the Way to God – Messiah For All

Foretold Messiah 2 a Voice giving The Word to His servants

June 11, 2019Marcus Ampe13 Comments

In the previous chapter we have seen that already soon in history Jehovah God promised a solution against the curse of death.

Already in the first book of the Bible (third chapter) there is spoken of the “Seed of a woman” (virgin birth) what would become a reality many centuries later, God His saying or His Word becoming a reality, His Word becoming into the flesh, Jesus being that sent one from God, born in Bethlehem.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1:1 NHEBJE)

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.
(Galatians 4:4-5 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.
(Matthew 1:18 NHEBJE)

Satan or the adversary of God going to be bruised by the one who would be born to help and even save the seed of Abraham.

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)

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For, truly, he did not come to help the angels, but to help the seed of Abraham. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
(Hebrews 2:14-18 NHEBJE)

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.
(1 John 3:8 NHEBJE)

Because of the many sins of all people it was necessary to reveal to the world who would be the one to follow and to have the relationship between God and man restored. Jehovah God declared Himself to be well-pleased with him.

A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”
(Mark 1:11 NHEBJE)

Since the dove was a symbol of peace or freedom from judgment (Gen. 8:8-12) many people there around the river Jordan could see the Holy Spirit’s presence like a dove signifying that this man standing there (Jeshua or Jesus) would bring salvation to those who were willing to turn to him. The Voice of God authenticated Jesus by alluding to Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1.

I will tell of the decree. Jehovah said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.
(Psalms 2:7 NHEBJE)

“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights?I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice. He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and for his law the coastlands will hope.” Thus says God Jehovah, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it. “I, Jehovah, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. “I am Jehovah. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images. Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”
(Isaiah 42:1-9 NHEBJE)

Jehovah could have made an end to Adam and Eve there in the Garden of Eden and/or could have created straight ahead new people who would be willing to be faithful to Him. Straight there in the Garden Jehovah God could have made an end to those sinful people and could have made and end to the punishment He had given to the first man. God is not such an unrighteous non-loving god He would have had so many people suffering, to come to earth in a later stadium (as so many believe God would have come to earth in the form or guise of Jesus) to fake His temptation (because God cannot be tempted) and to fake His death (because God can not die, Him being an immortal Eternal Spirit) and after such a theatre act, leaving the people still suffering for many centuries (like we still have to suffer). No, God wanted people to see His creation and His works, letting the world see that His creatures also could be clean of heart and spirit and that a man could be faithful to the Will of God. The world had to come to see that Jesus is that person of flesh and blood who is able to do the Will of God, and to live accordance His Will and regulations.

The other servant of God, king David, is the predecessor of Jesus. Out of his seed Jesus would be born. When David made his songs for His Most Beloved Master Creator he seemed to intended to speak of his own case and experience but the Holy Spirit led him to use language, which in its full meaning can be applied to none but the servant Jesus himself.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me. You have not required burnt offering and sin offering. Then I said, “Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book on the scroll. I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your Law is within my heart.” I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Jehovah, you know. I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.
(Psalms 40:6-10 NHEBJE)

Jesus also did not pray to himself nor asked people to pray to him. Jesus taught people to pray to his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
(Matthew 6:10 NHEBJE)

He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
(Luke 22:41-42 NHEBJE)

Jesus was fully aware of his predestination and the task given to him by the Divine Creator. In the Old Writings, we shall see, the Most High gave His Word to mankind to come to see and hear His many servants, like Moses,Joshua, Samuel, Gad, Nathan, Jeremiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, David, Solomon, Isaiah Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Malachi who would prepare the world for the one to come and to tell the people what they had to do to live according to the Will of God. They all prepared the way for the prophet who would further explain the Will of God and who would live according to that Will. Jesus was going to make all those previous teachings clearer to understand, for those who by that time still did not see what God wanted from them.

Heavens declare God, but not many people come to see it. The ancient prophets therefore told about the one servant who would be sent by God to declare the Good News.

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)

He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
(Luke 4:16-19 NHEBJE)

God is an immortal Singular Spirit Being, to Whom no man can do something, but Jesus being a mortal being is that one spoken about whose heel would be bruised with nails on the wooden stake. The world had to come to see that there was that man of flesh and blood, like all of us frail, apparently destructible or possible to be put to death, now becoming both a lamp and a reed, humble, but not to be broken, and the “light of the world“.

Being killed, God was going to take him out of the dead, so that the world would have a proof that man can step out of death. In case God would have come to the world and would have faked His death and having come out of the dead, we naturally would still have no proof at all that man can resurrect. Now with the resurrection of Jesus we should have no doubts at all. What God did with him He is willing to do with us also. That is one of His promises.

For those who would have doubts, Jesus after his resurrection showed himself, proving it was him, who is of flesh and blood and not a spirit like his heavenly Father is a Spirit.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
(John 4:24 NHEBJE)

As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”
(Luke 24:36-39 NHEBJE)

They not only could see Jesus, they also could touch him and feel the wounds he had endured. In his resurrection we should have the hope for our resurrection and should have faith that Jesus is that sent one from God, who is the Way to God and for the whole world the light.

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
(John 20:19-21 NHEBJE)

Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12 NHEBJE)

We all should come to believe in him who is that sent one from God and the Messiah, the giver of life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”
(John 11:25-27 NHEBJE)

Preceding

A solution for a damaged relationship 3 Insight and prophesies given

Foretold Messiah 1 First mentioning

Out of the seed of Eve

First mention of a solution against death 4 A seed for mankind

First mention of a solution against death 5 Evil its law of death

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

First mention of a solution against death 7 Human sacrifice

Messianic prophesies 1 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy

Messianic prophesies 2 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy

Additional reading

+++

Messianic prophesies 2 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy

April 15, 2017Marcus Ampe15 Comments

The first human beings had chosen to go their own path. As any good father would do when his children had done something wrong, God punished them. But as a loving Father He in His great mercy promised for a solution and preserved David’s bloodline and the Messianic promise.

Mankind had chosen Yet, we each must recognize the adversary’s strategy to lure us into desiring and acquiring pride, glory, power, anything more than God Himself — and understand the dire consequences of choosing to follow those desires.

In Scriptures we can find sayings which should come to recognise the one who God sent to the world to show the Way to God and to brake the curse of death which came over Adam and Eve. God provided some one, people can follow as an ideal example, namely the Messiah, who we shall see is Jeshua, who in certain countries is better known under the name Jesus, or Jezus, Jésus, Jeesus, Chesu, Jezis, Xesus, Isus or Ishi/Isha.

Throughout the Brit Chadashah, we find satan tempting, prowling, seeking whom he can destroy. That sent one from God became even his primary target. God is the only one Who cannot be tempted, but all other beings can be tempted. Also Jeshua or Jesus Christ was tempted more than once, but he resisted every temptation even during great physical weakness.
How? He confronted every satan he encountered with the Word of God, while being full of the Spirit of God. In doing so, he exited the wilderness victorious and empowered and left Peter ashamed.

