelling, abode, to make an one's abode. Metaphor of: God the Holy Spirit indwelling believers. The word [mansions] is used only once in the entire Bible and originates from Meno (mevnw) in the original Greek and means Abide.

In my Father's universe there are many living spaces, many places of abiding and dwelling life. I am preparing a place of eternal life for those who accept salvation, giving them eternal life through my perfect love. (paraphrase)

Romans Chapter 5

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Through emotion and feelings we are nothing more than mortal and we serve death because death is a fact of life and we can see this truth from all things surrounding our existence. Who would dare doubt such things? As Paul said, once I was a child and did childish things. Now I am grown and can see what is true.

Love is determined through a perfect and justified standard that is equal unto all mankind, in all time frames, in all cultures, with no exception and with no respect of persons. Humanity is truly dead and has no way of saving its own. So we are given faith. Faith refers to the things that are hoped for, thusly encompassing a certainty. For the Christian faith is not blind, as has been evidenced by just these few things mentioned already.

What is true IN your experience and what is love FROM your experience?

In part three of this series we will examine why Jesus is called the Way, the Truth and the Life. We will see the price of God's love and His love accomplished for humanity and what that love will cost each and every human being that has ever lived or will ever come. Those who are in Adam (in the flesh) will die. Yet those in Christ shall have eternal life. Friends, God required His own son to die, wickedly, at the hands of evil and brutal people. This is what God demanded for the penalty of sin and iniquity.

Friends, imagine the magnitude of God's love when He turned his face from his own son, as Jesus was left all alone and nailed to a tree, broken and beaten beyond recognition, ridiculed and mocked, scorned and condemned by sinful and wicked human hands. Oh friend, what is love to you? We know what God's love demonstrated as He did not spare his own son, who laid down His life willingly, so that condemnation of those who are condemned, would be brought to salvation because of His passion and suffering. This is the highest magnitude of agape love and only a loving God could perform such a triumph of love over evil, as Jesus showed to all humanity and their record testifies. Indeed, He is lovely...

Psalms 22:1
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [11]
why art thou so far from helping me, [12]
and from the words of my roaring? [13]

[1] Agape New Testament Greek Lexicon
[2] Friend According to Scripture there are three possible objects of friendship: another person, God or his Son, or someone else who follows Jesus.
[3] Woe woe! alas! oh! passionate cry of grief or despair
[4] train Shuwl meaning a skirt (of robe), a high priest's robe.
[5] Undone to cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy, perish.
[6] What can we learn from angels RBC Ministries
[7] Notes and outlines J. Vernon McGee - Thru The Bible radio program.
[8] Kinsman-Redeemer Male relative who, according to various laws found in the Pentateuch, had the privilege or responsibility to act for a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need of vindication.
[9] Son of Man Used by Christ himself. Designates himself as the head of the human family, the man, the one who both furnished the pattern of the perfect man and acted on behalf of all mankind. The term "Son of Man" occurs sixty-nine times in the Synoptic Gospels, thirteen times in John, and once in Acts. All but three occurences come from the lips of Jesus.
[10] Bridegroom 1)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Eph:5:25). 2)One of the bridegroom's friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride and rendered him various services in closing the marriage and celebrating the nuptials.
[11] Why hast thou forsaken me is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. This must be applied to Christ. In the first words of this complaint, he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross (matt:27:46). Being truly man, Christ felt a natural unwillingness to pass through such great sorrows, yet his zeal and love prevailed.
[12] so far from helping me: salvation, deliverance by God, victory.
[13] words of my roaring: shows that the complaint is expressed intelligently, though the term "roaring" is figurative, taken from the conduct of irrational creatures in pain, a cry of distress.

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Does Christianity Preach Fear? p11

2005-08-05T16:07:00.000-05:00

Selling Fear

"Preaching fear has always been more lucrative than promoting skepticism"
~Author unknown
This series has been examining the claims that Christianity preaches fear. Part one looked at the biblical understanding of the Fear of the Lord. Part two looked at the reality of fear in our daily lives. Part three and four examined the claim that Christianity preaches fear as a method in which to control people. Part five examined the claim that preaching about Hell is Christianity's attempt to create fear.

Does Christianity profit by scaring people? Do Christian organizations profit by sensationalizing fear? Do those who claim they are born again Christians actually profit from selling of fear? We will examine those claims in these next three articles.

Selling Fear

Does fear sell? The answer is absolutely! Selling fear is a profitable business. If you doubt this, then I invite you to visit your local video store and check it out for yourself. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that people love to be scared, particularly if the plot is based around spirituality; good over evil, light over dark. People love to see the good guy defeat evil. There are thousands of movies, TV programs, video games, books and etc, that are based on the premise of good over evil; Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz and etc, etc.

The above picture is of The Joker, the menacing character that Jack Nicholson plays in the 1989 movie Batman [1]. While I did not find this movie all that scary, the plot is centered around good overcoming evil. Batman, the good protector of Gotham City is out to destroy the evil Joker and restore everything back to normal. Its the classic good guy defeats evil story. Not that scary for us adults, but for the kids, that’s another story altogether. Personally, when I think of a really scary movie, what comes to my mind right off the bat is the 1973 mega hit The Exorcist. I'll discuss more about this movie in the following article. The concept that fear sells is nothing new.

Throughout this series, I have offered many examples that are evident in our daily lives that center around fear in order to bring awareness. Obviously, fear is a part of the human reasoning process. While there are many examples of this, one of the most reasonable is - Fire. Is selling fire or smoke alarms a profitable business? Is this product something that is worthy to have in our home or office? If someone makes the claim that these things are not essential to life and property (safety and protection) then what can be said? There are many things in daily life that preach fear to us while we remain completely aware to what those are. But I'm willing to bet that The Joker is not one of them!

Do you purchase insurance? How much do you spend to insure your most valued possessions? This should be enough to convince even the most ardent critic that fear sells! If you have a smoke alarm in your home, that is proof positive that fear sells and you too have bought into the notion that there are things that are to be feared.

So, what is the difference between proclaiming the truth of eternal damnation to that of smoke alarms? The difference is, those who claim that Christianity preaches fear do so because they reject the thought of a place called Hell. They do however realize that fire is something to be feared and respected. It is evident that the realization of fear is a requirement for something to be respected. If you do not fear a fire in your home then just forget about the smoke alarms! If you do not fear The Joker invading your home town, then chances are pretty good that you'll forget all about Batman!

Sensationalizing Misery and Poverty

The basic claim from the critic today is that Christianity sells fear, especially concerning the end of the age, Armageddon - The Great Tribulation. Is the critic accurate with the claim that Christianity sensationalizes the end of the age? The quick answer is, of course not. People sensationalize misery and fear, while Christianity offers hope and escape from those realties. I will address the Armageddon claim in more detail in the next article, but for now lets take a look at the claim of sensationalizing misery.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10

The important thing to see in this verse is that it centers around those that claim they are Christians, yet do not follow the word of God. Instead, they use God's word for personal gain, presenting themselves as pious and religious people who use Godliness (goodness) to hide their true desires. Their intentions, motives and actions are easily discerned through their life witness (2Tim:3:10).

The doctrine of faith is belief in Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sin. The true born again Christian does not desire the riches of this world, nor desires to profit from the misery of others. Christianity is set with the example of Jesus Christ; servitude - through love and benevolence (Rom:6:18).

Did you know that the doctrine of wealth through the profit of misery is not found anywhere in the Bible? Well, actually, that is not totally true. The rulers of Israel sold their people into slavery by corrupting God's word to please their wickedness and idolatry (Zech:11). It is not against the will of God to be rich or to posses wealth. In fact, God has placed many people in such a position (1Cor:12:28). Maybe the parable of the ten talents comes to mind (Matt:25:14)?

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1Timothy 6:11

What Paul is saying here is the same that Jesus has already made clear: the desire and want for money is the root of all evil - for it comes from the heart. Christianity preaches that which is to be feared, that which resides within the heart! The New Testament describes this as covetousness, and is one of the first signs of someone who has turned away from the faith and corrupts the doctrines of Christianity with that of his own doctrine (Col:2:22). These are false teachers, and we will know them by their words and deeds - their works (Matt:7:16).

And Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15

Clearly, want and desire for material wealth is covetousness and is an outwardly sign of those who do not accept salvation though Jesus Christ alone. As Christians, we are not concerned with what people claim they are, for we know already where they stand - with the world (Matt:8:22). Nor are we to be concerned with the claims of the critic that Christianity sells fear. After all, what is Christianity? It is no more than one who believes and follows Jesus Christ (John 10:27). The true born again Christian is looking for what is true, that which is revealed through God's word, that which is evident in this world. A true Christian compares these truths to the light of the scriptures. The Holy Spirit will be our teacher, our helper, our guide.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1Thessalonians 5:21

Christians in fact are instructed to carefully consider all things and prove that which is good. Ministries or individuals that are selling materials, making plea's for donations, or promising to do a variety of things must not be taken at their word. Christians must always check the facts, first (Matt:10:16). This means that you will need to personally do the work of finding out what these organizations or individual’s stand for, what they claim is the doctrine they follow, what they believe. Then, check out what they say they will do with what they have actually done. It is obvious that people will claim one thing and do another. It is up to you to research these things.

There are many excellent organizations, ministries, and untold numbers of people that follow the word of God in the attempt to help those in need [2]. As well, there as just as many, if not more, that are out to make the big money, pretending to be Christians in order to profit for themselves, by appealing to the heart and soul, corrupting the word of God to fit into their earthly desires to achieve wealth. As I said earlier, profiting on fear and misery is nothing new, nor should it come as a surprise to anyone that they would come looking as men of God. Its not so difficult to make a determination if an organization does what it claims. Common sense is the main thought here.

It is true that those who claim they are Christians use fear to promote misery and suffering in order to profit their personal pocket books. I think this is quite evident. Who has not seen the pictures splashed across television screens of starving children and the plea to support that charity so those poor destitute children might not meet such a cruel death or a dismally bleak life. Whose heart is not moved when we see such things? Is the human heart compelled to offer a few dollars in order to save a dying child (Rom:14:17)?

The claim that Christianity sells fear is quite bogus. People sell fear because people buy fear. Christianity teaches that which is to be feared (Ex:18:21, Ecc:12:13, 1Pe:2:17) The word of God is not sold to the highest bidder; it is a free gift of God to all mankind. The difference is - do you know what the word of God declares? Or, are you simply motivated by the sensationalism of those who covet, having pierced themselves with many sorrows (Matt:6:20, Mark 8:36, Rom:2:5,6).

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. Mark 9:4

In the next article, we will continue with the subject of selling fear and why people are so easily fooled by those who claim they are doing the work of God, when in fact, they are false teachers, liars and deceivers. This is what happened to Israel and is recorded as their testimony through the Old Testament, for our benefit in this day and age. There is nothing new under the sun.

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[1] Batman picture of Jack Nicholson as The Joker
[2] Ministry Watch

Does Christianity Preach Fear? p10

2005-08-05T15:50:00.000-05:00

Hell = Control? (5 of 5)

Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world. ~Daniel Webster

Summary

The attack against Christianity is obvious and in public view. The transformation of society goes hand in hand with the transformation of the Church. It is not necessary to totally outlaw Christianity as the attempt will be the intentioned change towards a more user-friendly type of establishment. This is exactly what has happened in the last 50 years as is now obvious and in full display with the departure of the word of God. The 21st Century Christian church no longer teaches the fundamental truths of sin and salvation, heaven and hell, but teaches a new spiritual truth based on feelings and emotions, personal experiences and self-help, tolerance and acceptance of all unrighteousness, resulting in the forced religion of humanism (I discuss this in more detail at the conclusion of this series).

The history of Israel as told through the testimony of the Old Testament tells us another story however. The prophecies as told through the New Testament reveal clearly what is happening today; that of the Church falling for false doctrine and heresy, thus creating a new Christianity which is nothing more than the pagan religions of ancient Babylon. The Book of Revelation calls this MYSTERY BABYLON and is the system that Satan will use to usher in his world system of Anti-Christ; a secular, pluralistic society that teaches all truth is the same truth, explicitly denying Jesus Christ.

Daniel 11:36-39
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

From the Council of Europe: European identity by Miguel Poiares Maduro, Law Professor at Lisbon University

People often claim that globalisation is a threat to national sovereignty but that is not quite the case. While it is true that nations can no longer protect their identity and sovereignty alone, European construction can help them do so while getting them to change at the same time. Globalisation in itself does not introduce new values but merely changes the way in which those values are shared; there are losers and winners.

