"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Here the man in question is Adam. By making him a living soul he is set down in the Lucan genealogy as the son of God. On day six he was blessed and placed all his creation under his hands (Ge.1:28-29). 'Male and female created him sets him in terms of his will stated as a forerunner of Christ and his bride. Only after He sanctified the day seven Eve, was taken out of his ribs. Later He brought all his creation for his review and no helpmeet was found from them. Only then God set about creating flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. The everlasting covenant between God and Man gives us a final separation, as with Day and Night and waters above and below the firmament and it is a precursor for the ministry of reconciliation for the Word become flesh. It is to this St Paul refers, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Ep.5:29. )Christ and his body is therefore implied in day Six. Creation of Eve in the following chapter thus creates a family tree connecting Jesus Christ to Adam in Luke Ch.3.
The breath of God made all the difference to Adam who was formed of the ground. He correctly guessed his calling and did not find anyone worthy from without. He was created in 'his likeness' which is the head. For this reason Jesus referred the deep sleep of Adam was precursor to his own death. He as the word become flesh made himself chaste. Compare his saying, "and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."(Matt.19:12) With Jesus Christ came grace and truth. What God has joined together referred to his own case. In human likeness he nourished and cherished what God had entrusted him with. His prayer makes it clear. ( John 17:11-12)
"But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." (v.6) God is love is a facet of holiness of God. When God breathed into the nostrils of man there was no need for spelling out holiness as such. In his breath all that were needful for his life and godliness was impressed as a candle is lit by another. Quality of light sets both giver and the given on the same stand,- Holiness made it so natural so love of man so learned did not carry any other feeling than was impressed. By the same token in loving the world God made love Person specific. ( John 3:16)
Male and female he created them is with reference to the holiness so love has a body as a candle has and it is quality also speaks about love of two bodies maintain a common purpose. The Spirit presents the House with seven pillars as a body built by Wisdom, which is a feminine principle.(Pr.9:1)God a Spirit is Power dovetailing into Wisdom is how the Spirit presents the divine Holiness. By the same token his Son has a body which is the Word become God loved the world therefore it must be seen and the heat thereof must be felt throughout. In due time God sent Jesus Christ as the true light. While he presented the doctrine of his Father it had to be out in the open fulfilling the saying, "Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?"(4:21).
"Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away./And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."(vv.4-5) Compare with what John says," In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."( John 1:1) Because of the hardness of heart Moses allowed man put away, which is like the candle put under the bed. Jesus refers to it as adultery of one against the other.
"And in the house" Jesus explained it in terms of the Law of the Spirit. (Matt.19:9-11)
Here we have two aspects of life where sin controls circumstances of man's world. We shall come to the other man's riches reigning uppermost whereas God covered him with glory and honor in the beginning; so much so Adam and Eve were naked and yet they felt no shame at all. Wealth of a sinful man's inventive mind, in terms of a sentient life did not exist at all.
The man who came running to Jesus must not have come on the spur of the moment. A good life for a fine mind can hold a deadening effect when one sees at every turn the squalor and misery of lives floating about. It is like a healthy man chained to a almost a decaying corpse. Does it not spoil his sleep though he has a comfortable bed to sleep on? He may have kept a good table with rich viands and possessed thoroughbreds in his stables and lived in the midst of objet d'art, and he may have even tried not to succumb to its lure. He would only know how his soul has been left bound so he hastened to Jesus in a moral dilemma. Only when the moment of truth demanded him to declare where he stood in terms of eternal life, "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions".(v.22)
The Spirit repeats thrice in vv.23-25 Jesus makes a general observation; secondly with regards to those who would want an abiding life as branches to the true Vine. " Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"(v.24)
"Who then can be saved?/And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."(vv.26-27) Grace is required to negotiate between true riches and other man's riches.
On the other hand true riches of man has been established between God and Man and the blessings are allowed to whosoever trusted the Son unreservedly. Besides God sanctified the day Seven and would send him to the world in fullness of time.
John 5:17 - My JESUS said: My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
GOD sent JESUS in the turn from the fourth Day to the fifth Day, i.e. around 4000 years after Adam, and around 1500 years after Moses. As JESUS said, GOD the Father still was working, in fact until the end of the recent last millennium, the sixth millennium.
Based in the Word of God,on GOD's six Days of creation and one Day of rest(a total of seven days)plus the Scriptures that teach that one Day is with the Lord as a thousand years,so MANKIND would go through six GOD Days of 1,000 years each(a total of 6000 years)plus a Millennium of 1000 years rest(now a total of 7,000 years)
Biblical Chronology - Genesis 5:
Adam lived ..........................130 yrs-begat Seth
Israel, as 'Dry Bones'- Ezekiel 37-Now,Dry land, but before was the clay( Isaiah 64:8), exactly when the Most High make a separation between water and water- Genesis 1:9-, that is, when the Most High separated the Hebrews from the Egypcians through Moses, and He created a celestial environment and called it of expanse, called heaven (that is the Dispensation of the Old Testament used in the Promised Land), then the Most High, the Lord, the I AM, separated the water (the Egypcians) that was BELOW of the expanse He created(an heavenly environment), and the water that that was ABOVE the expanse (the people of Israel- GOD's people), and it was evening, and it was morning, the second GOD's Day.
Genesis 1:10-19
10And God called the dry land Earth(israel);and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas(Gentile peoples/nations): and God saw that it was good.
11And God said,Let the earth(Israel)bring forth grass,the herb yielding seed,and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind,whose seed is in itself,upon the earth:and it was so.
12And the earth brought forth grass,and herb yielding seed after his kind,and the tree yielding fruit,whose seed was in itself, after his kind:and God saw that it was good.
13And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14And God said,Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day(light)from the night(darkness);and let them be for signs,and for seasons,and for days,and years:
15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven(expanse)to give light upon the earth:and it was so.
16And God MADE two great lights;the Greater Light-JESUS-to rule the day,and the Lesser light to rule the night:he made the stars also.
17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18And to rule over the day and over the night,and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Matthew gives the passage in a slight altered form. It is the Mother of the sons of Zebedee approaches Jesus for a special favor."Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshippinghim, and desiring a certain thing of him."(Matt.20:20). The Word or the Law is interpreted differently according to the world of the Spirit and by the flesh and spirit respectively. In one the glory of God is the foremost so Elias or Moses serve as a double for the Son. In the case of the Mother of Zebedee's sons, her desire was the glory of her sons. She serves as a stand in for her Son. Of this St Paul gives us two contrary laws. "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."(Ro.7:25)
Law of the Spirit presupposes a Lawgiver is it not. It is thus God has left all judgment to his Son who also is the Word become flesh. On the other hand Satan the Lawless one has become by default of Adam a law given so the law of sin characterizes works of flesh and blood. Whosoever rejects the commandment as King Saul did is subject to an unclean spirits. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."( 1 John 3:8)
vv.38-39 "And with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized." Jesus refers to the anointing he received (Ps.45:5-6) and in their case of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and adds,"But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared." Jesus scrupulous chose to obey the word and as was reminded by Moses at the mount. of his death and glory would fulfill what was written of him in the scripture. the same choice was left to the sons of Zebedee and it was their free will.
The other ten disciples were naturally upset over their behind the back maneuvering for power.
Transfiguration of Jesus at the mount throws up light beyond the glorious body, a building of God eternal in heavens. The disciples going to Emmaus would not have recognized the risen Jesus but they did and it had to do with the word. " Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"( Luke 24:31-32). When Jesus opened their eyes they did know it was he indeed.
Then we have the mount itself to consider. "And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them."(v.2). As with the Sermon on the mount we have the high mountain which is the testimony of God and Jesus as the rock cut not with hands, signifying we are looking at the Word become flesh.
Mark mentions Moses and Elias " and they were talking with Jesus."(v.24). When Jesus explained the word of God to Cleopas and his companion, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." ( Luke 24:27) Luke elsewhere gives an additional insight to the transfiguration."And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:/Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." Moses and Elias and Jesus are the three in glory in that specific moment of transfiguration while the three disciples, Peter James and John were in their physical bodies. In short, the Transfiguration is clear illustration of two worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh and blood operating simultaneously. The word concerning him sets prophets serving outside the timescale as we know the term. For this reason Jesus speaks of Elias,"But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him." (v.13) The ministry of Elias and Moses were as a double Jesus Christ
God's uniqueness is related to His being Creator; with the original creation of man and the new creation resulting in a glorified body after sanctification. His characteristics no doubt prove man's uniqueness in creation as well. Only man can act as an architect; craftsman and have a mindset for the future as compared with the animal kingdom.
