Foretold Messiah 3 Bruised one to be taken into heaven as a servant and son of God

Already early in history of mankind we learn that there shall come one, coming from seed of a human being, who shall be bruised in the heel.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
(Genesis 3:15 NHEBJE)

That woman God is referring to is a young Essene girl, who lived some two millennia ago. By her was found kindness but also favour by God. The Bible tells us also that this child was going to be called “the Son of the Most High”, though it was going to be born out of man and as such also be a “son of man“, him always going to be the “Son of God“.

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.
(Luke 1:30-35 NHEBJE)

The Gospel dispensation opens with a dismissal of fear and a promise of salvation. For what shall come, we too, shall not have to fear. The girl is also told what should be the name of the child. The name was to be Jeshua, in full Jahushua or Jehoshua, often shortened to Joshua or Jeshua and signifying to have a role as saviour. As such we find an other Joshua in the Old Testament being the deliverer of Israel into the promised land. The original name of that Joshua was Hoshea, and Moses (doubtless by divine inspiration) changed the son of Nun his name to Joshua, in order to make it signify the salvation of God.

These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
(Numbers 13:16 NHEBJE)

Thus the name was given to indicate the reality that Joshua should be God’s saviour of Israel from their enemies, and their establisher in Canaan. As antitype to this, the same name is given, by the same divine direction, to the Nazarene man who has become our Saviour, because he shall save his people from their sins. As Joshua is redeemer of Israel from their enemies, and their establisher in Canaan, so Jesus is the Redeemer of believers from their sins, and their establisher in the heavenly Canaan.

The other name proposed to her, it being a nickname, was Immanuel. or Emmanuel, signifying “God with us“, not because he truly would be God as so many think but because his being to be a blessing of the Most High and his name a recognisance of the grace of God giving such a person. As such all those being called Immanuel or Emmanuel running around on this world are not God or an incarnation of a god.

Those names where asked to be given to the child because the angel brought the message of his Master God that this child was going to save people. In later writings we shall come to see that it would be a liberation or salvation from their sins.

The Jews expected a political Messiah to save the nation from the Romans. The angel promised a Jeshua (Jesus), who should save his people from their sins. (Modern neologists, who maintain that Jesus started at first with the purpose of forming a temporal kingdom, are contradicted by the very earliest declarations in the Gospels to the contrary.)

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
(Matthew 1:23 NHEBJE)

Jesus, being the promised one from the early days was to present his heavenly Father and as such brought God under the people, like the many prophets before him, presenting God’s Word.

It is from such a prophet that we do know that the promised one would come from a young girl or a virgin. He spoke in the times when Ahaz, king of Judah, was invaded by the combined hosts of the kings of Israel and of Syria. He was reduced to the last extremity. Jehovah then sent Isaiah the prophet to offer him a sign that God would bring deliverance. The object of the command was to bring Ahaz to repose his faith in Jehovah. But though the prophet offered him a sign either in heaven or in earth, yet the idolatrous king refused to accept any sign. Whereupon the prophet, rebuking the king for wearying God, declares that God will give a sign, whether the king ask it or not, and whether it should be to him a sign or not.
That sign is the standing sign for Israel for all ages, the future Messiah. As that Messiah should come, so Judah should be preserved until his coming. And when he should be born of the virgin, he should not grow to years of intelligence in a shorter time than would be required to sweep away those two invading kings from their power.

The prophet Isaiah speaks about a virgin who shall conceive and bear a son, and who shall be called Immanuel. We are also told that the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, giving us an indication that this child when growing up would be able to withstand temptations and would be able to continuously do good, which we also call “not sinning”.

Therefore Jehovah himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat butter and honey when he knows to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child knows to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings you abhor shall be forsaken.
(Isaiah 7:14-16 NHEBJE)

We shall see that several prophets tried to tell the people around them about signs God was going to give. Signs for when the saviour or messiah would come and signs for when the end-times would come. In their time as in our times there are lots of people who did not and do not want to see the signs, though it are the Signs from Jehovah the God above all gods.

In the previous article you could read how a woman (some call “Virgo Deipara”) is truly predicted in the first promise in Eden; and that the expectation was familiar to the ancient world. and we are told it would be some girl from the despised stem of Jesse. Miriam or Mary belonging to the Essenes being considered as part of a sect and as such not so much liked.

A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.
(Isaiah 11:1 NHEBJE)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
(Matthew 1:18-23 NHEBJE)

That Immanuel, the predicted seed of the woman, was not yet born in Isaiah ‘s time and it would take some more centuries before it would be there that promise of God coming into the flesh.

From the several books assembled in the bible we learn that there were many “man of God” or “men of God”, people who gave themselves for God. Several men were chosen by God to bring His Words to the people. They were necessary to reveal the Plan of God. All those stories were necessary to show how Jehovah God was wiling to be by those who were willing to be with Him.  The Book of books shows also how people who were prepared to walk in accord with God, could be taken by God, them suddenly not being here on earth any more. In such happenings we can find also what happened to Jesus after his death and resurrection.

Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
(Genesis 5:24 NHEBJE)

The one promised in Eden would also be a servant for the God of Shem or Shemi and would be son of God, taken into heaven by God, after he was bruised, impaled and cursed, like a murderer and thief, as a damnable.

He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be servant of servants to his brothers.” He said, “Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.”
(Genesis 9:25-27 NHEBJE)

Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Eli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Shimei, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of John, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
(Luke 3:23-38 NHEBJE)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”
(Galatians 3:13 NHEBJE)

You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross {in the original text “piece of wood”}; having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
(Colossians 2:13-15 NHEBJE)

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” Who, when he was cursed, did not curse back. When he suffered, did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to his righteousness; by stripes you were healed. For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
(1 Peter 2:21-25 NHEBJE)

In that son of man who is called the son of God, born in Bethlehem and brought up in Nazareth we find the servant of God who was been told about in the Garden of Eden, to be the one bruised.

But Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Many followed him; and he healed them all, and commanded them that they should not make him known: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. And he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He won’t break a bruised reed. And he won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory. And in his name, the nations will hope.”
(Matthew 12:15-21 NHEBJE)

+

Preceding

Foretold Messiah 1 First mentioning

Foretold Messiah 2 a Voice giving The Word to His servants

Messianic prophesies 2 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy

First mention of a solution against death 6 Authority given to the send one from God coming out of the woman

++

Additional reading

  1. The Seed Of The Woman Bruised
  2. The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #8 Looking for the 2nd Adam
  3. Jesus begotten Son of God #8 Found Divinely Created not Incarnated
  4. Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve
  5. Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary
  6. Hosea Say What?

+++

Further related

  1. Weary & Hopeful- Promise to Adam
  2. Just a Thought
  3. Scripture at Sunrise 1.1.2019
  4. Genesis 3:15 and the Messiah
  5. January 14 The Great War, Part 2
  6. A Promise of a Redeemer
  7. Isaiah 53 – The Suffering Messiah
  8. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” ~God
  9. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the offense of the cross
  10. Reflections on Dark Friday – does our faithfulness honor Christ’s sacrifice?
  11. For unto us who are saved, the cross is the power of God
  12. Living In The Holy Spirit

Messiah for all 2015 in review

Welcome

Dear reader,

Thank you very much for visiting this young site.

After a turbulent year in which the Belgian Christadelphians had to undergo several tests I decided to react to those Christians who called me dirty names and send me horrible things, accusing me of defiling Jesus name or God’s name.

It is a well-known fact that in Christendom and Christianity there are many denominations which do not like the sight of others. Many denominations are convinced they are the only ones who carry the truth and shall have their followers ‘going into heaven‘. In Christendom we also do find several fundamental Christians who threaten others with hell, a place of eternal damnation (according to them) where those who will not convert to their faith will be forever tortured by hell-fire. Because of so many accusations concerning our believe in and our relationship with  Christ Jesus thrown at our face, we wanted to make it more clear what we think about the Nazarene rabbi Jeshua, who is today better known as Jesus Christ. At the sites where nasty things were written about me, my believes, my faith and the Christadelphians, I mostly was silenced and could not defend myself nor the Christadelphians, nor all the Christians who, like me do not believe in a Holy Trinity.

Reasons to start this blog

Messiah for all 2015 Feb 11For that reason, wanting to bring a clear picture of the Biblical character Jesus, at the beginning of 2015 I started looking for a new platform to present texts which could justify our way of thinking and could open the eyes of others, offering them also the material from the Bible, the infallible Word of God, itself. In our eyes the Bible is the best tool to bring guidance and insight. After we shall have introduced general introductory texts, about the Word of God, presented in the Book of books, the Bible, and about the Creator and creation in general, we shall present more Biblical fragments by our explanations and when we shall come to the period of the New Covenant and New Testament we shall go step by step through the Messianic Writings (or Kethubim Bet or Kethuvim Bet), using the words of those Godly writings to show who Jesus is, what he has done and what he is still going to do, plus what he means for us, for mankind and for the whole creation.

More than once we have been and still are accused of being haters of God and being haters of Jesus, which made it so important to proof to you and the world that we carry our heart on the right place and do love Christ with all our heart, really appreciating what he did and acknowledging his position as sent one from God, who liberated the world from the curse of death. with this website we want to show you and those who come along that we are a loving group of worshippers of God who live peacefully as united people under Christ, being part of his body and not belonging to this world but to the world of Christ and the world of God, the Divine Creator.

Getting away from the starting bloc

Having tried out several starting blocs we are now on our way with WordPress. – Pressure-sensitive starting blocks at the start line of the 100 metres at the 2007 Pan American Games in João Havelange Olympic Stadium.

After looking at and trying out several systems of blogging I came to chose the trusted WordPress system and published my first article on February 10, 2015 looking back at several try outs, with the title “A beginning with many false starts”.

Many Christians do believe that Jesus created the earth and several of them also are convinced that this creation process exactly took six 24 hours periods, whilst many atheists are convinced everything started from something (or nothing: Something from nothing) with a big bang. To get to know more about the creation and What or Who is behind it we started looking at the world from its conception. To uncover all the creation myths we started from the Book Genesis (Genesis Among the Creation Myths) and continue from there onwards. the whole proces also brings us to look at gods or a god and The God of gods (The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods)

Some may say

“The Eternal Laws of Creation are exact to the minutest detail because they are the expressions of the perfect Will of the Almighty! Where uncertainties and imperfections are found they only arise from man’s limited understanding and application!” {Eternal Laws of Creation #8…..likes repel, opposites attract!}

Dissociative identity disorder.jpg
Being one or more, not feeling at ease in the body others can see

This uncertainty often frightens man. The not knowing for sure brings up many questions, doubts and lots of insecurities. We are very limited in our thinking and handling. But we should trust more in the given Word to humanity. With this blog we want others also to see how we as human beings fit in the whole universe and in the Plan of God. We want to show how Christ is The Way to God and the Way to life and how we do have to become in Christ to become a whole person and not a split one in this world full of controversy.

By the Will of God

There exist the the popular belief that creation and everything in it (its fullness thereof) exist through the Will of a Creator (variously known as Supreme Intelligence, the Light-Cause, the Almighty, God, etc.) and supervised by the Laws of the Creator! {Eternal Laws of Creation #2…….Omniscience and eternal laws!}

Usually, Light messengers, prophets, masters, etc. mediate or, hand down rules and observances to guide their followers in living aright! Without doubt, these rules have beneficial spiritual relevance especially if they are received from Luminous Heights like the Biblical Ten Commandments! They are infallible guidelines for the human spirit living on earth and in the immediate beyond but, not meant for the literal, one sided interpretations many believers give to them! {Eternal Laws of Creation #2…….Omniscience and eternal laws!}

File:7088jfSaint Peter Church Leaders Quezon Cityfvf 22.JPG
Saint Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders

Man has taken himself many leaders, guides and people who presented lots of dogma‘s they were willing to accept as part of their belief, because they think we otherwise would not comprehend God. Many Christians do thrive on dogmatic teachings. We may have many scholars and theologians in this world but may not forget the promised Spirit to enlighten us.

Man can not do anything without god letting it happen. this is also for the work we try to do to get the work of God be known at more places on the earth. the first ten months of the existence of this blog we could find readers in 66 countries. Most visitors came from The United States (1048). United Kingdom (111) & Australia (88) came before Belgium (62) and the Netherlands (16) which became behind Canada (64), India (35) and the Philippines (27).