When he did not succeed in destroying Jeshua, the adversary focused his slander and deception toward luring others away from God’s Word and His Kingdom. Knowing what went on and what shall come, we should not have to fear the serpent‘s schemes to destroy our eternal destiny.

Though we will certainly die physically, we don’t have to die spiritually. God placed hope for our spiritual victory over death back in the first pages of Genesis.

Who Is Our Hope?

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [seed/ zera] and her offspring [seed/ zera]. He will pound your head, and you will bite his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

In the previous posting you could already read how God first revealed the hope for all mankind against the adversary when he promised that Eve’s seed / offspring (zera) would pound or crush the head of the serpent.

When we talk about an offspring, literally “those who spring off (someone,)” from off + springan “to spring” (see spring (v.)) we think of progeny coming from Old French progenie (13c.) and directly from Latin progenies “descendants, offspring, lineage, race, family,” from stem of progignere “beget,” from pro “forth” (see pro-) + gignere “to produce, beget” (see genus) and look at descendants or a posterity.

It can be that it is about a (singular) person’s child or the young of a person, an immediate descendant or descendants of a person or animal. Though it also may mean more than one person of one pair of people, in that instance talking about a lot of people, such as a nation of Israel or all humankind. When we look at Jewish theologians or scholars their writings we may find lots of debate going on about that.

For most Christians the seed mentioned several times in the Pre-Messianic Scriptures or Old Testament refers to a coming Messiah — Jeshua (Jesus Christ). To know for sure we shall look not only at the first mention of such seed but look at the further writings given to mankind to get to know what God His Plan is with mankind and in which The Master Maker reveals how we can see who shall be the Messiah.

The first five books (the Chumash or Pentateuch), written by Moses speaks of a male. Also in other ancient Jewish sages we find the mention of a “he”. enlightened by the Highest Ruach (the Power of God) Moses did not only wrote about the beginning of times. In 1300 BCE, Moses wrote about the last days (acharit-hayamim, בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים), which indicates that he likely understood a final deliverance and deliverer would one day arrive. (Genesis 49)

“So now, here, I am going (back) to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in future days.”
(Numbers 24:14 SB)

“When you are in distress because there befall you all these things, in future days, you shall return to YHWH your God and hearken to his voice.”
(Deuteronomy 4:30 SB)

At the days of Jeshua people also got to hear what God said in the Garden of Eden

“I put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed: they will bruise you on the head, you will bruise them in the heel.”
(Genesis 3:15 SB)

They heard it in their common language of Aramaic, the language Jesus also spoke. In that language we can still find it in the translation, known as Targum Yonatan [Targum Jonathan (תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל)], the official eastern (Babylonian) targum to the Nevi’im. In that “Translation,” or “Interpretation” Book (hence “Targum”) unlearned Jews to whom the Hebrew of the Old Testament was unintelligible, could hear how we all are in a power struggle with the adversary in choosing to do good while resisting our selfish, evil desires. When Scripture was read aloud in the synagogue, it was translated aloud by a meturgeman, or professional interpreter, for the benefit of the congregation. The translator tried to reproduce the original text as closely as possible, but since his object was to give an intelligible rendering of the biblical text, the Targums eventually took on the character of paraphrase and commentary, leaving literal translation behind. The read text was utilized as a vehicle for conveying homiletic discourses, traditional sayings, legends, and allegories is abundantly illustrated by the later Targums, as opposed to the more literal translations of the earlier Targums. In both of them there is also spoken of that time to come and more in particular of that person to come. The Targum Jonathan affirms that the world was waiting for the coming of “King Meshiha” (Messiah in Aramaic) to heal the wounds caused by the adversary when we sin, and to win us an everlasting freedom.

It is from the Targum Yonatan that several Jews in later years also came to see a Messiah in certain people, like we may find followers of Simon Bar Kokhba, Nehemiah ben Hushiel also known as Mashiach ben Yoseph or Messiah ben Joseph, of als Mashiach bar/ben Ephraim, Sabbatai Zevi or Sabbatai Zebi/Shabsai Tzvi, Jakob Frank (Jankiew Lejbowi) or the contemporary adored Menachem Mendel Schneerson. They and their followers where taken by the text

“they shall make a remedy for the heel in the days of the King Meshiha.” (Genesis 3:15, Targum Yonatan, which is attributed to the work of Jonathan (Yonatan) ben Uzziel, c. 50 BC)

Today still like in the past, Orthodox worshippers pray, sing, play the violin, and dance in the synagogue at what they consider King David’s Tomb.

When we look at the first and second century Rabbinic commentary (known as a Midrash) the seed as Messiah is defined as:

“Rabbi Tanchuma said, in the name of Rabbi Samuel: Eve had respect to that seed (“offspring”) which is coming from another place. And who is this? This is the King Messiah.” (Midrash Genesis Rabbah 23:5)

A millennium later, the European scholar of the Hebrew language whose writings on Hebrew lexicography and grammar became standard works in the Middle Ages, David Kimhi or Kimchi (RaDaK) also seems to point to the seed as Messiah, writing:

“As You went forth for the salvation of Your people by the hands of Meshiha, the Son of David, who shall wound satan, who is the head, the king and prince of the house of the wicked…” (Commentary on Habakkuk 3:13)

And yet, with all this evidence pointing to a single man, the Messiah, as the seed, some Bible translations have led us toward a very different understanding of “the seed.”

Altered Identity

A problem with certain translations is that sometimes translators did not have an equivalent for the Hebrew word in their language or thought something to be a particular figure or person, instead of a situation or any person who took on a certain attitude, like a satan who is an adversary but became in many translations the Satan, a devilish figure. Or the temptation “nachash” , our battle or struggle against inner thoughts, (the fencing in life) becoming a literal snake or serpent.

Concerning the seed certain writers or bible-translators where too much carried away by their own doctrinal visions and tried to translate their version from that doctrinal viewpoint, hereby creating confusion, like for example using the word Lord for Jehovah God as well as for Jesus, the son of God, so that people could not any more see clear about whom was be spoken and could come to consider Jesus to be the same as God, which he naturally is not.

Sometimes, ideas about the identity of the seed are so deeply held that, to support those ideas, even basic Hebrew words are mistranslated in Jewish Bible versions.

One such translation tells us the seed is not a single person:

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; they [in Hebrew, hu] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise their [instead of ‘his’] heel.” (Jewish Publication Society (JPS), 1917)

Even though the original Hebrew text uses the word “hu”, which means “he”, the JPS Bible version uses the word “they.”

So, instead of a single man doing the bruising and being bruised, we read that a multitude of people, the nation of Israel, are involved in the struggle with the serpent as well as the victory over him.

Though most Jewish translations do not make this grave translation error, it illustrates how important it is to diligently search for the truth of God’s Word and how it is best not to stick to just one translation or even not to just one language.