It seems as though evidences of God in every physical entity from the atom to the entire universe is great enough that no further study is needed. If this is a subject of interest perhaps someone can leave a comment and I will look into the most recent scientific data from a Creationist's perspective.
My post yesterday discussed Christ as firstfruits; specifically that raised from the dead. HIs uniqueness includes the following:
Being God in the flesh. This makes Him superior to all of His creation whether man or angels. Yet He had to be made a little lower than the angels to live vicariously that is in our place yet suffer all things as we do without sin. Hebrews enlightens us on this subject in many places and I would suggest studying the entire book as I did a few years back with a small group.
Besides His sinless life; we have His death and resurrection; which demonstrated His victory over the grave and sin and His atonement for God's chosen sons and daughters.
He has a name only He knows .( Revelation 19:12)
He has been given all authority over heaven and earth ( Matthew 28:18)
He has the keys to the gates of hell ( Revelation 1:18)
He will rule forever ( Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33)
One aspect that is sometimes glossed over is that God can be jealous; and for HIs own Name's sake and also desire worship and be sinless. This is something that for any created being; man or angel that leads to destruction. This is why any image man creates of his conception of God is so dangerous and warned against in verses such as Exodus 20:4. That verse doesn't specifically mention God but it states anything in heaven above or earth below thus the Godhead would also be included. God can't be seen by human eyes ( John 1:18). Christ is by far the most represented in paintings and sculpture of the members of the Godhead; but with man's idolatrous heart he is led to worship these images much as he does with Mary and the "saints" whether real or imaginary ones in terms of their earthly ministry. The image of the cross is only beneficial as an offense and a curse; and is only beneficial to remind us of Christ's sufferings but also we need to look beyond that to His Resurrection and current ministry ( Heb. 7:25).
The consistency of the Bible and uniqueness of Christ
In my last post I describe how the incident in John 9 set apart Christ as doing something new; that only God could perform.
This wasn't something the religious Pharisees could deal with; as the lengthy account of this incident makes painfully clear.
We also see Jesus' claims to be able to forgive sins as something unique; yet the many prophecies in Isaiah should have been enough to convince the Jews that this indeed was the true Messiah. There were references there to healing the blind; ministry reaching out to the Gentiles; as well as things such as Isaiah 61 that Jesus quoted and then cut off before the next verse got into the Second Coming and establishing His Kingdom on the earth at that time.
In the analysis of the "Old" and "New" covenants it is better to say that the New one developed the full meaning of the Old.
It certainly doesn't eliminate moral expectations in regard to murder; adultery and covetousness in the original 10 Commandments; we can look to Colossians 2:16 as to the exception of a mandate for "Holy days" as to not enforcing Saturday as the day of rest. This is a hotbed of controversy for some so I won't elaborate further. It is clear ceremonial laws changed; in regard to foods eaten the Cornelious episode makes that abundantly clear. ( Acts 10).
Christ became the sacrifice for our sins so no further sacrifice is needed. ( Psalm 40:6-8). Clearly the grace of the N.T. is seen in the Old Testament; particularly in regard to the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart as seen in Psalm 51 and many other places. God Himself at some point abhorred the sacrifices due to the hypocrisy ( Isaiah 1:14). Many call Isaiah the Gospel of the O.T. and it is needed reading to understand prophetic things to come regarding Christ and God's call to the Gentiles.
Many places appear to show Christ before He came on earth physically; it is an interesting study in itself. So is the Godhead.
In the study of Creation there appear to be at least 2 different accounts in Genesis but they are emphasizing different things and hence complement one another ( Genesis 1 and 2). There are many Psalms related to Creation as well. We also see in Jesus quoting almost every book including reference to the Creation ( Matthew 19:8 on divorce); as well as the literal story of Jonah as to how it relates to the Son of Man ( Matthew 12:40). These accounts show the truth of the Old Testament and aren't able to hold water to arguments that things were merely symbolic.
One could argue as an atheist that since the same things seem to happen over and over again in scripture they can't be true; and/or they are borrowed from pagan traditions. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that there is "nothing new under the sun." If we study things like prophecy there are more often than not multiple fulfillments; we can look at the earlier example of the Temple and abomination therein and see not just Antiochus but also the siege of Rome in 70 AD and to a lesser extent around 130 AD and the final application for Antichrist himself yet to come. The same pattern exists with Psalm 22 and descriptions foreshadowing Christ and demonstrating David's situation; some seem mutually exclusive others overlapping. Jesus was frequently hounded and persecuted much as David was; the difference being He was sinless; David was not. The whole story of the death; burial and Resurrection is seen with the pagan legends and religions as well but if we believe Satan is real he always is coming as a substitute for or against the God of the Bible; as we see in the persona of the Antichrist Beast and world economic and religious system. Satan knows scripture well enough to quote it; and we wouldn't expect anything less from the enemy of God's people.
We can see in the miracles of Christ similar things to the ministry of Elijah. Healing of the blind is unique ( John 9:32-33
Anyone with access to a concordance; even a basic list in small print of corresponding verses shows the integrity and cohesiveness of all of the Bible; both Old and New Testaments. This dwarfs the historical references in the Apocrypha; in which many of the details that are verifiable are in Maccabees; 1 and 2. The feast of Dedication is found in the N.T. but not mentioned specifically in the Old; hence Maccabees is helpful describing this as well. These facts are important for archaeological and historical accuracy as well as the veracity of the teachings in the Bible; whether in the old covenant of the law or the New Covenant. When we compare information in scripture to other secular teachings and those of other faiths; we see elemental truths as well as the same events clearly indicated in many cases; or closely paralleled.
In the case of the law; for example there are repetitive passages in the Pentateuch in regard; for instance to the 10 commandments found in Exodus and Deuteronomy; then Jesus quotes many of the same passages when contenting with the Pharisees to expound the deeper meanings of intentions of the heart when it comes to marriage and divorce; hatred for someone; and lustful thoughts. Love your neighbor as yourself comes from Leviticus 19:18 which I wasn't even aware of until recently.
The empires of history are in Daniel as well as the final world government summarized in Daniel 7:4-6 and Revelation 13:2.
We see the same cross references relating to most of the major events of the Tribulation especially found in the endo of chapter 11 and all of 12 in Daniel. Jesus Himself in Matthew 24:15 stated the importance of Daniel's visions from Daniel 12:11. This also was foreshadowed in the story in Maccabees about Antiochus Epiphanes which time frame is alluded to in parts of Daniel 11 that seem to shift into the time of the end in verse 40.
We do well to study the Word as the Bereans did ( 2 Tim. 2:15).
"And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us./ But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me./For he that is not against us is on our part." Lucan gospel also gives this incident.( Luke 9:48-50)
Principle of Association is reconciling all things in heaven and on earth. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."(Col.1:10) The Mind of Christ is to see in his light so his name is preeminent whether persons places or events, whichever is named is subject to him. For this reason he rebuked Peter who was viewing his master as one who must be protected from all harm. "Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."(7:33)
Jesus Christ was anointed the Christ above all others." Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre./Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."(Ps.45:6-7) As a Son he chose all those who were called and as the Son of man he made manifest grace and truth. So he would after transfiguring before the three disciple tell them, "And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead."(v.9)
The disciples did not understand its significance. They had to go a longway in their discipleship.
Mark states the principle of Association which is in an altered from than what is presented by St Matthew. "And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them," Jesus sets a child representing the twelve and St Matthew presents the principle accordingly, before he sent them to preach, "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." (Matt.10:40). Jesus taking the child in his arms is how we are set in his hands so both Gospels are referring the selfsame idea. In terms of the quality God set his name every other name because he was a child in his obedience. Putting on the mind of Christ is therefore proving your parentage. At the mount of Transfiguration he received the testimony of his Father, "And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."(v.7). The earth and the fulness thereof belong to God which makes all things in heaven and on earth by him consist. "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." therefore is not to be measured by earthly time but as set forth in the divine Will. As the Word which was from the beginning ( John 1:1) it pleased God that in him should all Fullness dwell.
"And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus."(v.4) Demonstrative of this we have Moses and Elias meeting Jesus at the mount. Before the Advent of Jesus they were sent as stand in for him and while at the mount their roles are reversed! It is how the two worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh and blood revolve about a stationary point of the Son and of the Son of man. Now we shall understand why Jesus said, in vv.38-39. His disciples did not have this 360 degree view while Jesus understood his name before which all knees should bow (Ph.2:5-9) rose above their partisan spirit. They still had a long way to go .