With His Will God spans everything, maintains everything, and furthers everything from out of the Living Law which brings to each individual that which he deserves, i.e., that which he wove for himself! {Eternal Laws of Creation #2…….Omniscience and eternal laws!} And we want to knit some good duvet to keep us warm in cold Winters (figuratively speaking). In the times coming we do know we are going to enter a hard time, coming closer to the end times.

Writings and Readings

In the ten months this blog existed in 2015, there were 76 new posts, not bad for the first year!

Coming nearer to the end the messages we want to send in the air are necessary. Jesus asked his followers to go out into the world to preach the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. Bringing that Gospel of the Kingdom of God we, with several writings, want to bring your thoughts to the teaching of Jesus, remembering the days that our father Abraham rejoiced that he would see Jeshua’s day. (John 8:56). Throughout the years we do hope to present our writings in such a way that you and others might come to “see” the coming day.

Remembering what Paul told the Corinthians

“we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

we dare to ask our readers to look beyond our writings. We want to challenge you and our other readers to go looking in your own or their Bible and to compare what is said in that book and what you believe at the present or believed in the past.

We sincerely hope throughout the years we shall be able to build up some followers and find more people coming to the Biblical Truth. As such we also do hope that in our readings (followed by meditation) of God’s Word, we shall be able to be “clothed with gladness” – a gladness that flows out from the relationship we have developed with our Lord.

Invitation

Therefore we do invite you to looking with us at the Source of joy. Our most commented on post in 2015 was The very very beginning 2 The Word and words. In it we looked at the Bereshith, the book of the Beginnings or Genesis where is not said “gods” created, but is spoken of a Singular Person Who speaks and Makes or brings into being. He is the Supreme Being of beings. The One Whose Words we want to resound all over the world, not just in those few countries we are reaching at the moment.

We commit our selves and want others also to commit themselves to the trustworthy Creator, coming to see man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose.
As many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus let us going over the texts presented here and looking at the Bible passages mentioned see the bigger picture.

As our world falls apart – more and more – we are going to need to sense the importance of becoming active partakers of the Body of Christ. As we are trying to do our best in the name of Jesus we want you to work with us to “work together with him” (2 Corinthians 6:1), that the Most High Lord His Guiding Hand is there and our

times are in His hand”.

Looking towards 2016 and beyond

We hope to find you back here more than once and hope you too may have your heart in the right place and have like us a brightly burning faith.

In the Bible we have the assurance that we may have good hope and that God preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Let us therefore be strong, and let our and your heart take courage, all you who wait for Jeshua, the Kristos or Christ to return!

In the meantime have a look at our statistics for 2015, the first ten months we presented this blog and offered our readers 76 posts.

***

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,700 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 28 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

+

Please do find additional reading:

  1. Looking for Free Blogs and blogging
  2. February 2015 got new little lights shining on internet
  3. Crisis man needed in this world
  4. Wanting to live in Christ’s city
  5. Blindness in the Christian world
  6. A voice and a Word given for wisdom
  7. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
  8. Not words of any organisation should bind you, but the Word of God
  9. Who are Christadelphians
  10. What are Brothers in Christ
  11. Christadelphian people
  12. Old orthodox Dissenters and Unitarians in 19° Century London
  13. Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews
  14. United people under Christ
  15. Guelph a center of Christadelphia now in database
  16. The Toronto East Ecclesia
  17. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church

++

Also of interest

  1. Nothingness
  2. Blackness, nothingness, something, void
  3. Accommodation of the Void
  4. “Before” and “after” the Big Bang
  5. Different principle about the origin and beginning of everything
  6. Looking for a primary cause and a goal that can not offer philosophers existing beliefs
  7. Other stories about the beginning of times
  8. Genesis Among the Creation Myths
  9. Why believing the Bible
  10. The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods
  11. The very very beginning 2 The Word and words
  12. The Word being a quality or aspect of God Himself
  13. Why think there’s a God? (1): Something from Nothing
  14. Why think there is a God? (2) Goldilocks Effect
  15. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1:1-7 Help from God our Maker
  16. Creation of the earth and man #9 Formation of man #1 Cure of souls
  17. Creation of the earth and man #10 Formation of man #2 Mortal bodies and Tartarian habitation
  18. Creation of the earth and man #11 Formation of man #3 Infant salvation and non-elect infant damnation
  19. Creation of the earth and man #12 Formation of man #4 Constitution of man
  20. People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers
  21. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
  22. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
  23. Being Religious and Spiritual 5 Gnostic influences
  24. Being Religious and Spiritual 2 Religiosity and spiritual life
  25. Being Religious and Spiritual 3 Philosophers, Avicennism and the spiritual
  26. Being Religious and Spiritual 4 Philosophical, religious and spiritual people
  27. Being Religious and Spiritual 6 Romantici, utopists and transcendentalists
  28. Of old and new ideas to sustain power and to feel good by loving to be connected and worship something
  29. Theologians and a promised Spirit to enlighten us
  30. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose
  31. A Church without Faith!
  32. Faith antithesis of rationality
  33. God’s word…is a comfort to the one who yields to God’s will
  34. Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
  35. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
  36. Commit your self to the trustworthy creator
  37. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  38. Science and Religion Harmonized (Once and For All…)
  39. How to falsify a religion using scientific or historical evidence
  40. Something Most False Christians Have In Common
  41. Bible containing scientific information
  42. Do you believe in One god
  43. God does not change
  44. Misleading Pictures
  45. A Triple God or simply a rather simple One God
  46. History of the acceptance of a three-in-one God
  47. Altered to fit a Trinity
  48. Does there have to be a Holy Trinity Mystery
  49. Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
  50. A promise given in the Garden of Eden
  51. God demonstrates his own love
  52. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose
  53. God has visited His people
  54. God’s Special Gift
  55. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
  56. Do not be afraid. Good news because a Saviour has been born
  57. Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
  58. Apple of Gods eye
  59. No Other Name (But Jesus)
  60. The Real Christ
  61. About a man who changed history of humankind
  62. Which man is mentioned most often in the Bible? Jesus, Moses, Abraham or David?
  63. Yahushua, Yehoshua, Yeshua, Jehoshua of Jeshua
  64. Lord or Yahuwah, Yeshua or Yahushua
  65. Who was Jesus?
  66. Jezus, Yeshua, Yahushua
  67. Jesus spitting image of his father
  68. The meek one riding on an ass
  69. What did Jesus sing?
  70. What Jesus sang
  71. Christ’s ethical teaching
  72. Believing what Jesus says
  73. Was Jesus Religious
  74. Jesus and His God
  75. Yeshua a man with a special personality
  76. A man with an outstanding personality
  77. How is it that Christ pleased God so perfectly?
  78. Swedish theologian finds historical proof Jesus did not die on a cross
  79. Impaled until death overtook him
  80. Jesus three days in hell
  81. Jesus is risen
  82. Risen With Him
  83. The redemption of man by Christ Jesus
  84. Christ’s coming
  85. Revelation 1:8 – Who is Speaking?
  86. Americans really thinking the Messiah Christ had an English name
  87. Some Christians do have problems with the Christian connection with Jews
  88. Others that hinder the message
  89. Have you also been deceived
  90. Can we not do what Jesus did?
  91. Let us become nothing, and Christ everything
  92. A rebellious movement founded on a fake?
  93. Seeing the world through the lens of his own experience
  94. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
  95. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
  96. Together tasting a great promise
  97. The one who set the standard
  98. A Jewish Theocracy
  99. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
  100. Worship God only
  101. Life and attitude of a Christian
  102. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
  103. Let me keep to “first importance” things
  104. Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark
  105. The Belgian Christadelphian ecclesia sites 2015 in review
  106. Broeders in Christus 2015 in review
  107. From Guestwriters 2015 in review
  108. Stepping Toes 2015 in review
  109. Belgian Bible Students review of 2015
  110. Bijbelvorsers Blogging annual report and 2015 in review

+++

Further related articles

  1. Truth recovered?
  2. Who are the Christadelphians? are Christadelphians a cult?
  3. The #Christadelphians – YouTube
  4. God’s Roadmap To Peace!
  5. Development or Deviation?
  6. Major Life Influence #1: Being Raised Christadelphian
  7. A Vital time for Christadelphians to watch
  8. “God is faithful and He will not let … ” Thoughts from today’s Bible readings – August 28th
  9. ‘Christ’s warning to Christianity‘ Come out from the Apostate Church! The Time Is At Hand
  10. Enfield Ecclesia
  11. behind the name
  12. Worship of Jesus, relative or absolute?
  13. Duties of a child missionary in Guatemala
  14. Thoughts from dwayne0531
  15. I Peter 5:14: Lovely Talk
  16. I died for beauty
  17. Jesus at your door knocking, and whoever heard him and open shall have life.
  18. Admonition
  19. Nation of Deception: Part Two
  20. Restore The Fallen, Don’t Kill Them Off
  21. Daily bible passage – 10/26/15
  22. …And the Broad Way to Destruction Widens

+++

Necessity of a revelation of creation 12 Words assembled for wisdom and instruction

The Best Instructor of universe took care that His creatures could get hold of His instructions, rules and commandments.

Moses commanded that the books of the law be placed in the ark. This — with the addition of the book of Joshua — was done, and the sacred books were kept there during the wilderness journey, and also were in the ark during its permanent residence in Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 31:9,26, cf. 2 Kings 22:8; Joshua 24:26; 1 Samuel 10:25.)

Later on the prophets who flourished before the destruction of the temple, Jonah, Amos, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Habakkuk their were to follow. The canon of the Old Testament in the form we now have it, was the work of Ezra and the Great Synagogue. This fact is borne witness to  in the most ancient Jewish writings. The Great Synagogue was composed of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The translators of the King James Version of t...
The translators of the King James Version of the Holy Bible intentionally preserved, in Early Modern English, archaic pronouns and verb endings that had already begun to fall out of spoken use. This enabled the English translators to convey the distinction between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person singular and plural verb forms of the original Hebrew and Greek sources. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The oral tradition was continued after the death of Jesus, but when his disciples died it became important to have their writings going to the different ecclesiae or groups of followers of Christ. Founders of ecclesiae or churches, often unable to visit them personally, desired to communicate with their converts for purposes of counsel, reproof, and instruction. Thus arose the Epistles, or letters, which were put forth from time to time to meet special needs and emergencies.

At the time of the formation of the New Testament canon twenty out of the twenty-seven books were readily and universally accepted as genuine, and therefore called “Homologoumena” (i.e. acknowledged). These twenty books were the four Gospels, the Acts, the epistles of Paul (except that to the Hebrews), and the first epistles of John and Peter. The other seven books — Hebrews, 2 and 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude, James, Revelation — were disputed for a time by particular churches, and were therefore styled “Antilegomena” (or disputed).

The question at issue with regard to the books called “Antilegomena,” was not so much that of the canonicity of the writings, as whether they were really written by the men who were called their authors. Hebrews bore no name of its author, and differed in style from the acknowledged Pauline epistles; 2 Peter differed in style from 1 Peter; James and Jude styled themselves “servants,” and not “apostles”; the write of 2 and 3 John called himself an “elder” or “presbyter,” and not an “apostle”; Jude recorded apocryphal stories. For these reasons these books were not at once allowed their place in the canon. After a deliberate examination, however, they were at last received as genuine, the very delay proving the close scrutiny which their claims had undergone. At the beginning of the fourth century they were received by most of the churches, and at the end of that century they were received by all. {The Book of Books; by William Evans; Published by The Bible Institute Colportage Association, Chicago, © Copyright 1902}

The chosen men of God wrote down His words and gave God’s instructions to the people. All people were free to listen to it, take it for what it is or forget about it all, but they should know it would be taken in account later.
All had and have to know that those given scriptures are able to make us wise, which the traditions of the so called “divines” are not. Though it is very well known that most people do prefer to hold on to those human teachings and human traditions.

When we look at those old writings we can see why it is important better to listen to God His Words, instead of holding on the words of human beings. The Voice of the High Omnipotent Who cannot be seen by man or they would die, is the Voice we should listen to. Being such an invisible Spirit makes it so much more difficult for people to believe in Him as their God. For that reason many Christians also took themselves an other person as their god, and made Jesus into god, though they cannot see him any more but present him in many pictures. They also made pictures from the Nazarene man in front they could bow down. Though the God of gods demanded not to make any graven image of any god to bow down for or to pray in front.

