Category: Bible study

Receive a Prophet, Receive a Prophet’s Reward; Deceive a Child of God, Receive a Grave Reward

There exist different degrees of punishment to sin in the Bible, in the old testament and the new.  How one conducts himself spiritually among others means much to God.  If one receives a prophet, he becomes qualified to reap the benefit beyond what he would have obtained on his own:

“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward….”  ~Matthew 10:41

The converse side of this action would be to become an obstruction for those who would believe in God, but for us getting in the way.  In that case, one’s fate is bleak beyond what he would have probably received if he had minded his own business:

 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  ~Luke 17:2 

When Jesus said this he was not speaking of children, but of those young in the faith.  And the reason it would be better to have a millstone hung round your neck, and be thrown into the sea is because you would then die before causing others to fall away from God.

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore… for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.  And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.  ~Revelation 18:21, 23-24

Jesus is showing us a more graphic portrait of the theme contained in this verse:

And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. ~Mark 9:43

He teaches us that one of the worst sins is to tamper or detract others’ faith in God.

~Selah

God Made our Minds to Shine: ‘SHTH, to be Able to Contemplate Him

The very rare and phenomenal properties that make our earth habitable by us (complex life), are also the very things that make us able to contemplate our universe and look into our past; essentially contemplate our Maker.  In other words, we could just exist, but we happen to exist alongside the ability to know Him, and quest for Him, our Creator.

There is One Messiah, Christ Jesus

There were some Jews who believed in the prophecy of two Messiahs before, during, and after the time Christ.  The cult at Qumran, and possibly the Essenes, along with some other sects, believed the Bible spoke of two messiahs because of the different qualities of them:  one would suffer and be from the line of Joseph, while the other would be more of a warrior from the line of David.  However, Jesus fulfilled both of these lineages, finished the work of the suffering messiah from the line of Joseph, and will return to fulfill his role as judge and warrior in the final days.

Paul clarifies the truth of the One Messiah beautifully here, in his epistle to the Ephesians:

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”  ~Ephesians 4:4-6

Gabriel’s Revelation

Gabriel’s Revelation, also called Hazon Gabriel (the Vision of Gabriel)[1] or the Jeselsohn Stone,[2] is a three-foot-tall (one metre) stone tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew text written in ink, containing a collection of short prophecies written in the first person and dated to the late 1st century BCE.[3][4] One of the stories allegedly tells of a man who was killed by the Romans and resurrected in three days. It is a tablet described as a “Dead Sea scroll in stone” ~Wiki

I believe Jesus Christ lived with the Essenes at Qumran for at least a while.  I believe it is where He predominantly learned, and came into His divinity.  Just because the concept of a suffering Messiah was around just before the time of His birth does not mean His life was any less divine.  The proof was in the pudding, and Jesus essentially said that Himself.  Told from birth He was the likely Messiah, and knowing the concept of a suffering Messiah still meant that He had to grow and learn, perform miracles, heal, be perfect, and come into His divinity as God willed that process to occur, and in God’s time, finally culminating in His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension at the age of ~33.

https://archive.org/details/Aabbey1-IsraelKnohlMessiahsAndResurrectionInTheGabrielRevelation484

Death and the Afterlife, Part II: A Depiction of Hell

God wants me to share with you all what Hell is like.  As I spoke of in this post, Death and the Afterlife, Part I: My Dream, Hell is rooted in Sheol, the pit of the earth.  Literally and figuratively it involves being buried deep in the bowels of the ground and being imprisoned without any chance for escape except by one means, the grace of God.

Adam, the word for man, and the original son of man, means ‘ruddy’ in the Hebrew language.  Adamah is the Hebrew word for ground.  It is feminine because it opens itself up for Adam to work it and keep it, which is the curse of man from the time of his original sin in the Garden of Eden.

God gives us every chance in our lifetime to regard Him, even if we have not heard of Him or heard His Word, because we can regard the world about us and marvel at its Maker (~Romans 1:19-21).  To make it even more obvious and clear for us, He sent our Lord Jesus the Messiah to redeem our souls if we but believe in Him.

Hell is the place those go, who in their hardened hearts, do not believe in God.  God consigns them to the ground from which earthly Adam came, which is also the path Cain chose, Abel’s wicked brother, the earthly son of Adam.  Abel chose the spiritual path and was killed for it by his brother.  The ground swallowed Abel’s holy blood by his brother’s hand.  It is all fitting then that God places the wicked into the same ground for them to suffer their deeds.  Their wicked hearts in denying their Maker will not have the final say.