Here we have a saying that must prove as Euclid's Elements proposed pons asinorum for the medieval students; and here we have one as similar for those who approach the word of God by intellect and explain the meanings literally. Here are three injunctions stated by Jesus Christ: "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off" (v.43) secondly, "And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off" (v.45) and finally, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out."(v.47). The Spirit gives the same formula after the three sayings that makes it special and to be understood as of grave importance. In v.44,v.46 and in v.48 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.". Seven messages to the churches end with the same line, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;."(Re.2:7). If the formula is specifically applied to the churches what shall we make of Jesus gives at the end of the Parable of the Sower? "And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."(4:9,23;Matt.13:9) "It is to his disciples unto whom grace is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This formula forms a hedge about, a caveat for whosoever would want to enter the kingdom of God. In this context the Spirit while presenting the 'seven days' from the everlasting covenant in Ge.Ch.1 we have this at the end of each 'day', "And the evening and the morning were...".(1:5,8,13,19,23,31). Where was these leading us to? "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Seventh day explains that He blessed whosoever would enter therein in his Son.(Ge.2:3) The hand foot and the eye refers to the body of the church or the Bride. Hence both gospels of St Mark and Matthew sets these sayings in context of offending 'these little ones that believe in me"(9:41-42; Matt.18:6)
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Death is an enemy; and verse 26 of this chapter indicates that it will eventually be eliminated. Jesus was the "first of the firstfruits" so to speak; which extends through the Rapture/Resurrection event of the righteous; through the Revelation 14:4 event of the translation of the 144,000. After this we will have the Second Coming when those that survive until that time physically will survive to repopulate the earth in the Millennial period; followed by the time the Heavenly Jerusalem comes down and God the Father dwells with men (v. 24).
It is hard to comprehend let alone understand all the mysteries of His death; burial and resurrection. It is as a grand play on stage; except that the pathos is real; and His atonement was sufficient for us all to deliver our sins as far as the east is from the west. ( Psalm 103:12). He ever lives to intercede for His people ( Hebrews 7:25). He first rose from the dead and we shall likewise. He who believes in Him will never die ( John 11:25-26) even though he dies physically in reality it is only the body that sleeps as we see about Lazarus earlier in that chapter. We have hope unlike the world for those "fallen asleep" ( 1 Thess. 4:14-18).
All of creation also is awaiting the change and groans until now ( Romans 8:23). For those who believe the last scene of this real life drama is glorious and never ending; while there is no peace for the wicked ( Isaiah 48:22; etal). Let that sink in as the world in its ignorance turns this glorious day into a mockery.
Our Lord JESUS emphatically said:All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth-Mat.28:18.
The world of Devil as a whole,with all kind of structures they all have, yeah,all the nations and peculiar system of life of each one,are sufferring and will suffer catastrofic and insufferable punishments in this seventh and last millennium,or seventh and last Day,the LORD's Day.Get ready.
See,the precedent period of Tribulation,period of sorrows listed by JESUS-Mat.24:3-8-is the first signal of the beginning of the ETERNAL chastisement ahead.In fact,the ETERNAL punishment of all nations it had a written deadline to start,understand?And it has already really started.
Now,within this environment of punishments and pains and entire collapse of the Devil's world,the false messiah of the Jews will manifest himself as JESUS prophesied,saying to the Jews an IMPOSTOR they will receive as their messiah- John 5:43-47, combined with 2 Thes.2:3-12,and Re.13 :11.
Thus, in the midst of severe chastisement and great suffering in all nations due the wrath of the Lamb,-Re.6:14-17, we will soon see two Beasts reigning on Earth:
1-the old Gentile Beast of the Sea; and
2-the Beast of the earth(Israel)who will still manifest himself, from then on will begin the period of the last week(of years), the 70th week Daniel 9:27,and each Beast will reign for 3.5 years-42 months-or 1260 days-and who will first rule the 5th and last satanic kingdom - Daniel 2:41-44- is the old Gentile Beast of the sea-Re.13:1.
Then Re.11:2 and Re.13:5 will begin LITERALLY to be fulfilled as first period of the last week.The worst of all punishments will happen in the beginning of the 2nd half of the last week,with the establishment of the Abomination of Desolation for 1290 days-Dan.12:v.11.
12Blessed is he that waiteth,and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.(Oh yes,blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the Ineffable,Wonderful,Indescribable,Unspeakable day,the day 1.335.Hallelujaaah!!!
"Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."
Salt is compared to life which could be lived to no purpose or to life abundant. The word of God warned Lot and his family to go forward but Mrs Lot would rather live in the past. "Remember Lot's wife," serves as a warning to all those who holds no vision as Abraham has had. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He.11:10. So living in tents as pilgrims and sojourners his vision ever led him forth so much so heaven in the Parable of Jesus is compared to Abraham's bosom.
In vv28-50 the Spirit mentions the house as separate from the world. "And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?" As with parables the mysteries were not for those who had no appreciation for the saltiness of their soul. Killing time in mindless pursuits is what they call as having good time. From the edge of their lost contents they may sent postcards telling,'wish you were here!'. In the house the disciples would press their masters for answers so they did have a sound base upon which they could build up, "Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."
vv.33-34 There was oneupmanship among them. How often did they forget that they could nothing without their master? The house is a synonym for abiding life as in the Parable of the 'I am the true vine.' ( John 15:3) They were yet to understand the principle of Association. Charity of giving a glass of water is in the connection between the one in need and God in heaven. "Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." False shepherds wax eloquent over 1 Co.13 and let not their Jesus talk fool anyone. Without abiding life in Christ it is for their own glory.
"And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not./He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me."
Jesus' call,"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," includes not only the twelve but whosoever is called, and according to the scriptures (which hinges on the blessings spelt forth in the covenant,) is expected to respond.The living soul would mean whosoever valued truth above what is seen or temporal so life of the Spirit sets the polestar for his onward voyage. "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."(Re.22:16). It is thus the inner man presents the gospel to man. Faith with works renders him hold Jesus Christ as the Captain of his salvation and run the race so the only life he seeks is beyond life of the senses. Peter merely responded to the question and answered correctly, "Thou art the Christ."(8:29) Shortly there after he shows he was still struggling to find his feet in the matter of discipleship. Rebuking him Jesus said,"for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."(8:33). Peter and the rest had a long way to go but the promise was that they lived by grace, from his fullness. Wherever they fumbled Jesus was ther as in the case of the demon possessed boy, Jesus would say, "bring him unto me".
"Let him deny himself" also meant the disciples were amenable to correction. "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."( John 3: 21). Peter had to bear his cross, and denial of Christ was in the past for Jesus forgave his lapse and placed the flock under his care. "Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."
Two WARS run in the Earth-Russia/Ukraine& Israel/Palestine,the worst WAR will happen in HEAVEN,a celestial ENVIRONMENT (Eph.1:3-8),a spiritual WAR-Re.11:15-18;and one of the 7 heads of the Beast of sea,a Gentile Beast-Re.13:1-the MAIN PARTNER of the Dragon-Re.13:11 combined with Re.13:2,will be mortally wounded-Re.13:3, and Isaiah 51:9-16 reveal as follow:
9Awake,awake,put on strength,O arm of the Lord;awake,as in the ancient days,in the generations of old.Art thou not it that hath cut RAHAB,and wounded the DRAGON?
10Art thou not it which has dried the sea(by allegory,now peoples,and NATIONS,and multitudes of all tongues),the waters of the great deep;that has made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?(You know the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea,and walk through a desert until they got to the Promised Land.What about GOD's people now in this current time?)Now GOD's people must go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon)
11Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,and come with singing unto Zion;and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy;and sorrow and mourning shall flee away
12I,even I,am he that comforteth you:who art thou,that thou should be afraid of a man that shall die,and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
13And forgettest the Lord thy maker,that has stretched forth the heavens,and laid the foundations of the earth;and has feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor,as if he were ready to destroy?where is the fury of the oppressor?
14The captive exile hastenes that he may be loosed,and that he should not die in the pit,nor that his bread should fail.