The way to prevent this change is to stand up and be heard, to demand that power remains in the hands of the people. Freedom came about with the birth of the American nation, seeking freedom of self-rule as our history clearly reveals. Those who built this nation came from those nations that persecuted individual rights and personal freedoms. It is obvious that Christianity was the ideology which our freedoms were based, and as a result, removed the possibility for totalitarian rule to take place through the Church or the State. The loss of these freedoms will bring forward socialism, where absolute truth is silenced and replaced with the convergence of religious pluralism that claims; tolerance is of the highest value. The Book of Revelation describes the world ruler and his system that will come, controlling all government, military, money and religion. Tolerance and obedience will be the rule. When this happens, swift destruction and God's judgment is all that will come, and the close of the age will be fulfilled and the mystery of God shall be finished (Rev:10:7).

Tyranny seldom announces itself. ... In fact, a tyranny may exist without an individual tyrant. A whole government, even a democratically elected one, may be tyrannical. ~Joseph Sobran

America stands in the crossroads. Either she will choose to go down the slippery slope of socialism or will take back the power which belongs to the people. Apathy and the removal of God's truth brings forward immorality and self-destruction. It is our foundational right to demand and ensure that our freedoms remain guaranteed. This should be done through love and benevolence, centered on the teachings of the word of God, teaching to Americans what is true about our history and the privileges granted by the blood of so many. Freedom is not free, but comes with cost, ensuring that the next generation will stand free. Apathy and the loss of truth will change America into a socialist nation, which will usher in swift destruction.

Stability in government is essential to national character and to the advantages annexed to it, as well as to that repose and confidence in the minds of the people, which are among the chief blessings of civil society. ~James Madison

Our founding fathers obviously knew these truths and wrote them as such in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Americans cannot believe that it is possible that our enemies would come from within, from the very people who have been trusted to carry out the office of public service, and through the morality and integrity of her masses. We will have failed our forefathers by losing that which they sought to guarantee, as those great men were not afraid to face death, to bring to this world a nation that was served though the truths of Gods word. They realized the goal and we have benefited for nearly 300 years. Yet, they also warned the generations that would follow, how freedom and self-determination would be lost if the people fell asleep.

The state is the coldest of all cold monsters. Coldly it lies, too; and this lie creeps from its mouth; 'I, the state, am the people.' ~Friedrich Nietzsche

It is understood that America allows freedom of all religion, and that Christianity is what brought this forward. Christianity is now under attack, with portions of the Bible becoming outlawed in the public use, which is prohibited by our Constitution. This is an obvious blatant attack upon our founding ideology and must be opposed, lest we lose our fundamental rights entirely.

A people who extend civil liberties only to preferred groups start down the path either to dictatorship of the right or the left. ~Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

Christianity is tolerant of all religious beliefs and professes that all have the right to choose that which they will follow as truth (free-will). The true foundational message of Christianity is to declare the Gospel message to the world, delivering truth to those who know not that which God has revealed. Christianity does not condemn other religions or beliefs but teaches repentance (mercy) through the forgiveness of sin (grace). This is the true Church that the Apostles put in motion, all save one who were so inhumanly tortured and murdered, for teaching God's truth; to repent of their sin, to gain eternal salvation (redemption) which God has granted to all mankind (free gift) to enter into his eternal sin free kingdom, becoming the manifest eternal child of God. Those who refuse, do so willingly, choosing an eternal existence outside that of God's holy presence, sent into the outer darkness of the eternal condition of lost hope, living eternally in sorrow and despair, forsaken for all eternity, which is the eternal fire that burns the vexing unrepentant soul, self-condemned, unto utter ruin.

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. Luke 12:8-9

As quoted by Supreme Court Justice William Douglas, preferred groups such as pro-choice and homosexual rights, are now demanding that the Biblical doctrines that preach against such immoral practices, must become outlawed because they decry this as hate and intolerant. These claims stand in the face of our fundamental rights to express freely our religious beliefs. The modern day Church will be lost to apostasy and deception if we do not stand together and demand that our rights not be violated. The time is at hand and the decision to choose is now.

The general (federal) government will tend to monarchy, which will fortify itself from day to day, instead of working its own cures. ~Thomas Jefferson

Part 11 of this series will look at the issue of money (buying and selling) and the preaching of fear. Is it true? The answer may surprise you!

I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; not enlightened enough to exercise their control with wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion. Enlighten the people generally and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day. ~Thomas Jefferson

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Thy Brother's Blood Crieth Unto Me

2005-08-05T15:47:00.000-05:00

And he said, What hast thou done?
The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground

Adam and Eve brought sin into the world through their acts of omission, from the conscience. Sin begins to manifest itself into acts of commission, as we see that Cain has murdered his brother, as he has no guilt or repentance towards his wanton judgment; the intentioned slaying of his brother. We see Cain questioned by God as he responds with a lie; "I know not". Moreover, we find several important and foundational truths concerning murder. From the sins of conscience, that of desire; from Eve then to Adam, we now find that sin progresses towards lying, to murder - acts of commission.

It is hatred

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

A work of the flesh; those who reject the authority of God

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:21

Comes from the heart

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Matthew 15:19-20

The flood will now come and judge the people for their wickedness and hatred. In this pre-flood world no law was given to man and without law to reveal sin, man continues towards the downfall of his own soul, demonstrating the true fact that man is a sinful being, that which comes from the heart.

Yet as well, we have found through Abel, that righteousness was taught the children of Adam and Eve. That the Lord Jesus began to work with mankind early in the beginning, demonstrating that by faith they can be forgiven of their sinful ways. Adam and Eve knew this and taught their children that One would come and redeem their transgression of innocence, their willful act to turn from God and listen to a malevolent being, which lied to them and succeeded into deceiving them. By this very act, Adam lost his rightful headship of dominion over this earth to that of the Serpent, who is now lord of this earth.

Yet redemption was given to those who loved God, and who chose to repent of their sins, to accept the mercy and grace of God, for He loved them. They needed to know what transgression was in order to have the justified decision to choose God. Not through force or through fear, but that of love. We have seen that Cain chose not to listen, and therefore, represents those who will reject God because of their envy, jealousy, rage and ultimately, their hatred of that which is Godly, that which is righteous, to choose that of their own way - the way of Cain. He is that which Satan showed to him; a liar and a murderer. This is idolatry at it's purist form, and this is the ultimate in the practice of divination and that of choosing to listen to a spirit world which seeks to deny the Lord God and his truth. It is from Cain that we find those who choose Satan; Woe to them, for they have gone in the way of Cain.

Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary Genesis 4:10-15

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary/Nave's Topical Bible

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Represents a sin crying to heaven and cries for vengeance.

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:24

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Revelation 6:10

Now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Now art thou cursed from the earth
A curse superadded to the general one denounced on the ground for Adam's sin.

A curse of God, and curses those guilty of

For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:21

Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these. Jeremiah 2:34

Curses made; denounce

Against the serpent (Gen:3:14-15)
Against Adam and Eve (Gen:3:15-19)
Against the ground (Gen:3:17-18)
Against Cain (Gen:4:11-16)

The next curse that will come (discussed in next article; part 12)

against Canaan; the son of Ham, the son of Noah (Gen:9:24-27)

A fugitive
condemned to perpetual exile; a degraded outcast; the miserable victim of an accusing conscience.

Wanderers and vagabonds, flee from God’s presence

Dave Marr Dan of Israel states:

Essentially, the earth itself cursed Cain. The earth received a dead man’s blood by a murderer, so it would punish the criminal, through God’s edict. It will no longer be subdued under Cain’s hand, and yield him crops. Taken in context, Cain would be “a fugitive and a vagabond” in his relationship to the earth, not in relation to other men. Indeed, Cain wasn't a farmer; instead, he built the world’s first city.

Yet, Cain was also a fugitive of his family, and was alienated from them-- but nowhere in the verses does it say “perpetually” or “forever”. Even so, the former interpretation is the primary meaning of the Genesis 4:12 - Dave Marr

Proverbs 6:16-19 Six things the Lord hates; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.

My punishment is greater than I can bear
What an overwhelming sense of misery; but no sign of penitence, nor cry for pardon.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Isaiah 1:15

Every one that findeth me shall slay me
This shows that the population of the world was now considerably increased.

Fearful and cowardly

because their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder. Proverbs 1:16

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:14-18

Whosoever slayeth Cain
By a special act of divine forbearance, the life of Cain was to be spared in the then small state of the human race. set a mark: not any visible mark or brand on his forehead, but some sign or token of assurance that his life would be preserved. This sign is thought by the best writers to have been a wild ferocity of aspect that rendered him an object of universal horror and avoidance.

For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:13

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Murder by Mark W. Chavalas

Jesus interpreted the sixth commandment differently than the contemporary Jewish scholars (who had a narrowly literal view), and agreed with the spirit of the Old Testament law on homicide (Matt:5:21-22). He pointed out a spiritual cause for murder;

its root was internal anger.
Characteristic of the Devil (John:8:44)

One was not righteous by simply refraining from homicide;

an angry person was also subject to judgment

He thus contended that hating one's brother was in the sphere of the command against murder, as it was part of a process leading to a potential murderous act (Lev:19:17-18)

Jesus' words were in effect a full summary of the murder law (Ex:21:12; Deut:17:8)
The intention as well as the act came under God's judgment.

He condemned the evil disposition of the heart that lay at the root of the transgression.

The beginning of the outward act of murder was sinful anger or hatred, an attitude that was a sin against the sixth commandment
James added that the cause of murder was a consequence of frustrated desire (4:2; 1Kings:21)

The death of Christ was the supreme example of murder in the Scriptures (Matt 27:20; Mark:13:12; 14:55)

His murder was predicted in the Passion narratives (Mark:8:31; 9:31; 10:34)
The Jews sought to murder him (John:7:1, 19; 11:53)
His violent death was recounted by Peter (Acts 5:30) and Paul (Acts:26:21; Eph:2:16 — Christ was murdered in hostility)
Christ was symbolized as the slaughtered Lamb, signifying his humble obedience and innocence (Rev:5:6-12; 13:8)
Slain martyrs were likewise labeled (Rev:6:9)

Willful murder was distinguished from accidental homicide, and was invariably visited with capital punishment.

This law in its principle is founded on the fact of man's having been made in the likeness of God (Gen:9:5,6; John:8:44; 1John:3:12-15)

End of part 6
Thy Brother's Blood Crieth Unto Me

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain

part 1 They Were Morally Corrupt and Destitute
part 2 The Two Divisions of Mankind
part 3 In Due Time Christ Died For The Ungodly
part 4 The Revelation of Two Mysteries
part 5 Am I My Brother's Keeper?
part 6: Thy Brother's Blood Crieth Unto Me

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

2005-08-05T15:26:00.001-05:00

Dispensation of Conscience

Proverbs 28:13
The one who conceals his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: Genesis 4:3-4

The 1599 Geneva Study Bible

This declares that the father instructed his children in the knowledge of God, and also how God gave them sacrifices to signify their salvation, though they were destitute of the ordinance of the tree of life.

Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary

in process of time (Hebrew), "at the end of days," probably on the Sabbath, brought an offering unto the Lord - Both manifested, by the very act of offering, their faith in the being of God and in His claims to their reverence and worship; and had the kind of offering been left to themselves, what more natural than that the one should bring "of the fruits of the ground," and that the other should bring "of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof"

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes Genesis 4:3-4

There was a difference in the characters of the persons offering: Cain was a wicked man, but Abel was a righteous man (Matt:23:35).
There was a difference in the offerings they brought. Abel's was a more excellent sacrifice than Cain's; Cain's was only a sacrifice of acknowledgment offered to the Creator; the meat - offerings of the fruit of the ground were no more: but Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement, the blood whereof was shed in order to remission, thereby owning himself a sinner, deprecating God's wrath, and imploring his favour in a Mediator.
But the great difference was, Abel offered in faith, and Cain did not.
Abel offered with an eye to God's will as his rule, and in dependence upon the promise of a Redeemer. But Cain did not offer in faith, and so it turned into sin to him.