This is true regarding Christian translations of the Bible as well.

When we look at the early Church’s official translation of the Bible completed in 400 CE by Jerome, we read in that Latin Vulgate translation that “he” has even become a “she”, though in the Vulgate of Hieronimus we find ‘yours’ (though also referring to “the seed of the woman” allowing it to be male or female):

“inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem et semen tuum et semen illius ipsa conteret caput tuum et tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius” (Genesis 3:15 VULGATE)

“I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed and she [in Hebrew, hu] shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” (Douay-Rheims Bible, which is based on the Latin Vulgate manuscript)

Here again we have to note that looking at the Hebrew text which uses the word “hu” (meaning “he”) the Latin Vulgate and those working form that work translate it to “she.”

Several of the early Church fathers, such as Justin Martyr (160 CE) and Irenaeus (180 CE) regarded this verse “as the Protoevangelium, the first messianic prophecy in the Old Testament.”

For centuries, the above mentioned one little pronoun change led to the false teaching that Miriam (Mary) either on her own or as a co-redemptrix with her son Jeshua, crushed the serpent and claims the victory. In many Christian denominations we find such confusion and paintings referring to that crushing by the “blessed” virgin Mary.

Fortunately, more recent translations of the Catholic Bible correct this error. The 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd edition) tries to correct it as well by stating:

“This passage in Genesis [3:15] is called the Protoevangelium (“first gospel”): the first announcement of the Messiah and Redeemer, of a battle between the serpent and the Woman, and of the final victory of a descendant of hers.” (Par. 410)

From the masculine singular Hebrew pronoun in Genesis 3:15, we see that the seed of the woman is a man, to whom may be referred to in in Romans 16:20 him being called a god, or higher/important person of peace, which identifies him as the Jesus Christ.

Romans 16:20 NHEBJE And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Those who look at the offspring and hers find that it is all about human beings and may find that

for in context it describes those who “by smooth talk and flattery” “deceive the minds of naive people”. Particularly, this may mean the Judaizers, who sought to draw other believers — esp Gentile believers — away from their freedom in Christ into an enforced bondage to the Law of Moses. {Agora commentary on Romans 16:20}

To do away with all doubt and confusion over the identity of the seed, we can go to the apostle John who clearly tells us who the victor of the adversary is:

1 John 3:8 NHEBJE He who sins is of the devil [diabolos], for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

File:Behemoth3.jpg — Behemoth and Leviathan, by William Blake

The committer of sin being of the adversary is at the origin or reason to have a foreseen figure having Jehovah with His relentless, large, strong sword will bring judgement on Leviathan, the fleeing and twisted serpent, slaying the monsters of this world

Isaiah 27:1 NHEBJE In that day, Jehovah with his fierce and great and mighty sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.

And unclean men might have questioned what that man from Nazareth, born from the Essene woman Miriam, came to do in the temple, though there was one who told it to those around him. And there was the moment the adversary would fall.

Mark 1:24 NHEBJE saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”

Luke 10:18 NHEBJE He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.

The Nazarene saying to his disciples that he gave them the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, them having to know if they believed in him they should not worry because nothing at all would harm them.

Luke 10:19 NHEBJE Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will in any way hurt you.

For Jesus it was clear that the voices which came from the heavens declared who he was and came, not for him, but for those around Jesus and for us. First there was the Pneuma or Spirit of God telling that he was the only begotten son and secondly there where the angels telling that at the moment, the judgement is of this world, having its own ruler. But that ruler of the world shall be cast out, whilst the seed of the woman shall be lifted up from the earth and will draw all people to himself.

John 12:30 NHEBJE Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.

The world has to come to understand that we have man going wrong from the beginning, i.e. sinning, and that it is for this purpose that the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of evil and the trespassers or aggressors.

1 John 3:8 NHEBJE He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

In the next postings you shall come to see how through later prophecies we can discover that only Jeshua could be the seed of Genesis 3:15 and the one to restore our relationship with the divine Creator, our heavenly Father, and what the importance is of that Nazarene man, who we have to recognise as the Son of God, and not a god son, God dwelling in him, so that God also may dwell in us and we in Him.

1 John 4:15 NHEBJE Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.

The Victory Is Ours to Share

The 1st Adam, being made in the image of God, was followed up by the 2nd Adam, also made in God’s image, like we are made in God’s image. All being children of flesh and blood, having our own weaknesses. Jesus also a man of flesh and blood who also shared in our humanity, put his own will aside so that he might destroy the originator of evil, the tempter or nachash, the ‘serpent‘ who holds the power of death, most people do know by the name “devil”. By his ransom offer Jesus could free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-15 NHEBJE Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

It is by Christ offering himself for all mankind that we are liberated and have a prospect for a better future.

“When Christ [Messiah] died for our sins, Satan was disarmed and defeated. The one eternally destructive weapon that he had was stripped from his hand — namely, his accusation before God that we are guilty and should perish with him,” {John Piper (Desiring God)}.

Conclusion

We have seen how the first human beings (the man and mannin) already early at the beginning of times rebelled against their Maker. They had gone in into their own false thoughts that God would withhold something for them, or on purpose kept certain things secret for them,so that they would not get the same power as God. They had everything they could wish for but wanted more.

Having gone wrong they had to learn that there was a severe consequence of obeying the slanderer, destroyer, and adversary of God. It has been mandatory and expensive, namely the separation from direct contact with God, not always seeing and feeling the love of God.

We as descendants of the offspring of the progeny of those who came in the lineage of the children of Adam and Eve, we too have the defects of the damaged cake mould. Today we do have to make our own choice like Eve and Adam had to choose. Today we should be able to come to see who the bruiser is and who the one man is who can bring salvation for us.

While there may also be consequences in our lifetime to obeying the adversary, the eternal consequence of trusting in the Nazarene rabbi Jeshua, son of man and son of God, as our Messiah and Deliverer shall bring us the hope to enjoy a magnificent security, safety, and God’s chesed (merciful love) that can never be taken away from us, even when so many around us may try to destroy us or to make our life agony. whatever may happen to us, serious accidents, horrible things, when we trust Jesus we shall have the assurance of the hope, and then there shall be nothing able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Jeshua our lord.

Romans 8:38-39 NHEBJE For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Preceding

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

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

Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 4

Out of the seed of Eve

Messianic prophesies 1 Adversary – Root of the first prophecy

A solution for a damaged relationship 3 Insight and prophesies given

First mention of a solution against death 3 Tempter Satan and man’s problems

First mention of a solution against death 4 A seed for mankind

First mention of a solution against death 5 Evil its law of death

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

First mention of a solution against death 7 Human sacrifice

Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #1

Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #2

Necessary to be known all over the earth

Additional reading

+++

Further literature of interest

+++

A solution for a damaged relationship 3 Insight and prophesies given

February 18, 2017February 14, 2017Relating to God11 Comments

Those people coming from the first man and woman in a certain way got infected by the wrong choice these people made.