15But I am the Lord thy GOD,that divided the sea,whose waves roared:The Lord of hosts is His name
16And I have put my words in thy mouth,and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand,that I may plant the heavens,and lay the foundations of the earth,and say unto Zion,Thou art my people
"And how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought." (v.12)
This key verse shall explain this saying of Jesus. It also tells how vital was for the multitude that he called them as well as his disciples, so it goes to the very core of the kingdom of God. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it./For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"(8:34-36). For my sake and for the gospel's sake is distinct from the Son for whom 'this day' is decreed. (Ps.2:7) So the gospel and the Word become flesh, the Son of man fulfills the provision of 'the seven days' in the everlasting covenant.
What God has sanctified covers the body of Christ and the duration of which is 'this day'. God was from the beginning and the Word was with him. Because of Adam and his disobedience sin entered into the world so with obedience what Jesus proved was the excellence of the soul which is the earnest of divine sovereignty of soul. Life of the vile body cannot let go "I will" So when the pomp and circumstance of the king of Tyre wants to impose his will he proves to whom he holds affinity. His will worship sets him as the son of perdition. "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire./Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ez.28:14-16; "I will be like the most High./Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell."-Is.14:14-15)
God made man a living soul, and the life is what the Word become flesh made manifest. Humility of Jesus set at nought his own body after the likeness of men. So redemption of one's soul has only single way into the kingdom of God. "I am the Way" Ph.2:5-9)
"That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."
St Matthew also gives this and both converge to the transfiguration of Jesus, the baseline on which whosoever enters into the kingdom of God shall have in common. Both gospels give the tag, 'After six days' is where the Son and the Son of man merges in terms of the Word. Thus when Jesus holds his disciples to secrecy it is to the spiritual body that awaits him. In short Peter James and John representing all his brethren/Associates are given a preview of this kingdom coming with power. "for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."( Luke 12:32). Little flock, servants, associates are stages of development in the life of anyone who wants to follow the Son of man. By the same token Moses Elias David,Isaiah Ezekiel John serve as double for the Son of man since God had foreknown them 'according to the scriptures' so what they said or did was in obedience to the Son who was the Word. At this high mountain where Jesus transfigured was a foretaste of what was to come. Coming with power also was within the frame of reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That makes Joel also as a double. In short principle of Association is like a stone thrown in a pool causes the ripple widening to fill the whole extent. The bread from heaven cast forth in Ec.11:1-2 refers to the Son of man.
Bearing our cross and following him we enter the kingdom with power so our spiritual bodies, a building of God eternal in heavens we are to keep in sights. The same transfiguration as Jesus made manifest is our earnest as with the indwelling Spirit is our confidence."For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."(2 Co.5:4-5)
GOD bless everyone on this forum during our worship of the LORD JESUS CHRIST'S Resurrection Sunday. GOD to shine HIS face and gloriously bless everyone who look forward to HIS soon return. March 30, 2024
Revelation 12:10-14 help us to understand prophecies of Isaiah described as posted below:
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven(heaven?Eph.1:3-8),Now is come salvation,and strength,and the KINGDOM OF OUR GOD (Re. 11:15-18 combined with 1Cor.15:24-26 & Luke 20:35-36.Take a look), and the power of his Christ:for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,which accused them before our GOD day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the BLOOD of the Lamb,and by the Word of their testimony;and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice,ye heavens(the celestial environment of the OT and NT-Eph.1:3-8),and ye that dwell in them.Woe to the inhabiters of the earth(Israel,the clay-Is.64:8-the dry land-Gen.1:9)and of the sea (waters-Gentile nations-Re.17:15)! for the Devil is come down unto you,having great wrath,because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon(Re.12:9)saw that he was cast unto the earth,he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman(to the Church of the Lord)were given two WINGS(OT and NT-the Bible)of a great eagle,that she might FLY into the wilderness,into her place,where she is nourished(by the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD)for a time,and times,and half a time(1260 days, caught up), from the face of the serpent.
There will be WAR against three unclean spirits like frogs-Re.16:13-15-,and one of the seven heads of the Beast of sea(waters-Re.17:15- refer to a Gentile Beast) will be wounded mortally.(Re.13:3). By the way, the next Pope is the last to be elected.
Mat.25:6-At midnight there was a cry:Behold,the bridegroom cometh;go ye out to meet Him
Rev.19:7-8
7Let us be glad and rejoice,and give honour to him:for the marriage of the Lamb is come,and his wife hath made herself ready
8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:the fine linen is the righteousness of saints
How does Revelation describe the marriage supper?
Re.19:17-18
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun;and he cried with a loud voice,saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven,Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great GOD;
18That ye may eat the flesh of kings,and the flesh of captains,and the flesh of mighty men,and the flesh of horses,and of them that sit on them,and the flesh of all men...
Questions?
1-An angel standing in the sun:What sun?
We know that the woman is clothed with the sun-Re.12:1.It must be the light of the greater Light-JESUS. Malachi 4:2-Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;
2- the fowls that FLY in the midst of heaven:What fowls?
Is.60:1-5&8-A clue to understand these allegories:
1Arise,shine;for thy light is come,and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
2For,behold,the darkness shall cover the earth(Israel,the clay-Is.64:8 combined with Gen.1:9),and gross darkness the people:but the Lord shall arise upon thee,and His glory shall be seen upon thee
3And the Gentiles(the waters-Gen.1:9 and Re.17:15)shall come to thy light,and kings(Re.1:6) to the brightness of thy rising
4Lift up thine eyes round about,and see:all they gather themselves together,they come to thee:thy sons shall come from far,and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side
5Then thou shalt see,and flow together,and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged;because the abundance of the sea-Re.17:15-shall be converted unto thee...the Gentiles shall come unto thee
...
8Who are these that FLY as a cloud,and as the doves to their windows?
The last line in the first para,"The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled."
Please read it as
"The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is no split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled".
"And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?"
Ministry of Jesus Christ was foreordained so how the Gospel yielded on earth was in terms of the Son. As the Son of man he became the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. so the number of Seven as the Perfect Number has ministry yet being crowned with glory and honor. So we have Jesus Christ who of God has become Sanctification. "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,"(He.2:9-11; 1 Co.1:30) What Elijah did in the time of the kings was as a double for the Son. The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled.
St Mark's narrative prepared for this confession by Peter by the healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. Truth in her inward parts gave faith wings when needed to say what pleased Jesus. "And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter./And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed."(7:29) Truth for all is the same since God fashioned all heart alike. But He shall try their works. So faith with works is working in obedience to the word and with the Son. "And he charged them that they should tell no man of him."(v.30)
As with the blind man Jesus tells his disciples to tell no one. We have an example in Matt.28:12-18. The Jews conspired to bury the truth of resurrection and still is continues where alternate reality is practised and the base cannot have enough of it.
"And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."
Jesus laid his hand upon the blind man second time and his answer establishes that he was the Christ, the Son of God. His laying hand is very similar to the shadow, an example we have seen in the Acts of the Apostles.(5:15) The shadow of Peter doubling for ' under the shadow of the Almighty." By sending him away Jesus was commanding to live by faith in God who as the Psalmist confesses, "in him will I trust."(Ps.91:1-2).In other words he was ordained to live serving Him so he was to seek fellowship elsewhere and not with the unbelievers. "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure./...Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after."(1 Ti.5:22,24)
Calling was universal as the Marriage of the King's Son tells us. "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage./ So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."(Matt.22:9-10). But without righteousness no one will be admitted.
Kingdom of God is not about quantity but of life everlasting. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost./For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men."(Ro.14:17-18)
Jesus at the end of the parable said,"For many are called, but few are chosen."(Matt.22:14). God knows who are his which has no expiry date. In his Son God has foreseen them and the word of God shall see it is fulfilled "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land."( Luke 4:25) See the tag of Three and a half?
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Here the man in question is Adam. By making him a living soul he is set down in the Lucan genealogy as the son of God. On day six he was blessed and placed all his creation under his hands (Ge.1:28-29). 'Male and female created him sets him in terms of his will stated as a forerunner of Christ and his bride. Only after He sanctified the day seven Eve, was taken out of his ribs. Later He brought all his creation for his review and no helpmeet was found from them. Only then God set about creating flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. The everlasting covenant between God and Man gives us a final separation, as with Day and Night and waters above and below the firmament and it is a precursor for the ministry of reconciliation for the Word become flesh. It is to this St Paul refers, "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Ep.5:29. )Christ and his body is therefore implied in day Six. Creation of Eve in the following chapter thus creates a family tree connecting Jesus Christ to Adam in Luke Ch.3.