In case people would take the Book of books to read and listen to those words, written in those scriptures, they would come to see much more clear and would get more insight, for we have the assurance that he who seeks shall find. But we must seek by the fight of scripture, and not permit that fight to be obscured by high thoughts and vain imaginations which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.
Great is the consolation that

“the wise shall understand”,

and

“shall shine as the brightness of the firmament”.

When opening our minds to the words from the Holy Scriptures, we can be liberated from human (unwise words) and get the words from God come over us, giving the right guidance and offering us a better insight. God wants us to comprehend and apply His Word to our lives. He gave us His words not to bring us in confusion or to make life more difficult. But so that we could easier understand how everything went wrong and how we can avoid badness in our life. For He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him.

In this world many may have learned something about God and His Words, but not many take to those words. Many seem to learn the Christian message from some other source than the Bible. We are then told to read the Bible or go to church where the Bible is or should be read to us.

Many ask why we should believe the message.  Many grow into one or the other religion because their parents told them to believe. Some may have found a church, where a priest got them to accept their church is the only right church and accepted it without doubting it.

Best would be when the bible itself would give you faith and belief.

It is the Bible that gives us the Good News and the salvation for our souls. It is the Bible that gives us the guidelines for the way to conduct our lives here on earth in preparation for our day of judgement.

+

Preceding:

Necessary to be known all over the earth

Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4

Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom

Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God

God-breathed prophetic words written torah and the mitzvot to teach us

Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction

To be continued: Necessity of a revelation of creation 13

++

Additional reading:

  1. Colour-blindness and road code
  2. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  3. All things written aforetime for our instruction
  4. Scripture words written for our learning, given by inspiration of God for edification
  5. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  6. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  7. Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man
  8. Bible, helmet of salvation, God’s Words put in the mouth of prophets for perfecting, to reprove and correct
  9. Hearing words to accept
  10. Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
  11. Bible in the first place #2/3
  12. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  13. Challenging claim 3 Inspired by God 2 Inerrant Word of God
  14. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  15. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
  16. A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn’t

+++

Necessary to be known all over the earth

Up until now we have seen that there is Only One Divine Creator Deity Who made everything and Who provided His Word for His creatures living on this planet.

Our world part of God's universe
Our world part of God’s universe

There are many more planets than ours, but we are told by the Words of God how He created our universe and not only gave His Words to His chosen men like Abraham. His words He wants all people to hear them and listen to them, following them up, taking them at heart like the greatest treasure.

In the Garden of Eden things got wrong by man going against God. They had heard and understood what He had said, but thought He was kidding them or withholding something precious for them. When their adversary against the Most High Maker got them in trouble, God provided a solution for them and promised a saviour who would conquer the curse of death.

Though to become safe under the promise of salvation God demands respect for His Word and wants us to embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. (Romans 4:23-24)

Dead Sea scrolls unaltered Word of God
Dead Sea scrolls unaltered Word of God

Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written also for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever He will do next. (Romans 15:4 Message) He asked special chosen people to write down what God found necessary to be known all over the earth. Every yot, every little word is there for a special reason and God would not like it when people would fiddle around with it and change the Words of the scrolls He let to survive in the world. Though many people fought against those words and against the believers in those words, the Word of God stayed untouched, unchanged, and shall be here for ever.

All the world should come to know that every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another — showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Even those who do not believe in God could learn a lot form His Words notated in the Book of books, which has become a best-seller in the world of publications. It also has become the most criticised and discussed word for ever.

Mankind is formed by that Word of God. First of all man himself was created by the Word of God, God speaking and letting man become part of His creation in God His own image. As such also each individual has enough in him or her to come to know Who is behind its being. Each person has in him or in her some force which gives some signs or doubts by which the person shall question its Maker.

Through the Word we are created or put together and by the Word we can let us whole character being shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Those in doubt should see the ones who have faith and hear the ones who  couldn’t be more sure of what they saw and heard — God’s glory, God’s voice. Enough people are convinced and willing to let others know that the prophetic Word was confirmed to them. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. The men of totally different character did not hide their faults and weaknesses and where willing to share their fears and thoughts with those who wanted to read those Words of God. When writing in the Name of God, they just could not hide anything for their readers, like nobody can hide something for God. That what they wrote down for later generations to find was not something concocted in the human heart, but was brought to their mind by the Force of God, the Holy Spirit. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word.” (2 Peter 1:19-21)

Throughout the ages God guided His people. He protected those who wanted to listen to Him and who followed His orders. People could come to see that what was written down was not just some human fantasy, but all those prophesies brought by the men of God became a reality (except the few which still have to happen). Some prophesies are still given for the future, but like the others, should be a signal for the believers to make sure that they shall be ready when they happen.  For the time being the send one from God, who is taken back into heaven, must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be. (Acts of the apostles 3:21)

Lovers of God, gathering to praise the Most High - Breaking of Bread Singing at a Christadelphian Hall
Lovers of God, gathering to praise the Most High – Breaking of Bread Singing at a Christadelphian Hall

As in the old times, today people also should gather with like-minded people. Those who believe in the Words of God, should unite to read and to study the Word of God.  These Words were spoken in the old times but are also the words that Jehovah God speaks today. As they were centuries ago for those who came together in houses or in synagogues, they should inspire people coming together either in their own houses, special meeting places, synagogues or churches. Like there were whole congregations at different places, we should share the Word of God in communities also all over the world. In those houses, ecclesiae, all should come to hear that blessed Word of God. They should wonder about how God spoke in a tremendous Voice from the fire and cloud and dark mist.  (Deuteronomy 5:22)

More than once in history God revealed many things of precious matter. God asked them to be  “Incised sharply”. Like all Israel was addressed, now the whole world is addressed and asked to “Listen obediently”. At first the promise was given to the descendants of Abraham, the people of Israel. but oh so often they went wrong or astray and time came that God provided openings for gentiles to come close again to their Maker. This very day many have become the people of God, the God of Israel.
Therefore we should give our ears and heart to our God. It is high time for mankind to listen to the Voice of God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. Already millennia He asks man to keep His commandments and regulations. Lots of people still do not want to know. But at the patience of God shall come an end, or better said, at due time god shall find it time to continue with His precious Plan.

God’s Spirit has spoken through many chosen people and God is willing to have His Spirit speak to all who wants to give Him their ear. Though He demands that we shall take Him serious and that His words shall take shape in our heart and on our tongue.

The God of Israel is the God of Abraham Who wants the world to know that He is a Fair and Just God, Who is searching the heart and looks for those who governs fairly and well and who rules in the Fear-of-God. (2 Samuel 23:2-4)

God His message to the world is like fire and God’s Decree is like a sledgehammer busting a rock. (Jeremiah 23:29) We should recognise Its Power and find in it also the power to change not only our selves but also to help change others. Though we should know that we can’t force these things. They only come about through God His Spirit, His Supreme Power, which can make or brake.

In the past we could see that many went against the God of gods and how they steeled themselves against God’s revelation and the Spirit-filled sermons preached by the earlier prophets by order of Jehovah God-of-the-Angel-Armies. And The God of gods became angry, really angry. (Zechariah 7:12)

How long does the world want to test God? How long shall God let the adversaries of God make the world not such a pleasant place to be? We may be sure there shall come an end to the ruling of human beings. There shall come a time when God shall have the send one from Him to govern. This sent one now sits at God His right hand until Jehovah will put our enemies under the feet of the one from the lineage of king David. (Mark 12:36)

Long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David regarding Judas, who became the guide to those who arrested Jesus. That the Tanakh or Scripture had to be fulfilled, and now has been. (Acts 1:16) the last reason has taken place to bring the fulfilment of previous prophesies about the provision of the Most High. That betrayed son of God, a man of flesh and blood, who knew his place and wanted only to do his heavenly Father‘s Will and not his own will, offered himself for mankind. By his ransom all debts are paid and are we too liberated. By Christ Jesus his ransom offering all men and women can come to Jesus his heavenly Father and say like Jesus Abba to Him Who created heaven and earth.

God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what the people at that time were doing. But He also knows what we are doing and what is going on in our hearts. (1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 21:2; Jeremiah 17:10)

God has given every person enough time to show others their real identity and to have it formed through God-sent prophets. It is up to each individual either to want or to reject a good relationship with their Maker.

To help us to go through life, God has given His Words. They can guide us and help us in good and bad circumstances.  Those words can hold up in bad times and all should know that God His promises shall rejuvenate many.  For the mitzvah, God’s commands provides sound advice being a beacon, good teaching a light, moral discipline being a life path. (Proverbs 6:23) And Jehovah God is unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love Him and keep His mitzvot or commandments. (Exodus 20:6)

All the world should come to recognise that the Most High Elohim has given His teachings and commandments to instruct mankind. We should believe and do what God tells us to believe and to do, and should not be cling to human traditions and false teachings. Even when we first latched onto some false teachings it is never to late to change idea and to go for the pure Word of God. Never is it to late to walk in the paths God shows you.
Follow the life-map absolutely, keep an eye out for the signposts, God His course for life set out in the revelation to Moses; then you’ll get on well in whatever you do and wherever you go.
We all have the free choice, but we should know that God demands loyalty. Our lives must be totally obedient to the One and Only One God, our personal God, following the life path He has cleared, alert and attentive to everything He has made plain this day. (Exodus 24:12; 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Kings 8:61)

Don’t you think His concern extends to us?

In the Word of God, put together in the library of 66 books, called the Bible,  we can find  all warning markers —Danger! We should take the Bible also as our history book, written down so that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the people spoken about in it. Our positions in the story are parallel — they at the beginning, we at the end — and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. This we should take at heart seriously. And we should be careful not to fall in the traps of man. Living in this period were we are coming closer to the Acharit-hayamim or the ends of system of things we must make the right choice and than God shall be willing to avoid too strong temptations and shall provide the way out in order for us to be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:11-13)

This website is just at its beginning state, but we do hope we shall be able to get people coming along and to share the Message of the Good News in the knowledge that we need the corrections by God through His Word and through His Spirit. As brothers and sisters in Christ and as children of God we want to come closer to the Most High with the knowledge that it’s the child God loves that Jehovah the God of gods corrects. A father’s delight is behind all this. (Proverbs 3:12)

It is our sincere hope we and our visitors may get a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it. (Titus 1:9)

In our love to the Most High God and being thankful for God’s son his ransom-offering we also want to follow the instructions given by Jeshua, (Jesus Christ) God’s son, our Master teacher, and go out into the world preaching the message of peace and the coming Kingdom of God.

Our faith and love is rooted in Christ, exactly as Paul and the other apostles set it out for us. (2 Timothy 1:13)

Those who say they love Jesus should carefully keep his word and remember what Jesus said about him and his heavenly Father. The message Jesus brought was not his message because he is not God himself. If Jesus is God, it would have been his message. Jeshua (Jesus Christ) who also said he could not do anything without his Father said he brought the message of the Father who sent him. The Father is the goal and purpose of Jesus his life and should also be our goal and purpose.

Today we have the words of Christ who told his disciples ahead of time that he would ask his Father to give them insight so that when it happened, the confirmation was to deepen their but also our belief in Jesus. The world might know how thoroughly Jesus loves the Father and how he is carrying out not his own will but his Father’s instructions right down to the last detail.  Jesus didn’t make those things up. What he taught came from the One who sent him. It was the Father who sent Jesus Who gave him orders, told him what to say and how to say it. (John 7:16; John 12:49; John 14:23-31)

The apostles later wrote down all the things we should know about Jeshua (Jesus Christ) the Messiah, so that the world should come to know him and the One who had sent His only begotten son to the world to save it.
The words Jesus spoke to his disciples and the listeners and curious ones around him were not mere words. We should be fully aware what it means that those words were not made up on his own. The Father who resided Jesus crafted each word into a divine act. This we should believe. In Jesus we should find our rabbi or master teacher. We also should trusts him and follow up his words, becoming a follower of Christ or being a Christian.

Hanged on a stake as a criminal but also as the King of the Jews
Hanged on a stake as a criminal but also as the King of the Jews

In Christ we can find salvation and shall find the way to the Father. Therefore to get to know the words and works of Christ we also should read what the apostles wrote about him. Those writings from the New Testament are the complementary writings to the ones from the Old Testament. Only with taking up both big units shall people come to the full insight and total understanding.