See No Evil (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God gave a free will to the human beings He created. He did not want them to go wrong or to have it bad, but because they objected to His ruling or His position, He gave them the right to take care of the world themselves how they wanted to do it themselves. He had given them the free will and now they were totally responsible for all the choices they were going to make themselves.

God Himself does not causes bad things to happen to His people but He allows the things to evolve like man lets it evolve and as such allows also to happen things which are not so pleasant for man but are consequences of their acts, they had chosen themselves to do. God allowing such things, good and bad, to happen to man sometimes is to remind man of his position and to let them feel that sin has a price.

You should look at the Creator as a Father who does like any parent, wanting to have the best for his kids, also giving them instructions not to be mean, but to help them on their way of growing up. The omniscient God can see what the ravages of man’s sin looks like, and He desires to spare them for such bad things. For that reason He also gave His Word so that man could learn from it, could see how other people in the past lived their way in this world of good and evil.

God knew very well why it would not be good for man to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was not because He didn’t want them to taste something good or wanted to hold something good back from them. God was well aware of the destruction and devastation knowledge of good and evil could cause to man.

As children of those who chose the other way than God had prepared for man we still have to reap the effects of that choice today. Man should come to recognise that all he has to to endure in life is not placed on them by the Divine Creator God, nor by an extraterrestrial devilish being called Satan, but by our own choices and unwillingness to submit to God His direction for our life.

God does not hate man nor does He hate the world, but He would like it that man comes to love Him and comes to recognise Who He is and what He has done for mankind. Throughout history God always has been around and was always ready to be there for those who wanted Him to have Him nearby and helping them.

God has been very patient with man, but He also wanted to limit the time man would be going on his own stupidity. Therefore he offered mankind His Plan with the promise of a saviour, who would shown man Who God is and how to come closer to God. To give mankind a second chance, God provided what is called a second Adam. Again God provided a ‘new’ fresh ‘man‘ of flesh, blood and bones, who could proof that man was able to put his own man’s will aside to come to do the Will of God. Jesus is that promised one who managed to do that. He is the only begotten beloved son of God who is given to us to show us the Way to God and who made things told in the ancient times clear, giving insight to those who did not see yet.

In the next series we shall look how God kept His first promise made in the Garden of Eden, to bring forth a person who was to bring an end to the sting of death. We shall look how God repeated several times His promise of a solution against the curse of death and how He provided signs to which we could get to know when it was the moment that promise became a reality, so that nobody should doubt that the promise made in the garden had become into the flesh. (John 1:1)

In the next postings we shall show you how in the ancient times God prepared the way for that light for mankind to come and how hope could grow to come closer to the times of the coming Kingdom of God when the best theocratic system would be there to have this world organised in the best way, bringing peace to all people.

Preceding articles

A solution for a damaged relationship 1 All vegetation for food except one fruit

A solution for a damaged relationship 2 Sinful nature

Additional reading

+++

Messiah for all + 2016 statistics

January 17, 2017January 17, 2017Marcus Ampe2 Comments

2015 February 10 we saw “A beginning with many false starts” getting this blog in its starting block.

I know you could ask why an other Christian blog when there are already so many. there are also many ‘antichrist-blogs‘ and even more atheist bloggers at work. In that wood of blogs it is not bad to have one blog more from a blogger who wants to use Blogger or Word Press to go deeper in a matter not many are interested in but is of utmost importance. This world needs much more bloggers warning for the coming difficult times and willing to bring a subject different than the mainstream subjects of the popular blogs, and willing to work or blog for Christ.

This world has become a dark place, literally and figuratively and man can use some beacons of light on this globe. In that darkness lots of people do think they are safest when they hold on to other people. Many do not see that Some One is holding out a stretched arm to pick them up out of the swamp and to guide them to dryer and better places.

There is so much to distract man that most people are lured away from God and do not feel interested in spending time at religious matters.

I did not want to get off on the wrong foot, because what I have to defend is too precious. Confronted with so much hate from certain Christians I not only wanted to show the love a Christian does have to have and have to show for others, but found it the utmost important that more people came to understand that Jesus Christ is the Way to God and not God himself.

We also are aware that many people are afraid to question certain theological matters and are afraid to have doubts. They should not worry. With “Are people allowed to have doubts” we opened the lever and put the light on green to come with us on a voyage in the world of God’s Word. To go on our way we first looked ad the “Background to look at things“.

To come to understand where mankind is at this moment and why there is so much sorrow we do have to look at the early beginnings of mankind. For this reason we have to look at the total beginning of the world. “The very very beginning 1 Creating Gods” should shed a light on the beginning of universe and the first human beings. In two different series we looked at the beginning of the world and the beginning of all problems in this world. From those articles people should come to see what happened at the beginning of mankind and how man himself got trouble over him.

In those articles we also showed how the Divine Creator took care that there would be a solution for what man brought over himself. It is that solution which is the main focus of this blog. It is namely a Saviour, a Kristos or Christ, which God promised and 2020 years that Messiah was born and offered himself up for the whole mankind. He gave his all soul for all other souls (= living beings). It was by not doing his own will, but by doing the will of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, that Jesus opened the Way to God.

There may have been “A multifold of elements in creation and a bad choice made” God has given all people the freedom to choose which way they want to go. The article “First mention of a solution against death 1 To divine, serpent, opposition, satan and adversary” is the opening to showing the solution which is there for everybody to see, if they are willing to open their eyes.

When you know there has entered a tempter in the life of man and how man wants to go for certain choices it is clear how man could come in such problems. (see about the “First mention of a solution against death 3 tempter satan and man’s problems“) In fact we can see that there are still to many people who do not want to know about God and about solutions for a better life He has provided. Though I am convinced that when more people would come to know God and come to know the solution God has provided for, namely God His only begotten beloved son, less problems would be in the world, because many more people would take on the right attitude which God wants them to take on.

When more people would come to know that seed for mankind, and come to follow the teachings of that master teacher rabbi Jeshua, we would be facing a nicer community of lovers of God who are open for those who do not know God yet and want to help them.

In the past two years I showed how “Out of the seed of Eve” has come a son of man who was willing to give his life for all sinners and how he was able to restore the relationship between God and man.

In the coming or next years I want to continue on this way, to proof how there is Only One God and how Jesus is the sent one from God, the son of man and the son of God, who has cleared the way to a better way of life, and ho he shows us the Way to God.

statistics-analysis-810026_1280

Life may be going with ups and downs. Knowing that not many people do want to hear that Jesus is not God, I do know I am not presenting a preferred or much liked subject. As such I also do not count on so much likes and so many followers. But I do hope I can reach some hearts and can come to let people think harder about the subject of the trinity and the nature of God and of the nature of Jesus.

In 2015 this blog got 1 716 views from 1 226 visitors, presenting me with 20 likes and 30 comments, for 83 posts published.