The breath of God made all the difference to Adam who was formed of the ground. He correctly guessed his calling and did not find anyone worthy from without. He was created in 'his likeness' which is the head. For this reason Jesus referred the deep sleep of Adam was precursor to his own death. He as the word become flesh made himself chaste. Compare his saying, "and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."(Matt.19:12) With Jesus Christ came grace and truth. What God has joined together referred to his own case. In human likeness he nourished and cherished what God had entrusted him with. His prayer makes it clear. ( John 17:11-12)
"But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." (v.6) God is love is a facet of holiness of God. When God breathed into the nostrils of man there was no need for spelling out holiness as such. In his breath all that were needful for his life and godliness was impressed as a candle is lit by another. Quality of light sets both giver and the given on the same stand,- Holiness made it so natural so love of man so learned did not carry any other feeling than was impressed. By the same token in loving the world God made love Person specific. ( John 3:16)
Male and female he created them is with reference to the holiness so love has a body as a candle has and it is quality also speaks about love of two bodies maintain a common purpose. The Spirit presents the House with seven pillars as a body built by Wisdom, which is a feminine principle.(Pr.9:1)God a Spirit is Power dovetailing into Wisdom is how the Spirit presents the divine Holiness. By the same token his Son has a body which is the Word become God loved the world therefore it must be seen and the heat thereof must be felt throughout. In due time God sent Jesus Christ as the true light. While he presented the doctrine of his Father it had to be out in the open fulfilling the saying, "Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?"(4:21).
"Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away./And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."(vv.4-5) Compare with what John says," In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."( John 1:1) Because of the hardness of heart Moses allowed man put away, which is like the candle put under the bed. Jesus refers to it as adultery of one against the other.
"And in the house" Jesus explained it in terms of the Law of the Spirit. (Matt.19:9-11)
Here we have two aspects of life where sin controls circumstances of man's world. We shall come to the other man's riches reigning uppermost whereas God covered him with glory and honor in the beginning; so much so Adam and Eve were naked and yet they felt no shame at all. Wealth of a sinful man's inventive mind, in terms of a sentient life did not exist at all.
The man who came running to Jesus must not have come on the spur of the moment. A good life for a fine mind can hold a deadening effect when one sees at every turn the squalor and misery of lives floating about. It is like a healthy man chained to a almost a decaying corpse. Does it not spoil his sleep though he has a comfortable bed to sleep on? He may have kept a good table with rich viands and possessed thoroughbreds in his stables and lived in the midst of objet d'art, and he may have even tried not to succumb to its lure. He would only know how his soul has been left bound so he hastened to Jesus in a moral dilemma. Only when the moment of truth demanded him to declare where he stood in terms of eternal life, "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions".(v.22)
The Spirit repeats thrice in vv.23-25 Jesus makes a general observation; secondly with regards to those who would want an abiding life as branches to the true Vine. " Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"(v.24)
"Who then can be saved?/And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."(vv.26-27) Grace is required to negotiate between true riches and other man's riches.
On the other hand true riches of man has been established between God and Man and the blessings are allowed to whosoever trusted the Son unreservedly. Besides God sanctified the day Seven and would send him to the world in fullness of time.
GOD sent JESUS in the turn from the fourth Day to the fifth Day, i.e. around 4000 years after Adam, and around 1500 years after Moses. As JESUS said, GOD the Father still was working, in fact until the end of the recent last millennium, the sixth millennium.
Based in the Word of God,on GOD's six Days of creation and one Day of rest(a total of seven days)plus the Scriptures that teach that one Day is with the Lord as a thousand years,so MANKIND would go through six GOD Days of 1,000 years each(a total of 6000 years)plus a Millennium of 1000 years rest(now a total of 7,000 years)
Biblical Chronology - Genesis 5:
Adam lived ..........................130 yrs-begat Seth
Seth lived ............................105 yrs-begat Enosh;
Enosh lived ............................90 yrs-begat Kenan;
Kenan lived.............................70 yrs-begat Mahalalel;
Mahalalel lived ........................65 yrs-begat Jared;
Jared lived ............................162 yrs-begat Enoch;
Enoch lived .............................65 yrs-begat Methuselah;
Methuselah lived......................187 yrs-begat Lamech;
Lamech lived...........................182 yrs-begat Noah;
From Noahs birth until the Flood.......600 yrs.
Total years from Adam to the Flood=1656 years
SIX PERIODS OF BIBLICAL TIMES ---------------------- DURATION
I- From Adam to the Flood-(Gen.5)----------------------1656 years
II- From the Flood to Abraham-( Gen. 11&12)-------------427 years
III- From Abraham to Exodus-(Gal.3:17)------------------430 years
IV-From Exodus to king Saul-(1Reis6:1(480-84)----------396 years
V-From Saul to the fall of Jerusalem -----------------------508 years
VI-From the fall of Jerusalem to Jesus ---------------------587 years
Thus,from Adam to the 1st coming of Jesus -------------4004 years
From Jesus to our days(Christian Calendar)---------------2023 years
Total from Adam to our days ------------------------- ---6027 years
Israel, as 'Dry Bones'- Ezekiel 37-Now,Dry land, but before was the clay( Isaiah 64:8), exactly when the Most High make a separation between water and water- Genesis 1:9-, that is, when the Most High separated the Hebrews from the Egypcians through Moses, and He created a celestial environment and called it of expanse, called heaven (that is the Dispensation of the Old Testament used in the Promised Land), then the Most High, the Lord, the I AM, separated the water (the Egypcians) that was BELOW of the expanse He created(an heavenly environment), and the water that that was ABOVE the expanse (the people of Israel- GOD's people), and it was evening, and it was morning, the second GOD's Day.
Genesis 1:10-19
10And God called the dry land Earth(israel);and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas(Gentile peoples/nations): and God saw that it was good.
11And God said,Let the earth(Israel)bring forth grass,the herb yielding seed,and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind,whose seed is in itself,upon the earth:and it was so.
12And the earth brought forth grass,and herb yielding seed after his kind,and the tree yielding fruit,whose seed was in itself, after his kind:and God saw that it was good.
13And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14And God said,Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day(light)from the night(darkness);and let them be for signs,and for seasons,and for days,and years:
15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven(expanse)to give light upon the earth:and it was so.
16And God MADE two great lights;the Greater Light-JESUS-to rule the day,and the Lesser light to rule the night:he made the stars also.
17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18And to rule over the day and over the night,and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so "IN CHRIST" shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming"
What an marvelous saying!!
The key is being "in Christ"
This is the baptism he came to perform on all those who accepts him as savior! ( Jews and Gentiles alike)
This is what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 12:13. "unto the Jews first and then to the Gentiles"
This is what John the Baptist is saying to the Jews when preparing the way for their Messiah.
THE RESURRECTION.
The belief in the resurrection of the body is an vital aspect of our faith as we see in 1 Corinthians 15:17-20
Also the resurrection promotes a "New birth" taken place!
This is where the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead quickens our mortal bodies as mentioned in Romans 8:11-14.
So, we are baptized into Jesus death as mentioned in Romans 6:3.
Romans 6:4-11 gives us our present state by the power of the Holyspirit.
Verse 11 says we are to reckon "or to recognize" ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We have been given an earnest of the Holyspirit to will and perform inside us!
So, We have been given the earnest of the Spirit,
Sealed and predestinated, with a promise of redemption for the purchased possession. "by the blood of Christ."
This is what the resurrection means to us.
God bless.
Matthew gives the passage in a slight altered form. It is the Mother of the sons of Zebedee approaches Jesus for a special favor."Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshippinghim, and desiring a certain thing of him."(Matt.20:20). The Word or the Law is interpreted differently according to the world of the Spirit and by the flesh and spirit respectively. In one the glory of God is the foremost so Elias or Moses serve as a double for the Son. In the case of the Mother of Zebedee's sons, her desire was the glory of her sons. She serves as a stand in for her Son. Of this St Paul gives us two contrary laws. "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."(Ro.7:25)
Law of the Spirit presupposes a Lawgiver is it not. It is thus God has left all judgment to his Son who also is the Word become flesh. On the other hand Satan the Lawless one has become by default of Adam a law given so the law of sin characterizes works of flesh and blood. Whosoever rejects the commandment as King Saul did is subject to an unclean spirits. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."( 1 John 3:8)
vv.38-39 "And with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized." Jesus refers to the anointing he received (Ps.45:5-6) and in their case of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and adds,"But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared." Jesus scrupulous chose to obey the word and as was reminded by Moses at the mount. of his death and glory would fulfill what was written of him in the scripture. the same choice was left to the sons of Zebedee and it was their free will.