We should be aware that the godless world can’t take the Spirit of truth in because it doesn’t have eyes to see Him, doesn’t know what to look for.

God is strong, and he wants us strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the adversary throws your way. With the Word of God in our heart we ourselves can grow but shall find ourselves the best tool to bring others to the truth. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. (Ephesians 6:10-17e)

God means what He says. What He says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. (Hebrews 4:12) All who find God should put away their old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! (1 Peter 1:23)

When you got the Message of God the apostles preached and you didn’t pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God’s true word to you, which it is, God himself is at work in you believers you too should go out and proclaim the Word of God, getting others to learn the truth as well. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Take up the Word of God, read it, study it and take with you every day of your life as the most precious treasure, and God will bless you.

English: The Psalms scroll, one of the Dead Se...
The Psalms scroll, one of the Dead Sea scrolls. Hebrew transcription included. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

+

Preceding:

Find the Bible verses by this article in the following article: God-breathed prophetic words written torah and the mitzvot to teach us

++

Additional reading:

  1. Are you looking for answers and Are you looking for God
  2. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
  3. People Seeking for God 6 Strategy
  4. The Right One to follow and to worship
  5. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
  6. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom
  7. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  8. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #2 Purity
  9. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
  10. Showing by the scriptures that …
  11. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  12. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  13. Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
  14. Eternal Word that tells everything
  15. God’s Blog recorded in a Book
  16. Creator and Blogger God 10 A Blog of a Book 4 Listening to the Blogger
  17. Creator and Blogger God 11 Old and New Blog 1 Aimed at one man
  18. Bible Word from God
  19. Bible guide
  20. Bible in the first place #1/3
  21. Bible in the first place #2/3
  22. Bible in the first place #3/3
  23. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  24. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
  25. Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago
  26. Appointed to be read
  27. Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
  28. Unread best-seller
  29. Statutes given unto us
  30. Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
  31. Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man
  32. Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
  33. Bible, helmet of salvation, God’s Words put in the mouth of prophets for perfecting, to reprove and correct
  34. Hearing words to accept
  35. Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
  36. Cleanliness and worrying or not about purity
  37. Scripture alone Sola Scriptora
  38. May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way
  39. The manager and Word of God
  40. Feed Your Faith Daily
  41. We should use the Bible every day
  42. For it is no empty word
  43. Incomplete without the mind of God
  44. Increase our zeal for the Holy scriptures
  45. Believing in the send one and understanding that one does not live by bread alone
  46. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  47. Incomplete without the mind of God
  48. Hidden Treasures
  49. Those who love Jesus
  50. The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
  51. God who knows the heart
  52. A treasure which can give me everything I need
  53. Congregate, to gather, to meet
  54. Teach children the Bible
  55. Engagement in an actual two-way conversation with your deities
  56. Not able to make contact with God because to busy

+++

Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God

Image of the Dutch Reformation iconoclasm (Bee...
Image of the Dutch Reformation iconoclasm (Beeldenstorm) Image from: De eerste jaren der Nederlandsche Revolutie (1555-1568), Elsevier, Rotterdam 1882 Reproduction in: Het beleg van Haarlem; Haarlem’s heldenstrijd in beeld en woord 1572-1572, F. De Witt Huberts, Oceanus, 1944 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many in this world hate instruction from the Most High Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and throw God’s Words behind them, refusing correction and rejecting His commands (Psalm 50:17). Many rebelled and disobeyed God’s laws. Some even killed God’s prophets, who warned them to turn back to God, and they cursed God’s Holy Name. There were those who like king David guarded God His misvoth (or commandments) and walked after Him with all their heart, to work only, straight in God His Eyes. But many others liked men’s words and and vilified to work above all who are at their face and went and worked other elohim and molten to vex the Most High Elohim and to bow down in front of graven images in front of beings they called ‘god‘.

Neh 9:26-27 NHEBJE  “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.  (27)  Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.

1Ki 14:9 NHEBJE  but have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made you other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back:

Today even in Christendom we can find many people bowing down in front of crucifixes or statues of Jesus or other persons. Those people call themselves also Christians but they seem to forget what God, the Adonai who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, Himself said about such a worshipping with bowing down in front of graven images.

Exo 20:2-7 NHEBJE  “I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  (3)  You shall have no other gods before me.  (4)  “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  (5)  you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,  (6)  and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.  (7)  “You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

This God Who created the heavens and the earth demanded to follow His instructions.

Pro 4:13 NHEBJE  Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Receive God His instruction rather than silver; God’s knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it. (Proverbs 8:10-11)

Pro 13:13 NHEBJE  Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded.

The law of truth should be found in followers of Christ but throughout history we can see that there were many who preferred to follow teachings by men who called themselves theologians. already at the time of the apostles false prophets came unto the scene and a few centuries later the ‘church’ sold her soul to the Roman Empire fulfilling the wishes of Caesar Constantine instead of keeping faithful to God’s commandments of honouring only One God Who is One.

When centuries later some rebellious priests found that the Bible alone (sola Scriptura) should have everything to say and to instruct and condemned the Roman Catholic Church, soon they too went the same way as that church making their own doctrines. A 2014 survey on American Evangelical beliefs found that most American evangelicals hold views condemned as heretical by some of the most important councils of the early church. Many came to understand that their personal (“alone”) interpretation of Scripture would be authoritative instead of taking the words like they are written in the Bible (Old and New testament) for what they really express.

Icon depicting the Emperor Constantine, accompanied by the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325), holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.

G. K. Chesterton remind us that it is arrogant to ignore the teachings of our forefathers in the faith, but we should be weary to find who was in the faith. They faced many of the same theological questions we do today, and their answers have stood the test of time, but that does not mean yet that their answers are the right ones. When we look at the previous theologians their writings we must remember that bishops and councils, after all, can err. We all should also remember that politics played a big part in it as well. That’s how the Nicene Creed came to be.

To protest against an error, such as Romanism, and to affirm that every man has a right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, is a very different thing to believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and walking in all the institutions of the Lord blameless. To do this would unchristianize a man in the estimation of State churches and sectarian denominations; for the Bible religion requires a man to “contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints”, which in these times cannot be done without upheaving the very foundations of the self-complacent, self-glorifying, and self-laudatory communions of the antipapal constitution of things. It is true that no man or power has a right to interfere between God and the conscience; but it is also true that no man has a right to worship God as he pleases. This is a Protestant fallacy. Man has a right to worship God only in the way God has Himself appointed. “In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” This is the judgment pronounced by the wisdom of God upon all worship which He has not instituted. He declares it to be vain worship; concerning which the apostle to the Gentiles says: “Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath; let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels. Be not subject to dogmatisms (δογματίζεσθε) after the commandments and traditions of men; which things have indeed a show of wisdom in WILL-WORSHIP and humility.”
These exhortations apply to all faith and worship, Papal and Protestant. If Popery judges men in meats, Protestantism doth the same in drinks, and in the Sabbath; they both judge men in holy-days and “movable feasts”; and though Protestantism repudiates the worshipping of angels, it proclaims in its “fasts”, “preparations”, “concerts”, etc. a voluntary humility, anti celebration of “saints and martyrs”, renowned in legendary tales for “the pride that apes humility”. Let the reader search the scriptures from beginning to end, and he will nowhere find such systems of faith and worship as those comprehended in the Papal and Protestant systems. The gospel of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus is not preached among them; they are communions which are uncircumcised of heart; theological dissertations on texts, called “sermons”, are substituted for “reasoning out of the scriptures”—for “expounding and testifying the Kingdom of God, and persuading men concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets”. Puseyism, Swedenborgianism, and all sorts of isms, to which in apostolic times the world was a total stranger, run riot among them; the lusts of the flesh, of the eye, and of the pride of life have extinguished even the energy and zeal of the antipapal rebellion out of which they have arisen; they are dead, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, and therefore the time is come to cut them off as a rotten branch from the good olive tree. Let therefore every man that would eschew the wrath which is begun, and who would become an heir of the kingdom of God, save himself from the unholy, lifeless, and effete denominations of these “Latter Days”. By remaining in them, a man partakes of their evil deeds, and subjects himself to their evil influences. The word of man has silenced the word of God in their midst; and religion has degenerated into a professional commodity sold for cash according to the taste which most prevails in the soul-makers of the world.so
Let us then “cease from men, whose breath is in their nostrils; for wherein are they to be accounted of?” “They be blind leaders of the blind”, in whom is no light, because they speak not according to the law and the testimony of God. Let us repudiate their dogmatisms; let us renounce their mysteries; and let us declare our independence of all human authority in matters of faith and practice outside the word of God. The scriptures are able to make us wise, which the traditions of “divines” are not. Let us then come to these scriptures, for we have the assurance that he who seeks shall find. But we must seek by the fight of scripture, and not permit that fight to be obscured by high thoughts and vain imaginations which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Great is the consolation that “the wise shall understand”, and “shall shine as the brightness of the firmament”. Be this then our happiness, to understand, believe, and do, that we may be blessed in our deed, and attain to the glorious liberty and manifestation of the sons of God.
To the Bible then let us turn, as to “a light shining in a dark place”, and, with humility, teachableness, and independence of mind, let us diligently inquire into the things which it reveals for the obedience and confirmation of faith. The object before us then will be, to present such a connected view of this truthful and wonderful book as will open the reader’s eyes, and enable him to understand it, and expound it to others, that he may become “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”; and be able intelligently to “contend for the faith”; and by “turning many to righteousness, to shine as the stars for ever and ever”.
In effecting this purpose, we must proceed as we would with any other book, or in teaching any of the arts and sciences; namely, begin at the beginning, or with the elements of things. This was the method adopted by the spirit of God in the instruction of the Israelites by Moses. He began His revelations by giving them, and us through them, an account of the creation of the heavens and the earth; of animals; and of man. This then would seem to be the proper place for us to start from; and as we have the system completely revealed, which they had not, we may extend our enquiries into the reason, or philosophy of things farther than they. Be this, then, our commencement; and may the Lord himself prosper our endeavours to decipher and understand His word, and to disentangle it from the crude traditions and dogmatisms of contemporary theologies, useful in their beginnings as “oppositions” to the Mystery of Iniquity, but now “waxed old and ready to vanish away” with the thing they have antagonized; but which, though consumptive of the civil and ecclesiastical tyranny of the Image of the Beast, have by their glosses in effect taken from the people “the Key of Knowledge”, and thus shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men. Our endeavour will be to restore this “Key”, that they may understand “the mysteries of the kingdom”, and “have right, to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city”. And this we will do if God permit.

Thomas, D. J. (1990). Elpis Israel: an exposition of the Kingdom of God (electronic ed., pp. 6–9). Birmingham, UK: The Christadelphian.

+

Preceding articles:

Necessity of a revelation of creation 3 Getting understanding by Word of God 1

Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2

Necessity of a revelation of creation 5 Getting understanding by Word of God 3

Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4

Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5

Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people

Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures

Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom

  1. Being Religious and Spiritual 4 Philosophical, religious and spiritual people
  2. People Seeking for God 4 Biblical terms
  3. Science, belief, denial and visibility 2
  4. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  5. All things written aforetime for our instruction
  6. Hearing words to accept
  7. Bible Word from God
  8. God’s Blog recorded in a Book
  9. Creator and Blogger God 10 A Blog of a Book 4 Listening to the Blogger
  10. God’s forgotten Word 4 Lost Lawbook 3 Early digressions and Constantinic revolution
  11. Bible in the first place #3/3
  12. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  13. An anarchistic reading of the Bible—(1) Approaching the Bible
  14. The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
  15. Colour-blindness and road code
  16. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
  17. A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn’t
  18. At the end of your life
  19. Position and power
  20. Icons and crucifixes
  21. Hellenistic influences
  22. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
  23. Politics and power first priority #1
  24. The Advent of the saviour to Roman oppression
  25. History of Christianity
  26. A rebellious movement founded on a fake?
  27. Simplicius Against the Monophysites
  28. History of the acceptance of a three-in-one God
  29. Christianity without the Trinity
  30. Trinity And Pagan Influence
  31. Trinity: A False Doctrine of a False Church
  32. Part 2) God is not a Trinity
  33. The Trinity: paganism or Christianity?
  34. Unitarianism and the Bible of the Holy Trinity
  35. Trinity: The Truth about Matthew 28:19 & 1 John 5:7
  36. Anyone Who Goes Too Far and Does Not Abide in the Teaching of Christ, Does Not Have God
  37. Is Jesus God?

Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom

In Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures we looked at the reason to go searching in the Book of books for truth. Throughout history man sought to get more wisdom and insight and therefore looked for the wisdom of the gods, but the world should know to find the true wisdom they best go looking for the Words of the One and Only One God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.  He is the best Instructor for mankind. He created man and knows what is best for them. He is willing to talk to them when they are prepared to listen to Him. He also provided His Word for them which is available to all in book-form so that nobody has an excuse not having been able to come in touch with it. This God of gods is always there to give you wisdom, insight and understanding.

English: The Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This God of gods also send forth His only begotten beloved son who educated his disciples to become apostles bringing the Good News proclaiming the Word of God of salvation. In such a way we for example find the apostle Paul as a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of the Gentiles,  the non-Jews and those who were not part of the chosen people of God to bring them the news about the administration or stewardship of the grace of God which was given him toward us; how that by revelation the mystery was made known to him, as he wrote before in few words.  He, bestowed this privilege, of making known to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, mastered this secret of Christ’s and wants others to master it too. With his many writings we now have that opportunity.

Eph 3:1-3 NHEBJE  For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,  (2)  if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you;  (3)  how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,

Those who know the Word of God and call themselves Christian should follow the masters teachings and follow up the task of going out into the world preaching the Word of God. By reading that Word of God, God will know how you long for Him and long for others to be apart of that Body of Christ as well. By continues study of that Word of God you, with the tenderness of Jesus Christ himself, will make it that you come to more insight and will have your love grow richer and richer yet, in the fullness of its knowledge and the depth of its perception, so that you may learn to prize what is of value. Though we should be careful not to let us be carried away by human teachings or man’s doctrines which may cloud your faithfulness to Only One God and will make cloud your conscience or hinder your progress till the day when Christ comes. If you take the words of Jesus Christ for what they really say and mean you shall find that you may reap, through Jesus Christ, the full harvest of your justification to God’s glory and praise.

Php 1:9-11 NHEBJE  This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;  (10)  so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ;  (11)  being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

In the knowledge that we are all limited in time and that we if we are dead with Christ, we shall also live with Jeshua, Jesus the Messiah, this with the understand what is said in the Book of books have to be taken as words given to us so that God may give us understanding in all things so that we may obtain the saving health which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

2Ti 2:7-10 NHEBJE  Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.  (8)  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Good News,  (9)  in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.  (10)  Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Already in the times of Moses God called man to come to Him and to follow the tables of stone and the law and commandments which He has written to teach man. Men of God could teach the statutes and rights, which God Had ordered them to tell others, that they might do them in the regions they were going to live. Man has to know that until heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law until all is fulfilled.  They also had to be conscious of it that the ones whosoever shall undo even one of the least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall do and teach, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.

Mat 5:18-19 NHEBJE  For truly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the Law, until all things are accomplished.  (19)  Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob (Deuteronomy 33:4). Those who take Jeshua as their rabbi, as followers of him (Christians) should also be happy to be members of that inheritance, which means they also shall have to comply to those laws and instructions God has given.

Neh 1:8-9 NHEBJE  “Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;  (9)  but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’

Though many may ask us

Job 22:12-13 NHEBJE  “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!  (13)  You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

Many man will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden, who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream, who said to God,

‘Depart from us;’ and, ‘What can Shaddai do for us?’ (Job 22:17)

The Elohim though, is always there, available for those who want to go looking for Him. They that from their heart are willing to go searching for the Truth shall receive instruction from God His mouth, when they are willing to look in the Holy Scriptures and lay up His words in their heart. (Job 22:22)

Psa 50:7-17 NHEBJE  “Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God.  (8)  I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me.  (9)  I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens.  (10)  For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.  (11)  I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine.  (12)  If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.  (13)  Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?  (14)  Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.  (15)  Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”  (16)  But to the wicked God says, “What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,  (17)  seeing you hate instruction, and throw my words behind you?

+

Preceding articles:

  1. Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man
  2. Necessity of a revelation of creation 2 Organisation of a system of things
  3. Necessity of a revelation of creation 3 Getting understanding by Word of God 1
  4. Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2
  5. Necessity of a revelation of creation 5 Getting understanding by Word of God 3
  6. Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4
  7. Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5
  8. Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people
  9. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures

To be continued with: Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God

++

Additional reading:

  1. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
  2. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
  3. Believing in the send one and understanding that one does not live by bread alone
  4. Colour-blindness and road code
  5. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
  6. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
  7. God’s wisdom for the believer brings peace
  8. Challenging claim
  9. Building up the spirit of the soul
  10. Creator and Blogger God 6 For His people
  11. Creator and Blogger God 8 A Blog of a Book 2 Holy One making Scriptures Holy
  12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
  13. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
  14. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action

+++

Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures

When we go looking for the truth,trying to get to know the Divine Creator, His Plan and the one He send to the earth to bring salvation, we should study the Word which God has given Himself to the world.

Let the example of the noble-minded Bereans be ours. They searched the scriptures daily to see if the things taught by the apostles were worthy of belief; “therefore they believed”. If, then, not even the preaching of an apostle was credited unaccompanied by scriptural investigation, is it not infinitely more incumbent on us that we should bring to a like test the opinions and precepts of the uninspired and fallible professional theologists of our day?

Otto Günther, Disputatious Theologians [Disputierende Theologen] (1876)
Otto Günther, Disputatious Theologians [Disputierende Theologen] (1876)
Today we do find too many people who are more interested in what theologians have to say than what the Bible has to say. Lots of people also prefer the words of those theologians instead of taking the words of the Bible like they are written. They prefer to read only parts or some verses of the book with the dogmatic teachings as background and as foundation for their study.

Though such triplex plates are useless and are nothing compared to the concrete piles of the Biblical teachings in the Book of books, a Best-seller of all times. It is wholesome to read regularly and have the words come into your heart as spiritual food, beneficial for your mind and making you to grow in knowledge. Smart people let the knowledge of God come to them in the first place. They do not prefer to say

“it came from the pulpit, therefore I like it”

Everything that they hear coming from the pulpit they want to check with what is written in the Bible.

Let us believe nothing that comes from “the pulpit”, “the altar”, or the press, not demonstrated by the grammatical sense of the scriptures. Let us be contented with nothing less than a “thus it is written”, and a “thus saith the Lord”; for He has laid it down in His law, that no one is worthy of belief who does not speak after His rule. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to THIS WORD, it is because there is no light in them.” If then their light be darkness, how great is that darkness.

Today the world is in a stage of darkness with lots of people who do not want to pay attention to what Jehovah God says. There are not many who are willing to keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Many say

Where is the word of Jehovah? let it come now.

and forget it is there for everybody to read in the language they prefer. The world has seen many Bible translations and in a way in the Western world nobody can have an excuse for not being able to get an eye on it.

English: Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition Bible
Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition Bible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The world does not love those who are willing to learn more about God’s Word and about the Messiah. Many may mock those searchers but they should know that Jehovah is stronger than us. Many may also cry that they have cried out, cried violence and spoil; because the word of God was made a reproach unto them, and a derision, daily. Therefore they ask why that Messiah did not come back and ask for let him make speed, and hurry his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!

We should know that there shall none of God His Words be prolonged and all the words which God has spoken shall be done. Man is best to prepare himself for the Day of God, because it could well be that such day would be one of darkness, and not light. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying,

Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:4

In case they would have studied the Word of God, they would have had more insight. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive instruction in wise dealing and wise behaviour, in righteousness and justice and equity; we best look into that Book of books provided by the Divine Creator. With awe we best value highly His Words and His advice.

Pro 1:7 NHEBJE The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 4:7-9 NHEBJE Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. (8) Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her. (9) She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

Pro 21:30 NHEBJE There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Jehovah.

Pro 19:21 NHEBJE There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Jehovah’s counsel will prevail.

God shall know when we seriously want to look for truth and want to come to know Him. He shall listen to our call and see what is in our heart. Light and understanding shall come to those who seriously read and study the bible.

The scriptures can do everything for us in relation to the light. This is known, felt, and keenly appreciated by all interested in the support of error. Hence, in the days of Diocletian, one of the pagan predecessors of Constantine, a decree was issued commanding the surrender of all copies of the Holy Scriptures: for it was found that so long as they obtained circulation the Christian doctrine could never be suppressed. The Popes, as deadly, and more insidious, enemies of the truth than the pagan Roman emperors, followed the example of Diocletian. The Bible and popery are as mutually hostile as the light of the sun and the thick darkness of Egypt that might be felt. But it is not paganism and popery alone that are practically hostile to a free and untrammelled investigation of the word of God.
The Protestant world, while it deludes itself with the conceit that “the Bible, the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants”—while it spends its thousands for its circulation among the nations in their native tongues—is itself hostile to the belief and practice of what it proclaims. The “Bible alone” is not its religion; for if it were, why encumber its professors with the “Common Prayer”, Thirty-nine Articles, and all the other “notions” of a similar kind? To believe and practise the Bible alone would be a sufficient ground of exclusion from all “orthodox churches”. When Chillingworth uttered the sentiment, there was more truth in it than at this day; but now it is as far from the fact as that Protestantism is the religion of Christ.

Thomas, D. J. (1990). Elpis Israel: an exposition of the Kingdom of God (electronic ed., p. 6). Birmingham, UK: The Christadelphian.

Theologians -Pier_Francesco_Sacchi_-_Dottori_della_Chiesa_-_ca._1516-Modified
Theologians or learned in Theology, the knowledge of the Theos, the Godhead, who as members or masters of the theological schools which came into existence after the patristic era, taught and handed down Catholic doctrine on strictly scientific lines of their time, in obedience to and under the supervision of the bishops. – By Joseph Wilhelm, D.D., PHD. And Thomas B. Scannell, D.D. (based on Rev. Matthias Scheeben’s “Dogmatik”)

 

+

Preceding articles:

Background to look at things

Gone astray, away from God

Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4

Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5

Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people

To be continued:

Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom

Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God

++

Additional reading:

  1. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
  2. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  3. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
  4. You shall howl in your latter end
  5. All things written aforetime for our instruction
  6. God’s forgotten Word 5 Lost Lawbook 4 The ‘Catholic’ church
  7. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
  8. Creator and Blogger God 10 A Blog of a Book 4 Listening to the Blogger
  9. Eternal Word that tells everything
  10. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
  11. Bible in the first place #3/3
  12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
  13. Colour-blindness and road code
  14. Hearing words to accept
  15. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  16. Fools despise wisdom and instruction
  17. Determined To Stick With Truth
  18. Pulpit reserved for the pastor
  19. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
  20. Wisdom not hard to find nor hiding in remote places
  21. Wisdom lies deep
  22. Increased in wisdom in favour with God
  23. Happy who’s delight is only in the law of Jehovah
  24. Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
  25. A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn’t
  26. Book of Common Prayer short form BCP: The book used for public worship by Anglican Christians for over 400 years, and regarded as authoritative for doctrine.