Genesis 4:8-10

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And Cain said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

And the LORD said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody's power, that is not easy. ~Aristotle

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it? ~Eleanor Roosevelt

The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. ~Eric Hoffer

It is not so much that man is a herd animal, said Freud, but that he is a horde animal led by a chief. ~Ernest Becker

History does nothing; it does not possess immense riches,
it does not fight battles.
It is men, real, living, who do all this.
~Karl Marx

No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible. ~Voltaire

The price of greatness is responsibility. ~Winston Churchill

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being. ~Goethe

There are many scapegoats for our sins, but the most popular one is Providence. ~Mark Twain

I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
~William Blake, A Poison Tree

There is so much good in the worst of us,
and so much bad in the best of us,
that it behooves all of us not to talk about the rest of us.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings. ~Helen Keller

We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. ~Jonathan Swift

Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. ~Booker T. Washington

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.
The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
~Abraham Lincoln

A good heart is better than all the heads in the world. ~Edward Bulwer-Lytton

There never was a good knife made of bad steel. ~Benjamin Franklin

Compassion is the basis of morality. ~Arnold Schopenhauer

I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it. ~Thomas Aquinas

I love humanity but I hate people.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay

An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. ~Martin Luther King Jr

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes Genesis 4:9

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? God knew him to be guilty; yet he asks him, that he might draw from him a confession of his crime; for those who would be justified before God, must accuse themselves. And he said, I know not - Thus in Cain the devil was both a murderer, and a liar from the beginning. Am I my Brother's keeper? - Sure he is old enough to take care of himself, nor did I ever take charge of him. Art not thou his keeper? If he be missing, on thee be the blame, and not on me, who never undertook to keep him.

Matthew Henry Complete Commentary Genesis 4:9-12

The Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? Some think Cain was thus examined the next sabbath after the murder was committed, when the sons of God came, as usual, to present themselves before the Lord, in a religious assembly, and Abel was missing, whose place did not use to be empty; for the God of heaven takes notice who is present at and who is absent from public ordinances. Cain is asked, not only because there is just cause to suspect him, he having discovered a malice against Abel and having been last with him, but because God knew him to be guilty; yet he asks him, that he may draw from him a confession of his crime, for those who would be justified before God must accuse themselves, and the penitent will do so.

Matthew 23:34-39
Some of them you will kill and crucify,
and some of them you will flog in your synagogues
and hound from town to town.
So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,
from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah...

Psalms 9:12
For the One who seeks an accounting for bloodshed remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Psalms 10:13
Why has the wicked despised God? He says to himself,
"You will not demand an account."

Am I my brother's keeper?
This may be one of the oldest questions to be asked. It is one that continues to beg for an answer. What is your answer?

End of part 5
Am I My Brother's Keeper?

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain

part 1 They Were Morally Corrupt and Destitute
part 2 The Two Divisions of Mankind
part 3 In Due Time Christ Died For The Ungodly
part 4 The Revelation of Two Mysteries
part 5: Am I My Brother's Keeper?
part 6 Thy Brother's Blood Crieth Unto Me

Does Christianity Preach Fear? p9

2005-08-05T15:05:00.000-05:00

Hell = Control? (4 of 5)

The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1-17

The Bible declares that the standard Jesus will use to judge those that refuse salvation are the very same Ten Commandments as given to Moses by the finger of God. These Commandments have stood solid throughout the ages as they are fundamental to humanity, realized through the heart and through the conscience. These laws stand true not by some committee or any body of legislators. Nay! These laws stand self-evident and true based upon self-realization, being written upon the hearts and conscience of all humanity (Romans:2:12-16).

Moses inside the Supreme Court's courtroom

Exodus 31:18
And he gave unto Moses,
when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone,
written with the finger of God.

Who can respect themselves if they have no respect for their parents?
Who desires to be murdered? Do murderers value the life of the one they killed?
Does any spouse rejoice knowing the one they love is cheating on them?
Do liars believe anything anyone will tell him?
Is there any honor among thieves?
Who wants their property stolen?
Who is comfortable knowing their neighbors desire that which belongs to them?

These laws are the foundation for human governance and they did not come from any religion other than in Israel, as no religion on earth delivered such a complete text as these; the very foundation of the Mosaic law and the Mercy Seat. The first four commands are directly related to all the others and because of this, secularists, spiritualists, religionists and atheists have it burned into their mind that the God of Israel (Christianity) is especially considered offensive to them because they have placed other gods before them. Do these people realize that the Bible agrees that they will be offended by these commands?

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:30-33

What is at stake?

Hans Memling, Hell 1485

These commandments come from the theocracy God created, as witnessed from Old Testament Israel, administered and governed by Kings, Judges and Priests, using the system God ordained and delivered to Moses; the Mosaic law. The people became corrupt because their rulers became corrupt. They could not keep the law.

God finally judged them after nearly 500 years, warning them by the preaching of the many prophets, having written their record to testify to us, thereby offering us faith and encouragement (Heb:11:39-40). Their testimony and prophecies are a verifiable part of recorded history. This truth should cause fear and trembling to everyone who hears the Gospel message.

This is the wisdom in understanding The Fear of The Lord.

The Mosaic Law was absolute. There is no mercy in the law. But Israel had a Mercy Seat at the very center of the Temple. This was the image of the one who would come and fulfill the law; by Grace. No man can fulfill the law. Have you ever broken even one of those Commandments?

Moses was the Law-Giver (death) but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ (life) (John 1:17), for the remission of sin though His blood (Matt:26:28) the price paid for redemption and salvation; the Atonement for sin (Lev:17:11).

The claim that teaching on damnation is fear and control is the frontal attack for moral decline. This is accomplished by attacking the sovereignty of God's authority, morality and judgment, with the administration of his law in the world of men, as was evidenced by how freedom can exist, expressed by the Godly men who penned our Bill of Rights, stating as fact and evidenced by the multitudes that came to our shores fleeing persecution of every sort, from the many non-Christian nations of the world:

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be... if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed. ~Thomas Jefferson.

Humanists believe that preaching of a place called Hell is the way to control people and is the method used in order for the church to gain control of its members or potential new members. This claim is quite bogus however, as what is evident is the fear of a great many things in normal everyday life. Ask yourself a basic question: how many of the hundreds of millions cigarette smokers are in controlling fear of getting cancer, knowing full well that cigarette smoking is the number one cause of cancer? Answer: None!

Where is the claim that smoking cigarettes is so fearful to people that they are now controlled by the fear of getting cancer? Are there any movements taking place today to bring people into a church by the fear of these normal everyday things in order to control them? Making the claim that Damnation is a controlling fear to Christians is ridiculous. I don't know anyone who considers such an idea as valid. Why people make such claims is beyond me.

What Does The Bible Say About Fear?

As we have seen with the understanding of The Fear of the LORD we understand that by the wisdom God has revealed to mankind, through his written word, that God will judge sin. The Day of Judgment is the reason men are commanded to repent.

Luca Signorelli, The Damned Being Plunged into Hell 1499-1502

Acts 17:27-32
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

The simple fact is that many people find it offensive to be told that there is a Hell, because in their liberal thoughts, they believe they are good people because they do so much for the world. They are active in this event and that charity, they give to the Tsunami relief, support the Red Cross, give clothing and food to institutions throughout the world, and on and on and on it goes. These people will claim, that if a loving God did exist there is no way he would send anyone to such a place as Hell. The truth is however, that Jesus taught otherwise, and declared it true in simple, easy to understand language.

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

Secular socialists are the ones who want to declare that same-sex marriage, abortion, euthanasia, child sex, polygamy and more, is morally acceptable to our society and that Christians in particular are seeking to control them through ancient and out-dated superstitious beliefs. These moral relativists have the right to seek that which they desire, as all free people do, and no one is denying their right of free expression. However, when the American population goes to the voting booth, exercising our God given rights, the vast majority overwhelmingly opposes such things as contrary and unacceptable to our society. The claim of control through fear, comes from the declaration of Hell and godless people are offended by such a claim, just as the Bible declared they would be.

Discussions on this article
Artist scans courtesy of:
Carol Gerten-Jackson CGFA - A Virtual Art Museum
Web Gallery of Art

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p11

2005-08-05T14:47:00.000-05:00

Woe Unto Them!
For They Have Gone In The Way of Cain

They Were Morally Corrupt and Destitute (1 of 6)

Deuteronomy 18:12-13
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God

This article is a six part series which will examine what the Apostle Jude called; The Way of Cain. We will have presented before us the mention of three men; Cain, Balaam and Core (Korah). This series will concentrate mainly on Cain, the first son of Adam.

Balaam, was from Mesopotamia and lived during the time of the exodus out of Egypt, which involved some 1.5 million people known as the Hebrews, the Jews.

Core, (a son of Esau) lived at the time of the exodus and was openly opposed to Moses, leading an insurrection against him.

Part 12 of this series will look more closely at Canaan, (a son of Ham and the grandson of Noah) who was the father of the Canaanites.

To understand who the Canaanite's were and their religious practices (their spirituality) it is important to know how they came to be. They are described as:

Descendants of Canaan Gen:10:15-19
Great and mighty Num:13:28 Deut:7:1
Idolatrous Deut:29:17
Superstitious Deut:18:9-11
Profane and wicked Lev:18:27

The abomination of the Canaanites (those nations) was the practice of witchcraft and idolatry. They called upon a fallen and wicked spirit world, which answered and deceived them. They had rejected the true living God entirely, yet worshipped their own false gods. Their hearts were corrupt. They were morally and spiritually destitute.

To understand how idolatry developed, we will go back to the beginning, starting with Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. Here is where we have a picture of the purist form of idolatry, the focus upon self, the true revelation of the heart of man. Today, we call this humanism and relativism. Starting from the time of the age of innocence with Adam and Eve, through the flood with Noah and his family, to the Covenant promise given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to Joseph in Egypt, who saved the house of Israel, including their neighbors, the Canaanites, the Bible makes clear that mankind knew The LORD God Jehovah. With the exception of a small few (the remnant), mankind rejected The Lord God completely, just as the rulers and people did when Jesus lived, even as they do in this day and age. The question we are going to look at in this series is one that truly deserves an answer:

How did these people become morally corrupt and spiritually destitute?

God eventually judged the Canaanites, requiring the Israelites to destroy every living thing within those nations. They did not do as God required and instead, rejected the Law which they had received from Moses and continued in the way of idolatry and divination as seen with the worship of Moloch. They became morally corrupt and God eventually judged them (as he judged the Canaanites) some six hundred years after they entered the promised land through Babylonian captivity. After seventy years in exile, they returned to the land of their fathers and began to rebuild their Temple. For five hundred years they were controlled by foreign nations and had a corrupt priesthood, with the exception of a small few, who were blind leaders to their people. Finally, when the time was come, they crucified their Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in such brutality, that even today it can be witnessed within the human mind. Forty years after the crucifixion, their beloved Temple was utterly destroyed and the Jews were ejected from their land. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain.

In 1948, nearly two thousand years later, surviving overwhelming genocide by the diabolic forces or Hitler, Israel became a nation, in what seemingly is a miracle to which no other nation or culture has ever accomplished, as has been witnessed with the Jews and the land of Israel. It has been claimed that Jerusalem has been destroyed twenty six times in it's history.[1]

Today, the secular nation of Israel continues to suffer from the same issues of that ancient land, which the Bible proclaims will eventually build up to Armageddon and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's word declares these ancient peoples will war with each other through the generations, which includes this very day and the issues concerning The Middle East. The Bible gives to us the history and foretells the future of those who would war with God, his people and his land. Yet even more, the subject most mentioned from the word of God is that of his city, Jerusalem.

The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel Isaiah 60:14

Jerusalem is mentioned 806 times in the Bible. It is the very heart of this universe, our world, even the very heart of mankind itself. Who does not believe that Jerusalem is the center of the world's attention today?

Today, scientist tell us that there is NO center to the universe because it is continually expanding. Surely, the Angels are smiling at us. And, an aside here: Did you know that Jerusalem is actually the center of planet Earth? Virginia Marin [2]

WWI & II, Korea, Vietnam, The 6 Day war, Kashmir, Sudan, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and so many other wars will be back page news while the entire world brings itself into the quagmire concerning Palestine. The Jews, Christians, Muslims, secular humanists, tribal warlords, dictators and those intent on a global world order, will all have their eyes on that which is the basis of the entire Biblical record, that which concerns Jerusalem. This should come as no surprise to any true born again believer, for the Bible declares that this region of the world will be the focus of the last days and the Tribulation period, as everything will center around the issue of Jerusalem - God's city (Zech:12:3).

The scene that is presented before us in Deuteronomy 18:9-14, refers to the nations of the Canaanites, which also includes around them the Assyrians, Chaldean's, Egyptians and the Phoenicians. All of these nations were idolatrous and actively practiced witchcraft. All of these nations were descendants of Ham, the father of Canaan, a grandson of Noah.