I was obsessed with the movie Motel Hell when I was a girl and must have watched it no less than a dozen times (or so it seemed).  I was 12 or 13 and beyond when I watched it and while it scared the living daylights out of me, I also found it irresistible for some reason I did not know.  There were a few movies like that from my childhood, the ones I could watch over and over and never tire of:  Blue Lagoon, Tootsie, Friday the 13th, and Motel Hell.  Now I know these movies all have a common theme for me which is pertinent to my main mission I serve for God.  I just was not aware of it at 12.

This movie is inspired for its accurate depiction of hell.  I tried to research the writers and could find only that they were born in NYC, into a film production family.  There was also an uncredited writer as well.  The writers or director either were conscious of what hell is, or intuited it from God.  Nonetheless, this is something like the hell in my visions and dreams,the hell which God is revealing to me to share with you.  The people are buried in the ground.  They are victims because a terrible fate has befallen them.  They are alive but unable to communicate.  They cannot move at all and are in a perpetual state of solitary confinement.  Solitary confinement has been described as one of the worse tortures a man can endure, and is utilized as a last punishment for those who act out and hurt others. It causes mental illness because it is so contrary to human life.  Try enduring it until the Judgment Day!

If you find this humorous, that was the writers’ intent.  However, I am sure hell itself will not be funny at all.  Hell is the holding ground for those who have denied their Maker.  It is the embodiment of God’s final grace for those to turn their wicked hearts back to Him so that on the Final Day, they might find their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

You do not have to go to hell.  You can turn and repent and believe in Jesus, do good works, and love God.  Then you can escape this punishment.

~Selah

Discipleship Rather than Evangelism by Lady of the Covenant (Christian Forum)

Taken from a post by Lady of the Covenant at Christian Forum:

Although, I agree that evangelism is apart of the great commission, it is not the actual great commission. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:19-20)

I can’t speak for all of the Church, but most of the Church does not do this. To be a disciple means that you are like someone who is an apprentice, learning to do the things that your teacher does. Joshua learned to be a great leader like Moses, so he could take over when Moses was no longer with Israel. Elisha followed closely in the footsteps of Elijah, observing all that he did, so he would know how to do the things that Elijah did when he was no longer with him; and the 12 disciples followed Jesus everywhere He went, learning to do the things he did, and walk in his ways, so they could teach and do the things of Christ when He was no longer with them.

This is what it means to be a Christian; it comes from two Greek words:

  1. Christ- meaning “anointed one”
  2. -ianos- a suffix meaning “little”

The first disciples were called “Christians” by the Greeks because they looked like, acted like, and did the things that Christ did after He left. They were being called, “Little Anointed Ones” because people saw no difference in what they were doing, and how they lived, than the things Christ did and how He lived. Not only were they healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, and preaching the gospel, but they were as loving and compassionate as Christ was as well, and they taught their disciples to do the same.

In church people are not really doing discipleship. They are evangelized and converted, then sit in a pew, listening to the pastor preach once a week. Most Christians do not read the Bible, or pray, or have any real connection to Jesus if they are not in a church. They recite a sinner’s prayer, and are assured of their salvation, knowing nothing about the gospel, other than what they may occasionally hear preached on Sunday, and that is not discipleship.

We are supposed to walk in the ways of Jesus doing what He did, and teach others to do the same. We are supposed to teach other people to obey everything He commanded us, but we do not. To be a disciple means to be in relationship. Moses and Joshua spent time together, Elijah and Elisha spent time together, and almost everywhere Jesus went, He took Peter, James, and John with Him. He was close to all His disciples, and spent time with them individually or in small groups, teaching them; so we should know that this is our pattern for how to make disciples as Jesus instructed.

Even the commission of the 72 disciples shows us that one-on-one discipleship/evangelism is preferred. Jesus sent two disciples to each house to preach the gospel to whoever would accept them, and He told them to stay the night at the house they went to rather than going from house-to-house:

“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.“(Luke 10:7)​

So this is my proposal to the Body of Christ, that we not only evangelize, but make disciples, and discipleship continues long after someone has accepted Christ. It is about teaching people to obey the commandments of Christ(not just the commandments to love God and our neighbor, even though that is the meaning of the Law), and that means that we need to learn the commandments and do them ourselves:

Here is a list of the New Testament Commandments

What are your thoughts and suggestions? How can we go about making disciples, rather than just adding numbers to the church?

~~~~~~~

I personally think we should be in fellowship. That every member of the church should be in groups of 3, holding accountable the people who are in their group. Not only that, but making sure they are talking and spending time together outside of church, getting to know each other, and making sure that they are all edifying the body with their gifts. I would also think it’s a good idea to do placement tests(Myers Briggs personality test, 5 love languages test, and spiritual gifts test) to see where everyone should end up. I also think that church should be more communal, and an everyday thing, rather than just Sunday (and maybe Wednesday). Preaching can still be on Sunday, and Bible Study/Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, but the rest of the week should be focused on community, discipleship, and outreach(witnessing, feeding the poor, healing the sick, casting out demons, etc.).

Daniel 6 is another Allusion to Christ

I asked God what He had in mind for me today for Bible study, and I opened right to Daniel chapter 6:  the plot against Daniel.

King Darius came to love Daniel because an excellent spirit was in him, because he was faithful, and no error or fault could be found in him.  King Darius had set 120 satraps over his kingdom, and over these 3 governors, of which Daniel was 1.  The governors, administrators, counselors, advisers, and satraps were jealous of Daniel because the king favored him, so they set out to make statutes and decrees against him, and to see if they could force him to quit worshiping God.

Daniel continued to worship the Lord 3 times per day, morning, noon, and night.  When the king heard about it, he had no choice but to follow the law he had signed and enclose Daniel in the lion’s den overnight.  An angel came and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt Daniel because he was found innocent before God.  King Darius then went on to make a new decree that men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

Seems to me like the 120 satraps represent the 12 tribes of Israel.  And the 3 governors represent the trinity.  And King Darius represent God Almighty.  The 12 tribes of Israel made law to condemn Daniel, but Daniel knew he needed to worship God daily and he pleased the king (God), by continuing to serve Him.  The counselors, satraps, and advisers represent the Sanhedrin.  They cast Daniel into the lion’s den and a stone was rolled over the mouth of the cave, as it was when Jesus was laid to rest after being crucified, and the king sealed it with his own ring, and with the signets of his lords (holy spirit, other heavenly host?).  In the early morning, Daniel was brought up out of the den with no injury on him because he believed in his God.  This represents Jesus’ resurrection.

The main points being that Daniel was special because of his excellent spirit, his faithfulness, and his faultlessness, as Christ.  Finally he was delivered from certain doom because he simply believed in God.

Daniel's Answer to the King

I have been endued with His power. ~Selah

But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, you shall abide in him [1 John 2:27].

From:  http://stronginfaith.org/article.php?page=50

Christians belong to and are related to the anointing-[Χριστος Christos]. Jesus Christ told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem, “until you are endued with power from on high” [Luke 24:49]. A disciple must be endued or clothed in power to do what Jesus has called us to do. The Greek word for the English word power is δυναμις dunamis. A believer must have power to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ [Luke 24:47, Matthew 28:18]. Jesus instructed the Seventy, “heal the sick there, and say to them, the kingdom of God has come near to you” [Luke 10:9]. Jesus also said, Jesus said, “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also” [John 14:12, Supernatural Acts of the Disciples]. “You shall receive dunamis power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” [Acts 1:8].

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you [Luke 10:17-19].

Judgment is…

Knowing someone sinned, but loving them perfectly anyway.

Ancient Stone Circles in Mideast Baffle Archaeologists

Image: Big Circle J1

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-science/ancient-stone-circles-mideast-baffle-archaeologists-n238941

But they don’t baffle us.  Because we understand that the Israelite Nation worshiped Almighty ALHYM and held the circle as the sacred representation of Him, and His realm, as given to us by Him.

There are 11 circles.  I believe the missing one represents the coming Messiah.  Ancient man is showing God, and only God (because the circles are too large for man to regard easily), that we are eagerly awaiting our Messiah, our perfect Lamb to deliver us from our evil selves and inevitable death, unto everlasting salvation.

The circles all have a mean diameter of 400 meters, or 1300 feet, which correlates to 833.33 cubits.  I have to wonder if ancient man did not have a concept of the metric system before it came into being in modern times.  Circumference = 2 * pi * r, so this means each circle’s perimeter is around 2700 cubits, perhaps even intended to be 2720 cubits.  22/7 is pi so anytime we see these numerals being used, it is almost always a reference to circle, or the divine realm of God.  Interestingly, the inner area of each circle would be around 600,000 cubits.  6 is a number that means not quite finished yet.  7 means completion, and 8 means more than enough; ample.  Noah was in his 600th year of life when he was commissioned by God to make the divine life raft for all remaining life.  Man is still in his 6th day of creation, while God rests in His 7th day.

With 11 circles each measuring as a perfect circle for God (2720), and having an area representing almost-but-not-quite there yet (600.000) proportions, it is quite the calling card for Mighty ALHYM to see on His throne in Heaven.  The Hebrew Nation calling out to YHWH ALHYM, “We honor You and worship You.  We are not complete and we know it.  If we please You, Almighty LORD, please send Your Messiah to us.  We are waiting for Him.”

Perhaps it was His pleasure with this humble Israelite offering to their One God, which spurned Him to finally send the Messiah, Jesus Christ.