+++

  • A Dialogue with Derek Flood: Is the Bible Infallible? (reknew.org)
    I noted in my review of Disarming Scripture, the primary reason I feel compelled to affirm biblical infallibility is because I’m convinced this was the view of Jesus, and I have good reason to believe he is the Son of God. Yes, Jesus placed his authority over Scripture and thus declared some Scripture to be rendered obsolete with his coming (e.g. Mt 5:38-9, 43-5). And yes, Jesus rejected the legalistic and harmful way some of his contemporaries interpreted and applied Scripture. But while Derek often says Jesus and/or Paul rejected harmful interpretations of Scripture, he also often claims that Jesus and/or Paul rejected passages of Scripture that they deemed harmful (e.g. 42-4, 69) and that we should do the same.[2] I grant the former, but cannot grant the latter.
  • Do you search the scriptures? (disciplesofhope.wordpress.com)
    Some people say they want to get ‘closer’ to God and to achieve this they subject themselves to extreme levels of fasting, self-flagellation and other penances but they still feel they are lacking in something.
  • “Heart knowledge” of Scripture’s Self-Attesting Evidences Persuades of Its Divine Inspiration and Authority (capthk.com)
    this word brings along with it such light, such authority, and such sanctifying and comforting power, that there is no shutting our eyes nor hardening our hearts against it; no possibility of continuing stupid and concerned under it: but the whole faculties of our soul are necessarily affected with it, as indeed marked with divine evidence, and attended with almighty power
  • How to Read the Bible and Love It (aprilyamasaki.com)
    How could I keep reading and rereading the Bible even when I didn’t feel like it? How could I keep reading and rereading the Bible, and love it?
    +
    Make your Bible reading active. Underline or highlight key words. Keep a journal to record your own thoughts, feelings, questions, and prayers. If you’re reading a psalm, write your own poem in the form of a psalm. If you’re reading a Gospel story, draw a picture. If you’re musical, write a song based on your Scripture reading.
  • Idols (Elements of Existence) #AtoZChallenge (psalmsunday.blogspot.com)
    Have we made ourselves stronger by taking the law out of God’s hands and placing it into the hands of men and government bodies? Instead we may be weakening our position as a nation of strength and opening ourselves up to Godless chaos.
    +
    Already we have become overly focused on money and material possessions. We often revere celebrities, politicians, and leaders to a point of near idolization. In modern culture we admire those whom we consider to be idols and may even long to become idols ourselves. Even the heads of the religious bodies are placed on thrones that at times seem to put them on an equal footing with God. Instead of actually placing our trust in the Supreme Creator we have relegated the concept to slogans like “In God We Trust” while debating whether it is time to eliminate those slogans in fairness to others.
  • Conversation with God (societyinchrist.com)
    For the Lord speaks, I must obey. The Lord speaks I must listen. As the Lord Speaks I desire only to do as the Lord directs. I must no do as the world shows.
  • Two excellent Notre Dame profs are teaching a free online course this summer….. (edx.org)
    The Bible says that Jesus was identified as God’s beloved son at his baptism. The same identification was made about Israel in the Old Testament and the disciples of Christ at their baptism.
  • Jesus Went to Hell: The Christian History Churches Would Rather Not Acknowledge (gunnygbb2.wordpress.com)
    This is one phrase that Christians, whether mainline or evangelical, Catholic or Protestant, will likely not hear from the pulpit this week. And yet the story of Christ’s descent to the underworld has deep roots in tradition.
  • Romans 15:5-6 – May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind (church4u2.wordpress.com)
    remember that God wants to give us a spirit of unity, that is, a sensitivity to our brothers and sisters that will cause us to encourage them and call them to stay faithful to the call of God on their lives
  • April 8 – sinful (cohdailyprayer2014.wordpress.com)
    The biggest secret a lot of Jesus followers have is not that they are looking at porn or secretly hate their mother or they never give any offering — it is that they are having a terrible time being saved. They mock the work of Jesus because they will not be forgiven, not really.
  • Second Sunday of Easter (emmanuelchatham.typepad.com)
    Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith
  • The Expansion of Christendom: Crusading in Northern Europe, 1147 – 1415 (medievalists.net)
    On the sixth day, the Germans asked: ‘Do you still resist and refuse to acknowledge our creator?’To this they replied: ‘We acknowledge your God to be greater than our gods. By overcoming us, He has inclined our hearts to worship Him. We beg, therefore, that you spare us and mercifully impose the yoke of Christianity upon us.’ ~ The Estonians, Siege of Fellin, 1210
  • In with the New (joyfullnuggets.wordpress.com)
    Change is coming into the hearts of God’s people. Some of these changes are intense and will lead us into paths we never thought possible. Others are smaller, but they will still produce some type of change in our lives.
    +
    Your Promise Land is just ahead. It might be something major or a dying to self, but the outcome will spring forth. He has promised it and He always keeps His promises. Yep, change is on the way. Get ready for it.
  • Psalm 89 (embodiedtorah.wordpress.com)
  • 4/23 (bernicium.wordpress.com)
  • Another word not to use carelessly (blcasey.wordpress.com)
    We learn from ancient history — from Moses, Uzzah, and others — that God is not to be treated carelessly. Most of my readers would affirm this idea today, and it surely seems unlikely that God in more contemporary times would suddenly come to appreciate flippancy.
    +
    One could needlessly argue about the supposed list of “names” for God, i.e., whether we need to treat the word “yhvhGod” as carefully as the word “Elohim” or “Yahweh” (or “Jireh” or “Nissi,” for that matter — and these are less “names” than descriptions). One could further argue about euphemisms such as “gee” and “gosh.” We can all grow in terms of treating God both intentionally and reverently. The primary point to be made is that God deserves all the reverence we can summon, and more.
  • I’m So Grateful To Be Living My Life In This Place (brandinicolejm.wordpress.com)
    Here is described in what assurance he liveth, that putteth his whole trust in God, and commiteth himself wholly to his protection in all temptations. A promise of God to those that love him, know him, and trust in him to deliver them, and give them immortal glory.
  • For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. (1956msbess.wordpress.com)
    To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
  • Sermon: God Works through Man, Second Samuel 5 – 6 (grantspasschurchofchrist.com)
    How can I know that God is guiding me in a certain direction?
    +
    God Works through Man

Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5

The patriarch of the Jewish nation became known by many. Also outside the Scriptures we have abundant evidence of the way that Abraham was regarded by his posterity in the Jewish nation.

The oldest of these witnesses, Ecclesiasticus, contains none of the accretions of the later Abraham-legends. Its praise of Abraham is confined to the same three great facts that appealed to the canonical writers, namely, his glory as Israel’s ancestor, his election to be recipient of the covenant, and his piety (including perhaps a tinge of “nomism”) even under severe testing (Ecclesiasticus 44:19-21). {International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia}

Abraham got a unique position and piety cherished by the Jews. Also to Mohammed Abraham is of importance in several ways and gets mentioned in no less than 188 verses of the Koran, more than any other character except Moses.

For Jews, Christians and Muslims Abraham is the first in line of important men of God, revealing God’s Word and giving an example and guidance to mankind. Being one of the series of prophets sent by God he is the common ancestor of the Arab and the Jew playing the same role of religious reformer over against his idolatrous kinsmen as Mohammed/Muhammad himself played.

Abraham is said to have build the first pure temple for God’s worship (at Mecca!). As in the Bible so in the Koran Abraham is the recipient of the Divine covenant for himself and for his posterity, and exhibits in his character the appropriate virtues of one so highly favoured: faith, righteousness, purity of heart, gratitude, fidelity, compassion.

 Gunkel (Genesis, Introduction), in insisting upon the resemblance of the patriarchal narrative to the “sagas” of other primitive peoples, draws attention both to the human traits of figures like Abraham, and to the very early origin of the material embodied in our present book of Genesis. First as stories orally circulated, then as stories committed to writing, and finally as a number of collections or groups of such stories formed into a cycle, the Abraham-narratives, like the Jacob-narratives and the Joseph-narratives , grew through a long and complex literary history. Gressmann (op. cit, 9-34) amends Gunkel’s results, in applying to them the principles of primitive literary development laid down by Professor Wundt in his Volkerpsychologie. He holds that the kernel of the Abraham-narratives is a series of fairy-stories, of international diffusion and unknown origin, which have been given “a local habitation and a name” by attaching to them the (ex hypothesi) then common name of Abraham (similarly Lot, etc.) and associating them with the country nearest to the wilderness of Judea, the home of their authors, namely, about Hebron and the Dead Sea. A high antiquity (1300-1100 BC) is asserted for these stories, their astonishing accuracy in details wherever they can be tested by extra-Biblical tradition is conceded, as also the probability that, “though many riddles still remain unsolved, yet many other traditions will be cleared up by new discoveries” of archaeology.

J. Oscar Boyd {International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia}

With Abraham we come to another man who worshipped the same God as him and belonged to a small community worshipping Jehovah God and who came in contact with the Jews (Israelites) but not belonged to that people.

https://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg/375px-Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg
Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, Priest, King of Salem — by Dieric Bouts the Elder, 1464–67

Like Abraham receives marked tokens of the Divine favour in the shape of deliverance, guidance, visions, angelic messengers, miracles, assurance of resurrection and entrance into paradise this high priest later shall be mentioned, as a way of gratitude, by God. Melchizedek got his name already as a favourite. He is introduced as the king of Salem, and priest of El Elyon, ( an epithet of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible) (“God most high”). He reveals the man from God, Abram/Abraham, brings out bread and wine and blesses this giver of a tenth of the prey of the conquering of Kedorlaomer, after the battle of the four kings.  (Chazalic literature—specifically Targum Jonathan, Targum Yerushalmi, and the Babylonian Talmud—presents the name (מלכי־צדק) as a nickname title for Shem, the son of Noah who blesses and El Elyon or the Elohim Jehovah.

When time passed much things had happened and around 1445 b.c.e. Moses received the request from God to help the people to remember those things which happened in the past and how they related to the Divine Creator. After Moses other fallible humans continued with the meticulous task to write down the Words of God so that man could by looking at those Words of God come to understand God’s method of revealing Himself.

Lanfranco Moses and the Messengers from Canaan.jpg
Moses and the Messengers from Canaan, by Giovanni Lanfranco, oil on canvas, 85-3/4 x 97 inches, at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles United States

Joshua (1404-1390 b.c.e.), Samuel (1374-1129 b.c.e.) Ezra (1011-425 b.c.e.), Jeremiah (971-587 b.c.e.), Nehemiah (445 – 425 b.c.e.), Mordecai (465  b.c.e.) and David with sons of Korah wrote  (ca. 1000 – 400 b.c.e.) the other first scrolls or books of which became placed in a series of books or library of books, which is the Bible, coming from the word for the bark of the papyrus.

The plural form Biblia (“books”) was first used of the collection of holy writings but since this neuter plural has the same form as a feminine singular it became mistaken for the singular form, hence “books” became “book” (Bible). The mistake in the grammatical derivation of the word was not inappropriate as growing conviction developed regarding unity of the whole. In Jerome’s time the whole collection was known as the divine library (Bibliotheca), which draws attention to the diversity within the whole. The Bible is simultaneously “the book” and “the books”, both a single volume and a library.

In the collection or assemblage of books the writers put their own personality aside and wrote down what God wanted them to write down. Given the infallibility of the Bible, one can assume that there is a Higher Force behind those writings which show mankind in its weak and imperfect state and the Divine Creator as the Omnipotent.  God is the Creator and Overlooker of the text of the Bible, making sure to prevent the authors from committing any error.

In the Torah writings, commonly called Law or Law of Moses, Moses presents the books of the Beginning (Bereshith or Genesis) telling about the special relationship with certain people, protecting them and getting them out of difficulties and out of slavery (Shemoth or Exodus). In the five books of Moses, also known as the Humash or Pentateuch, Law or Teaching the Wyyiqra or Leviticus is followed by the Bemidbar or Numbers or Numeri and Debarim or Deuteronomy.

Up to the book of Psalms we see the revelation of God, how the people went on and how God coped with their behaviour. From the beginning God created man in His image and choose certain persons to be a medium for Him. Those chosen people showed that they had an intimate communion with God, a spirit trained to discern spiritual things, a perfect understanding of and zeal for God’s purpose.

David’s confidence in God and his declarations of His faithfulness bring him to praise the maker of everything and declare God’s revelation in the creation.

In the first part of the Old Testament God’s methods which are harmonious with one another are proclaimed. They also show how God has given men natural faculties to acquire scientific knowledge and historical information. The Elohim did not stultify this gift by imparting such knowledge in a miraculous and unintelligible manner. There is no evidence that inspired men were in advance of their age in the knowledge of physical facts and laws. And plainly, had they been supernaturally instructed in physical knowledge they would so far have been unintelligible to those to whom they spoke. Speaking from the point of view of his contemporaries, and accepting the current ideas regarding the formation of the world, King David attached to these the views regarding God’s connection with the world which are most necessary to be believed. What he had learned of God’s unity and creative power and connection with man, by “the inspiration of the Holy Ghost,” he imparts to his contemporaries through the vehicle of an account of creation they could all understand. It is not in his knowledge of physical facts that he is elevated above his contemporaries, but in his knowledge of God’s connection with all physical facts. No doubt, on the other hand, his knowledge of God reacts upon the entire contents of his mind and saves him from presenting such accounts of creation as have been common among polytheists. He presents an account purified by his conception of what was worthy of the supreme God he worshipped. His idea of God has given dignity and simplicity to all he says about creation, and there is an elevation and majesty about the whole conception, which we recognise as the reflex of his conception of God.