The previous world that lived before the flood was destroyed because of violence and wickedness. Ironically, Jesus said that in the last days, the same would be a sign of his return, as those days would be as the days of Noah, uncontrolled violence and terror.

When sin came into the world, there was no law given to reveal that mankind is a lawbreaker of God's moral standard. Truly it is here, at the very beginning, where we will find mankind fully turned unto himself, becoming so violent and hateful that God judged this world, bringing only Noah and his family through the waters. This is an image of baptism and redemption for the righteous, such as Noah.

If this world was destroyed, then how did sin continue? After the flood, Noah delivered the first law given to man, that murder was forbidden. The reason; man is created in the image of God. We also find that Noah curses Canaan, who was still yet born. We will look more closely at this prophetic message given by Noah in part 13 of this series, but we know this curse came through Ham. Those who are cursed from God are those who reject his blessing, like the turning of the hand, one side is blessed, the other cursed. These are opposites as day is to night, as righteousness is to evil.

Sin will eventually develop into idolatry and divination but it will start first through, desire. It will then lead to lying, envy, jealousy, rage, and finally to murder. That flooded world stands as a witness of God's judgment, just as Sodom and Gomorrah was judged and entirely destroyed because of their total and complete wickedness. These two judgments stand as a testimony to the true revelation of the condition of man's own heart. God judges sin because man is in rebellion to God's perfect moral law. Eventually, man will begin to create his own god and his own morality. How did mankind become so morally and spiritually destitute?

WOE unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain

The Epistle of Jude, written some 1,600 years after Moses, offers to us a good understanding on the development of idolatry. Let us now take a look at what Jude has said concerning these men; Cain, Balaam and Core.

John Darby's Synopsis on the Epistle of Jude

In pointing out moral corruption as characterizing the stated of professors, Jude cites, as example of this downfall and of its judgment
the case of Israel, who fell in the wilderness (with the exception of two, Joshua and Caleb)
and that of the angels who, not having kept their first estate, are reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day. This last example suggests to him another case
that of Sodom and Gomorrah which resents immorality and corruption as the cause of judgment. Their condition is a perpetual testimony here on earth to their judgment.
Jude sums up the three kinds or characters of the evil and or estrangement from God;
First, Cain - That of nature, the opposition of the flesh to the testimony of God and His true people, the impetus which this enmity gives to the will of the flesh.
Second, Balaam - ecclesiastical evil, teaching error for reward, knowing all the while that it is contrary to the truth and against the people of God.
Third, Core - Open opposition, rebellion, against the authority of God in His true King and Priest.

Jude 1:11
Woe unto them!
I. for they have gone in the way of Cain,
II. and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
III. and perished in the gainsaying of Core
Cain was the first son of Adam. The story in Genesis tells us that he murdered Abel, his brother. After Abel, another son was born and his name was Seth. It is important to note the two divisions of humanity presented here. One is the genealogical line of Seth. The Lord Jesus will come through this bloodline. The Genealogy from Adam to Jesus Christ [3]

The other is the line of Satan, through Cain. This of course is not a genealogical bloodline as with Jesus and Seth. This is a spiritual representation of those who will reject God and choose, themselves. It took only nine generations from Adam that the world was filled with such violence that God sent judgment and destroyed all mankind through the flood, saving only Noah, his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their wives (Gen:6:13).

Sin was carried through after the flood. How did this happen? To know the answer, we must take a look at the first man who rejected God, the first murderer - Cain.

John Gill's Exposition of Jude 1:11

I. For they have gone in the way of Cain; Which is a way of envy...

For Cain envied the acceptance of his brother's gift, and that notice which the Lord took of him;
Moreover, the way of Cain was a way of hatred, and murder of his brother, which his envy led him to;
which may be added, as another of Cain's ways, absence from the presence of God, or the place of his worship.

II. and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward; Balaam's error, which he himself was guilty of, was covetousness, or an immoderate love of money (2 Peter 2:15).

Which is the root of all evil
is a damnable sin, and excludes from the kingdom of heaven,
The error which Balaam led others into, was both idolatry and adultery (Rev:2:14)
Balaam is one of the four private persons, who, according to the Jews, shall have no part or portion in the world to come.

III. And perished in the gainsaying of Core: Korah (Num:16:1). His was against Moses, the ruler of the people, so theirs was against magistracy (Jude:1:8).

now the gainsaying or contradiction of these men was like Korah's; which was gainsaying God's own ordinance, and a contradiction of that which is for the good of men; the ground of which contradiction was love of liberty, and their own lusts; and, generally speaking, men perish in their factions and rebellions against good and lawful magistrates:
Korah gainsayed Aaron, the priest of the Lord, so these men contradicted and opposed the ministers of Christ, whom they would have thrust out in order to put in themselves, and whose persons they reviled, and contradicted their doctrines, which to do is of dangerous consequence;
and they might be said to perish in his gainsaying, as a type and example of their destruction, which would be swift and sudden, as his was; and to denote the certainty of it.

Cain is the way of envy, hatred. Absent from the presence of God.
Balaam is the way of covetousness, greed and the love of riches.
Korah is the way against magistracy, opposed the ministers of Christ, those who seek to overthrow God and his people.

Cursed children. 2Peter 2:14

End of part 1
They Were Morally Corrupt and Destitute

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain

part 2 The Two Divisions of Mankind
part 3 In Due Time Christ Died For The Ungodly
part 4 The Revelation of Two Mysteries
part 5 Am I My Brother's Keeper?
part 6 Thy Brother's Blood Crieth Unto Me

[1] Dr. J Vernon McGee
[2] Fallacy of Mankind Being the Center of the Universe Virginia Marin: Messianic Judaism
[3] LAMBERT DOLPHIN'S Resources

Does Christianity Preach Fear? p8

2005-08-05T14:34:00.000-05:00

Hell = Control? (3 of 5)

Morality - What Is Really Going On?

William Blake, Dante and Virgil at the Gates of Hell

Humanists claim that Christianity is hateful and intolerant, even though they actively proclaim their intolerance of our beliefs as superstition, fairy tales, closed minded, backward, bigoted or racist, proving that moral relativism is a false belief and cannot be accept as grounds for determining laws. This leads simply to societal relativism; "whatever is considered moral to the majority is morality"

When the Bible declares something as evil or wicked and against God’s law, those who do not believe in God or Christianity, see this as a method in which to control people. They will say that the Bible claims that if you're not a good little church boy then you will end up going to Hell. Biblically uneducated intellectuals, believe that this concept will scare people into conformity by using a primitive belief as the way in which to control them.

This is what they call; preaching fear.

Outlawing portions of the bible is intolerance! Those who oppose Christianity demonstrate their own prejudices and hypocrisy, for declaring [intolerant] that which they do not like; that of sin, immorality and all evil. How can one claim something as hateful and intolerant when that is not our message? This ideology is false and proves that moral relativism cannot be true. It is Satanic in origin and the doctrine of modern day Christianity. Those who want to change society are the fear mongers. Fundamental Christianity teaches the truth of God's judgment and salvation, the foundation of the Gospel.

It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. ~Voltaire, 1764

People who make such claims do so because they reject absolute truth as revealed through God's word, revealing what is true; they have no understanding what the Bible actually claims.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 3:23-28

"You Will Go To Hell If You Don't Do What I Tell You"

The teaching of Hell and Damnation results from the truth that man is made in God's image, that we are eternal souls. Upon our deaths here on earth we move into the realm of the spiritual. God has revealed that all of mankind is invited to live in his kingdom. Yet how is an unrepentant sinner able to stand in front of a holy God and declare that his righteousness is what will allow entrance into heaven? The fact is, God makes clear that all men are sinners and that none can stand before God in their own righteousness as there are none that are righteous. This is the reason Jesus died and why we accept in faith, his righteousness, for the forgiveness of sin. Those who refuse this truth, upon faith, choose to live in eternal separation from God and this place is called Hell. Jesus warns us over and again that no man should choose such an eternal condemnation. Yet stubborn pride prevents mankind from realizing truth, as man believes he can deliver himself when he arrives into eternity. This is deadly wishful thinking, as no man can deliver his own eternal soul, evidenced by the fact the no man ever brought himself forward through his own birth.

The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. Psalms 98:2

Who does not realize and understand, that if you break the law, punishment will be the result? Who is not fearful of intentionally running a red light when a policeman is sitting there watching you? I'm sure that many hearts race at the thought of seeing a police car in their rear view mirror. Secular non-religious law reveals that which is to be feared; if you break the law there will be a penalty. Friend, that is an empirical fact of life.

The question must be asked: if this is true to mere men and his laws, why would you not believe that God will judge sin (breaking the laws of God). Just because you do not believe something does not make it a truth. Moreover, feelings and beliefs cannot be used to justify law. Law is justified by what is moral and acceptable, revealed to be what is truth. Fact: some believe in eternal damnation while others do not. Logic tells us one of us is wrong, as we both cannot be right and both cannot be wrong, either it is or it is not. Simply because someone does not believe something as true, does not validate a claim. All that is being presented is Moral Relativism, which is another way of saying; religious pluralism. The Bible declares that all non-believers are deceived by their own fears and prejudices: (Acts:14:19, Rom:1:21-28, 1Cor:5:10, 1Tim:1:9, 4:1-2, Titus:1:14-16, 1Peter:1:14, 2Peter:2:18-21, Rev:21:8,22:15).

The truth is, that when Christianity preaches on immorality, it can do so without making the plea based on religion. In other words, that which is evident can expose immorality. An example of this is same-sex marriage. Homosexuals declare that Christianity (the bible) is hateful towards their morality. That is, their right to be joined together in marriage. However, Christianity does not plead morality as the issue when opposing same-sex marriage. The main argument against same-sex marriage is quite simple: It denies the right of the child to that of a mother [and] a father.

How anyone can intellectually make the claim that the thought of going to Hell is so fearful, as to control them, is truly beyond me, when in fact, what humanist actually preach is their own fear, making themselves into liars and hypocrites (John 8:42-45). Morality is evident by that which God’s law reveals. Gross immortality is evident to humanity, as it is revealed in our hearts and our conscience. This is what the word of God reveals to us. That which is kept secret in this life, is open scandal in heaven.

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins are in the light of your character. Psalms 90:8

The Cycle of Israel: From Blessings To Destruction
Ask yourself this question; does America resemble the same cycle?

Hans Memling, The Last Judgment Triptych
1. The nation serves God
2. Did evil
3. Forsook God
4. Followed own way pleasure
5. Sold into slavery depression and war
6. Slavery Servitude
7. Cried out to God
8. Turned to God
9. Repented
10. Judges raised up
11. Delivered
12. The nation served God

The Bible is quite clear. There will be no sold into slavery and captivity as servitude will come by the prophecies concerning the Anti-Christ in the last days; a one world system of government, economy and religion (Mystery Babylon).

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2Peter 3:9

It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. ~Thomas Sowell

Discussions on this article
Artist scans courtesy of Carol Gerten-Jackson CGFA - A Virtual Art Museum

What is God's Love? p2

2005-08-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

Series of 1Corinthians 13:4-13
part 1 | part 3

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Love is one of the most important evidences that we humans did not evolve from a primordial soup. We are most definitely created in God's image of mind, body and spirit. How can one learn to love? Indeed it is not possible nor can it be. Love is an inherent gift, given to all of mankind from the Creator God (Jesus).

There is no doubt of this because we evidence love unto our own being, alway. Is this not true in your own relative experience? Think about this. Do you really love me? The person who does not know me, do you really love me and would you actually die for me? I am sure that a few brave and pious souls would stand up and say they would die for someone they love. Honestly, I believe them and as well, I would die for a friend or loved one. I am sure most ordinary people would do this for those whom they love. After all, we all possess love, do we not? Yet my question is: would you really die for me, right now, this very minute, in the most cruelest of ways, tortured and beaten beyond recognition, at the hands of those who would love to offer you anguish and grief, through the agony of suffering? I am confident that most of you reading this would never consider such treatment unto your fellow man. The sad truth is however, that there are many people in this world who are this way. So again, I ask you: what is love to you in your relative experience, from our relative existence with each other?

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. (13:4 KJV)
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful. (NLT)

I feel many people today have a misunderstanding of what love really means. While we fundamental Christians claim to the world that God is love, we may not appear to have any love ourselves, and yes, sometimes this does seem true. I hear many people these days who profess all sorts of faiths and beliefs, quoting the words of Jesus Christ, yet rejecting His words as absolute divine truth, claiming:

"I just love this passage or verse, it is so beautiful and full of love. But I do not believe Jesus is God. He is only another great prophet, only one path to follow among many."