The other ten disciples were naturally upset over their behind the back maneuvering for power.
Transfiguration of Jesus at the mount throws up light beyond the glorious body, a building of God eternal in heavens. The disciples going to Emmaus would not have recognized the risen Jesus but they did and it had to do with the word. " Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"( Luke 24:31-32). When Jesus opened their eyes they did know it was he indeed.
Then we have the mount itself to consider. "And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them."(v.2). As with the Sermon on the mount we have the high mountain which is the testimony of God and Jesus as the rock cut not with hands, signifying we are looking at the Word become flesh.
Mark mentions Moses and Elias " and they were talking with Jesus."(v.24). When Jesus explained the word of God to Cleopas and his companion, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." ( Luke 24:27) Luke elsewhere gives an additional insight to the transfiguration."And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:/Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." Moses and Elias and Jesus are the three in glory in that specific moment of transfiguration while the three disciples, Peter James and John were in their physical bodies. In short, the Transfiguration is clear illustration of two worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh and blood operating simultaneously. The word concerning him sets prophets serving outside the timescale as we know the term. For this reason Jesus speaks of Elias,"But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him." (v.13) The ministry of Elias and Moses were as a double Jesus Christ
God's uniqueness is related to His being Creator; with the original creation of man and the new creation resulting in a glorified body after sanctification. His characteristics no doubt prove man's uniqueness in creation as well. Only man can act as an architect; craftsman and have a mindset for the future as compared with the animal kingdom.
It seems as though evidences of God in every physical entity from the atom to the entire universe is great enough that no further study is needed. If this is a subject of interest perhaps someone can leave a comment and I will look into the most recent scientific data from a Creationist's perspective.
Agape.
My post yesterday discussed Christ as firstfruits; specifically that raised from the dead. HIs uniqueness includes the following:
Being God in the flesh. This makes Him superior to all of His creation whether man or angels. Yet He had to be made a little lower than the angels to live vicariously that is in our place yet suffer all things as we do without sin. Hebrews enlightens us on this subject in many places and I would suggest studying the entire book as I did a few years back with a small group.
Besides His sinless life; we have His death and resurrection; which demonstrated His victory over the grave and sin and His atonement for God's chosen sons and daughters.
He has a name only He knows .( Revelation 19:12)
He has been given all authority over heaven and earth ( Matthew 28:18)
He has the keys to the gates of hell ( Revelation 1:18)
He will rule forever ( Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33)
One aspect that is sometimes glossed over is that God can be jealous; and for HIs own Name's sake and also desire worship and be sinless. This is something that for any created being; man or angel that leads to destruction. This is why any image man creates of his conception of God is so dangerous and warned against in verses such as Exodus 20:4. That verse doesn't specifically mention God but it states anything in heaven above or earth below thus the Godhead would also be included. God can't be seen by human eyes ( John 1:18). Christ is by far the most represented in paintings and sculpture of the members of the Godhead; but with man's idolatrous heart he is led to worship these images much as he does with Mary and the "saints" whether real or imaginary ones in terms of their earthly ministry. The image of the cross is only beneficial as an offense and a curse; and is only beneficial to remind us of Christ's sufferings but also we need to look beyond that to His Resurrection and current ministry ( Heb. 7:25).
In my last post I describe how the incident in John 9 set apart Christ as doing something new; that only God could perform.
This wasn't something the religious Pharisees could deal with; as the lengthy account of this incident makes painfully clear.
We also see Jesus' claims to be able to forgive sins as something unique; yet the many prophecies in Isaiah should have been enough to convince the Jews that this indeed was the true Messiah. There were references there to healing the blind; ministry reaching out to the Gentiles; as well as things such as Isaiah 61 that Jesus quoted and then cut off before the next verse got into the Second Coming and establishing His Kingdom on the earth at that time.
In the analysis of the "Old" and "New" covenants it is better to say that the New one developed the full meaning of the Old.
It certainly doesn't eliminate moral expectations in regard to murder; adultery and covetousness in the original 10 Commandments; we can look to Colossians 2:16 as to the exception of a mandate for "Holy days" as to not enforcing Saturday as the day of rest. This is a hotbed of controversy for some so I won't elaborate further. It is clear ceremonial laws changed; in regard to foods eaten the Cornelious episode makes that abundantly clear. ( Acts 10).
Christ became the sacrifice for our sins so no further sacrifice is needed. ( Psalm 40:6-8). Clearly the grace of the N.T. is seen in the Old Testament; particularly in regard to the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart as seen in Psalm 51 and many other places. God Himself at some point abhorred the sacrifices due to the hypocrisy ( Isaiah 1:14). Many call Isaiah the Gospel of the O.T. and it is needed reading to understand prophetic things to come regarding Christ and God's call to the Gentiles.
Many places appear to show Christ before He came on earth physically; it is an interesting study in itself. So is the Godhead.
In the study of Creation there appear to be at least 2 different accounts in Genesis but they are emphasizing different things and hence complement one another ( Genesis 1 and 2). There are many Psalms related to Creation as well. We also see in Jesus quoting almost every book including reference to the Creation ( Matthew 19:8 on divorce); as well as the literal story of Jonah as to how it relates to the Son of Man ( Matthew 12:40). These accounts show the truth of the Old Testament and aren't able to hold water to arguments that things were merely symbolic.
One could argue as an atheist that since the same things seem to happen over and over again in scripture they can't be true; and/or they are borrowed from pagan traditions. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that there is "nothing new under the sun." If we study things like prophecy there are more often than not multiple fulfillments; we can look at the earlier example of the Temple and abomination therein and see not just Antiochus but also the siege of Rome in 70 AD and to a lesser extent around 130 AD and the final application for Antichrist himself yet to come. The same pattern exists with Psalm 22 and descriptions foreshadowing Christ and demonstrating David's situation; some seem mutually exclusive others overlapping. Jesus was frequently hounded and persecuted much as David was; the difference being He was sinless; David was not. The whole story of the death; burial and Resurrection is seen with the pagan legends and religions as well but if we believe Satan is real he always is coming as a substitute for or against the God of the Bible; as we see in the persona of the Antichrist Beast and world economic and religious system. Satan knows scripture well enough to quote it; and we wouldn't expect anything less from the enemy of God's people.
We can see in the miracles of Christ similar things to the ministry of Elijah. Healing of the blind is unique ( John 9:32-33
Anyone with access to a concordance; even a basic list in small print of corresponding verses shows the integrity and cohesiveness of all of the Bible; both Old and New Testaments. This dwarfs the historical references in the Apocrypha; in which many of the details that are verifiable are in Maccabees; 1 and 2. The feast of Dedication is found in the N.T. but not mentioned specifically in the Old; hence Maccabees is helpful describing this as well. These facts are important for archaeological and historical accuracy as well as the veracity of the teachings in the Bible; whether in the old covenant of the law or the New Covenant. When we compare information in scripture to other secular teachings and those of other faiths; we see elemental truths as well as the same events clearly indicated in many cases; or closely paralleled.
In the case of the law; for example there are repetitive passages in the Pentateuch in regard; for instance to the 10 commandments found in Exodus and Deuteronomy; then Jesus quotes many of the same passages when contenting with the Pharisees to expound the deeper meanings of intentions of the heart when it comes to marriage and divorce; hatred for someone; and lustful thoughts. Love your neighbor as yourself comes from Leviticus 19:18 which I wasn't even aware of until recently.
The empires of history are in Daniel as well as the final world government summarized in Daniel 7:4-6 and Revelation 13:2.
We see the same cross references relating to most of the major events of the Tribulation especially found in the endo of chapter 11 and all of 12 in Daniel. Jesus Himself in Matthew 24:15 stated the importance of Daniel's visions from Daniel 12:11. This also was foreshadowed in the story in Maccabees about Antiochus Epiphanes which time frame is alluded to in parts of Daniel 11 that seem to shift into the time of the end in verse 40.
We do well to study the Word as the Bereans did ( 2 Tim. 2:15).
"And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us./ But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me./For he that is not against us is on our part." Lucan gospel also gives this incident.( Luke 9:48-50)
Principle of Association is reconciling all things in heaven and on earth. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;/And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."(Col.1:10) The Mind of Christ is to see in his light so his name is preeminent whether persons places or events, whichever is named is subject to him. For this reason he rebuked Peter who was viewing his master as one who must be protected from all harm. "Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."(7:33)
Jesus Christ was anointed the Christ above all others." Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre./Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."(Ps.45:6-7) As a Son he chose all those who were called and as the Son of man he made manifest grace and truth. So he would after transfiguring before the three disciple tell them, "And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead."(v.9)
The disciples did not understand its significance. They had to go a longway in their discipleship.