+

Preceding articles:

The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods

Genesis Among the Creation Myths

Something from nothing

Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man

Necessity of a revelation of creation 2 Organisation of a system of things

Necessity of a revelation of creation 3 Getting understanding by Word of God 1

Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2

Necessity of a revelation of creation 5 Getting understanding by Word of God 3

Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4

Next: Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people

++

Additional reading:

  1. Creator and Blogger God 8 A Blog of a Book 2 Holy One making Scriptures Holy
  2. Quran versus older Holy Writings of Divine Creator
  3. Missional hermeneutics 2/5
  4. Humanities and consensus

+++

  • Christians and Israel (debatepolitics.com)
    Without Israel, there wouldn’t be Christianity. Christians have an obligation to stand with Israel.
    We shouldn’t be silent about that.
  • Theory that the biblical holy land was not in present day Israel (ask.metafilter.com)
    I’m trying to find an article by some historians that posited that the places described in the Bible we not actually in present day Israel. The historians had done some theorizing that the mountains and valleys mentioned in the bible (can’t remember which book) fit better with an area in Saudi Arabia off the coast of the Red Sea. I’ve searched the Google but can’t find any mention of this theory. I would love to find it again.
  • This Could Be The Meaning Behind Jill Duggar & Derick Dillard’s Son’s Name! Was It For Biblical Reasons Or Something Deeper? (perezhilton.com)
    The name “Israel” means “may God prevail,” but in Hebrew, it takes on a longer definition:

    “He struggles with God. God perseveres; contends. In the bible when Jacob was in his nineties as a token of blessing God changed his name to Israel.”

    So, we could all just be satisfied with knowing that the Dillards named their son after something religious, but we’re not! There has to be even more to it!

Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4

Book of Genesis, Jianning (Jian'ou) Bible.
Book of Genesis, Jianning (Jian’ou) Bible. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Offering, sacrifice and worship are only mentioned casually in the book of Genesis. The stories of those who continued to populate the earth are also offered in the Book of books, the Bible, which we consider as the infallible Word of God. There is no reason to give a historical detail and the person who wrote down the Words of God had also no such intention. We are also reminded that it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but that man has the task to find God and to search all things, making it possible to receive glory by searching matters out.

Pro 25:2 NSB  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

In our life we shall have to search for God and should come to know what God’s expectations are and why God listens to some one and does not come to help to others. In Genesis 6 we can see how God was patient and gave enough time to people to come to other ideas and to stop our egoistic life, giving us opportunities to come to live the way God wants us to live.

The Bible assumes and asserts the existence of God,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”;

and is itself the most illustrious proof of his existence, as well as our chief instructor as to his nature and will. It puts a voice into the mute lips of creation; and not only reveals God in His works, but illustrates his ways in providence, displays the glories of His character, His law, and His grace, and brings man into true and saving communion with him. The Book of books reveals Him to us as a Spirit, the only being from everlasting and to everlasting by nature, underived, infinite, perfect, and unchangeable in power, wisdom, omniscience, omnipresence, justice, holiness, truth, goodness, and mercy. He is but One God, Who gave His Name to the world to be known all over the world. The proper Hebrew name for God is Jehovah, which signifies that “He is the Being” or that “He is the Essence of Being” or “Essence of life”. As time passed by the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, started avoiding pronouncing this holy name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word Adonai (Lord); except in the expression, Adonai Jehovah, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, Adonai Elohim, Lord God.

Tetragrammaton YHWH Je-Ho-Vah, God's Name illuminating
Tetragrammaton YHWH Je-Ho-Vah, God’s Name illuminating

This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for god or God is elohim or Elohim, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify it is a higher or important person (a god) and in this case even the Most High God of gods, signifying the manifold perfections of God, or, as some wrongly think, the Trinity in the godhead. In Exodus 3:14, God replies to Moses, when he asks Him His name,

“I AM THAT I AM”;

which means either, “I am He who I am”, or, “I am what I am”. In either case the expression implies the eternal self-existence of Jehovah Who is Only One God “Who Is”. He “Who is Who He is” is the Source, Owner, and Ruler of all beings, foreknows and predetermines all events, and is the eternal Judge and Arbiter of the destiny of all. True religion has its foundation in the right knowledge of God, and consists in supremely loving and faithfully obeying him.

In the early times that holy Name and what this Only One God wanted from His creation was told from one generation to the next.  But after the situation had become so bad that God had made the choice to destroy that ungodly population we can see a sufficient reason why the sons of Noah renewed the tradition of presenting the stories and name and titles of God and godly people in their families, as they were naturally disposed to perpetuate the memory of their distinguished ancestors.

The Flood came that God’s purpose might be fulfilled. The course of nature was interrupted, the arrangements of social and domestic life were overturned, all the works of men were swept away that this purpose might be fulfilled. It was expedient that one generation should die for all generations; and this generation having been taken out of the way, fresh provision was made for the co-operation of man with God. On man’s part there is art emphatic acknowledgement of God by sacrifice; on God’s part there is a renewed grant to man of the world and its fullness, a renewed assurance of His favour. There was made a covenant with Noah on the plane of nature. It is man’s natural life in the world which is the subject of it. The sacredness of life is its great lesson.

Men might well wonder whether God did not hold life cheap. In the old world violence had prevailed. But while Lamech’s sword may have slain its thousands, God had in the Flood slain tens of thousands. The covenant, therefore, directs that human life must be reverenced. The primal blessing is renewed. Men are to multiply and replenish the earth; and the slaughter of a man was to be reckoned a capital crime; and the maintenance of life was guaranteed by a special clause, securing the regularity of the seasons.

The sons of Noah (Sem/Shem, Cham, Japheth) continued the tradition of telling the Works of God and having to face the difference in tongue spoken with the different languages the Word of God became told in different languages as well.

You would expect the people to have more sense after the flood and after the experience of Babel but lots of people kept ignoring what God wanted from them. They did seem to have difficulty to learn from the Flood that wickedness must not be allowed to grow unchecked and attain dimensions which nothing short of a flood can cope with. It may be felt that the matters about which God spoke to Noah were barely religious, certainly not spiritual. But to take God as our-God in any one particular is to take Him as our God for all. If we can eat our daily bread as given to us by our Father in heaven, then we are heirs of the righteousness which is by faith. It is because we wait for some wonderful and out-of-the-way proofs that God is keeping faith with us that we so much lack a real and living faith.
Only a small amount tried to stay faithful to the Creator. One of them was Abraham. The consequences of Abraham’s movements and beliefs have been limitless and enduring.

With Abraham there is introduced the first step in a new method adopted by God in the training of men.

The dispersion of men and the divergence of their languages are now seen to have been the necessary preliminary to this new step in the education of the world — the fencing round of one people till they should learn to know God and understand and exemplify His government. It is true, God reveals Himself to all men and governs all; but by selecting one race with special adaptations, and by giving to it a special training, God might more securely and more rapidly reveal Himself to all. Each nation has certain characteristics, a national character which grows by seclusion from the influences which are forming other races. There is a certain mental and moral individuality stamped upon every separate people. Nothing is more certainly retained; nothing more certainly handed down from generation to generation. It would therefore be a good practical means of conserving and deepening the knowledge of God, if it were made the national interest of a people to preserve it, and if it were closely identified with the national characteristics. This was the method adopted by God. He meant to combine allegiance to Himself with national advantages, and spiritual with national character, and separation in belief with a distinctly outlined and defensible territory. {Expositor Bible}

God revealed Himself to Abraham who knew about the deities worshipped by his fathers in Chaldea, but his ears were open to the God of gods and he wanted to follow His instructions even when He asked to offer his son.

Had Abraham abandoned Charran at the command of a widely ruling monarch who promised him ample compensation, no record would have been made of so ordinary a transaction. But this was an entirely new thing and well worth recording, that a man should leave country and kindred and seek an unknown land under the impression that thus he was obeying the command of the unseen God. While others worshipped sun, moon, and stars, and recognised the Divine in their brilliance and power, in their exaltation above earth and control of earth and its life, Abraham saw that there was something greater than the order of nature and more worthy of worship, even the still small voice that spoke within his own conscience of right and wrong in human conduct, and that told him how his own life must be ordered. While all around him were bowing down to the heavenly host and sacrificing to them the highest things in human nature, he heard a voice falling from these shining ministers of God’s will, which said to him, “See thou do it not, for we are thy fellow-servants; worship thou God!” This was the triumph of the spiritual over the material; the acknowledgment that in God there is something greater than can be found in nature; that man finds his true affinity not in the things that are seen but in the unseen Spirit that is over all. It is this that gives to the figure of Abraham its simple grandeur and its permanent significance. {Expositor Bible}

+

Preceding articles:

The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods

Genesis Among the Creation Myths

Something from nothing

Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man

Necessity of a revelation of creation 2 Organisation of a system of things

Necessity of a revelation of creation 3 Getting understanding by Word of God 1

Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2

Necessity of a revelation of creation 5 Getting understanding by Word of God 3

Next: Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5

++

Further reading:

  1. I am that I am Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh אהיה אשר אהיה
  2. Attributes to God, titles ascribed to Him or Names given to JHWH, the God of gods.
  3. Titles of God beginning with the Aleph in Hebrew
  4. Pluralis Majestatis in the Holy Scriptures
  5. Hashem השם, Hebrew for “the Name”
  6. The Divine name of the Creator
  7. Jehovah Yahweh Gods Name
  8. God about His name “יהוה“יהוה
  9. YHWH and Love: Four-letter words
  10. Creator and Blogger God 8 A Blog of a Book 2 Holy One making Scriptures Holy
  11. Between Alpha and Omega – The plan of creation
  12. What date was the Flood?
  13. Warm-blooded, feathered vertebrates
  14. An anarchistic reading of the Bible (2)—Creation and what follows
  15. Louise Weiss building and towers after Ziggurat Babel

+++

  • Things The Bible said would happen, but didn’t (ask.metafilter.com)
    Outside my work today I got to talking with a Jehovah’s Witness. When talk turned to the Bible, I said I didn’t take any of it literally. None of it Reall happened like that.
    +
    According to my very religious parents there are no biblical prophesies that haven’t happened, just ones that haven’t happened yet.
  • Your best personality. (yoursuccessinspirer.com)
    There are people whose best personality is in the Old Testament.
  • The God Who Sees (theloveliestlifeblog.wordpress.com)
    God saw Hagar when she was in her lonely wilderness, and he went to her.  This passage has reminded me so much of God’s sight and concern for us, each of us.  No matter our standing or background, God’s eyes are on each of us at all times.  He knows where we are and what we’re going through.  We are never alone.
  • What To Do About The Old Testament Law (jsparkblog.com)
    Though the Old Testament Law was entirely fulfilled in Christ for us, the OT Law still stands in principle for us today. Even the weird things about shellfish and fibers shows a very meticulous God who was perfect, even quirky, and shows a God we could’ve never made up.
  • Against The Flow by John C. Lennox (create-with-joy.com)
    Unlike many books that primarily focus on the prophetic aspects of the book of Daniel, Against The Flow delves into all aspects of the book, looking at Daniel from a historical, cultural and theological perspective.One of the author’s primary purpose for writing Against The Flow, however, is to highlight the similarities between our modern culture and the ancient Babylonian culture in terms of antagonism towards people of faith – and to provide insight and inspiration into how God empowers His people to go against the flow – to stand up for what they believe in – to cling to what is right, even when there is a high cost.
  • Open Heavens Sunday, 29 March 2015 : Emmanuel (emmanuelayeni.com)
    For you to fully key into the revelation of “God with us”, you need to understand who God is. God revealed who He is in discrete parts through His redemptive Names to the saints of old. He said to Moses in Exodus 6:3:
    “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
    An understanding of His redemptive Names gives us insight into His personality and allows us to profit from the consciousness that this personality is with us.
    God is the Elshaddai: He is the All-Sufficient One. This means that He has enough resources to meet all your needs – be it spiritual, physical, emotional or psychological. Also, God is Jehovah Jireh: the Great Provider. He has the ability to turn your austerity to prosperity and poverty to wealth (Philippians 4:19). Another Name for God is Jehovah Rapha: the Healer.