Who could argue the simple truth that all of Jesus' words are beautiful and worthy of human contemplation, from our deepest consideration? Yet what is love to you really? Is it subjective to your own personal life, saying to yourself, "I care, really I do, yet there are just so many people in the world"? True is it not? Where is the love of this world? What is love to those who are apathetic or who reject our love towards them for no apparent reason? Have you ever met a person such as this? Have you ever been rejected or ridiculed? Have you ever been deeply disappointed? Have you ever been so saddened by the loss of those whom you truly loved, either through death, or just from the circumstances of life? That deep hurt of loss and sadness, deep within the bowels? The Apostle Paul used the word bowels in the epistle to the Philippians. It is a misunderstood word today and from our modern English, does not represent the original intended meaning, such a Paul used in Philippians 1:8:

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

In the bowels. This is to say, from the gut. Something you feel physically from perceiving thought, resulting in action or movement. This is to say that thought has equated to a bodily sensation. Consider it like this: your house is on fire and your mind reacts. The mind can do nothing for you when the body is attached. The mind cannot move itself across the way into safety. The mind can only react and cause the feet and legs to prepare to run. Our minds, in a flash, calculate the entire possible scenarios of actions, just like a super-computer, and then suddenly, in an instant, the feet start moving. Soon the legs follow and before you know it, you are leaning towards the exit, pushing now with your legs, running for your life.

The bowels. This means to feel it in your body, below the collar bone, encompassing the chest, the gut, resulting in reflex and motion, the heart pumping, the muscles tightening, breathing is affected. I know what you're thinking; you're thinking, "bowels, what the heck is this guy talking about?" As stated from the beginning of this message, humanity could not have evolved from a primordial soup, and the most obvious evidence of this fact are our emotions our feelings, as our physical senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch, cannot be taught, emotions and feelings. These are inherent to the human soul, and confirm that we are indeed, created in the image of God.

So again I ask you to consider: what is love? What is love to those who show no love or concern towards us, in our own personal relative experience? I am certain that most of us have experienced these very people in our lives and we all have, at one time or another, been deeply hurt by a person we knew well and trusted. Yet, according to God's word, love never fails and is enduring and perfect. God is love and perfection. This is called holiness. Are you perfect or holy? Indeed it is evident we are not. No, not even one. The Bible confirms this fact and it is evidenced in our own lives... in real time. The word of God is amazing in this simple truth.

[Love] doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. (13:5 KJV)
Love is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. (NLT)

Many people guide their judgment based on feelings and emotions. Yet these feelings are another paradox of our human condition, the outward display of our emotions and feelings. These emotions could neither have evolved nor just sprang into existence as we are emotional beings. Who taught us to be emotional? These words of the irritable, resentful and unseemly, are words of human feeling through reaction of our inner thoughts and not what our actions seem to be or may be actually demonstrating. These words describe the heart's condition through our inner thoughts and desires, revealing to the world our true inner self. Do you truly reveal your inner thoughts and desire to those around you? God sees all thoughts of our heart's desire.

Do people truly display that which is in their inner heart? I believe for the most part, most people will leave those dark places closed, not wanting to reveal their true intentions and thoughts, whether it be simple selfishness or a true desire to harm another either mentally or physically. The prisons are full, the grave yards are dug, and the words have all been nearly spoken. Mankind cannot love itself as a whole and man can only attempt to love those who are his own. Even this is not always a truth as families and friends burst into anger or revenge, as pride takes over satisfying only our true desires and intentions. Indeed we love only those who love us and Jesus mentioned this clearly, without using parables (Matt 5:46).

Put another way, this is the pure description of what Hell actually is and why it is such a destruction to the soul. We are able to witness this type of understanding in our relative lives. Jesus died so that no person would ever go to this place, separated from His perfect love through judgment of sin and wickedness, as all things will be made pure and true, and as all things will be manifested in the love which we have displayed from our inner hearts. God will reveal all that is secret and make known the love we have shown others and as well, that which we have not shown and have kept hidden, not betraying our true hearts. No person can peer into the depths of a darkened or troubled soul, the darkened hearts of a fallen and sinful being in rebellion against God and His will, seeking that which only satisfies himself as only to comfort and please himself. God will reveal the self-serving, the pious religious do-gooders, the humanists, the uncaring, all those who reject His authority by placing individual thoughts and emotions first. These are those who are blinded to truth and in the end they would not listen to God and judge their own hearts here on earth.

God is patient and willing that all people will come to repentance. His patience will not last forever as this is the record of Israel. Can you not evidence these truths even unto your own relative experience in life? Are you selfish? Who taught you to be this way? Some may think this is a harsh judgment and it is unbecoming of a Christian to speak in such a way. But friends, all I have actually done is judge myself by looking into my own heart. Am I really any different than you?

Selfishness, a vice utterly at variance with the happiness of him who harbors it, and, as such, condemned by self-love. --Sir J. Mackintosh.

Unseemly To have (hold) possession of the mind (refers to alarm, agitating emotions, etc.), to hold fast keep, to have or comprise or involve, to regard or consider or hold as. (1)
Irritable Abnormally sensitive to a stimulus. Capable of responding to stimuli. Susceptible of anger or passion; easily inflamed or exasperated.
Resentful Marked by resentment or indignant, ill will. Inclined to resent; easily provoked to anger; irritable.
Arrogant Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance.
Marked by or arising from a feeling or assumption of one's superiority toward others. Synonym: proud.
Rude In a natural, raw state. Middle English, from Old French from Latin rudis meaning rough or unformed. In the NT, an unlearned, illiterate man as opposed to the learned and educated.

The Apostle Paul describes these words in a way that we can see how our inner hearts react to our thoughts and understandings in our natural state of sin and disobedience to God. Prideful and without knowledge, driven by our personal desires, our feelings and emotions. Human love is self-centered, and who can know the depths of the human heart when it is in rebellion to God, living in sin and wickedness according to the word of God? What is sin to you? God simply declares that sin is unbelief in His word and His commandments as written through the revelation of His divine word and as given to all mankind for us to know of Him and His ways. Who has heard the voice of God and can declare what He wants and what sin is? Indeed, as the old saying goes "who are you to tell me anything". This is humanism in its finest form of relativism. This is to declare I will or I believe... (2)

Have you ever felt like telling someone off? Have you ever felt the sadness of a person you know who is troubled and in need? Have you truly liked a person and yet they rejected you because of a misunderstanding or false judgment, unable to reconcile or forgive? We have all experienced these ranges of emotions and feelings. We all are guilty of ignoring others, avoiding more problems and not wanting to take the time and effort needed to show another their importance and worth to humanity or toward ourselves, rationalizing that another will do these things for those who are in need. Still others do these things only to be seen in public, so as to show their worth or goodness. Still others do these things willingly, for they know the needs of others and are able to feel this need within their own hearts and minds.

Who has taught us how to use these feelings and emotions? This is about as close to spiritual understanding as we humans will ever achieve through our personal efforts. We are created in the image of God in mind, body and spirit. A triune being. Imagine that for just a moment, created in the image of love! Yet we are told through scripture that our spirit is dead and that none, no not one, can know anything of the spiritual, for we are flesh and that which is flesh is flesh, that which is spirit is spirit, and these two are irreconcilable in this time and space (John 3:6). One day, His Kingdom will come to earth as God has declared this truth. His love demonstrates our purpose for life and the gift we have received, revealed through the work of the Lord Jesus. All mankind has witnessed these truths, even unto our own relative experiences.

What is love to you then as you walk past the destitute and forgotten? As you read of those who have nothing and yet know others who willingly will spend $8,000 for a Super Bowl ticket? Others buy the latest fashions so they may look their best or purchase the nicest cars so as to please themselves and satisfy their own personal comforts along with the image of success. Others will do all they can to look young and beautiful, truly the loneliest of all vanities, indulging in the pleasures of this world because it satisfies the human soul to be content and full, young and beautiful with success, and declaring they are on top of the world having created their own reward.

This then is human love and wisdom, making life pleasing and comfortable because we deserve it and no matter what, we will be satisfied. Are you truly a person of such love that you have attained fulfillment through perfection? I know I have not and know that no matter what I attempt or have achieved already, I could never attain perfection from perfect love that is justified from my own personal feeling and emotion and my will be done. What is love to you then? Is it based upon feeling and emotion, an important human quality that sets us apart from God's creation? I say that all people are flawed in this regard of perfect love and cannot push beyond this time, space and matter that we reside in, that which we call existence or life.

We humans will never know anything of the spiritual world while we remain sinful beings, unloving and selfish, thinking only of our own personal welfare and desires and not that of others. What we do in public is not the basis of judgment that God will use to determine whether or not we may enter into His perfect Kingdom, created for those who choose to honor and worship Him through the demonstration and record of His love and mercy towards His crown creation, mankind.

Jesus said: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." Are you able to do this as Jesus did, to those who broke His body? Friends, that is perfect love. Willingly laying down His life, to those who were brutal and violent, and so brutality and violence would see their end and destruction, never to be known again other than as the things of the past which are forgotten and, as sin, are removed: Behold all things are new.

This is God's love, demonstrated to mankind by the Lord Jesus, willingly and without arrogant pride nor judgment of those who rejected Him willfully though emotion and feelings of hate and bitterness. Jesus the man willingly gave, as this was His purpose on earth for all of mankind to know and understand. The human race is a fallen creature, sinful and unable to love one another in perfect judgment, treating others as we would do unto ourselves.

Yet we humans possess this capacity of selfishness, our true inner hearts' desires. Love is not determined by how we humans act towards life and circumstance. Indeed, love is the determination of how we react to life and circumstance, deep from within the bowels of our hearts, towards our fellow man and our service towards one another, balanced in truth, wisdom and understanding. These are God's gifts of love, given to any who desire, to seek a new life and live through the Lord Jesus Christ as He delivers us to a perfect Kingdom, through the Holy Spirit, passing through death and unto the Kingdom that has been prepared for us from the foundations of the world.

Part 4 and 5 of this series will demonstrate how Jesus reveals His judgment of perfect love, separating the sheep from the goats (the nations) at the end of the great tribulation period and bringing into His Kingdom for those who will go into it (Matt 25:32-34). This is not our eternal judgment at the great white throne (Rev 20:11). That will be the time when all people, great and small, will be judged according to what their true intentions and motives were and why those choices were made and how our love was demonstrated to others within our own goodness, reviewed in the presence of a holy God and balanced through perfect love and judgment of sin. Will you stand there in the presence of Jesus and reveal your heart when you cannot even do this today? The Bible declares, renew the mind and seek truth.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

Friends, humanity will never achieve this type of love on its own merit or effort, nor do we even have this capacity. This part of humanity is completely and utterly dead as the Bible describes and that we can witness this very moment unto our own relative lives. Have you not yet understood these simple facts as you look around your world and see that things are not right and that evil is present as sin abounds, with no regard at all of God's laws and covenant?

That is why I chose to be a child of God, being re-born again unto life through my Lord and King Jesus Christ. He demonstrated His love for us long before we ever loved Him. This is true love. Service to others and of their needs above that of ourselves, willingly and with charity. God will manifest our true selves in that Kingdom to come, which He will create for us here on earth near the ending of the time of great destruction, caused by humanity and brought about by our own human selfishness, revealing that mankind is in total rebellion of God seeking only personal desires and self-interests.

God has declared why He will do these things for those who choose to follow Him and do His will on earth as in heaven. This is the divine promise made to those who choose to live in God's presence because we heard the call and understood His ways by looking at our own hearts and comparing our ways according to His word. This is the blessed hope that we Christians look forward to in this life, as we have true meaning and purpose, knowing that what we see in this world of today is not what God has promised, but that which only man has created through selfishness and personal interest desiring to please ourselves in the here and now because we have only one life to live, so we better live it up. This is the very definition of humanism for eat drink and be merry, because tomorrow we will be dead. No hope and only death, as the Biblical record verifies this truth as well.

Secular humanists have all said that God and eternity is only a pie-in-the-sky, only a dream of intellectual philosophy from the human mind, driven from theological interpretations of how humanity finds or reaches God. Secular humanists declare that Christianity is the human need to hang on to hope, so humans have purpose in a world that seems to have no common purpose or understanding, only an evolving human existence, survival of the fittest, only the collective and not the individual. Our modern day headlines and news stories are replete with this type of love.