In 2016 1 393 visitors came along to offer me 1 849 views with only 8 likes and 12 comments on the only 14 published (or new) articles.

I noticed most visitors came from the United States of America (1055), followed by the United Kingdom with 122, Canada with 95 and Australia with 63 views. Belgium was only good for 35 views, which is not much and one more than South Africa.

Next to articles written under my name you can find also articles written in name of the Christadelphian community, specifically around Relating to God, and articles from guest-writers.

I am very gratefully you came along this blog and do hope to have you as a visitor more than once.

Looking forward to your next reading on this site, I wish you all the best for 2017.

Preceding articles

Are people allowed to have doubts

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

First mention of a solution against death 3 Tempter Satan and man’s problems

First mention of a solution against death 4 A seed for mankind

Messiah for all 2015 in review

Additional reading

+++

Messiah for all 2015 in review

January 14, 2016January 14, 2016Marcus Ampe8 Comments

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

For 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!}

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!}

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:

Also of interest

+++

Further related articles

+++

Muslim God, Christian God (theamericanconservative.com)
12-18-2015 Jesus, More Than Meet The Eye (fellowshiproom.org)
John 13 & The Distinguishing Mark of a Christian (2cherish2commend.com)
How the world looked when Jesus was born, according to Roman geographers… (atlasobscura.com)
Will the USA Be the Arena of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? (spiritualmagazine.co.uk)
The Messiah in the Manger (hillsbiblechurch.org)
Scientists Use New Technology To Reveal What Jesus Really Would Have Looked Like. See The Photo… (americanoverlook.com)

Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #2

August 26, 2015August 26, 2015Marcus Ampe29 Comments

In the previous postings we have seen that man had to be reminded to his own choice to be without God as their Commander and because off that choice got a reminder of their mortality.

We by know should see the significance of the introduction of the Sabbath commands being associated with the provision of manna.

For many people Mosaic law in the Bible can be confusing and often also in Judaic groups we can find lots of debates about certain laws to be followed in what sort of way. Many Christians do not like to talk so much about those laws and which ones we have to follow.

Critics of Christendom and Christianity and non-believers often question how there can exist such a god who is so demanding. Some even find that Judaism, Christendom and the Muslim world do have a very cruel and petty god.

In many religious groups the question is posed which laws we still do have to follow.

According to some

” There are definitely some bizarre statutes, such as not being allowed to mix two kinds of fabric, or not cooking a goat in its mothers milk. There are also all the dietary restrictions of not being allowed to eat certain “unclean” animals such as pigs, not to mention all the sacrificial laws to atone for sin. These things seem drastic and at the very least, unnecessary. Now obviously most Christians don’t follow any of these. So what are we supposed to do with it? We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So what has changed? {What are we gonna do with this Torah?}

In the previous postings we have shown that all relates to mankind’s decision to take a certain attitude to God. We need to understand that because of sin we were not able to relate to God as he intended it. By man’s own choice he became separated from his own Creator. For this reason god made a structure so that they could often enough be reminded of Him Divine Creator.

In the previous writings you could see that God provided physical and spiritual food for man and gave them rules to follow so that they could have an easier life. He also demanded from them to respect Him as the Only One True God and not to make any graven images of Him.

We also could see how God provided already from the beginning of the fall of man, a solution in the person of Jeshua, Jesus Christ, the sent one from God who could bring salvation by showing the world a man was able not to do his own will but to rightly follow the Will of God.

Before the placed one on earth

Before the only begotten son of God was placed on the earth, all believers where still in a situation to be compared with God’s people in Egypt. But now we do have Jesus, God’s faithful Son who is called out of Egypt, filling up what was lacking in the first faithless son, Israel.

First Israel, God’s son, broke the covenant and deserved God’s wrath. Like at the beginning in the Garden of Eden, God‘s promise brings the one and only working solution for mankind. It is not by doing certain works that the liberation shall come over us. It is by the Gift of Grace that we receive freedom, but that would not liberate us from following certain orders made by God.

Galatians 4:3-5 NHEBJE So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. (4) But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, (5) that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

Completion of Israel’s designation

God his only begotten Son Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:17), whom God loves and with him God is well pleased, is the one who came to complete all that Israel was designed to perform. Some Jews got to see that, but also some non-Jews. Therefore the Jews started wondering if those new converts also had to fulfil all the requirements of the Jewish or Judaic and Mosaic Laws.

Those Jews who had chosen to follow their Master–teacher Jeshua as the Messiah had also some who came to compare the old Jews and the new ‘Jews’ or converted goyim, people from all nations and all sorts other religions. The news of the conversion of the Gentiles is received with joy (Acts 15:12). They could see how many thousands of Yehuḏim there had come to be ardent for the Torah.

Torah and morality for man to follow

For generations since Moses the Jews had their preachers in every town, and it was been read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath how to conduct oneself. As such it was questioned what the new converts had to avoid. Had they to worry about anything that has been contaminated by idols, immorality, the meat of strangled animals, and the tasting of blood?

The Jews had their Mosaic Law as a great bulwark of morality, and there was excuse for wondering whether pagans could keep its moral precepts, without observing it entirely. So this party, which did not represent the church at Jerusalem, (Acts 15:13 ff.), came to Antioch and insisted that circumcision and the Law were necessary for those who wished to enter the Messianic kingdom on earth, and be saved. The Judaizing party had evidently little following outside Jerusalem.

Gentiles, Judaizing Christians and Jews

In Jerusalem many thought that Paul was teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Therefore they requested the assembly to meet. Concerning the Gentiles who believe, the apostles have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.

Acts 21:17-26 NHEBJE When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. (18) The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. (19) When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry. (20) They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law. (21) They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. (22) What then? They will certainly hear that you have come. (23) Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. (24) Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Law. (25) But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.” (26) Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

An elaborate list of “do” and “don’t” items

A turn was made in history of man when the sent one of God had proven that man could do the Will of God and presented himself as an offering for all sinners. Jesus himself also knew that said that the Sabbath was made for man. (Mark 2:27).

Mark 2:23-28 NHEBJE It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain. (24) The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?” (25) He said to them, “Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungryhe, and those who were with him? (26) How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?” (27) He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (28) Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus reminded the Pharisees about their attitude concerning observing religious rituals; like they declared that joy was more important than observing religious rituals, but could not see how on the Sabbath certain things could be done. The gleaning on the fields by the apostles was not considered stealing according to Deuteronomy 23:2, but the rabbis were more concerned about the day on which it happened and felt it belonged to an act of their elaborate list of “not to do” items relevant to the Sabbath. For them it was a serious violation of one of the items on this list.
When the disciples began to pluck the heads of grain, in the eyes of the religious leaders they were guilty of 4 faults: reaping, threshing, winnowing, preparing food.