Mark states the principle of Association which is in an altered from than what is presented by St Matthew. "And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them," Jesus sets a child representing the twelve and St Matthew presents the principle accordingly, before he sent them to preach, "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." (Matt.10:40). Jesus taking the child in his arms is how we are set in his hands so both Gospels are referring the selfsame idea. In terms of the quality God set his name every other name because he was a child in his obedience. Putting on the mind of Christ is therefore proving your parentage. At the mount of Transfiguration he received the testimony of his Father, "And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."(v.7). The earth and the fulness thereof belong to God which makes all things in heaven and on earth by him consist. "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." therefore is not to be measured by earthly time but as set forth in the divine Will. As the Word which was from the beginning ( John 1:1) it pleased God that in him should all Fullness dwell.
"And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus."(v.4) Demonstrative of this we have Moses and Elias meeting Jesus at the mount. Before the Advent of Jesus they were sent as stand in for him and while at the mount their roles are reversed! It is how the two worlds of the Spirit and of the flesh and blood revolve about a stationary point of the Son and of the Son of man. Now we shall understand why Jesus said, in vv.38-39. His disciples did not have this 360 degree view while Jesus understood his name before which all knees should bow (Ph.2:5-9) rose above their partisan spirit. They still had a long way to go .
Here we have a saying that must prove as Euclid's Elements proposed pons asinorum for the medieval students; and here we have one as similar for those who approach the word of God by intellect and explain the meanings literally. Here are three injunctions stated by Jesus Christ: "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off" (v.43) secondly, "And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off" (v.45) and finally, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out."(v.47). The Spirit gives the same formula after the three sayings that makes it special and to be understood as of grave importance. In v.44,v.46 and in v.48 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.". Seven messages to the churches end with the same line, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;."(Re.2:7). If the formula is specifically applied to the churches what shall we make of Jesus gives at the end of the Parable of the Sower? "And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."(4:9,23;Matt.13:9) "It is to his disciples unto whom grace is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This formula forms a hedge about, a caveat for whosoever would want to enter the kingdom of God. In this context the Spirit while presenting the 'seven days' from the everlasting covenant in Ge.Ch.1 we have this at the end of each 'day', "And the evening and the morning were...".(1:5,8,13,19,23,31). Where was these leading us to? "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Seventh day explains that He blessed whosoever would enter therein in his Son.(Ge.2:3) The hand foot and the eye refers to the body of the church or the Bride. Hence both gospels of St Mark and Matthew sets these sayings in context of offending 'these little ones that believe in me"(9:41-42; Matt.18:6)
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Death is an enemy; and verse 26 of this chapter indicates that it will eventually be eliminated. Jesus was the "first of the firstfruits" so to speak; which extends through the Rapture/Resurrection event of the righteous; through the Revelation 14:4 event of the translation of the 144,000. After this we will have the Second Coming when those that survive until that time physically will survive to repopulate the earth in the Millennial period; followed by the time the Heavenly Jerusalem comes down and God the Father dwells with men (v. 24).
It is hard to comprehend let alone understand all the mysteries of His death; burial and resurrection. It is as a grand play on stage; except that the pathos is real; and His atonement was sufficient for us all to deliver our sins as far as the east is from the west. ( Psalm 103:12). He ever lives to intercede for His people ( Hebrews 7:25). He first rose from the dead and we shall likewise. He who believes in Him will never die ( John 11:25-26) even though he dies physically in reality it is only the body that sleeps as we see about Lazarus earlier in that chapter. We have hope unlike the world for those "fallen asleep" ( 1 Thess. 4:14-18).
All of creation also is awaiting the change and groans until now ( Romans 8:23). For those who believe the last scene of this real life drama is glorious and never ending; while there is no peace for the wicked ( Isaiah 48:22; etal). Let that sink in as the world in its ignorance turns this glorious day into a mockery.
Maranatha. Lord come soon!
Agape.
The world of Devil as a whole,with all kind of structures they all have, yeah,all the nations and peculiar system of life of each one,are sufferring and will suffer catastrofic and insufferable punishments in this seventh and last millennium,or seventh and last Day,the LORD's Day.Get ready.
See,the precedent period of Tribulation,period of sorrows listed by JESUS-Mat.24:3-8-is the first signal of the beginning of the ETERNAL chastisement ahead.In fact,the ETERNAL punishment of all nations it had a written deadline to start,understand?And it has already really started.
Now,within this environment of punishments and pains and entire collapse of the Devil's world,the false messiah of the Jews will manifest himself as JESUS prophesied,saying to the Jews an IMPOSTOR they will receive as their messiah- John 5:43-47, combined with 2 Thes.2:3-12,and Re.13 :11.
Thus, in the midst of severe chastisement and great suffering in all nations due the wrath of the Lamb,-Re.6:14-17, we will soon see two Beasts reigning on Earth:
1-the old Gentile Beast of the Sea; and
2-the Beast of the earth(Israel)who will still manifest himself, from then on will begin the period of the last week(of years), the 70th week Daniel 9:27,and each Beast will reign for 3.5 years-42 months-or 1260 days-and who will first rule the 5th and last satanic kingdom - Daniel 2:41-44- is the old Gentile Beast of the sea-Re.13:1.
Then Re.11:2 and Re.13:5 will begin LITERALLY to be fulfilled as first period of the last week.The worst of all punishments will happen in the beginning of the 2nd half of the last week,with the establishment of the Abomination of Desolation for 1290 days-Dan.12:v.11.
12Blessed is he that waiteth,and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.(Oh yes,blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the Ineffable,Wonderful,Indescribable,Unspeakable day,the day 1.335.Hallelujaaah!!!
"Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."
Salt is compared to life which could be lived to no purpose or to life abundant. The word of God warned Lot and his family to go forward but Mrs Lot would rather live in the past. "Remember Lot's wife," serves as a warning to all those who holds no vision as Abraham has had. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He.11:10. So living in tents as pilgrims and sojourners his vision ever led him forth so much so heaven in the Parable of Jesus is compared to Abraham's bosom.
In vv28-50 the Spirit mentions the house as separate from the world. "And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?" As with parables the mysteries were not for those who had no appreciation for the saltiness of their soul. Killing time in mindless pursuits is what they call as having good time. From the edge of their lost contents they may sent postcards telling,'wish you were here!'. In the house the disciples would press their masters for answers so they did have a sound base upon which they could build up, "Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."
vv.33-34 There was oneupmanship among them. How often did they forget that they could nothing without their master? The house is a synonym for abiding life as in the Parable of the 'I am the true vine.' ( John 15:3) They were yet to understand the principle of Association. Charity of giving a glass of water is in the connection between the one in need and God in heaven. "Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." False shepherds wax eloquent over 1 Co.13 and let not their Jesus talk fool anyone. Without abiding life in Christ it is for their own glory.
"And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not./He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me."
Jesus' call,"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," includes not only the twelve but whosoever is called, and according to the scriptures (which hinges on the blessings spelt forth in the covenant,) is expected to respond.The living soul would mean whosoever valued truth above what is seen or temporal so life of the Spirit sets the polestar for his onward voyage. "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."(Re.22:16). It is thus the inner man presents the gospel to man. Faith with works renders him hold Jesus Christ as the Captain of his salvation and run the race so the only life he seeks is beyond life of the senses. Peter merely responded to the question and answered correctly, "Thou art the Christ."(8:29) Shortly there after he shows he was still struggling to find his feet in the matter of discipleship. Rebuking him Jesus said,"for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."(8:33). Peter and the rest had a long way to go but the promise was that they lived by grace, from his fullness. Wherever they fumbled Jesus was ther as in the case of the demon possessed boy, Jesus would say, "bring him unto me".
"Let him deny himself" also meant the disciples were amenable to correction. "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."( John 3: 21). Peter had to bear his cross, and denial of Christ was in the past for Jesus forgave his lapse and placed the flock under his care. "Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."
9Awake,awake,put on strength,O arm of the Lord;awake,as in the ancient days,in the generations of old.Art thou not it that hath cut RAHAB,and wounded the DRAGON?