Humanists claim that life is the "here and now" and that we will bring forward a peaceful utopia, realizing our hopes and dreams, a human brotherhood through peace and safety by eliminating religious bigotry and spiritual nonsense as only dreams of thought from the human imagination. Friends, humanity remains at war and conflict with itself, demonstrating that mankind cannot love one another nor will mankind on its own effort ever bring forward a perfect kingdom by its own hand, as humans have as of yet in all of human history, not finding even just one example of human benevolent rule, through perfect love and eternal understanding.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Matthew 25:37-39

[Love] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; (13:6 KJV)
Love does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. (NLT)

Have you ever been wrong and rejoiced in it, knowing you were wrong but convincing yourself you were right? How did you learn to be so deceptive as this, even convincing your own mind yet knowing you cannot because now you have guilt? Do you love your neighbor really and truly, your boss or co-workers? Do you love the person you saw on the evening news or in the newspaper, mugged, robbed and beaten with such cruelty, enough to go visit them at the hospital or inquire as to how to help them if at all possible? I must admit myself I am guilty of not doing these kinds of good works for others in their time of need. I don't even know them really. Is it fair to be guilty of this and am I my brothers' keeper, even if they are unrelated to me? I say to myself, "Lord, there are so many people, so many. How could it be possible for me Lord?" Would you be willing to stop by their homes as to offer help and comfort? It does sound so unpractical, doesn't it? Is love something that is only relative to our own selves and families or friends? If this is true, then how could those who love you and those whom you love, how could this be relative, yet experienced by the many same people simultaneously, each expressing his or her own love? What is love to you, friend? Is it only for those whom your love? The Lord Jesus said to this:

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:46-48

You see, our emotions and feelings cannot be relative to our own selves. Why is this? It is simple, friends; it is because we all have love and we all express it in our own unique way. Why is it unique? It is so because we are unique and created, all of us, in God's image. And God is love, yes?

[Love] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (13:7 KVJ)

Love bears all things? It is very interesting how the Apostle Paul framed these words. Love bears all things. When describing love, the apostle Paul has stated that love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful. This word "patient" is very interesting. It means:

enduring without protest or complaint, enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance.

It is now possible to see why we are called patients when we require medical care or a surgery and long recovery. Patient is Middle English and originates from Old French pacient, from Latin patins: Patient is a present participle meaning, to endure. The Indo-European root meaning: passion, fervor, fire, zeal, ardor. A powerful emotion such as love, joy, hatred, or anger. These nouns denote powerful, intense emotions.

Passion is a deep, overwhelming motion.
There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy. ~Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Fervor is great warmth and intensity of feeling.
The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal. ~William James

Fire is burning passion.
In our youth our hearts were touched with fire. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr

Zeal is strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.
Laurie [resolved], with a glow of philanthropic zeal, to found and endow an institution for women with artistic tendencies. ~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, 1869

Ardor is fiery intensity of feeling.
...the furious ardor of my zeal repressed. ~Charles Churchill

So we find that "patient" means "endurance." It is used as a present participle. This little word "present participle" is very interesting and simply means expressing present action. In English it is formed by the infinitive plus "ing" and used to express present action in relation to the time indicated by the finite verb in its clause, to form progressive tenses with the auxiliary "be" and to function as a verbal adjective. Enduring means an ongoing action.

We find that love is patient and enduring, just as the Apostle Paul described nearly 2000 years ago in the original Greek, yet confirmed this very minute by our relative experience, whatever that may be to us, in our modern day English. It is clear to see the root of this word coming from the Indo-European meaning of "passion" and "zeal". These two words are used throughout the Bible describing God's love and His Word for all of mankind, His crown creation in His image. God describes His love as patient and enduring, passionate and zealous.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (13:8-9 KJV)

As for prophecies, for tongues, for knowledge... these things represent that which is relative to the human experience. Prophecies are for a time and place, an event[s] to come. Tongues represents language and is truly the one single evidence that separates humans from all creation. No other creation of God uses language as its formalization of our mind, body and soul. Knowledge is simply information. There is no human that cannot know or understand something that another has done as there are no superior humans.

The Apostle Paul used these words for specific reasons. These human words show to us how God's love will last forever, yet these things shall all pass away one day yet to come. This too is another form of evidence that life will end in death at some point in time with all people and things. This as well is evidenced through scientific facts of Thermal Dynamics as the ultimate breakdown of all things. These are God's universal laws, that are set in perfection and order, balanced by love through judgment. All of us can witness these things in real time and be confident that all things do pass away, yet love will last forever. This is truly beautiful when understood, as given to us through the Holy Bible. Indeed remarkable as no human could ever write such a book from their own personal, relative experience. This too is another simple fact which demonstrates that God's Word is evidential truth revealed unto itself... A Triune Revelation.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
For knowledge and prophecy is imperfect, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. (NLT) (13:10 KJV)

When the perfect comes... Sounds like something out of the Lord of the Rings, does it not? "The Perfect." This word simply means; "lacking nothing essential to the whole."

We will find as we close this first article that patience and endurance are the definition of what God is, what God is made of, love. He is the essence of these things and this is perfection. Indeed, it is a gift of God that we know Him personally and understand His purpose, His will for our lives. God has a will and purpose for all of us and wishes that we carry forward and do these things. Yet for the vast majority of people, they will never see anything past that which pleases them, convinced that they know what lies beyond time and space. This is total blindness and God has warned all of us sufficiently. The question is are you listening to what He has to say? It is my hope that you do. I did, friends.

In Part Two we will finish these verses and look at what they mean and how they apply to Jesus and His passion and to our relative experience. The following is a brief look at the past root history of this word, "perfect," and what the original, intended meaning is and how this applies today in our modern English.

Perfect

Complete of its nature or kind, without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen. Proficient, completely suited, corresponding to a description, standard, or type. A perfect circle, Complete, Thorough, Utter, Pure, Undiluted, Excellent, Delightful in all respects, A Perfect Day.
Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting a verb form expressing action completed prior to a fixed point of reference in time.
Music Designating the three basic intervals of the octave, fourth, and fifth.
Perfectness Synonyms: perfect, consummate, faultless, flawless, impeccable.

These adjectives mean being wholly without flaw: a perfect diamond; a consummate performer; faultless logic.

Usage Note: Some people maintain that perfect is an absolute term like chief and prime, and therefore cannot be modified by more, quite, relatively, and other qualifiers of degree. But the qualification of perfect has many reputable precedents, most notably in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in the phrase “in order to form a more perfect Union'. By the same token, perfect often means “ideal for the purposes,as in 'There could be no more perfect spot for the picnic', where modification by degree makes perfect sense.

Absolute, Equal, Unique
From Old French parfit From Latin perfectus
past participle of perficere, to finish
Indo-European Root To set, put Derivatives include: deed, doom, fashion, defeat, sacrifice, satisfy, face, synthesis
Basic form thing laid down or done, law, deed. deed;
Old English doing, deed
Suffixed form bibliotheca
from Greek receptacle
from Old Persia to place.
Suffixed form set down, created.
Suffixed o-grade form abdomen from Latin abdmen, belly, abdomen.
Suffixed o-grade form judgment (thing set or put down)
from Old English abstract suffix indicating state, condition, or power.
Germanic source akin to Gothic, judgment; deem.
Old English to judge.
Germanic denominative.
Zero-grade form from Latin: condere, to put together, establish, preserve: fact, fashion, edify, efficient,justify, perfect, proficient, sacr ifice, satisfy, suffice, sufficient.
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praefectus, from past participle of praeficere, to place at the head of : prae-, pre- + facere
from Latin facere, to do, make.
combining form Maker, Divine Law (3)

(1) The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
(2) Isaiah 14:13-14 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
(3) Indo-European Root

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Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p10

2005-08-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me

I am the LORD thy God,
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me...
II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...

A review of what has been covered so far in this series.
The previous three articles looked at the false god known as Molech. Here we find a clear description of this idolatrous practice.

(Deut:18:10-11) There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire...

Immediately following this statement, we find mention of witchcraft (divination) in all it's various practices.

...or that useth divination or an observer of times, or an enchanter or a witch or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

What we find in these two verses is a direct connection of idol worship (Molech) and that of witchcraft (seeking the spiritual through divination). Many Jews sacrificed their children to this hideous deity, burning them as a sacrifice to this false god. The worship of Molech was such an abomination, that the Jews were judged for this practice, as the Canaanites were before them.

(Deut:18:12) For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

God cleared the land of these idolatrous people while fulfilling His Covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God allowed these people over four hundred years to repent of their wickedness, starting with Abraham passing through their land (Gen:15:16). Abraham came from the land of the Chaldean's (Mesopotamia) from a place called, Ur. It is interesting to note that the word Hebrew literally means; 'the man from the other side'. Abraham is called a Hebrew (Gen:14:13), which means; he came from the other side, the other side of the Euphrates River.

The Canaanite people did not repent of their wickedness and so they were judged and nearly destroyed. We know that the people of Nineveh (Assyrian) did repent of their wickedness, being spared of certain judgment (Jonah 3:5).

Today we are seeing a repeat of Israel's history in our nation and the world at large. God is calling out a Holy people unto himself, just as He called out the Jews in that day. Those who practice idolatry and witchcraft, willingly deny the true and living God, Jesus Christ (1John 2:22). Divine wrath (judgment) is the only thing that awaits those who do not accept the only sacrifice made available to mankind, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, to wash away all sin (Lev:17:11, Matt:26:28). This is the only sacrifice acceptable to cleanse mankind of his sin, written and foretold by the prophets of Israel, the very foundation of the Mosaic Law.

The kingdom of Anti-Christ (a system) (Rev:17:17) is rising upon mankind, as idolatry and witchcraft are in full display, accepted as spiritual and sacred (1John 2:18). Satan, lord and king of this world (Matt:4:8-9) is behind all religion (2Cor:11:14, 2Thess:2:4) with the sole purpose to deceive mankind, by keeping people chained in darkness, denying the true and living God, Jesus Christ. The Jews denied Jesus in their day and as a result were ejected out of their land, while their beloved Jerusalem and Temple lay in utter ruins (Mark 13:2) All because of idolatry and witchcraft.

Following the progression of these verses (Deut:18:9-12) we see God's purpose for choosing the Jews, to be a Holy people. This was so that the nations may come to know the true and living God, the God of Israel, revealing that idolatry and divination is vanity and will be called to judgment. This is Israel's past and a living testament to us today. Mankind has not changed much since those days and continues to mock God's declared judgment, that is yet to come (2Pet:3:4).

(Deut:18:13) Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

To be perfect means: complete, whole, entire, sound. In our modern day language this can be translated as - mature. This simply means; to be mature in the knowledge and understanding of God (2Tim:3:17). That is the statement being made in this verse, for man is not perfect, nor can he be.

Here we have a glimpse into God's divine plan as revealed to Israel. This is so that all mankind would come to know the true Messiah, prophesied to come in the fullness of time (Isa:7:14), born of a women (Matt:1:16), through Israel and born a Jew, the root of Jesse (Isa:11:10), the righteous branch of David (Jer:23:5). All this was written and declared by the prophets of Israel and is in perfect harmony with the Mosaic Law (Matt:5:17, Heb:7:11-12).

God is continuing with His plan that has been set clearly before us, fulfilling His purpose for mankind to know and understand His will as written within The Bible. The program and purpose of God is on schedule and according to the written word. God's purpose is clear; repent of your sin and turn towards the true and living God (Matt:9:13).

To repent means to turn away. When someone turns toward God, they turn away from idols and/or witchcraft (1Thess:1:9), which deny the very essence of the Lord Jesus Christ, for whom and through whom all things exist (Heb:2:10). This was prophesied by the prophets of God in the Old Testament, being fulfilled in the New Testament.

The Old Testament is the bud, the New Testament is the bloom......

The Old Testament foretells the coming Messiah,
The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament....
Deuteronomy 18:14 summarizes verses 9-13. God is clearly saying to the Israelites that idolatry and witchcraft is against His will.

(Deut:18:14) For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

These verses of Deuteronomy 18:9-14 offer to us in this day, several important doctrinal truths as foundational to the Christian faith.

1. The Canaanites lost their right to live in the land because of their wickedness (Deut:9:4). That evil and sin will be judged (Rom:6:23). That Israel received the Covenant Promise God had declared to their fathers (Matt:22:32).

This shows to us that God is faithful to His promises, sure to His word and that wickedness will be judged.

2. We see clearly that these nations 'hearkened' unto something other than the Lord God. They hearken unto the spirit world and that of our natural world. This is the essence of witchcraft and is opposed to the true and living God (Rev:17:5).