At this time, Rabbis filled Judaism with elaborate rituals related to the Sabbath and observance of other laws. Ancient Rabbis taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder. But you could carry something with the back of your hand, with your foot, with your elbow, or in your ear, your hair, or in the hem of your shirt, or in your shoe or sandal. Or, on the Sabbath, you were forbidden to tie a knot – except a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, you could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket!
{Guzik commentary on the Gospel of Mark}

What they did not understand is that Jeshua never violated the mitzvah or God’s commands in any way. He took time to study God’s Word and did everything to live according to it. Jeshua with his disciples went to different places and wherever they came they took time to worship God and to observe the Sabbath.

For this sent one from God, who did not want to do his own will (which he would have done in case he himself was God, like some think)would not have approved of his disciples violating God’s commands to observe the Sabbath. But for him there was a big difference between the laws of God and the laws made by man. He could see that by time man added rules had come in the Jewish tradition, which had more to do with man made legalistic ways than with God His Ways.

Human need more important than religious ritual

A very often overlooked issue is the one of the needs of man and of the regulations for man in this time of age.

We do live in a world where man can reign, but where man has also many needs. People do have to eat and to be taken care for, every day and not just one day of the week not. When people would not be treated one day in the week it could well be that they would die that day, because of not having had the right treatment. But not only for life matters it was important to recognise that man could and should be able to do certain things which he would or would not do on the other days of the week. It could be for relaxation, for entertainment, or for making himself wiser, etc..

Also people had to take care for others, and our of love should also sometimes do things which would demand work.

Can you imagine those who do believe in God and do find we do have to keep Sabbath, but take a taxi or public transport, watch television, want to have shops open for getting what they want, want to go to the theatre and have people working for them, so you could say they are not concerned that those people then would do something against the Will of God and would loose their life? This would be very unloving and very selfish.

Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset

Those who say Christians do have to keep to the Sabbath Law should then keep Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset and should abstain of any form of work but also of any relaxation which would have others working, like watching television, going on the internet, wanting medical care, etc.

Those who say the Sabbath is Sunday should look at Jeshua which day he kept. That was the Jewish Sabbath and not what they call the Lord’s Day. God’s Day of rest was from what we now call Friday-night until the time sun goes down on Saturday and not when the clock strikes 12 on Saturday night until Sunday 12 pm..

It is not by days that we can be separated from God, but by our acts of doing wrong. It is sin which alienates us from God not the keeping of one or an other day in a different way than the other days.

To remind our position in the universe of God

God had given the Law to Moses so that people could be reminded of their Creator and of their position in the creation. God’s law shows us that we are not able to attain righteousness through laws, but by making our own right choices like the sent one from God made the right choices from his own, not pushed by any other person.

The first Adam did not keep to God His Wishes and his descendants were not better. Though the descendant of the tribe of David, showed he also had could reason to be a beloved son of God. As the second Adam he also could not attain righteousness through the law. He like any man could sin, something only God can not, but he always made the right choices, following not his own will but the Will of God.

Because of being infected by the fall of man we are unable to be without spot. For us week human beings it is difficult to keep to God’s standards. His ordinances may be set apart from the human rules, but that does not yet mean that we can’t be able to become set-apart our selves (being holy).

Fulfiller of Law

By only doing God’s Will and not the one of his own, Jesus proofed to God and to mankind that man is able to keep to God’s Will. By his way of living and giving himself for mankind he opened the way for a restored relationship between God and mankind.

For centuries man had tried to live according to God’s regulations, but did not seem to succeed. Now there was this Nazarene man who succeeded. By doing so he fulfilled the law and liberated all others from the Old Ordinances bringing them under a New Covenant, a New Regulation. By the sealing of his death a start was given to a New World.

Jesus died as a perfect payment for all the past, present, and future sins of all people. Though now people do have to recognise that sacrificial offering and have to come to see that Jesus is the Way to God now.

Matthew 5:17 NHEBJE “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

In a certain way do we not need the Mosaic Law any more, when we accept Jesus as our new law giver. God gave him authority to teach the world and to judge the world. We are by Christ Jesus Justified by faith. So it is up to people to follow Jesus or either to ignore him like many ignore Jesus his heavenly Father, the Only One God.

Through Christ Jesus righteousness is granted to us, and not any more by the Mosaic Law. He nailed the law and its consequences unto the stake. Through Jesus the sacrificial laws have been nullified and the temple curtain has been torn to allow all who know God to come to him, unrestricted, through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8-16 NHEBJE (8) for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, that no one would boast. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. (11) Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision,” (in the flesh, made by hands); (12) that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (13) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, (15) having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace; (16) and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.

Ordering works and ways of living

From the Jews there were ordered works of Torah, but those who came to Christianity should have to see that Jesus nailed the Old Covenant to the stake and as such did not have to keep to certain laws of food and customs.

Paul had also come to see that certain Jews did more live like gentiles and therefore questioned a.o. Cephas how he who lived not like a Jew, could force the Gentiles to live like Jews.
The Jews by birth who followed Jeshua understood that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Jeshua’s followers believed in the Nazarene man to be the Messiah, the promised sent one from God. They were convinced that by works of the law no one will be justified.

From the 1° Adam onwards all man had been with sin except Christ Jesus. Jeshua did not become a servant of sin. Those converts to the teachings of Jeshua died to the Mosaic Law so that they might live to God. They should walk and live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us all.

Galatians 2:14-21 NHEBJE (14) But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, how can you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do? (15) “We, being Jews by birth, and not Gentile sinners, (16) yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law. (17) But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not! (18) For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker. (19) For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. (20) I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. (21) I do not make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”

False teachings unsettling minds and burdens

In the early times of Christianity already false teachers could be found and people who disturbed others by their teaching and unsettled others their minds. The assembled meeting of Jewish brethren unanimously resolved to select representatives and send them to the ecclesiae so that they could hear how the view was made under the direction of the Holy Spirit after prayer and wise consult. By word of mouth the message was given to the other ecclesia. They agreed that it was for the Holy Spirit and their meeting that had decided not to lay upon others any burden but this indispensable one, that they had to avoid whatever has been sacrificed to idols, the tasting of blood and of the meat of animals that have been strangled, and immorality. They in first instance had to keep themselves free from these things.

Acts 15:24-29 NHEBJE Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, to whom we gave no commandment; (25) it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (26) men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (27) We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. (28) For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: (29) that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

As such old customs like bringing certain offers, tithing, were not necessary any more, because even by the Jews there were ones who did not like it and tried to escape from it.

From several parables and sayings form Jeshua, Jesus Christ, we do know that it is much more important to live according to the spirit of the Law, be it Mosaic or any other law, than to the letter.

End of the law

Those people who say they are Christian should follow the teachings of the master-teacher, rabbi Jeshua, and should accept his words about himself, his heavenly Father and about how we do have to live.

He also gave a golden rule which should guide us through our life and be our goal to love God and God His creation, like Jesus loved us we should love ourself and one another.