Gone astray, away from God

Man created in the image of God had received everything from God. He was given dominion over everything around him, but still was not yet pleased enough and wanted more. Man wanted to control everything himself and wanted to know good and evil. He doubted the power and the right for God having alone all knowledge, control and power over everything.

Piero della Francesca - The Prophet Jeremiah -...
Piero della Francesca – The Prophet Jeremiah – WGA17586 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It took not such a long time before man riposted and went against God. By time this made him drifting further and further from the Most High Elohim. Several occasions of such drifting away are notated by the scribes God appointed to write down His Words. As such we can find men like the prophet Jeremiah who laments over the condition of his people and the great nation that he loved. Through tears he even comes to write in pain with a heart pounding within him, not allowing him to sit still. (Jeremiah 4:19-21)

Jeremiah recognized the negative spiritual and social changes of his day and the destructive consequences those changes were bringing down upon the land. And so he asks of God how long he must see those battles going on. With the years probably the answer of God shall not be changed and perhaps He could say the same as then:

22 “My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!” (Jeremiah 4:22 – TLB)

From the beginning man could have had a paradise to live in with no worries and no problems. But by wanting it to do their way instead of God’s Way people got more than enough problems on their way. Throughout time we have seen many deniers of God. Lots of people do not want to believe He exist or that He is still at work being available for all those who want to meet Him.

We have a world today where lots of people still deny God. but we can also find others who have build up their faith, having the assured expectation of what is hoped for, (+). Many would like to see for everything a scientific explanation or evident demonstration of realities that are not seen. We have receive the Book of books telling about all things in the past, explaining what has happened to the men of ancient times who have witness borne to them.

Many have been strangers and temporary residents in a land but they kept courage and kept believing. They were convinced that there is a Divine Creator leading and giving His Word. By faith they also were convinced that they could perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s Word, so that what is seen has come into existence from things that are not visible. (Hebrews 11:1-13)

Faith Happens
Faith Happens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the book of books is told and shown that it was by faith that man offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than that of others. And several men and women by faith got answers from God which released them. They received the witness that they were righteous, for God approved what they did, and although they died, those people still speaks through their faith.

Those people received the witness that they had pleased God well. And that is something we should take at heart. Without faith it is impossible to please God well, for whoever approaches God must believe that He is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking Him. (+)

The request of God form early times is till going. We still have to seek Jehovah,(+) all of us who are meek ones of the earth. (Zephaniah 2:3) When we are willing to seek God He shall provide the means to find Him.

Today lots of people deny god but are also resisting to feel their inner side, resisting to follow their instinct. Not willing to feel the part of nature in them, many refuse to observe those laws of nature, the righteous decrees. Not many are willing to seek righteousness, seek meekness. Like the people of Jeremiah’s times who had effectively become deniers of the One True God, today lots of people deny Him or still do not want to accept His Oneness. In the old times those people had sown wind and now they were reaping the whirlwind. But here’s the troubling part, this rejection of God and His ways is happening in our time too – right now – all over the world. to see it we only have to look around us and to look at the screen which brings us a lot of pictures and words in the house we never would allow our children to say to us. Look with discernment at modern politics, entertainment and popular culture. Even those who profess to “believe in God” often act like Godless people.

Not willing to believe in the existence of God lots of people refuse Him to come into their heart and as such exclude a lot of knowledge. The Bible represents God’s Word, given to mankind for edifying measures. That Book of books teaches us to treasure knowledge. (Proverbs 10:14) It is not because man went wrong in the Garden of Eden that he has to keep going wrong. It also does not mean he cannot become wiser. Jehovah wants us to come to understanding and to get more knowledge. He is willing to give us more insight in His works. He is wiling to give us a hand, but He does not want us just to give Him a hand because then we would receive the good things. No, He wants us to have our faith in Him to be built on evidence and sound reasoning, not on human philosophy or religious traditions. (Hebrews 11:1)

To build strong faith in God, we must first be convinced that Jehovah exists. (Hebrews 11:6) This understanding or sense of God’s existence, God wants us to get from reasoning and from examining the facts. God wants us to use our brains, getting to consciousness and growing awareness by using our “power of reason.” (Romans 12:1)

Rom 12:1-3 NHEBJE  Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.  (2)  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.  (3)  For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

God provides enough material in the Book of books, His infallible Word. Throughout history god kept working and those works can be recognised by man. They only have to open their eyes and their heart.

Though by the fall we may have received inequities, having faults everywhere, it does not mean we should be worthless and not able to conquer those inequities. Even when at one time we may have acted in ignorance and with a lack of faith, like Saul and others had done, it does not mean we could not get faith in what was promised there in that Garden of Eden and can not come to see who was provided by the Creator to bring a solution to that fall of man.

There in the Garden of Eden was laid the seed for the good news (+) God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith, (+) Even when it was first promised with assurance for the Jew (+) and also to the Greek (+) all people from all nations and cultures can become part of the blessing if they are willing to receive the Grace given to them. For in it God’s righteousness is being revealed by faith and for faith, (+) just as it is written:

“But the righteous one will live by reason of faith.” (+)

After the fall everything kept going wrong and still goes wrong, making that God is not so pleased with what is going on. God’s wrath (+) is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who are suppressing the truth (+) in an unrighteous way, because what may be known about God is clearly evident among them, for God made it clear to them.(+)

Psa 19:1 NHEBJE  <For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.> The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.

Act 14:15-17 NHEBJE  “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;  (16)  who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.  (17)  Yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

People should know that the Creator God His invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made,(+) even His eternal power (+) and Godship, (+) so that they are inexcusable.

Isa 40:18-26 NHEBJE  To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?  (19)  A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.  (20)  He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved.  (21)  Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard, yet? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?  (22)  It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in;  (23)  who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.  (24)  They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.  (25)  “To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.  (26)  Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their host by number. He calls them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.

Rev 4:11 NHEBJE  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”

For although lots of people could have got enough opportunities to know God, they kept refusing to listen to their inner voice or to put away their pride and to say they were wrong but see now better. Lots of people could know better but they keep preferring to adhere man made doctrines and the human traditions and did not glorify The Elohim as God nor did they thank Him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened. (Romans 1:21+)Although claiming they were wise, man became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles. (Romans 1: 23 +)

Rom 1:18-25 NHEBJE  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  (19)  because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.  (20)  For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divine nature; that they may be without excuse.  (21)  Because, knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.  (22)  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  (23)  and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.  (24)  Therefore God also abandoned them in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves,  (25)  who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

+Preceding articles:God, the Father, the Sole Creator of Heaven and EarthGenesis 1:26 God said “Let us make”The very very beginning 1 Creating GodsScripture about Creation and Creator DeityThe very very beginning 2 The Word and wordsComing to the creation of human beings in the image of God++

Additional reading:

  1. The business of this life
  2. Finding God amid all the religious externals
  3. Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God
  4. People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers
  5. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
  6. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
  7. People Seeking for God 4 Biblical terms
  8. People Seeking for God 5 Bread of life
  9. People Seeking for God 6 Strategy
  10. People Seeking for God 7 The Lord and lords
  11. A God between many gods
  12. The True God, Divine Creator or God of gods
  13. Attributes to God
  14. Only One God
  15. God is one
  16. Jehovah Yahweh Gods Name
  17. I am that I am Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh אהיה אשר אהיה
  18. Cosmos creator and human destiny
  19. Creator and Blogger God 7 A Blog of a Book 1 Believing the Blogger
  20. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
  21. Marriage of Jesus 8 Wife of Yahweh
  22. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
  23. A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
  24. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him
  25. Believing in God the rewarder
  26. Isaiah 55-56, Revelation 11
  27. A “seed” for the blessing of all mankind would come through the family of Abraham

+++

  • Faith In Action ‘Dare To Do’ (mylordmyfriend.com)
    We also know if we have Faith and come to Our Heavenly Father, He is a re-warder of them that indigently seek Him. Faith is an Action. Diligence is an action, and if we use both we will be rewarded. {Never to be used just to be rewarded} Hebrews 11 verse 6Rewarded not with material processions, but in substantial things of God.

    More Peace, more Joy, more Love to give, more hope, more compassion and more of the God like qualities. Wouldn’t we all like to walk in more of these

  • An offering for sin (dailymedit.com)
    Paul wrote that our body should be living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). That means holiness colours our work of service.Talking about how well the church in Macedonia were involved in giving, Paul said: “they first gave themselves to God and then to us (2Corinthians 8:5).”
  • Acquiring Great Faith (tos4god.com)
    Throughout his lifetime, Abraham obeyed God. At the Lord’s command, he left his country (Gen. 12:1-4), was circumcised (17:10, 26), conceived Isaac when he and his wife were old (21:1-3), and sent his son Ishmael away (vv. 9-14). By the time he was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he already knew that God would always be faithful to His promises. Abraham’s previous experiences had taught him to trust the Lord.
    +
    Why You Should Trust the Lord
  • A Life Bearing Fruit (therealdaniel.com)
    God has set eternity in the hearts of humans, and when He created the Garden of Eden He longed to be with Adam and Eve, and He longed for them to be with each other in the way He designed for that to be. The first sin was a sin of comparison because a human being wanted to be like another Being, and so the endless cycle of convincing other human beings to desire something they didn’t have began.
  • The faithful God (fromguestwriters.wordpress.com)
    Scriptures tells us that man nor death can do God anything. That truth is overlooked by many man. They seem to forget that God is a loving God Who keeps His promises and Who says things how they are, not wanting disorder, but order like He created order out of chaos. that was part of His creation and is still part of His Plan.
  • Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)
    Getting closer to the 14th of Nisan, the most important day of the year in which we celebrate our salvation, we think about freedom or liberty. Many people may be caught in chains but not aware of it.
  • The Chosen People Syndrome (mooglemeow.blogspot.com)
    Some Former Jews – especially those who become Christians – still hang on to it because it makes them feel special. Apparently, Jesus is not enough for them. They want to be set apart. Unfortunately, that is totally  NOT biblical.
    “There is neither Judahite nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 28
    They don’t want to assimilate with other Christians. Instead, they choose to separate themselves by pretending to be Judahites (i.e., by pretending to be more important than the rest of the Body of Christ). They are thus abiding in sin.
    “…those liars who say they are Judahites but are not…” Rev 3:9
    They even call themselves Jewish-Christians. They conveniently ignore the fact that being Jewish is being part of a religious group and not part of the once chosen Hebrew race which no longer exists as a people. Judaism is a religion. A religion that rejects Christ. And how they figure they can be both Jewish and Christian is beyond comprehension. It’s like a Satanist who becomes a Christian and decides he’s now a Satanist-Christian. Jews For Jesus should be Former Jews For Jesus just like it would be Former Satanists For Jesus. Can you imagine Satanists for Jesus? Ridiculous, right?
    Unfortunately, that’s what the disease does. It removes all trace of logic, common sense and compassion.
  • The Chosen People Syndrome (biblicisminstitute.wordpress.com)
    Fortunately, there are many Jewish groups along with many individual Jews who are not infected with the syndrome. They are trying their best to educate their co-religionists.
  • The ESV Action Bible Study Bible For Tweens and Teens (juststopscreaming.com)
    At the beginning of each book, you find out who the author of that book is, find out how you see God in action through that book, learn who the people in action are, learn faith in action (keywords) and a ‘Did you know’ fact about that book!
  • Palestine is not the Jews’ Promised Land (new book) (therebel.is)
    neither Egypt was the land of the Israelite Exodus nor Palestine is their Promised Land (so much for the Arab/Israeli conflict and millions of Palestinian victims and refugees)
    +
    The truth that will be revealed in the book is that the land which witnessed the Israelite stories of Abraham, Joseph and Moses is actually named “Mizraim/Misrim” and not Egypt of the River Nile we all know (never let any fool/ conniver convince you that Mizraim/Misrim is the name (Hebrew/Arabic) for Egypt, for that is simply not the historical truth (twisted/distorted by an ancient Jewish deception)Egypt’s native name during the alleged timeline of the Israelite stories was Gopt/Copt and not Mizraim/Misrim (as expounded in the book)

    The truth could still be gleaned from the Hebrew Version of the Old Bible. In the following chapter from Genesis that describes selling Joseph as a slave in Egypt (the very beginning of the Israelites’ alleged story in Egypt) you will notice that the English translation explicitly mentions Egypt as the place of selling Joseph.