The Apostle Paul describes the pattern in which mankind fell to idol worship and divination, rejecting God even though they knew God (Rom:1:16-32).

3. God states clearly that He is the true and living God and besides Him, there is no other god (Isa:45:6).

This makes clear that idolatry and witchcraft are vain and useless, for it denies the true Savior of mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ and seeks to find divinity (deity) though another direction entirely, bypassing the true and living God (John 14:6).

4. God visually demonstrated His power and majesty to the Israelites during the exodus out of Egypt. God ordained the institution of the Mosaic Law through the High Priest and the priesthood (The Levites). God sent His chosen prophets to deliver His purpose and plan to Israel; 1) proclaiming the Messiah to come, 2) warning the people of their backsliding, caused from idol worship and witchcraft. God repeatedly sent His warnings to repent of their wickedness. They did not listen, just as the Canaanite's did not listen.

The Israelites eventually suffered the same judgment, expelled from the land which was promised to their fathers, culminating to the complete destruction of their beloved Jerusalem and their beloved Temple.
God declared that He would dwell among men (Psalms 68:18).
That the practice of seeking God through the spiritual world for understanding and wisdom is an abomination (Prov:15:9).
That all forms of idolatry are wicked and evil, leading men into darkness and blindness (John 3:19).
That sacrificing their own children as an offering to 'god' by seeking atonement and blessing, is idolatry formed by human hands, an abomination to the living God (Zec:10:2).

5. God promised that He would send His own son to be the sacrifice for sin and for blessings, for all who willingly choose to be called 'the sons of God' (Heb:9:26).

That only God can provide for the atonement of sin towards mankind through the only sacrifice that is acceptable, His own son (John:3:16). Amen

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 is summarized by one simple revelation and the fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the New Testament, the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:29).

(Deut:18:15) The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

We clearly see that the Lord Jesus came to reveal the true God, the Father. We are to hearken unto Jesus Christ and not that of the spirit world, nor the material world in which we dwell.

There are only two ways that mankind will enter into eternity. One, is through the Lord Jesus and that of sanctification and eternal life. The other, is through the way of Cain (Satan) which is the way of judgment and condemnation.

Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,
and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

-----------------
In the next article of this series, we will look at 'The Way of Cain' and see how idolatry and witchcraft started in this world. Are we able to know and understand how these things began to take root into our world? Indeed we can, as the Bible reveals to us exactly why idolatry appeared and how idolatry and witchcraft will all come to a final ending.

What is God's Love? p1

2005-08-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

Series on 1Corinthians 13:4-13
part2 | part 3

part 1

In this series, we will be looking at the true understanding of God's love. We will find that love is balanced by ultimate and absolute judgment. Most people understand love as more than emotion and feelings, and indeed, in our human understanding, love is more than these things. We will find through study of scripture that love must be balanced by judgment, through God's perfection. This must be so or God's love is void, useless and vain.

God's divine love requires judgment because God is holy and perfect. He is the definition of love and perfection. We humans are not, and for the most part, we willingly know we are sinners in our conscience guilt. We do not want to listen to truth. This is our human, spiritual condition. Many claim they are the captains of their own soul, and by doing so, they have blinded themselves to the knowledge that God has given to us freely, His Word. This is Satan's work, to withhold God's good news to a sick and dying world, which offers no answers and only more complex problems.

Satan desires to take from God His love for us, attempting to deny His love and truth. We have an adversary, friends. When will you listen to truth? Many others simply do not believe that sin exists and the Bible is simply nonsense to them, as they will not take the time to read for themselves, being willfully ignorant of truth (2 Peter 3:5). This is Satan's best weapon, convincing them they need not the Word of God. Yet Jesus was tempted of Satan (Matthew 4:1). Why are people so blinded to sin and the reality of evil? It is because evil and spiritual wickedness rules this world. God has declared that in the fullness of time, all this will end as sin will run its course (2 Thess. 2:7).

Who will escape God's love? Only the selfish and immoral, liars and fornicators, those who believe in their own righteousness, professing themselves as good but denying The Lord of Hosts - our Creator. Those whose hearts are separated from God's love and focused towards themselves and that which is pleasing to only them. These are those who will inherit eternal hellfire and everlasting torment. This torment is knowing that your love was shallow and vain, worthless and selfish, as you will then see your fallen condition. There will be no escape, as all hope will be lost for all eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ told us Himself these truths and died for you personally, as so you may live and escape perfect judgment.

I ask you now to consider - what is love to you, now that you know of His love for us? This then is the highest of value and worth, as nothing could purchase the substance of life, except the price paid to the Father, from the Son, that of His own blood (John 20:17), satisfying the judgment of sin and death as declared by God. For "It is finished" Jesus said, and He gave up the ghost (John 19:30).

The Gospel of John
God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for mankind.

Jesus fulfilled the payment of sin with His own blood (Leviticus 17:11) defeating evil and death. We will find through this series that we humans are guilty of breaking God's divine laws because we lack perfect love. Our love is inward, towards ourselves and does not see in spiritual judgment. This creates a barrier between God the Father and ourselves - His creation. It must be so because God asks us to look towards Him, the creator of all things.

God's love is enduring and patient, perfect and just. God has declared that He desires that no man should perish in eternal separation from Him, in everlasting torment, hopelessness, Hell and death (Proverbs 8). He has shown to us exactly what we need to do and why we must do these things. God will not force any person to choose Him, as He has given all freewill, making us free, moral beings. God's gift to humanity is His love. This love endures by His grace and mercy, as God is the essence of all these things.

The Holy Bible declares God as gracious forever, that His grace and mercy knows no end. Truly awesome because of the high value that has been placed. God declares that He will not contend with mankind forever, and that one day, all that we know will come to an end. We can easily look around our world today and see these evidences mount before us in everything from weapons of mass destruction and pollution, to hatred and violence, and so much more.

None of us is perfect or without blame and we understand this self revealing fact. Yet the vast multitude of people will never look at anything more than what pleases them, not willing to submit to God's authority, morality and judgment. This is humanity's spiritual condition, lost to truth and judgment. God knows we are helpless and that is why He made a way for us to reach Him, ultimately becoming a part of His perfect eternal kingdom. This is love and there is none greater than That a man lay down His life for a friend. (John 15:13) God laid down His own life for you, for me. This is the essence of God's love.

To understand these truths, we must understand that God's love will require judgment of sin. We humans are able to rationalize in our own relative experience, that perfection is nowhere in sight for the human race, nor can it ever come by any human hand. This is God's declared promise and so far God is 100% in His promise. Mankind on his own, without God is 100% right as well. That no man has ever seen perfection. This is why no man has seen the Father except the Son, lest he die from absolute perfection and righteousness, balanced through perfect judgment. This too is a self-revealing fact - that mankind is incapable of such perfection as our world has never demonstrated such love to its own kind, but only seeks to destroy it.

If you desire to see God and you do not have the Son, then you shall die eternally because you will be unable to stand in the presence of God. No man can rush into the throne room of God and live, for you shall be looking at perfection, and none are perfect, no not one. You shall die within your own judgment, knowing that you cannot stand within your own heart. You will know and realize fully, that you stand guilty as charged (1 Cor. 11:31) It is a simple natural law if you would truly consider the wisdom of such truth. May this be a challenge for any who seek to understand. This is the meaning of: The Fear of the Lord.

No matter what effort we give, we cannot attain perfection, or justification of our personal sin. We will find that God's love required Jesus to die in our place, brutally and inhumanely, for the penalty of our personal sins of immorality and selfishness. Jesus died for you and me because it was required of God as the final payment of evil and wickedness, defeating Satan at His death and rising from the grave. This is the apostles' testimony to truth, as Jesus is the only man to have risen from the grave. He defeated death, and because of this, has inherited all things of the Father. Jesus created our world and all things in existence. He is God and all creation will bow to Him and confess His name.

What is love to you, as you read this series of articles and seriously consider my question? Would you really die for me right now, in order to save me? I am most certain that you would not, and I'm afraid that you know this is true as well, so let us not fool each other, as I am no different than you. There is only One that we can depend on to deliver us from death, for He rose from the grave defeating sin and death.

For the wages of sin is death.

In part 2 of this series, we will look at the verses of 1 Corinthians 13:4-13, the intended meaning of the words, how they apply to our lives in this modern age we live in, 2000 years removed from the event. Prior to the cross, they as well were 2000 years removed from the same event. Interesting no doubt. Part 3 will reveal why Jesus' death was required and how God demonstrated His love through the death of His only begotten son for all mankind. Part 4 and 5 will examine why the apostle Paul framed the words as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and what God's love demonstrates to the human race, His crown creation, made in His own image. We will compare 'What is Love' from a humanistic perspective, and compare that to 'The Love of God'.

Will we stand the test of God's ultimate judgment and authority? Indeed not as man is fallen and utterly separated from God's love. Only His grace and mercy are given for us to reach Him, and that is the Lord Jesus, the very essence of God's love, in the likeness of our own humanity. Truly a beautiful gift as understood from God's word. God has offered mankind the gift of His love, willingly, for our eternal salvation, as His children, His joy. The question is, will you listen and hear what God has to say though his word? That is my hope with this series.

Romans 10:17
So then faith, cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.

The Love of God

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Does Christianity Preach Fear? p7

2005-08-05T14:14:00.000-05:00

Hell = Control? (2 of 5)

Controlling Fear or Paradigm Shift?

Many portions of the Bible that condemns immoral behavior are becoming outlawed from American society today, primarily through judicial activism from State and Federal courts. The House and Senate have been as active with such reform as Drivers licenses and The Patriot Act to name only two reforms taking place now that will lead towards the loss of even more civil liberties, mostly caused by preaching fear on war and terrorism. These two reforms will bring American governance into federalism, thereby creating a socialists union.

Paradigm shift created: Fear

Create Problem: War and terrorism
Cause Reaction: Curb laws for - peace and safety
Goal-Solution: Loss of civil freedoms - Socialism through reforming laws.
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Propaganda from the humanists (secularists) claim that Christianity is out to control society by declaring morality through the use of government. These extremists claim that Christianity is attempting to turn America into a Christian theocracy, describing such people as; right-wing religious fanatics, the religious right, Christian fundamentalists, Red State Republicans!

Paradigm shift to create change: Division

Create Problem: Moral authority
Cause Reaction: Isolate Christianity
Goal-Solution: Create laws to ban its usage - To bring forward centralized government.
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. ~Benjamin Franklin (Reported by many to have been declared at the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)

The claim being made is that what the bible declares as immoral cannot be allowed as civil law, because it is unconstitutional to promote a religious belief through government, therefore cannot be accepted as law, because the claim is that government would be actively promoting Christian values. The foundation for this type of attitudinal change came about by adding to the First Amendment the Establishment Clause which added the following statement to the original declaration: "prohibits the establishment of a national religion by Congress or the preference of one religion over another".

The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded. ~Charles-Louis De Secondat

One of the main issues today causing division is same-sex marriage. Once same-sex marriage becomes legal, the outlawing of important parts of the bible will be complete. The process which brought us up to this point started back in the 1960's with the entrance of liberalism into our society, with the Vietnam war being a catalyst for the transformation of society by using the dialectic of problem - reaction - solution to ultimately bring about more reform. In other words, changes to our laws. Such reform is what brought about the legalization of abortion in the early 1970's.

A people who extend civil liberties only to preferred groups start down the path either to dictatorship of the right or the left. ~Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

Paradigm shift of the late 1950's to the early 1960's

Problem: Vietnam War (started by America - Gulf of Tonkin)
Reaction: Protests (civil rights movement)
Solution: Liberalization (entrance of socialism)

(notice: the exact same method is used to create change today)

What is true though in 2005 is the exact opposite of what is being made into law. The vast majority of Americans do not want a godless secular society, as they have overwhelmingly voiced their demands on what is morally acceptable and what is not, such as refusing to accept same-sex marriage as a legal constitutional right. This is the reason we see the effort to draw up state constitutional amendments preventing federal laws changing what the definition of marriage has always been; that of one man and one women. What is happening instead is that a small few un-elected judges are deciding what [they feel] is the law, reversing the laws that the Federal Union recognizes as acceptable throughout the Republic. These rights should be handled though the States, which is how our government operates, that of States rights.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny. -- Thomas Jefferson, Bill for the More General diffusion of Knowledge (1778)

This division creates confusion by removing what federal laws declare as marriage. This issue becomes a nightmare between different States because they do not always recognize each others laws, thereby creating a legal can of worms for American federal laws, with the example of Massachusetts and the legalization of same-sex marriage. A small minority of god-hating humanists continue to make the bogus claim that Christians controlled by the fear of going to Hell must forcefully place their beliefs on society by demanding that the whole of society accept that which some do not believe to be true.