John 13:34-35 NHEBJE A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. (35) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:12-13 NHEBJE “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 14:21 NHEBJE One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”

Romans 10:4 NHEBJE For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Colossians 2:6-17 NHEBJE (6) As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, (7) rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. (8) Be careful that you do not let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ. (9) For in him all the fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily, (10) and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; (11) in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (13) 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, (14) wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; (15) having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (16) Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, (17) which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.

Preceding articles:

Not trying to make the heathen live like Jews #1

Genesis – Story of creation 6 Genesis 3:13-24 Enmity and curse

Creation of the earth and man #3 Of the Sabbath day #1 the Seventh day

Creation of the earth and man #4 Of the Sabbath day #2 Days 1,7,8 and 50

Creation of the earth and man #5 Of the Sabbath day #3 Ceasing from the works of the flesh

Creation of the earth and man #6 Of the Sabbath day #4 Mosaic codes, Sabbaths and Sunday

Creation of the earth and man #7 Of the Sabbath day #5 Respecting the day on which Christ Jesus rose from the dead

Creation of the earth and man #8 Of the Sabbath day #6 If it be necessary to keep Sunday

Were Gentiles excluded from entering the synagogue?

Additional reading

+++

Necessary to be known all over the earth

June 2, 2015June 2, 2015Marcus Ampe54 Comments

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)

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

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.

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:

+++

John 18:39-40 (The Cross And The Sword) (tworiversblog.com)
Think Before you Jump (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
Why did Jesus Die? (goodnewsnow.wordpress.com)
We have no idea! (etsop95.wordpress.com)
5-11-2015 What God Is Able To Do (fellowshiproom.org)
10 Commandments Simple Choices that Improve Our Chance of Surviving (peoplesadvocacycouncil.wordpress.com)

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

March 31, 2015September 25, 2015Christadelphians33 Comments

The Divine Creator of heaven and earth wanted His creation to know Who He is and wanted to be worshipped by them. When man revolted against His Wishes He had to make it clear to them that He is and always shall be the Most High. Loving His creation He knew that they were miserable in making the wrong choice. Therefore He provided a solution but demanded His creation to come to know Him better and to restore the broken relationship.

He had a plan with His creation, but by the choice man made this plan was interrupted. To come back to the point were man went wrong there had to come a second Adam who would proof the world that it is possible for man to keep to the commandments of God and to fulfil God’s Wishes. The world had to come to see who that man of salvation is and why God has imposed such Laws unto man. At the same time the one sent from God (Jeshua from the lineage of King David) would come to declare the works of God and show the world Who his heavenly Father is and what He wants from the human beings. This man to be born in Bethlehem would have to reveal the Divine Creator.

The whole world should come to see the necessity of a Revelation to make known the origin, reason, and tendency of things in relation to man and the world around him — An intelligible Mystery, and the only source of true wisdom; but practically repudiated by the Moderns.

Man in the world may have forgotten Who is behind everything, but it are the lovers of God who should bring them back on track and show the world the light of Christ and the Way to the Most High Supreme Power.

Man may be lost in the amount of things around him. He might consider him just an element in a universe about which we still do not know much. Though some may think they know a lot of that universe. When looking at it they may see the world or earth revolving upon its own axis, and describing an ample circuit through the boundless fields of space, a planet of the solar system bearing upon its surface a population of over a thousand millions subject to sin, disease, and death.

Dr John Thomas wrote in the 19th century:

This orb of the starry heavens shines with a glory similar to that of its kindred spheres. Viewed from them, it is seen sparkling “like a diamond in the sky”; and with the rest of the heavens, declares the glory of God, and shows forth the handiwork of Him that did create it.
This celestial orb, which is a world or system of itself, is styled The Earth. It is the habitation of races of animals which graze its fields, lurk in its forests, soar through its atmosphere, and pass through the paths of its seas. At the head of all these is a creature like themselves, animal, sensual and mortal. He is called Man. He has replenished the earth and subdued it, and filled it with his renown. His crimes, however, rather than his virtues, have illustrated and distinguished him with an unhappy pre-eminence above all other created things. His heart is evil; and, left to its uncontrolled impulses, he becomes licentious, merciless, and more cruel than the fiercest beast of prey.
Such is the being that claims the independent sovereignty of the globe. He has founded dominions, principalities, and powers; he has built great cities, and vaunted himself in the works of his hands, saying, “Are not these by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” He repudiates all lordship over him, and claims the inalienable and inherent right of self-government, and of establishing whatever civil and ecclesiastical institutions are best suited to his sensuality and caprice. Hence, at successive periods, the earth has become the arena of fierce and pandemoniac conflicts; its tragedies have baptized its soil in blood, and the mingled cries of the oppressor and the victim have ascended to the throne of the Most High.
Skilled in the wisdom which comes from beneath, he is by nature ignorant of that which is “first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy”. This is a disposition to which the animal man under the guidance of his fleshly mind has no affinity. His propensity is to obey the lust of his nature; and to do its evil works, “which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, sects, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like”. All these make up the character of the world, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life”, upon which is enstamped the seal of God’s eternal reprobation. “They who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” but “they shall die”.
Such is the world of human kind! The great and impious enemy of God upon the earth. Its mind is not subject to His law, neither indeed can it be. What shall we say to these things? Is the world as we behold it a finality? Are generations of men, rebellious against God, and destroyers of the earth, to occupy it successively through an endless series of ages? Are men to repeat the history of the past for ever? Is the earth always to be cursed, and sin and death to reign victorious? Who can answer these inquiries? If we survey the starry canopy, thence no sign or voice is given expressive of the truth. They declare the eternal power and divinity of their Creator, but they speak not of the destiny of the earth or of man upon it. If we question the mountains and hills, the plains and valleys, the rivers, seas, and oceans of the earth, and demand their origin, why they were produced, to what end they were created; their rocks, their strata, their fossils, or deposits, afford us no response. Turn we to man and ask him, “Whence comest thou, and what is thy destiny? Whence all tile evil of thy nature, why art thou mortal, who made thee, who involved thee in the wide-spread ruin and calamity on every side?”
Ask an infant of days the history of the past, and he can as well detail it, as man can answer these inquiries without a revelation from Him who is before all, and to whom is known from the beginning all He intends shall come to pass. So true is it, that, unaided by light from heaven, “since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what is prepared for him that waiteth for him”; but, adds the apostle in his comment upon these words of the prophet, “God hath revealed these things unto us by his spirit … which things we (apostles) speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the holy spirit teacheth; interpreting spiritual things in spiritual words.”
To the Bible, then, all must come at last if they would be truly wise in spiritual things. This is a great truth which few of the sons of men have learned to appreciate according to its importance. A man may be a theologian profoundly skilled in all questions of “divinity”; he may be well versed in the mythology of the heathen world; be able to speak all languages of the nations; compute the distances of orb from orb, and weigh them in the scales of rigid calculation; he may know all science and be able to solve all mysteries,—but if, with all this, he be ignorant of “the things of the spirit”; if he know not the true meaning of the Bible; he seemeth only to be wise, while he is, in fact, a fool. Therefore, the apostle saith, “let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men”. If our contemporaries could only attain to the adoption of this great precept, “let no man glory in men”, they would have overleaped a barrier which as a fatal obstacle prevents myriads from understanding and obeying the truth.
But while God lightly esteems the wisdom of the reputed wise, there is a wisdom which He invites all men to embrace. This is styled “the wisdom of God in a mystery”; it is also termed “the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world which none of the princes of this world knew”. It is said to be hidden in a mystery, because until the apostolic age, it was not clearly made known. This will appear from the following texts: “Now to him that is of power to establish you according to the revelation of The Mystery, which was kept secret (χρόνοις αἰωνίοις) in the times of the ages, but now (in the time, or age, of the apostles) is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” “By revelation God made known unto me, Paul, The Mystery, which in other ages (former ages under the law of Moses) was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