10Art thou not it which has dried the sea(by allegory,now peoples,and NATIONS,and multitudes of all tongues),the waters of the great deep;that has made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?(You know the Hebrews had to cross the Red Sea,and walk through a desert until they got to the Promised Land.What about GOD's people now in this current time?)Now GOD's people must go through(I mean win a war)against the Red Dragon)
11Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,and come with singing unto Zion;and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy;and sorrow and mourning shall flee away
12I,even I,am he that comforteth you:who art thou,that thou should be afraid of a man that shall die,and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
13And forgettest the Lord thy maker,that has stretched forth the heavens,and laid the foundations of the earth;and has feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor,as if he were ready to destroy?where is the fury of the oppressor?
14The captive exile hastenes that he may be loosed,and that he should not die in the pit,nor that his bread should fail.
15But I am the Lord thy GOD,that divided the sea,whose waves roared:The Lord of hosts is His name
16And I have put my words in thy mouth,and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand,that I may plant the heavens,and lay the foundations of the earth,and say unto Zion,Thou art my people
Get ready
"And how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought." (v.12)
This key verse shall explain this saying of Jesus. It also tells how vital was for the multitude that he called them as well as his disciples, so it goes to the very core of the kingdom of God. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it./For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"(8:34-36). For my sake and for the gospel's sake is distinct from the Son for whom 'this day' is decreed. (Ps.2:7) So the gospel and the Word become flesh, the Son of man fulfills the provision of 'the seven days' in the everlasting covenant.
What God has sanctified covers the body of Christ and the duration of which is 'this day'. God was from the beginning and the Word was with him. Because of Adam and his disobedience sin entered into the world so with obedience what Jesus proved was the excellence of the soul which is the earnest of divine sovereignty of soul. Life of the vile body cannot let go "I will" So when the pomp and circumstance of the king of Tyre wants to impose his will he proves to whom he holds affinity. His will worship sets him as the son of perdition. "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire./Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ez.28:14-16; "I will be like the most High./Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell."-Is.14:14-15)
God made man a living soul, and the life is what the Word become flesh made manifest. Humility of Jesus set at nought his own body after the likeness of men. So redemption of one's soul has only single way into the kingdom of God. "I am the Way" Ph.2:5-9)
"That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."
St Matthew also gives this and both converge to the transfiguration of Jesus, the baseline on which whosoever enters into the kingdom of God shall have in common. Both gospels give the tag, 'After six days' is where the Son and the Son of man merges in terms of the Word. Thus when Jesus holds his disciples to secrecy it is to the spiritual body that awaits him. In short Peter James and John representing all his brethren/Associates are given a preview of this kingdom coming with power. "for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."( Luke 12:32). Little flock, servants, associates are stages of development in the life of anyone who wants to follow the Son of man. By the same token Moses Elias David,Isaiah Ezekiel John serve as double for the Son of man since God had foreknown them 'according to the scriptures' so what they said or did was in obedience to the Son who was the Word. At this high mountain where Jesus transfigured was a foretaste of what was to come. Coming with power also was within the frame of reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That makes Joel also as a double. In short principle of Association is like a stone thrown in a pool causes the ripple widening to fill the whole extent. The bread from heaven cast forth in Ec.11:1-2 refers to the Son of man.
Bearing our cross and following him we enter the kingdom with power so our spiritual bodies, a building of God eternal in heavens we are to keep in sights. The same transfiguration as Jesus made manifest is our earnest as with the indwelling Spirit is our confidence."For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."(2 Co.5:4-5)
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven(heaven?Eph.1:3-8),Now is come salvation,and strength,and the KINGDOM OF OUR GOD (Re. 11:15-18 combined with 1Cor.15:24-26 & Luke 20:35-36.Take a look), and the power of his Christ:for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,which accused them before our GOD day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the BLOOD of the Lamb,and by the Word of their testimony;and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice,ye heavens(the celestial environment of the OT and NT-Eph.1:3-8),and ye that dwell in them.Woe to the inhabiters of the earth(Israel,the clay-Is.64:8-the dry land-Gen.1:9)and of the sea (waters-Gentile nations-Re.17:15)! for the Devil is come down unto you,having great wrath,because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon(Re.12:9)saw that he was cast unto the earth,he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman(to the Church of the Lord)were given two WINGS(OT and NT-the Bible)of a great eagle,that she might FLY into the wilderness,into her place,where she is nourished(by the Word of GOD, the Word is GOD)for a time,and times,and half a time(1260 days, caught up), from the face of the serpent.
There will be WAR against three unclean spirits like frogs-Re.16:13-15-,and one of the seven heads of the Beast of sea(waters-Re.17:15- refer to a Gentile Beast) will be wounded mortally.(Re.13:3). By the way, the next Pope is the last to be elected.
Be careful and get ready
Rev.19:7-8
7Let us be glad and rejoice,and give honour to him:for the marriage of the Lamb is come,and his wife hath made herself ready
8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:the fine linen is the righteousness of saints
How does Revelation describe the marriage supper?
Re.19:17-18
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun;and he cried with a loud voice,saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven,Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great GOD;
18That ye may eat the flesh of kings,and the flesh of captains,and the flesh of mighty men,and the flesh of horses,and of them that sit on them,and the flesh of all men...
Questions?
1-An angel standing in the sun:What sun?
We know that the woman is clothed with the sun-Re.12:1.It must be the light of the greater Light-JESUS. Malachi 4:2-Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;
2- the fowls that FLY in the midst of heaven:What fowls?
Is.60:1-5&8-A clue to understand these allegories:
1Arise,shine;for thy light is come,and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
2For,behold,the darkness shall cover the earth(Israel,the clay-Is.64:8 combined with Gen.1:9),and gross darkness the people:but the Lord shall arise upon thee,and His glory shall be seen upon thee
3And the Gentiles(the waters-Gen.1:9 and Re.17:15)shall come to thy light,and kings(Re.1:6) to the brightness of thy rising
4Lift up thine eyes round about,and see:all they gather themselves together,they come to thee:thy sons shall come from far,and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side
5Then thou shalt see,and flow together,and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged;because the abundance of the sea-Re.17:15-shall be converted unto thee...the Gentiles shall come unto thee
...
8Who are these that FLY as a cloud,and as the doves to their windows?
Next
The last line in the first para,"The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled."
Please read it as
"The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is no split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled".
"And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?"
Ministry of Jesus Christ was foreordained so how the Gospel yielded on earth was in terms of the Son. As the Son of man he became the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. so the number of Seven as the Perfect Number has ministry yet being crowned with glory and honor. So we have Jesus Christ who of God has become Sanctification. "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,"(He.2:9-11; 1 Co.1:30) What Elijah did in the time of the kings was as a double for the Son. The Spirit gives the tag Three and a half (Time, Times and a Hal another variant)" to establish in terms of the Word was God and the Word become flesh there is split. Seven days in the everlasting covenant shall be fulfilled.
St Mark's narrative prepared for this confession by Peter by the healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. Truth in her inward parts gave faith wings when needed to say what pleased Jesus. "And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter./And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed."(7:29) Truth for all is the same since God fashioned all heart alike. But He shall try their works. So faith with works is working in obedience to the word and with the Son. "And he charged them that they should tell no man of him."(v.30)
As with the blind man Jesus tells his disciples to tell no one. We have an example in Matt.28:12-18. The Jews conspired to bury the truth of resurrection and still is continues where alternate reality is practised and the base cannot have enough of it.
"And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town."
Jesus laid his hand upon the blind man second time and his answer establishes that he was the Christ, the Son of God. His laying hand is very similar to the shadow, an example we have seen in the Acts of the Apostles.(5:15) The shadow of Peter doubling for ' under the shadow of the Almighty." By sending him away Jesus was commanding to live by faith in God who as the Psalmist confesses, "in him will I trust."(Ps.91:1-2).In other words he was ordained to live serving Him so he was to seek fellowship elsewhere and not with the unbelievers. "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure./...Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after."(1 Ti.5:22,24)
Calling was universal as the Marriage of the King's Son tells us. "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage./ So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."(Matt.22:9-10). But without righteousness no one will be admitted.
Kingdom of God is not about quantity but of life everlasting. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost./For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men."(Ro.14:17-18)
Jesus at the end of the parable said,"For many are called, but few are chosen."(Matt.22:14). God knows who are his which has no expiry date. In his Son God has foreseen them and the word of God shall see it is fulfilled "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land."( Luke 4:25) See the tag of Three and a half?