The Christian declaration of immorality (sin) is what the secular humanists consider as hate and intolerance, because they have another belief of what is considered moral. Therefore, we have arrived again at the intentioned dialectic of problem - reaction - solution to create a paradigm shift within the society.

Paradigm shift of major issues from mid 1990's to today

Problem: Homosexuality, cloning, stem cell research, partial birth abortion
Reaction: Public division (moral values)
Solution: Redefining laws (completing the entrance of socialism and loss of guaranteed freedoms)

Preaching Truth of Judgment

Dieric Bouts, The Fall of the Damned 1450

The benefit for preaching the truth of condemnation would certainly be effective in building the church, as people would know what God considers as moral. However, in part six of this series, I argue that Christians are not at all in fear of going to Hell because the modern Christian church avoids preaching on damnation.

Liberal minded preachers do not want to offend anyone by preaching on something as offensive as a place called Hell. Today, the plea is; purpose driven, self-help, give to get, the anointing, be your best, reach inside yourself, miracle healers and tongues. Tolerance and love is the key.

The watering down of the Gospel is what has caused the vast majority of Christians to abandon the true foundations of the bible, because they are taught only half the message. This is what causes apostasy and spiritual blindness. The bible teaches that sin (immorality) is what separates man from God.

Friend, love will not save you. The only thing that will save you is the death of Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sin, through his precious blood (Matt:26:28, 1Pet:1:2).

The liberal, ecumenical christian church of the 21st Century, preaches that God is only love, that He will not judge sin, immorality and wickedness. They are false teachers, bringing in damnable heresies, accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9) Friend, God is love and this is why He sent Jesus, who testified of the Father and was put to death by men for speaking blasphemy, but was put to death by God, being cursed for the punishment of sin, purchasing our freedom from death, through [his act of love]. The message from God is to listen to His declared morality, to repent of sin. For judgment rests upon those who refuse.

Here is love... that judgment would have mercy, providing pardon towards us though his free gift of salvation, as given by his grace and forgiveness, because God loves us (John 15:13). All that God is asking anyone today is to look at the evidence of his truth, as written in the scriptures, and ask yourself only one simple question: am I a sinner, who has broken God's declared laws? If so, we are able to make the free-will volition to believe in faith. This is the Gospel message as given by Jesus himself; that of God's absolute authority, morality and judgment.

And [Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:44-47

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Artist scans courtesy of Carol Gerten-Jackson CGFA - A Virtual Art Museum

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p9

2005-08-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

Molech Worship and Blood Eating
Article written by: Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

"I will set My face against that soul that eats blood"
"then I will set My face against that man" regarding Molech.

Maimonides [1] states ("Guide for the Perplexed", Book III, chapter XLVI, pg. 362 Dover ed.) that certain cultures who would either eat blood or sit around a pot of blood, as they felt they would be favored by "spirits". He writes:

"They imagined that in this manner the spirits would come to partake of the blood which was their food, whilst the idolaters were eating of the flesh; that love, brotherhood and friendship with the spirits were established because they dined with the latter, at one place and at the same time, that the spirits would appear to them in dreams, inform them of coming events, and be favorable to them."

After Maimonides explains the origin of the Torah prohibition against eating blood, he connects this prohibition to the prohibition to serve Molech, a fire G-d. (I will record a few sources in a moment which depict Molech's practice.) Maimonides continues:

"....the law emphasized the prohibition (against blood eating) in the exactly in the same terms as it emphasizes idolatry. 'I will set My face against that soul that eats blood.'(Lev. 17:10). The same language is employed in reference to him 'who gives of his seed to Molech'; 'then I will set My face against that man.' (Lev, 20:5). There is, besides idolatry and eating blood, no other sin in reference to which these words are used. For the eating of blood leads to a kind of idolatry, to the worship of spirits."

Maimonides points to a connection between eating blood and Molech. His parallel is drawn from the Torah's own language, which is almost identical in both offenses, "I will set My face against that soul that eats blood" and "then I will set My face against that man" regarding Molech. These two verses strengthen the equation of these two offenses. Maimonides also mentions the notion of "spirits", in application to both blood eating and Molech - a further equation.

Molech Worship

How exactly did one worship Molech? According to Maimonides, a parent would cause his child to pass through flames without burning the child. As he states, people felt this to be a "light thing" and, by doing so, the imagined they were protecting their children. A "light thing" as he puts it means no risk. Followed by, "to protect their children" clearly indicates that Maimonides held Molech worship not to cause harm to the child. Ramban [1] (Lev. 18:21) was of the opinion that parents would actually burn their children to the point of death. He bases this on many verses. He also equates Molech to the sacrificing of children to Baal, which he concludes are one and the same practice. He points out that the admonishment used by G-d in reference to such vicious abominations is, "(matters) that I have spoken not of, nor entered My mind." What is so significant about Molech and Baal that this sentiment is used by G-d?

What is the common denominator in these theories of Molech worship? What would both Maimonides and Ramban agree is the element which distinguishes Molech from all other practices?

Why is Molech referred to more harshly than idolatry, "you defiled My sanctuary and profaned My name."(Lev. 20:3) And why is this prohibition followed immediately by prohibitions to divine spirits and enchanters?

On this point, the Talmud (Sanhedrin, 64a) teaches that Molech is, in fact, not classical idolatry. It derives its proof from a previous Mishna on page 53a, where it lists Torah violators who are stoned. There, it includes "idolaters, one who gives his seed to Molech, ...". The Talmud proves that had Molech been a classical form of idolatry, there would be no need to isolate it. It would be subsumed under the broader category of idolatry, as is done with regards to all other forms of idolatry. But as the Mishna lists Molech separate from idolatry, the Rabbis conclude, Molech is not idolatry. So what is it? Furthermore, the Talmud asks, "Why is Molech called 'Molech'?" The answer according to one view is that "Molech means "that which rules; one violates the Torah through allowing anything to rule over him, even a pebble, even a chip of wood." This is significant, as idolatry usually has some fixed form, some unique structure for the idol. Here, the Talmud states that the worshiped form is irrelevant. And even though one might say, "are they not worshiping fire?" it might well be that they do burn their children in fire, but perhaps they do so, not TO the fire per se, but to an imagined deity. An intangible thing. Let's keep this last point in mind. The fact is that Ramban pointed out that both Molech and Baal incorporate child burning as their practice, so I would say that the fire was a means of worship, not the deity.

Blood Eating

What about the other practice which Maimonides equates to Molech, that of blood eating? How did one violate it? This seems very straight forward, based on Maimonides' description. People either ate blood, or dined around a pot of blood. Both practices were based on "dining with spirits". This fits in well with the verses which immediately precede the prohibition of blood eating. First, the Torah discusses prohibition to slaughter animals on the field: (Lev. 17:4-5) "And to the opening of the Tent of Meeting he did not bring to sacrifice offerings to G-d, before the tabernacle of G-d, ....he will be cut off from the midst of his people. In order that the Children of Israel bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the fields, and they bring them to G-d." Notice how in both verses the Jews are warned to bring their sacrifices to "G-d". This indicates that their crime is one where they are sacrificing to 'another' imagined entity. And two verses later, "And you shall not continue anymore your sacrifices to seirim (demons) that you err after,..." This proves that the sacrifices in the fields were intended for a recipient other than G-d. (Keep this in mind, as I believe this to be the underlying tie between blood eating and Molech.)

Now we find after these verses addressing sacrifice, the prohibition of eating blood. What does blood eating have to do with sacrifices to the "seirim", these demons? It would appear that the goal is one and the same, as both, sacrifices in fields (not to G-d's Tabernacle) and blood eating, were meant to approach spirits, as Maimonides stated earlier. According to the Ibn Ezra, (Lev. 17:7) these spirits were seen only by fools, "mishugaim". They are not real, but imagined things. Maimonides says so well, "They sacrificed to spirits, not to G-d. According to the explanation of our Sages, 'lo eloha' (no to G-d) imply the following idea: They have not only not left off worshiping things in existence; they even worship imaginary things." (ibid, pg. 363)

To summarize, Molech and blood eating share in G-d's "setting of His face against that person." Molech is not considered classical idolatry; it is its own category. Maimonides mentions "spirit" numerous times when equating Molech with blood eating. Blood eating immediately follows the prohibitions of sacrificing to demons.

Two Crimes - One Flaw

I believe we already see the initial idea mentioned by Maimonides, that blood eating and Molech worship are uniquely different from other crimes. They alone deserve the response of "I will set My face against that man...." What is the crime they both share? I would formulate it as follows: "The assumption of forces other than G-d." Here is where these two crimes set themselves apart from idolatry. In classical idolatry, the worshiper does not deny G-d, but rather, he claims a certain sub-deity or practice is a method for relating to G-d. In regards to the Jews who bowed to the calf, the commentators say that no one thought the calf took them out of Egypt. Also, a Rabbi pointed out that Pharaoh accepted one G-d, but the method of worship was through sub-deities. So too the Prophet states, "Who would not fear you, King of the nations." (Jeremiah, 10:7) Idolatry does not include the denial of the One, true G-d. Rather, they deviate in their approach to Him. However, blood eating and Molech worship have a different deviation; both assume a new thing called "spirits". These violators believe there may be G-d, but they definitely believe in other forces too.

We said that the Talmud teaches Molech to be any object one accepts to rule over himself. Meaning, it is not a physical object or statue, but a force, or spirit. Blood eating too was described by Maimonides as a wish that imagined spirits would be favorable to those worshipers who dined near the pot of blood. Here too, forces are imagined to exist in addition to G-d.

Now we understand G-d's response, "I will set My face against that man...." The only proper response to one who imagines other forces is that G-d take the most severe action. How does G-d do so? The worshiper feels that by eating blood, or worshiping Molech, that his fortune will improve. This is his very motivation. But when G-d actually destroys his fortune, the worshiper must say to himself, "The Torah's words of destruction have come true, and my imagined forces are false, they have not saved me." The wording is that G-d will "set His face against that man". Meaning, there is only G-d, and no other. Nothing else can respond to his practices of blood eating or Molech worship, because there are no such things as spirits. The only Being Who can respond is G-d. The very misfortune teaches the violator that, in fact, his actions are only witnessed by G-d, the only Witness to his actions. Nothing else is "out there", so nothing else responds.

Denying the exclusive reign G-d retains over the entire universe violates the central focus of Judaism. Therefore, one who violates G-d's unity deserves the most "focus" from G-d. G-d responds by saying, "I will turn aside from all My involvements, and I will concentrate on him." (Rashi, Lev., 17:10) A deviation of such proportion requires G-d's proportional "attention".

The phrase of G-d, "(matters) that I have spoken not of, nor entered My mind" is used in connection with Molech. Perhaps with this phrase, G-d wishes to indicate that Molech worshipers assumed forces outside of what is "real". Meaning, if this practice "did not enter G-d's mind", G-d means to teach that Molech is a practice unlike idolatry. It is a practice where one forges a false reality that G-d did no conceive of. Idolatry assumes the real G-d. Molech does not.

So Molech and blood eating are not idolatry. G-d plays no part in the goal of the violator. In idolatry, at least one is trying to approach the true G-d, but his methods are corrupt. But Molech and blood eating do not have G-d as their aim. They worship imagined "spirits", as Maimonides states repeatedly. The verses support this idea fully; "And to the opening of the Tent of Meeting he did not bring to bring sacrifices to G-d, before the tabernacle of G-d, ....he will be cut off from the midst of his people. In order that the Children of Israel bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the fields, and they bring them to G-d,..." The Jews are warned to bring their sacrifices to G-d, because it is here that they attempt to communicate with something other than G-d. This approach also explains why Molech is followed immediately by prohibitions of divining spirits and enchanters.

One question remains: If blood eating and Molech are so similar, what in Molech alone is deserving of the statement, "you defiled My sanctuary and profaned My name"? (Lev. 20:3) Think about it. Write in with your answers: moshebenchaim@mesora.org

Article written by: Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim
Visit his website: Mesora

[1] Maiminides, also known as Rambam born in 1135's. Doctor to the Sultan, master in Jewish philosophy. Quoted in the Talmudic commentaries. Ramban, also known as Nachmanides too lived in the middle ages, shortly after Maimonides. Famous for his Disputation in Barcerlona. Moshe Ben-Chaim