Here is “the knowledge of God”, in which are contained “exceeding great and precious promises”, the understanding of which is able to make a man wise, and “a partaker of the divine nature”. Now, although these hidden things have been clearly made known, they still continued to be styled the mystery; not because of their unintelligibility, but became they were once secret. Hence, the things preached unto the Gentiles, and by them believed, are styled by Paul, “the mystery of the faith”, and “the mystery of godliness”, some of the items of which he enumerates; such as, “God manifest in the flesh, justified by the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory”. Thus an intelligible mystery characterizes the once hidden wisdom of God, and becomes the subject matter of an enlightened faith. This, however, is not the case with regard to religious systems which are not of the truth. Unintelligible mystery is the ultima ratio for all difficulties which are insoluble by the symbols of ecclesiastical communities, whose text of universal application is, that “secret things belong to God, but the things which are revealed, to us and to our children”. This is true; but, then, these things which were secret in the days of Moses, have been revealed by God to the apostles and prophets for our information.

– Thomas, D. J. (1848-1849/e-ed. 1990). Elpis Israel: a standard work of the Christadelphian community and exposition of the kingdom of God with reference to the time of the end and the age to come, available at the Christadelphian bookshop.

Preceding articles:

To be continued: Necessity of a revelation of creation 2 Organisation of a system of things

Additional reading:

+++

Our Father In Heaven By: Joe Stowell (christianmotivations.weebly.com)
What do we know about God as our Father? According to Jesus’ prayer, we know that our Father in heaven is available and attentive to us. It is also clear that He provides for us. He forgives us and protects us from evil (vv.2-4).
Some Sins Indeed Result In Greater Judgment (planet.infowars.com)
, if Christians are guilty of the criticism of which they have been charged, isn’t that tendency in part the result of the way the Biblical narrative presents itself?
Man who raised God as son (wordignite.wordpress.com)
just like God had a plan for Joseph, God has a plan for each one of us. The plan does not need to be more than that He wants us to be upright and righteous. He wants us to be loving parents, loving husbands and wives. God wants us to follow the law – observe the commandments. But, just like Joseph, we may feel that we don’t have anything to contribute: that we are nothing but simple carpenters…we may feel insignificant, that we have nothing to offer. Still, God has a plan for us. God gives us dreams and speaks to us in our dreams.
Follow Me (heartfixxer.wordpress.com)
With Christ being alive and with us we can do all things if we trust in him. He has a place picked out for us in his heavenly kingdom, filled with God’s presence.
David “A Man after God’s own Heart | How God Chooses in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (wordsforliving.org)
Some may wonder why we would even bother to spend time on a man who has been dead some three thousand years. The short answer to that is this: David achieved in his life something that God wants each of His children to achieve. David achieved something that many of us fail to accomplish. David became a man after God’s Own heart and a study of his life can teach us how to do that too.
Sermon: The Heart of God Seeks Unity (grantspasschurchofchrist.com)
The Civil War left a tragic aftermath of bitterness, hatred, and resentment in America. The wounds inflicted by the war were deep and painful. Though the guns fell silent, the angry recriminations went on. Many could not forget or forgive what had been done. Exchanges between former enemies rarely rose above the level of angry accusations and scornful denunciations.
Gospel, 21 March, Lent, Year B (jessicahof.wordpress.com)
Chrysostom adds that the Pharisees neither knew the fullness of the Law, neither did they do what it commanded, for it said that no man should be killed without being granted a hearing. But it is clear, from the testimony of Nicodemus, that not all the Pharisees were blind. He knew, from his own experience, the power of the words of Jesus, but he is silenced, as Peter will be later, by fear of the wrath of the Pharisees. Like us, he is weak and fearful. Authority on earth is a powerful thing and can drive us into silence. Can we summon the courage to confess Him in such circumstances?
1 Samuel 26 (asorensen.wordpress.com)
David knows good and well it is not God who wants him dead. So he calls on Saul to wake up and realize that he is listening to bad advice and direction from his men.
March 9 – peace (cohdailyprayer2014.wordpress.com)
Heavenly Father, help us purge ourselves of those attributes which make not for peace but which set the stage for war.
Lord hear our prayer, and grant us your peace.
Vayikra after its opening word וַיִּקְרָא, which means and He called (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)
For the Jews this Shabbat is the last of the Four Parashiot that have special Torah readings in preparation for Pesach (Passover), which is only two short weeks away! For Jews and Christians it should be the most important day of the year.

	Internet and practic… on Starting block
	Reason to practise t… on Gone astray, away from Go…
	A biblical answer to… on The Servant’s Prayer
	A biblical answer to… on Foretold Messiah 2 a Voice giv…
	Talks about freedom,… on First mention of a solution ag…
	Talks about freedom,… on Messianic prophesies 2 Adversa…
	Law and justice very… on Foretold Messiah 2 a Voice giv…
	Freedom In Christ \|… on Not trying to make the heathen…
	Lots to be said abou… on Not trying to make the heathen…
	4 Reasons to Pursue… on Necessity of a revelation of c…

Additional reading

Related

Share this:

Like this:

Who Is Our Hope?

Altered Identity

The Victory Is Ours to Share

Conclusion

Additional reading

Further literature of interest

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Additional reading

Further reading

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Additional reading

Further reading

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Welcome

Reasons to start this blog

Getting away from the starting bloc

By the Will of God

Writings and Readings

Invitation

Looking towards 2016 and beyond

Please do find additional reading:

Also of interest

Further related articles

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Before the placed one on earth

Completion of Israel’s designation

Torah and morality for man to follow

Gentiles, Judaizing Christians and Jews

An elaborate list of “do” and “don’t” items

Human need more important than religious ritual

Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset

To remind our position in the universe of God

Fulfiller of Law

Ordering works and ways of living

False teachings unsettling minds and burdens

End of the law

Additional reading

Further reading:

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Additional reading:

Related articles

Share this:

Like this:

Additional reading:

Related articles

Share this:

Like this: